Christopher Tarantino

Grab your fangs, your bottle of fake blood and your poison of choice: it’s Halloween time. And that means things are about to get seriously spooky, but there’s likely to be some dancing too. And you know what that means: it’s time for our Halloween playlist! There‘s no one size fits all for Halloween tunes. Some of what you’ll find on this list is seriously scary. Some songs were actually written about regular ol’ heartbreak but sound like they were made for a horror movie. Some of them have featured in your favourite spooky Netflix shows. But from The Cramps (of ‘Wednesday’ fame) to Olivia Rodrigo’s ex-boyfriend bleeding her dry, we’ve got a Halloween tune for everyone here. Time to get freaky, people.  RECOMMENDED:🎤 The best karaoke songs🕺 The best pop songs💧 The best sad songs🎅 The best Christmas songs

As another year draws to a close, we recap what electronic albums we loved the most in 2015. An impressive number of dance music discs came out this year—so many that we decided to devote an entirely separate feature to the genre. While it’s easy to associate many of these musicians with the parties they’ve deejayed, it’s important to remember that—hey!—they happen to produce music as well! And these ones are pretty damn good at it too. Check out our ranked list of the best dance music albums of the year so far, which ranges from ambient techno to “italo-ketamine house.” Curious as to what our favorites were in all other genres? Make sure to peep at our more general list of the 25 best albums of 2015 and let’s see more of this can-do attitude in ’16. See you on the field!RECOMMENDED: See the best of 2015

Sorting through the options when shopping for the music aficionados among your friends can be a daunting task. We’ve saved you a little time by collecting our favorite music-related gift ideas of the year—from the best portable-speaker bargains to the coolest new box sets. Check out the best gifts for music lovers below, ordered by price. RECOMMENDED: See the full holiday gift guide

When you want to do some serious business on the dance floor, it’s best to head to smaller, no-frills spots and classic live music venues where the grooves are infectuous and busting a move is the main event. Our picks for the best clubs in Los Angeles will play dance party hits and feed your need for everything from hip hop and salsa to reggae and soul.

Whether you want to ring in New Year's Eve with some trippy Black Sabbath edits, rave through Christmas in New York with a stack of hard-hitting techno or just stash away hours of worthy music for a rainy day, look no further than our list of the best DJ mixes of 2017. You'll find house music compilations, extended funk workouts, pulsating techno songs and more, selected by our expert mix-diggers. RECOMMENDED: Full guide to the best of 2017

We asked three music and nightlife editors, each with varying musical tastes, to tackle our list of the best DJ mixes of 2016. What results is a collection which includes plenty of dance music fit for the best clubs in NYC, as well as a couple podcasts that fall neither strictly under house music nor techno songs. From Detroit electro veteran DJ Stingray to young Bristol-based DJ, producer and label boss Batu, here are our favorite DJ mixes of the year. RECOMMENDED: See the best of 2016

Let's face it—there wasn't another Lemonade this year (refer to our list of the best music videos of 2016). But despite there being no long-form epics of quite the same scale, artists like Grimes and Kendrick Lamar (the latter of whom owns the top spot on our best albums of 2017) showed us how to pack similar levels of visual maximalism into regular-length formats. But it's not all about high-production and dense drama—some of the best music videos of 2017 deferred to simple narratives, smart visual devices and "negative space" (see: Hookworms). Whether it's extreme CGI or minimalism, indie-rock bands or dance music, we've rounded up the year's best music videos of every stock and stripe. RECOMMENDED: Full guide to the best of 2017

Where the party at, New York? These days, everywhere—from a DIY spaces on the outskirts of Ridgewood, Queens to glossy clubs in Chelsea. For a survey of the nights that are making us excited about the NYC scene right now, look no further. RECOMMENDED: Full guide to nightlife in NYC

If you’re not excited for all the incredible things to do at Riis Park Beach Bazaar, you should be. It’s no surprise that some of the best things to do in the summer occur on New York beaches (as they rightfully should). Riis Park is no exception, for the attraction has amazing concessions, plus its very own aforementioned event series—Riis Park Beach Bazaar—created by the masterminds behind Brooklyn Night Bazaar. Start planning multiple day trips from NYC now to ensure that you don’t miss a minute of the bazaar’s many things to do, including karaoke nights, live performances, campfire sing-alongs and more. RECOMMENDED: Full guide to Riis Park Beach Bazaar

MoMA knows a thing or two about curation. Each summer, their Warm Up at Long Island City's PS1 unveils a massive new outdoor art installation, multiple indoor installations, rotating outdoor "stage environments,” as well as a wildly diverse program of DJs, producers and live bands from virtually every burgeoning and established genre. But how to choose those many, many artists? By curating the curators, of course. Each year they gather an all-star team of progressive culture connoisseurs who lovingly assemble that season's selections. Only a museum could do this much year-round curation for one party and not have it feel schizophrenic. There’s a reason they’re still the undisputed kings of summer music parties after 18 years. Now, we try our hand at their game, and curate our top acts on this year's roster—taking place Saturdays, June 27 through September 5.  RECOMMENDED: Full guide to MoMA PS1 Warm Up

For the past five years, Pachanga Boys—the DJ superduo of eccentric Mexican disco-wizard Rebolledo and German minimal house producer Superpitcher—has yielded one terrific album (We Are Really Sorry), one insanely popular Burning Man camp (Mayan Warrior) and two strange record labels (Hippie Dance, You and Your Hippie Friends). They even found a fan in Karl Lagerfeld himself, dejaying two Parisian Chanel runway shows. In between, they’ve found time to tour the world separately and together, playing a rock-heavy set this summer at MoMA PS1’s Warm Up to a very happy and loyal crowd on a rain-soaked Saturday afternoon. We talked to Rebolledo as the pair return to town with a special extended set.Eduardo Davidson and José Fajardo pioneered the Cuban style of “Charanga” music but after it was brought to NYC it mutated and the “happy-go-lucky” Pachanga dance was born. What, if anything, did you mean to imply by sharing your name with this storied style and mutated genre?In Mexico we call Pachanga a great party where dancing, sweat and laughs are involved. Pachanga in our case is not a reference to the dance style.Maybe it was more Luis Guzman’s two-timing henchman “Pachanga" from the Carlito’s Way then?Nope. Fan of the guy but still not a reference. Jejejej.Allegedly, Superpitcher heard you singing in his shower years ago & asked you to do some vocals and the first Pachanga Boys track “Fiesta Forever was born. Now that you’ve arrived and you have your method down pat, do you guys si

Brooklyn Electronic Music Festival once again descends upon multiple venues and clubs in NYC to host some of our favorite underground dance music DJs. One of the best things to in the fall, the festival is filled with excellent parties over three music-filled days. Check out our top picks for this year's BEMF below. RECOMMENDED: Full guide to Brooklyn Electronic Music Festival

Open, a new Ibiza United club concept, will replace Sankeys Brooklyn (which lasted all of three weeks) in the former SRB location at 177 Second Ave. Ibiza United's managing director Antonio Piacquadio released this statement in response to Sankey's David Vincent's statement placing the blame for the venue's failure on IU: "Due to the false and misleading statements by our licensor in their most recent press release and the unsuccessful launch of Sankeys Brooklyn (without our operational or musical input), Ibiza United has decided to sever its ties with the Sankeys organization in the United States... OPEN will operate every Friday and Saturday, focusing mainly on booking and featuring fresh new local talent who play and produce proper, forward-thinking music. Additionally, OPEN will feature a state of the art Martin Audio sound system installed by Anthem SSL along with all the other theatrical and musical aspects you expect from an Ibiza United venue. Stay tuned for more announcements." The club, which had its soft open this weekend with a Time Warp after party, will go hard this coming weekend forward. In other Time Warp news, Richie Hawtin issued an apology on his Facebook page after pushing a speaker onto an iPhone wielding fan who dared record him during his set at the festival Friday night. He claims the incident was an accident, but around the :45 mark (after some rather questionable dancing) you can see him intentionally push the speaker over onto the girl, laugh, then

If you’re old enough to recall the classic video game Mike Tyson’s Punch-Out!! or young enough to know what an NES emulator is, picture Britt Daniel as the game’s improbable hero Little Mac: a scrappy little small-town fighter underestimated from the start who, against great odds, plods on, fight after fight, setback after setback, to finally take the title. Like Mac, the frontman of Austin journeymen Spoon has never let down his guard, evading virtually every music-biz pitfall, moving from indie label to major and back again. With each album he’s reinvented his band to greater acclaim, eventually evolving from the guy everyone counts out to the one everyone counts on—for radio hits, soundtracks and reliably solid rock & roll records. He coulda been a contender, but instead he became a champion. Now, on the heels of the band’s ninth and latest triumph, Hot Thoughts, and in advance of a two-night stand in Brooklyn, Daniel brushes off the compliments, lets down his guard, and explains this musical rope-a-dope 25 years in the making. Did it surprise you when the website Metacritic named Spoon as the best-reviewed artist of the decade in 2009?Well, I guess I was surprised because I’d never even heard of that award. We certainly were reviewed better that decade than the one before it. Speaking of the previous decade, how’d it feel to be back on Matador Records 20 years after it released your debut, Telephono?It’s cool. It’s a totally different thing now. We were all in much differ

If you're anything like us, your summer concerts calendar is just about booked solid. Between all the free and outdoor concerts and outdoor dance parties, it's going to be hard to find time to pick up our dry cleaning, let alone see more gigs. But you know we're going to make room for Warm Up. The iconic PS1 dance-parties series has finally announced the lineup for its 18th season, including sets from old-school locals Bobbito Garcia and Nicky Siano, Comemé artists Matias Aguayo and Pachanga Boys, as well as full days heavy on the Night Slugs and Tri Angle Records rosters, and an outdoor art installation from the NYC/Madrid architecture firm Andrés Jacques. Join us in paying a visit to this O.G. summer bash. The shows take place every Saturday from June 27 through September 5 in the MoMA PS1 courtyard. Tickets are $20 day of show or $18 in advance; go here to purchase. RECOMMENDED: Full guide to MoMA PS1 Warm Up June 27Pachanga Boys / Kompakt + Hippie Dance / Berlin, Germany + Mexico City, Mexico Eclair Fifi / LuckyMe / Edinburgh, UK Samantha Urbani (Live) / New York, NY + Los Angeles, CA Amnesia Scanner (Live) / Amnesia Scanner / Amnesia ScannerBlack Madonna / Smart Bar + Argot / Chicago, ILJuly 4Nicky Siano / The Gallery ­ Music that created Disco / New York, NYVirgo Four (Merwyn Sanders Live) / Rush Hour + Trax / Chicago, ILCut Copy DJs / Modular Recordings / Melbourne, AustraliaGalcher Lustwerk b2b DJ Richard / White Material / New York, NY + Berlin, Germany—including 69,

Ahh, don't you just love Summer Fridays? (If you have them, of course). We can't believe summer in NYC is almost over (although we sure won't miss this HEAT DOME vs. AIRMASS madness). With only four summer Fridays left before Labor Day (say it ain’t so!) you better make these recommended happy hours (and the awesome events close by) really count! RECOMMENDED: Summer in New York  Fri 12 Happy Hour: Margarita IslandGet marooned with two-for-one margaritas from 4 to 6 at the colorful tiki bar just beside the neon mini-Vegas world of the 100-year-old fun emporium Luna Park. 1105 Bowery St (margaritaisland.com) Afterward: Kool & the Gang: A Funk Fest CelebrationStart and end your next summer Friday in Coney Island with fireworks. First up are fireworks of funk courtesy of Kool & the Gang, along with Morris Day & the Time, Bootsy’s Rubber Band and Doug E. Fresh, followed by actual fireworks for free at 9:30pm over the boardwalk and the new amphitheater. The Amphitheater at Coney Island Boardwalk, 3052 W 21st St,  (fordamphitheaterconeyisland.com). 7pm; $25–$75. August 19 Happy Hour: The SnugCome in for some strong cocktails and ample portions of Bronx-style pub grub at this not-too-divey-dive-bar for a dollar off anything in a glass from 4 to 7pm. 302 City Island Ave (718-885-9559). Afterward: Island Current: Night FishingTake a ride out to City Island, and watch as the Bronx slowly transforms itself into Martha’s Vineyard with marinas, yachts and seafood as far as the eye can see

The water may be filled with sludge that athletes don't want to get into their mouths and the opening ceremony may cost 10% of London's previous show-stopping extravaganza, but no mater, tonight is the start of the 2016 XXXI Olympic Games in Rio which will air on NBC at 7:30pm (on a one-hour tape delay) from the Maracanã Stadium. RECOMMENDED: Full coverage of the Olympics Film director Fernando Meirelles, who, in an ironic twist, also helmed the similarly low budget City of God, the celebrated film about Rio's crime-ridden slums, is one of four directors behind the ceremony, so what to expect is really anyone's guess. The opening ceremony will also feature American athletes like NBA star Kevin Durant and gymnast Simone Biles. Here's how to watch the big event in NYC tonight: • At NBCOlympics.com or on the NBC Sports Extra app • Rio on the Hudson on Pier 26 at Hudson River Park complete with palm trees, music, dancing and beaches (Free) • EuroCircle New York at LeGrande NYC at 224 W 49th St (Free with RSVP) • The Riverwalk Commons Area on Roosevelt Island (Free) • The Brickyard Gastropub at 785 9th Ave  • Smithfield Hall at 138 W 25th St

Once home to the "Tent of Tomorrow" and the futuristic grounds of the 1964 World's Fair, the remains of the site in Flushing Meadows-Corona Park sit disused 50 years later. But thanks to Harkin Aerial, you can now get a bird's eye view of the twin observation towers. 

Sure, Williamsburg may be the hood that gets all the attention lately, but North Brooklynites may be surprised to know that, according to Niche's recent "Best Places to Live" poll, it's not considered the best place to live within Brooklyn. DUMBO is. Believe it or not, Williamsburg didn't rank in the BK top 10 and didn't even crack the top 125 of neighborhoods citywide. Damn. To determine rankings, the annual quality of life poll gave each area grades based on individual factors such as education, fitness, diversity, cost of living, nightlife, jobs, weather and crime pulling stats from the U.S. Bureau of Labor and Census as well as the Center for Disease Control. DUMBO scored an overall A grade and came in fourth overall in the entire city behind only Tribeca, Battery Park City and Nolita in that order. Rounding out the top 10 were Kips Bay, FiDi, Murray Hill, Gramercy, SoHo and NoHo. See how your area stacked up and let's all get these numbers up, people!

Since August 2 is National Coloring Book Day and everyday is a cocktail day in this country, why not celebrate both together for Cocktails and Coloring at Sky Terrace in Hudson? Starting at 3pm, their rooftop "creative happy hour" will reward you with an adult coloring book and colored pencils if you order a Rainbow Sour. What's a Rainbow Sour you ask? Great question. Well, clearly that's a white wine sangria with Bombay Sapphire, agave, watermelon and pampelonne rosé, topped off with a rainbow sour belt. Something for the kid in you and something for the adult (but mostly the adult). Sleep on this and you'll have to wait until next August to celebrate coloring book day again, and the next day to celebrate cocktail day. Color nationally, drink locally.  

Complaining about Ticketmaster fees and "convenience" charges is so 2015. These days, it's a privilege to even get to pay those fees. When Radiohead tour tickets went on-sale in March, they were all scooped up by brute force ticket bots in approximately 5 seconds. Even Thom Yorke was pissed. They then popped up for astronomical four-figure prices on Craigslist, where many users complained of getting scammed with phony hard tickets, and StubHub, which guarantees tickets but also charges an additional 25% fee. While prices have since dropped (a little) if you're still looking to see the band's last show in town tonight without getting ripped-off, there's still hope! Take it from someone who scored 2 last minute zero-fee face value ($80) seats with a phenomenal view (see video below) direct from the MSG box office. Here are our tips on how to snag 'em.  -Get there early, stick around and dig inWe arrived around 6:30pm and didn't make it in until Radiohead played their opening notes. This game is not for the impatient or the faint of heart or feet. -Steer clear of scalpersDon't engage people with stacks of tickets or anyone also looking to buy yours. You want legitimate sellers just trying to unload spares from shitty friends who bailed last minute, sick husbands or wives, sad hipsters whose Tinder date bailed or young cool dads trying to teach their bad kids lessons. Also, anyone in a band shirt, the older the better (t-shirt or person). If you still can't tell, ask what their f

New York summers: They're not here until they're totally here. And, ladies and gentlemen, they are now officially here. But with summer, also come summer songs. So if you're tired of whatever's being flogged over and over on the radio—or your local radio station's Spotify channel—check out these five under-the-radar gems. And since there's more than enough horribleness going around lately, we've chosen five totally upbeat, positive, shiny, happy, bright, sunny numbers to cool down the hot days ahead. Stay thirsty, my friends.   1. Beyond the Wizard’s Sleeve - “Creation” The second single from their decade-in-the-making psychedelic opus The Soft Bounce, Beyond the Wizard’s Sleeve make music to party to like it’s 1969. Recalling mid-period Stereolab—which is never be a bad thing—lovely vocals from dueling chanteuses Jane Weaver (from Misty Dixon) and  The Magnetic North’s Hannah Peel. The French New Wave–inspired video is the first in a series of films based on the album’s eleven cinematic mood pieces.See also: “Finally First”   2. Japanese Breakfast - “Everybody Wants to Love You”  “Can I get your number? Can I get you into bed?” You will never hear anyone utter those words any sweeter than Michelle Zauner does in this track from Philly dream-pop outfit Japanese Breakfast. The remainder of terrific songs on Psychopomp, her band’s debut record, work similarly, covering melancholy and heartache in a poppy, candy-coated style with early-‘90s production that would make K Records

If you gotta have luxury condos in your hood, at least they can come with a massive market and food hall for everyone in the area, no? Leasing began today on the Ashland for  "luxury" units in their 570-foot-tall tower in Fort Greene ranging from $7,500 for a three-bedroom apartment all the way down to the bargain basement price of $2600 for a studio. This fall, Gotham Market at the Ashland—a satellite version of Gotham West Market in Hell's Kitchen—will throw open the doors to its 16,000-square-foot with seven permanent food and drink vendors like Midtown BeerBQ joint Mason Jar, Joshua Smookler's LIC noodle-house Mu Ramen and Dinosaur Bar-B-Que founder John Stage running Flip Bird, Apizza Regionale, and one TBD eatery. One pop-up spot will remain for local bakers, chefs and makers of consumable artisanal goods looking to fill four-month stints there for the price of, um, free. (To apply for this spot, just email popup@gothamorganization.com with info on your brand and why you'd like to be part of the Market. Gotham Market at the Ashland will be blocks away from BAM, Barclays and Atlantic Terminal, making it the third market in the area with Brooklyn Navy Yard's BLDG 77 and Downtown Brooklyn's DeKalb Market Hall.   Rendering of Gotham market. (Courtesy FXFOWLE)             Rendering of Gotham market. (Courtesy FXFOWLE)                

Don't like your current landlord? Well, Renthop is a very handy internet website for adults looking to find a new place to live. Don't like your current girlfriend/boyfriend? Well, Pokémon Go is a very addictive smartphone app for man-children looking to find a new passive way to let them know it's over. Don't like your current friends? Well, Pokémon gyms are social areas for Pokémon Go fans of all ages looking to find new social outlets that can turn into their digital friends into "IRL friends." Or, if you're looking to change everything about your life in one feel swoop, you can now use all three together with this new interactive map of your local Poké World! As we're sure everyone already knows, you can’t visit gyms until you are level 5 and have chosen a team. In the market for a new GPS-based game or social circle but not sure what any of this stuff means? Check this one-stop shop guide out to all things Poké, and please do be careful out there kids.