Stop1 XL

Stop1 XL was our second party at Honey’s. The reason it was referred to as Stop1 XL was because we decided to use both the rooftop and winery within the venue. Given this extra space, we were able to book several new faces. The party was a success, with over 400 guests, but we learned that the roof of Honey’s is just extremely desirable, and it was challenging to fill out both rooms. We took this lesson with us to the following party.

The most challenging part of the party was physical cash management. Stop1 is run by me and a group of very dedicated volunteers, many of whom don’t have experience in nightlife. By the end of the night, we were carrying $2,000 in cash and passing it to various staff members, ending with me just as I started the closing set. Parties are always crazy and hectic, but I learned that there are some things that simply are too high-risk to be left to chance.

This party was also the debut party for several artists: Rila (based in Brooklyn) and Isadora (Columbia student), both extremely gifted but unknown talents. The ability for them to play to such a large crowd for some of their first NYC gigs was extremely special. Making a platform like Stop1 means giving the platform to people who need it to start, not just people who will draw a crowd. Investing in talent early is the only way to make a crew of people who really care about the party and will stick with it during the downtimes.

Lineup: Carpet (FLHP), Conduit, Kettle, Eyebangs, ESPIA, Iggy Nuclear

Attendance: 400 people