It’s your weekly roundup of parties and shenanigans to keep the dance going all weekend long! This week, there are a ton of awesome lady DJs in the mix which always makes me so stoked to see, but an especially nice little beacon of hope this week after Resident Advisor released a Top 20 Live Acts of 2014 with not a single woman on the list. Bullshit, but whatever. Brooklyn knows what’s up with the ladies. Also, we know right now, with the holidays looming, you might be a little tight on cash, and we’re definitely right there with ya, BUT it just so happens to be a week with a lot of free (the majority, actually) and cheap stuff going on, so that’s certainly no excuse to like, sleep or whatever you were thinking about doing instead.
Lo-fi house/ Hi-fi vibes:
Final Pov // Ñaka Ñaka // Beta Librae
Legion Bar (East Williamsburg)
Thursday Dec 11, 10 PM, $5
I always like to start the weekend off on the chill side. Some nice, dreamy lo-fi house is just the ticket. I’ve never actually been to Legion Bar, but I’ve heard good things. Should be a nice easy way to roll into the weekend.
I’M IN
Endurance test:
SMHOAKSTOCK 4
Shea Stadium (East Williamsburg)
Thursday Dec 11, 11:50 PM – Saturday Dec 13, Midnight, $5
Or, keep it the opposite of chill and call off work on Friday. Why? Because this is an entire 24 hours of party. Yeah, you thought the times on this were a mistake, didn’t you? THEY’RE NOT. From a few minutes before midnight Thursday, until the clock strikes 12 Friday night/ early Saturday morning, the fourth edition of SMHOAKSTOCK (Get it? Like Woodstock, but with smoke machines) will roar. Over the entire day, expect a ridiculous number of performers with a huge spectrum of sound. Oh, and pizza. So yeah, if you’re really just trying to say fuck it, It’s bound to be insane.
I’M IN
Do stretches beforehand:
The Long Count X No-Tech: Alex From Queens // JR Nelson + Ciarra Black // Scallywag // Blacklauren
Bossa Nova Civic Club (Bushwick)
Friday Dec 12, 10 PM, Free before midnight
If you really want to dance, this is the time and the place. Some of the most intense dancing I’ve done in recent memory has been at Long Count parties, especially noisy ones like this, so maybe do some warmups beforehand.
I’M IN
Leave it to the professionals:
Rinsed IV: Blacky II // Dan Wender // Able & Baker // Smoking Kills + more
Le Bain at The Standard (West Village)
Friday Dec 12, 10:30 PM, Free with RSVP
The people behind Rinsed know how to throw a party. It’s a fact. They do the “immersive experience” thing where an insane amount of work goes into every detail to bring to life whatever that party’s theme is. I remember one recent Rinsed party there was an actor on stage hanging crucified on a cross the entire time. Insane. My favorite, though, was when they had a party in what appeared to be some old gymnasium with padded, bouncy floors. So much literal pep in your step. But yeah, Rinsed does it up, HOWEVER, this one is at Le Bain, so I don’t know how much freedom they’ll have to make it Rinsed-brand crazy. Oh, and also, it’s free, where as normal Rinsed parties are around $40, so that might be some indicator. But, again, it’s free, so why not check it out.
I’M IN
Arcade rave:
UNO Holiday Bday Extravaganza: Gobby // Dubbel Dutch // Feral // Kuhrye-oo // MR UNO
Chinatown Fair Arcade (Chinatown)
Saturday Dec 13, 11 PM, Free with RSVP
I love parties in weird places, so when this FREE thing in this Chinatown arcade popped up on my radar, with 350 people attending on Facebook, I was like, “OK, you have my attention.” The label that is throwing the party is know for their artist’s weird, unable-to-categorize electronic sound. Weird music + Weird place = Worth a shot.
I’M IN
A new classic:
City Club: Lauren Flax // Gavin Russom // ZAS // Nomadico
Bossa Nova CivicClub (Bushwick)
Saturday Dec 13, 10 PM, Free before midnight
This is a new monthly Bossa party with two amazing DJs in the scene bumping, according to them, “deep and soulful house, relentless jacking bass lines and percussion patterns, techno minimalist excursions, hair in the face EBM and New Beat eroticism, synthesizer ecstasy and more.” You had us at all of that.
I’M IN
Christmas for the freaks:
Frankie’s “A Christmas Carry”: MikeQ // Nit Aviance // Juliana Huxtable
Good Room (East Williamsburg)
Sunday Dec 14, 9 PM, $25
This is not my go-to kind of party, but I can definitely get down with dancing to some grime vibes here and there. And, also, what’s more fun than celebrating a warm, fuzzy, wholesome holiday like Christmas with a little debauchery. The event says there will be an “X SANTA’S VILLAGE X ” including Mrs. Claus, elves, and the big man him self: Santa Claus, which will be played by “some major actor that we’re not allowed to put on this event page.” Please be Alec Baldwin. Really want to dance with Alec Baldwin.
I’M IN
Anti-Monday vibes:
The Idiots // Timeghost // 51717 // Saran Man // DJ Ciarra Black
Trans Pecos (Ridgewood)
Monday Dec 15, 9 PM, $10
Why should the party stop on Sunday? If you’re STILL not dead after work Monday, hit up Trans Pecos. Let weird noisy vibes blast you off into outer space to thoroughly escape the Mondaze. By the time you come back to Earth, maybe it will be Thursday again.
I’M IN