Welcome to your brand new Bushwick nightlife series, Bushwick Nightly. As the unofficial (or is it official?) party capital of NYC, there are so many things to do after dark.
Bushwick, and Brooklyn in general, wasn’t always the party mecca that we now know it to be. The Beastie Boys’ 1986 classic No Sleep Till Brooklyn was all about how while the title of “City That Never Sleeps” was well earned, it did not extend past the East River.
In time, this has changed with our neighborhood’s unique geography and infrastructure, which provide ample space to inspire creativity in both party makers and partygoers. We have an abundance of repurposed buildings that contribute to a thriving district. Bushwick’s freedom of expression and focus on acceptance, tolerance and visibility are unmatched by many other neighborhoods across the five boroughs. It’s for these reasons that we have guests from Harlem to Haiti to Hamburg out on any given night in Bushwick.
Bushwick Nightly wants to highlight some of the most exciting events and creators from the neighborhood — those who are responsible for fostering the unique vibe that makes our area what it is. We want to focus on events that highlight letting loose and having fun while also acting as pioneers in inclusiveness, expression and safe spaces for queer and POC communities and allies. We’ll be coming out biweekly on Wednesdays, so be sure to check back on this space!
SATURDAY, JUNE 15
Refresh Rate, Panooc (XOXA), Grand Atrium, Buskko at Wonderville, 9 p.m.
This free party at new video game bar spot Wonderville may sound aggressively nu-Bushwick, but they’re collaborating with the popular queer-femme party collectives of the moment, XOXA, who curate “the best in Brooklyn underground for femmes and allies” and Feel Free, focused on house and techno with great visuals in intimate spaces. This party is not only free, but it features free video games all night in the new venue, which once housed Secret Project Robot. And while we might be upset at the loss of our little DIY haven, we must remember that SPR’s owners actually approached the creators of Wonderville, Mark Kleback and Stephanie Gross, and asked them to take over the space. All the games created are independent creations and stemmed from a project originally housed in Williamsburg’s once-famous DIY locale Death by Audio. Play video games and dance to house and techno beats with a soulful flair from XOXA resident Panooc and others. It’s a great way to welcome Wonderville to the neighborhood.
SUNDAY, JUNE 16
Mister Sunday: Justin Carter, Eamon Harkin at Nowadays, 3 p.m.
Nowadays has been devoted to creating a space that echoes the diversity of the city — not only in the makeup of the crowd but in the showcasing of talent. Nowadays founders Justin Carter and Eamon Harkin — who double as the collaborative duo behind Mister Sunday — have been a New York City mainstay since 2009, and now have a permanent location to showcase Mister Sunday as well as other house, disco and techno music events that are focused on inclusivity, community and cultivating safe spaces.
The event often hosts top talent from both local and international pools, there will be no need to dive into other musical waters once you become obsessed with this summertime mainstay.
FRIDAY, JUNE 21
The Spectrum WQRLD Pride! Q Dynasty! at Market Hotel, midnight
Show off your moves on Friday night with an early World Pride party, Wqrld Pride! Q Dynasty. The event is run by none other than Dreamhouse and The Spectrum, whose former queer party series and palace were unfortunatly closed earlier this year, to the great chagrin of queer partiers and their allies. The event will be a throwback to those halcyon days and as always, will rival a marathon in length (it doesn’t end until 10 a.m., so you’d better not forget your sunnies). Additionally, there will be performances from subversive gay rapper Le1f, sets from The Spectrum regulars A Village Raid and False Witness and more. Top this all off with some top level ‘lewk’ bringing and this is a legendary queer party that The Spectrum claims will be the beginning of their “third wave of programming”. We can’t wait.
SATURDAY, JUNE 22
The Bunker Pride with Eris Drew, Souffront, Servito, Flax at Market Hotel, 10 p.m.
Get some rest after The Spectrum and get ready for a second wild night in a crazy weekend for Market Hotel as they host The Bunker’s Pride event. The Bunker has been a legendary Brooklyn party cooperative since the for almost 20 years. They’ve been through numerous locations and membership changes, and have evolved to produce a podcast and their own music label — all while managing to bring in some of the best techno music and create exhilarating party scenes. Their support of safe spaces for queer dancers has always been essential to their mission and this party is no different as they go host this Pride-centered event. To showcase their connection to the LGBTQIA+ community in the USA, their lineup includes only American artists in order to showcase the essential nature and the incredible contributions of these artists to the dance music genre. A portion of the proceeds will benefit the Sylvia Rivera Law Project, which “seek[s] to increase the political voice and visibility of low-income people and people of color who are transgender, intersex, or gender non-conforming.”
WEDNESDAY, JULY 10
House of Vogue: Pride Edition at House of Yes, 10 p.m.
House of Vogue has become a tradition at the queer-friendly, creative space that is House of Yes. The Pride edition of this event in particular is special to the ballroom community, which offers a wealth of opportunities for expression from historically marginalized communities, and whose origins date back years before Madonna incorporated their dancing moves into her music videos.
This event is organized by QweenBeat, a music and arts collective focused on maintaining ballroom culture not only here in NYC but also bringing that culture to the world, with the help of arts and entertainment company MeanRed.
House of Vogue is especially focused on queer and trans communities of color, so allies should be mindful and respectful of the houses and dancers participating.
Header image courtesy of Pixabay
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