Rating: NNNNN
1 THERAPY Montreal-based DJ jojoflores’s series of Therapy events have all been off the hook and deliberately veered from the format laid down over the past few years for soulful house parties, going late and taking advantage of underused venues.
2 BUMP N’ HUSTLE Moving Bump N’ Hustle to their new bar, Tangerine, and making it a monthly has worked out splendidly for the Hot Stepper team. They’re -consistently packing in the crowds and causing it to rain indoors from the condensation.
3 VAZALEEN Will Munro’s monthly queer rock party is still getting lineups down the block, still challenging perceptions of queer identity and still a rowdy good time unlike anything else in town.
4 MILK Lots of promoters have packed it in over the past few years, but Milk keeps bringing in an eclectic mix of talent, promotes it well and draws good crowds.
5 HOT TIMES Always a good time, Hot Times bridges the gap between the underground and the mainstream, preaching that it’s about good music, genres be damned.
6 PHATBLACKPUSSYKAT Junior Palmer returned to throwing parties this year and decided to focus on the flavours that built the house scene in the beginning. He concentrated on vocalists and classic house while still finding the time to bring in heavyweights like Little Louie Vega.
7 FOOTWORK The long-running Tuesday night hiphop jam at Nasa continues to be one of the most reliable early-week nights out. DJs Fase and Hangman must be proud that their baby’s come so far.
8 RED BEET LOUNGE An unlikely concept that continues to provide a great Sunday night every week, the Red Beet Lounge turns vegetarian restaurant Fressen into a hiphop and funk party at the end of every weekend.
9 SOULUTIONS While they haven’t been that active this year, the last event Soulutions threw, featuring Brett Dancer at 99 Sudbury, was a great back-to-basics warehouse jam. Let’s hope the trend continues.
10 LIQUID FUNK The drum ‘n’ bass nation unwinds every Sunday at Milano, a little basement club that often features the UK headliners from the big parties the night before in an intimate, sweaty setting.
