- The residents of New York City love to be outside. (Can you blame them when their apartments are the size of a shoebox?) Lucky for them, then, that while Le Souk ruled the roost as the preeminent Sunday party for years, 2008 has seen a reemergence of boat parties and weekly shindigs at The Porch, The Yard, and Water Taxi Beach.
Kicking off the summer's events, Rhythmism.com put together a party featuring some of the best techno players that currently inhabit the fair city. And who better? Rhythmism has become the backbone of the city’s clubbing scene, providing party listings, interviews, and a (somewhat confrontational) message board that are all New York-centric.
I had the well-intentioned plan to get to the party earlier on in the day, but the temperature was so high (mid-90s Fahrenheit) I decided to wait until it cooled down a tiny bit before dropping in. When I arrived at 5, it was hardly any better than it had been a few hours earlier, but the Long Island City venue's superb view of Midtown did much to cheer me up. And, even better, there was even an actual beach and folks laying out. I got in quickly, met up with some friends, dumped the first of many loads of sand out of my shoes, and headed inside the tent to hear a bit of Three. Unfortunately, my time in the tent (AKA “The Humidity Hut”) was short lived, as it was insufferably hot.
To be fair, Three kept the party moving for the people who could bear the heat, playing a nice selection of slightly more tech than house. But much of the crowd was more intent on staying hydrated and chatting to one another. The environment felt like a reunion of sorts, with loads of people coming from out of town, and loads of Rhythmism members making an appearance. Even the short bout of rain, which came down during headliner Matthew Dear's housey set couldn't dampen the mood—and, as the heat dissipated, more people came to life and started to dance. All told, though, this day was more about relaxing, talking with friends, and enjoying the outdoors.