[title]
If you don't already know about it, you'll miss it: tucked under the JMZ tracks, a stone's throw from Myrtle-Broadway—the so-called Times Square of Bushwick—is a business with its windows covered in brown construction paper. You probably wouldn't think much of it if it weren't for the security guards standing outside and, if you show up at the right time, the line of people waiting to enter what looks like a venue under renovation.
But in spite of its humble facade, Damballa is already in soft-opening mode, quickly becoming the hottest new dance spot on Myrtle-Broadway, drawing large crowds over the past couple of weekends.
RECOMMEDNED: The world's largest sake festival is bringing 587 sakes to NYC this year
Damballa was founded by the people behind Cafe Erzulie, which is located directly across the street and has long been a hotspot that caters to a younger, predominantly POC crowd. If you haven't been, Erzulie has the vibe of an extremely lit house party, with high energy DJs and a very crowded dance floor.
Mark Luxama, the founder of Cafe Erzulie, got his start in nightlife when he was a teenager in the mid-2000s, when he threw massive raves at Bushwick artist lofts that he describes as "very illegal," perhaps because they involved hundreds of drunk high schoolers. He took a hiatus from parties until he was 25, when he opened Erzulie.
Back then, he says, he had no idea what he was doing, but he knew that he wanted to create a space in the neighborhood for people like him.
"There wasn't quite anything to do in this area but we knew there were a lot of young people who lived around here," Luxama tells Time Out New York. "Along the way we learned that spaces for young POC were extremely limited but also very necessary. It's not everyday you walk into a space and see young, beautiful people who look like you."
Walking into Damballa feels like stepping into Erzulie's grown-up sibling. I'd describe it as the living room of your hot and artsy 30-something friend who loves to dance, but doesn't really want to get wasted three nights a week. There's lot of wood: wood panelling, wooden speakers and massive wooden shelves that soar all the way to the ceiling.
"A lot of the people who were at Erzulie when they were 25 sort of graduated out of it and the hope is that they'll now come to Damballa as a welcome back to the block," Luxama says.
To better understand the aesthetic choices behind the venue, it helps to know that Erzulie and Damballa are both named after Haitian voodoo deities, many of which were appropriated by slaves and based off prominent figures from Christianity. Specifically, Damballa is the voodoo derivative of St. Patrick, who in Irish lore banished snakes from Ireland. That's why you'll see hints of serpents all throughout the venue, including the floors, which feature a pattern that waves through the space. That design was inspired by Brazilian architect Roberto Burle Marx, whose work is found all over Rio de Janeiro and, in Damballa's case, conjures more tropical climates.
Then, there's the crown jewel of the venue, which is the dance floor located all the way in the back. Luxama describes the music at Damballa as "Black," which he categorizes as amapiano, raggae, hip-hop, rap—and a lot of genre blending. He wants young African and Caribbean kids to feel like this is a place they can go to and hear their music at any point during the week.
I was there last Saturday: it was pretty crowded and the music was great. People were dancing and singing along to house-y R&B tracks.
There are still some minor hiccups to be worked out, though: I waited about 10 minutes in line to use the bathroom and the door situation was a bit chaotic (it seems like they're still figuring out who they're letting in). Someone also had to climb over our table to dim the lights at the bar.
Damballa is still finding its footing, but that shouldn't deter anyone from checking it out—if anything, now is the time to go, before the rest of the city catches wind of it.
Find Damballa at 895 Broadway in Bushwick, Brooklyn. Follow its Instagram to know what’s going on.