Why the Future of Venues Depends on Diversity & Inclusivity
This is the third conversation in an ongoing series in partnership with NYC Nightlife United highlighting the status of the music industry. We’re inviting artists and professionals from our local NYC music community to pick a collaborator to speak on an issue they're most passionate about. In our third piece, Diana Mora, founder of venue Friends and Lovers and the founding partner of NYC Nightlife United, talks with Tracy Adams, known as Monday Blue, DJ and founder of Doyennes of Disc, a monthly vinyl party featuring all women DJs. Together, Diana and Tracy discuss the importance of community, the past and future of venues, and their experiences as women in nightlife.
NYC Nightlife United is an emergency relief fund whose main initiative is to save NYC nightlife cultural spaces with a focus on supporting BIPOC-owned and led businesses who create safe spaces for the BIPOC and LGBTQIA communities. To learn how you can contribute to NYC Nightlife United click here.
Illustration by Steph Lau
Diana Mora: I'm Diana Mora, founder of Friends and Lovers and also the founding partner of NYC Nightlife United, a fund working towards supporting businesses and nightlife, centering Black Indigenous People of Color and LGBTQIA safe spaces in New York City. Tracy, want to introduce yourself?
Tracy Adams: I am Monday Blue, also known as Tracy Adams. Monday Blue is my DJ name and Tracy is my given name. I'm a DJ, I founded a party, Doyennes of Disc, a monthly party highlighting women DJs. It's strictly vinyl and one of my favorite things I've ever done. And currently you can hear me on The Face Radio BK. I do a weekly vinyl show called Follow Your Bliss with Monday Blue. I'm one out of about 35 to 40 DJs who do one hour to two hour shows on The Face Radio. There is some really great talent there so I'm glad to be part of that team as well. And I'm a physical therapist as my day job, and that's also changed and differed in light of COVID. It's been a lot of pivoting since the beginning of this year.
Diana: That's amazing. I have a lot of questions and I want to really understand what you feel is the connecting thread between your day job and your nightlife. In my opinion, you're just a nurturer whether you're using your hands for it or you're using records for it.
Tracy: The common thread, I guess, is healing, helping people to heal and teaching people how to help heal themselves. So that's really how I've always viewed my work as a physical therapist, it's kind of like teaching when I think about it, because depending on the setting in which you work for both of those, you get to do more of your own personal brand of healing, depending on who you're working for and what the structure is of the environment.
Some venues like Friends and Lovers, where I really enjoy playing, are very open to you bringing your fullest self. You don't have to do a paint by numbers, “this is a Friday night set, so we're going to play these hot 20 songs,” and whatever else. You're allowed to breathe through your full expression as a DJ, as a creative person to bring people together, help them coalesce and heal. That's what I think about dancing, communal dancing especially, as a healing ritual. So the same thing with physical therapy. I will say during the time of COVID, I'm realizing that as with physical therapy and with DJing entertainment, there is definitely time to think about different ways in which we can still foster and support our communities and support healing each other because it's needed really more than ever.
Diana: I love that, especially this whole message of healing. And thank you for acknowledging the hard work that we've done at Friends and Lovers, because we do really want people to bring their best selves. But to that point, your best self also ignites a sense of connection to the people that are dancing and community. So my question now would be, when it comes in nightlife, how important is it to feel supported by your patrons? Because to paint the picture, like you just said, it's not a paint by number set, but you get to walk in and play what you need to play. That also means that you're treated as an artist, as a talent and as an asset to the establishment. So just curious to know how you think that sense of connection sets businesses apart from one another. If that makes any sense.
Tracy: Oh, it absolutely does. So, you know, there are a few venues where I really enjoy playing that I played at regularly since I started DJing. Friends and Lovers is one of them. We mentioned BierWax, which is part of the Brooklyn family, a vinyl only venue. That was where I was most recently hosting Doyennes of Disc. It was very welcoming and definitely felt like a community effort… I do think that it's important to feel that you are connecting with people who are there listening to you play or coming for the experience. What's been very interesting, there are few weekly parties, virtual parties, that I used to attend in real life, that I attend virtually. And people stay connected in the chat rooms at those parties. And that's really part of it. People are excited to "see each other" in the chat room. It is different, but that shows me at best the power of community because the same people that used to show up every Friday night or Thursday night or Wednesday night for this party, they pretty much show up virtually and connect that way. So I think really the communal aspect of that kind of music performance is vital to it, right? It's vital to the experience. So I'm glad to see that again during this very specific, unexpected, ever changing time, that people are still finding ways to stay together.
I think what Friends and Lovers, which you have all done, not just with New York City Nightlife United, but with Friends and Lovers starting a Patreon campaign to support the DJs that played there regularly over the years… I think that's amazing and beautiful because I support the community of DJs. But it is also, again, supporting the people who like to come to the venue and hang out and hear what the DJs were playing. So it's all very interconnected. I think that if nothing else, one thing I really learned about this time is that we are really all interconnected. We rely upon each other. As much as we might be interfacing with a device, a phone, a laptop or having less in real life, physical contact, we still rely upon each other. We're connected.
Diana: I love that and I do need to give a special shout out to Dash because he's my business partner, but also brilliant mind when it comes to figuring out ways to support our talent. And part of that is ensuring that you do feel the freedom to play what you need to play. Also, it's highly curating the talent. I would love to really understand when we speak about seeing your community also support you virtually... how excited are you to see them in real life again?
“We rely upon each other. As much as we might be interfacing with a device, a phone, a laptop or having less in real life, physical contact, we still rely upon each other. We’re connected. ”
Tracy: I am very excited to see people in real life again. I just want to make sure that we do it responsibly. And that's my other work that comes in to it, because as much as you might perceive things as one way in your apartment by yourself or going out in the streets and most people are wearing masks… I've seen in the neighborhood, in Brooklyn, where I live, stores require you to wear masks. But I know that not everyone is on the same page with that. So I'm excited to see people when we can do it responsibly and be respectful to each other and help each other stay as safe as possible while still connecting in the spaces. I think there are definitely ways to do that. And it's going to look different than it did prior to COVID, but I am looking forward to that. And I'm looking forward to meaningful connection and additional community gathering.
Diana: Agreed. And that's exactly kind of the thought process for the next six months. How do we make things count? How do we make sure that we're bringing value to everyone there? Because for me, we're constantly talking about the community that we've built. But we also are very active in our local community of Crown Heights and Prospect Heights. We're not just a venue that opened up. We have volunteered, we open our space up to after school programs, we open our space up to neighborhood families who can't really afford parties in certain spaces for their kids. We go out of our way to establish that to be good neighbors. We'd love to understand from the other side of community, as an artist coming into a venue, the importance of feeling supported and not just another set of hands or a DJ that's just stuck in a corner and asked to play records.
Tracy: Yeah, that makes a big difference because there are certain venues where you want to, you look forward to go play. And the more I progressed as a DJ, the more I found that I really didn't want to bother with places where I had that feeling or didn't feel supported. Or you're just a DJ stuck in the corner or you're just a body. Anybody can play these songs and push buttons on the controller or if you're using something digital, whatever the medium is, that you're just the person in the corner and we can easily replace you.
All DJs have something unique, or flavor or something that they do that no one else does. And I think it's really important because then you support the uniqueness of their talent and let them know that they appreciate it. And that's going to strengthen the connection with the people who are coming to enter the venue, increase excitement and a feeling of honestly, sometimes magic… Sometimes there are nights that are magical or just leave you imbued with such a good feeling on the inside that draws people in, they want to come back because it's something that they're not getting anywhere else. And in the best situations that's because the DJ or the creative talent, the people who are coming to take part and the venue are all working synergistically. It's a nice, energetic flow. And so those are the venues where you want to play, repeatedly, regularly, to try to replicate that feeling as much as possible.
Diana: I think that clearly sets me up for the next question, which is, what is your most magical night? Can you describe your most favorite moment or at least one of your most favorite moments? Because I'm fascinated by the fact that you talked about these magical nights. I know I've had several, but I'm from the other side of the DJ booth. So I'd love to understand what it looks like from your side.
Tracy: That's funny from the other side of a DJ booth, there's been many magical nights. I think one of the best times I had was actually this past March. It was one of the last playing out in public parties that I did before we went into lockdown here in New York City, and that was the two year anniversary of Doyennes of Disc. The energy was great, people were having a good time... it's the expression of what I envision in my mind when I started the party and it took two years for that to happen. But that party in particular that night, I remember I was like, oh, my goodness, this is good. It just felt good to see something that you had in your mind manifest in real life in front of you. And that for me, that was personally very magical and touching.
Diana: And what venue was that?
Tracy: That was at BierWax.
Diana: Great. And that's in Prospect Heights, right?
Tracy: Yes, on Vanderbilt.
Diana: That's fantastic. If someone were to ask you what your talent were as a DJ, what sets you apart, what would you say?
Tracy: Honestly, what I realized about myself is that when I play, I bring together elements, that wouldn't necessarily be put together, because it's either some unwritten rule or things you’ve never talked about or thought about or you don't necessarily typically hear. And this is not boastful or anything like that, but just understanding, that's specifically what I do. So we're going to go through everything, all the sounds I've been listening to for however many years I've been alive. I've lived so many different experiences. I grew up in a small town in North Carolina and lived in the South. I've been in Brooklyn and the Northeast for over 14 years now. And just all the different music you hear on these journeys and these different moments and periods, that never left me. That doesn't leave. Listening to funk records with my brother, he's 14 years older than me. He was one of my first baby sitters. And we spent a lot of time in my diapers listening to Bootsy Collins and Cameo. And that has never left me. So I basically just bring my lived experience and I put it into my sets, and that's what I do. No one's had my particular lived experience, no one's had that except me and I know that.
Diana: I mean, I feel it through your music. The first time I heard you, I stopped in my tracks and said, wow, this is different and fascinating and very inspired. So if there's any one word that I can use to describe the way that you DJ, I would say inspired. And I love it. And I can't stop listening to your Patreon.
Tracy: Oh, thank you very much! I was like, I don't know if anyone is going to want to hear this, but this is how I'm feeling right now so this is what we're going to play. This is going be the mix for this month, because this is how I feel right now, where my head is, how I feel. So let's get that out.
Diana: Yeah, you push it. And I believe in music education. And that's kind of one of the founding roots of why we even opened Friends and Lovers. Specifically being a kid that grew up in New York and going to the Limelight and to the Tunnel since I was 16 and working nightlife since I was 16 in and out, I just saw things disappearing. It wasn't a creative expression anymore, it was bottle service and stodgy people and Top 40 everywhere. And there was no longer that hole [in the wall], cute place where you didn't know who was going to be sitting next to you. You know, all of a sudden I could be anywhere and this entire football team just rolled in because they heard this hole in the wall was the place to be.
And so part of why we created Friends and Lovers was we wanted to ensure that the diversity of New York City still stayed alive because that was something I saw disappearing quickly. I wanted to make sure that there was a place where we were just pushing sounds and music in a way that was just fun and whimsical. And also, I went out a lot all through my 20s by myself. And what made me feel safe was that the staff knew me everywhere that I went. I would follow the DJs that I liked. They would welcome me. And so traveling alone was never unsafe for me. And I felt that there was a need to create something like that. I'm so curious to really hear your point of view of how it is to also now be a woman in nightlife and going from venue to venue. And maybe sometimes you're not knowing where you're rolling into. I have no idea what that feels like.
Now it's just my place. You know, I go to the same location, I know my people, I have my beautiful regulars, I have the neighborhood kids that, I want them to be there because I know that I can see them. I've become the bar mom. Thinking about your experience, getting into New York City nightlife, what did that feel like for you and how have you've seen it evolve?
“I just saw things disappearing. It wasn’t a creative expression anymore, it was bottle service and stodgy people and Top 40 everywhere. And there was no longer that hole [in the wall], cute place where you didn’t know who was going to be sitting next to you.”
Tracy: Yes, so similar to you, even before I started DJing, there were DJs and bands I used to follow. And I spent many nights going out by myself and I sometimes would take the train late at night, which is in retrospect like, what were you thinking? But I always try to be alert, be that I as a woman, I don't know if your experience has been similar, but I remember getting talked about before I could even think about going out the house, down past the block, what to do, what not to do. If you're out around people, you don't let someone get a drink for you. Make sure you watch them make the drink. You put a drink down, don't ever come back to it. You have to keep it with you at all times so you can see what someone did with it. There's venues I play like Friends and Lovers, it’s a great venue because it's, a very, I don't know, family atmosphere? Is that contradictory?
Diana: No, I mean it's Friends and Lovers and Family now, so...
Tracy: It definitely feels familial there. I have to say that when I would go into venues where I'm not familiar, it's my first time playing there, and I know that the crowd might not be very diverse… That's when I tend to be more a little on edge, right? Because I don't know how people, especially when they start, having had more drinks or that people use drugs, right? And you don't know what kind of drugs they're taking. And you haven't been at that venue, I tend to be more alert so I tend not to drink.
I just try and make sure I say hello to the people who are working security, or the managers or a point of contact in the bar in case somethings get out of hand because you really don't know how people are going to assist you or not unless you're tested. And unfortunately, I have not been tested that much. And when I have been, I will have to say that the staff, either security or someone at the venue has been there to be like, "Ok, is this going to get out of hand, so everyone calm down." Because sometimes when you're DJing, you’re just down on the floor. People can come up to you and say things. And if you're in a certain body, people might take that as you're more vulnerable. I think it's just women training. Growing up as a girl in this culture, and becoming a young woman and then a woman, all those things that you have learned over the years, I carry them with me and then I just try to work at places where I know that I'm going to be supported as much as I can. That's another thing, if I go somewhere and I don't feel safe, I'm not going to plan to come back and work there.
Diana: Right. That makes a lot of sense. And I think that also speaks to how important the talent is for the venue and the bar. For us, talent is super important. We give a lot of respect because we demand it back, it's a give and take. And we also demand respect from our patrons. You have to constantly be vigilant to ensure that you have that perfect recipe of the right crowd. It's constantly making sure that it makes sense every weekend. So I'm sure that you have the same thing where all of a sudden you see the tempo of the crowd changing like, "Ok, let me put on a more upbeat song" or whatever it is, it's the same system, on our side we're constantly mixing to see exactly what's working.
“...if you’re in a certain body, people might take that as you’re more vulnerable. I think it’s just women training. Growing up as a girl in this culture, and becoming a young woman and then a woman, all those things that you have learned over the years, I carry them with me and then I just try to work at places where I know that I’m going to be supported as much as I can. ”
Tracy: Yeah. And I think that speaks to the feeling at your venue. You have been in nightlife in New York, before the bottle service. That makes a big difference because I realized younger people, especially sometimes younger patrons, maybe don't understand the unspoken rules of engagement you have when you go into a venue and how to conduct yourself. I feel like there are things you just learn of being in nightlife environments that you learn from people who were there on the scene, whatever that scene was, whatever city it's in. There were just rules on how you conduct yourself right in those venues and how to be respectful and mindful of everyone.
Diana: And I think coming out of COVID, I am excited to be able to do things a little bit more intentionally as we become more of a more normalized... Not normal in the sense that I want everything to go back to the way it was cause things were broken, but more like when can we all actually be safely in the same room, shoulder to shoulder? To hear the base, to vibe with each other. That's something I'm looking forward to and I'm curious to see. I feel like it's going to be a celebration for the DJs. In my mind when we reopen, I want to set like a little corner where everyone's allowed to stand and hug for 15 minutes without security going up to you. This is the approved hug station. Then I also want to make the stage have under lighting so that the DJs are now gods. And put an extra big tip jar so people can tip.
Tracy: Yeah, it will be joyous and a celebration. It kind of makes me think about for some reason the Matrix 2... when they have that rave party. It's just really human, you know, just like human rituals. We've been doing rituals for many, many years before recorded history. So I think it's just a continuation of that energy.
Diana: There's been a lot of conversations over the last six months. We've got Black Lives Matter, last year we had the #MeToo movement. But now I think that we're also trying to figure out how to support small businesses, how to ensure the survival of nightlife and everyone within nightlife. If you had to guess what we're going to look like next year, I'm curious to understand what your point of view is, because I think it should be the celebration of the woman DJ and the celebration of people of color in nightlife and in business, because it's that much harder for us to survive. It is that much harder for us to even get up and try to step up.
Tracy: I do think that events will be more focused on quality, not quantity. I think that after being home for a while, there might be some people who want to be out still every night and every day. But I do feel like there are some DJs who see themselves more as artists, versus someone again, just going to a bar to push buttons. Does that makes sense?
Diana: 100 percent. There is a difference, right? There's a craft, versus a hobbyist. Someone who, this is their craft, they go through the effort of being practiced at it. They go through the effort of really understanding the music, like the music is part of them. I mean, we've had DJs who have masters from Harvard in music. And then you have the hobbyist who just figured out how to to turn some knobs and press some buttons, which is fine, that's exciting, whatever it takes to get into it. But you're right, I want the person who has that mental database of thousands and thousands of different types of music and songs that they can talk about. They can talk shop, they can throw on a record and mix it up, which is what you do, I see it as the celebration of the craft and the celebration of diversity, trying to bring in more people that have diverse sounds and also ensuring that the crowd is more diverse. Then I also see it as an opportunity to celebrate more up and coming talent. Curious to see if there's an opening for new talent to start emerging on the club and venue and bar scene.
Tracy: That's what I'm here to see. I know that there's more, I see more people start doing their work and presenting it online, virtually. So I'm like you and I'm noticing, right, and I listen to different sets. So I am curious to see if they are going to go to the venues. I definitely want to continue doing Doyennes of Disc, because that's what I would do. We find women DJs who played vinyl, which is a specific skill set. So I'm looking to see who is ready to come out and play. I do think that there will be more visibility for women, Black woman, other women of color and also more increased visibility of non-binary, gender queer. And not just at specific venues, I'm talking in all mainstream venues. There are some venues that are known for being friendly, more friendly for those communities, even in New York City, even in Brooklyn. There are some venues that are more known for that. And I think it's going to be more of an integration and more of a melding of these disparate communities in the actual venues once we open up and start going out more and being present in venues together more.
“I see it as the celebration of the craft and the celebration of diversity, trying to bring in more people that have diverse sounds and also ensuring that the crowd is more diverse. ”
Diana: I would love to see that. You know, one of the best compliments I had about Friends and Lovers was, “this is the most ambiguous bar I've ever been in.” Ambiguity is really cool. There was no way to read people. And I'm like, well, why try to read people? Let's just vibe together, have fun and just see what happens next. But you're right. I welcome the day where it is just a most beautiful amalgam of everyone and everyone's appreciating one another and truly just feeling the energy and the creativity and also just feeling safe enough to be able to express yourself. You know, in nightlife, it can be very tricky. And to me, there's no secret to the history of nightlife where even when you thought it was a safe space, all of a sudden you're targeted by the police. You know, that's a whole other conversation because we dealt with that, too. I think, unless there's anything else you wanted to cover, I think we can kind of wrap this up. I don't know if there's, one quick thought that you wanted to get out there.
Tracy: I will say, COVID, during this time, it's shown me, and this is as much for myself, as anyone else who is reading—If there is something that you've been wanting to do, like a creative program, a form of expression, some kind of creative work that you want to do, do it in some way. Start it now, this is the time. This is really the time to do it. So do whatever it is, bedroom DJing or some kind of choreographed dance performance with music… This is the time to do it, figure out a way to do it. You can do it on Zoom, online or whatever, and then you have time to start working on it as things are going to progress and change. But start with your creative work now because you're just only going to be able to build upon that.
Diana: I love that, yes. Thank you Monday Blue for leaving us with a very beautiful, inspiring message. I appreciate that. And I definitely will catch you on the other side of the DJ booth.
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