By Nico Lustgarten

Double DJ set weekend! Silence had no friend on that block where 11th Street runs to the river.

It took longer than usual for attendance to grow on Friday night. When it did, I noticed something unusual at AK. My stomach tracked it before my heart did, which is why I bolted for the door to smoke a cigarette in the receding cold (finally). But when I returned inside, the feeling was there, prevailing like a motha.

Maybe it was the music but bad vibes were definitely abound. It was like one of those dusk ’til dawn warehouse parties when strung out revelers give up the coffin chase into the horizon, choosing instead to turn to dust and snort cocaine until it was dark enough to safely return home. Except in this instance, it was only midnight.

When I asked around, I learned that I was alone with this sensation. No one else had tapped into that curious current but, as I recall, the people I had mentioned this to were also strung out, fucked up. Their radars would have been rendered incapable to track these vibes.

The night was fun, ending with a road trip with friends to uptown where the promise of a good time could be had. And needless to say, I successfully chased my coffin back to my cozy apartment in Astoria. All before the sun had a chance to vaporize me.

Saturday was consumed with bad news from back home in Miami. The news improved throughout the day but my had energy was sapped. I returned to Angels and Kings for part two of my weekend bender. I carried my soul around as if it had been an anvil and I wondered how I was going to make it through the night.

Then I remembered why I used to drink Red Bull and vodka.

There’s something cheesy that people say about becoming one with someone or something. When they’re feeling intoxicated, brandishing that teary look of unity when they’ll say, “I feel like I’m one with the world.” Or, “I feel at one with a person.” The heart is so built up with beauty and guts and honesty that the words fall out of the mouth as if it was the only answer your existence could ever have for wanton questions about the purposes of life. 

Why am I here?

To unite the world.  Universe, use me as your conduit. Align the stars and planets and shine on me, make me your beacon for love.

It’s a powerfully emotional state and when it’s all over, it leaves you curled up on a bed as if you awoke to a note on your dresser saying, Thank you. I had fun.

Well, friends, that’s how I felt after my set on Saturday night. And then I fattened myself up with a breakfast sandwich from Cafeteria with one of my BFFs, Bella and avoided the sun one more night.

I’m going back to Miami this weekend so I won’t be around to DJ on Saturday but check it out anyway. Dennis and company keep that place nice and fun.

See you in 2 weeks,

NL

Sample of Friday’s Playlist:

1. White Lies “To Lose My Life”
2. Blaqk Audio “Girls and Boys”
3. Rihanna “Rude Boy”
4. The Doors “Roadhouse Blues (DiscoTech Remix)”
5. The Faint “Posed to Death”
6. Broken Bells “The Mall and Misery”
7. Simian Mobile Disco “Cruel Intentions”
8. Talking Heads “Once in a Lifetime”
9. Blondie “Heart of Glass”
10. Depeche Mode “People Are People”

Sample of Saturday’s Playlist:

1. Amanda Blank “Might Like You Better (Blaqstarr Remix)”
2. Hussle Club “I Have High Expectations For What I Want To Be But In The Mirror I Don’t See Them Staring Back At Me (Bird Peterson Remix)” (One day someone is going to ask me what song this is and I will choke)
3. INXS “Need You Tonight (Streetlab Remix)
4. Max Graham “Owner of a Lonely Heart”
5. Anthem Kingz “Girl Like You Bmore”
6. Discotech “Sweet Apologize”
7. Talk Talk “It’s My Life”
8. Editors “You Don’t Know Love (Cagedbaby Remix)
9. Marina and The Diamonds “I Am Not A Robot (Penguin Prison Remix)”
10. Does It Offend You, Yeah? “Dawn of the Dead”