Dennis Ferrer’s Guide On Where To Eat, Party, Shop And Explore In New York City

Dennis Ferrer is a highly respected name in dance music. The prolific producer is known as a driving force in the house music scene. His resume also includes being a primary catalyst of the Afro house movement and the soulful house genre. However, his catalog cannot be confined to just those genres as he is ever-evolving. The New York City house music staple is known for producing techno and ambient in the ‘90s and melodic house in the early aughts. His records are also sprinkled with Latin flair, tribal percussion, jazz musicality and more. Indeed, he is a true multifaceted creative.

Today, February 15th, fans can experience his limitless sound at rollerskating venue Xanadu in Brooklyn’s Bushwick neighborhood. The sure-to-be stellar show, hosted in partnership with Teksupport, is part of Ferrer’s new label and event series, Thriftshoppe. Tickets are available here.

The Thriftshoppe party series aims to deliver an old-school, expertly-curated experience that is affordable and inclusive of everyone—just like a thrift shop. With the imprint, Ferrer sources artists who are creating sustainable music that is reminiscent of the early ‘90s in ways other than just sound.

“I grew up in the Bronx—and occasionally Texas—and we didn’t have much,” Ferrer says. “People around me didn’t have much. Not having much was the theme of me growing up. And yet, creativity was everywhere. From the way people dressed to the music of the ‘80s, to how people danced and forgot about their troubles—the vibes were unmatched, and I miss that. I miss that good old affordable fun. And that’s what we’re trying to achieve with Thriftshoppe and our fantastic partner, Teksupport. We give a platform to local talent. We support new artists. We want people to go out and have an experience, no matter who’s playing.”

The impressive lineup for tonight’s show features the likes of Mai Iachetti, Miguelle & Tons, Nasser Baker back-to-back Aqutie, Pedrose, Sparrow & Barbossa and, of course, Ferrer himself.

“The whole idea behind a Thriftshoppe event,” Ferrer says, “is to recreate the atmosphere of a thrift shop somehow. Similarly to ‘treasure hunting’ at a thrift shop or a flea market, you don’t necessarily have a goal in mind. You just let the store surprise you. The good thing is that whatever you find there will have a character and a story. Be it a leather jacket or a fabulous pair of sunglasses, you can rest assured that it will be unique and special, just like our lineup. It’s eclectic. It’s celebrating how different yet how similar we all are. It’s house music.”

Music lovers are invited to lace up their skates and groove to old-school sounds. There will even be a hidden boiler room-style bathroom stage at the event, adding to the eccentric vibe that thrift shops are known for.

“Stay in the main room or find our secret bathroom party. Get a tattoo, try on roller skates, have a twirl on the dancefloor and meet someone new,” Ferrer says. “And after all that, you’ll still have some money left in your bank account to pay the rent—that’s all I’m saying.”

The show is certainly slated to be fun, not only with its offerings beyond music but also with its lineup and vibe. New York City is the ideal place for Ferrer to throw such an event as he’s a New Yorker himself and is considered a New York City house music staple.

Here, Ferrer share with Forbes his guide of where to eat, party, shop and explore in The City that Never Sleeps.

Eat

“I’m mostly a steak kinda guy, so any place that serves a good steak—sign me up. However, I do love me some French or Japanese food. Le Bernardin does the trick for me when it comes to French cuisine, and Shuko has forever ‘ruined’ Japanese food for me—it’s just out of this world.”

Party

“This is a hard one for me, believe it or not. I’m kind of on the inside looking out. I’d been to a party or a thousand over the years, but if you ask for my personal recommendation for New York specifically, I’d have to go with Teksupport. It’s raw, it’s industrial, it’s bold, it’s different. It’s ‘Gotham City’ meets ‘Sex in the City. ‘These guys have an impressive range and are pros at what they do. Shout out to the crew—you know who you are.”

Shop

“Stadium Goods for sneakers. The Frankie Shop for gig clothes. For anything vintage or ‘left field,’ I can’t recommend Rogue enough. Shoutout to Emma. I think she’s got two locations now, both in [the Lower East Side]. She’s a rockstar in the making, and we’re happy to have partnered with her for our second Thriftshoppe event.”

Explore

“Bushwick is cool. If you’re visiting New York, I highly recommend spending a day exploring the area. Just type your desired activity plus ‘Bushwick’ in the search bar, and you’ll find pretty much anything your heart desires. Food, small shops, galleries—Bushwick has it all. Oh, and—shameless plug alert—have you checked out Xanadu Roller Arts in Bushwick?”