upcoming events

nyc events list

past events

Ongoing: Russian Banya Parties 12.31.13 - The Bootleggers' Ball 10.26.13 - Masquerade Macabre #5 08.09-11.13 - G&S 10th Anniversary (First-ever NYC Steampunk Weekend) 10.27.12 - Masquerade Macabre #4 12.31.12 - Black & White Masked Ball 08.11.12 - The Lost Circus 04.12.12 - The Drowned Ball 02.11.12 - Meet Me in Paris 12.31.11 - The Glitter Ball 10.31.11 - Speakeasy Dollhouse 10.29.11 - Masquerade Macabre #3 08.21.11 - Black & White & Red All Over Ball (Coilhouse Magazine BDay party) 07.16.11 - The Lost Circus 07.14.11 - Lincoln Center's Midsummer Night Swing 2011 - Swing House 12.31.10 - The Bootleggers' Ball 10.30.10 - Masquerade Macabre #2 07.31.10 - The Lost Circus 04.24.10 - Swing House 2-Year Anniversary 03.07 & 21.10 - JaNk! 02.14.10 - The Vault of Golden Vapors 12.31.09 - The Bootleggers' Ball 10.31.09 - Masquerade Macabre 07.17.09 - Nouvelle Époque Cabaret-Salon 06.27.09 - Hobos & Mermaids on the High Seas 04.03-05.09 - Luminous Flux NYC - video art weekend 03.15.09 - Swing House 1-Year Anniversary 11.01.08 - Halloween Vintage Masquerade Ball 10.31.08 - Voodoo Culture Clash 2008 - Swing House vintage dance monthly 02.14.08 - Get Off...Line VI: Roaring 20th 08.18.07 - Radiate Fire! 10.31.06 - Halloween Parade Afterparty II: Devils n Dolls 10.31.05 - Halloween Parade Afterparty: Mardi Gras 06.21.05 - Exotica: Tiki Lounge Shindig 02.14.05 - Get Off...Line III: Say Cheese (and Chocolate) 02.14.04 - Get Off...Line II: Code Red

12.31.09: New Year's Eve: The Bootleggers' Ball

Check in at Green & Green Insurance Co - password required
450 Union at Bond, Carroll Gardens, BK | Facebook

Photo taken at our Halloween Masquerade Macabre event by Tsirkus Fotografika

The contraband has been ordered, authorities paid off, and performers lined up for a New Year's Eve speakeasy ball in an enormous and aged warehouse with soaring peaked ceilings, peeling whitewashed brick walls, old wood beams and glowing chandeliers. Expect the intimacy of a daring cabaret mixed with the intrigue of a vintage costumed ball, expansiveness of a warehouse dance party, excitement of live brass, a splash of fine cocktails, and just a dash of illicit adventure and unpredictable moments. FREE Original Sin Cider 8pm-9pm, plus drinks by House of St Eve, handcrafted beer by Bushwick Brews, and other delectable potions. Delicious handmade Dub Pies (meat + veg) available all night.

Featuring:
  • Fiery old-timey jazz - The Mad Jazz Hatters
  • Stealth brass antics - Stumblebum Brass Band
  • All-girl all-accordion orchestra - Main Squeeze Orchestra
  • Blazing burlesque - Mme Rosebud & Jenny C'est Quoi
  • Eastern-tribal dance fusion - Alchemy Dance Theater
  • Awesome aerial stunts - Nikki Borodi
  • Vintage sweet sweet jazz - DJ Jason Blackkat
  • Re-bopin' jazz swingin' beats - DJ Dhundee
  • Hobo-tech: depression era techno - DJ Jon Margulies
  • Fabulous face painting - Painteresse Elysabeth
  • Tarot & 2010 numerology divination - Marcy Currier
  • Midnight moment of mayhem - Dan Glass
  • Hosted by burlesque's charming reprobate Bastard Keith

Plus more live entertainment and surprises, including a live auction of prohibition memorabilia and games of chance in our Den of Sin. Bring fun items to bet, or be prepared to lose your clothes! More on our amazing entertainers below.

Dress code: depression glamour, evening ball on the Titanic, hobo formal, desperation derring-do. Effort required. Own cups optional, but welcome.

VIP tix: we have a limited number of 4-6 person tables for reservations, 8pm-2am (dance party mode after, with tables moved aside). Each table comes with an excellent view of the stage, wait service, and a reservation card featuring a genuine turn-of-century liquor bottle label, yours to keep (while they last!).

More on our artists:

Live musical acts!

Oldtimey jazz: Mad Jazz Hatters

The Mad Jazz Hatters hold forth with a spirited amalgam of early jazz, Americana and jugband music with stray waifs of soulful Yiddish and Gaelic melody thrown in for good measure. Dressed to the nines, transporting you from the here and now, they serve up the musical magic of medicine shows, house parties, fish fries and speakeasies, coming together in a wonderful place where soulful rural sensibility and big city style harmonize to create raucous merriment.

"Highly Recommended" - All About Jazz. "A great old-time jug band" - New York Magazine. "A wonderful group...They truly capture the spirit and feel of the music from the early 1900's to 20's." - The Fedora Chronicles.

Ecstatic brass: Stumblebum Brass Band

"As of late, this hypnotic rumbling-raunch-jazz trio has been turning up all over the city in a nearly Mephistophelean manner. They appear from nowhere, breathe smoke and fire from trumpet and tuba, pound on their drum whilst parading through the crowd...and then abruptly disappear into the New York night. Are they banshees? wraiths? demons? Do they possess some uncanny ability to locate a lull in frivolity and then dispel it with ungodly powers?" - The Cad.

"The Stumblebum Brass Band's gritty, whiskey-soaked songs like "Smokin' and Drinkin'" rile up guests with Mardi Gras verve" - New York Magazine. "Rousing Anthems" - C.J. Smith, MTV News.

Sexy squeezebox: The Main Squeeze Orchestra

The Main Squeeze Orchestra is an all-female all-accordion fantasy brought to life by their visionary bandleader and local accordion guru Walter Kuhr. Naughty but nice, these ladies have earned a cult following for their wicked pop tributes to Joy Division, Michael Jackson, and Queen, as well as their stirring orchestral performances of music by Profokiev, Astor Piazzolla, and Kurt Weill. For New Year's Eve, an intimate 6-piece ensemble comprised of orchestra members will play golden oldies with hints of sugar and spice.

"More sugar cube than vegan icing, they do cabaret and camp along with all the bellows' best, while dressed, coiffed, and rehearsed like some Central European Berry Gordy fantasy." - The Village Voice Best of 2005

Wondrous entertainments!

Blazing burlesque: Mme Rosebud

Madame Rosebud is burlesque's Eastern Muse. Her specialty: the creation of worlds in which you may comfortably be seduced. As a striptease artist, actor, dancer and storyteller, she has brought her graceful, elegant work to audiences all over the East Coast. Being a natural student of disciplines Chinese, Japanese, Indian and beyond, her work is a uniquely alluring amalgam of styles. The gleam of a blade, a sliver of thigh, the fall of a silken drape, eyes flashed as a warning and an invitation...with these and more, she will make real your dreams. Any viewer will be seduced; the connoisseur will be haunted. Approachable but mysterious, graceful but earthy, sexy but never obvious; this is Madame Rosebud. Formerly a member of New York's juiciest burlesque troupe, the Peach Tartes, she is now pursuing her solo career and producing/performing with her fiancee, Bastard Keith.

Blazing burlesque: Jenny C'est Quoi

Jenny C'est Quoi is the sexy non sequitor of burlesque, bringing her absurdist acts to stages across New York. The co-producer of Brooklyn's Indie Girls Burlesque (where the audience suggests the theme), and founding member of Storybook Burlesque, Jenny has rapidly entered the scene of conceptual burlesque performers. With a five-year improv comedy background, she brings wit and quick thinking to stages. Jenny has appeared main stage at the Slipper Room, Coney Island, Rockabilly Burlesque, Hypergender Burlesque and has performed on tour down the Eastern Seabord. She enjoys costume design, taxidermy, and prank phone calls.

Oriental-tribal fusion: Alchemy Dance Theater

Alchemy Dance Theater is a contemporary global dance company that celebrates the alchemy of tradition and innovation, tribal and urban, ritual and spectacle. Performing a mixture of intricate choreography and vibrant group improvisation, ADT has enchanted and mesmerized audiences at events ranging from site-specific street theater and underground parties to international arts festivals and large theater productions, both across the U.S. and in Europe. Inspired by ethnic and contemporary dance from around the world--India to the Balkans, North Africa to Brooklyn--ADT creates a dynamic and sinuous language all its own: a moving collage across cultures, from the ancient to the modern.

Awesome aerial stunts: Nikki Borodi

Nikki Borodi is an aerialist, clown, musician and jewelry designer. She has enjoyed performing in the air at Streb, The House of Yes, Bushwick Boat, and Public Assembly to name a few. Nikki often performs to her self produced record Chakra Rock, an album that teaches about the chakras through a collection of rock/electric/funk songs.

Burlesque's charming reprobate: Bastard Keith

Bastard Keith is the quadruple threat singer-host-performer-writer who can be seen providing his uniquely volatile charm to burlesque shows, saucy readings and theatrical stages around NYC.

"A variety favorite." - Time Out New York. "The burlesque scene's darling...he's a delight and a wonderful host with great charisma, and could be a whole show himself." - The Fab Marquee

Swingin' beats, reimagined & remixed!

Vintage sweet sweet jazz [8pm-9:30pm]: DJ Jason Blackkat

Jason Blackkat's first show was with a Dixieland combo when he was 15. He cut his musical teeth performing and studying all forms of jazz, and he has toured America and Europe numerous times as a bass player in a variety of bands and combos. For The Bootleggers' Ball, Jason will be digging though his piles of vinyl for the most vintage cuts outlining the roots and beginnings of NYC speakeasy sounds, from Jelly Roll Morton to the Duke.

Jazz swingin' beats [2am-4am]: DJ Dhundee

DJ Dhundee is known for his eclectic and soulful sets that fuse delicious 1920s-30s jazz and broken beats. From his extensive music collection filled to the brim with classic gems, popular songs and rare finds, he serves up the sounds with his signature style and seamless flow. Dhundee has spun at private parties for Comedy Central, Istar Financial, Spike TV 2006 US Tour, Good Magazine, HOME Magazine, Wired Magazine, David Torres Productions, and Danny Simmons Gallery. Winner of four gold International Promax/BDA Awards for its music compositions for Comedy Central and MTV, Sugarcuts, Dhundee's boutique music production company, also supplies such top TV networks as Showtime, Nickelodeon, VH1, FUSE, Spike TV, and many more.

Hobotech: depression-era techno [4am-6am]: Jon Margulies

Hobotech is depression era techno-contemporary dance music that nods to a forgotten America, celebrating half-smoked cigars and steaming cauldrons of stew. Jon Margulies is a DJ, Producer and Guitarist who has performed with some of the best musicians in the world in a dizzying array of styles, at venues from Winter Music Conference to Carnegie Hall. Jon's music has recently been released on the Cotopaxi and Aurora Music labels, along with a full-length album "Too Big To Fail" which can be purchased on custom USB flashdrive or as a download.

Exciting diversions!

Midnight moment of mayhem: Dan Glass

Dan Glass has applied stupidity to many events, usually involving loud noises, fire, and other forms of creative destruction. Intimidating musical flame contraptions, flying trash dinosaurs, fire whips and jumpropes, and destructo-booth smash enclosures have all been part of the repertoire, so stand back and shield your face, but don't worry, he's usually only a danger to himself. Dan has created flaming car sets for Vogue, WWII-era fire effects for a Dee Snyder film currently in the making, and multi-colored user-controlled flames shooting from 30' masts on the breathtaking carousel-ship A Cavallo. (Reach Dan at Recombust*at*gmail)

Antique photo portraiture: Steven Rosen Photography

Celebrate the start of a new decade by celebrating yourself with a beautiful portrait created by Steven Rosen. Steven's work has been featured everywhere from the New York Times to the Jumbotron in Times Square. For a mere $20 ($10 for each additional person in the shot), Steven will take a professionally lit and posed portrait and then lovingly retouch and hand paint the best shot and send it to you in hi-res digital format so you can make as many prints as you want. Cash only, so bring an extra $20 and get ready for your close up.

Fantastical face painting: Painteresse Elyzabeth

Painteresse Elyzabeth will be offering her exquisite freehand Face & Body Artistry. From small sexy embellishments to ornate masks, from tribal to victorian, in black and white or vivid color, with glittery tattoos and special long-lasting phosphorescent Glowing makeup. Dare to become Illuminated! (You can reach the fabulous Elyzabeth at Painteresse*at*yahoo)

Tarot & 2010 numerology divination: Marcy Currier

Irrepressible mystic and visionary, Marcy Currier is an intuitive healer skilled in the metaphysical arts. Unphased by the impossible and guided by the Unknown, Marcy's mission is to engage as many people as possible in celebrating life as an endless series of experiments in Truth and adventures in Love. This New Year's Eve, join Marcy in exploring the emerging energies of 2010, and delve into the possibilities of your most vibrant, creative self.

Our fabulous sponsors!

Original Sin Cider

Original Sin is made from the best New York apples and contains no artificial flavors or colors. Light with a clean and crisp apple taste, Original Sin goes down equally well in a pub after a game, served with dinner or dessert, or over ice on a hot summer day.

"Our top American Cider was the Original Sin..." - NY Times Dining In/Dining Out. "The Crisp, not-to-sweet, slightly fuzzy drink in the snakeskin labeled bottle is fit for a champagne glass." - Paper Magazine. "Light-bodied, pale gold and clean-tasting, with the merest hint of sweetness to smooth it." - Florence Fabricant, New York Times.

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