Part Two: Where's The Parti?
A Techno Rave in a Skate Park and Even More Yerba Mate
The Guest List is Partiful’s newsletter exploring the social world we help facilitate. Today’s post is by Em Higgins and Ella Edwards, with reporting and photos by Em Higgins.
When searching for the party in New York, you eventually hear about Play Me Techno.
A quick excavation of PMT’s digital footprint surfaces a wonderful Reddit thread on r/avesNYC.
Zarling_1229 opens with:
Play Me Techno 11/22 vibes — does anyone know what the vibe of the Play Me Techno event tomorrow is? I love Juliana Huxtable but not familiar with PMT — is it a rave, set in a traditional venue, good crowd, etc?
Phoenicia_townie, a top 1% commenter (four upvotes):
Amazing crowd, most likely non-traditional venue, the one over the summer was the sweatiest event I’ve ever been to no shit.
clear_doubt_709:
Fell into a wild k-hole and nearly lost my whole life trying to grasp for air in that warehouse.
Self-described as an incubator for performance and emerging sound selectors, PMT draws hundreds into an indoor skate park after hours, party-goers occupying wooden ramps under portable strobe lights, gripping with their toes so they don’t slide down the sidewall en route to the DJ booth. From any elevated surface, the room reveals itself as an elegant ballet of release, one of the few places where I see people dancing without the big brother eyes of composure watching over.
Among the bodies on the ramps, Lavy, PMT’s founder and lead organizer, is easy to spot.
How was PMT born?
LAVY: “Oh gosh, it’s almost coming up on two years… I was already helping to co-produce another event with my friend Serena Wolman and I realized I wanted to bridge the research I was doing as a choreographer and dancer (nightlife, decentralized performance, being immersed in a space) into something real.
I felt like the only way to do that was to put it into motion. That’s really where Play Me Techno was born, bridging performance and catharsis in a space other than a proscenium theater. I banded together with Serena and Akti, my other co-founder, and we each put in $400 to rent our first venue.”
Where were you going out before PMT existed?
LAVY: “Bossa Nova, Nowadays, Basement. I had discovered some DIY parties too, Zero Chill, Euhoreia.
But PMT wasn’t coming from a place of lack, but from a place of inspiration. I went to Berlin and went to a party called Lunchbox Candy, and it was filled with expressive queer beings doing performance, so many different bodies existing in space. There was a lightness and euphoria I hadn’t seen in New York.
I came back feeling that we can exist like this here too, where performance integrates itself in a more experimental tone.”
Why do you think there is this dialogue that something feels wrong or missing in New York nightlife?
LAVY: “What I miss is the recycling of energy you get when you go out. Nightlife is intensely social. You’re expelling so much energy. I miss the redistribution of that energy - leaving inspired, cathartic, charged.
The two biggest things that create that cycle are intention and inspiration.
I think there’s a general wash of events and we’re oversaturated with experiences. So the question is how do we create something amidst all of it that actually sends people out with what we put into it?
Event throwing requires specificity and attention to detail- intention and purpose. We need more of that.”
So if someone said New York nightlife is past its prime, what would you say?
LAVY: “I don’t buy that. If there’s a lull, there’s an opportunity to reorganize and refuel.
New York is an evolving organism, it’s amoebic. It’s influenced by so many people, cultures, histories, lineages. It can’t be over.”
If someone feels like their scene is dead, what would you tell them?
LAVY: “Do your research and keep looking. Or if you don’t want to look, think about creating the thing you think is dead or not there- because from that lack something can be born.
The future of partying is intentionality- how we curate spaces, and being intentional about substance use and our personal and communal wellbeing.
Ultimately it’s up to us. The future gets shaped by the choices we make and how we bring ourselves into spaces.”
Where’s the Parti: Play Me Techno
Name: Lavy
Age: 27
Occupation: Dancer, Event Producer, Community Organizer, DJ
Describe yourself in 3 words: Amebic, Direct, and Charged
What time did you get here? 2pm because I had to help set up
Best night to come? Any Play Me Techno night
Favorite part of the room? In towards the back of the main half pipe up on the rising platforms. I like to look over and see.
What does it….
sound like? Rolling cunt thunder.
taste like? Watermelon
smell like? Sweat and Queer Joy
What are you ordering? Massaman curry
Where will I find you? Most likely, running around and frolicking.
Who do you never see here? I never see anyone who doesn’t want to be there.
What happened here that made you come back? The people make me come back. Every single time, people that show up, the people that I work and collaborate with, they make me want to come back.
The best thing I’ve ever seen in the room? An embrace of all of the people that came to Play Me Techno for PMT #8. We finished off a final song together, and we all just held each other.
What’s in your pockets? I have my keys, my wallet, my safety band, phone, a vape, cigarettes, lots of gum and a trinket or two that I like to carry with me (maybe a penny).
Reveal a state secret: I’m gonna question mark that one.
Where’s the party: 169 Bar
Name: Jack Berry (@Jackberry1776)
Age: 26
Occupation: Designer. I worked at Ray’s Bar for 5 years, but now I’m opening a bar in the East Village on 3rd and B called Limo Bar. It’s going to be me, Reed Adelson from Virginia’s, Mario Firmani, and Ian Alexander from Dead Rabbit.
Describe yourself in 3 words: Let’s have fun.
What time did you get here? 9 PM
Best night to come? I don’t like when places are too loud, and the people who come here are really young, which annoys me. So I’d say the best time is a Monday night at 8 PM or after a first date.
Favorite part of the room? Outside.
What does it…
sound like? They need to turn the treble up but it’s not that loud here tonight, which is great. It sounds like people are having actual conversations. I don’t think people are talking about the weather because the weather is so nice.
taste like? Like shit. Beer. This is a dirty place.
smell like? Same answer.
What are you ordering? A Narragansett.
Where will I find you? In the booth by the pool table.
Who do you never see here? Anyone I’ve ever dated (unless on a date).
What happened here that made you come back? Every other bar was full.
What’s the best thing you’ve ever seen in this room? Nothing worth remembering but it’s a neighborhood staple and I hope they win their legal battle. They’ve always been lovely. They know exactly what kind of place they want to be running, and they do a great job.
I just think it’s a place you outgrow. I have never outgrown Ray’s, because you never know what night you’re going to have at Ray’s. It’s a place I get to catch up with people I love. Ray’s, any day.
What’s in your pockets? Dentyne Black gum. House keys. Wallet.
Reveal a state secret: You can tell any restaurant it’s your anniversary and Limo Bar opens June 1st.
We also successfully recreated the Clear Dirty Martini, which was invented at Bar Hemingway in Paris. You can’t tell whether it’s gin or vodka and the first time I had it, my jaw was on the ground. The ice cube has an olive frozen in the middle, and that ice cube is part water, part olive brine, so as you drink it, it goes from clean to dirty.
Where’s the Parti: Ray’s Bar (Brooklyn)
Name: Kendall Steph (@britneyspearss2000)
Age: 25
Occupation: Door girl
Describe yourself in 3 words: fantasy, perfect, chill.
What time did you get here? I clocked out of Valentino at 7:00pm and I clocked in here at 7:33pm.
Best night to come? Queer pool night on Tuesdays. I love when my place of work is flooded with lesbians.
Favorite part of the room? The owner’s booth, the one next to the bar. You can easily order and it’s usually just our friends there.
What does it…
sound like? Noise.
taste like? A gin martini.
smell like? Niche.
What are you ordering? The burger with a lettuce wrap.
Where will I find you? At the door, kiking and making everyone feel perfect and welcome. That’s what I do.
Who do you never see here? The one I wanna see.
What happened here that made you come back? Sexy bartenders.
What’s the best thing you’ve ever seen in this room? Caviar bombs on New Year’s Eve. There was a guy who couldn’t leave until he either finished serving the caviar or it was 11pm, so we gave it out to a bunch of men until it was done.
What’s in your pockets? I put my bag down in the office, and then I always put in my pockets: lipstick, cigarettes, lighter, and a Vaseline moment.
Reveal a state secret: The Elvis bust comes alive after midnight.
Where’s the Parti: Animal
Name: Tyler (@addy_daddy)
Age: 46
Occupation: Sales Manager
Describe yourself in 3 words: a good time
What time did you get here? 12am
Best night to come? Friday
Favorite part of the room? Dance floor
What does it…
sound like? Fun
smell like? Sex
What are you ordering? Yerba Mate. I don’t drink.
Who do you never see here? A co-worker
What happened here that made you come back? The dance floor and the DJ.
What’s the best thing you’ve ever seen in this room? Yet to come
What’s in your pockets? That’s a good question.
Where’s the Parti: The Bush
Name: Sabia Richard (@sabialurks)
Age: 28
Occupation: Software Developer
Describe yourself in 3 words: autistic partying academic
What time did you get here? Just now, like five, ten minutes ago. I was at Boyfriend before this.
Best night to come? Friday, or sometimes Thursday. Friday is definitely better. I don’t come here much. I’m mostly a Cubby[hole] bitch.
Favorite part of the room? It’s a fun dance floor. I wish the acoustics in here were a little better. Especially on Friday, Saturday, the party keeps coming until the last call.
What does it…
sound like? Loud and dancey.
taste like? They have very good drinks.
smell like? I have very little sense of smell so not much there.
What are you ordering? They have a lot of fun cocktails. It depends. Cider is kind of my go-to, because I can sip it all night without being completely wasted. I have a high tolerance.
Where will I find you? Usually the dance floor. I have my fan. It gets warm. This one is a replacement for the original one I had. Someone had found it and said, “You seem like you deserve it.” The girlfriend of one of the bartenders at Cubby lost it and then someone else found it and gave it to me. Six months later, they were like, “Omg, that’s the one I lost at pride.” I asked if they wanted it back and they said, “No, it’s yours now.”
Who do you never see here? It tends to be relatively young here.
What happened here that made you come back? Mostly, it’s close to where I used to spend my Thursdays over at Boyfriend. Walking over here is a lot easier than making my way over to the West Village. It being fun, especially later into the night.
What’s in your bag? Charger, lighter, cigarettes, anti nausea pills.
Reveal a state secret: The last time I came here on Thursday there were only two people at the bar and no one else. Thursdays are very hit or miss.
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