I didn't waste much time after the Beastie Boys show to walk to Republik to catch MMM. Got to the club around 11ish and waited about a half hour to get in. I've wanted to go to this club since it originally opened because it looked like a million bucks and then some, but the plans never developed. So here I was, at another opening for the club.

I'll say straight away that I usually don't care for clubs with really nice decor. I love CZ and The Phoenix among others because they don't strive to be fancy. I think most people on here will agree that they really enjoy the dirty/gritty feel that some of the clubs in TO have. That being said, it is nice to check out a club every now and again that has eye candy all around. Having never been here before, I don't really know what parts of the club were new. I did recognize alot from the original pictures of the club before the grand opening, so I know they didn't change it all that much.

I entered through the 'vision' side room. Not sure who was spinning here, but he was banging out some pretty decent house tracks. Very nice looking club so far. I was surprised they had a decent laser system setup in a side room. It was difficult to keep walking to the main room where I knew my old favourite club music (new rock/alternative) was playing.

The main room was something else. Can we say "obsessed with plasma TVs"? They look cool though. After taking a look around the room from where I was standing and took in all the technology that was sitting in this room I couldn't help but think that they were trying too hard to impress people. Bah.. I was sold. The place looks really great. From non-intelligent lighting installed into the walls to the hordes of moving lights hanging from the trusses that hold the TVs to the surrounding fiber optic curtains to the impressive lasers and large screen located at the back of the room to the intelligent indoor waterfall. Hell, the bars even had small TVs telling you to vote their bartenders for some awards thing. At last call, those same TVs countdown to the second how much longer you have to by booze.

Now.. to what grinds my gears about this club. First and foremost.. I don't know if it was just this special night or whatever, but there was absolutely no place to sit down in both the main room or the vision room unless you you had bottle service or vip. I found out later that room in the middle on the 2nd floor was actually a designated smoking area. I originally thought it was another vip area, considering it's nice view of the whole club and the fact that there was a bouncer at the top and bottom of the stairs. This room was also really cool as well. A nice place to hang out and have a smoke/drink or dance to the rooms own dj if you want to (with no real main dancefloor). I really loved the lighting in here too. It obviously wasn't going to the music at all, but it was still moving and was fun to just sit there and watch.. for me, anyways.

The other horrible thing at this club.. DJ Schwarma. My god. I've been listening to this guy on 102.1 The Edge (used to fill in at The Phoenix/Velvet Underground and now he has two of his own live-to-airs) for quite some time and he has always been beyond miserable at mixing. He literally can't even master dropping a song in cold when another one finished. Throw away the fact that he will drop a song over another like you would if you were beat mixing, but they are so far apart in tempo it's just an instant train wreck. I'd say I don't understand how he has two live to air shows when he shouldn't even be allowed out of his house with a binder of cds, but then I think of who he probably knows and who he's best friends with. If you don't believe me.. tune into the The Edge Friday nights 2-3AM and Saturday nights 2-3AM. I'd love to hear your feedback.

Moving on to why I'm at Republik. Mix Master Mike. WOWOWOWOW!!! What a maniac! I had no idea I was getting into this. He really is a mix master!! The stuff he was pulling off would be something I'd normally listen to and say "I wonder how long it took to do that in the prod studio". Even better was that they had a camera man on him all night and the feed was broadcast to all those plasma TVs hovering across the dancefloor. This solo set of his owned the Beastie Boys live show in my opinion. Some of the remixes he did on the fly was un-fucking-believable. Bohemian Rhapsody anyone?!?

To close things out.. if MMM is ever back in TO. I'm fucking going. The videos I have don't do him justice, but are still worth the watch. The best part about his music style is.. he doesn't have one. He was literally all over the place for the whole set. You never knew what to expect. So glad I went to this. I implore all of you to go and see him the next time he rolls through town. You will NOT regret it! I give him a 9/10 only because his set was only a tad over 1 hour. Damn non-after hours clubs.


The vids


DJ Schwarma opens for Mix Master Mike: Disturbed Down with the Sickness/The Offspring - Bad Habit
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SgjYWgBwTyo

DJ Schwarma opens for Mix Master Mike: MSTRKRFT - Easy Love
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gceslThOxYg

Mix Master Mike: Remixing Fatboy Slim - Gangster Tripping
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ArK8OMvfbfo

Mix Master Mike: Remixing Blur - Song 2/Queen - Bohemian Rhapsody/More
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3b6pwO44lgM

Inside the "Vision" room with lasers: Eric Prydz vs. Fedde Le Grand - Put Your Hands Up For Proper Education
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1YJVOmWL5hI

Inside the "Vision" room with lasers: David Guetta ft Chris Willis - Love Is Gone [Fred Rister & Joachim Garraud Remix]
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1IW24mmrgIw

Inside the Designated Smoking Room: Oivier Giacomotto - Gail In The O [John Acquaviva & Damon Jee Remix]
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hh-fWa4Z3bI

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