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We Made an Epic Party Chart to Ensure Your New Year's Eve in NYC Doesn't Suck

From warehouse parties to clubs (and everything in between), here's where everyone in NYC should ring in 2016.
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Every year when promoters in New York City start announcing New Year Eve events, I have to double up on my daily antacids. In a city so vibrant and teeming with talented individuals, the cornucopia of parties within our reach is simply overwhelming. Well, fear not. As the voice behind the Dance Bitch Twitter and Instagram accounts, I regularly curate party info for the Brooklyn underground dance community. This year I've simplified the NYE process for you, and put together an essential flowchart to help you decide where to party—scroll to the bottom of the page for more info and links to buy tickets.

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Some notes about the recommendations:

  • This is not an exhaustive list. My work as a Dance Bitch focuses on house and techno music. That said, if you're looking to escape the 4x4, our top recommendations are: 1) Mykki Blanco, Cakes Da Killa, MikeQ, Venus X and LSDXOXO at Mercury Lounge, and 2) DJ Kala, False Witness, Rizzla, Shyboi, Stud1nt, and Tygapaw in a secret location in Ridgewood (do some digging!). Both will be cute AF.
  • We've removed all member-only and invite-only parties. Sorry. If you were hoping to break into the world of extra exclusive underground parties, NYE is not the time to do it. Follow me on Twitter and take the bread crumbs I occasionally leave for my beloved followers.
  • My recommendations skew towards Brooklyn, which is enjoying a wealth of dance music events these days. However, there are a few great Manhattan parties on the list.
  • My pick for sleeper hit of NYE is Louisahhh, Gina Turner, Jubilee, DKDS, Devon James, and Brogen at Studio 299. This is a brand new club in East Williamsburg with a proper sound system and tickets are only $10-20. It's rare to find a NYE party in a club this affordable.
  • There are a number of local spots hosting some of the most talented DJs in the city with cover charges of $30 and under. Black Flamingo, Bossa Nova Civic Club, TBA Brooklyn, The Graham, and Cozinha Latina will keep you dancing all night without burning through your wallet.
  • Techno afterparty UNTER starts at 1AM, so don't go there expecting a champagne toast at midnight. That won't be happening and that's not the vibe.
  • Dressing up and paying a cover charge just to get stepped on and doused with a stranger's cocktail when you're in a bad mood is never the move. If you're feeling even the least bit cranky, stay home and go out to a party on New Year's Day. I've included some options below.
  • People make resolutions for New Years, right? If you're fed up with your usual go-to party spots, resolve to break out of your comfort zone and expand your party horizon trying something new.

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Warehouse Parties

1) Rinsed - $60-100

tags: house music, immersive installations, James Moore crystal cyborgs

Read more about Rinsed

2) ReSolute - $80-100

tags: Romanian techno, neverending party, euro vibes

Read more about ReSolute

3) Justice, Gessalfelstein, Bob Moses - $130-190, or free with Jukely Annual Membership

tags: french electro, Jukely, live performance, 18+

4) BangOn! Time & Space NYE - $80-160

tags: booty bass, 3D projection mapping, art installations, aerial performances

Read more about BangOn!

Soulful Vibes + Space to Dance

1) Mahogani Music/808 @ Sugar Hill Disco - $45-60

tags: detroit house and techno, warm vibes, soul food, surprise guest, Mean Red

2) Tiki Disco @ Good Room - $90-100

tags: house-disco-funk, forever sunday, breakfast buffet, champagne toast

Read more about Tiki Disco

3) Mister New Year's Eve @ Secret Location - $50-60

tags: secret cathedral space, dependable good times, sold out

Read more about Mister Saturday Night

4) Nicky Siano's disco party - $75

tags: vinyl only, Coney Island ball drop, live performances, free food and champagne

Read about the last party Nicky Siano had at a bumper arcade

Lofts and Smaller Spaces

1) The Bunker @ Trans-Pecos (with C//TY CLUB and Wrecked! in the basement) - $20-30

tags: intimate house party feel, contemplative exploratory techno, audiophiles unite

Read more about The Bunker

2) Mutual Dreaming @ secret location - $15-25

tags: blissful, warm immersion, cathartic descent, psychedelics

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Watch our mini doc on Mutual Dreaming

3) UNTER @ secret location - $15-20

tags: techno for the apocalypse, berlin and eastern euro influences, stunning flyers

4) Starvue @ secret location - $15

tags: vintage klipschorn sound system, BYOB, vinyl enthusiasts, dance purists from the years of paradise garage

5) Bespoke Musik NYE - $50-60

tags: deep tech house, deep house, warm intimate vibes, private loft

Clubs

1) Space: Joseph Capriati (seven-hour set) - $40-$70

tags: italian techno, ibiza atmosphere, go-go dancers, bottles, VIP available

2) Verboten: New Years Noir with Hot Since 82, Apollonia, and more, $60-80, or $135 for entire weekend pass

tags: 4 days of parties, supper club, champagne toast, brunch, bottles available

3) Output: Oscar G, Victor Calderone, and more - $70-100

tags: no photos, no bottles, house music veteran, funktion one sound

4) Studio299: Louisahhh!!! Jubilee, DKDS, and more - $10-20

tags: techno, house, bass, something for everyone, sleeper hit, affordable, bottles available

Queer and Eclectic Parties

1) House of Yes NYE - $50-75

tags: grand opening, theatrical performances, afterhours with yoga

2) Whitney Day & Lauren Flax @ The Wick - $20-30

tags: giant roving space, craft brewery

Read Whitney Day on the lesbian party scene

3) The Spectrum

tags: closing party, last call, basement vibes, club kids

4) You Are So Lucky @ secret mansion location - $99-140

tags: masquerade, interactive performances, hidden spaces, exploration, magic

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5) Mykki Blanco, Cakes Da Killa, MikeQ @ Mercury Lounge - $30

tags: boundary breaking, voguing, fierceness

6) DJ Kala, False Witness, Rizzla, Shyboi, Stud1nt, and Tygapaw @ secret location - $10-15

tags: Caribbean vibes, experimental club music, leave your shade at home

Local Bars

1) Bossa Nova Civic Club: Vereker, Shawn O'Sullivan, Marcos Cabral - Free before midnight, $10-20 after

tags: techno cheers, coquito, fog for days, dark corners and comfy booths for smooching

2) TBA: I Love Vinyl - $20-30

tags: no nonsense music, down to earth crowd, 24 liquor license

3) Black Flamingo: Kaviar Disco Club & Friends - $20

tags: vegan menu until 9PM, disco and house music downstairs, cocktail bar upstairs

4) The Graham: Glitterball NYE - $20-30

tags: EBM, industrial techno, photobooth, affordable champagne bottles

5) Cozhina Latina: Down. - $10-20

tags: FREE with RSVP

New Year's Day Parties

1) BangOn! NYD with Lee Burridge - 5AM, $50-80

tags: burning man sunrise vibes, beautiful crowd, talented locals rounding out the bill

2) ReSolute, Verboten, Output (still going)

tags: these people don't sleep

3) Bushwick A/V - 5AM, $15-20

tags: icelandic techno, affordable cover and drinks, legal venue

Dance Bitch is a Brooklynite who posts curated party info and insider tips for the underground dance community. Follow her on Twitter and Instagram