Happy Holidays from Santos

Santos would like to thank all our fellow party people for such a mind-blowing year. There were more highlights then we can even name (and probably a few we don’t remember so well). We feel so fortunate to be privy to the music, art, dance, laughter, love and togetherness that has taken place at Santos over the last year, it really has been a magical.

Santos is growing, and like any organism we’re developing and changing as we get older (wait until you see our new lights!). However, our mission has not changed. We’re still chasing the platonic ideal of the perfect party. We’re still promoting the ecstatic feeling of oneness that rhythm creates, gathering people of diverse backgrounds under one roof. We’re still presenting music and art that challenges, inspires and unites. And, of course, we’re still serving delicious ice-cold beers.

As the excitement of the New Year approaches we can’t help but look back over the last year with a bittersweet nostalgia. So many amazing people, amazing smiles, amazing dancers, amazing musicians, and most importantly amazing moments. Moments that made our hair stand on it end, moments that you knew everyone in the room was feeling the same magic we were. What a year.

2009 was not without its sadness and hardship we lost a lot of great people, people who will live in our memories forever. Whether due to drugs, accidents, or old age, death is always painful, but it also reminds us to live everyday to the fullest.

On a less metaphysical level, the tough economic realities of 2009 forced us make a number of difficult decisions, none harder that letting go of nights and talent that we support and love to the fullest. Santos operates as a family, and when we are forced to let go of someone for economic reasons, it feels like selling a limb (it sucks). This was especially the case letting go of Rich Medina. Rich tore the roof off of Santos on many occasions over the last year and a half. We all love and respect what he is, as an artist and a man. Times being what they are financially, we were forced to trim back our roster on Fridays and re-appropriate resources to other areas. This was solely the decision of the club; its owners and managers. For the record, Q-tip was not involved at all in the decision to let rich go, despite rumors to the contrary. We were also forced to switch up our Saturday residency with Eamon Harkin and Justin Carter (which brought us, in many way our dream line up- I mean Moodyman and Egyptian Lover on the same night, what???) and Thursday with DJ Spinna, maybe the best DJ in NYC. Both Journey and Mister Saturday Night were in-house staff favorites, unfortunately they just weren't economically feasible.

For 2010, we've got a lot of surprises in store for NYC. Santos Party House, has only begun its journey. Stay Tuned. Happy Holidays and best of luck to everyone in the new year.

Love,
Santos