What to know
- Complex19, a new downtown Toronto club, will open in June with a strict no-camera policy.
- Clubgoers can keep their phones for communication, but cameras must be covered with special stickers provided at the door.
- The club aims to create a judgment-free, privacy-focused environment so guests can dance and enjoy themselves without worrying about photos or videos ending up online.
What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas, and at this Toronto club, what happens here stays here. By banning cameras, the venue is aiming to give clubgoers a chance to let loose without worrying about their drunk night ending up online.
Complex 19, located at 19 Toronto St., is set to open this June — just in time for a hot girl summer. So attendees can say goodbye to embarrassing drunk pictures and live in the moment. No more “Last Friday Night” regrets posted online.
Why introduce this policy?
The club was created by three Queer producers who have been hosting large-scale events in Toronto for the last decade. While working within the 2SLGBTQ+ community, they’ve said they’ve become aware of the privacy issues posed by smartphones. So, they hope that creating this new phone-free space will allow for more privacy.
Co-owner Bradley Blaylock remembers being out on the town one night and seeing thousands of cameras on the dance floor.
So to pilot this idea, he and his team threw a party called “Yum Yum,” which was very successful within the Queer community.
Now, they’ve taken over the venue, ready to introduce this no-camera policy.
“So the goal is no phone cameras. You can have your phone, you can text your girls, you can text your friends, but the limitation is no phone cameras,” Blaylock said.
“This club is really about people who respect the music, respect the DJs, respect the dance floors and respect each other, and in so doing, that has just kind of created a more vibrant experience,” he added.
From having no cameras and enjoying the music, he believes this club will be a fun, comfortable experience.
“Sometimes you just want to let your hair down, you want to dance, and you want to be as sweaty as you possibly can be without the fear of, like, showing up in someone’s story the next day,” he explained.
So how does the no-camera rule work?
It’s simple: stickers. The club will be giving patrons a high-quality phone sticker to cover their camera, without leaving residue behind.
Complex19 owners explained that they will not ban phones completely to prevent clubgoers from getting separated from their friends.
What do Torontonians think?
So, with the opening of the club just weeks away, Torontonians are sounding off on the concept. Toronto resident Kay Sutherland’s initial reaction: “Loveee.”
“I love it,” she said. “But I also do think it’s kinda fun for people to film and share music. So I’m on both ends.”
She believes sharing social media clips of artists is cool, but constantly texting “brings the vibe down.”
Her friend, Mary Megahy, agreed.
“There’s an epidemic of people not dancing in the club,” she explained, adding that when she and her girls go out for a night, they keep their phones in their purses.
But Tyler Sloan loves being “messy” without documenting it.
“Live in the moment… and find out how messy you are at the end… No one is throwing a** at the club anymore, and that’s gotta change,” he said.
At regular clubs, he’s noticed that he has the best time when his phone dies.
“That’s when I get to talk to people that aren’t my friends… Lock eyes with someone and maybe have a conversation.”
