As one of the most heavily buzzed about events in the scene, word of the epicness of Cityfox warehouse parties has spread far beyond the borders of New York City. But more than just a party, Cityfox has defined their events as an experience- and with good reason. Having heard so much about it via word of mouth from fellow partygoers, and seeing so much positive feedback on social media, my curiosity/FOMO overtook me- I simply had to check it out for myself, and hopped on a plane from Miami to NY on April 11th for my first Cityfox event- The Cityfox Den.
Promotional video of some of the scenes that transpired that evening.
Stepping into the Brooklyn warehouse during daylight just hours prior the the event, the build crew was hard at work finishing up what needed to be done prior to opening (see details/photos/video on the demolition and build at Pulse Radio). The level of production and attention to detail they put into their events is legendary, completely transforming a dingy industrial warehouse into a top-notch event space in just a few short days. Even by day wandering through the partially incomplete build, I had a tingling sense some serious magic was about to happen.
Gorgeous atmosphere in the King’s Hall.After nightfall I returned to the warehouse, which in the cast of darkness, had been completely transformed into something of a castle out of an underground music fantasy kingdom. The King’s Hall is decorated lavishly, with rich red velvet drapes and the Cityfox crest visible on the wall banners and featured prominently above the stage, designating the event rightfully as one of underground music royalty. The ceiling is outfitted with awesome LED light strips running the length of the room, programmed by Mark Slee, and light pillars beaming down from the ceiling. There are exquisitely carved wooden bars, chandeliers, ornate wall hangings, and various other decor adding to the visual atmosphere. The entire venue is carpeted. There is an additional bar running the length of the side room; and as a full sensory event, even the sense of taste is appealed to, with themed specialty cocktails on the drink menu (King’s Cup or For Fox Sake, anyone?). The larger of the rooms, the Den, has a cool visual effect provided by LED panels in the windows, as well as lasers and other lighting provided by Oxygen Eventworks. The venue is outfitted with a KV2 Audio system, known for pristine sound quality. Outside, there is a large Moroccan-style tent with ornate furnishings where people can chill out with random ambient noises, and a heater is piping in deliciously warm air- a welcome retreat from the chilly April weather for those who cast off their jackets (and coatcheck ran exceptionally smoothly, it was noted). A smaller similar tent where The Happy Show played connects the warehouse and large tent and there are carved wood sculptures, a thoughtful design touch. The multiple rooms gives the party an almost mini-festival feel.
The exquisitely decorated chillaxing tents, reminiscent of far-East opium dens.As with previous editions, the lineup is stellar. Atish majorly impressed by playing to the crowd, saying afterwards “I don’t normally play drops this huge, but everything with the lights, sound, room, time slot, and crowd felt right so I went with it,” and the crowd’s response and later feedback on social media unanimously highlighted him as one of the highlight sets of the evening (and it’s been recorded, so give it a listen and download below).
Leading deep house scientists have postulated Atish’s magical shirt may have influenced the success of the event.[soundcloud url=”https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/204393649″ params=”color=ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false” width=”100%” height=”120″ iframe=”true” /]
Martin Buttrich then played a great live set. Adriatique, being the warriors of extended sets that they are and always on point with selection and vibe creation, played a phenomenal 5-hours of bomb after bomb that had the room on fire for the bulk of the night, with the majority of the dancefloor staying all the way until the 9 am ending time (listen to the downloadable recorded set below).
Adriatique reliably playing an absolutely phenomenal 5-hour set.[soundcloud url=”https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/206226928″ params=”color=ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false” width=”100%” height=”120″ iframe=”true” /]
With Mark Slee, Bedouin, Dance Spirit live, Arthur Oskan live, and Ray Zuniga playing the Hall, it was a tough decision deciding where to stay, so I opted to weave my way through the dense crowd between both rooms to enjoy both. Later in this room, a spectacular golden afterhours glowing with incredible sets and vibes was played to invited guests by Atish b2b Mark Slee, Bedouin, Dance Spirit live, and 4 hours by Frank & Tony, which I begrudgingly had to tear myself away from in order to catch my too-early return flight- a mistake I won’t make next time. And there will definitely be a next time, as I arrived home still buzzing for days on how epic the event was, impressed by every aspect from the dedicated and passionate crew, the production, the lineup, the crowd, the decor, visuals, sound… everything. More than just a party, the Cityfox experience truly is an experience. For those like myself out of town, it is absolutely worth flying in for to experience- there really is nothing else quite like it.
Magical golden vibes.Summer 2015 Cityfox dates: TBA.
Linkage: Cityfox Facebook // Cityfox Soundcloud
Cityfox photo credits: Oliver Correa and Anya White