Nervous Records and Dance.Here.Now., run by Mike Weiss and Benny Soto, are renowned brands that have significantly shaped New York City’s dynamic nightlife, intertwining with DJs, music, fashion, and culture.
Photo credit: Nervous Records and Dance.Here.Now – Official
With years of experience in hosting events in New York and Miami, these brands have left a lasting impact on the scene. Dance.Here.Now. is celebrated for its popular Thursday night events at the esteemed Cielo Club and for inaugurating New York’s first major DJ Festival at Governors Island.
Nervous Records has been a consistent presence at the Miami Music Week. The brand’s memorable events include the Warsaw Ballroom Release Parties, a street party outside Armani Exchange on Collins Ave, and the notorious Denny’s After-Hours.
This year, they plan to continue their Pool Party tradition by showcasing an impressive lineup of emerging talent from around the globe, including Matt Martinez, Shahar, Cristian Arango, Loofy, Andreatens, Andrea Quintero, Niia Guerra B2B Angie Ocampo, and Gabe Katz.
In this interview, we explore the ventures and projects of Nervous Records & Dance.Here.Now. We discuss their upcoming showcase at the Miami Music Week on March 24th, their collaboration, their views on the evolving nightlife industry, and their plans for the future.
EG: Hi, guys! Welcome to EG. It’s a pleasure to have you here with us. How have you been? What have you been up to?
Nervous Records & Dance.Here.Now: Thanks for the invite. It’s been a really busy and positive time. New York City nightlife is as healthy as ever and we’ve had several amazing parties with many of New York City’s legendary DJs as well as with some great up-and-coming talent like Toribio, musclecars, Lovefoxy, William Djoko and many more.
On the label side, Nervous is dropping five hot releases a week. We had great acclaim earlier this year with the Anané ‘Take A Ride’ EP, and had big shows with Anané and Louie under their Ritual brand. We currently have a track by a new artist named Loofy called ‘Last Night’ that is No. 3 on Beatport, No. 1 Shazam dance track in Brazil, and just went over 4 million streams. It feels like it could be a Miami Music Week Anthem! Plus, we’re very excited about a new upcoming single from Louie Vega’s Expansions In The NYC project that includes a remix from Masters at Work, and new singles from Danny Tenaglia, Oscar G and a new album from Teddy Douglas of The Basement Boys, as well as a new album from Timmy Regisford.
EG: So, it’s almost Miami Music Week-time! You guys must be very excited about your joint showcase. How do you feel about this one?
Nervous Records & Dance.Here.Now: Nervous has been participating in the Miami Music Week since the late 80’s! Back then it was referred to as the Winter Music Conference. We have had some legendary events over the years, including the infamous Denny Afterhours Breakfast when we took over the Denny’s on 20th and Collins (long since closed), brought in a sound system, bought 250 Grand Slam Breakfasts, served vodka in everyone’s OJ, and partied with the windows blackened out from 4 am – 8 am! You could never get away with that today! Lol…but always a great time going to Miami in March.
For America, it’s still the ultimate hub for DJs worldwide in a defined and relatively short period of time. This year is different in that we are taking over one venue, the Kimpton Epic Pool, and doing parties on 3 consecutive days. It’s a big team effort, a collaboration between Nervous Records, Dance.Here.Now. which are both based in New York, and Groove Society and Brickell Living which are both based in Miami.
EG: What can fans of Nervous Records & Dance.Here.Now expect from this immersive showcase?
Nervous Records & Dance.Here.Now: Our brands are known for focusing heavily on the music and the DJs. Of course, we are providing a great light and sound experience, but most importantly, we are offering a unique opportunity to get an up-close and personal music connection with some of the most legendary, skilled, and accomplished DJs in the world. The line-ups speak for themselves. We have been working with many of these DJs for many years, so when they play at our parties, they really go the extra mile to play a set that will impress, entertain, and create a memorable time. The setting for the Kimpton Epic certainly does not hurt. The view of the Bay behind the hotel is spectacular. Few venues can offer the magic sunset moments that this hotel pool provides.
“Of course, we are providing a great light and sound experience, but most importantly, we are offering a unique opportunity to get an up-close and personal music connection with some of the most legendary, skilled, and accomplished DJs in the world”
EG: How do you think this one will fare compared to your previous Miami Music Week experiences? Is it harder to ‘stand out’ at MMW given the evolution of the industry in recent years? In which ways have you had to ‘adapt’ as brands over time?
Nervous Records & Dance.Here.Now: Actually, I think now it’s easier for us to stand out. We cannot deny this industry has gotten bigger and bigger and there are some very large corporate brands involved. It’s fine. I believe in the phrase “A Rising Tide Lifts All Boats.” Our own little piece of the nightlife business has been great as the industry has grown and America has embraced the DJs as artists. But I think the discerning audience knows that we provide those very special talents that laid the foundation for what has happened and that luckily for all of us, these very same DJs are still at the top of their game. So I think the crowd knows if you want to really hear the best, then come to our events.
EG: What is it about the MMW that makes it such an exciting experience? How would you describe MMW to those who have never had the chance to attend before?
Nervous Records & Dance.Here.Now: Two Words – 24 Hours! Between the pool parties, the clubs that run till dawn, and the after-parties, it’s truly a non-stop musical experience.
EG: Just how much work goes into curating your own event series at a platform such as MMW? How many aspects do you have to take into consideration?
Nervous Records & Dance.Here.Now: The production is always important, but for us, the Number 1 consideration is to work with DJs who offer a unique and amazing musical experience.
EG: Both brands have significant history in the circuit. How did this partnership come to be?
Nervous Records & Dance.Here.Now: Benny and I have both been in the nightlife industry for many years. Around 10 years ago we found we were working with some of the same DJs and at a certain point, it just felt organic to start working on events together. It’s been a great partnership.
EG: What’s your take on the current state of our industry in terms of live shows? Are all these gargantuan LED screens and ‘futuristic’ visuals becoming trite and taking something away from the actual music instead of ‘enhancing’ the experience?
Nervous Records & Dance.Here.Now: The audience is now so vast and encompasses so many different age groups and the fans represent various cultures and geographic locations. So I think it’s great that the industry has something for everyone.
“Around 10 years ago we found we were working with some of the same DJs and at a certain point, it just felt organic to start working on events together”
EG: Finally, can you provide some insights into what’s next for Nervous Records & Dance.Here.Now? What can we expect from you in the coming months?
Nervous Records & Dance.Here.Now: Typically January and February are somewhat more relaxed months when it comes to nightlife, but this year was busier than ever. Now we are approaching the really busy season and we have events with some of the greatest DJs in the world planned for virtually every weekend. We do our shows at some of New York’s premier venues – Silo, H0l0, Avant Gardner, Musica, Superior Ingredients, Good Room, 3 Dollar Bill and many more. Summer weekends we have weekend shows at a venue called Sunset Rooftop which offers the most spectacular outdoor views of the Hudson of any outdoor venue, and is the only rooftop venue where you can go till 4 am, so we always look forward to those parties.
EG: Thank you so much for your time, guys! We wish you all the best for MMW. See you on the dancefloor!
Nervous Records & Dance.Here.Now: Thank you! See you on the dance floor!
Nervous.Here.Now. pool party is scheduled for March 24th, 2024 at the Kimpton EPIC Hotel. Secure your tickets here.
Follow Nervous Records: Website | Soundcloud | Instagram
Follow Dance.Here.Now: Facebook | Instagram
