Despacio Returns to New York

Starting tonight, one the best nightlife experiences in the world returns to New York. Hyperbole? Maybe. Unbridled excitement? Without a doubt. It’s been a couple of years since James Murphy (LCD Soundsystem) and David & Stephen Dewaele (Soulwax) hosted their roving party here, but the memory is still clear: the black-and-white tiled floor, the gigantic disco ball, the wall of incredible sound. It was the idealized club, and for a moment you didn’t care that you missed out on Studio 54, or Paradise Garage, or Limelight, because here was Despcaio.

[James Murphy, David Dewaele]

Despacio was created out of collaboration. Hi-fi audio brand McIntosh Laboratory surrounds the room with stacked speakers of the highest quality, ensuring that you get perfect sound no matter where you are in the room. At the center guests dance under a huge disco ball. This year there will be pizza from Rad Time Pizza and wine from Murphy’s own Williamsburg bar The Four Horsemen. And that’s about it. If there’s a surprise guest DJ, you wouldn’t know it. This isn’t an club where everyone faces the DJ booth while bobbing their heads; the DJs operate quietly, off to the side, and that brings us to the heart of the event: the music. 8 hours of all vinyl sounds ranging from disco to house to one-off indie edits. If you’ve ever seen James Murphy or Soulwax spin, you’ll know their track selection and pacing rivals only the quality of their own music output. This is what makes Despacio so great: it’s for music lovers, and everything else is secondary. There won’t be a burlesque show or aerialists. Bianca Jagger isn’t going to show up on a horse. DJs mix good music and people dance, and somehow this is still nightlife heaven. It’s an experience, and it’s one that is sorely lacking in todays late-night venues. Murphy and the Dewaele’s know it, and so their slogan is just as simple: ‘Despacio Is Happiness.’

Despacio is at The Knockdown Center from March 29th-31st. More information can be found HERE.