The Nightlife Culture Review

Do No Harm: The Evolution of Harm Reduction in Nightlife Culture

2013-03-21T22:39:42Z

Consumption is a fundamental aspect of nightlife culture. Food and entertainment are two of the main lures that attract patrons into bars and clubs, but the use of alcohol and other drugs plays a role as well. The use of any intoxicant carries risk of overconsumption and responsible venue owners, city planners and public health departments work together to reduce that harm.

However, with the case of illegal drugs, venue owners are often unable to address these harms because they are afraid to address the consumption itself. Nightlife regulatory policies, reflective of this country’s prohibition-based War on Drugs policies, make it impossible to admit drug use occurs in nightlife venues without risk of police scrutiny, fines or closure. In this case, it is not just the over consumption of illegal drugs but the policies themselves that cause harm.

The struggle to reduce the harms of drug use as well as ineffective drug policies is being led by the Drug Policy Alliance (DPA). Over the years, DPA has worked on the legislative and policy level to develop alternatives to destructive drug war policies. By working with high profile supporters like Russell Simmons, Arianna Huffington and Sting and creating programs that are grounded in science, compassion, health and human rights, DPA has promoted change on local, state and national levels. Thanks to the work of advocates at DPA like Stefanie Jones, nightlife is becoming the next arena for education and change with three upcoming events:

1) Ms. Jones and Dr. Brenda Miller will be conducting a webinar with the Responsible Hospitality Institute at 4:00 pm on Tuesday, March 26^th to discuss various aspects of harm reduction in nightlife including patron education and amnesty bin programs that allow patrons to surrender illegal substances when discovered in a search instead of being arrested. The goal of the webinar is to foster a less antagonistic relationship between patrons, police and club owners in relation to alcohol and other drug use.

2) DPA, in cooperation with the Columbia University Students for Sensible Drug Policy will be hosting a free panel discussion at 7:00 pm on Wednesday, March 27^th entitled The Truth About Molly that aims to dispel the mythology about a drug that is becoming more popular in urban culture and entertainment.

3) Finally, DPA is working with organizations like Dance Safe and the San Francisco Entertainment Commission to produce a three day conference called Club Health San Francisco 2013 from May 28-30. The Club Health conference will bring together experts from around the world to discuss increasing harm reduction, decreasing violence and improving the safety of nightlife culture across the board.

The relationship between alcohol and other drug consumption and nightlife culture is diverse and complicated. Each sub culture faces different challenges associated with the different substances found in each setting. It will take a substantial amount of effort and political will to alter the impact of over consumption and misguided policies, but the events that DPA is hosting and the focus of people like Ms. Jones builds a solid foundation for expanding harm reduction practices and bringing the potential for policy change to nightlife culture.

Dealing with Drunks Part II: Your Friends

2013-03-04T03:31:49Z

In part 1 of our guide to dealing with drunks, we gave you tips on how to handle intoxicated strangers. Now let’s get to a more delicate subject; dealing with your drunken friends.

When your friend, date, client or family member is the drunk, it’s rude to just hand them over to the bouncer and keep on drinking like we did in part 1. It is a major undertaking to save your personal drunk from himself. Shepherding a drunken companion is a sign of true friendship, but if everything turns out ok, it is also great ammunition for funny stories later.

Once you look over at your friend and realize they need help, focus on controlling their consumption, shielding them from danger and monitoring them for more serious conditions.

Controlling Their Consumption:

The first thing your drunken friend probably wants is another drink. This is a bad idea, but as we saw earlier, logic is not the strong suit of a drunk person. Wikihow offers some suggestions on how to give them drinks without giving them drinks: If they demand another drink, try to give them harmless drinks. Try water, a very watered down version of their drink or just a soft drink. Depending on how drunk they are, you can simply hand them a coke and claim that it contains vodka. Unless they have very sensitive drunken palettes, they might not notice, especially if you're distracting them (hint: distracting a drunk is normally easier than distracting a sober person.) Don't give them a lot of stimulating drinks such as tea or coffee since this can accelerate dehydration. Don't force a drunk person to eat, since it could create a choking situation.

Shielding Them from Danger:

Your friend needs protection when he is drunk because he can’t do it himself. First, you need to make sure he doesn’t engage in risky behavior including driving a car, fighting with other people or trying to make out with random individuals. Do your best to help your drunk avoid physical injury, especially through falling. Nicole John is the most extreme example of this hazard, but even a fall on the dance floor can be dangerous. Help them find and stay in a safe seat or even sit them the floor. It’s not the cutest look, but they can’t fall very far if they are already on the floor.

If your drunk needs to visit the bathroom, accompany them and wait for them to make sure they don’t slip and bang their head on the toilet. Above all, don’t leave them alone to sleep it off in any venue. They could be molested, robbed or snatched from the venue by a stranger.

If it is possible, try to deal with your drunk’s personal effects after your drunk is safe. Make an effort to find their phone, make sure their tab is closed and collect whatever clothing or accessories they discarded in their travels.

While you are looking out for your drunk, don’t forget to look out for yourself. Avoid saying anything that could provoke or anger the intoxicated person, since you don’t want to fight with the person you are trying to help. Do not try to physically lift a drunken person or stop someone much larger than you falling down–you may injure your back. Instead, concentrate on protecting their head. If you need help to help your drunk, look for security. It might be embarrassing for your drunk, but it is better to ask them for help than to have them kick you out when your drunk gets out of hand. Besides, a little embarrassment is a small price to pay to avoid more long term problems.

The final step in shielding your drunk from danger is getting them out of the venue and back to a place where they can safely wait for their hangover to arrive. That could be their place, your place or any place where they can crash. Your social relationship might prevent you from monitoring them after they leave the venue, but in extreme cases it is advisable to keep an eye on them.

Monitoring Them for Serious Conditions:

Once you make sure your drunk isn’t continuing to drink, fighting with the bouncers or sleeping in the street, you have to make sure they are resting safely. It helps to lie them down in a recovery position (on their side with the higher knee bent) to prevent choking. Put something behind their back to prevent them rolling onto their back or stomach because vomiting in either position can cause them to choke or drown. Just because Jimi Hendrix did it doesn’t make it cool.

As they sleep, look for signs of alcohol poisoning including:
● abnormally slow breathing
● unresponsive to being prodded and pinched firmly
● blue lips and fingertips
● rapid pulse
● vomiting while asleep and not waking up even when vomiting
● cold clammy hands/ feet

If your friend starts to exhibit these symptoms, then it is time for you to stop helping them and time for medical professionals to start. Call 911. High levels of alcohol poisoning can lead to respiratory failure, coma or death.

NCI is offering these tips with the understanding that it is not medical advice. Hopefully these tips can help you and your drunk get through the night so everyone can live to drink another day.

Have fun.
G

Dealing with Drunks: A Practical Guide

2013-02-25T05:38:58Z

Drinking is good. Getting drunk is not good, especially when you’re feeling the effects the next day. Dealing with a drunk isn’t much fun either. Unfortunately, if you go out at night there is a good chance that you might encounter a drunk. It can happen in any type of venue, no matter how high class or low key. This doesn’t mean that your night is automatically ruined. As a nightlife native, there are a few things you can do to contend with any drunk that crosses your path or stumbles into your table.

Are You OK?

The first tip for any nightlife native is responsible indulgence. The whole point of nightlife is going out for pleasure. But if you drink so much that you pass out, you can’t successfully deal with a drunk. In fact, you become the drunk that someone else has to deal with. So the goal here is to drink, but not get drunk.

The second tip is choosing the right approach for the particular drunk that you encounter. People often identify several different types of drunks with labels that remind you of the Seven Dwarves. There are sleepy, happy, angry, flirty, loud, friendly and sad drunks. These tips don’t deal focus on those specific personality traits. Your objective is to have fun, not try to understand the drunk’s underlying emotional issues. For our purposes, there are only two types of drunks; strangers and friends.

What to Look For

No matter what type of drunk you are dealing with, you have to be able to recognize them first.
The editors at Wikihow offer the following signs that a person has had too much to drink:

● slurred speech
● inability to stand or sit up straight
● a strong desire to lie down or roll over
● stumbling or a questionable walking technique
● unusual, loud, or embarrassing behavior
● violent reactions
● bloodshot eyes

Keep in mind that a display of any single behavior does not indicate drunkenness. We all have friends who do some of these things even when they’re sober. Also, this is not an invitation to play watchdog and stick your nose in everyone’s party. Just know that a combination of these or other behaviors in your general vicinity is a clue that you might have to use your anti-drunk skills.

Do I Know You?

Dealing with Strangers: When drunken strangers rain on your parade, you’re probably not interested in taking care of them any more than you have to. While you might decide to get involved in extreme cases, your main goal is normally to remove them from your space and continue your fun.

This is more complicated than it sounds, since it is difficult to have a logical conversation with a drunk. It is usually counterproductive to argue with or try to bully someone who thinks they are stronger, faster and smarter than they really are.

There are two keys to distancing yourself from a strange drunk. First, isolate them. This could mean moving out of their general area, misleading them into leaving your space, or enlisting the drunk’s friends to collect their associate and move him for you. The second key is to notify someone who works in the venue that the drunk is wandering around, since isolation is only a temporary solution. Any drunk who leaves could easily come back.

If you are the type of person who doesn’t like to get other people into trouble by calling the bouncer, keep in mind that you are helping and not hurting the drunk in this situation. Operators often have more training and experience in dealing with drunks than you do including TIPS (Training for Intervention ProcedureS) and Nightlife Best Practices. It is actually their job, not yours, to deal with drunks in the club. Finally, if the drunk could potentially endanger themselves or someone else, then you could be preventing a problem before it happens.

Again, this is not a suggestion that antagonize everyone in the bar with aggressive attempts at drunk control. It is a concept to help you go back to your enjoying your evening with as little hassle as possible.

In part two of our drunken guide, we will tackle the delicate situation of dealing with one of your friends when they get drunk in public.

Have fun.
Gamal

Going Out at Night: Is It Worth All the Trouble?

2013-02-11T03:35:28Z

It is a question that haunts the jaded nightlife native every time the sun goes down, whenever they struggle to get up the energy to negotiate the tough door or check out the next next big thing. After a certain period of time, does even the luster of New York nightlife loose its appeal? Is it better to just save your money and your liver for some other activity?

The easy answer to these questions is no. In fact, New York nightlife offers us constant appeal, depending on how we use it.

The Reasons to Stay Home

I am currently writing a nightlife safety guide to offer some advice to people who want to enjoy going out and still make it home in one piece. I was aware of certain nightlife hazards before, but conducting the research and doing the interviews for this project has exposed me to a longer list of problems than I originally anticipated. In short, any given night could have:

Dangerous elements include sexual assault, theft, accidents, fights, drink spiking, alcohol poisoning and other issues.
Detrimental elements including the loss of physical ability due to everything from lack of sleep to alcohol overconsumption to weight gain to physical injury
Expensive elements because depending on where you go and what you have to pay for, a night out could include paying for drinks, covers, clothing, personal grooming and transportation
Restrictive elements because not every person can get into every place. You could plan all week long to check out the latest venue and then spend your whole night outside the place standing on line.

When faced with all these potential hassles, sitting on the couch and live tweeting your favorite TV show makes a lot more sense, right?

Wrong.

The Reasons to Go Out

The two fundamental benefits we can attain from New York nightlife that make all the challenges worthwhile are connection and experience. With connection, we can establish and build relationships with our friends, colleagues, and new people in our social circles in ways that are qualitatively different than the bonds we create at work, school or an online connection. With experience, we can drink, dance, look, listen, laugh and love in ways that can create memories to last us all our lives. When we combine those unique experiences with the people that we share them with, the result is more than a few hours at a bar. It can be what you look forward to all week. It can be the attraction of that potential that drew you to New York in the first place. It can be part of the reason you live in New York at all. When you consider it in that light, every night you spend on the couch is a wasted opportunity.

The Key to Your Nightlife

So how do ensure that your nights are memorable experiences and not expensive chores? I have always found that individual exploration keeps nightlife from settling into a dull routine. Find the venues and the people that you enjoy being around instead of trying to follow the crowd. Get outside your comfort zone and find new music, new encounters and new aspects of yourself to keep things from getting stale. If you’re going out to do the same thing every night and you don’t even enjoy it, then going out isn’t worth the hassle. But New York nightlife is more than an expensive drink at an exclusive club once you find your own place and your own pace.

Have fun.
Gamal

Strategies for Preventing Sexual Assault in Nightlife Culture

2013-01-28T03:50:34Z

Every year in New York, nightlife patrons walk into bars, clubs and lounges about 65 million times. The vast majority of them make it home safely every night. Unfortunately, on rare occasions, predators and fanatics use the night to prey on the isolated and the defenseless. The results are terrible for the victims and negative for the nightlife as a whole. NCI is working to combat this problem by developing a safety guide that we plan to release in the spring of 2013. As a preview to that publication, we are offering a few brief tips on ways to prevent sexual assault in the nightlife environment.

Incapacity and Isolation

Experts state that there are several elements that predators look for before they select and interact with their intended victim. First, they try to find someone who is separated from their friends or who can be easily lured away from the group. Second, the potential victim is either drunk or is willing to accept drinks that could be laced with GHB or similar substances. The combination of incapacity and isolation gives predators the ability to overpower and move a victim out of a venue with little or no resistance. Security can’t tell if these two people are best friends or if they just met or if they never met. Other patrons in the area won’t know if the man carrying a woman out of a club is her boyfriend or her future rapist. If she is drunk or drugged, she may not be able to resist or even speak. There have been documented instances of a victim being guided out of a venue by a predator in plain sight of witnesses because incapacity and isolation work so well.

Collective Capacity
There is no practical way to eliminate predators or fanatics in nightlife. It is often very difficult to even identity a potential threat in the chaotic environment of a club. But there are five steps that people can take to deter and avoid assaults while they are out;

Group movement,
Designated watchers,
Deterrence images,
Retained awareness
and responsible indulgence

Group Movement: This simply means that people go out together, remain in the same general area together and leave together. This prevents anyone from being isolated and abused. I’m not suggesting that you shouldn’t dance, meet other people, exchange numbers and generally have a good time. I’m not saying that the whole night should be one huge exercise in cockblocking. I am saying that there is strength in numbers when it comes to preventing sexual assault.

Designated Watcher: Similar to a designated driver, the designated watcher drinks less than the rest of the group and makes sure that no one falls unconscious, gets overcome by a group of fanatics, or stumbles out of the club at 4:15 without any idea of where they are or how they are getting home. Again, this isn’t an invitation for a wet blanket to play morality cop and ruin everyone’s night, but if you go out in a group and the whole group gets blind drunk, then the security of the group can’t be that effective.

Deterrence Image: If you are separated from your group, or if you are the designated watcher, you will need a way to deal with people who might cause problems. Sexual criminals in nightlife are similar to predators in nature. When choosing someone to attack, they often choose the person who appears the least able to protect themselves. They target the weakest of the herd. In a nightlife context, that means they will target people who are drunk, preoccupied, confused, or who project weakness through non-verbal signals in their body language. Victimology experts Chuck Hustmyre and Jay Dixit suggest that attackers are less likely to choose targets that are organized in their movement, confident in their posture and comfortable in their surroundings.

Retained Awareness: Patrons can’t deal with situations that they can’t perceive. If you get so drunk that you don’t know where you are, you are more likely to wind up someplace that you don’t want to be. A stumbling drunk identifies herself to every fanatic in the room as an amateur and a potential victim. Maintaining awareness of your surroundings as you party is an integral part of being the nightlife native. You can have a good time and keep your eyes open, but you have to make that choice at the beginning of the night.

Responsible Indulgence: The basic concept that patrons can use to protect themselves is responsible indulgence. It isn’t about being afraid to go out or going out looking for trouble. It is about knowing your limits and being familiar with your environment so you can deal with a potential problem if it arises. There is such a thing as having too much to drink. There are activities that aren’t worth the risk that they entail. You can enjoy everything nightlife has to offer and still remember it in the morning. Predators seek out nightlife amateurs and avoid nightlife natives because the amateur is easy prey. As more patrons become natives, sexual assaults will become less frequent.

There are two other things that nightlife natives need to keep in mind when it comes to sexual assault. First, while the majority of victims are women, there have been cases of men being sexually assaulted aw well, so these tips can be helpful to anyone who decides to go out at night. Second and most importantly, the burden of proper behavior does not fall upon the patron who simply goes out to enjoy nightlife culture. It is the responsibility of the potential predator to control their destructive criminal tendencies. When that occurs, preventive measures will no longer be required. But until that night comes, NCI will continue to offer advice and information to help improve and enhance the nightlife experience.

Have fun.
Gamal

The Evolution of DJ Education

2013-01-21T05:28:53Z

by Gamal Hennessy

Last week Scratch Academy celebrated its ten year anniversary with a party that honored pioneers like Kool Herc, Qbert and A Trak. While this milestone is significant for any small business, it is particularly notable for nightlife culture because the evolution of DJ’s over the past forty years, and especially in the past ten years, has been radical due in part to the efforts of institutions like Scratch. At the same time, the rise of professional DJ’s has altered the landscape of both music and nightlife to levels that were unthinkable when the art form was created.

DJ Origins

DJ’s as a distinctive part of nightlife began in the Bronx in the mid-1970s. This was when the records played at house parties and block parties became individual performances infused with the personality of the people playing the records, instead of the basic radio practice of simply playing one record after another. The influence of West Indian celebrations, specifically dancehall toasting (chanting or talking over a steady beat) were combined with R&B, disco, funk and soul to create a distinct new sound.

Grandmaster Flash came from Barbados to the Bronx and in both environments he was exposed to Caribbean and black music in a seamless and integrated fashion. Along with Kool Herc, Flash was a pioneer of cutting and looping songs in real time to create a distinctive new sound. He created this music without instruments around the same time that another pioneer, Grand Wizard Theodore, discovered scratching records as a musical technique.

Unstructured Study

DJ’s began to emerge as vital components of hip hop and house at this time, but for many years it was difficult to acquire the skills needed to be a great DJ. Between the 1970s and the late 1990s, there were only two proven methods of learning; self-study and apprenticeship. Self-study involved purchasing expensive equipment and spending months or even years discovering the basics of mixing and scratching. It took an even longer period to develop advanced skills build the respectable record collection needed to perform in public. Apprenticeship often involved finding an established DJ, carrying his crates, passing out flyers or doing some other menial task in exchange for knowledge on how to work the turntables. While there were many exceptional artists that learned using these methods, it was not a universally effective approach. Many potential DJ’s never gained the skills or confidence they needed to leave their bedrooms and perform in a nightlife setting.

Formal Education

In 2002, entrepreneur Robert Principe partnered with the legendary DJ for Run DMC, Jam Master Jay to create Scratch DJ Academy. With the assistance of other prominent DJ’s, the two men created a formalized structure for learning the basic technical skills of being a DJ. They reduced the time it took to learn basic DJ skills from several years to several weeks. With this new streamlined training, the number of professional DJ’s increased dramatically in a few short years.

Electronic Innovation

While Scratch Academy made DJ skills accessible to everyone, technology broke down the barrier of musical acquisition and manipulation. In the early years of DJing, part of the craft included finding and acquiring all the various songs needed to perform a set. Many DJ’s secured thousands of tracks by making pilgrimages to record stores, auctions, record labels and other obscure sources. When it was time to perform, they piled dozens of crates into vans. Each DJ had some kind of filing system that would allow them to find and play any song they needed, in the dark, at a moment’s notice. During this time period, a DJ lived and died on the strength of their record collection.

With the development of MP3’s and programs like Serato and Ableton, finding and deploying music was no longer a monumental quest. Tens of thousands of songs can fit on a thumb drive. Every aspect of every song can be catalogued, sorted and selected by a DJ in real time. Many tricks that traditional DJ’s spent months learning are now simulated with the touch of a button. If DJ schools lowered the barrier to entry, technology removed those walls completely.

Backlash

As DJ skills become easier to acquire or simply simulate, it has created an undercurrent of ambivalence within the DJ community. Many established DJ’s feel the craft has been diluted into mediocrity because anyone can show up at a party with an iPhone and claim to be a DJ. There is also a feeling that the ease of access to music has created a generation of DJ’s who do not have the same passion and relationship to music that the pioneers maintained. Finally, many see a lack of innovation and individuality within the art form as many professional DJ’s all play the same music within tightly controlled genres. Training and technology have produced more DJs at a pace that is much faster than previous years, but this has not always been for the best.

DJs and Nightlife Culture

Regardless of your position on the quality or quantity of modern DJ’s, it cannot be denied that the evolution of DJ’s has reshaped nightlife culture in the past thirty years. Live music venues have given way to discos, mega-clubs and niche market lounges all driven by the music performed by DJ’s. Relatively new music genres including hip hop and house dominate the popular music scene and both those genres come primarily from turntables, not musical instruments. All of the DJ’s from Kool Herc to the latest graduates from Scratch Academy are now in a position to influence not just nightlife culture but popular culture itself.

Have fun.
Gamal Hennessy.

An Open Request for the Nightlife Safety Program

2012-12-04T02:58:55Z

As a supporter of nightlife culture, you know that safety is a constant challenge for people who enjoy going out at night. While millions of people go out, have fun and get home safely every year, there are risks associated with bars and clubs including sexual assault, unintended drug use from spiked drinks, theft and violence.

In an attempt to reduce this risk, the Nightlife Cultural Initiative is developing a guide to give patrons the tools and information they need to enjoy nightlife and avoid potential problems. We are planning to work with several club owners, public policy experts and health care professionals to offer a comprehensive look at this important topic. Once the guide has been completed, we are planning to offer it for free to nightlife patrons, college campuses and any other organization that can benefit from this knowledge.

We are currently increasing to our list of experts and industry insiders. If you or someone you know feels that they can offer useful insights, tips or perspectives on any aspect of nightlife safety, please contact us at info@nightlifeculture.org so we can discuss a possible interview. Your input can be critical in improving conditions in New York clubs. You might even help save a life.

Thank you.

Gamal Hennessy

President

Nightlife Cultural Initiative

The Cultural Impact of New York Nightlife (Video)

2012-11-14T03:27:12Z

New York is defined by its nightlife. Everything from the history of the city to the sensibility of its residents is connected to the bar and the dance floor in some way. But the fundamental importance of this lifestyle has been belittled ever since Prohibition. There has been very little serious debate on the positive impacts of nightlife culture on New York City.

NCI organized a panel of experts to discuss and debate this topic at our Nightlife Culture Expo. This video shows some of the insight and prickly perspectives that nightlife culture generates.

Special Thanks to:

Madison Moore: Post-Doctoral Fellow in Theater + Dance at the University of Richmond

Shonali Bhowmik: President of Little Lamb Records

Paul Seres: Founder of the New York City Hospitality Alliance and Owner of The DL

Steven Lewis: Owner of Steven Lewis Design and Nightlife Correspondent for Black Book Magazine

Have fun.

Gamal

Nightlife Gets a New Advocate with the New York City Hospitality Alliance

2012-10-30T01:38:24Z

By Gamal Hennessy

We enjoy New York nightlife for its music, drinking, entertainment and the chance to connect on a social level but at its core, nightlife is a business that provides a major source of jobs and revenue for people in the city. It is part of a larger hospitality industry that includes hotels, restaurants, bars and cafes. Last month, an organization was founded to support and grow this vital aspect of New York life. NCI sat down with Andrew Rigie after the launch of the group to discuss the impact of the New York City Hospitality Alliance on nightlife culture.

NCI: What does the average New York restaurant or nightlife patron need to know about the Alliance?

AR: Patrons who love New York City hospitality can rest assured that this great industry now has its very own, independent organization to represent it in the halls of government and beyond. Plus, the education and training we offer our members ranges from food safety to managing a safe nightlife venue, both of which are in the best interest of patrons.

NCI: What major initiatives are you working on in your first year?

AR: We will focus on the four pillars of our mission: advocacy, advice, information and education. Our advocacy efforts will focus on developing a more collaborative relationship between government and the hospitality industry, one that ensures public safety while reducing financial penalties and regulatory burdens. We are working to reform the punitive nature of the Health Department’s letter grade system. We will work to roll back the State Liquor Authority’s Prohibitionist-era 200' law that hinders industry and economic growth. The Alliance will be at the table for every serious discussion about improving the regulatory environment for the hospitality industry. We’ll offer our members complimentary access to a powerful network of hospitality experts who offer advice and answers on topics ranging from labor law to social media. The Alliance will publish information to keep business owners up-to-date on laws, regulations & hospitality industry trends, coupled with educational and training seminars to keep them “in the know”.

NCI: What role do you see musicians, DJ’s, dancers, bartenders and performers playing in the strength of New York’s hospitality industry? How do you envision the relationship between that creative community and the Alliance going forward?

AR: These performers all play an important role in the vibrancy, success and cultural relevance of the hospitality industry. They attract people to these NYC businesses where they spend money, which is critical for the hospitality industry and local economy. Initially The Alliance may not have a direct relationship with the creative community but we surely have an indirect relationship via our members who operate the hospitality establishments that often employ artists and provide them venues to showcase their art.

NCI: New York hospitality generates art and culture as well as jobs and revenue. Will the Alliance be taking steps to develop the artistic elements of the industry?

So many artists work in restaurants and bars for income and flexible schedules while pursuing their dream in the arts, so the more hospitality jobs available the greater the opportunities for artists. Also, there’s no doubt that the training and education we offer our members, coupled with our advocacy efforts to create a more favorable regulatory environment will enhance the diversity of hospitality establishments, which in turn supports and provides opportunities for the artist community. For example, the more bars that offer live music the more gigs available to musicians. The more coffee shops around town the more walls available for locals to hang their art.

NCI: Which politicians and public figures have been instrumental in working with the Alliance in its creation?

AR: There have been many so far, but two in particular have been Mayor Bloomberg’s administration and City Council Speaker Quinn who have been working with The Alliance on ways to reduce regulatory burdens on business owners.

NCI: Will the Alliance have events and programs opened to the public?

AR: The Alliance works with organizations like City Harvest and promotes their public events, which support philanthropic causes like feeding NYC’s hungry.

NCI: Where do you see the Alliance heading in the next two years?

AR: The Alliance will further solidify itself as the premier trade association supporting and representing NYC’s restaurants, nightlife venues and industry suppliers. We will continue to grow our diverse membership base of hospitality businesses throughout the five boroughs and ensure this vital industry has a respected and influential voice in the halls of government and beyond.

The Music of Love and Light: The Nightlife Culture Interview with Manjit Lovelight

2012-10-25T17:03:33Z

By Gamal Hennessy

Manjit Lovelight EP on iTunes

Manjit Lovelight on Reverbnation

Manjit Lovelight on Sound Cloud

NCI: Talk to me about the philosophy behind your music. Is there an underlying thread that you put in every song?

ML: My music has always had a strong spiritual connection. It started in the Sikh temples where I performed with my family as a child, and it helped draw me to NYC from the UK when I got older. A lot of my personality and experience shape my lyrics. There are elements of every song that are a bit autobiographical and come from some events that I lived through and had to express. In the end, the music is a guiding force and the songs are an expression of release.

NCI: Do you feel there is an analogy between your introduction to music in the Sikh temples and the musical education that many R&B singers grow up with in American churches?

ML: I think they are very much the same. The focus of the music moves from more religious to secular, but the emotion is the same. The music parallel is the same.

NCI: The lyrics and tone of your songs express a lot of pain from lessons learned. What role do you think hard times played in your growth as an artist? What role do you think that plays in the development of an artist in general?

ML: The songs that I chose for the current EP were written a couple of years ago, after I lost my mom and was going through a bad breakup. The emotion of those days enhanced those songs. When I first recorded them, artist friends of mine praised their lyrical strength. That helped me find my artistic voice. But I don’t think it is the same for everyone and it’s not the only way to create music. John Legend has a lot of heart felt songs that don’t come from his personal experience. I’m sure I can write a song about a situation I haven’t gone through personally. The inspiration can come from personal experience, but that’s not the only source.

NCI: How has living and performing in New York influenced your sound?

ML: Living in New York has helped me build a musical family and the opportunity to work with my favorite producer, Stuart Matthewman. It has also given me a chance to work with people like Jay-Z and meet amazing professionals on every level. It is also tough because New York is a rough place to perform. New Yorkers don't have time for anything. If they like you they will be at your show when it starts and off to the next spot as soon as it is over. If they don't like you, they will let you know about it, quickly.

NCI: Tell me about the first time you played in front of a crowd in New York City.

ML: I played at Life for my first real New York show. It went well. I opened for Mark Ronson and Diddy was in the audience. I had a live band and there were a lot more people there than I expected. I was really proud of the performance and of the songs, but I was probably a bit over the top with my theatrics.

NCI: No worries. A bit of over the top theatrics was a regular part of the show at Live. Are you planning more live performances for 2013?

ML: A lot of things are coming together since I started performing at Rockwood again. I've got a lot of good feed back from the EP and the video. I'm hoping to turn that into more shows and another LP down the line, but nothing is set in stone yet.

NCI: What aspects of nightlife culture do you enjoy experiencing when you're not performing?

ML: I started going out years ago with promoters who eventually became owners of places like Butter, 1OAK and Double Seven. I was very lucky to experience nightlife at places like Marquee, Lotus and Life. I don’t spend too much time in clubs anymore. Now I’m very into the restaurant and lounge scene at places like Darby where live music is at a restaurant. There are so many choices in New York and so much to do that I can always find something different. That is one of the amazing things about New York. It can draw you in and keep you forever.

Have fun.
Gamal