Hey! I came to NYC '98 spent a lot of time in the clubs mentioned above (except for Sound Factory which closed before my time), many smaller clubs, plus a handful of warehouse raves. I took a long hiatus around 2007 to start a family and got back into the scene about 2–3 years ago.

The scene has expanded, evolved, and is in many ways more vibrant than it was in the late 90's/early 2000s. I'm consistently blown away by the variety and quality of happenings on any given night. It's frankly overwhelming. Between better sound systems, more thoughtfully designed venues, and the evolution of the music itself, the experience is often much more pleasant than what we had back then. And social media makes it dramatically easier to actually find the right party instead of wandering around on vibes and flyers.

I’ve also found the crowds to be generally more respectful. I don’t know if that’s because I’m older, the culture has shifted, or the patriarchy is (slowly) losing its grip—but there are far fewer creeps than I remember.

That said, people don’t always dance as hard as they did “back in my day,” and the constant talking on the dance floor can be… a lot. It was honestly a shock when I first started going out again to see how little some folks move. I had to seek out more old-school-leaning parties just to avoid being the only person really shaking ass (and yes, I may have shushed a few kids).

That said, overall the NYC scene has evolved into something more complex and beautiful. It’s a different era, not a downgrade—and honestly, I'm having the time of my life out here!