
iStock.com/Yuri_Arcurs
So you’ve graduated from Marquee and Le Bain and have attended your first Daybreaker and/or bought tickets off of Resident Advisor. Congrats. These are all healthy steps to probing the fathoms of New York’s underground party scene. But, spoiler alert (!), the secret is out on all of these so not only are you not “in the know,” but you are run-of-the-mill, black button-down, gin & tonic mainstream.
Sorry.
NYC’s secret nightlife goes much, much deeper (and is usually not in Manhattan). Here are 12 awesome underground parties you’ve probably never heard of.
Blkmarket Membership
There are heavy hitters in NYC’s underground party scene, and then there’s Blkmarket Membership, arguably underground royalty. Around since 2006, its founders have been taking the electronic dance scene in NYC to new heights (and even further underground), with lists of DJs ravers in Berlin have probably never even heard of. Today they throw parties all over Brooklyn at various locations, many not even being disclosed to ticket holders until the day of.Ladyfag
The greatest transgender purveyor of parties, Ladyfag -- a Toronto-born artist/writer/performer/nightlife personality -- has been throwing word-of-mouth parties since 2006. Today her hot parties include 11:11, which is thrown every Friday night in the East Village; Holy Mountain, a monthly “musical journey” to the top of Holy Mountain (the parties are thrown every Saturday night at Slake off W 30th); and Club SHADE, a pop-up “celebration of international culture.”I FEEL
These monthly throwdowns pull in the same type of crowd that you’ll find at Babel and The Junxion. Translation: they know where to buy allllll the oil pastels and feathers. I FEEL is a community of “like-minded individuals who come together with open hearts and minds.” Second translation: it's a no-holds-barred excellent party chock-full of deep-tech house, dramatic costumes, and art. You don’t even need the Molly you can probably score there...Gemini & Scorpio
Off-beat burlesque and costume couture are mainstays at Gemini & Scorpio parties. These quirky, Cirque du Soleil-esque bashes showcase unique art, music, costumes, and different funky themes. Dancing goes well into the night and all guests come dressed to impress, whether the theme is steampunk, faux fur, or space age.Cityfox New York
The NYC outpost of this Swiss record label (the Swiss are crazy partiers, btw), Cityfox NYC is another party proctor that goes balls-out on the underground scene. Nothing is off limits, from warehouses to waterfronts, and secrecy is the name of the game. Often the nights last well into the next day, with tickets being released in time brackets, some not until 5am.ZERO Party
If parties that are kept a secret until the last possible second turn you on, then this is your jam. ZERO throws a host of electronic parties throughout the year, mostly at locations that remain under wraps until the day of. Past themes include masquerades, boat parties, and pirate-themed parties. Coming up this year still are Monte Carlo, Golden Sunset Boat Event, a Rooftop Festival, and a Halloween Warm-Up.