When it comes to clubland, are the parties you play at proper? Miss Raquel defines proper partying across Canada and chats further with Shaun Proulx:
My friends and I have a saying about partying. “Proper”, we say, when describing a venue or event we feel is run and put together professionally with care. There’s partying and then there’s proper partying. I don’t think you get to fully understanding proper until you’ve had at least four to five years experience under your dancing shoes.
It’s about knowing what you like and how to seek it out. Picking the venue to spend your hard-earned money and precious time at, their sound system, the calibre of the DJ(s) booked, and the price for drinks are all part of the proper process that makes a great night out.
When it comes to the most proper city to party in, I’ve been to many different venues in cities around the world; for me Montreal is proper. It was a trip there in April that was the reminder to me what exactly proper partying is.
Montreal club Stereo’s sound system, for example, is constructed from a DJ’s perspective (Angel Moraes) and delivers delicate pounding sound waves that let you talk while being right in front of the speakers. They don’t allow gum inside the venue. The floor is so clean and sheen you could eat off it (seriously). There’s vending machines not bartenders (although there is one on the upper level) selling water, pop and energy drinks to quench your thirst. And the calibres of DJs who play there are high: Steve Lawler, Danny Tenaglia, D-Unity, for example.
Toronto has many proper venues such as Footwork, fly Nightclub, Wrongbar, Stone Lounge, Sound Academy, and The Guvernment for example. It’s too bad thought that several venues in Toronto fall short in too many areas such as cover charges way too high for what you get (bad sound, bad service, etc.), and the same DJs all the time (or hearing ones that don’t understand the concept of programming). And then there are those venues which are downright dirty, with filthy washrooms, or wet floors. These places aren’t exactly the type that should be asking for $20 or $30 at the door.
Now that I’m a senior in proper partying – and damn proud of it – I lean towards smaller venues that have lasted in the scene for some time. They step outside the musical box and book all kinds of electronic music talent, the kind of talent which doesn’t always get the chance to play but should, club cool politics be damned.
Across Canada there are many proper places to party. In Calgary there’s the Warehouse, in St. John’s, Newfoundland there’s Liquid, but for best in Canada Montreal is where it’s at.
It’s proper.
