Loud Balkan music, laser gnats, beer and a stripper poll
Mehanata (113 Ludlow St. NYC) is a strange but fun little place. I had heard about it, but this was my first time here. Hookah, booze, music and swarms of what I can only describe as laser gnats filled the garage-sale decor.
Nothing matched and yet nothing was really out of place either. The colorful glass tiled bartop. The mysterious door on the small stage. The lone hanging Japanese paper lamp. Wooden tables. Those ingenious little lights buzzing around the walls and in people’s hair. Even a string of panties and bras hanging from a clothes line strung from the balcony. All of it worked together somehow.
I was there on an invitation from my friend Devin to celebrate his girlfriend Ajla’s birthday. At first it seemed this would be a quiet night. A small group of friends hanging out, enjoying cool drinks in a cool place. But slowly things picked up as more people walked in. Of course, walking in was no small task.
First you had to find the entrance. Oh sure there was a bright, spinning, fluttering neon globe-like sign in the window, the actual door was far less obvious. I felt as though I was walking into the utility room of an office building.
The real action began a couple of hours into the night when suddenly the girls began to scream and jump up and down. At first I thought maybe someone had proposed to someone or something corny like that. Instead, it seemed that some sort of sexy superstar had entered the room. Well sexy is relative I suppose and superstar in the world of Gypsy rock.
The girls quickly abandoned their men to swoon over this guy Eugene Hütz who was looking like some kinda Doug Henning. Hütz is the singer for the very entertaining Gogol Bordello. He also DJs here at Mehanata from time to time. I stood in confused amazement as he held court at the bar–now packed with guys and girls alike. Then, on his demand, the entire party moved down to the basement.
Leaping behind the DJ booth, he proceeded to spin tunes and play host to one of the wildest parties I had been at in a while. Exposed brick and a stripper pole stood opposite a bar looking like a refugee from a hurricane ravaged beach in the Florida Keys. Jumping, spinning and sweating all around the floor as well as a brave few straddling the pole accompanied by blaring Balkan beats.
This night turned out to be a crazier time than expected. My ears deafened by the music and my head spinning from the beer, I walked out wearing a delightfully numb smile. There’s no better way to end a night. Only next time, I’m bringing earplugs.
See Also:
Photo Gallery
Mehanata
Gogol Bordello (website)
Gogol Bordello (myspace)
