If you regularly attend shows in Brooklyn, you probably know that Avant Gardner — the large venue which houses a popular club, the Brooklyn Mirage — doesn’t have the best safety reputation. The East Williamsburg spot became infamous in summer 2023 after two men left separate shows there and were later found dead in the nearby creek. Both deaths were ruled drownings, but the Mirage is not the type of place you want to be when you’re alone and intoxicated; it’s in an industrial, poorly lit area where cell service is spotty and flagging down a car home can be tricky. The Avant Gardner team also puts on the Electric Zoo festival on Randall’s Island, which was nothing short of a total shitshow last year. Time for a new CEO!

Avant Gardner hired Josh Wyatt as their new chief executive in October, and this week, he announced his $10 million plan to overhaul the Brooklyn Mirage. Most importantly, the plan includes a bigger team of “guest ambassadors” in and around the venue. These ambassadors will be trained to administer Narcan, which reverses overdoses. Wyatt also says the city approved Avant Gardner to install more wifi and cell towers in the area, and that they’ve coordinated with rideshare companies to create better pick-up and drop-off spots. They’re also making the Mirage’s dance floor bigger and upgrading the sound system, which won’t save lives but should make going there slightly more pleasant.

See Wyatt’s social media statement about the changes below.

 

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