You Don't Have to Settle

You Don't Have To Settle is a Captain Planet-style DJ collective based out of Brooklyn. We throw dance parties all over the finest borough in the land. Let's sweat. var _gaq = _gaq || []; _gaq.push(['_setAccount', 'UA-30381671-1']); _gaq.push(['_trackPageview']); (function() { var ga = document.createElement('script'); ga.type = 'text/javascript'; ga.async = true; ga.src = ('https:' == document.location.protocol ? 'https://ssl' : 'http://www') + '.google-analytics.com/ga.js'; var s = document.getElementsByTagName('script')[0]; s.parentNode.insertBefore(ga, s); })();

[youdonthavetosettle]

YDH2S Has Moved

Hi there,

We recently moved the entirety of You Don't Have to Settle, including the blog, the newsletter, and everything that had been on this Tumblr, to a Wordpress-based webpage here:

http://ydh2s.com

If you were linking to the old URL you'll be redirected, but if you come directly to our Tumblr, click on the link. In addition to all of the old content from here, we have a new events section where we have a giant list of where to go dancing in Brooklyn. So long and thanks for all the Tumbls.

-Brian Blackout

[youdonthavetosettle]

YDH2S Newsletter Sept 20

We took a little break after a busy summer but the YDH2S newsletter is back and there's lots to tell you about....

(This newsletter will be published as a fancy email as well as on our Tumblr. The Tumblr will be updated as things progress, so it's always the most current. You can subscribe to the newsletter, follow us on Twitter, and follow us on Tumblr or read this newsletter on Tumblr, eschewing the mere idea of subscriptions. Faugh!).

UPCOMING PARTIES

September Sat 9/20 - Here Comes Your Gloomy (Feeling Gloomy's Pixies tribute) @ Grand Victory Sat 9/20 - CRAZY $INCE DA 90$ @ Union Hall Sun 9/21 - Tiki Disco Season Ender @ the Well Sun 9/21 - Mr. Sunday @ Industry City Thurs 9/25 - Fixed presents Lindstrøm w/House of House, JDH & Dave P Sat 9/27 - Brooklyn Flea Record Fair Sun 9/28 - Mr. Sunday @ Industry City

October Sat 10/4 - Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog SING-ALONG and Joss Whedon-Themed Party @ Union Hall Fri & Sat 10/10-11 - Escape Music Festival w/Girl Talk, Neon Indian, Plastic Plates, Moon Boots, Tesla Boy, Anoraak, JDH & Dave P, more @ Pier 9 Thurs 10/16 - The Brokelyn High Homecoming Dance: Brokelyn's 5th year anniversary! @ the Bell House Sat 10/18 - Feeling Gloomy NYC's 5th Anniversary @ the Grand Victory

HERE COMES YOUR GLOOMY (Feeling Gloomy pays homage to the Pixies)

Want to feel old? Pixies' Doolittle came out 25 years ago. Holy crap. If ever there was a band that helped us get through high school, being weird, putting up with Tyler Durden being a dick, and comprehending why bands ever reunite, it's the Pixies. (Sorry, it's hard sometimes to drop the "the.") So for this month's Feeling Gloomy we thought we'd pay tribute to one of the best pre-indie rock bands.

   + DJs Gordon and Nathaniel Gloom will play play armloads of songs by Frank Black, Kim Deal, Joey and David, both together and apart. Plus we'll delve into our late 80s / early 90s college rock collections and play some of the gloomiest songs from their contemporaries like the Cure, R.E.M., Love and Rockets, the La's, etc.

   + Got a Death to the Pixies T-shirt (or the like)? Wear it and we'll let you in for $4

   + A Pixies-themed cake!

Here Comes Your Gloomy (Feeling Gloomy pays homage to the Pixies) w/DJs Gordon & Nathaniel Gloom Saturday, September 20 @ the Grand Victory + 3rd Saturdays every month Dress to depress 245 Grand St, Williamsburg L/G to Metropolitan $4 advance / $6 at the door / $4 if you're wearing a Pixies shirt Facebook event Feeling Gloomy NYC FB Group The Brothers Gloom on Twitter

Crazy $ince da 90$

We're getting crazy again on Saturday night at UNION HALL! Cause uh, DUH, the 90s was only like the raddest decade ever!

We'll be throwin down all your favorite 90s joints to get you all nostalgic for those awesome times. All the good stuff and maybe some bad stuff. It's gonna be da bomb and all that. No diggity. No doubt.

DJs: STEFONIX :: BRENDAN :: BIANCA

SPECIAL GUEST: DJ VINYL RICHIE

HIP HOP :: R&B :: HOUSE :: ALTERNATIVE

FREE before 11pm for the first 100 RSVPs $5 after 11pm or w/o RSVP RSVP: ticketf.ly/1s2CJOG

**$7 gin & juice drink special all night**

Crazy Since da 90s w/DJs Stefonix, Brendan, Bianca & Vinyl Richie Saturday, September 20 @ Union Hall 702 Union St, Park Slope, Brooklyn R to Union / Everything to Atlantic Terminal

Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog SING-ALONG and Joss Whedon-Themed Party

This show is so popular we already sold out! But don't fear, we added a 2nd show at midnight: http://www.unionhallny.com/event/685659

Your application to the Evil League of Evil has been received and you (and your henchpeople) are invited to Union Hall for our Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog Sing-Along and Whedonverse Party to sing along to the musical based on our newest member, Dr. Horrible! We'll be showing Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog in its entirety with all the lyrics on screen so everyone can sing along together to their favorite songs. Come in costume as your super villain (or hero) alter ego or as your favorite character from the Whedonverse! Throughout the event we'll have contests, prizes and surprises to make the night even more horrible...we mean, memorable.

Featuring:

Dr. Horrible and Whedon-themed contests and trivia with cool (and evil) prizes like memorabilia from across the Whedonverse, Evil League of Evil membership cards, free drinks and gift cards for frozen yogurt!

Drinking games paired with the movie so you can sing-along AND drink-along!

Audition for the Evil League of Evil! Impress Bad Horse with your original super villain costume!

Show your love of the Whedonverse and dress up as a character from one of his TV shows or movies like Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Firefly, Angel, Dr. Horrible, Dollhouse, or The Avengers…if Whedon is in the credits it's fair game!

Our bartender has a Ph.D. in Horribleness…and awesome cocktails! We've got themed drinks like the Wonderflonium, Moist's Lemonade, the Freeze Ray, and more!

Soundtrack and jams provided by our Henchman Union-certified DJ, DJ BRIAN BLACKOUT!

Presented by New York Comic Con's New York Super Week and Secret Formula

ABOUT NEW YORK SUPER WEEK New York Super Week – a first of its kind pop culture festival. With different pop culture themed experiences happening in every corner of the City – including concerts, comedy shows, gaming events, lectures, podcasts, storytelling, food tastings and more – New York Super Week brings the entire universe of popular culture to every corner of all five boroughs of New York City.

Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog SING-ALONG and Joss Whedon-Themed Party Saturday, October 4 @ Union Hall 702 Union St, Park Slope, Brooklyn R to Union / Everything to Atlantic Terminal FB Event

For more info, visit: newyorkcomiccon.com/New-York-Super-Week

Brokelyn High Homecoming Dance Celebrating 5 Years of Brokelyn

Brokelyn is turning 5 and we're taking you back to high school to celebrate!

Join us and principal Scott Rogowsky (of Running Late) at the Bell House for a night of dancing, awkward school photos, games, comedy, music, and a sweet raffle featuring hundreds of dollars in prizes from around Brooklyn, including A BRAND NEW BIKE FROM Ride Brooklyn!! Also featuring special guest homecoming committee member Danny Tamberelli (of Manboobs Comedy and Little Pete from Nickelodeon's "The Adventures of Pete and Pete!")

Homecoming activities include:

Shaking your body to classic school dance tunes with DJ Brian Blackout

A Brooklyn words spelling bee (with prizes!)

The Hot for Teacher dance off (also with prizes!)

Crowning the gender-neutral Brokecoming king and queen (with crowns!)

Free awkward high school pictures photobooth

And even though it's our birthday, we want to give YOU presents, so the Best of Brooklyn raffle will include:

$100 towards a tattoo at NYHC Tattoos

4 passes to TrivWorks‘ next Pat Kiernan-hosted event

$100 to spend at Film Biz Recycling (and an absurd naked man statue from them too)

A new helmet and a tune up from Bicycle Roots

Dinner for 2 at Water Table

And did we mention: a BRAND NEW BIKE?!?

And much more yet to come!

Brokelyn High Homecoming Dance Celebrating 5 Years of Brokelyn Thursday, October 16 @ the Bell House 149 7th St, Gowanus, Bk F/G/R to 4th-9th $12 cover - 8pm til late

[All proceeds from the party go to the Brokelyn Writers' fund and to help keep Brokelyn going for another 5 years and beyond]

More info

[youdonthavetosettle]

YDH2S Newsletter August 8

It's time for another edition of the YDH2S newsletter, where we give you the scoop on a ton of dance parties that we put on ourselves or think you'll want to hit up.

We've reached the height of the summer, and we're doing one last backyard party, this week at the Diamond in Greenpoint. We're going to be throwing a party Weekend at Bernie's-style so definitely come check us out - go here.

(This newsletter will be published as a fancy email as well as on our Tumblr. The Tumblr will be updated as things progress, so it's always the most current. You can subscribe to the newsletter, follow us on Twitter, and follow us on Tumblr or read this newsletter on Tumblr, eschewing the mere idea of subscriptions. Faugh!).

UPCOMING PARTIES

August Fri 8/8 - Full Moon Fest w/JDH & Fave P, many more @ Governor's Island Fri 8/8 - Rinsed: Surveillance w/Julio Bashmore @ mystery location, BK Sat 8/9 - You Don't Have to Settle presents WEEKEND AT BERNIE'S 2 @ the Diamond Sat 8/9 - Crazy Since da 90s @ Union Hall Sat 8/9 - No Tears @ Friends & Lovers Fri 8/15 - Brooklyn New Beat w/Jacques Renault, Will Eastman @ Bossa Nova Civic Club Sat 8/16 - Feeling Gloomy @ Grand Victory Tues 8/19 - Röyksopp @ Output Sat 8/23 - DFA Summer Soiree w/Holy Ghost!, Nancy Whang @ the Wick

Ongoing Every Thursday - Air a Danser

YOU DON'T HAVE TO SETTLE presents WEEKEND AT BERNIE'S 2

*Last edition of the summer @ The Diamond, Greenpoint

It’s summertime and that means only one thing: using voodoo to resurrect dead guys who move to music, use them to find 2 million dollars, and maybe do some conga dancing along the way. We’re short the 2 million dollars, so we’re just going to celebrate one of our favorite summer movies by dancing around in the sun with some dead guys to our favorite tropical-sounding music and call it even.

Last time was a hell of a good time. It looked like this.

with Djs

Mister Disco (Happy House)

Brian Blackout (Head On)

Lepaux (Head On)

DJ DR MR

   + Live dead Bernie! I mean...there will be at least one dead guy there, for you to, um, dance with.

   + If we stop the music, you have to die. And you'd best slowly come back to life when the music comes back. Basically your typical Saturday in Greenpoint.

   + Recommended dress attire: Hawaiian shirts, white slacks, sunglasses, sideways baseball caps, windbreakers, shorts with sport coats, accountant attire circa 1993, bikinis, snorkel gear, flowery tops, anything you’d wear in a conga line

   + We’ll all do our best not to get sunburnt. Use protection.

   + FOOD! While the music kicks off at 6, at 4pm Garvey’s Ghost Dog will be setting up shop and serving their phenomenal hot dogs for $5, including roasted plantains, pickled calooloos, and roti flatbread.

You Don't Have to Settle presents WEEKEND AT BERNIE'S 2 Saturday, August 9th @ the Diamond 43 Franklin St, Greenpoint, Bk. G to Nassau / L to Bedfordh 6:30-11pm no cover Facebook event YDH2S on Facebook @YDH2S Pics from our last time at the Diamond

FEELING GLOOMY salutes the GORGEOUS LADIES OF GLOOM

Men are very good at being miserable, it’s true. Yet, truthfully, we tend to focus on the miserable men of the world far too much, and give short shrift to a group we care about very much here at Feeling Gloomy HQ: miserable ladies. Yes it was women who perfected running mascara, who championed weeping when men were afraid to tread, who wrestled with ennui, who probably feel more feels than any man.

So this month we want to pay special tribute to the GORGEOUS LADIES OF GLOOM (we watched a lot of professional wrestling as children, sorry). So we will be focusing on all the GLOGs of the musical rainbow, and just about anything that makes GLOGs either happy, or in equal turns, miserable.

   + Your favorite depressed DJs Gordon and Nathaniel Gloom will be playing the best sad yet danceable songs by and about women. Songs about being embarrassed about being sad, men treating their lovers wrong, and of course, crying your heart out.

   + Because we’re an equal opportunity dance party and because this is no normal “ladies night,” any human dressed as a GLOG will get in for a dollar off. Ladies, be yourselves. Men, consider being a lady for the evening. We hear it’s quite nice. In any case you can save a buck instead of paying $6 like a chump.

Feeling Gloomy salutes the Gorgeous Ladies of Gloom w/DJs Gordon & Nathaniel Gloom Saturday, August 16 @ the Grand Victory 245 Grand St, Williamsburg L/G to Metropolitan $4 advance / $6 at the door / $5 if a lady or dressed as one Facebook event Feeling Gloomy NYC FB Group The Brothers Gloom on Twitter

Crazy Since da 90s

Crazy Since da 90s is all about the drop top / windows down / 2 miles an hour so everyone sees you summertime joints that'll get you all wet and wild like that backyard slip n slide.

Feel the vibrations tonight and get funky as we take you on a fantastic voyage through your favorite decade of all time.

So come crash our house party, sip on that gin & juice, and jump jump!

DJs: STEFONIX :: BRENDAN :: BIANCA

FREE before 11pm for the first 100 RSVPs $5 after 11pm or w/o RSVP RSVP: bit.ly/csd90saugust

**$7 gin & juice drink special all night**

Crazy Since da 90s w/DJs Stefonix, Brendan, Bianca & Raichous Saturday, August 9 @ Union Hall 702 Union St, Park Slope, Brooklyn R to Union / Everything to Atlantic Terminal

AIR A DANSER

Air a Danser - Every Thursday 5pm

Laid back music selections by : Matt Brownell & Steve ShakeWell

Air a Danser is: An "All Filler, No Killer" get together, featuring the sounds of : - relieving the turnstile stress, smooth operating, hot sax, tranquillo, and other urban beach bar vibes @ Battery Harris http://www.batteryharris.com/

Happy Hr Specials til 7pm - $ 3 select drafts - $ 4 well - $ 10 burger & beer + **Frozen Balearic Breezes ...our own signature rum drink, a take on Steve's bay breeze + a tasty Caribbean themed menu

[youdonthavetosettle]

YDH2S Newsletter 7/18

It's time for another edition of the YDH2S newsletter, where we give you the scoop on a ton of dance parties that we put on ourselves or think you'll want to hit up.

We're midway through July and summer rolls on. We're continuing to get our newsletter our biweekly, and as we move forward we'll be ramping that up even more to bring you more info on where to go dancing. Also don't forget we're throwing our weekly outdoor party on sundays at Quarter Bar, so be sure to check it out.

(This newsletter will be published as a fancy email as well as on our Tumblr. The Tumblr will be updated as things progress, so it's always the most current. You can subscribe to the newsletter, follow us on Twitter, and follow us on Tumblr or read this newsletter on Tumblr, eschewing the mere idea of subscriptions. Faugh!).

UPCOMING PARTIES

July Fri 7/18 - House Party (Small Black, Ejecta) @ Glasslands Sat 7/19 - Feeling Gloomy Cares about the 80s @ Grand Victory Sat 7/19 - Crazy since da 90s @ Union Hall Sun 7/20 - You Don't Have to Settle presents Robots at the Beach @ Quarter Bar Thurs 7/31 - Zeitgeist (Goldroom + more) @ Verboten

August Fri 8/1 - Justin Miller / Justin Strauss @ Output Panther Room Fri 8/1 - Neon Indian (DJ) @ Cameo Gallery Sat 8/2 - Tiki Disco @ Output Rooftop Sat 8/2 - Warm Up w/Simian Mobile Disco, Daniele Baldelli, Charanjit Singh @ P.S. 1 Sat 8/2 - Simian Mobile Disco, JDH & Dave P @ Cameo Gallery Fri 8/8 - Full Moon Fest (Delorean, Penguin Prison, JDH & Fave P, etc) @ Governor's Island Sat 8/16 - Feeling Gloomy - Gorgeous Ladies of Gloom @ Grand Victory

Ongoing Every Thursday - Air a Danser Every Sunday - You Don't Have to Settle presents @ Quarter Bar

FEATURED PARTIES

FEELING GLOOMY Cares about the 80s

Here at Feeling Gloomy NYC, we love dancing with tears in our eyes. In fact, that’s pretty much the entirety of what we love. So the 80s, being the decade in which someone could actually write a song entitled “Dancing with Tears in Our Eyes” (thanks Ultravox!) and have it be a hit, is one of our favorites. Put some keening vocals about something morose over some synthesizers and big booming drums and that pretty much sums up the decade. Sometimes it seems like nobody cares about the 80s, what with their 90s revivals or their 00s reunions. Well, Feeling Gloomy cares. Caring is one of our strong suits! So, we’re going to pay special attention to the 80s, and not only the Smiths, New Order, Depeche Mode and the Cure, we’re going to get down to brass tacks with Visage, The The, Prefab Sprout, Tones on Tail, the Wake, Romeo Void, Eurythmics, Soft Cell, Yaz, Bronski Beat maybe even a little Q Lazzarus. You’d best be prepared.

We're also bringing in an extra-special guest DJ this month: Michael Grace Jr. of two of NYC's gloomiest bands, My Favorite and the Secret History will take us all to heights of dancing while crying that we had not previously achieved. Seeing as how My Favorite released "The Last New Wave Record" 20 years ago, we figured this would be a good time to introduce you to his knowledge of all things gloomy.

   + Dramatic readings of 80s lyrics as teenage poetry (because they are, dammit)

   + Special guest DJ Michael Grace Jr (My Favorite / the Secret History)

   + Your favorite depressed DJs Gordon and Nathaniel Gloom playing armloads of the best and saddest synthpop, new wave, cold wave, and post-punk from and inspired by the 80s, plus all your favorite anglophilic, gloomy faves

Feeling Gloomy Cares about the 80s w/DJs Gordon & Nathaniel Gloom + guest DJ Michael Grace Jr Saturday, July 18 @ the Grand Victory 245 Grand St, Williamsburg L/G to Metropolitan $4 advance / $6 at the door Facebook event Feeling Gloomy NYC FB Group The Brothers Gloom on Twitter

CRAZY SINCE DA 90s

We're getting crazy again on Saturday night at UNION HALL! Cause uh, DUH, the 90s was only like the raddest decade ever!

We'll be throwin down all your favorite 90s joints to get you all nostalgic for those awesome times. All the good stuff and maybe some bad stuff. It's gonna be da bomb and all that. No diggity. No doubt.

DJs: STEFONIX :: BRENDAN :: BIANCA

SPECIAL GUEST DJ: SURE SHOT http://sureshotnyc.com

HIP HOP :: R&B :: HOUSE :: ALTERNATIVE

FREE before 11pm for the first 100 RSVPs $5 after 11pm or w/o RSVP RSVP: bit.ly/csd90sjuly

**$7 Gin & Juice drink special all night**

YOU DON'T HAVE TO SETTLE presents ROBOTS AT THE BEACH

You might be thinking that robots don't like the beach, but you'd be dead wrong. Just like us, they like to lie in the sun, play frisbee, frolic in the surf, drink nutcrackers and "hidden" beers and annihilate humankind. So we're celebrating our future robot overlords with a party dedicated to them going to the beach. Hopefully they won't rust and save all of humanity from their future uprisings...

Dope Werewolf

Brendan (Crazy since da 90s)

Lepaux (Head On)

We will be spinning some extra robotic jams. We spin beachy jams every week so this is the only part that is in any way unusual.

We will festoon the already delightful backyard at Quarter Bar with stupid Summer knickknacks

We'll all do our best not to get sunburnt. Use protection.

This Summer, You Don't Have to Settle is going to be throwing an outdoor dance party every Sunday. Every week we'll bring you the best Summer songs so you can show off your Summer dance moves with Summer drinks in your Summer goddamned hands. Each week will be a special snowflake of a party with its own spectacular theme. This week?

You Don't Have to Settle presents ROBOTS AT THE BEACH Sunday, July 20 @ Quarter Bar 676 5th Ave. in Brooklyn D/N/R to Prospect / F/G to 4th-9th 3pm til it gets dark no cover Facebook event YDH2S on Facebook @YDH2S More info on our weekly summer parties

AIR A DANSER

Air a Danser - Every Thursday 5pm

Laid back music selections by : Matt Brownell & Steve ShakeWell

Air a Danser is: An "All Filler, No Killer" get together, featuring the sounds of : - relieving the turnstile stress, smooth operating, hot sax, tranquillo, and other urban beach bar vibes @ Battery Harris http://www.batteryharris.com/

Happy Hr Specials til 7pm - $ 3 select drafts - $ 4 well - $ 10 burger & beer + **Frozen Balearic Breezes ...our own signature rum drink, a take on Steve's bay breeze + a tasty Caribbean themed menu

[youdonthavetosettle]

YDH2S Newsletter July 6

It's time for another edition of the YDH2S newsletter, where we give you the scoop on a ton of dance parties that we put on ourselves or think you'll want to hit up.

July is here and - it's time for another You Don't Have to Settle newsletter. Starting this edition, we're going to separate featured parties (some of which we put on ourselves) out with descriptions, but we'll give you links to many more. And don't forget we're throwing our weekly outdoor party on sundays at Quarter Bar, so be sure to check that out.

(This newsletter will be published as a fancy email as well as on our Tumblr. The Tumblr will be updated as things progress, so it's always the most current. You can subscribe to the newsletter, follow us on Twitter, and follow us on Tumblr or read this newsletter on Tumblr, eschewing the mere idea of subscriptions. Faugh!).

UPCOMING PARTIES

July Sun 7/6 - You Don't Have to Settle presents SLOOOOOOWWWWWW MOTIONNNNNN @ Quarter Bar Thurs 7/10 - Hot Chip @ Verboten Fri 7/11 - Five Years of Let's Play House @ Rough Trade Shop Sat 7/12 - Sharegroove @ Starvue Loft Sat 7/12 - Sarava @ Lot45 Sun 7/13 - You Don't Have to Settle presents PURE MOVES (a pure moods dance party) @ Quarter Bar Sat 7/19 - Feeling Gloomy Cares about the 80s @ Grand Victory Sat 7/19 - Crazy since da 90s @ Union Hall

Ongoing Every Thursday - Air a Danser Every Sunday - You Don't Have to Settle presents @ Quarter Bar

YOU DON'T HAVE TO SETTLE presents SLOOOWWW MOTIONNN

This Summer, You Don't Have to Settle is going to be throwing an outdoor dance party every Sunday. Every week we'll bring you the best Summer songs so you can show off your Summer dance moves with Summer drinks in your Summer goddamned hands. Each week will be a special snowflake of a party with its own spectacular theme. This week?

As Summer heats up, we're slowing down. We're studiously watching Baywatch reruns over and over again, so we can get Summer JUST right. And Summer is all about slow motion, because if you don't slow down, before you know it, it's effing Autumn already. So let's take some sips of a beverage and slow it down. We'll keep you safe from sharks and normal speed with music by DJs

Brian Blackout

DJ DR MR

+ guest DJ Mister Disco (Happy House)

We’ll be spinning slow jams, indie jams, italo disco jams, electropop jams, just generally all the of jams. All of them.

We will festoon the already delightful backyard at Quarter Bar with stupid Summer knickknacks

We will hold a no-holds-barred slow motion relay race. Slowest team wins. Extra points if you have massive chest hair and/or a red one-piece bathing suit

We'll all do our best not to get sunburnt. Use protection.

You Don't Have to Settle presents SLOOOWWW MOTIONNN Sunday, July 6 @ Quarter Bar 676 5th Ave. in Brooklyn D/N/R to Prospect / F/G to 4th-9th 3pm til it gets dark no cover Facebook event YDH2S on Facebook @YDH2S More info on our weekly summer parties

FEELING GLOOMY Cares about the 80s

Here at Feeling Gloomy NYC, we love dancing with tears in our eyes. In fact, that’s pretty much the entirety of what we love. So the 80s, being the decade in which someone could actually write a song entitled “Dancing with Tears in Our Eyes” (thanks Ultravox!) and have it be a hit, is one of our favorites. Put some keening vocals about something morose over some synthesizers and big booming drums and that pretty much sums up the decade. Sometimes it seems like nobody cares about the 80s, what with their 90s revivals or their 00s reunions. Well, Feeling Gloomy cares. Caring is one of our strong suits! So, we’re going to pay special attention to the 80s, and not only the Smiths, New Order, Depeche Mode and the Cure, we’re going to get down to brass tacks with Visage, The The, Prefab Sprout, Tones on Tail, the Wake, Romeo Void, Eurythmics, Soft Cell, Yaz, Bronski Beat maybe even a little Q Lazzarus. You’d best be prepared.

We're also bringing in an extra-special guest DJ this month: Michael Grace Jr. of two of NYC's gloomiest bands, My Favorite and the Secret History will take us all to heights of dancing while crying that we had not previously achieved. Seeing as how My Favorite released "The Last New Wave Record" 20 years ago, we figured this would be a good time to introduce you to his knowledge of all things gloomy.

   + Dramatic readings of 80s lyrics as teenage poetry (because they are, dammit)

   + Special guest DJ Michael Grace Jr (My Favorite / the Secret History)

   + Your favorite depressed DJs Gordon and Nathaniel Gloom playing armloads of the best and saddest synthpop, new wave, cold wave, and post-punk from and inspired by the 80s, plus all your favorite anglophilic, gloomy faves

Feeling Gloomy Cares about the 80s w/DJs Gordon & Nathaniel Gloom + guest DJ Michael Grace Jr Saturday, July 18 @ the Grand Victory 245 Grand St, Williamsburg L/G to Metropolitan $4 advance / $6 at the door Facebook event Feeling Gloomy NYC FB Group The Brothers Gloom on Twitter

YOU DON'T HAVE TO SETTLE presents PURE MOVES

This Summer, You Don't Have to Settle is going to be throwing an outdoor dance party every Sunday. Every week we'll bring you the best Summer songs so you can show off your Summer dance moves with Summer drinks in your Summer goddamned hands. Each week will be a special snowflake of a party with its own spectacular theme. This week?

Years and years of hitting up Natural Wonders stores in the mall for power crystals, weird VHS tapes, wolf t-shirts and new age music have warped us. We decided let's throw a party dedicated to what must be one of the most ridiculous and soporiffic compilations of all time: PURE MOODS.

with DJs

Brian Blackout

Spoolwork

Brendan

Lepaux

First we will read your aura, then we will please your aura with jams. Nu age Celtic jams, Gregorian chanting over Ibiza hip hop beats, jams with pan flutes all over the damn place, synthy spiritual jams that make you think of waterfalls. That, plus all of our favorite impure summer jams, because we are simply not that pure.

We will festoon the already delightful backyard at Quarter Bar with stupid Summer knickknacks

We will be celebrating Brian Blackout's birthday, as it is the day he found himself here on our earth mother

If you own a three wolf moon t-shirt, or anything with whales or sea turtles, now is the time. Seize the wolf.

We'll all do our best not to get sunburnt. Use protection.

You Don't Have to Settle presents PURE MOVES (a pure moods dance party) Sunday, July 6 @ Quarter Bar 676 5th Ave. in Brooklyn D/N/R to Prospect / F/G to 4th-9th 3pm til it gets dark no cover Facebook event YDH2S on Facebook @YDH2S More info on our weekly summer parties

AIR A DANSER

Air a Danser - Every Thursday 5pm

Laid back music selections by : Matt Brownell & Steve ShakeWell

Air a Danser is: An "All Filler, No Killer" get together, featuring the sounds of : - relieving the turnstile stress, smooth operating, hot sax, tranquillo, and other urban beach bar vibes @ Battery Harris http://www.batteryharris.com/

Happy Hr Specials til 7pm - $ 3 select drafts - $ 4 well - $ 10 burger & beer + **Frozen Balearic Breezes ...our own signature rum drink, a take on Steve's bay breeze + a tasty Caribbean themed menu

[youdonthavetosettle]

YDH2S Newsletter June 25

It's time for another edition of the YDH2S newsletter, where we give you the scoop on a ton of dance parties that we put on ourselves or think you'll want to hit up.

As we've been saying, we're changing things up as we go, this being our second newsletter of June, as we cover more and more parties. Also, this week marks the launch of our new weekly outdoor party at Quarter Bar, so be sure to check that out.

(This newsletter will be published as a fancy email as well as on our Tumblr. The Tumblr will be updated as things progress, so it's always the most current. You can subscribe to the newsletter, follow us on Twitter, and follow us on Tumblr or read this newsletter on Tumblr, eschewing the mere idea of subscriptions. Faugh!).

UPCOMING PARTIES

June Fri 6/27 - HEAD ON: Prince vs. Bowie @ Littlefield Sun 6/29 - You Don't Have to Settle presents YACHT @ Quarter Bar

July Fri 7/4 - 4th of July Fireworks Comeback @ the Diamond Sun 7/6 - You Don't Have to Settle presents SLOOOOOOWWWWWW MOTIONNNNNN @ Quarter Bar Sun 7/13 - You Don't Have to Settle presents PURE MOVES (a pure moods dance party) @ Quarter Bar Sat 7/19 - Feeling Gloomy Cares about the 80s @ Grand Victory

Ongoing Every Thursday - Air a Danser Every Sunday - You Don't Have to Settle presents @ Quarter Bar

HEAD ON: BOWIE vs PRINCE

Hey, who is your favorite androgynous, multi-decade, multi-genre, trailblazing, influential, possibly bisexual rock star/sex symbol? Well, we're not really sure what you'll say, but we feel very certain that it's one or the other of this month's themes: David Bowie, or the artist currently known (we think) as Prince. Between the two of them, they've collaborated with everyone from Kate Bush to Giorgio Moroder to Bing Crosby, tackled every genre we can think of except for polka and dubstep, and introduced more young minds to the idea of sex than you shake a stick at. BUT, which would make for a better dance party? We have no idea, but we're going to have a blast finding out.

Head On is a monthly dance battle pitting two themes against one another. Resident DJs Brian Blackout, Spoolwork, and Lepaux will pit suffragettes against controversy, modern love against a love bizarre, Andy Warhol against Annie Christian, "Suffragette City" against "Erotic City," and "Dance, Magic Dance" against "Batdance." And you'll pick the winner (by dancing).

Two DJs enter One DJ leaves

Head On w/residents Lepaux, Spoolwork, & Brian Blackout Friday June 27 @ Littlefield 622 Degraw St, Gowanus, Bk R to Union / F/G to Fulton / Everything to Atlantic Terminal 11:00 p.m. - late no cover Facebook Event Head On FB page Head On Twitter

YOU DON'T HAVE TO SETTLE presents YACHT (a dance party, not the band)

This Summer, You Don't Have to Settle is going to be throwing an outdoor dance party every Sunday. Every week we'll bring you the best Summer songs so you can show off your Summer dance moves with Summer drinks in your Summer goddamned hands. Each week will be a special snowflake of a party with its own spectacular theme. This week?

YACHT. We love it all: the boats, the rock, the band, and maybe most of all the wearing stuff with cute little anchor patterns and palm fronds all over it. And we're not just saying that because Michael McDonald is in town. Put on your most nautical attire (unbutton that shirt, gentlemen, as Misters Loggins and Messina demonstrate), grab a dark and stormy, work on your best Michael McDonald impressions, and dance out in the sun with your captains:

Brian Blackout

Dope Werewolf

Lepaux

& DJ DR MR

We'll be spinning yacht rock (duh), soft rock, indie rock, disco, electro, synthpop, and all the jams

We will festoon the already delightful backyard at Quarter Bar with stupid nautical knickknacks

A fierce Michael McDonald impression contest will be held. What fools believe they can win?

We'll all do our best not to get sunburnt. Use protection.

You Don't Have to Settle presents Y A C H T (the dance party, not the band) Sunday, June 29 @ Quarter Bar 676 5th Ave. in Brooklyn D/N/R to Prospect / F/G to 4th-9th 3pm til it gets dark no cover Facebook event YDH2S on Facebook @YDH2S More info on our weekly summer parties

4TH OF JULY Fireworks Comeback

Local blog Greenpointers has put together a killer backyard party at Greenpoint's Diamond bar. There's a cookout first with food from Brewla Bars, Yeah Dawg Vegan Hot Dogs + other MEATY STUFF. Afterwards, a lineup of YDH2S DJs will be there to help you celebrate 'Merica, and the return of the fireworks to Brooklyn, in style.

4th of July Fireworks Comeback w/DJs Brian Blackout, Dope Werewolf + DJ DR MR Friday, July 4th @ the Diamond's backyard 43 Franklin St, Greenpoint, Bk G to Nassau / L to Bedford Cookout 3-6, dancing 7-11 no cover! Facebook event

YOU DON'T HAVE TO SETTLE presents SLOOOWWW MOTIONNN

This Summer, You Don't Have to Settle is going to be throwing an outdoor dance party every Sunday. Every week we'll bring you the best Summer songs so you can show off your Summer dance moves with Summer drinks in your Summer goddamned hands. Each week will be a special snowflake of a party with its own spectacular theme. This week?

As Summer heats up, we're slowing down. We're studiously watching Baywatch reruns over and over again, so we can get Summer JUST right. And Summer is all about slow motion, because if you don't slow down, before you know it, it's effing Autumn already. So let's take some sips of a beverage and slow it down. We'll keep you safe from sharks and normal speed with music by DJs

Brian Blackout

DJ DR MR

+ guest DJ Mister Disco (Happy House)

We’ll be spinning slow jams, indie jams, italo disco jams, electropop jams, just generally all the of jams. All of them.

We will festoon the already delightful backyard at Quarter Bar with stupid Summer knickknacks

We will hold a no-holds-barred slow motion relay race. Slowest team wins. Extra points if you have massive chest hair and/or a red one-piece bathing suit

We'll all do our best not to get sunburnt. Use protection.

You Don't Have to Settle presents SLOOOWWW MOTIONNN Sunday, July 6 @ Quarter Bar 676 5th Ave. in Brooklyn D/N/R to Prospect / F/G to 4th-9th 3pm til it gets dark no cover Facebook event YDH2S on Facebook @YDH2S More info on our weekly summer parties

AIR A DANSER

Air a Danser - Every Thursday 5pm

Laid back music selections by : Matt Brownell & Steve ShakeWell

Air a Danser is: An "All Filler, No Killer" get together, featuring the sounds of : - relieving the turnstile stress, smooth operating, hot sax, tranquillo, and other urban beach bar vibes @ Battery Harris http://www.batteryharris.com/

Happy Hr Specials til 7pm - $ 3 select drafts - $ 4 well - $ 10 burger & beer + **Frozen Balearic Breezes ...our own signature rum drink, a take on Steve's bay breeze + a tasty Caribbean themed menu

[youdonthavetosettle]

YDH2S Newsletter June 13

It's time for another edition of the YDH2S newsletter, where we give you the scoop on a ton of dance parties that we put on ourselves or think you'll want to hit up.

We're going to be expanding this newsletter in the coming weeks, so expect more parties and probably more frequent newsletters too. As such there's a ton going on in June so continue on for the parties.

(This newsletter will be published as a fancy email as well as on our Tumblr. The Tumblr will be updated as things progress, so it's always the most current. You can subscribe to the newsletter, follow us on Twitter, and follow us on Tumblr or read this newsletter on Tumblr, eschewing the mere idea of subscriptions. Faugh!).

UPCOMING PARTIES

June Fri 6/13 - The Rebirth of Happy House @ Tandem Sat 6/14 - Crazy Since da 90s 3rd Anniversary @ Union Hall Sat 6/14 - Sharegroove 10th Anniversary @ Starvue Loft Sat 6/21 - Feeling Gloomy gets Morrissey FOMO @ Grand Victory Fri 6/27 - HEAD ON: Prince vs. Bowie @ Littlefield Sun 6/29 - You Don't Have to Settle's weekly daytime disco @ Quarter Bar

The Future Fri 7/4 - Brian Blackout & pals spinning outdoors @ Diamond Bar Sat 7/19 - The Gorgeous Ladies of Gloom @ Grand Victory

Ongoing Every Thursday - Air a Danser

The Rebirth of HAPPY HOUSE

Four years ago, we created something pretty awesome in south Brooklyn. From The Bell House and Union Hall to Le Poisson Rouge and whatever gypsy bars would let us play music, we were fortunate enough to groove with so many of you. It's almost been a year since we last played, but we're anxious to dance with you again.

In short: come dressed to sweat and let your freak flag fly. We'll make sure that no matter what you're into, we'll have something for that disco booty of yours. (Unless that "something" is dubstep. We digress.)

HAPPY HOUSE with musical ambassadors Mister Disco & Brian Blackout Friday, June 13 @ Tandem 236 Troutman St, Bushwick, Brooklyn L train to Jefferson 10:30pm - 4am No cover! Facebook event

CRAZY SINCE DA 90s 3rd Anniversary

We're gonna adjust the bass and let the alpine blast on Saturday night at UNION HALL! Cause it's our 3 year anniversary and cause it's finally SUMMER SUMMER SUMMERTIME! You can’t deny that the 90s was only like the raddest decade ever so we’re gonna keep it fresher than fresh for you tonight.

We'll be throwin down all your favorite 90s joints to get you all nostalgic for those awesome times. All the good stuff and maybe some bad stuff. It's gonna be da bomb and all that. No diggity. No doubt.

DJs:: STEFONIX :: BRENDAN :: BIANCA

FEATURING SPECIAL GUEST DJ :: DJ RAICHOUS (http://djraichous.com)

HIP HOP :: R&B :: HOUSE :: ALTERNATIVE

FREE before 11pm for the first 100 RSVPs RSVP:bit.ly/3year90s $5 w/o RSVP or after 11pm

**$7 Gin & Juice drink special all night**

Crazy Since da 90s 3rd Anniversary w/DJs Stefonix, Brendan, Bianca & Raichous Saturday, June 14 @ Union Hall 702 Union St, Park Slope, Brooklyn R to Union / Everything to Atlantic Terminal

SHAREGROOVE 10th Anniversary

Celebrate 10yrs of Sharegroove with DJ's Duckcomb & ShakeWell bringing it on the Klipsh sound system !

Special opening/warm up set from: BiLla (A/V Club, Dulcet Collective/ Philly)

Only $5 b4 midnight // $10 after

BYO - cups & ice available

for the address, email: [email protected]

Space is somewhat limited, we encourage arriving earlier than later. No reentry after 4am.

The space is located in Bushwick - steps to L-Jefferson stop

Saturday June 14th TEN YEAR ANNIVERSARY PARTY SHAREGROOVE @Starvue Loft L to Jefferson Only $5 b4 midnight // $10 after Facebook Event

FEELING GLOOMY gets MORRISSEY FOMO

We all heard the news, Morrissey cancelled his whole dang tour. Of course he did. We had been planning on spending the evening reveling in the misery of missing the show, but now we can ALL do that, even those of us who had the cheddar to afford those ticket prices.

As such, if you can show the door person your Morrissey ticket, we'll let you in for half off! Fate giveth, and fate taketh away...

AS YOU WERE:

Well, we're doing a Feeling Gloomy the exact same night that Morrissey plays the Barclays Center. Some of us have seen him live, some haven't, but none of us wanted to pay the mega-high cover charge to see him in the equivalent of a giant arena, so... we didn't get tickets. And now we have FOMO.

WTF is FOMO you ask? For those not into internet abbreviating lingo it means Fear Of Missing Out. Like, we didn't get tickets, but we're also very concerned we've missed a life-changingly gloomy experience. So we have one course of action:

THROW A GIGANTIC MORRISSEY-THEMED DANCE PARTY!! (with)

   + a Morrissey Soul(less) Train (exactly what it sounds like)

   + a bad poetry contest & recital

   + Morrissey-themed baked goods

   + Morrissey/Smiths concert footage projected onto your writhing, dancing, oscillating wildly bodies

   + Your favorite depressed DJs Gordon and Nathaniel Gloom playing a lorry full of Morrissey & Smiths songs, plus all your favorite anglophilic, gloomy faves

Feeling Gloomy Gets Morrissey FOMO w/DJs Gordon & Nathaniel Gloom Saturday, June 21 @ the Grand Victory 245 Grand St, Williamsburg L/G to Metropolitan $4 advance / $6 at the door Facebook event Feeling Gloomy NYC FB Group The Brothers Gloom on Twitter

HEAD ON: BOWIE vs PRINCE

Hey, who is your favorite androgynous, multi-decade, multi-genre, trailblazing, influential, possibly bisexual rock star/sex symbol? Well, we're not really sure what you'll say, but we feel very certain that it's one or the other of this month's themes: David Bowie, or the artist currently known (we think) as Prince. Between the two of them, they've collaborated with everyone from Kate Bush to Giorgio Moroder to Bing Crosby, tackled every genre we can think of except for polka and dubstep, and introduced more young minds to the idea of sex than you shake a stick at. BUT, which would make for a better dance party? We have no idea, but we're going to have a blast finding out.

Head On is a monthly dance battle pitting two themes against one another. Resident DJs Brian Blackout, Spoolwork, and Lepaux will pit suffragettes against controversy, modern love against a love bizarre, Andy Warhol against Annie Christian, "Suffragette City" against "Erotic City," and "Dance, Magic Dance" against "Batdance." And you'll pick the winner (by dancing).

Two DJs enter One DJ leaves

Head On w/residents Lepaux, Spoolwork, & Brian Blackout Friday June 27 @ Littlefield 622 Degraw St, Gowanus, Bk R to Union / F/G to Fulton / Everything to Atlantic Terminal 11:00 p.m. - late no cover Facebook Event Head On FB page Head On Twitter

AIR A DANSER

Air a Danser - Every Thursday 5pm

Laid back music selections by : Matt Brownell & Steve ShakeWell

Air a Danser is: An "All Filler, No Killer" get together, featuring the sounds of : - relieving the turnstile stress, smooth operating, hot sax, tranquillo, and other urban beach bar vibes @ Battery Harris http://www.batteryharris.com/

Happy Hr Specials til 7pm - $ 3 select drafts - $ 4 well - $ 10 burger & beer + **Frozen Balearic Breezes ...our own signature rum drink, a take on Steve's bay breeze + a tasty Caribbean themed menu

[youdonthavetosettle]

YDH2S Newsletter - May 16

It's time for another edition of the YDH2S newsletter, where we give you the scoop on a ton of dance parties that we put on ourselves or think you'll want to hit up. This edition is absolute jam-packed as we're expanding our listings. Expect every edition to get a little bit bigger.

(This newsletter will be published as a fancy email as well as on our Tumblr. The Tumblr will be updated as things progress, so it's always the most current. You can subscribe to the newsletter, follow us on Twitter, and follow us on Tumblr or read this newsletter on Tumblr, eschewing the mere idea of subscriptions. Faugh!).

UPCOMING PARTIES

May Fri. 5/16 - HEAD ON: Brooklyn vs. Manhattan @ the Bell House Sat. 5/17 - Bill Murray Is Feeling Awfully Gloomy @ the Grand Victory Sat. 5/17 - Crazy Since da 90s @ Union Hall

Upcoming 6/7 - Footwerq @ Trophy Bar 6/14 - The Rebirth of Happy House @ Tandem 6/21 - Feeling Gloomy gets Morrissey at Barclays FOMO 6/27 - HEAD ON: Prince vs. Bowie @ Littlefield

Ongoing Every Thursday - Air a Danser

HEAD ON: BROOKLYN vs MANHATTAN

New York City is known far and wide as a place for great music, and nowadays you can't swing a dead cat around Brooklyn without hitting a bunch of guys with beards, guitars, and synthesizers. But it wasn't always that way, for years and years almost all of the bands formed in Manhattan and probably scoffed at Brooklyn. So we thought it would be fun to pit all of Manhattan's musical might vs. everything Brooklyn has given us.

Head On is a monthly dance battle. Resident DJs Brian Blackout, Spoolwork, and Lepaux (finally back yay!) will musically ask the hard questions like: L.E.S. vs. Williamsburg, Madonna vs Beyonce, the CBGB's scene vs. the Glasslands set, Dev Hynes vs Lou Reed. We have a feeling this is going to get personal.

Head On w/residents Lepaux, Spoolwork, & Brian Blackout Friday May 16 @ the Bell House front room 149 Seventh Street, Gowanus, Bk F/G/R to 4th-9th 10:00 p.m. - late no cover Facebook Event Head On FB page Head On Twitter

BILL MURRAY is FEELING Awfully GLOOMY

You might think the Brothers Gloom (DJs of Feeling Gloomy NYC), while extremely literate in the fields of anglocentric sad bastard music, might not be cineastes, but you’d be wrong. We’ve spent loads of time watching films, mostly sad ones, or ones with particularly sad bits (which are our favorites). That is how we came to be great admirers of Bill Murray.

Bill Murray stands alone among his peers, portraying some of our favorite miserable characters of all time. The suicidal weatherman of Groundhog Day, the suicidal industrialist of Rushmore, the washed up actor / master karaoke-r of Lost in Translation, the cuckolded psychiatrist in the Royal Tenenbaums. Not only has Mr Murray performed some of the greatest gloomy acting of our generation, but his movies are jam-packed with great music, and he’s known far and wide for his own abilities as a lounge singer, karaoke singer, and bon vivant.

So we’re going to pay tribute to Bill Murray with songs from his movies. We’ll have a singalong to Roxy Music’s “More Than This,” (which he sings in Lost in Translation). We’re going to dress up as Mr Murray from any of his many movies, and we’ll give a prize to the best costume. We’ll project some of his movies, drink lots of scotch (it will be Suntory time for approximately 5 hours that night), pose for pictures with Fake Bill Murray, tick off items on our bucket lists, and most importantly, dance like mad to the tearful melodies of our favorite songs from his movies.

   + Group karaoke singalong to Roxy Music’s "More Than This"

   + Costume Contest

   + It’s going to be Suntory time for basically 5 hours

   + Take selfies with our STUNNINGLY REALISTIC faux-Bill Murray

   + Resident DJs Gordon and Nathaniel Gloom spinning songs from Bill Murray films so you can channel your inner Bill Murray on the dancefloor + all your gloomy, anglophilic faves

Bill Murray Is Feeling Awfully Gloomy w/DJs Gordon & Nathaniel Gloom Saturday, Apr. 19 @ the Grand Victory 245 Grand St, Williamsburg L/G to Metropolitan $4 advance / $6 at the door Facebook event Feeling Gloomy NYC FB Group The Brothers Gloom on Twitter

CRAZY SINCE DA 90s

We're getting crazy again on Saturday night at UNION HALL! Cause uh, DUH, the 90s was only like the raddest decade ever!

We'll be throwin down all your favorite 90s joints to get you all nostalgic for those awesome times. All the good stuff and maybe some bad stuff. It's gonna be da bomb and all that. No diggity. No doubt.

DJs:: STEFONIX :: BRENDAN :: BIANCA

HIP HOP :: R&B :: HOUSE :: ALTERNATIVE

FREE before 11pm for the first 100 RSVPs RSVP: bit.ly/90srsvpmay17 $5 after 11pm

**$7 Gin & Juice drink special all night**

AIR A DANSER

Air a Danser - Every Thursday 5pm

Laid back music selections by : Matt Brownell & Steve ShakeWell

Air a Danser is: An "All Filler, No Killer" get together, featuring the sounds of : - relieving the turnstile stress, smooth operating, hot sax, tranquillo, and other urban beach bar vibes @ Battery Harris http://www.batteryharris.com/

Happy Hr Specials til 7pm - $ 3 select drafts - $ 4 well - $ 10 burger & beer + **Frozen Balearic Breezes ...our own signature rum drink, a take on Steve's bay breeze + a tasty Caribbean themed menu

[youdonthavetosettle]

YDH2S Newsletter - Mar. 28

Well we nearly missed March but we're squeaking in by the skin of our teeth! We've got tons of great dance parties to tell you about so without further ado...

This newsletter will be published as a fancy email as well as on our Tumblr. The Tumblr will be updated as things progress, so it's always the most current. You can subscribe to the newsletter, follow us on Twitter, and follow us on Tumblr (or just read about it there, eschewing the mere idea of subscriptions. Faugh!).

UPCOMING PARTIES

March Fri. 3/28 - Head On: Michael Jackson vs Daft Punk @ the Bell House

April Fri. 4/11 - Head On: 120 Minutes vs the Grind @ Littlefield Sat. 4/19 - Feeling Gloomy Goes Britpop Crazy @ the Grand Victory

Upcoming Sat. 5/17 - Feeling Gloomy's Bill Murray Extravaganza @ the Grand Victory

HEAD ON: MICHAEL JACKSON vs DAFT PUNK

We've been dying to do a Head On with Michael Jackson for ages. We’ve been dying to do a Head On with Daft Punk for ages. Problem is, no one we could think of could really stand up to Michael Jackson. Or Daft Punk. Except… I think you see where we're going with this?

Juggernaut vs juggernaut. Behemoth vs behemoth. Godzilla vs. King Kong. Who the eff is going to win? We have no idea. All that we know is we’re going to have an amazing time figuring it out. Since it’s going to be so epic, we’re going to double the length of the contest to a full hour, so from midnight to 1am we’ll be going back to back Michael Jackson vs Daft Punk. Seriously, this will be a battle for the ages.

Head On w/residents Spoolwork & Brian Blackout Friday Mar. 28 @ the Bell House front room 149 Seventh Street, Gowanus, Bk F/G/R to 4th-9th 10:00 p.m. - late no cover Facebook Event Head On FB page Head On Twitter

HEAD ON: 120 MINUTES vs THE GRIND

SPRING BREAK 2014 Y'ALL! Ok so maybe we're not going to have a beach party over by the Gowanus Canal, but we can remember our misspent youth glued to MTV's ridiculous party-centric Spring Break programming year in year out. Bikini-clad dancers at the Grind elbowed for airtime with Radiohead and the Flaming Lips. So, we decided it was the perfect time to pay attention to the yin and the yang of our times growing up. 120 Minutes, the show so cool that MTV would only let it happen after midnight on a Sunday, vs. the Grind, a show you couldn't avoid watching no matter how hard you tried.

So we're going to see which makes a better dance party: cheesy house music or leftfield indie rock. They were battling for your attention in the 90s so why shouldn't they do battle now? At midnight we'll pit the two of them against one another and watch the sparks fly. We're charging a $5 cover, but we'll have an RSVP for our mailing list members to get in for free.

Head On w/residents Spoolwork & Brian Blackout Friday Apr. 11 @ Littlefield 622 Degraw St, Gowanus, Bk R to Union - F/G to Bergen 10:00 p.m. - late $5 cover Facebook event Head On FB page Head On Twitter

FEELING GLOOMY goes BRITPOP CRAZY

Wanna hear something crazy? Twenty years ago this April, both Blur’s Parklife and Pulp’s His n’ Hers were released. Twenty years! Well, we had been thinking that we should do a Blur night, then we thought we should do a Pulp night, then we couldn’t make up our minds and asked you guys. Sensibly, you all said why pick? Just do both! So we’re just going to celebrate ALL of our favorite birtpop, eff anniversaries.

So mark an X on your calendar for April 19th and we’ll have some surprises ready for you when you check back here. That and the Brothers Gloom will play all of the gloomiest (and probably some of the less gloomy) britpop anthems for you to dance to.

Feeling Gloomy Goes Britpop Crazy w/DJs Gordon & Nathaniel Gloom Saturday, Apr. 19 @ the Grand Victory 245 Grand St, Williamsburg L/G to Metropolitan $4 advance / $6 at the door Facebook event Feeling Gloomy NYC FB Group The Brothers Gloom on Twitter

[youdonthavetosettle]

Running Back - the Dead Rose Music Company

Holy shit is this new track from the Dead Rose Music Company a monster. The thing I love about this one is that is the way it builds and grows. At the outset it's a little more on the restful side of the energy meter, but without going the route of cheesy drops it quickly starts a nice pattern of building up and releasing, until the track just explodes into taut guitars and disco strings around 2:40 in. In general DRMC threads the needle nicely between sounding new and sounding unique. There's enough slicing and dicing to feel akin to early Chicago house or something off of Crydamoure, but despite a few tropical flourishes it deftly dodges the same-ness that a lot of recent house has been feeling, in my humble.

"Running Back" leads off the new compilation Midnight Riot 6, which is a Juno Download exclusive and hit #1 there this week on their disco charts, so go buy it and add to the momentum. I want to hear this tune on every dancefloor this Summer. If you're not familiar with DRMC's work, check out their fantastic reworking of Gladys Knight & the Pips' "Taste of Bitter Love," and go follow them on Soundcloud and Twitter.

/// Brian Blackout

[youdonthavetosettle]

YDH2S Newsletter - Feb. 2nd

February is here! You Don't Have to Settle have a few gigs coming up in the next couple weeks we wanted to tell y'all about. We're still hoping to expand this newsletter quite a bit but it will have to wait a minute, our January has been intense. On to the events

This newsletter will be published as a fancy email as well as on our Tumblr. The Tumblr will be updated as things progress, so it's always the most current. You can subscribe to the newsletter, follow us on Twitter, and follow us on Tumblr (or just read about it there, eschewing the mere idea of subscriptions. Faugh!).

UPCOMING PARTIES

February Fri. 2/7 - Release the Beast @ Grand Victory Fri. 2/14 - Head On: Love vs Lust @ the Bell House Sat. 2/15 - Feeling Gloomy presents The Rebound Ball @ the Grand Victory

March Fri. 3/7 - Release the Beast @ Grand Victory Sat. 3/15 - Feeling Gloomy presents St. Stephen Patrick Morrissey's Day @ the Grand Victory Fri. 3/28 - Head On @ the Bell House

RELEASE THE BEAST

Starting in February, Release the Beast moves into regular rotation, we'll be throwing the party every first Friday. Starting this month we'll be showing our favorite blaxsploitation movies projected onto the stage. This month we'll be showing Three the Hard Way, packed with guns, explosions, karate kicking, and some great songs by Curtis Mayfield & the Impressions.

We also have a very special guest coming in for February! Eugene Tambourine has been spinning sublime dance classics at events like his former Solid party for ages. He's done more disco edits than anyone we know, including more than a few we've played at Release the Beast. His ability to hop around from genre to genre effortlessly should make for a fine time!

Release the Beast Friday Feb. 7 @ the Grand Victory & 1st Fridays Special guest DJ Eugene Tambourine & residents Brian Blackout (Head On) & Doctor Mister (Feeling Gloomy) spinning soul, funk, disco, arena rock, psychedelia, krautrock, garage and a little of everything in between. + go-go dancers & a projection of Three the Hard Way @the Grand Victory 245 Grand St, Williamsburg L/G to Metropolitan NO COVER

HEAD ON: LOVE vs. LUST

Like it or not, Valentine's Day is fast approaching, and we decided this would be the perfect time to pose the question: which makes for better dancing? Hot, burning love? Or hot, throbbing lust? Should V-day be the domain of lovers? Or of the sort of lovers who pass in the night? Are the best songs sung by Romeos or Lotharios?

Head On, the party that every month pits two themes and two DJs up against one another, aims to find out. Resident DJs Brian Blackout & Spoolwork are combing through their records to find the cheesiest, sappiest love songs, and the sweatiest, stickiest songs about lust. We'll pit them against one another at midnight going head to head until the audience picks a winner by going nuts on the dancefloor. Help us celebrate the Hallmarkiest of holidays by going dancing instead!

Head On w/residents Spoolwork & Brian Blackout Saturday Feb. 14 @ the Bell House front room 149 Seventh Street, Gowanus, Bk F/G/R to 4th-9th 11:00 p.m. - late no cover Facebook event Head On FB page Head On Twitter

FEELING GLOOMY PRESENTS CHEER UP, BOWIE

We fast approach the time of the year when greeting card companies like to reminds us we should all be in committed relationships that involve spending lots of money on each other. Here at Feeling Gloomy, we're not that interested in happiness, glee, that sort of stuff. So we'd like to offer up an alternative to Valentine's. The Saturday following V-Day, we shall throw… … … (pause for dramatic effect) THE REBOUND BALL.

Feeling Gloomy is always a dance party that focuses on the maudlin, and in rejoicing in sadness (and British-ness). This month we're going to pay special attention to all those songs about heartache, breaking up, unrequited love, and all the emotions that get swept under the rug by this stupid holiday. This is a party for the lonely, for the dumped (or, we suppose, for the dumper, that's tough too we're told). We'll be creating anti-Valentine's hearts that you can wear (and make yourself) to show off how sad, heartbroken, or clever you are (hopefully all three).

We're also going to hold a bad poetry competition. Anyone can enter by posting bad poetry on our Facebook wall, and we'll choose three finalists who get free passes to Feeling Gloomy. The finalists must recite their godawful poetry on stage and the winner of those, the Superbowl of Awful Poetry,™ will win a Pathetic Prize Pack curated by FGNYC. So…

Feeling Gloomy presents The Rebound Ball w/DJs Gordon & Nathaniel Gloom + Make and wear anti-Valentine’s hearts to show people your *real* feelings + Make passes at other people wearing anti-Valentine’s hearts + Enter and judge our Superbowl of Awful Poetry™ contest Saturday, Feb. 15 @ the Grand Victory 245 Grand St, Williamsburg L/G to Metropolitan $4 advance / $6 at the door Facebook event Feeling Gloomy NYC FB Group The Brothers Gloom on Twitter

[youdonthavetosettle]

You Can't Hide Your Love Away from Me (B.G. Baarregaard edit) - David Joseph

Man, two newsletters aside, we've been all quiet on the music front here at YDH2S. I was listening to this killer edit by Iceland's B.G. Baarregaard (you can tell he RREAALLY loves double letters) and I decided it had been too long. David Joseph's original was already a boogie monster, but Baarregaard gives it a stuttery new intro for mixing delights and plumps up the rattly percussion until you'll want to start every party with this tune.

This edit is the tip of the iceberg for B.G. Baarregaard, go check out his Soundcloud for much more. The David Joseph edit is a free download, as are many others. I particularly recommend his original "Feels Like," which has one of the funkiest basslines I've heard in a minute.

/// Brian Blackout

[youdonthavetosettle]

YDH2S Newsletter - Jan. 10

We're only a couple weeks in but 2014 is starting to get rumbling. YDH2S had a stellar 2013 capped off with an amazing December and we're looking forward to an even bigger 2014. Last year we started our Head On party which is about to celebrate its 1st anniversary, and we've got many other good things going on besides.

We began this newsletter last month largely to let folks know what we were up to, but also to let you know what our friends were up to, and what dance parties you should check out in general. We're going to keep expanding the list of what's going on to include more events, but we'll be doing it slowly and in a curated fashion, so keep an eye out.

One more thing! This newsletter will be published as a fancy email as well as on our Tumblr. The Tumblr will be updated as things progress, so it's always the most current. You can subscribe to the newsletter, follow us on Twitter, and follow us on Tumblr (or just read about it there, eschewing the mere idea of subscriptions. Faugh!).

UPCOMING PARTIES

January Fri. 1/10 - Head On Anniversary: Britpop vs Indie Rock REMATCH @ the Bell House Sat. 1/18 - Feeling Gloomy presents Cheer Up, Bowie @ the Grand Victory Fri. 1/24 - Release the Beast @ Grand Victory

February Fri. 2/7 - Release the Beast @ Grand Victory Fri. 2/14 - Head On: Love vs Lust @ the Bell House Sat. 2/15 - Feeling Gloomy presents The Rebound Ball

HEAD ON ANNIVERSARY: BRITPOP vs. INDIE ROCK REMATCH

One year ago this January, DJs Brian Blackout, Spoolwork and Lepaux created Head On, a dance party where every month we pick two themes and pit them against one another and the dancefloor crowns the winner. In the last 12 months we’ve had some crazy packed fun parties and every minute has been a blast. We’ve done bands, countries, genres, robots, jocks, dads you name it, and we’ve had a lot of fun picking out themes. For our 1st anniversary we decided to let our fans pick one of the themes we did this year for a rematch, and you chose Britpop vs Indie Rock. Fitting, considering that it was our first theme and still one of our favorites. Last year, Britpop reigned supreme, but will the same thing happen again? Spoolwork will take up the challenge and try to rally indie rock, while we’re bringing in two special guest DJs, Gordon & Nathaniel Gloom of the Feeling Gloomy party. We figured britpop demanded the experts. Spoolwork will take them both on. So come and see if britpop can stand the test of time or if indie rock can rally from behind. Either way, we’re gonna have a killer time figuring it out.

Head On w/guest DJs Gordon & Nathaniel Gloom + residents Spoolwork & Brian Blackout Saturday Dec. 7 @ the Bell House front room 149 Seventh Street, Gowanus, Bk F/G/R to 4th-9th 10:00 p.m. - late no cover Facebook event Head On FB page

Head On Twitter

FEELING GLOOMY PRESENTS CHEER UP, BOWIE

Lately, David Bowie just hasn't seemed like that same old Bowie. On his new record, he felt so lonely he could die, he lost love, he talks a lot about Berlin (Germany! Depressing!) and thinks a lot about doing stuff like setting the world on fire, or how he'd rather be high. Jesus, Bowie, you're bringing us all down. We think we should celebrate his birthday and try to make him feel better.

Imagine, Bowie hurries over to Feeling Gloomy, a little later than his usual impeccable timing, cracks open the door to the Grand Victory, pays his $6 cover charge and hustles over to buy a Narragansett from Sean. He begins to suspect something when he notices everyone has had their faces painted like Ziggy Stardust at our Bowie face painting station (to station). Then he realizes that everyone over by the DJ booth is whirling around to all of their favorite songs of his. Hardly anyone ever plays "The Secret Life of Arabia" at dance parties, thinks Bowie! Imagine the look on Bowie's face! His heart would swell three sizes, and clearly he'd run out on the dancefloor to find his mates and give them a big hug.

So that's exactly how the night is going to play out. We're pretty sure. In any event it'll be a lot of good fun.

+ Bowie-themed cake! + Bowie face-painting + Bowie might shake your hand and give your bum a nice squeeze (if he shows up) + Labyrinth-style codpieces *highly* encouraged All that AND DJs Gordon and Nathaniel Gloom spinning your favorite trainspottery (and not so trainspottery) David Bowie songs + all your gloomy, anglophilic faves

Feeling Gloomy presents Cheer Up, Bowie w/DJs Gordon & Nathaniel Gloom Saturday, Jan. 18 @ the Grand Victory 245 Grand St, Williamsburg L/G to Metropolitan $4 advance / $6 at the door Facebook event Feeling Gloomy NYC FB Group The Brothers Gloom on Twitter

RELEASE THE BEAST

After last month's debut of Release the Beast at a new venue, YDH2S DJs Brian Blackout and Mister Brown are excited to bring the party back to the Grand Victory, where it will be a monthly on first Fridays, starting in February. In the meantime they're throwing one more irregular Release the Beast at the end of January. The music will range the gamut of 60's & 70's non-synthy genres, touching on soul, funk, disco, arena rock, psychedelia, krautrock, garage and a little of everything in between.

Release the Beast Friday Jan. 24 @ the Grand Victory & 1st Fridays thereafter 245 Grand St, Williamsburg L/G to Metropolitan NO COVER

[youdonthavetosettle]

YDH2S Newsletter - Dec. 2013

Hello Earth.

We here at YDH2S have been a little lax in getting the word out on what we do, but now we’re ready to seize the moment. We have an armload of things to tell you and it’s high time we put it all in one place…

Firstly you may find yourself wondering: what is You Don’t Have to Settle? Basically, we are a bunch of friends and DJs based in Brooklyn who like putting on dance parties and dancing. Subscribe to our newsletter or follow us on Tumblr to get monthly updates like this one, with info on our own parties and other dance nights we think you’ll dig. Also, you can follow us on Twitter where we’re constantly posting good party info and assorted musical tidbits.

Before we get into December’s upcoming dance parties, we’d like to point out that the crown jewel in our dance party tiara, Head On is nearing it’s 1st anniversary, and we are planning festivities accordingly. If you were at November’s jam-packed Head On: Cut Copy vs LCD Soundsystem party, you’d have not only gone nuts with abandon over LCD Soundsystem’s victory in our dance party/battle, you have also heard that for January’s anniversary Head On, we’re letting you pick the themes as well as the winner. There’s a Surveymonkey with your name on it and our first 11 themes. Go and vote, and the winner will be rematched on January 10th at the Bell House.

UPCOMING PARTIES

Sat. 12/7 - Biblioball @ the Bell House Thurs. 12/12 - No Office Holiday Party @ Littlefield Fri. 12/13 - Le Bump @ TBA Brooklyn Fri. 12/20 - Release the Beast @ the Grand Victory Sat. 12/21 - A Very Gloomy Christmas @ the Grand Victory Fri. 12/27 - Head On: 2013 vs. 2003 @ the Bell House

BIBLIOBALL 2013: OVERDUE ROMANCE

YDH2S DJ Brian Blackout will be spinning at this annual charity function thrown by librarians, along with DJs John XI, Marty McSorley and Matt Fiveash. The proceeds go to Literacy for Incarcerated Teens and BOOklyn Shuttle. Biblioball is packed with things to do, there’s burlesque, a live band, DJs + dancing (obvs), a raffle, a bake sale, and they usually have a clever video about librarians. You probably never realized how much fun librarians were.

Biblioball Saturday Dec. 7 @ the Bell House back room 149 Seventh Street, Gowanus, Bk F/G/R to 4th-9th 8:00 p.m. - late $23 advance / $30 at the door biblioball2013.brownpapertickets.com

3RD ANNUAL NO OFFICE HOLIDAY PARTY

The Skint, Brokelyn, & Greenpointers have joined forces yet again for this blowout of a holiday party, featuring YDH2S DJs Brian Blackout and Spoolwork (both also of Head On). You also get a set by our friends Hand Job Academy (!!), live band karaoke, a photo booth, more DJing by Mr. Nyse, food, a gift raffle, a “sexy Santa” and a lady Santa. Basically it’s the best office Xmas party ever, only with none of your annoying coworkers!

No Office Holiday Party Thursday Dec. 12 @ Littlefield 622 Degraw St, Gowanus, Bk R to Union, F/G to Carroll $6 advance / $8 at the door littlefieldnyc.com/event/427499-3rd-annual-no-office-holiday-brooklyn

LE BUMP

YDH2S DJs Brian Blackout and Mister Disco return to their roots, moving their Paper Magazine-nominated party le Bump to TBA Brooklyn (a lovely newish nightclub in Williamsburg, not just a placeholder for “to be announced”). They’ll be joined by YDH2Settler Dope Werewolf as they resurrect unloved indie, dancepunk and electroclash tunes from the early 00s, pairing them with our faves from today. The sound at TBA is delicious and the dancefloor is perfect, so we’re excited to get sweaty.

le Bump Friday Dec. 13 @ TBA Brooklyn 395 Wythe Avenue, Williamsburg, Bk J/M to Marcy, L to Bedford, G to Metropolitan NO COVER 12am - 4am facebook.com/events/1380558215523779

RELEASE THE BEAST

YDH2S DJ Brian Blackout and Mister Brown have recently started up Release the Beast, a dance party devoted to the days before synthesizers and drum machines. You’ll hear soul, funk, hard rock, arena rock, psych, krautrock and muscly armed disco at the party, and their go-go dancers will jump up on Grand Victory’s stage to show you how it’s done.

Release the Beast Friday Dec. 20 @ the Grand Victory 245 Grand St, Williamsburg L/G to Metropolitan NO COVER facebook.com/events/270054083142269

A VERY GLOOMY CHRISTMAS

Our friends at Feeling Gloomy NYC, Gordon and Nathaniel Gloom, are putting on a Christmas dance party for people who dig having a blue, blue Christmas. Earlybirds will receive stockings full of coal, everyone will eat fruitcake, there’s a costume prize (for most depressing holiday attire) and there will be an appearance by a “crap Santa” who will be giving away crap gifts. Sounds miserable. Oh yes, and everyone will be dancing to anglophilic songs about being gloomy by the likes of Pulp, the Smiths, the Cure & Kate Bush, during Christmas and at all other times.

Feeling Gloomy NYC presents A Very Gloomy Christmas w/DJs Gordon & Nathaniel Gloom Saturday Dec. 21 @ the Grand Victory 245 Grand St, Williamsburg L/G to Metropolitan $4 advance / $6 at the door facebook.com/events/697619766924601/

HEAD ON - 2013 vs 2003

For the final Head On of 2013, YDH2S DJs Brian Blackout and Spoolwork are going to take a look back on the year’s best dance songs by the likes of Daft Punk, Holy Ghost!, RAC, Justin Timberlake, CHVRCHES and Disclosure. It was decided that the best measuring stick we’ve got is 2003, a year jam-packed with hits by the likes of LCD Soundsystem, Outkast, Junior Senior, Goldfrapp & the Rapture. As always, the crowd determines the winner in a 30 minute battle of the fittest at midnight, after which the champion reigns the speakers supreme. Come to the Bell House and help us decide whether 2013 is up to snuff.

HEAD ON - 2013 vs 2003 w/DJ Brian Blackout + guest TBA Friday, Dec. 27 @ the Bell House front room 149 Seventh Street, Gowanus, Bk F/G/R to 4th-9th 10pm til late NO COVER facebook.com/events/382656908547299

[youdonthavetosettle]

Daft Punk Imagining (cover) - Apt One

Philly's Apt One got tired of waiting for the new Daft Punk and decided to try his hand at finishing that snippet track from Random Access Memories, and the results are smooth and fit nicely with the leaked snippet. Free download to boot.

If you like this, you need to check out some of Apt One's other stuff.

/// Brian Blackout

[youdonthavetosettle]

Little Scotty - Shout at the Disco (Chewy Rub)

This tune has been burning up my car stereo, head phones, computer speakers and you name it the last couple months. I'm not sure exactly what it is. It could be the raw, rubbery swamp groove this song brings. It could be Little Scotty's constantly insisting that we need to put on our prettiest dresses and clothes and shout and party at the disco. It could be the inordinate amount of time I spent South of the Mason-Dixon line over the last 2 months. Either way, Chewy really knocked it out of the park with this disco edit, but he(?) has way more up his sleeves than this jam, so check out his Soundcloud for the DL for this and many others.

/// Brian Blackout

[youdonthavetosettle]

Elton John - Victim Of Love (Super Fuzz 3000 Edit)

Been a bit busy of late, and I know I most recently resurfaced to post a Super Fuzz 3000 edit, but when this one popped onto my radar I couldn't resist talking about it. I'm definitely a fan of Elton John, and something of a superfan of the works of Giorgio Moroder. What if I told you that Moroder's right hand man Pete Bellotte had done an album in 1979 with Elton John? What if I mentioned that Michael McDonald had kicked in some backing vocals? Sounds great right? No.

The truth is that Elton's Victim of Love is a mess, cheesy in a bad way, mostly sounding like Elton covering a bunch of songs Donna Summer rejected. However, its title track is definitely a highlight, a fact that did not escape Super Fuzz 3000. He(?) manages to carve most of the fat off of the original, and the result is a surprisingly lean cosmic disco journey, punctuated with the odd bit of Elton singing. It's great for some late night excursions. You can grab it for free off of Super Fuzz 3000's Soundcloud.

/// Brian Blackout