DjLaw & Disorder

Looking back at my teenage years hanging at the Limelight and Underground, I always appreciated good beats and melodies.

The problem in New York is that you had to stay late, really late, to hear when the DJ cranked up the BPMs and jammed out. The bars stop serving at 4 a.m., but the party often goes on until 6 a.m. That 2-hour window is when the DJs really did their thing. With the bar closed and guests tired, the DJs' skills were the only reason people stuck around.

There were many nights I stumbled to the subway station with the sun coming up, only to get off the train in full daylight.

Today I prefer daytime music festivals. Last I saw, the Limelight, an old repurposed church, was a small clothing store, and the Underground, which was at the north end of Union Square, is now a pet store.

I still try to play and make music that makes me feel the intense energy of the 4 a.m. club when the DJ was just getting started.