This is a great interview from a couple of years ago with Stuart Li by Little White Earbuds. In a city where different sounds were always mixed up back in the day, we’ve also been feeling this way for a while now…
Toronto doesn’t have the name recognition in dance music of, say, Chicago or Detroit. What was the scene like when you were coming up, and what’s happening dance music wise in Toronto today? Stuart Li:From my experience (not to say that I’m an authority on the subject) Toronto may not have been an emanating source of dance music but it was a point of convergence and absorption. That is to say there wasn’t a definitive Toronto sound (of course we had a few known exports like Nick Holder, Strobe Records, Stickmen, etc.) but being in-between Chicago, Detroit and New York we took in all the influences and sounds coming from those places. Europe too had an influence on Toronto, not just musically but a lot of British expat DJs and promoters would pass on their knowledge of European club culture to the city. I was too young to go clubbing in the late 80′s (the main club at that time was Twilight Zone, which was described as Toronto’s answer to the Paradise Garage or the Warehouse). However, I discovered dance music through the local college stations on shows like Dave’s Dance Music (they would play a wide range of music including house, hip-hop, electro, R ‘n B and freestyle). When I was going out in the early 90s’ there was a big warehouse scene (some of the DJs were Mark & Aki, Dino & Terry, and PTS). You would hear a spectrum of house music from jacking Chicago, to deep Detroit house & techno to “vocal garage” and also the rougher styles (think Todd Terry) from New York. The crowd was mixed, a large percentage gay and very much into music. It was definitely a liberating experience. From about the mid-90′s as the sound was getting bumpier and harder I exited house music for a bit and got into jazz, soul, disco and so on. I was more into the soulful end of things and excited about finding out the source material for a lot of the samples in house and hip-hop. I did eventually find my way back to house during the late 90′s and early millennium with a revival of sorts in Toronto (it was the time of Roy Davis Jr., Spiritual Life, Ibadan, Body n Soul, Ron Trent re-emerging, Moodymann and Theo of course). Almost fittingly, I kept traveling back in time back to my roots and ended up getting back into Chicago and Detroit influenced material.… There are a couple of good small and medium clubs with good programming. Most of the good nights though are loft/warehouse style and after hour parties with local DJs. There are nights for those that like it soulful and nights for those that like it bumpy or techy. But I wish there was a bit more mixture and a night with a wider spectrum of deep sounds.
(Read the full article here)
(Source: d0zed-off, via morwenliikuma)
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Jeff Graham joins Ali Black tonight, spinnin’ some vinyl at Nite Beat Radio! Tune in today 9:00 - 11:00 PM EST for a lil STFU & DANCE Warm Up! https://dubplate.fm/ :: Urban Boogie Channel 
JACK APPROVED EVENT :: Email lettherebehouse.ca@gmail.com for REDUCED LIST & LOCATION DJ Set Times for tonight :: Gcue 10-1230 Dinamo Azari 1230- 2 Gene Farris 2-5 Dirty Dale 5-close Revised Admission with RSVP: $15 before 12am $20 ALL NIGHT WITH RSVP MORE AFTER 2 
JACK APPROVED EVENT :: Email lettherebehouse.ca@gmail.com for REDUCED LIST & LOCATION
It’s a Disco Party! It’s a Techno Party! It’s a Classics Party! It’s a Soulful Party!
IT’S A PLAYING - WHATEVER - THE - F*CK- THEY - WANT- PARTY
Playing what they want. However they want. (Yes, that includes those things called records).
:: SURPRISE GOODIES ALL NIGHT LONG ::
:: GOING DEEP TIL 4AM ::
Join the Facebook Event Group HERE
We’re baaaaaa-aaccckkkkkkk!!!!!
Every party, and every post, we bring to you the best in House Music. Going DEEP in every and any direction. A recurring genre discussion has been of particular annoyance, and as of late, I have endured it way too many times. So, pardon my french but just …
STFU & DANCE. Til 4 AM :)
Back to an old stomping ground.
With some new souped up sound.
PLAYING HOUSE MUSIC ALL NIGHT LONG.
EXPECT ANYTHING AND EVERYTHING :: LET THERE BE HOUSE
My brother, on Facebook, just uploaded a picture of the 43 bus stop at Kennedy Station.
Looks like the hockey-craze has finally hit Toronto again. Go Leafs Go.
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Sweet Tears Radio #2 - The Lost Mix Tapes (1996) Tyrone Solomon (PTS, 83 West Productions) Side A by Sweet Tears on Mixcloud
When we heard Tyrone was looking for a tape deck, we knew what was up… A buried treasure, unearthed by the man responsible for the mixing, Toronto House Music Legend, Mr. Tyrone Solomon. He’ll be dropping joints like this alongside DJ Starting From Scratch with live percussion by The Guru Bros., Saturday Apr. 27th @ B-1 Lounge in Toronto, for Sweet Tears: DEVOTION - The All Classics Party! 
Some cool #artwork on the walls of #Entrinsic’s office. #agency #socialmedia #party #jam #music #dancing #trippyart #visualart #style #cartoonlike #paint #toronto
when u hear your favorite song
but it turns out to be the remix
#TrueStoryBro
(via givemesomevintageish)
Footage from The Social Experiment, Toronto. November 23rd, 2012 @ Moskito. Hopefully there’s some footage by No19 from WMC 2013. We DO have some clips, but we were having too much fun, we said screw it and went back to the dance floor!!! It was just TOO GOOD to not enjoy it and just dance the night away … But here’s a good 50 mins from the T.O edition of the Social Experiment. 
I recently went to check out Ms. Badu at the Koolhaus and to my surprise, THE DJ WAS SUPER DOPE! I wasn’t too familiar with DJ A1 of The Cannabinoids, but I was completely impressed with the way he jammed and warmed up the crowd in T.O (Which is a very hard thing to do, we are The Screwface afterall). I am def a new fan of A1 ,and to my delight he recently dropped a J.Dilla House Breaks collection. How appropriate. Read the review on Erykah’s show here.
