Vintage Jazz for Holiday Party at Back Room Speakeasy NYC
Svetlana and the Delancey Five were invited to provide musical entertainment for a holiday party at the Historic Back Room Speakeasy in New York City. Holidays in NYC are a magical time and we were excited to join in the fun at one of the most magical venues we know. After all, there's nothing in the city that could compare to playing our vintage jazz at one of NYC's top secret venues for jazz and entertainment: the historic Back Room Speakeasy!
Back Room is where we've played our weekly roaring 20s vintage jazz concerts every Monday since 2012. The front of the speakeasy is the Lower East Side Toy Company, on Norfolk Street between Delancey and Rivington. Not everything in NYC is as it appears, though, and this serves as a ‘fake front’ for the Backroom Bar, a contemporary NYC speakeasy with roots that date back to Prohibition. Back Room had a real business operating in conjunction with the speakeasy during the Prohibition era - Ratner’s restaurant, another Lower East Side institution that opened up in 1908 and moved to Delancey Street just before the Volstead Act took effect.
The Kosher restaurant was seen as a culinary complement to another neighborhood icon, Katz’s Deli. But its back room held many secrets, as it served illegal alcohol to members of the criminal underworld who filtered in daily. The gangsters of the area would have meetings there – Meyer Lansky, Bugsy Siegel, Lucky Lucciano and more! Ratner’s Back Room sat near the apex of three separate buildings, and offered countless ways out. There were exits from the speakeasy onto Suffolk, Norfolk and Delancey streets, allowing whoever needed it to make a quick getaway. As the neighborhood has changed over time, many places that existed for years are no longer there. That's what makes Back Room Speakeasy one of the best bars in NYC. Its rich history stands the test of time, creating a vibrant atmosphere where patrons can experience the days of 20s jazz and illicit cocktails for themselves.
The current speakeasy’s back, back room exists in the form of a VIP space hidden behind a rotating bookcase. Back in the day, this room had four exits of its own! Now, patrons descend a flight of stairs from the street and walk through a tunnel before entering through a back door. The bar atmosphere strives for authenticity and has a mix of authentic vintage items mixed with replicas. You'll find original moving picture Mutoscopes and a vintage cigarette dispenser mixed in with replicas of the 1920s period chandeliers, hardwoods and paisley accents!
Thanks to this authentic atmosphere, many upscale companies choose Back Room to host their special events and holiday parties. And when they do, guests have the opportunity to enjoy our vintage jazz music, as we get to play all these events since we're the official house band of the legendary Back Room Speakeasy!
On that night of the holiday party we played, the theme of the evening was Roaring 20s. Both the guests and the band were decked out in their vintage best, and the band was invited to add its elegant upbeat music to enhance the authentic New York vintage mood of the event. The guests loved our upbeat swing music and vintage jazz selections - everyone was dressed the part and enjoyed the music on the dance floor and off.
Contact Svetlana to plan your next event with vintage and classic jazz music. Whether an intimate jazz trio, a larger swing band or even a full size big band, we bring classy, Old New York to every special event. You won't be able to get your guests off the dance floor!