BUSHWICK — This Bushwick loft party might feel a little political.
Steve "Steve Five" Panovich, 36, who has thrown parties for his band and others for years in his Bushwick loft, is using the space on Forrest Street near Flushing Avenue for a different kind of gathering on Wednesday — a volunteer event for Democratic presidential candidate and Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders.
Brooklyn Soda Works, a local soda company with cold-pressed juice, will be donating beverages. Panovich has personally screenprinted posters and other merchandise that partygoers can buy for a small donation.
And Panovich has created a whole "Go Bernie" mix to play over his PA system, with songs like "The Revolution Will Not Be Televised" and "People Have the Power."
More than 100 people are signed up to go, making it one of the biggest Bernie Sanders volunteer events in the area.
"It’s a volunteer organizing meeting," Panovich said. "I just wanted to make sure it was fun for everyone."
Sanders, a self-described socialist who's running to the political left of frontrunner Hillary Clinton, will be doing a livestream to thousands of volunteer events happening across the country on Wednesday, which will be projected onto a wall at Panovich's volunteer party.
More than 60 events are happening on Wednesday in New York City to coincide with the livestream, with many smaller ones taking place in people's apartments or backyards.
But Panovich's event filled up within a week, he said.
"Mine ended up being one of the bigger ones because I have more space," he said.
Panovich hopes his gathering results in more active volunteers for Sanders.
Panovich believes that Sanders, who says he doesn't take corporate money, is a "lone voice in Washington" who will turn around income inequality in the country, he said.
Getting grassroots support is critical, Panovich said, and he hopes that other Bushwick residents feel the same way.
"Basically, all of the other candidates — and I mean every single one, Republican or Democrat, Hillary — all of them have corporate backing," Panovich said. "And Bernie has us. He has 100 people in a loft."
