In the spirit of the great heroes of Prohibition — the gangsters, boot leggers, and organized crime bosses who kept alcohol flowing during dry times — LVHRD invited New York’s “modern day gangsters” (those counter-cultural groups, organizations and publications who festively embody similar ideas of change) to celebrate this year’s Dewar’s Repeal Day on Tuesday, December 5th, 2006.

On Monday, December 4th, 1930s-era “newsies” dropped off brown paper packages to the offices of the chosen gang leaders throughout NYC. Each package contained arm bands unique to the gang leader for distribution to their gang members. On Tuesday, gang leaders received a phone call or a text message, directing them to a street corner in SoHo, Little Italy, or the LES, where they were greeted by shady figures in fedoras and trench coats. When all guests were present, a limo collected the invitees and dropped them off at The Players Club on Gramercy Park for a private, invitation-only event. The historic venue, once the home of actor Edwin Booth, brother of infamous John Wilkes Booth, was founded to host and entertain the scores of thespians that visited the city during his time. The area was vast and rich with history and hiding places.

Each guest was given a pouch of gambling chips and encouraged to “beg, borrow, cheat and steal” to earn as many chips as possible for their respective gang. Arm wrestling tables, poker tables, blackjack tables and bookies provided the creative outlets needed for chips to fly. Gang rivalries were rampant as The Onion and The New York Post, Alvin Ailey and American Ballet Theater dancers, Flavorpill and DailyCandy, and others stepped up to the arm wrestling table to settle old scores.

Dewar’s provided a variety of complimentary cocktails unique to the era.

Mr. Murray Hill hosted the event, with burlesque performances by Harvest Moon and Peekaboo Pointe, as well as a surprise performance by band The Rosewood Thieves, who played songs from their new EP, From the Decker House.

LVHRD would like to thank Dewar’s, the first whisky to arrive on US shores following the repeal of the 18th Amendment, whose support made this celebration possible.