Whose Streets? Our Streets! from LostinSound on Vimeo.
Whose Streets? Our Streets!
A few nights ago, I participated in the first edition of the Mobile Silent Disco in New York City. It was….how you say…..FUCKING AWESOME.
A group of people in varying sorts of party attire gathered between 9 and 10ish at a Brooklyn loft. 20$ got me use of a headphones with 2 stations to choose from. Everyone also had to give the info from a credit or debit card, which would only be charged if the headphones were not returned by the end of the night ($60) or in the event they were broken ($25 repair cost). After a clear, to-the-point briefing about where we’d be going, when we’d be stopping, and how to conduct ourselves, our group gathered outside and went down on our first subway ride.
Before we left the loft, I was listening mostly to the green channel – it was chill and that’s the mood I was in. I eventually switched to the blue channel as I got more energy, and the music became more of what I like. The blue channel was a mix by Tektite, who throws a monthly 21+over party in Brooklyn called Vitamin B (1st friday of every month…) that is definitely worth checking out.
We took over a subway car and danced our asses off for a long ride to Manhattan and then up to Astoria, Queens. People were amused, to say the least. We got tons of smiles, and some people lent their headphones with onlooking strangers to share the experience.
After a 10-minute walk past some small Astoria bars with curious bystanders, we went to a place called Hell’s Gate Social. A good choice of beverages and food, spacious with comfortable seating, room for dancing, and a back patio for smoking. I love places I can smoke and drink – they are vices to be enjoyed simultaneously.
We hopped back on the subway to let the games begin. Spirits were high and we all got down. Stripper pole tricks, men performing swinging feats of strength from the hang-on bars above the seats – we tore the roof off the place. All within the confines of the law, of course. The party ended at another bar in the lower end of Manhattan.
I particularly loved the irony of it – riding the subway is often a cold, impersonal experience. People wear their headphones to escape into their own world. The silent mobile disco put a twist into the mass transportation experience – people having an excellent time, spreading their happiness for the moment to those who happened to cross our path.
The event, put together by Blanco with the help of some others, was organized and run responsibly; it unfolded in an impressively smooth manner with great planning and coordination. All and all, it was an amazing experience I hope to partake in again and again.
For more info about future events email nycsilentdisco@gmail.com
Photo By Eraj Asadi & Video by John Politowski
