Ruben Rivera Talks Work in Progress
It's sort of like a circus played out to an amazing musical backdrop.
One of the best things about being out and about all the time is meeting so many amazing people who all have incredible stories to tell. One of those people, Ruben Rivera, seems to have been through it all in nightlife, running a handful of high-profile clubs in New York City. I had the chance to sit down with Ruben get the scoop on his new nightly home at Work In Progress (W.I.P) - the new subterranean artists den/nightclub.
How do you like the new digs? Tell us a little bit about W.I.P.
W.I.P is a work in progress. Literally, an art work in progress. Barry Mullineaux and Stewart Bronze developed a great concept. Besides the new displayed art it's sort of like a circus played out to an amazing musical backdrop. No way you can't have fun at W.I.P. The energy is amazingly electric. It reminds me of places I used to hang out in years ago.
You've been known to throw killer parties. What do you have in store for 2012?
With the W.I.P. team behind me I'm thinking my killer parties just got murderous. It feels great to have a solid team of working people behind what I bring to the table. It's a team effort — everyone works toward one common goal. Whether it’s Marcello and Josh Angle or Stafford Schlitt, we all work together to produce something NYC can appreciate and love. I’m looking forward to a great year at W.I.P. We're gaining a lot of momentum. We put a quality product on the floor nightly and it all starts with the music.
What type of crowd is W.I.P. expecting to draw?
The crowd is so diverse. Lots of fashionistas and models mixed in with artists and the real young downtown movers and shakers. I'm usually opening the rope for people with purpose, not just a fat wallet. It was awesome to see Lyor Cohen [Chairman and CEO of Warner Music Group] walk in last night. Now that’s NYC!
You’re known for being old-school New York. How do you feel the current state of nightlife varies from the good ol’ days?
There are so many people trying to open places without taking the time to learn the business. All of the great ones started out as promoters. I feel like now people just skip the "paying dues" part, which is most important. This causes more irrelevant venues to open which forces the business to open its doors to irrelevant people, thus diminishing the quality of NYC nightlife and its credibility. Years ago there were only a few elite venues, maybe six well-known promoters, and an unspoken exclusivity that has now disappeared. The good news is that now there is a great core of savvy people like myself working to get it back to what it once was. W.I.P. is taking it in the right direction one step at a time.
What do you find most refreshing about nightlife now?
I'm seeing young kids getting excited about DJs and music again. It's like everyone is supporting his or her favorite DJ — that's “old school.” We used to go to a venue for the music — not because some guy we knew had a table. You can't go to any club in NYC and not see someone wearing a 4AM hoodie — that's a movement. Nightlife is a movement; it just has to be driven correctly. I'm enjoying seeing people’s support and excitement. That's what it's about. It’s a nightly celebration!
Speaking of exciting DJs, Skrillex just performed at secret show at your spot. Is this something we can expect to see a lot of in the future?
Yes, Skrillex was amazing! The place was literally packed wall-to-wall; everyone that got in had a ball. The W.I.P. team is full of surprises and the venue has an amazing DJ booth and stage so I'm looking forward to a lot of unexpected performances. One thing I've always respected about Barry Mullineaux Is that he loves to shock the crowd with a super fun surprise. It's part of his Image and he’s one of the best at it. With Barry you never know what super artist or DJ will show up next to support. It's a great way to keep the crowd’s energy up. I'm even excited to see what's next.
Work In Progress, 34 Vandam St.
