Every week we will share with you where the best "Music-First" dance parties will be held across New York City. This week we also take a closer look at The Lot Radio.
If you’ve ever walked down Driggs Ave in Greenpoint and come across a shipping container on a little triangle of land, you might not know how important that space is. It’s called The Lot Radio and it’s been the heart of the Brooklyn dance music community since 2015.
Francois Vaxelaire took a reclaimed 20x8ft shipping container and set up a 24/7, independent, online radio station inside. Since opening they’ve had living legends like Cerrone, George Clinton, Four Tet, Ellen Allien, and Gilles Peterson play alongside NYC heroes, local up and comers, and international guests.
“That was the whole idea, to give people who are irrationally in love with music a home. I think that there’s a lot of people who are in love with music and I think it’s beautiful, and I wanted to give them a home to express themselves,” Vaxelaire said in an interview with HYPEBEAST.
Since opening, The Lot Radio has come up with numerous ways to support the community. Last weekend they hosted a Pride Takeover, and this weekend they’re hosting a Juneteenth Block Party (read more about it in the listings below). And for anyone who wants to be part of this community but doesn’t live in NYC, you can watch the stream from anywhere in the world and join the chat, which is always full of lols and some of the best gifs you’ll see on the internet.
NYC Nightlife 6/16-6/18
6.16 - Tim Sweeney at Good Room
It's hard to put into words Tim Sweeney's impact on our scene, but here we go... From humble beginnings on AM college radio, Sweeney has spent more than two decades bringing the best sounds from around the world into homes across the globe. His Beats in Space show on WNYU saw guests like Todd Terje, Ben UFO, Awesome Tapes From Africa, Andrew Weatherall, Avalon Emerson, DJ Harvey and basically every DJ you could ever want to dance to. From the radio show he started the Beats in Space label and threw a bunch of parties before making the move to Apple Music. After 23 years it's still all about the music for Sweeney and bringing new sounds to the people is the name of his game. He’ll be bringing those sounds to Good Room this Friday where he’ll be playing all night long.
6.17 - Renata Do Valle at Black Flamingo
Born and raised in Brazil but a longtime New Yorker, Renata Do Valle has made it her mission to marry the sounds, aesthetics, and flavors of her South American roots with those of her adopted home. While that may sound like an interesting combination, trust us when we say, it works. The fusion samba, MPB, and Latin soul, with disco, electro, and house makes her sets eclectic, colorful and always fun. The Hello Sailor label owner is bringing all those sounds and more to Black Flamingo this Saturday.
6.18 - Coloring Lessons Juneteenth Block Party at The Lot Radio
Musclecars have spent more than five years throwing parties with the aim of adding value to the city’s community and nightlife culture. They do it through Coloring Lessons, a roving party, label and mix series that embraces the musical elements of their black and brown ancestors, focusing on house, disco, jazz, and soul. The Coloring Lessons annual Juneteenth Block Party is a celebration of their favorite national holiday filled with music, live performances, smiling faces, records, and much more. It’s going down this Sunday at The Lot Radio with Kfeelz, Livwutang, Lovie, Yvonne Turner, and DJ Spinna playing alongside Musclecars.
6.18 - Theo Parrish at Nowadays
When we say that Theo Parrish is one of the best, we really mean he is one of the best. Growing up in Chicago on a musical diet of legendary house artists like Ron Hardy, Larry Heard, and Frankie Knuckles, he began spinning and producing his own tracks in 1986, at the age of thirteen. Since then he’s developed a reputation for genre-spanning DJ sets and unconventional house productions. Watching him DJ is like a masterclass in the art of DJing, often during marathon sets. He’ll be doing another marathon set this weekend when he takes over Mister Sunday at Nowadays.
