You’ve heard of the first Monday in May, but have you heard of the first Saturday in May? That’s when New York club collective Department of Rave threw their first-ever Met Gala Rave, the brand new club night that’s the underground answer to the official Met Gala.
While the world’s media was focused on the Metropolitan Museum of Art – and the world’s supply of white roses and waiting staff was shipped to New York – D.O.R. were busy readying themselves for a night dedicated to the queer community of New York’s nightlife scene.
With fierce, club kid fashion, distorted techno edits, and a collective intent on honouring the independent roots of NY fashion, the Met Gala Rave was the alt ball ready to rip away its big sister’s crown. Below we caught up with D.O.R founder Jay Envy, who talks us through the big night.
What was the inspiration behind putting on the Met Gala Rave?
Jay Envy: The present state of the world and the state of nightlife in NYC all played a role in putting on Met Gala Rave. With all that’s happening in America and all over the world, most of the underground ecosystem and queer community in New York City simply can’t escape and release from this reality.
We’re all witnessing and experiencing this moment in time together, from the Bushwick bar Paragon closing down, to superclub Brooklyn Mirage about to reopen as the biggest venue in Brooklyn, to Boiler Room losing its reputation globally due to KKR’s financial ties to Israel. Clubs in NYC have been continuously shutting down since the COVID-19 pandemic, inflation is affecting the costs of everything – even clubs are unable to pay higher rent! This combination of things only makes it more tough for the nightlife scene here in NYC.
Who is Met Gala Rave For?
Jay Envy: Met Gala Rave is for New York! The community coming together for what I call a ‘fashion night out’. A night to release and express ourselves through our fashion and music on the dancefloor.
What’s your opinion on the actual Met Gala?
Jay Envy: Imagine receiving $26 million dollars from the world’s top luxury fashion houses, for them to sit celebrities at tables worth $350,000 at the event, in exchange for the fashion houses to receive publicity at a fundraiser on the Upper East Side of Manhattan. My least favorite neighbourhood, by the way!
Maybe allocate some of those funds for something sustainable? Do a big auction for humanitarian causes, like giving those in need of food, water, shelter, clothing – life-saving supplies for countries all over the world experiencing starvation, genocide and war. The reality we’re living in isn’t ready for that kind of impact from fashion, I guess. It would be nice to see fashion sacrifice clothing for humanity.
I see Met Gala Rave as an oppositional event for the underground community in NYC – Jay Envy
So you see your night as an oppositional, alternative event?
Jay Envy: I see Met Gala Rave as an oppositional event for the underground community in NYC. It’s for us to escape and rebel from those that keep their eyes wide shut to the world and reality.
Can you talk me through the DJs you collaborated with on the night?
Jay Envy: I’m Jay Envy, native New Yorker, DJ and founder at D.O.R. I played blends of distorted club edits, Jersey club, jungle, techno, electric reggae and Vogue edits, plus global club sounds. I always blend the world into my sets, especially after my international travels!
Pauli Cakes is a Bronx native, DJ, producer and artist. I’d consider her the rave princess of NYC. She served us global club with no borders, and just got back to NY from her tour in Europe, with stops in London, Spain and Portugal. Daniro has pumped through the NYC queer nightlife scene, becoming a solid club diva and leader in the community. I came across Kai The Black Angel’s music on Soundcloud two years ago, but there was this beautiful Kylie Minogue Vogue edit he did that re-solidified the fact that I must book Kai! And DJ Freedem is a DJ and producer making bouncy, strong Southern and juke sounds. I came across DJ Freedem’s work earlier this year when he released his HEART BURN MIXTAPE on Bandcamp.
Are you going to be putting it on every year now?
Jay Envy: I do envision myself at D.O.R doing Met Gala Rave annually, also along with quarterly events.
What’s your background on the New York nightlife scene?
Jay Envy: No one knows this, but I started working in NYC clubs at 18 years-old as a go-go boy! It was a fun side hustle for me. I had a friend that was a dancer and he put me on. There’s something about dancing on top of elevated spaces, overlooking the dancefloor at packed-out clubs and seeing everyone dancing. Feeling the bass and music run through my body. Nightlife was very unforgettable for me in my teens.
Then, at 21 years-old, I worked in fashion and attended countless legendary NYFW after parties that included Hood By Air, Telfar, Jeremy Scott and of course GHE20G0TH1K! All these events happening throughout the 2010s definitely altered my club kid DNA and the entire underground nightlife scene in NYC.
How has New York nightlife changed in that time?
Jay Envy: NY’s queer community at the time owned numerous real estate and clubs – owned by us, for us. Fast forward to 2025, there are only a few queer curated events in NYC and a few solid, go-to clubs. There aren’t numerous queer assets owned by us like there once was. Nightlife is changing and I want to be a part of that change in a very nurturing and prosperous way!
Scroll through the gallery above for all the looks from the night
