Not too long ago it seemed like New York City’s underground techno scene revolved around a handful of parties; now it’s a completely different story in 2009. New events are popping up across Brooklyn and Manhattan like wildfire, as an ever-increasing number of DJs and promoters scramble to secure their share of a still comparatively small aspect of the NYC nightlife circuit. Verboten—a new night presented by the people over at flawlessSound—is among this fresh-faced bumper crop, but if their party on Friday is anything to go on, they may need to take a few notes from their more established peers before returning for another engagement.

Of course, with a line-up including M-nus queen bee Magda spinning alongside a bevy of the city’s finest DJs, the night didn’t lack for talent; sadly, thanks to a confluence of elements, that talent was unable to shine through. The first thing I noticed upon entering the venue—which was housed inside a repurposed commercial space in the perennially cool Williamsburg neighborhood—was the absolutely abominable sound system. Sure, it looked impressive, with its massive bass bins and futuristically designed tweeters, but its performance was offensive to the ears. At several points throughout her extended set, Magda could be seen struggling to pull the mix into balance to no avail, stranding the crowd in an echoing wash of mid-range and piercing treble spikes, with nary a hint of bass to be found. When it comes to techno, sound quality is of paramount importance…and the lack of a decent system rendered this party D.O.A. for any serious heads who might have been in attendance.

The first thing I noticed upon entering the venue—which was housed inside a repurposed commercial space in the perennially cool Williamsburg neighborhood—was the absolutely abominable sound system. Sure, it looked impressive, with its massive bass bins and futuristically designed tweeters, but its performance was offensive to the ears.

What little was left of my patience was slowly dismantled by a variety of less obvious concerns. The crowds at New York’s techno parties have always been something of a hit-and-miss affair. One night, you may encounter a seething crowd of neon-clad hipsters, while the next you’ll find yourself elbow-to-elbow with Wall Street types boasting immaculately starched collars. This particular night was choked with euro-trash, resulting in a cooler-than-thou atmosphere that was, to be frank, slightly off-putting. Combine that with the fact that the promoters were price gouging at the door— entry was advertised as $15, but when I arrived they had hiked that up to $25…and not for lack of attendance (the party was packed wall-to-wall) — and you were left feeling unsure of what you were actually there for.

I managed to struggle through a solid four-hour stretch of this party, catching Magda and a bit of Memek’s set. I stuck around on account of the music, since Magda was in top form for the first hour or so of her performance, throwing down the sort of New Order by-way-of Plastikman beats that she’s been working with over the past year or so. Sadly, she plateaued quickly, settling into a familiar groove of minimal beats and blipping noises. Perhaps she opted for the easy way out on account of the lackluster sound reinforcement, but it’s more likely that she was just having an off night. Her mixing was serviceable, but hardly on par with the mind-bending work she’s built her reputation on. Regardless, I soldiered on, enduring the $7 Amstel Lights and billowing clouds of cigarette smoke that had overtaken the venue (Note to all NYC promoters: don’t let people smoke in your venue…especially if there isn’t any ventilation.). Finally, once I realized that there was nothing that anybody could do to save this party, we made our move and stumbled out into the early morning drizzle, disappointed by what had initially looked like a very promising evening. Better luck next time, New York.

Words: Carl Ritger
Images: Amanda Hernandez