TikTok inspires new artist faceoff event series at Farmingdale bar

Britney Spears or Lady Gaga? Taylor Swift or Ariana Grande? You choose at "Versus Versus" — a new DJ concept that is being spun monthly at the Nutty Irishman in Farmingdale. Here the music of two artists is showcased side-by-side with a large amount of participation.

"There will be a variety of songs played from both artists’ catalogs making it a big dance party," says Mike Marra, Nutty’s marketing partner. "This event has full involvement by the crowd to belt out the songs they love to sing."

HOW IT WORKS

Max Sisalli aka DJ Milli serves as the emcee of the evening, which is a showdown between two artists using the attendees as a barometer.

"I’ll play a mix of hits and fan favorites during lyrical sing-offs and dance competitions," says Sisalli of Massapequa. "It’s almost like a pep rally."

This event was created due to the popularity of TikTok and people wanting full engagement in the music.

"During the pandemic, TikTok just blew up and it has positively impacted the bar industry for events like this," says Nutty’s marketing coordinator Karina Costello. "Fans get so passionate about these artists and it’s exciting for them to represent who they love."

BRITNEY vs. GAGA

On the opening night of the series, Spears faces off against Gaga in a pop star battle royale. Nicole Weglarz, 23, and Brianna Hartman, 25, came in from Bay Shore to show their support for Spears.

"Britney is big with our generation. Her music is very upbeat and easy to dance to," says Weglarz. "Wherever you go, Britney is always everywhere. She’s iconic."

Meanwhile, Josh Fernandez, 23, of Coram is on the dance floor getting down to Gaga’s "LoveGame."

"I love Gaga’s style and the way she throws herself out there without a care in the world," he says. "She’s all about good vibes!"

In between spins, DJ Milli gets on the mic and tests the temperature of the room. "How many Britney fans do we have out there? Where are my Gaga fans at?" he shouts. "If you know the words — LET’S GO!"

Cheyenne Wyatt, 27, of Bellport sings along to her favorite Spears’ song, "Toxic" with her sister Chanel Rose, 24.

"I’ve followed Britney since I was little," she says. "I remember watching the ‘Oops! … I Did It Again’ video over and over. I even performed the song in a 6th grade talent show."

Both Stefanie Bloom, 38, of South Setauket and Michelle Giuffrida, 37 of Mount Sinai bond over Britney.

"Tonight, we are going back to when we were 16," says Bloom, who saw Spears in concert at Nassau Coliseum, Madison Square Garden and Las Vegas. Giuffrida adds, "We love all her songs. It’s so hard to pick a favorite."

After receiving song requests via Instagram, DJ Milli turns the spotlight on the talent in the crowd by asking, "Who has the best voice? I’ll give you the mic!"

Giovanna Petralix, 30, of Massapequa isn't shy about stepping forward to hit the notes on Gaga’s 2009 hit, "Bad Romance." Vinnie LaFerrera, 21, of North Babylon takes a turn as well. LaFerrera is a Gaga super fan donning a concert T-shirt from the 2019 "Enigma" show he saw in Las Vegas as well as a silver spiked collar around his neck.

"Lady Gaga does everything: acting, singing, fashion and philanthropy," he says. "She’s a legend."

However, it becomes quite evident that the Britney Army is overtaking Gaga’s Little Monsters in Farmingdale as the crowd explodes when Nicole Cummins, 22, of Rockville Centre sings the 2000 hit, "Lucky."

UP NEXT

In the future, the Nutty plans on holding a "Versus Versus" event once a month showcasing a variety of artists. Next up is Taylor Swift vs. Ariana Grande on Jan. 7.

"We think this concept could be something really cool going forward," says Marra. "The plan is to experiment with a variety of musical genres from pop to hip-hop to rock-n-roll."

By David J. Criblez

david.criblez@newsday.comDavidJCriblez

David J. Criblez is a reporter for Newsday's exploreLI, covering entertainment-related events from local music to stand-up comedy to festivals.