The market for Electronic Dance Music (EDM) seems to be growing exponentially. Big clubs are back and medium size ones are embracing the EDM genre and even competing for big name DJs. Enter Sankeys NYC the third entry of the Manchester based brand and Ibiza fixture. With an opening on Halloween, will this venue scare up enough talent and buzz to compete?
Pacha has been the go to venue in town fending off all competition and remaining the place to here big talent. Brooklyn newbie, Output, has brought a certain credibility to the burg as an extension of the marvelous Cielo; a mid-sized uber-credible meatpacking dance club. But Sankeys raises the stakes and seems to be poised to become a prominent part of NYC and the global EDM revolution.
Nightclub & Bar stopped in to speak with Antonio Piacquadio about the highly anticipated opening.
Nightclub & Bar (NCB): Why New York City for your third location?
Antonio Piacquadio: I have been a DJ and Producer of forward thinking music before the house music explosion in NYC. I’ve always been based in NY and have been active in the Nightclub business as a DJ, Operator and Promo Director for the past 25 years. I felt the time was right for me to open a venue I believed in and the brand was right to bring to NYC.
NCB: Who are the players involved with the club and what is it that Sankeys brings to the market?
Piacquadio: Myself, David Vincent, Rob Toma and Carlo Seneca are the players involved and we bring something we feel is lacking in the NYC market; forward thinking music for a crowd who wishes to be educated. NYC has been stale the last few years in my opinion and we will certainly fill that void. Sankeys is all about artistry in all forms (visual and audible). Our Creative Ambassador Paolo has also been doing an amazing job of bringing in artists to do murals and paintings throughout the venue. He’s got an amazing eye!
NCB: Tell me what we may see and hear at the opening.
Piacquadio: New York City hasn’t seen a venue like this with the art twist in about twelve years. Remember the clubs of the late 90’s? Smash that together with a TRON like futuristic light show and state of the art sound and there you have it. Reboot, My Favorite Robot, No Regular play and Dave Rosario will lead the charge in showing NYC the music they have been missing!
NCB: There is an old adage “never make one party out of two.” Couldn’t you have opened the day before Halloween and enjoyed two great parties? Is Halloween with all its distractions the right night to open?
Piacquadio: It’s 100% the right night! Based on the fact that it is a Thursday going into the weekend it just seemed to make sense. Plus Sankeys is a dark devilish room; therefore Halloween night was the perfect fit.
NCB: Tell us about the sound system and the lights.
Piacquadio: The sound system and lights is something you will just have to come and experience for yourself. It’s quite indescribable. As I said in a previous answer and to put it in a nutshell, its TRON meets TWILO. The rest is up to your imagination.
NCB: The space was formerly District 36. What physical changes have been made?
Piacquadio: Complete transformation. For instance we now have three bars instead of two and two separate floors of music which wasn’t the case previously. Also, we took the “Crow’s nest DJ Booth” down to the floor. Now, the DJ can feel the crowd. He is connected where before he was disconnected. The rest you will have to see to believe. It’s intense to say the least.
NCB: Will New Yorkers feel an Ibiza vibe, a UK vibe or a vibe adjusted to this town? Does this type of music have a global vibe?
Piacquadio: 100% a global vibe. New Yorkers that are into the Techno/Tech-House/Deep House scene will embrace it. We are a club that knows how to pick DJ’s that play amazing music. Although we welcome the big names we would much rather break new artists. Our goal is that when customers see the lineups they research the artists on Sound Cloud or Beatport etc. to see if they like their sound. Education in forward thinking music is our ultimate goal.
NCB: What DJ's are expected to play at Sankeys?
Piacquadio: Lineups are still being developing. Hopefully some of the major artists will be attracted to the venue and want to play here. For us it’s not about big fees, it’s about the music. Nothing more. Nothing less.
NCB: Sankeys NYC has been three years in the making. Did you at any point give up on the dream of opening a club in New York?
Piacquadio: I’ve never given up on the dream ever. I am a very strategic thinker.