Nowadays Live And Direct

As social distancing measures were being lifted in New York following 15 months of closure, we were lucky enough to get together with Dweller for an extra special Juneteenth and re-opening celebration. Our next live recording comes from that weekend courtesy of Discwoman party-starting professional, SHYBOI.   Across an epic two hours she burned through turbocharged techno, kaleidoscopic breakbeat and raw, freaky, rave euphoria.

Massive shouts to SHYBOI for the music, to Frankie for pulling the strings, to Lou for the technical treatment and to everyone who was in the place for this one.

Nowadays Live And Direct 011 - SHYBOI

Four days ago, we capped off a season of parties that, at one point, we weren’t sure would ever happen. Mister Sunday was our first return to the dance floor after lockdown, and it remained, week in and week out, a source of joy and rejuvenation in the last six months’ roller coaster of reopening.

This mix was recorded at the finale of Mister Sunday’s outdoor season, with Nowadays founding resident DJs and Mister Sunday dons Eamon Harkin and Justin Carter tearing through rough-and-ready industrial, propulsive New York soulful house, bubbling big room techno, boisterous rave tracks, acid melters, Italo jams, jazz dance and all kinds of other cathartic sounds.

An extended four-hour version of the mix is up on the Patreon for all supporters. You can download and listen to the whole shebang right now if you’re a subscriber. If you’re not, it’s just $5/month, which gets you access to a huge archive of mixes, classes and other goodies, as well as early access to party announcements.

www.patreon.com/nowadaysnyc

Thanks to James, Lorna, Gareth, Krissy, Chris, Kristin, Jada, Nowadays security, Nowadays bar staff, the safer space team and the crew in the food truck for seeing us through. And thanks to you for showing up and giving it back on the dance floor. It takes all of us together to make it happen.

Nowadays Live and Direct 012 - Justin Carter and Eamon Harkin

An emotional rollercoaster of a mix comes to us this week from Groovy Groovy boss Akanbi, recorded live and direct from the Nowadays booth deep in the summer of 2021, alongside DJ Voices and EQUISS. These were the early days of our reopening and New York's return to nightlife, after a difficult year of closures due to the pandemic. There was a sense of cautious optimism in the air for some, and exuberant joy for others. Akanbi's set on this night met the dancers where they were, merging a tender emotional tenor and uplifting soulfulness with headier rave moments through his unique sense of pacing, all laced in groove and full of surprises. Here's two hours of a DJ fully immersed in their signature style, a set packed to the brim with bubbling percussion and downtempo interludes. 

Big thanks to all the staff and dancers in the house on this night. Until next time!

Nowadays Live and Direct 013 - Akanbi

Here we are with a recording from the first (but certainly not last) time Kiernan Laveaux graced the decks at Nowadays back in September of 2021. In it you’ll find so much of what we’ve come to love about the T4T LUV NRG affiliate: swarming percussion, freaky and frenetic psychedelia, otherworldly groove, a captivating sense of narrative, and so much more. 

This mix is a two and a half hour segment from her closing set, after DJ Voices and Azu Tiwaline earlier in the night. Packed to the brim with moments of tension and release, it makes for one truly wild and mesmerizing ride. The home listener is likely to find it just as enchanting as the dancers did. 

Big thanks to our staff and all those in attendance on this night <3

Nowadays Live and Direct 014 - Kiernan Laveaux

We’re very excited to present the first Live & Direct of 2023, courtesy of our Pittsburgh-based residents Honcho. 

This one was recorded live at Nowadays on the first weekend of January, to a room of smiling faces for whom the festive nature of the new year had clearly not worn off. It's two hours of the crew in pure form, with all three DJs locked into the same irresistible groove. George, Aaron and Clark have a knack for uniting their own unique styles to present a cohesive vision of chugging, sexy house music, and here it is on full display. Big thanks to Honcho for letting us share this with the world!

In addition to the killer music from both Honcho and Father Dukes, this night was especially memorable thanks to everyone in attendance contributing to the friendly and joyful vibe, from the dancers to the staff and everyone in between. A big thanks is due to you all as well!

Nowadays Live and Direct 015: Honcho

Nowadays Live and Direct returns after a long hiatus with a 5-hour recording from Carlos Souffront (@csouffront), recorded from 10 am - 3 pm at our Halloween Nonstop party on October 29, 2022. Carlos returns to Nowadays for another Nonstop set this weekend, playing from 3 pm to 6 pm Sunday afternoon.

A regular at Interdimensional Transmissions' No Way Back parties in Detroit and beyond, Carlos Souffront brings a brilliant sense of creative alchemy to the decks, combining years of experience and digging with a sensibility like no other. Abstract rhythms meld together into inexplicable chaos magic. Dark, shadowy selves emerge, ready to be explored with a sense of mischief and playfulness, carried through by an acid bassline or cheeky vocal.

For this extended Halloween set during the real witching hours, Carlos summoned all of the party gremlins, goblins, and ghouls to the Nowadays dancefloor for the ultimate seance.

Nonstop: 3/9-3/10

Nowadays Live and Direct 016: Carlos Souffront

This installment of Live & Direct features the opening segment of a set that Russell E.L. Butler (@russellelbutler), played alongside NIKS on June 2, 2023.

"Reggae music is a teacher. I’ve learned about spaces between short moments through this music. I’ve learned to listen through this music. I’ve learned how to connect with others through love and consideration through this music. I’ve learned that every moment is the beginning and the end and how to listen for the space in between. I’ve learned that no matter how far away home is, you can always find a way back." — @russellelbutler

Russell E.L. Butler returns to Nowadays for an all-night set this Friday, April 19, 2024.

All Night: 4/19

Nowadays Live and Direct 017: Russell E.L. Butler

This installment of Live & Direct features a portion of a set from Donis (@donis-bk), played at their residency on December 13, 2024, opening the night which also featured special guest Kai Alcé.

Anyone who’s been to one of Donis’s residency nights can tell you that the expressive, energetic style of house dancing emblematic of New York’s house music heyday is not yet a lost art, even if dance battles and baby powder are no longer a common sight on today’s dancefloors. A Dominican DJ and producer born and raised in Brooklyn, Donis equally embraces tradition and innovation in their approach to house, techno, and beyond.

“I think there is a huge lack of actual dance culture specifically within the younger generation of club-goers. A big goal of mine with the residency is to cultivate space for that. I see parties as conversations between DJ and dancer, one-sided conversations are never fun.” – Donis, from an email interview in September 2023

This coming Friday, January 17, Donis returns to the club alongside Baltimore’s Karizma. 

1/17: Donis & Karizma

Nowadays Live and Direct 018: Donis

Since the start of 2019, we've been recording pretty much every minute of every function that's happened at Nowadays. We're lucky enough to be in a position to host the most amazing DJs in the game every single week, both from within the scene here in New York and around the world, and it only felt right to try and share some of the action with those who couldn't make it and with those who want to relive it.

The first installment comes from beloved Nowadays resident and queen of the twilight hours, Beta Librae. Bailey's contributions to the vibe down here, both as a friend, a DJ and a dancer have been tremendous, and what she served up on the hi-fi back in early February blew our minds. This excerpt is taken from the last two hours of the party, just after Noncompliant had finished, and it flawlessly stitches together mutant electro oddities, heady, tribal bombs and super tight, tech-house rollers.

Big thanks to Bailey for the killer sounds, to Lou for the mastering, and to all the hardcore, late-night/early-morning heads for their energy on the dance floor. It might get foggy in here sometimes, but we see you.

Nowadays Live And Direct 001 - Beta Librae

No introductions necessary for installment number two in our series of recordings from the booth. Enclosed is just under three hours of hard music from two members of UR that we were lucky enough to have come through at the end of March.

The recording is split into two parts. The high-octane, acidic, psycho stuff in this section comes courtesy of Dex Nomadico, who played during the first half of the party. And the raw, thumping, soulful sounds in the other section are taken from the last hour or so of Mark Flash's set – just as daylight broke through. 

Big respect and praise due to the whole UR family for letting us air these out and to all the dancers who gave this one their energy.

Nowadays Live And Direct 002 - Underground Resistance Part 1

No introductions necessary for installment number two in our series of recordings from the booth. Enclosed is just under three hours of hard music from two members of UR that we were lucky enough to have come through at the end of March.

The recording is split into two parts. The raw, thumping, soulful sounds in this section are taken from the last hour or so of Mark Flash's set - just as daylight broke through. And the high-octane, acidic, psycho stuff in other section comes courtesy of Dex Nomadico, who played during the first half of the party.

Big respect and praise due to the whole UR family for letting us air these out and to all the dancers who gave this one their energy.

Nowadays Live And Direct 002 - Underground Resistance Part 2

Recording number three comes from back in early June, when resident DJ Physical Therapy got things going before DJ Lag and Total Freedom turned the place upside down and inside out.

The importance of the opening slot in the arc of a good party is often overlooked but like the pro that he is, the Allergy Season boss veered toward the outer edges of his record collection for tempos, textures and grooves that would set the stage for what was coming afterward.

The result is a warm, thoughtfully strung together mix of soupy digi-dub, street-wise downtempo dnb and sprightly, colorful dancehall. Big love to Daniel for being down with us putting this out and to everyone who comes down early and stays late.

Nowadays Live And Direct 003 - Physical Therapy

We're stretching out a bit further with this next recording from the booth and we've got Toronto's finest, Ciel, to thank for all three hours of it. 

She came through at the beginning of June and turned the place upside down and inside out with an all-night set packed full of super punchy, deeply searching, epically swirling and down-right slamming tech-house and breaky heroics. 

Thanks and praise to the wonderful Cindy for whipping this one up for us and, as always, to the dancers who came along for the ride. Yeehaw.

Nowadays Live And Direct 004 - Ciel

We're rewinding back to the beginning of summer again for our fifth installment from the booth. This time it's the one and only Total Freedom on the ones, twos, threes and fours. 

He took over from DJ Lag at 3am that night and was shelling out smoldering deep house and rave-ready, diva-dancehall anthems before flipping the script with a barrage of berserk and euphoric jungle explosives as the sun came up.

Maximum thanks to Ashland for letting us push this out and big love to Daniel "Physical Therapy" Fisher for his help in putting this night together back in June. 

Total Freedom will be back at ours hitting all the pleasure centers between 6am and 9am during our Nonstop Halloween party, which starts on October 26th.

Nowadays Live And Direct 005 - Total Freedom

Next up in our series of recordings live from the booth is Lee Gamble. This one's from a steamy summer night in August during which we tipped our hats to essential UK label Hyperdub in celebration of their 15th birthday. 

In between a stellar opening b2b from local rave heroes Akanbi & DJ Temporary, and leading into a serious beatdown from label boss Kode9 (that started with Burial, nonetheless), Lee Gamble's set exemplified the wild-style, distinctly UK sound the label has been pioneering for well over a decade now.

There's something in the air on special nights like these, and Gamble channeled it to his full advantage, resulting in a set that was nothing short of outrageous. It's a two hour rollercoaster through genre & tempo, spanning sub-destroying bass & grime, dubstep infusions, plenty of breaks and a hefty dose of freaky techno. Full of unpredictable twists and turns while always remaining highly danceable and exceptionally fun, Lee blew the roof off and the minds out with one of the most mental sets we've heard in our two years between the stacks. 

Big love to all steppers in the place for this one, to the Groovy Groovy crew for the support, to Lou for all the technical finesse and the Lee for the tunes.

Nowadays Live And Direct 006 - Lee Gamble

Last Halloween we got together with New York queer nightlife institution The Spectrum for one exxxtremely exciting and fabulously fun few hours of dance floor frolicking and our next recording from the booth comes courtesy of their resident DJ and booker Danny Taylor aka A Village Raid.

He stepped up around 5.45am and took a flamethrower to the floor with a scintillating set that stirred together a bubbling trove of thumping, twisted techno, lashings of swampy, ebullient EBM and a dose of acid potent enough to bring brains and bodies to the boil.

All the love going out to Danny for letting us up this mix, the mastermind Gage for all his help pulling the strings, Lou for his technical tact and the extended Spectrum family for giving this one life.

And if you missed this one, A Village Raid and The Spectrum are back at ours on January 26th for a special Sunday night spiral. Tickets for that are available through our Resident Advisor page.

Nowadays Live And Direct 007 - A Village Raid

Alright alright, here we are with another installment of Live and Direct after a few months off. Our first recording for 2020 comes from a memorable night last November when our resident Aurora Halal invited Pessimist in to share the booth. 

Aurora provided the opening (and closing) moments, which is a side of the beloved techno we are really enjoying getting to know. Known for her meticulously programmed sets that build with both patience and intensity, this opening stays true to her hypnotic style. Taking us from cinematic dub techno to pitched up club favorites and back again, it's a subterranean and psychedelic ride leading us to the surface just before Pessimist's dnb stylings took over for the night.

Aurora is back in our booth on March 28 alongside Wata Igarashi, DJ Python, Juliana Huxtable and more for Nowadays Nonstop. Tickets for that are available on Resident Advisor now.

Nowadays Live and Direct 008 - Aurora Halal

This recording was originally posted to our Patreon archive back in June. Once a month we'll share a mix from that archive. It's our first Live And Direct since we had to close our doors due to the pressures of the pandemic. We hope you enjoy and if you'd like to access the full archive and support us as we fight for survival you can do so through www.patreon.com/nowadaysnyc.

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When Lakuti came through for our Nowadays Nonstop Halloween party last year she delivered one of the most memorable moments of our entire year - a stunning three hour set that started at 9am and seamlessly crossed genres rooted in her deeply uplifting, spirited and soulful approach to dance music. 

Unfortunately, our normally trusty Tascam recorder couldn't handle the heat on that occasion and failed on us, meaning the spectacular sounds from that morning existed only in the moment.

Fast-forward six months and thanks to COVID-19 the only dance floor we can safely gather on is the digital one so we reached out to the Uzuri boss in the hope of being able to recreate the magic of that morning last Halloween and helping us shine us a light in super dark times.

Across the two hours in this mix she's done exactly that with a beautiful blend of feel-good boogie, delightful disco and sultry, sun-kissed deep house perfect for the balmy evenings of a New York City summer. Huge love to Lerato for being down to put this together for us and help keep us going <3

Nowadays Live And Direct 009 - Lakuti

Long before the pandemic hit we hatched plans for the return of the always awesome Zenker Brothers to our booth and the plan was to pair them up with low frequency pro and Nowadays resident, DJ Voices. 

Despite our closure in March due to COVID-19, that party still went ahead virtually and it's given us our next installment of Live and Direct. For our tenth episode DJ Voices has served up a slamming session surveying the full sub-by spectrum - from mutant drum and bass dynamite and hurtling, high-octane jungle to propulsive, tech-step treats and a sick assortment of psycho-sonorous delights. 

Big thanks to DJ Voices for giving us her blessing with this one. Bass bins, look out.

Nowadays Live And Direct 010 - DJ Voices

Live recordings from the Nowadays dancefloor in Ridgewood, New York City.