2024 in Review: A Recap of Encuentro Mortal and /NOCLIP

#005 | 2-3-25

Last Winter we found ourselves eager to throw down but without proper party spaces. College bars and backyards were out of the question. Sometime in January it was brought to our attention that local wrestling gym and exhibition space, World Wrestling Xtreme Academy, was willing to let us host a party. We met with the staff in charge of the space who were geniunely excited to host us, insisting that we leave the ring up during the party as part of the spectacle. After touring the space, deciding on how we would organize our setup and choosing a date, we were set. What followed would be dubbed Encuentro Mortal, a party inspired by Pro Wrestling and Lucha Libre.

After discussing the idea with our resident graphic designer Nico @bravehom.art, he drew up the flyer below.

A showcase of our heavy hitters, the lineup consisted of DJs CRNK DGTL (Ambient/Downtempo), Market Spe77 (Hyperpop/Techno), boy_c0ded (Jersey Club/Techno), M.V. (Techno) and Exomatik (Techno).

The appeal of a wrestling themed party complete with a ring was too strong - the party sold out within days of its announcement. The money made through ticket sales was split evenly between World Wrestling Xtreme and Flow Radio One, used to cover costs for our sound system rental and lighting installation. Below are photos taken by our friend Severin @cutalongthegrain on the night of the event.

Looking back, this was our most successful event yet. We couldn’t have done this without the help of World Wrestling Xtreme, and express our gratitude to them. Special shoutouts go to Luis and Bella who assisted with planning, execution, security, and managing the flow of people inside the venue. You can follow World Wrestling Xtreme on Instagram @worldwrestlingxtreme, on Facebook @World Wrestling Xtreme, and on YouTube @worldwrestlingxtreme1518.

It wasn’t until November that we hosted our next event, /NOCLIP. Through to the work of our resident DJ b0y_c0ded, Frankie, we were able to secure a Thursday night spot at in the basement of Hart Bar in Bushwick.

Wanting to experiment with a new format, we decided get two bands on the lineup in addition to the DJs. Redeye, a post-hardcore/emo band from New Jersey, and Attic Ivy, a power trio from New York City, were booked and added to the lineup. In addition to these two bands, DJs b0y_c0ded, joe bacco, ELU_CHAPO, constructible, and MV were added to the lineup. Having to organize the lineup by sound and gear requirements, it was decided that we would start the night with performances by Attic Ivy and Redeye before clearing the stage and transitioning over to the DJs.

Nico @bravehom.art also did the flyer for /NOCLIP below!

After switching setups, b0y_c0ded and joe bacco were the first DJs to play, kicking things off with a b2b set where the sounds of Jersey Club reigned supreme. Following the rollercoster of sound that was b0y_bacco, construcible offered an array of palate cleansing minimal and sci-fi infused Techno. As things slowed down ELU_CHAPO took over the decks, bouncing between Rap and R&B with a focus on vibe more than genre. The feeling was relaxed, cloudy, ethereal, and lo-fi, matching the cold and damp weather that had manifested earlier in the day. DJ MV closed out the show with a vinyl set consisting of dubby, minimal, and old-school 90s & 00s Techno.

Frankie and I first saw Attic Ivy perform at a Pro-Palestine benefit show in Belmont in May of last year. The sound and energy they brought to the small living room of the house hosting the benefit show was intense, and we both left knowing that we would want to book them sometime in the future. Fast forward to November and they would be opening /NOCLIP for us. A little after 8pm, as poeple slowly began to descend into the basement, Attic Ivy began playing. Something memorable about their set was when they asked the audience whether we liked math or science better. I can’t remember what I said, but I do remember seeing construcible enter wearing a hoodie that said “I HATE MATH” almost immediately after they asked us the question. Weird coincidence or esoteric synchronicity? Who knows. Above are some photos I took of Attic Ivy during their performance, and one shot of construcible wearing the infamous hoodie.

Redeye took the stage after Attic Ivy. Below are some more photos I took during their set. From left to right: Zan (lead), Dave (rhythm), Aiden (drummer), and Luis (bass). Below them are some individual portraits I took of Zan, Dave, and Luis.

More photos below of DJs b0y_c0ded x joe bacco, construcible, and ELU_CHAPO, from top to bottom.

Last are some shots of the crowd and DJ MV spinning on the turntables.

We hope to book more events at Hart Bar soon with lineups as diverse in sound as this one. Shout out to Nik @bookperms for getting the sound right and helping make the transition between performers smooth.

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