It’s 1 a.m., and we’re in East Williamsburg for Pacha New York’s opening party.
Outside, the streets are pure bedlam for the NBA finals. Inside, Keinemusik’s Rampa is behind the decks playing back-to-back with the English duo Prospa, aka Harvey Blumler and Guiorgi “Gosha” Smith.
As we enter, a polished team of door staff and security guards greet us at the front. They confiscate my gum, noting it isn’t allowed inside. I accept the consequences.
From there, a hospitality representative whisks us away, threading us through the sold-out space and escorting us backstage.
Photo by Matteo Prandoni
It’s been more than 20 months since a party was held here, at what was once the site of the Brooklyn Mirage, the venue that fell apart in spectacular fashion last year. There’s a palpable energy in the air.
I find myself sitting at the table of Kabir Mulchandani, the founder and CEO of Pacha’s parent company, FIVE Holdings, and the architect behind the Ibiza-born brand’s return to New York.
Travis Scott, Luka Sabbat and Quavo drift in and out of the booth. Bottles of Clase Azul circulate freely. I’m pretty sure there’s no smoking allowed, but Quavo still lights up.
Photo by Matteo Prandoni
Scott, wearing a limited-edition Cactus Jack x Nike Brazil jersey, shares a shot with Rampa. At one point, the German DJ goes in for a pound, but Scott returns with a high five. It’s the classic mix-up, a hilarious slap-and-grab moment, but they play it off.
For the Pacha team, there’s a tangible sense of relief. After a long and complicated road to opening night—including a tense community board meeting and a particularly testy liquor license hearing—the moment they’ve been working toward is finally here.
Virtually every key player in the organization has made the trip to New York for the opening.
Mulchandani is flanked by Aloki Batra, CEO of FIVE Hospitality and the Pacha Group. Pablo Jofra, the production manager for Pacha’s Ibiza and Dubai outposts, is also here. Batra introduces Jofra to Brooklyn Magazine. They’ve flown him out, he says, to ensure the standards of the White Isle translate to Brooklyn.
The opening is a who’s who of celebrities and nightlife heavyweights, but the atmosphere is unpretentious. What the venue lacks in off-stage extravagance, it makes up for with a stripped-down, dance-first approach.
After the Knicks clinch their championship, the visuals behind the DJs shift to New York City landmarks—from DUMBO’s iconic cobblestone streets to the Manhattan skyline and East River.
Rampa, who curated the lineup for the evening, hand-selected a crew of local talent, including Joe Claussell b2b François K, Kim Ann Foxman b2b Nomi Ruiz, Cosmo b2b Donis, and Jadalareign b2b Analog Soul.
Headlining the night are Rampa and Prospa. Prospa’s punchier, more tech-driven selections occasionally clash with Rampa’s laid-back sensibilities, making the set feel disjointed at points despite strong individual track choices.
Photo by Matteo Prandoni
Rampa largely dials back the Afro-house influences that helped define his career in order to meet Prospa in the middle, but still finds room for crowd favorites like Keinemusik’s “Say What.”
As the night progresses, the chemistry improves. By the final third of the set, the trio settles into a groove and delivers the cohesive energy the crowd had been waiting for.
By the time they drop Robin S’s “Show Me Love,” there’s not a single person sitting in the joint.
And it’s in that moment that the music, the venue, and the energy feel fully aligned.
As Rampa and Prospa hand closing duties over to Jubilee and Tiki Disco resident Eli Escobar as the first hints of daylight appear on the horizon.
Revelers begin to stumble out of the venue in search of an after-party, but I decide to catch a cab home, my step count having reached an all-time high.
People are finally dancing at 140 Stewart Ave. again.
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