New York night owls have hooted for years that the wildest, weirdest after-dark scenes have flourished somewhere else. But recent developments, like the creation of an Office of Nightlife and the repeal of the anti-dancing Cabaret Law, offer hope that the dark era of club raids and closings (R.I.P. 285 Kent, Death by Audio and so many others) is in the past.
So it was appropriate that Elsewhere, a cavernous music and arts space, opened on Halloween and shortly afterward hosted Mayor Bill de Blasio for the signing of the Cabaret Law’s repeal. The spot comes from the team behind Glasslands, a scruffy, perma-sweaty utility closet of a club whose 2014 closure set off an especially loud, and perhaps final, round of eulogies for Brooklyn bohemia — the Williamsburg style at least. The more polished Elsewhere doesn’t revive Glasslands’ rough D.I.Y. aesthetic, but it has lifted nocturnal spirits.
The Place: The 24,000-square-foot colossus thumps amid an industrial stretch of Bushwick still untouched by lifestyle-condo developers. Inside, a warren of narrow hallways connects five spaces, including the main warehouse-style room, a second-floor cafe and a huge art-filled courtyard. Those with traumatic memories of waiting for the restroom at Glasslands can breathe easy: Elsewhere is overrun with bathrooms, most of them loudly proclaiming their gender neutrality. A rooftop is scheduled to open this summer.
The Crowd: Alarmingly youthful, experimentally coifed and apt to voice roommate complaints and social media anxieties (“Why is his Snapchat blocked?”) between drink orders. On a recent Tuesday night, the crowd included a man in a glow-in-the-dark rhinestone cowboy ensemble drawing attention away from the main stage.
The Playlist: Live acts come from a wide spectrum: techno (Octave One), hip-hop (Deca) and indie rock (Matt Pond PA). Piped-in music on one night harked back to Olde New Brooklyn with tracks by LCD Soundsystem.
Getting In: Buy a reasonably priced ticket ($10 to $40) and hop in line. Halal carts and a Nathan’s truck can distract from potentially long waits.
Drinks: You can wash down snacks from the loft with cans of Modelo ($6) and mixed drinks ($8).
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