Article mixed and danced to by Conrad Seaman and Brandon Dove
For those that like electronic music (mainly techno, house and breaks) one bar has for years offered up a healthy platter of beats to meet our needs and fuel our early morning desires. Parked near the corner of Richmond and Peter streets in downtown Toronto System Soundbar has been a staple in the club goers diet since raves left the warehouse and moved into buildings with toilets. She wasn’t a pretty club. But she did represent most of what we liked. Tolerant staff, reasonably priced drinks, great performers, acceptable sound and perhaps most important of all people who knew why they were there and who was playing.
For better or worse the era of System Soundbar ended on Dec 31st, 2005. New Years marked the last event befitting the name. Rumor has it that the owners sold the club off to an outfit that had “Top 40 Kings” stitched in their camouflage hats and wore low slung pants full of RnB.
Though our numbers may have dwindled over the years there was always a full house. So the question on our minds in 2006 was who would replace System? Would we be engulfed by the mega clubs and shunted into back rooms? Or would we find a new home?
A few months in club land and things appear to have shaken themselves out. So who are the new kids on the block?
This Is London:
Sporting an entrance down an alley way just north-west of Richmond and Peter this club isn’t brand new, but it has taken a queue from the market and taken some of the slack from System. The novelty here is that it’s a “private club”. Upon entrance you’re handed a “members pass” to the club and you’re now free to whip out those cancer sticks and party all night long. Just beware that the cover price can be subject to change.
The club is overly pretentious. The crowd tends to be a healthy mix of those that know what’s going on and those that stumbled in from the 905 with their gold collars and bronze skin showing. I just hate to tell them that ordering bottles in their private booth isn’t nearly as hip as it seems.
That said the club is doing an admirable job of letting the club let loose for more underground events. The sound is clear and strong without going overboard. The staff are reasonable. The bathrooms are fantastic. I encourage the ladies to actually make a trip to the washroom rather than avoid it.
One physical problem that plagues the club is that the dance floor is raised by about 2 inches. Unless you’re willing to ram yourself into the middle of all that bronze skin it can feel like you’ve been left on the sidelines. It is good for stretching your calf muscles on though.
Footwork:
Footwork is doing it’s best to bring a good crowd just a little further west than the rest. It’s working.
The club was started by the folks responsible for the infamous 99 Sudbury parties in 2003/2004. As a truly grass roots affair they’ve made their mistakes and it’s been a slow start. What they do know is how to throw a proper party. They’ve just had trouble getting the word out.
A back alley entrance off of Brant street puts you in the mood and helps you forget that this is just an office building at the front. The people that find there way here generally know up from down and who is making the music happen. Pretense here is low or non-existent. Drinks are a reasonable price. Cover is generally about $15 but that depends on the headliner. That buys you clean sound, fair staff, passable washrooms, and a good night.
With a more homely and personal appeal than System this club has truly found a way to cater to those that appreciate a little respect and a good space. The club avoids the sometimes dreaded crossover crowd from other clubs while at the same time keeping the chin rubbing snob attitudes at the door.
Drake Underground:
While the suckers in their suit jackets line up outside to get into the Drake a whole new set of events have found their way into the basement. Our little secret is that you just tell them you’re headed for the underground. In you go. Just try to keep that smirk off your face as you bypass the line.
The money that has poured out of pockets upstairs has found a new home downstairs. With 3 overhead projectors, a huge LCD TV and a lowered dance floor this is a basement with some attitude. The sound is good, the visuals are top notch. The dance floor and furniture are befitting of the space. The only complaint is a tendency for traffic jams on the stairs and very few places to rest your drink.
Events here are still sparse, but should pick up as the virtues of the venue and professional staff are discovered. Crossover crowds from the hotel upstairs can be a bit of a downer and drink prices are astronomical. However, the sound, space and energy of the space make up for it. This little bar is just waiting for a bigger name DJ to do a small club jam.
Keep an eye out for our next installments where we plan to profile some local talents and smaller events.
FOOTWORK
425 ADELAIDE STREET WEST
WWW.FOOTWORKBAR.COM
The Drake Hotel
1150 Queen Street West
http://www.thedrakehotel.ca
This Is London
364 Richmond Street W.
http://www.thisislondonclub.com/
