This is an unbelievably frantic Friday. Good news or bad news first? Lets do bad. Yesterday, the governing powers swooped in and shuttered Santos’ Party House. I spoke to sources within and they spoke of a couple of marijuana buys and an undercover being offered cocaine in a bathroom. These events, according to my mouthpiece, happened a few months ago. The police have been sitting on the Nuisance Abatement Order for a bit, I guess waiting for the most damaging time to serve it. Like I noted before, Halloween is an important revenue source for clubs. Santos’ is not a wealthy club. They make their money on admissions. Their crowd isn’t a monied bottle crew, it’s a couple of drinks—if that—kind of place. They have eked out a living, sometimes barely surviving. They can’t afford to be closed, and their staff is hurting without jobs in this rough economy. Santos’ attracts many events that cater to people of color, and I can’t help but wonder if the recent spate of late-night violence happening around town has not led to a racially motivated crackdown. From my experience, there are few color-blind cops.

Again, maybe it’s just a coincidence, and race is not the card being played. However, the order to close Santos’ could have been served, according to my guy, anytime. It seems like they held the order to close until a time came when it served them to serve it, sort of like a get out of jail card in Monopoly.

The monopoly the cops have is rarely challenged. The NYNA, which has been patting itself on the back since their victory in killing the paid sick leave bill, does little from where I write to squash the unfair and possibly illegal way the Nuisance Abatement Law is used as a punitive weapon against clubs. A shooting occurs at a diner that caters to late-night revelers, or a melee happens in a Chelsea club that caters to people of color, and other places that deal in black and white and yellow and brown instead of just white get hit hard. If you close down every place in town where drugs can be found, we’d be a small town—think, Peoria Has anybody been in Madison Square Garden during a concert? Drugs are in schools, playgrounds, offices, parks and, quite possibly, every building—commercial or residential—in town. Nobody thinks of closing these places down, only the clubs. Bust the dealers, not the joints. Santos’ exists in a seam neighborhood, far away from most residential buildings, and has enjoyed solid relations with its neighbors since Day One. Santos’ attorneys will try to get the order overturned or delayed for trial at a court hearing today. I can’t recall an order of this type actually being served on a Thursday, giving the club recourse on a Friday. They are invariably served on a Friday, effectively closing the club until the next court calendar day, Monday. Maybe the powers know something I don’t know or just made a mistake on the day, with all this frantic Halloween confusion

Patrick Duffy texted me announcing that he will be leaving his Tuesday night weekly at The Box. It was so much fun, and I hope it was a rash and irrevocable decision. I was there this past Tuesday and the place was jam-packed, although it did seem a bit straighter, rather than the gayer ambiance I recall.

Last night I DJed the after-party for that Dos Equis/Andrew W.K. “Most Interesting Show in the World” event. I brought in my old friend, ex-Bungalow 8 mainstay Uncle Mike to DJ with me at my favorite spot not named Lit, White Noise. I love the Uncle Mike/Uncle Steve concept. He played one track, and then I the next. We played well off each other. For me, it was a strong set after I stunk up the place on Wednesday. I still let fools distract me when I spin. The pros learn to ignore. Tomorrow I will be DJing at the Library at the Hudson Hotel, opening up for my bon vivant pal, Paul Sevigny. I’m stoked to kill it. I missed the Mudd Club/ Club 57 reunion at the Delancey, but honored it by playing songs from that creative time all night long. I’ll go to the next one, 20 years from now. Hopefully I wont still be doing this. After the debacle at District 36 the other night it was ironic that they got the much needed Certificate of Occupancy the next day—just a bit too late for the Humane Society Benefit event that got canceled. They adopted a cat in penance. Maybe a donation to the cause would be the right thing to do.

The good folks over at Provocateur, one of the best joints in town, are excited as can be over tonight’s activities. Only my mother and my landlord call me more than them. Tonight’s bash features Swedish House Mafia. They will celebrate “the release of their highly anticipated behind-the-scenes look into the electronic music scene music documentary, Take One.” Tonight is an exclusive screening party. Michael Satsky and company have produced a six-figure extravaganza called “Masquerade Motel” named after the infamous Ibiza party. 

The latest Swedish House Mafia song, "One," was written with Pharrell Williams, and he called them "necessary rock stars." 
I hear everybody will be there, and I may go just to prove that statement true.

On Sunday, Halloween night, as I have mentioned before, I will DJ at the Hollywood Standard. I will be joined on the decks by my buddy, Ethan Browne, and by my bestest friend, Christine Renee, who moved to the left coast a few years back with her man. They have a beautiful baby I have yet to see. My old club crew - Patty Doria, Robert Escelera, MaryAnn, Sandra,Kelly, Carlisa, Mary, Jeremiah, and the rest - have set up shop in Venice, and I can’t wait to see them. I will be there until Wednesday. It’s a BlackBook affair, and very exclusive, but please come. You have always been good to me and I’d love to see you.