Mikey Lion [Desert Hearts] with Bastian Bux

In March, we hosted our first 12-hour marathon with the indelible beat-serving band of dust-kicking miscreants, Desert Hearts. Their fearless leader, Mikey Lion, closed things out on The Roof in textbook fashion, dropping disco-tinged heaters, deep and soulful classics, and low-end fueled tech house. It was an absolute gas, so much so that we decided to bring the man with the best hats in house music back to headline. So, on June 24, we’re going late into the night with the one-and-only Mikey Lion, elrow resident Bastian Bux, and Gray Area favorites Branqueeno and Shalev at Manhattan’s newest megaclub, MUSICA.

Mikey’s positive energy and penchant for good vibes house music are a blessing to dance music culture. Maybe it’s because he always carries the wide-eyed memory of his first immersive house music experience. He fell in love with the rave during Daft Punk’s historic Pyramid unveiling at Coachella 2006. Or maybe it’s because he’s been soaking up DJ culture since buying his first turntables at age 14. Whatever the reason, Mikey’s joyous DJ sets and dusty funky beats have put him at the forefront of a family of thousands that proudly follow the Desert Hearts motto of “House, Techno, Love.”

In 2012 he co-founded Desert Hearts, a party crew that grew from throwing renegade bacchanals deep in the Mojave Desert to a global movement that encompasses its annual campout, a laundry list of sweaty club shows around the world, and two record labels: Desert Hearts Records and Desert Hearts Black.

For Mikey, it’s 100% about the love of community and making the world more positive through house music. It’s an ethos that shines through in his catalog of psychedelic beats and basslines. From the transcendent and introspective “Through The Fog” (with Justin Martin) to the syncopated acid madness of “This Is The Beat,” Mikey proves that he’s an industry leader in philosophy and sound.

Mikey is fresh off a slew of landmark gigs, including rocking the infamous DoLab stage at Coachella for weekend two (a full circle moment considering where his roots lie) and dropping a set for John Summit’s Off The Grid at The Caverns. We’re excited to have him back in New York for what’s guaranteed to be a memorable night of funky grooves and booty-shaking moves.

On support duties, we have a cast of Gray Area favorites that will keep the energy high at Musica. Bastian Bux's freewheeling approach to creation and curation sees him breaking down the walls between funky, disco, minimal, and tech house. As one of elrow's most front-and-center residents, he is the epitome of what the brand represents - vibrancy, authenticity, and high energy. A technical wizard, and worldbuilder behind the decks, he's dazzled dancers at some of the best clubs and festivals, from Tomorrowland in Belgium to the glittery Encore Beach Club in Las Vegas and even the historic closing party at the legendary Space Ibiza.

New York native, Branqueeno is a staple of the vibrant NYC house music scene and the founder of the You Are Important Project, a community-forward platform cultivating intentional connection and acts of kindness. Fast becoming a Gray Area favorite, she's blown us away with previous performances at Superior Ingredients and will feel right at home dropping her intelligent blend of all the colors of house music.

Israeli-born, Brooklyn-based Shalev's multicolored sound palate unites influences as wide as heavy metal and classic rock into a relentlessly rhythmic underground international sound heavy on melody and shimmering percussion. With past performances at Quantum, The Brooklyn Mirage, and Superior Ingredients, he knows how to spark the energy of the dancefloor.