Via the EVG inbox...
The Alamo sculpture, the “Cube”, turns 50 this year and to celebrate, you can dance the night away at Astor Blaster, the first ever FREE silent disco at Astor Place.
Three live DJ’s will spin their decks with tunes featuring the very best beats of today, with a nod to the musical heritage of the neighborhood. Wearing FREE wireless headsets, guests will dance their way through the sunset and into the night around the iconic Astor Place “Cube” which will be the focal point of a dazzling light show.
Admission to Astor Blaster is FREE and wireless headsets will be available on a first come, first served basis. Guests will also have the option of simply dancing to their own music, or Astor Blaster playlists via Spotify, while enjoying the unique opportunity to revel in the middle of Astor Place.
The Astor Blaster turntables start spinning at 6:30 pm, continuing until 10:30 pm. For revelers wanting to continue their evening in the neighborhood there will be exclusive Astor Blaster offers available in local venues and bars.
For more details here. (This event was rescheduled from May 5, when it was washed out by rain.)
Santacon for the hipster/EDM crowd.
ReplyDeleteWelcome to the Astordome.
ReplyDeleteAs Jeremiah Moss said, "When our public spaces are quasi-privatized, given over to zombie urbanism, they no longer belong to us. They may look pleasant on the surface, with benches, umbrellas, and public art installations, but they conceal a darker intention.
ReplyDeleteThey are meant to control the people and the spaces of the city. They increase inequality and raise the rents. They squash public dissent. They package corporate advertising as interactive installation. As they hyper-gentrify our neighborhoods, they displace those of us who might protest."
JM is spot on only I don't think you can lump this event in with the privatizers.
ReplyDelete1. No company is sponsoring this.
2. Nothing is being sold or advertised.
3. It's celebrating the 50th anniversary of The Cube.
Yes, all events are sponsored by the Village Alliance, , who controls all aspects of use of the space including private security. No more pick-up bands or spontaneous local gatherings.
ReplyDeleteThe new Astor Place Pedestrian Plaza is run by the Business Improvement District known as Village Alliance, a private group managed mostly by real-estate developers. BIDs are invested in raising property values.
Our Cube is now a feature in the cutesy faux identity of this east village themed corporate space.
Village Alliance is a consortium of businesses, including Walgreens, KMart, Starbucks,etc. and condo investors.
No overt public advertising, but remember that Red Nose to show us all how public-minded Walgreens is?
So challenge them in court 8:35pm. Plead the case that they are controlling freedom of assembly and speech via privitization thus violating First Amendment rights by doing so.
ReplyDelete'Say I want to plan a protest in Astor Place Plaza. If I'm denied the permit, I can sue the city and Village Alliance for depriving me of my 1A right, or I can at least put heat on them via the press.