FUNKBOX AT 18: Tony Touch on Nearly Two Decades of NYC Nightlife

Eighteen years is a long time for any party to survive in New York, let alone one built entirely around a weekly residency. Funkbox has managed it, growing from a single night into one of the city's most consistent house music institutions, guided from day one by Tony Touch and shaped early on by the late Voodoo Ray.

The concept was simple: a guest DJ every week, a dance floor first mentality, and a sound rooted in raw, soulful house. That formula ran uninterrupted for over 12 years until the pandemic forced it online, where Funkbox found a second life through livestreamed sets before returning to in person gatherings once the city reopened. Along the way, the party has hosted a roster that includes Louie Vega, Joe Claussell, Timmy Regisford, Tony Humphries, Danny Krivit, Ron Trent, Terry Hunter, and Dennis Ferrer, alongside DJs earlier in their careers building their own followings.

Ahead of Funkbox's 18th anniversary takeover at Superior Ingredients on Friday, July 17th, Tony Touch spoke about what has kept the party alive, how his background across hip hop, house, and radio shaped its sound, and what he hopes people take away from a night on the floor.

Funkbox has reached 18 years, which is rare for any party. What do you think has allowed it to last while so many others have come and gone?

Funkbox is a community driven event, built on support from the dance community, the DJ community, the art community, and the promoter community. A lot of teamwork, moving parts, and participation has kept this party alive.

You've moved between hip hop, house, and radio throughout your career. How has that crossover shaped the identity of Funkbox?

Crossing over between hip hop and house gives Funkbox a certain edge other NYC parties don't cover. We cater mostly to house and dance music, but we get away with going left, randomly moving into a different genre to add spice to the party. It's not just me either, our guest DJs do it too. Most Funkbox attendees love house music, but they're also hip hop heads at heart.

Funkbox has always been described as a dancer's party. What does that mean to you in practice when you're behind the decks?

It's exhilarating to play these parties and watch the dancers go to work. Many nights there are two, three, or more ciphers happening at once. Then you'll see couples dancing, spectators at the bar, and individuals dancing alone in their own world, completely zoned out to the music.

New York nightlife has gone through a lot of changes over the years. How has Funkbox managed to stay consistent through all of it?

Our formula of bringing in a guest DJ every single week made it feel like a different party every time. We ran weekly for over 12 years, right up until the pandemic. During that time, we built a strong online movement to keep our people connected through Instagram, Zoom, and Twitch, running online parties with guest DJs. Once the world opened back up, we kept congregating, at least once a month. We never stopped. We kept going and stayed consistent for our following.

The legacy of Voodoo Ray is part of the foundation of Funkbox. How did that influence shape the direction of the party early on?

Voodoo Ray was already a nightlife legend when we started this party. He was deeply connected to the dance community and had appeared in numerous music videos with major artists. He was tapped in, and we were already good friends before we launched Funkbox in 2008. He was the brainchild behind bringing in guest DJs, painters, performers, dance showcases, all of it. He was the main curator.

He had the vision. He knew the house community was very cliquey, and that parties around New York weren't really doing the guest DJ format the way we could. We took it a step further and turned Funkbox into more of an experience.

You've played in cities all over the world. What makes a New York crowd, and specifically a Funkbox crowd, different?

New York is the mecca for what we call dance music. Funkbox is somewhat of a rebirth of what was happening in the city during the 70s and 80s. Our crowd ranges from old to young. We come to dance.

Moodymann is joining the anniversary lineup, which feels like a natural fit. What does he represent to you within house music culture?

Moodymann played a Funkbox party for us a few years back. I've been a fan of his for a long time. His approach to DJing, and even his productions, isn't like anyone else's. He's not scared to grab the microphone and really get people going. Being from Detroit adds a unique dynamic to what we're doing. Love that dude.

You've always balanced accessibility with credibility. How do you decide who fits the Funkbox lineup?

Our guest DJ roster ranges from young, local talent to the veterans of this game. We've booked hundreds of DJs over the years. Names like Louie Vega, Joe Claussell, Timmy Regisford, Tony Humphries, Danny Krivit, Ron Trent, Terry Hunter, and Dennis Ferrer, to name a few, down to people you may not know by name but who know how to play and have their own following.

After all these years, what still excites you about stepping into a Funkbox night?

The music and the reaction I get from the dance floor, still, every time. I love breaking new music. I love when guest DJs come in and take it somewhere unfamiliar to me. I love that with Funkbox, we keep pushing this culture forward.

If someone is coming to Funkbox for the first time, what do you hope they take away from it?

I want them to walk away feeling like they got a real taste of classic New York nightlife. No phones, just zones. Great music, great people, great energy.

One track that always works at Funkbox, no matter the year or crowd?

Too many to name, but for now I'll go with "My Joy" by Leela James, the Quentin Harris mix.

GRAY AREA FOOD SERIES

Is there a dish from your childhood that still hits the same every time you go back to it?

My mom's London broil.

What kind of cuisine do you feel most connected to culturally, and why?

Puerto Rican food. One, because I'm Puerto Rican, and two, because there's too much flavor to compete with. Rice and beans, steak with onions, plantains, tostones, pollo guisado. Too many favorites to pick just one.