The Brooklyn Mirage: Get There Before Summer’s End
Nestled in an industrial enclave on the East Williamsburg/Queens border lies the sprawling outdoor event space The Brooklyn Mirage. Part of the larger complex known as Avant Gardner, The Brooklyn Mirage rises like a phoenix from the surrounding cement factory ashes. Filled with palm trees, wide open space and clean white walls, it is a welcome oasis in an area that at first glance seems to have nothing much there. The 80,000 square foot venue boasts an enormous dance floor, plenty of chillout areas, several bars, local food vendors and of course a stellar KV2 soundsystem and high definition video projection mapping. Without a doubt this is the kind of summer venue that New Yorkers have been craving—a slice of tropical paradise coupled with sleek style, stunning views of the Manhattan skyline, and impeccable sound and production to match.
But it’s no secret that the mastermind promoters behind it all, Cityfox, got off to a shaky start that meant it would take them over a year to finally open. After a brief initial stint in May 2016, they were shut down not long after for not meeting safety standards and for selling liquor without a license. Over a year later, Resident Advisor reported that after presenting a $47.2 million renovation plan to council that included a beautification component of the surrounding area by local artists and muralists, they were granted a full liquor license.
According to their head of strategy and marketing Simar Singh, it’s been a big learning curve.
“We’ve spent much of the past year assembling the best teams possible, working with officials and authorities to address their feedback, and demonstrate that we are creating a space that will greatly contribute to the culture for all in Brooklyn.”
On July 1 2017, The Brooklyn Mirage managed to finally open its doors. Since then, they’ve hosted a number of successful electronic music events headlined by top underground international DJ talent such as Rodriguez Jr., Andhim, Anja Schneider, and Tale of Us to name but a few.
Launching alongside a boutique invite-only app ‘Visionnaire’, Cityfox have also created a virtual doorman, seamlessly integrating tech into the party experience by sidestepping the need for an in person concierge.
“The idea of Visionnaire for Cityfox events regularly taking place at The Brooklyn Mirage and Avant Gardner is that we grow our events and fan base organically, so as to preserve the vibe and atmosphere we’ve built and our fans enjoy,” said Singh.
If you’re one of the lucky ones with a prized code (yes they are filtering through requests and pretty soon they will be allowing referrals) you can download the app, set up a profile, and purchase discounted tickets at up to 50% off to Cityfox branded events. Visionnaire members also have access to a number of free invite-only events and from what we’ve seen so far, the lineups to these have been pretty impressive, and September’s lineup is no exception.
With just two Cityfox events to go, The Brooklyn Mirage intends to close the summer out with a bang. Bringing in two other well known promoters, their September calendar is jampacked with spectacular parties. This weekend sees the Cityfox event Space Knights II return with a slew of local and international DJ talent including young up and coming German producer Tim Engelhardt, San Francisco’s Atish, and plenty more. On Sunday September 17, Lee Burridge’s infamous All Day I Dream closing event will take over the complex for their third and final event of the summer featuring their signature aqua and purple decor alongside deep house and melodic techno vibes. Then on Saturday September 23, Jamie Jones’ hugely popular Paradise will bring a heavy-hitting lineup of international DJ talent including Dubfire, Tiga, and the label head himself, Jamie Jones in what is sure to be a standout event of the summer. And because all good things must come to an end, The Brooklyn Mirage will host their closing event on Saturday September 30 with a seriously impressive lineup (Âme, Stimming, Mathew Jonson and lots more) accompanied by no doubt top notch production and 3D video projection mapping.
Yet as The Brooklyn Mirage’s doors close, the Avant Gardner opens (sometime in the fall, we hear). Considering they’ve only been open a few months, their bookings over the summer thus far are nothing to laugh at, and they will no doubt continue as the party moves indoors. They may have spent the summer focusing on what they do best (throwing epic dance parties), however Singh assures us that they have a diverse range of offerings planned for the future once the indoor component of the venue is open.
“The Brooklyn Mirage and Avant Gardner are not only for music and nightlife, but all manner of community and private events. Those that will appeal to a wide range of New Yorkers: movie nights, community gatherings, food festivals, and music and nightlife across genres.”
If this summer is anything to go by, then we are very keen to check out what’s to come with Avant Gardner.