A DJs First Aid Kit: Top 4 Tips That Can Save Your Night!

Here is a list of precautions that you should take to your next gig!

1.  AUX

Bring an RCA to an AUX cable that you can connect from a channel on the mixer to your phone.  Create a bangin’ pre-mix (depending on what venue you are playing at) and have it playing for the whole night with the channel down.  If you run into technical difficulty and your music stops (Serato, USB, CDs, Vinyl,etc) you can just quickly put up the channel and have no dead air at the club.

2.  Bring USBs (For Serato Users)

If you are a Serato user make sure to bring USBs with music on them.  You never know when your laptop can and will crash on you.  Sometimes a quick restart will fix the issue, but it is possible to have a laptop die on you at the club.

3.  Internal vs. External Hard Drives

You can never rely on any piece of equipment, especially hard drives!  Anyone using an external hard drive while running Serato should always make sure to have a few crates loaded with music from your internal hard drive.  This will be life saving incase of any external drive corruptions.

4.  Bring a Premix CD

You can never go wrong with carrying a premix c.d.  This will prepare you for any worst case scenario. I suggest you create a mix that can hold down a crowd for the whole night.

There you go guys, hopefully these tips can help you avoid any silence at a club!  If you enjoyed this article please support our Facebook page!

The BPM Festival: By Pass Miami

The headline says it all! Maybe that’s not exactly what it stands for, but as the Ultra Music Festival gets infested with teeny bopper crowds and predictable track listings, the spotlight drifts away from Miami and lands on Playa del Carmen, Mexico. Founded by Craig Pettigrew and Philip Pulitano, the BPM Festival is an annual ten day and night electronic music festival. The festival has been home to some of the greatest DJs such as Tiesto, Mark Knight, Nic Fanciulli, Steve Angello, Carl Cox, Loco Dice and Luciano, to name a few. With over 150 DJs and 50 events, the BPM Festival has a little bit of everything for everyone.

 Top 5 tips to help you with your trip to the BPM Festival.

1.  Where to Stay?

Mark Symes is the realtor to know.  He resides in Toronto and offers a high end stay in a high end villa.  As you leave your hotel, you are a 5 minute walk to the beach.  At night, you are a walks away from the downtown district.  This beautiful location is in the heart of The BPM Festival.  The condo is not an all inclusive, so you will have to prepare your own meals but it’s well worth it.  Don’t forget, other condos that offer an all inclusive package are away from the party. Although they’re all inclusive, the chances of you eating there are slim to none because you will be out and about. Don’t forget, when booking away from the festival you will have to make a budget for cab rides.  Save yourself the cab fare and book with Mark.  He is a class act guy and went out of his way to invite us out on several occasions.  If you are going to book, make sure to give him a call.  He will run you through the ins and outs of the festival!  You can find Mark on Facebook.

2.  Is it worth getting a VIP pass?

YES! Trust me, this is a must. On average the cost of entry for a night out can be anywhere between $25 and $50. You will save yourself a lot time with line ups, and most importantly giving you in and out privileges.

3.  Come with a crew!

In all honesty, I can have fun with just one friend, and of course we met a lot of Torontonian’s, but it makes it much more enjoyable when you can come with a group of friends.  It will make the pre-drinking and the overall experience that much better!

4.  Sleep on the beach at least once!

In 2012, Steve Angello performed an extended set at the Blue Parrot from dusk till dawn.  We made the mistake of going to our hotel and sleeping in for a good six or seven hours after the show.  We regret not laying on the beach and catching some rays.  Of course its dangerous finding yourself sleeping under the sun, but get some SPF and wear a t-shirt and enjoy your vacation.  Remember, The BPM Festival is all about you, not only to enjoy some good music but to have yourself a relaxing vacation.

5.  Musical Ignorance

See as many DJs as you can!  Don’t be close minded. Just because you aren’t familiar with the names that are on the line up, doesn’t mean you shouldn’t go to see them. Don’t be fooled, these DJs have a real talent and don’t compare to the typical “EDM” DJ by any stretch of the imagination.

We hope we gave you a better understanding of the ins and outs of the BPM Festival!  Please support us by liking us on Facebook!

Top 10 Clubs In Downtown Toronto – You Decide!

Don’t you always wonder how the results of a poll tally up?  It’s your time to let us know which clubs deserve to be on the Top 10 in Toronto.  With local “night club award shows” that seem to be predetermined through the amount of advertising budgets nightclubs give them, we are here to put together a non-altered Top Ten in Toronto!  Let your vote be based on your overall experience at the club. (Appearance, DJ, Hospitality, Drinks, etc)

See the results live and help us compile the Top 10 clubs in Toronto!

Check us out on Facebook and feel free to write a review on www.MyClubAdvisor.com

A Trip Down Memory Lane: Toronto Nightclub Flyers From 12 Years Ago!

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Here is our collection of Toronto Nightclub flyers from over ten years ago!  Let us take you down memory lane.  If anybody has old flyers they would like to share with us please e-mail info@myclubadvisor.com

Put together by: Zyad Suleiman
Flyers provided by: Nathan from Clubbing With Us

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Top 5 Clubs We Wish Were Still Open

What happened to the good ol’ days?  Whether it were the clubs, the music or just life in general!  Here we have captured our five favorite clubs that we wish were still open!

5. Atlantis

This club was notorious for a rotating dance floor above the water, but most importantly, a clear glass fishbowl that kept patrons warm during the winter line ups.

Photo courtesy of BoomsBeat

4. Club Ménage

Long after being closed for over six years, Club Ménage is still known to be one of the greatest legendary clubs in the heart of Downtown Toronto!  Known for its “Wayback Playbacks” hosted by one of Toronto’s most recognized voices, Tony Monaco, Club Ménage has secured a title as one of the longest running Wednesday night parties in the city! Don’t be fooled, clubbers came here religiously and had no issue going to work or school with a hangover the next day.

Photo courtesy of ClubbingWithUs

3. Paparazzi

Despite this club being in Richmond Hill, people from all outskirts of Toronto came here to party.  With the best DJ line up in the city and home to the Z1035 Top 10 at 10 countdown featuring: DJ Pauly P, DJ Danny D, The Hammer and Tony Monaco. These class acts turned this nightclub into Toronto’s hot spot.  Known for its VIP treatment, Paparazzi offered a membership card to its regulars, but not without a price. This luxurious membership card set you back roughly $550; worth every penny!

Photo courtesy of the Canadian Intellectual Property Office

2. Palazzo

Between the original location on the Airport strip, and the relocation to Jane and Highway 7, the name Palazzo should give you a vivid image of what the club was like!  An Italian palace that could fit up to 3,000 people, and open from Thursday to Saturday, Palazzo was known as the Woodbridge ‘hot spot’.  Although they played various genres of music, it was definitely the go-to place for dance music.

Photo courtesy of ClubbingWithUs

1. Meow

Although Meow (also known as “The Pussycat”) was only open for twenty months, it was around long enough to make an impact in the Toronto nightlife community. Just off of Lake Shore Blvd. W., east of Windermere Ave, Meow operated with two floors and had the biggest mirrored disco ball in the city. “Platinum Fridays” and “Purr Saturdays” was home to the exotic masked cat women who swung from the ceiling, together with the go-go dancers who were visible through the windows from outside the club.  This was the very first night club I attended when I was fourteen years old right before it shut its doors on February 5, 2001.

Although I could not find a photo of Meow Nightclub, this is a Google Maps screen shot of where it use to be. 1926 Lakeshore Boulevard

Runners up were: Plastique, Money, Berlin, Helium, Shock, Industry, Limelite, RPM, Orchid, Club Energy, Club 108 and The Docks.

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Small Town, Big Vibes!

I must have heard the saying, “Toronto is too cool for Toronto” too many times to remember.  I have had the privilege to DJ all over the Greater Toronto Area including, small towns and small cities like, Hamilton, Wasaga Beach and Windsor. The difference was night and day.  It was something about the small town crowds that had a high level of energy that you could feed off the entire night. Don’t forget, this is coming from a guy who grew up in the big city, but I discovered the further you get from Toronto the more involved the crowd gets.

It was in 2011 when I had the PRIVILEGE to DJ at Bananas Beach Club in Wasaga Beach. No words can explain the energy these kids gave off.  I wish every club in Toronto (besides the Guvernment, of course) could experience this type of crowd at their venue.  It was just different.  The general clubs in Toronto are filled with different types of people; the ones that mingle, the ones that smoke outside and the ones that dance, but the vibe is just not the same.

It was in 2012 when I held a residency at a club in Hamilton called Rok Bar, host of some of the world’s biggest DJs like, Hardwell, Tommy Trash and Steve Aoki.  Rok Bar is definitely on the Top 3 of my favourite residencies. After a week of studying, you could expect a full house of college kids coming to give the DJ their undivided attention.  It was finally their time to unwind and it was up to the DJ to show them a good night out.

In April of 2013, I was booked by a close friend to play an outdoor party for the Jean Vanier High School prom.  Like any upcoming DJ/Producer, I was not super happy about playing a prom party, but beggars can’t be choosers.  Little did I know I was in for a surprise of a lifetime.  I actually did not have much information about this gig, minus the fact that it was on a field in Wasaga Beach. (I wasn’t even given an address, I was just given an intersection then told to look for trees with some sort of markings.)

We pulled up to the property to see kids tenting out on the grass along with a humongous tent, just like one of those festivals you see in Europe.

I immediately had goose bumps running down my spine.  It was finally crunch time, and as the sun set, the tent filled up.

‘Til this day, when anybody asks me, “What was your favourite gig?”, I tell them it was a high school prom.  These sixteen year olds partied with more energy than any other crowd in Toronto in my six years as a DJ.  Don’t get me wrong, Toronto knows how to party, but the energy does not feel as organic.

Special thanks to: The Raghunan Family, Karn and Jean Vanier High School.

Written by: Zyad Suleiman

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Brainwashed by the EDM Industry

Don’t be a sucker for what you perceive to be a “talented DJ” in the EDM scene. The industry will have you believe that these EDM DJs are music Gods, but this is, more often than not, far from reality.  The recipe is simple: a good manager and a full bank account to fund a musically talented ghost producer.  If you got the money honey, they got the time and you got yourself a spot on the Top 100 Beatport chart.

I am one of the few that has not been brainwashed.  I see through the lies, the politics and the connection between a DJs brand and their success.  As a DJ, I cannot raise hell and call em’ out.  Why?  For starters, its not politically correct and they would probably do everything in their power to make sure that I would never step foot into another DJ booth in Toronto again.

The funny part is, these DJs are becoming a victim of their own lies. They have dug a hole so deep, even God himself can’t save them.  I am waiting for the day Ashton Kutcher pops out of the DJ booth to reveal that we have been “Punk’d” by the billion dollar investors that have funded our EDM scene.

I will now follow my conspiracy with a true story.

A close producer friend of mine from Belgium had told me he produced a track that he was planning to sell it to a “Top 10 DJ” from the ‘DJ Mag Top 100’, this track would be a follow up to their smash hit that was supported by the Swedish House Mafia on the “One Last Tour” tour. It was a tribal inspired track that would most likely hit #1 on Beatport, if ever released. He messaged the DJs directly and received interest immediately, these DJs wanted to collaborate with another member of the ‘Top 100 DJ Mag’ chart. As days turned into weeks, my friend never received a response and everyone knows that EDM music has a short shelf life. With no choice but to sell this track to another DJ, my friend was shocked to receive an e-mail from the “Top 10 DJs” alleging that their track has been stolen by another DJ. Long story short, the members of the DJ Mag Top 10 had already sent this track to people in the industry crediting them as the owners of it, to be told that it was no longer available. They made it clear that if it was just about the money, they could have sent a payment. The track was eventually sold to another DJ and shortly after signed to Dim Mak Records.

The moral of the story is, the scene is poisoned with famous DJs pretending to be producers with other famous DJs.  It’s like a written code of conduct that nobody is willing to expose for the sake of their celebrity status.

No Filter Needed: Top 5 Toronto Club Photographers!

What is better than having a brand new Profile Picture?  Nothing!  Check out our Top 5 Toronto Club Photographers that will make you think twice about the filter option on Instagram.

1. EFS
Bold and Beautiful! I am super picky when it comes to photos, but I must say, this photographer is on point!

Photographer: Unknown

2. F-STOP BAR 
Easy on the eyes!  Something about the filter that gives it a ‘hipster’ look.  Kudos for standing out!

Photographer: Photagonist.ca

3. CABANA POOL BAR
Adding colour to your life!  Between the beautiful skyline and the bright colours surrounding you, it is virtually impossible to take a bad photo.

Photographer: Unknown

4. GRAVITY SOUNDBAR
So crisp, so clean!  Definitely one of Toronto’s finest photographers! 

Photographer: Jakob Burkhardt

5. MAISON MERCER
Capturing those unforgettable moments!

Photographer: Pedro Marques

Had a good or bad club experience?  Feel free to share it with us by writing a review simply by clicking on the club name!

Written by:  Zyad Suleiman  |  Headline by: Sara M

 

Kidmyn presents Day Party Vol.10

The Day Party podcast was originally intended to ignite a beach party back in 2012 when we took a trip down to Varadero, Cuba.  With 35 degree weather, accompanied with alcohol, sand and beautiful women, the only ingredient the beach was missing was a dose of good music. Two years and nine podcasts later, Kidmyn is keeping the party going by adding a new addition to his Day Party podcast series.  Day Party Vol.10 features some of the latest tracks and exclusive remixes from talented artists Worldwide.

New tracks from: Avicii, Calvin Harris, Robbie Rivera and Merk and Kremont.  

Exclusive remixes of: J Lo, Nico & Vinz, Chainsmokers, Christina Aguilera, Taylor Swift and Meghan Trainor.

Download the brand new edition of Day Party below.

Top 5 Halloween Parties in Toronto!

It’s that time of the year again. We thought we would help you by highlighting the Top 5 parties on Halloween. (Not the day before Halloween, not the day after Halloween, ON HALLOWEEN.)

1.  MONSTER MASH

If you are a fan of the EDM party scene this party is right down your aisle!

Date: October 31st, 2014
Where: Liberty Grand
Address: 25 British Columbia Rd. (Exhibition Place)
DJs: Blasterjaxx, Deniz Koyu, Moguai, Adrian Lux and more…
Music Genre: EDM (House, Electro-House, Progressive House, Trap, Minimal, Deep House)
Price tag: $39.50 (Does not include tax or service fee from any ticket service site)
Minimum age: 19+

For more information visit their Facebook event.

2.  DIABLO HALLOWEEN NIGHT 2014

7 Rooms and 7 Sounds! Experience the FINAL Halloween party inside the Guvernment.

Date: October 31st, 2014
Where: Guvernment
Address: 132 Queens Quay East
DJs: Jed Harper, Danny D, Alex K, Deko-Ze, Joee Cons and more…
Music Genre: Top 40 and EDM (House, Electro-House, Progressive House, Trap, Minimal, Deep House)
Price tag: $35.00 (Does not include tax or service fee from any ticket service site)
Minimum age: 19+

For more information visit their Facebook event.

3.  5th ANNUAL FRESH PRINCE OF BEL-AIR 90’S HALLOWEEN

Taking you back for the only 90’s Halloween party in the city!

Date: October 31st, 2014
Where: Sound Academy
Address: 11 Polson Street
DJs: DJ Wristpect & DJ Mensa
Music Genre: Hip Hop, R&B, Dance, House, Reggae, and Pop from the 90′s
Price tag: $25.00 (Does not include tax or service fee from any ticket service site)
Minimum age: 19+

For more information visit their Facebook event.

4.  SINISTER

Drink till’ you drop, OPEN BAR!

Date: October 31st, 2014
Where: Chateau Le Jardin
Address: 8440 York 27
DJs: Project 46, Paris Blohm and more…
Music Genre: EDM (House, Electro-House, Progressive House, Trap, Minimal, Deep House)
Price tag: $90 (Does not include tax or service fee from any ticket service site)
Minimum age: 19+

For more information visit their Facebook event.

5. BURROUGHES BUILDING 2014

Haunted Loft on Queen Street!

Date: October 31st, 2014
Where: Burroughes Building
Address: 639 Queen St. West
DJs: TBA
Music Genre: Top 40, Hip Hop, House
Price tag: $20 (Does not include tax or service fee from any ticket service site)
Minimum age: 19+

For more information visit their Facebook event.