Eli Escobar, Vivian Wang, Planet B, SMURFOUDIRTY - Dead Letter No.9

About the experience

Mark your calendars! Saturday, February 21st, Dead Letter No.9 welcomes the one and only Eli Escobar to CARGO for a proper, no-frills, all-feels takeover. For more than two decades, Eli has been soundtracking this city from late nights to lost mornings and endless summers. Eli’s music embodies the grit, soul, and energy of the city that raised him. A DJ’s DJ, producer’s producer, and lifelong vinyl collector, Eli moves effortlessly between house, disco, techno, and beyond with the kind of instinct that only comes from real New York miles. His releases on Classic Music Company, Permanent Vacation, and his own Night People imprint have made him a global favorite, while 2024 proved he’s still pushing forward from the shimmering Fixed Our Love EP with Queenie, to the genre-bending Too Tired to Sleep / Awake, to the deeply personal Airplane Album, featuring collaborations and remixes from AceMo and Cor.Ece. Eli’s legacy is written in the rooms he’s held down for years, from long-running residencies at House of Yes to the iconic Dance Dance Dance nights at Le Bain, where he helped define a generation of NYC club culture. And then there’s Tiki Disco. What started in 2010 as a backyard party with Andy Pry Ortega and Lloydski has grown into one of New York’s most beloved traditions. Sun-drenched, feel-good, all-day celebrations of disco and house, Tiki Disco turned outdoor dance floors into community rituals and summer into a state of mind. Now entering its second decade, it remains a cornerstone of NYC nightlife. Eli’s sets are raw, soulful, and unpretentious, driven by deep knowledge and pure love for the music. In December 2023 he expanded his vision with the opening of Gabriela, a venue created to nurture connection, creativity, and sound. Whether in the studio, at his residencies, or leading a packed dance floor, Eli Escobar remains a defining force in NYC. Don't miss his set in CARGO 12AM-3AM ! Opening CARGO 10PM–12AM: VIVIAN WANG Beijing-born and NYC-based, Vivian Wang is a fearless, genre-defying selector known for sets that move fast, hit hard, and refuse to sit still. Blending rare vinyl gems with sharp original edits and productions, she builds high-energy journeys that pull from house, techno, disco, and global sounds without ever being boxed in. For Vivian, music is liberation a means of expression and connection shaped by a life lived across cultures and continents. That spirit translates directly to the dance floor, where her joyful, unfiltered energy is impossible to miss. A rising force in the scene, she’s shared stages with legends like Danny Tenaglia, Juan Atkins, and David Morales, and continues to push forward through releases on Brooklyn Sway and her community-driven work with the Freshly Pressed fundraising series. In the Foyer 9PM–3AM: PLANET B & SMURFOUDIRTY Up front all night, we hand the booth to two NYC favorites who know how to keep a room loose and moving. Planet B brings his signature mix of house, disco, funk, and soul a sound shaped by residencies at House of Yes, Le Bain, plus standout all-nighters atGabriela, Good Room and Nightmoves. Warm, playful, and effortlessly danceable, his sets are built for movers. Alongside him, Smurfoudirty steps in with deep musical DNA: son of funk powerhouse Dennis “Menace” Weeden (Bootsy Collins, Parliament, Taana Gardner, Gwen McCrae) and grandson of jazz legend Terry Pollard, Detroit Rock & Roll Hall of Famer and American jazz icon. With lineage like that, it’s no surprise his sets overflow with soulful house, classic joints, and irresistible rhythm. A steady force in NYC nightlife for over a decade, he brings heritage, instinct, and pure dance-floor magnetism to the booth. Free Before 10PM w/ RSVP | 21 + Venue opens at 5PM | Happy Hour 5PM-8PM | Music at 9PM Backpacks and large bags are not permitted inside the venue and are subject to mandatory coat check.