Bohemian Hall and Beer Garden is defending its 9/11 “Silent Disco for Unity & Support” after furious backlash over the event’s tone, its AI-generated promotional flier, and the venue’s decision to donate only a fraction of proceeds to charity.
The Astoria, Queens establishment held the headphone-based dance party last Friday, marking the 25th anniversary of the terrorist attacks that killed nearly 3,000 people in Manhattan. The event promised “music, unity and remembrance” on a day typically observed with solemn ceremonies across New York City.
Wil Roth made his displeasure known through a one-star Google review posted Saturday. “Incredibly gross dance event,” he wrote. “Don’t pretend this tasteless, insensitive event and response was about anyone but yourselves.”
The promotional material for the gathering drew particular scorn. The Instagram flier featured what appeared to be an AI-generated skyline that did not actually depict Manhattan, accompanied by language about “dancing with intention” that struck many as bizarrely mismatched to the occasion of national mourning.
The business pushed back hard against mounting criticism. “Everyone is entitled to their opinion, but we stand firmly behind our team and this post,” the venue claimed in a social media statement. The business added that the event flyer was “designed by a U.S. Army veteran on our staff using AI tools to bring the project together.”
The beer garden framed the event as active commemoration rather than exploitation. “We could have done a ton of different things today or nothing at all in remembrance of 9/11,” Bohemian Hall said. “We however wanted to do something.”
That explanation fell flat with many online observers. “This cannot be real. They have to be f–king with us,” a fed-up Reddit user said of the beer garden’s response.
Another forum user wrote, “I still can’t believe how gross this poster is and that they doubled down on defending it.”
The charitable component of the event also fueled anger. While the venue positioned the gathering as supporting a cause, only 20% of proceeds were earmarked for donation, leaving the majority of revenue from the $25 admission in the business’s hands.
Someone else said, “They are being patronizing assholes here, and flexing MILITARY + AI is hilarious.”
The controversy highlights the precarious position of businesses attempting to mark solemn anniversaries, particularly in New York City where the attacks remain deeply personal for thousands of families and first responders. The combination of a dance party format, AI-generated imagery of the wrong skyline, a minimal charitable contribution, and a defiant public stance created a perfect storm of outrage that continued to churn across social media platforms through the weekend.
The beer garden occupies a notable place in Queens history as one of the oldest beer gardens in New York City, founded by Czech immigrants in the early 20th century. Its traditional role as a community gathering space made the 9/11 disco promotion particularly jarring to critics who expected more restrained commemoration from a neighborhood institution.
The venue has not announced any additional 9/11-themed programming.