Location: New York City, NY, USA
Capacity: 6,000
The gentrified neighbourhood of Bushwick, Brooklyn, is defined by its hip-yet-gritty appearance. On one block, visitors encounter posh eateries and colourful murals, and on the next, barbed-wire-lined fences and abandoned factories tell a different story about the borough’s industrial past.
This clashy aesthetic is embodied by the two juxtaposing faces of a nightlife haunt that thrives there within a retired 80,000-square-foot steel manufacturing mill.
Enter: the dimly lit Avant Gardner and its adjacent outdoor oasis, The Brooklyn Mirage, which has recently welcomed names like Black Coffee, Aphex Twin, Dixon, Rezz, Disclosure, Kaskade and Rufus Du Sol. In addition to massive bookings, the ever-changing venue remains a sanctuary for its flagship brand, Cityfox — a New York-based label that brings emerging house and techno to Brooklyn’s most discerning audiophiles.
Avant Gardner’s indoor arena boasts three different-sized rooms, each with unique accoutrements that range from oversized chandeliers to stained glass and motorised rigs.
“This is a key element to the concept because it allows us to create a path for artists to grow in the market as their careers thrive and their fanbases expand,” says head of programming, Kenny Schachter. “Artists that play the Kings Hall often come back the following year and play the Great Hall, and continue growing toward our largest stage, The Brooklyn Mirage.”
The latter boasts immersive 360-degree visuals, which are cast against winding staircases and balconies. Thus the exteriors of Avant Gardner bear the visage of a palace — a stark contrast to the structure’s blue-collar beginnings.