TranscEND: Cityfox’s Closing Bash at the Brooklyn Mirage

After a spectacular season of shows, the Brooklyn Mirage has announced its last run for the summer, with lineups grand enough to suit the remarkable accomplishments the East Williamsburg-based venue has had this year. Named “Best Large Club” by DJMag, the Mirage will call in powerhouses Black Coffee, John Summit, Purple Disco Machine, and more to create the most memorable end-of-summer bash. Beyond electronic music, hardcore band Turnstile will kick off its highly-anticipated fall tour there along with JPEGMAFIA and Snail Mail– among the most enticing tour lineups I’ve seen this year.

What really caught my eye, though, was the announcement of Cityfox’s Transcend Festival slated for the first weekend in October–a two-day event packed with some of the best names in house and techno, complete with stage takeovers from some of the foremost labels of those genres.

The Lineup

The Cityfox Experience

Cityfox has become New York City’s leading promoter of house and techno, having thrown events in Brooklyn since 2013, and at Avant Gardner since 2017. In that time, they’ve revolutionized the scene with a sharper focus to immersive production and international talent within both genres. The “experience” part of their moniker is crucial–no other promoter in the NYC region is throwing events at this scale and frequency.

The Brooklyn Mirage

Cityfox’s Transcend Festival will be my first time at the Brooklyn Mirage, but I’ve only heard fantastic things about the venue. After the spectacular summer it had this year, it’s clear to see why.

In addition to the influx of stellar talent booked at the Brooklyn Mirage, Avant Gardner acquired Made Event this summer–famous for their NYC-staple Electric Zoo every Labor Day weekend–after the Mirage’s jaw-dropping refurbishments were unveiled. It now boasts a 30-foot tall, 200-foot wide LED wall and booming sound system courtesy of KV2 Audio, providing the best possible environment to lose yourself to the music. The venue also has vendors on-site so concertgoers can replenish themselves while attending the event, which spans over ten hours on both days.

The Mirage’s new wrapping LED wall

The Lineup

Fortunately for the audience, the festival will make use of all four rooms in the Avant Gardner compound: the Great Hall, Kings Hall, the Mirage, and the Village. We can expect stage takeovers from prominent labels like Desert Hearts, a colorful bunch of tech-house producers led by Mikey Lion and supported on the lineup by Lee Reynolds, Kevin Knapp, and Shaded. The crew brings an unmatched positivity to the house scene with their upbeat, free-flowing DJ sets–they’re definitely not to be missed.

Mikey Lion, Lee Reynolds and other members of the DH crew

We’ll also see a number of artists making US/NYC debuts, and a number of live sets booked. I’m especially stoked to see Ben Böhmer’s dynamic live set, coming after the release of his 2021 progressive house opus Begin Again. Giorgia Angiuli should have a promising one as well, using her dreamy vocals as a device to drive through her palpable melodic techno style.

On the opposite side of the coin, ONYVAA brings a minimal, industrial techno flair that recalls early Detroit techno. She was recently named the recipient of the “Best Newcomer” award at the Ibiza DJ Awards for her immense dance-floor heaters and energy behind the decks. Maceo Plex, another 2022 DJ Award recipient for his melodic house and techno, is sure to rock the house as well, along with the rest of the impressive list of talent at this year’s Transcend Festival. Hope to see you there!

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