{"id":149453,"date":"2021-01-07T23:55:37","date_gmt":"2021-01-07T20:55:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/en.buradabiliyorum.com\/who-are-the-djs-promoters-playing-parties-during-covid-19\/"},"modified":"2021-01-07T23:55:37","modified_gmt":"2021-01-07T20:55:37","slug":"who-are-the-djs-promoters-playing-parties-during-covid-19","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/who-are-the-djs-promoters-playing-parties-during-covid-19\/","title":{"rendered":"#Who are the DJs &#038; promoters playing parties during COVID-19?"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_85 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-custom ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<label for=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a3f6c0324c2c\" class=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-label\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #dd3333;color:#dd3333\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #dd3333;color:#dd3333\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/label><input type=\"checkbox\"  id=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a3f6c0324c2c\" checked aria-label=\"Toggle\" \/><nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/who-are-the-djs-promoters-playing-parties-during-covid-19\/#The_shutdown_risk_is_real\" >The shutdown risk is real<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/who-are-the-djs-promoters-playing-parties-during-covid-19\/#New_year_is_not_off_to_a_happy_start\" >New year is not off to a happy start<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/who-are-the-djs-promoters-playing-parties-during-covid-19\/#Community_watchdogs_bite_back_on_social\" >Community watchdogs bite back on social<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/who-are-the-djs-promoters-playing-parties-during-covid-19\/#Mayors_Office_of_Nightlife_%E2%80%98Dont_drop_the_ball\" >Mayor\u2019s Office of Nightlife: \u2018Don\u2019t drop the ball\u2019<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<p>&#8220;<strong>#Who are the DJs &amp; promoters playing parties during COVID-19?<\/strong>&#8221;<\/p>\n<div>\n<p>New York City\u2019s pandemic party scene can\u2019t stop, won\u2019t stop \u2014 even if it infects somebody.<\/p>\n<p>Despite attempts at a full reopening of non-essential businesses, COVID-19 restrictions regarding <a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/social-mediaa\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"1\" title=\"Social Media\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">social<\/a> events remain clear: \u201cIndoor and outdoor gatherings statewide at private residences will be limited to no more than 10 people,\u201d<a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/coronavirus.health.ny.gov\/travel-large-gatherings-and-quarantines\"> according to New York state health officials.<\/a><\/p>\n<p>But party monsters are rarely apt to play by the rules, let alone be dissuaded by law enforcement \u2014 despite the highly contagious coronavirus having sickened over 21 million Americans since January 2020 and killing <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.worldometers.info\/coronavirus\/country\/us\/\">371,000 people so far.<\/a> Undeterred, promoters have continued trumpeting splashy, full-service parties and raves on social media, through fliers and digital invitations emblazoned with DJ monikers, hospitality brands, and sometimes even venue names, if not a \u201csecret location,\u201d obtained by \u201cDMing for details.\u201d <\/p>\n<p>Sources tell The Post <em>their <\/em>events maintain recommended health measures \u2014 but alarming packed-house photos and videos posted on social media might raise eyebrows \u2014 and one venue was even forced to shut down. Meanwhile, many who put the kibosh on their own<em> <\/em>social lives in the interest of safety and accountability are dis<a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/download-scripts-themes-apps\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"9\" title=\"Download Scripts &amp; Themes &amp; Apps\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">app<\/a>ointed and concerned with how this trend may reflect on the culture.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cDollars over lives,\u201d remarked event organizer Lesly Remy Jr., 40, co-founder of techno dance party collective <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/soundcloud.com\/thelongcountcycle\">Long Count Cycle<\/a> in Brooklyn. \u201cThe current trend of plague raving \u2026 [is] eroding peoples\u2019 trust in the ability of a promoter to keep them safe.\u201d<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"The_shutdown_risk_is_real\"><\/span>The shutdown risk is real<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>While many of these ragers have taken place in undisclosed basements, penthouses and various other clandestine locations, some promoters have been brazen enough to display the venue name and address in public announcements, such as Rebel Cafe &amp; Garden in Bushwick \u2014 once the site of a regular event hosted by DJ Mark Dumitrescu\u2019s electronic label, aptly called Undisclosed Records. Dumitrescu declined to comment on the record when contacted by The Post.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1024\" height=\"681\" alt=\"A party at an undisclosed NYC location, believed to be Rebel Cafe, during the pandemic.\" class=\"wp-image-16997853 lazyload\" srcset=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2021\/01\/07.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=300 300w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2021\/01\/07.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=640 640w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2021\/01\/07.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=1280 1280w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2021\/01\/07.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=1024 1024w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2021\/01\/07.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=2000 2000w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 1024px\"\/><figcaption>A party at an undisclosed NYC location, believed to be Rebel Cafe, during the pandemic.<\/figcaption><figcaption><span class=\"credit\">Instagram<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Meanwhile, Rebel Cafe, which launched just six months prior, recently shut its doors to any parties \u201cuntil further notice,\u201d according to Matt Shendell, CEO of Paige Concepts, which runs Rebel, as well as the Ainsworth and newly opened Court Street Tavern. In an exclusive statement to The Post, Shendell said \u201cevery time we\u2019ve [booked Rebel to a private party], we\u2019ve had to shut the event down.\u201d Rebel is now open only for take-out and delivery.<\/p>\n<p>Shendell said he\u2019d hoped to keep the party going, responsibly, if only pesky promoters had been more forthcoming about events booked at his venue. He claims they often \u201cmisrepresented\u201d their parties by assuring Rebel\u2019s operators that the party would be safely managed by enforcing capacity limits and masks.<\/p>\n<p>That didn\u2019t happen, as seen in one Dec. 14 video obtained by The Post showing mask-less revelers dancing shoulder-to-shoulder. A clip posted by Dumitrescu has since been deleted, though it <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/p\/CIySM6vpZY-\/\">lives on in other DJs\u2019 accounts<\/a>. Shendell found it horrifying.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-pullquote alignright\">\n<blockquote><p>\u201cThe current trend of plague raving \u2026 [is] eroding peoples\u2019 trust in the ability of a promoter to keep them safe.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/figure>\n<p>\u201cThe people throwing the events have been misleading, dishonest and have not assisted in any way with the COVID situation,\u201d Shendell told The Post, \u201cthen riding off into the sunset with ticket money.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Ariel Palitz, senior executive director of the city\u2019s Office of Nightlife, condemns any illicit underground gatherings. <\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe\u2019re speaking with many within the industry who strongly oppose underground parties at this moment because these events put lives at risk and delay the return of a thriving nightlife scene,\u201d she told The Post in a statement.<\/p>\n<p>Even during the most promising days of summer, Phase 4 of the city\u2019s reopening efforts, groups were limited to 50 people \u2014 not 400, as one recent party on Long Island boasted. Since the start of the pandemic, local law enforcement has busted potentially dozens of illegal gatherings, including a sex party in Queens, a bottle club in Manhattan and several more raves held throughout the boroughs.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"New_year_is_not_off_to_a_happy_start\"><\/span>New year is not off to a happy start<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>On New Year\u2019s Eve, the New York Sheriff\u2019s Office dispersed three more crowded events, <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/NYCSHERIFF\/status\/1345059757493792771?s=20\">two in<\/a> <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/NYCSHERIFF\/status\/1340723315720241156?s=20\">Queens<\/a> and <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/NYCSHERIFF\/status\/1345058697958060032?s=20\">one<\/a> in Manhattan \u2014 the latter with ties to Ivan Busheski, <a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/general\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"3\" title=\"General\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">general<\/a> manager of Omar\u2019s La Boite, who also allegedly violated lockdown rules earlier this year for the same reason. Sources tell The Post he\u2019s regularly hosted events throughout 2020.<\/p>\n<p>Busheski, 34, now faces a potential fine up to $15,000 and revealed via his now-disabled Instagram account on Saturday that La Boite would be \u201cforced to close their doors temporarily,\u201d then pleaded for donations to support out-of-work staff.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1024\" height=\"682\" alt=\"A party at an undisclosed NYC location during the pandemic.\" class=\"wp-image-16997840 lazyload\" srcset=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2021\/01\/02.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=300 300w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2021\/01\/02.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=640 640w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2021\/01\/02.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=1280 1280w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2021\/01\/02.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=1024 1024w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2021\/01\/02.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=2000 2000w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 1024px\"\/><figcaption>A party at an undisclosed NYC location during the pandemic.<\/figcaption><figcaption><span class=\"credit\">Instagram<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Busheski did not respond to The Post\u2019s request for comment. Shortly following the bust, however, he posted a <a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/watch-movies-tv-seriess\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"8\" title=\"Watch Movies &amp; TV Series\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">series<\/a> of Instagram Stories addressing the charges, which included footage of the police raid at 177 Prince St. \u201cThey can take everything from us, but they definitely can\u2019t break us,\u201d alongside a hushed-mouth emoji.<\/p>\n<p>He also <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/pagesix.com\/2021\/01\/05\/ivan-busheski-defiant-after-nye-penthouse-party-bust\/\">told Page Six<\/a> that \u201che\u2019s been raided 11 times.\u201d<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed-twitter wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<div class=\"embed-wrapper twitter\">\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">01\/01\/21 @ 0100 HRS: Deputy Sheriffs shut down illegal bottle club @ 177 Prince Street, Manhattan: 145+ people, violation of emergency orders, no liquor license, warehousing liquor &amp; health code violations, 4 charged with multiple offenses. <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/qVeQVVslev\">pic.twitter.com\/qVeQVVslev<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u2014 NYC SHERIFF (@NYCSHERIFF) <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/NYCSHERIFF\/status\/1345058697958060032?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">January 1, 2021<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<p>\u201cPeople think we\u2019re doing this illegal stuff,\u201d Busheski said. \u201cThey\u2019ve tried to arrest me seven times, but they can\u2019t arrest me for anything. In fact, [the city sheriff] was like, \u2018You\u2019re the top three people reported in the city. Your enemies, your competition, they hate you. We know you\u2019re doing something really stupid, but we\u2019re doing our job.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Community_watchdogs_bite_back_on_social\"><\/span>Community watchdogs bite back on social<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>The prevalence of parties in NYC has even spawned social media watchdogs, who are blowing the whistle on bootleg bashes.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe sheriff\u2019s office would lose it if they had to bust all those parties,\u201d said Kristina Alaniesse, whose viral Instagram account @CovidDJsNYC became infamous by outing local DJs, promoters, producers and other nightlife professionals caught engaging in illegal parties. The main watchdog account as well as the backup @CovidDJsNYC2, previously managed by Alaniesse and other unnamed industry players, has since been disabled by the social media platform. The archive of parties that \u201cMiss K &amp; Co\u201d uncovered have since been moved to a blog post <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/medium.com\/@kris.alaniesse\/coviddjsnyc-c7bf6fdf86d0\">on Medium<\/a>. <\/p>\n<p>Alaniesse, 36, has made it her mission during the pandemic to bring illegal gatherings to light \u2014 so when the city reopens in full swing, the opportunists won\u2019t be hired again. <\/p>\n<p>\u201cMost of those promoters and DJs are capitalizing off the fact that the industry is shut down and they don\u2019t have any competition,\u201d said Manhattan resident Alaniesse of her peers who insist on putting on illegal parties. Meanwhile, she told The Post, \u201cveteran folks are starving for the greater good.\u201d<\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignright size-nypost-inline-default\"><img loading=\"lazy\" width=\"300\" height=\"450\" alt=\"A party at an undisclosed NYC location during the pandemic.\" class=\"wp-image-16997861 lazyload\" srcset=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2021\/01\/05.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=300 300w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2021\/01\/05.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=640 640w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2021\/01\/05.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=1280 1280w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2021\/01\/05.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=600 600w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 300px\"\/><figcaption>A party at an undisclosed NYC location during the pandemic.<\/figcaption><figcaption><span class=\"credit\">Instagram<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<p>One of those veterans told The Post he supports Alaniesse and her cohorts\u2019 efforts, claiming he\u2019s \u201ckeeping a spreadsheet of receipts.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI won\u2019t book them after this and won\u2019t want to work with them,\u201d said David, an influential nightlife producer of nearly 15 years. The Brooklyn producer asked The Post to withhold his full identity with regard to his association with high profile venues in the city. <\/p>\n<p>Remy, too, said there\u2019s no love lost between his group and those throwing illicit parties: \u201cIt\u2019s easier to navigate the field when you know where the land mines are.\u201d <\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe have no desire or motivation to organize any event if the safety of our patrons can\u2019t be maintained,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n<p>Shane P., a Brooklyn nightlife performer of more than a decade, with billings at Webster Hall, Santos Party House and more, believes the trend \u201cabsolutely wreaks of privilege.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI hope to see these corny, narcissistic DJs that are hosting these super-spreader events blackballed,\u201d said Shane, who told The Post he, like Alaniesse, has taken the heat on social media for being outspoken. \u201cDo these people not understand what the stakes are? A lot of the partygoers are spreading their germs all over the city [and] some of y\u2019all don\u2019t even live here.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>David, who books at venues and events throughout the city, sympathizes with peers in a financial bind. \u201cI see friends of mine \u2026 doing anything they can to survive \u2014 taking construction jobs, moving in with their parents, going back to school. I have so much respect for them.\u201d<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-pullquote alignright\">\n<blockquote><p>\u2018I hope to see these corny, narcissistic DJs that are hosting these super-spreader events blackballed.\u2019<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/figure>\n<p>Gabriel Levy, owner of the Lower East Side\u2019s Rumpus Room, echoed David\u2019s remarks. \u201cFor the people out there who are throwing or supporting parties, you are only perpetuating the death cycle,\u201d Levy said, in a statement to The Post. \u201cI understand the desperation \u2026 in the face of the government\u2019s failure to adequately support [the industry]. But the solution is not to kill ourselves and others by operating illegally.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>But germs be damned, say the city\u2019s pandemic revelers, whose opinions on COVID-19 range from a willful ignorance, believing the city has already seen the worst of it, to indifference in the face of personal financial struggles. The Post reached out to more than two dozen individuals and venues associated with publicly advertised parties, called out by Alaniesse\u2019s @CovidDJsNYC account, between December and January \u2014 all of whom declined to go \u201con the record,\u201d if they responded at all. <\/p>\n<p>\u201cI have thrown questionably safe parties,\u201d said one such source, who agreed to reveal himself as Mr. Fox, an alias used earlier this year to anonymously promote his parties, which ceased before the city reached its peak daily COVID-19 death rate in April. Now, he said, \u201cI don\u2019t believe the risk-to-reward [ratio] is worth it.\u201d <\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignright size-nypost-inline-default\"><img loading=\"lazy\" width=\"300\" height=\"450\" alt=\"A party at an undisclosed NYC location during the pandemic.\" class=\"wp-image-16997869 lazyload\" srcset=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2021\/01\/04.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=300 300w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2021\/01\/04.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=640 640w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2021\/01\/04.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=1280 1280w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2021\/01\/04.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=600 600w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 300px\"\/><figcaption>A party at an undisclosed NYC location during the pandemic.<\/figcaption><figcaption><span class=\"credit\">Instagram<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<p>Multiple insiders acknowledged an inevitability to the underground party scene.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cPeople can\u2019t be held down,\u201d said Mr. Fox, adding wishes that \u201csomeone decent\u201d would step up to organize safer events \u201cinstead of the clowns that do it for profit.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe wouldn\u2019t be doing anything if we didn\u2019t have to,\u201d said another inside source, who agreed to speak to The Post on the condition that his identity be revealed only as a former host of the now-defunct The Roof at Output in Williamsburg.<\/p>\n<p>The club kid claimed that many of these events are doing everything they can to maintain various safety measures as suggested by the state Department of Health, such as guest temperature checks and mask requirements.<\/p>\n<p>But he complained that workers of the city\u2019s lucrative nightlife and entertainment industries aren\u2019t being taken care of in a way that is commensurate with the $35 billion industry, <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www1.nyc.gov\/site\/mome\/news\/01242019-nightlife-study.page\">according to<\/a> a 2019 report released by the mayor\u2019s office, which employs some 299,000 New Yorkers. <\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhy would nightlife workers ever be put into such a precarious position?\u201d he said, pointing to the fact that vulnerable populations, including queer and minority folks, are at the center of it.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Mayors_Office_of_Nightlife_%E2%80%98Dont_drop_the_ball\"><\/span>Mayor\u2019s Office of Nightlife: \u2018Don\u2019t drop the ball\u2019<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Mayor Bill de Blasio\u2019s was the first administration to launch a city agency in 2017 dedicated to the industry, the Office of Nightlife, which told The Post their mission has always been to advocate for musicians, DJs, promoters, producers, bars and restaurants. <\/p>\n<p>Those efforts paid off recently when Congress passed the Save Our Stages Act, which allots a bailout of $15 billion toward independent music venues, movie theaters and related businesses, as part of the most recent COVID-19 relief bill \u2014 though it could take weeks or months for that cash to reach those who need it now. They\u2019ve also pushed to <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www1.nyc.gov\/office-of-the-mayor\/news\/680-20\/recovery-agenda-mayor-de-blasio-extends-outdoor-dining-season-year-round\">allow restaurants<\/a> to expand their space into streets and sidewalks to make up for indoor dining and for looser restrictions on the use of portable heating units, which may help many businesses on the brink continue to operate through the winter. <\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-pullquote alignright\">\n<blockquote><p>\u2018For the people out there who are throwing or supporting parties, you are only perpetuating the death cycle.\u2019<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/figure>\n<p>Nevertheless, many of their public awareness campaigns have centered around social distancing and staying home, such as their 2020 holiday season initiative, \u201c<a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/gcc02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com\/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fu10341756.ct.sendgrid.net%2Fls%2Fclick%3Fupn%3DBtl5ySSssYUnr1uulsyLzMNfXxadMkNJOy1b8tTOb-2FC4DMphsq43-2FEWJ-2FB3ffN1QUWFAn0kR-2FaCF8szWmLu-2BjsKEN1eiTXHR-2FNkwjPSgSJU-3DSQ85_L8Wn1GIACMwfHl2i35cDy4OKdd6kgDQw6BHCyQcg44NnblE2LbAhFXntWu0nO-2BRatxn-2BARfh-2FqQy-2BrJjckNJ76WYkFl5SknliQc9wx58EARBvw-2BnkCJXOgO6MUb3Jqhh2jyvzjVWiuLkK9baWV5WW54CocwYheWLyFlGhqKq3WzfIlg4-2FYjvwy48d9gw9nYJ-2Bvh3kraHOL9HvNGYAyVS30TPxhjsxqMrw6XAHcXNFvS9b8sk9E2S8ZmFmIaDrjDVWKFZvHQrsghg3oyBK3K2Z1IJFdFQvdJyfhQmTFPhDPlNKT3zrXec4uCQs3AUm25A05-2BrVipvihB5Ci1mo-2FYV4lQi-2Bvp0vPKpZQH3Pfl5Nmk-2BRE8Zkj-2BHeHcf3R2icbVcTgF9Rv3iWw8ba3RniR7Bqz8d2giJmo6TIr2ejz793l9uODemyiRGEgrGQ5CvdIwyHznDDgaaXUm2EiOlgSMS1aNT9HfsFfRCAlRr2U3pijJ-2Bfpk6lc3N8RqqPKi6qFkRtF4qpSTONc1CVTl6A5R6K1Gl7MsMdBsGQRaRekoHXCYcFYceuEUjxkShOw0ZOaTHokAfwDIeRxa2vBh0X7hzyOhRmSt1etIIoxghLo-2FHeeQU3QC0dU0QkYmRc9K2Z2E9-2BBeD2RdTQPK9vuIGA57ta-2BYYewmUU3G6-2BHFDs2ttYjG-2FesF8HiEBo6r7dQ4oe60xlPsSwERGvvMkIJQFOAO77OyTZAZl1SBpnET3qbNhCJlPQ-2Fd8rPezZzNOc5qylBF7rkP1HnEVI8RUymBH0DGqBrZtph-2F4OMAVcjSLC-2FpvHaWP3j4Ti3Pt0n4WHsUld12BiMoA9x3EtM1uOKehIVE-2BLGLToOFUHJPU166FmUYFE07AjdYNG06UgE-2BnDqCl5lfIeIU4-2BbsSqzrDzLKd4DUNxUaDmR-2BUsJ7S-2BSN-2FaJZRgEbIC2WAfqq2Lo-2Bi513RELn-2F&amp;data=04%7C01%7Celewine%40media.nyc.gov%7C30a9b3ab53d54bf6432908d8adac2ecc%7C73d61799c28440228d4154cc4f1929ef%7C0%7C0%7C637450302938900122%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C1000&amp;sdata=rWOvG8B67pI7WYaCiIATTG0UFQ6FTWE3k2hifqxeJXI%3D&amp;reserved=0\">Celebrate Responsibly, Don\u2019t Drop the Ball<\/a>.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cAs a former operator, I feel the struggle that nightlife is going through, and we\u2019re doing everything in our power to support them,\u201d said Palitz, who owned and operated Lower East Side nightclub Sutra for a decade.<\/p>\n<p>Even the most aboveboard events with all the trappings of coronavirus safety can be full of risk. Last month, a story featuring wedding photographers in Texas Monthly <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/chrisgayomali\/status\/1339242530903379974?s=20\">went viral<\/a> on social media for revealing how event staffers are falling ill despite mandatory face masks and COVID-19 testing requirements. Nearly all of the local insiders The Post spoke to for this story reported that a number of their colleagues had tested positive for the coronavirus after being hired to work events that promised to follow all the proper restrictions and testing protocols. <\/p>\n<p>The heat from law enforcement has prompted an \u201cexodus\u201d to warmer, less restrictive cities in the South and beyond, namely <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/pagesix.com\/2021\/01\/05\/nyc-nightlife-mogul-throws-raging-nye-bash-in-st-barts\/\">the Caribbean<\/a>, Tulum, Mexico, and Miami, including by Mr. Fox, who reported that Florida\u2019s Magic City officials have been more \u201crelaxed\u201d with social restrictions compared to NYC. <\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe kicker is when the [law enforcement] come in to check \u2014 they turn the sound down a slight bit in order to notify everyone to be on their best behavior and put masks on,\u201d he said of Miami bashes.<\/p>\n<p>But Big Apple parties rage on. Footage of a party shared just after New Year\u2019s Eve, held at an unnamed location, was shared via Instagram Stories by Dumitrescu and included a shot of an indoor projector display telling guests \u201cMASK ON\u201d around 7 a.m., according to the timestamp, alongside three crying-laughing emojis.<\/p>\n<p>The party that started in the wee hours continued until well into the afternoon, as seen in the video \u2014 dancing like it was 2019.\n            <\/p><\/div>\n<p><script async src=\"\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><script async defer src=\"https:\/\/platform.instagram.com\/en_US\/embeds.js\"><\/script><\/p>\n<blockquote><p><strong><span style=\"color: #ff6600;\">If you liked the article, do not forget to share it with your friends. Follow us on\u00a0<span style=\"color: #ff0000;\"><a style=\"color: #ff0000;\" href=\"https:\/\/news.google.com\/publications\/CAAqBwgKMLG0nwswvr63Aw\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\">Google News<\/a><\/span>\u00a0too, click on the star and choose us from your favorites.<\/span><\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<blockquote>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">For forums sites go to <span style=\"color: #ff9900;\"><a style=\"color: #ff9900;\" href=\"https:\/\/forum.buradabiliyorum.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Forum.BuradaBiliyorum.Com<\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<blockquote>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>If you want to read more <a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/news\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"2\" title=\"News\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">News<\/a> articles, you can visit our <span style=\"color: #ff9900;\"><a style=\"color: #ff9900;\" href=\"https:\/\/en.buradabiliyorum.com\/news\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">News category.<\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><span style=\"color: black;\"><a style=\"color: #ff9900;\" href=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/2021\/01\/07\/who-are-the-djs-promoters-playing-parties-during-covid-19\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Source<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>&#8220;#Who are the DJs &amp; promoters playing parties during COVID-19?&#8221; New York City\u2019s pandemic party scene can\u2019t stop, won\u2019t stop \u2014 even if it infects somebody. Despite attempts at a full reopening of non-essential businesses, COVID-19 restrictions regarding social events remain clear: \u201cIndoor and outdoor gatherings statewide at private residences will be limited to no&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":149454,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2021\/01\/02.jpg?quality=90&strip=all&w=1200","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[70897],"tags":[88727,1545,67243,72092,71991,11569],"class_list":["post-149453","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news","tag-1-7-21","tag-coronavirus","tag-lockdown","tag-nightlife","tag-parties","tag-social-distancing"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/149453","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=149453"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/149453\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/149454"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=149453"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=149453"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=149453"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}