We’re doing everything we can to keep the Toronto scene fresh, funky, INTIMATE & UNDERGROUND. In this spirit we bring to you our first full partnership in the I&U series on Friday June 11th when House Addict presents Volume 9 with one of the industry’s hottest producers / DJs, the UK’s Shur-i-kan.

Tom Szirtes aka Shur-I-kan, is considered amongst the top of a new wave of electronic producers thanks to his trademark blend of musicality and cutting edge production techniques. He has been a long-standing key artist for Jimpster’s Freerange Records, and has recently collaborated with Glasgow’s kingpin of house, Milton Jackson, to start Dark Energy Recordings. Representing the deeper side of house, Shur-I-kan will show Toronto his true self for the very first time.

As mentioned, this is our first co-promotion for the INTIMATE & UNDERGROUND series. We definitely couldn’t have chosen a cooler direction than with the House Addict crew’s love for deep, sexy tech house. We know both crowds will appreciate the vibe this sound provides and we couldn’t think of a better venue than Toika to host this soon to be legendary Toronto debut.

There is NO GUEST LIST for this event. Please hook up advance tickets at the extremely low price of $12 at www.gettickets.ca. Cover at the door will be $20 so save yourself a drink at the bar and grab your tickets now.

For pre-party beats leading up to the big event, subscribe to Shur-i-kan’s Dark Energy Podcast on either iTunes or libsyn. Also subscribe to irGO’s Podcast on either iTunes or PodOmatic.

Finally the 2010 INTIMATE & UNDERGROUND season has arrived. We have big plans for our events at Toika this year and it all begins on Friday March 19th when we take full advantage of Winter Music Conference travel by booking one of our top supported talents, Luke Fair.

We couldn’t let a trip to this side of the pond pass us by, so we’ve brought in Luke for our third consecutive booking right before he heads to the WMC. With how he ended last season’s INTIMATE & UNDERGROUND and the magic of New Year’s Eve, Luke has a lot to live up to at the eighth version of our growing series. We know he’s absolutely up to the challenge and we look forward to letting lose with everyone who can’t make it to Miami and of course, getting it started with those who are.

This opening event also marks the introduction of a true HouseAddict to the bringthebeats crew. irGo is one of the most respected figures in the Toronto club scene and we are thrilled to have him warm the Toika dance floor with his deep tech and tribal house sounds. Luke is incredibly excited to have irGO spinning alongside as he returns to his hometown for another night of super funky fun.

As always there is NO GUEST LIST for this event. Advance Tickets are available at www.gettickets.ca for the extremely reasonable price of $12.00. They are limited so please be sure to get yours now, cover at the door will be $20.00.

For pre-party beats leading up to the big event, please become a Luke Fair fan on Facebook and subscribe to irGO’s Podcast on either iTunes or PodOmatic.

After seven years in this promoting biz, you know if a party is going to go off well before the first track is dropped. Call it ‘promoter’s intuition’; the element of surprise is long gone when you obsess over the details as much as we do.

Reason #1 why we knew this INTIMATE & UNERGROUND would be amazing – advance tickets sales. For many reasons, I cannot thank the people who purchased tickets beforehand enough.

First and foremost we knew walking into Toika that over 100 of our friends were committed to this event, no matter what the weather was like. Guest list is such a farce, everyone is on it, it’s far from VIP and it never guarantees that you’ll have even half the list on the dance floor. Advance tickets, at the very reasonable price we were offering them, provide at least one more drink at the bar for each holder and ease our worries as to whether or not people will attend.

They also save us soooo much hassle at the door. We’re a small shop trying to multitask with a tiny team who has very little venue experience. Accepting pieces of paper or scanning phones is much, much easier than looking for and crossing names off a list, scrambling for change. Again, thanks so much to those who committed to our event by buying an advance ticket, you all made our night so much more enjoyable.

#2 reason why we knew this was going to be a party to remember was the time of year. Fall is definitely the best season for the Toronto club scene. It’s getting dark, but not too cold. School and work is in full swing, but not too crazy that you can’t party it up a bit. And of course it’s the time of year we celebrate our anniversary, an incredible excuse to let loose.

#3 is the phenomenal talent. Despite a few hiccups in the set-up, Diana Livits managed to drop some really nice tracks and stir up a warm, energetic vibe on the dance floor, exactly what’s expected of an opening DJ. And for someone who hasn’t played out in front of a crowd too often, she displayed some fine technical skill under less than ideal circumstances. Diana is too much of a fire cracker to keep settled down, but if she focuses on making this DJ gig a more permanent thing, expect BIG things from this super hotty.

And what more can be said about Luke Fair that hasn’t already been written over the 7yrs of bringthebeats.com? Danny Boy kept slammin’ his arms around my shoulders to get my full attention and let me know how absolutely blown away he was by Luke’s new found edge. I personally think it’s just the natural progression of the most talented DJ on the planet; but I do have to agree that ever since Luke’s left the across continents trips and killer jet lag behind him, he’s elevated his enthusiasm tenfold.

With each conversation we had leading up to the party; it became more and more evident, this was going to be Luke Fair’s best ever performance for bringthebeats. He was focused on the details, raving about tracks and absolutely excited to be home with his friends. It probably helped that he has a wallet full of his own personal bombs that he’s been working like mad producing over the past six months. It just seemed like he’d never been more confident and prepared for a gig in his life.

The results proved this to be true. He was without a doubt on fire like never before. His customary concentration was in full effect, but there was an added kick to his subtle booth groove. Luke was really feeling it. Every track led perfectly to the next. The levels, the sound and the mixes were flawless. This was a perfect 10 performance, thanks for pulling it off for the crew Luke.

And I would be amiss not to mention the crew. I know I continually boast about how incredible our following is and how the btb vibe is really something special; well here I go again, as it was all on display for I&U v7.

I honestly wasn’t feeling that great going into the event. A cold was doing its best to drag me down, but all the love in the room kept lifting me up and it honestly felt like I properly took it all in for the very first time (the absence of alcohol probably helped). I saw a floor full of friends, locked into the tunes and feeling the genuine happiness we continually strive for.

From the gentle giants from Van City having the time of their life, to Tara who offered a heartfelt thank you for bringing back one her best friends and favourite DJs, to Knox who had me gut busting all night, everyone who supported our vision at this very special event contributed to an experience that I will never forget and will always be grateful for. Yeah I know it’s corny, but this is exactly what I’m in all this for.

Download (left-click and unzip):
Luke Fair – INTIMATE & UNDERGROUND v7 – October 23, 2009 – Part 01
Luke Fair – INTIMATE & UNDERGROUND v7 – October 23, 2009 – Part 02

Don’t forget to check out the pics.

It always begins with a sluggish Monday morning. The vertex of my unrest and underlying discontent. I spend my weekdays in a constant state of confusion, plugged into the hive. I resign to my cubicle at work. And pace myself with promises of breaking free at the end of the week. I share this feeling with all youth born into a ruptured world, where what we want is often overshadowed by what we’re told we should want and do.

Come the glorious awaited weekend, and I know that I’ve been out and about enough that the patina of Big-DJ-Big-Club nights has worn off for me. I want to have something different please. Call it an electronic meditation, a worm in my head, or just a fresh party philosophy. I want off the beaten track.

INTIMATE & UNDERGROUND events at Toika are my pursuit of a special musical experience. Where the typical sounds resonating through my city are drowned by an emerging, persistent counterculture. On August 2, btb delivered the sixth in the I&U series, the much anticipated return of the DJ that crystallized the I&U vibe and began a movement.

Ricky Ryan is this guy from Argentina, with longish black hair and incredible cheekbones. He is a DJ, a music man, and a key part of my curriculum in the progressive house music experience. At I&U v6, Ricky created an ambience on the dance floor that had every foot tapping, spinning and sliding; a fitting and much-needed follow-up to v5.

Once again, the btb crew set out to prove that we understand what our friends are looking for, and this is reflected in the essentials of our nouveau nites. From the perfect EQ on the mixer, the headliner talent, to the trend-setting “btb fans” – our goal is to be entrenched in all the ingredients that make memorable everlasting experiences. We’ve been transmitting these signals for seven years now, can you hear us?

I hope this feeling spills over to the next I&U this Friday with Luke Fair. To prepare for it, feast on Ricky’s latest series inspired by his jaw-dropping sets at Toika. The first a melodic trip for the Cool Podcast; the second, some deep, clubby funk for Austral Mixing; and part three, a digital trek through Ricky’s production mind for the Ready Mix Sessions.

Download (left-click and unzip):
Rick Ryan – www.coolpodcast.com.br – October 2009 – Part 1
Rick Ryan – www.australmixing.com – October 2009 – Part 2
Rick Ryan – www.readymixrecords.com – October 2009 – Part 3

Ricky Ryan’s Mob Festival world tour is in full swing. In the last month alone he’s been in Barcelona, Lisbon, Ibiza and Mallorca. He’s currently back in Tel Aviv working on more productions and then Ricky will be off to a very special event for the bringthebeats faithful in Izegem, Belgium.

Ricky’s always supported our vibe and vision through the many mixes he’s dedicated to our bringthebeats and EXPOSED movements, and with the btb endorsements he shares with all the music lovers he encounters throughout his travels. One such group is the Cube crew out of Begium who have gone as far as to adopt the INTIMATE & UNDERGROUND philosophy for their upcoming boat party featuring a headline set from btb’s #1 son himself.

It’s super exciting and flattering that a promotion so far from our home will be implementing our concept into their own vibe. We wish Cole and Ken Dust, the two awesome talents that will be spinning alongside, only the best of luck with this party. Please if you’re in area, get to that dock early on the 26th, we promise an amazing time with Ricky on board. And be sure to check out these two Belgian superstars, I’m certain they’ll put on an incredible show in their own right.

Cole (www.djcole.be)
Cole is on a quest to make good music, and play good music. He checks the crowd, checks his record bags and picks what fits the occasion. Belgium’s prime clubs are no unknown ground, since he played at Decadance, Petrol Club, Culture Club, Fuse and more, but also at Belgian festivals such as Laundry Day, Pukemarock, Rock Werchter Stella Stage, and festivals abroad in Italy and France. And last but not least, he’s also the youngest member of Galaxie Gangbang Soundsystem, a collective of DJ’s supported by Discobar Galaxie, who have their own spot on the Rock Werchter Festival each year.

Ken Dust (www.djkendust.com)
Ken Dust plays a hybrid style of electronic music like electro house, tech house, and progressive house, depending on the concept, or the vibe of the audience. Ken has always been very passionate about music, but the end of 2008 was a major breakthrough, since he was selected by Young Talent Corner (Poppunt) to play on New Year’s Eve at the famous concept Beats of Love, organized by Kozzmozz in the Vooruit in Ghent, to share the decks with big international artists. A few months later, Ken was invited to play at the concept Thursdayz, at Noxx Antwerp.

Well I guess you win some, and you win and lose some. We only book people we respect and connect with, so never will a btb booking be a total bust. But this one was definitely not our best, filled with a lot of lessons learned and make-up moments galore.

Straight up, Dory is amazing! She met the lukewarm Toika dance floor head on with some dope tech house and had all the hardcores hot steppin’ and super impressed. The btb crew wasn’t in full effect, but those who were in support had a great time for sure.

However, for reasons that continue to plague our truly underground events, Dory never really had a chance. Every time we book someone that isn’t established in this market, and we feel that we might need the support of a local, it comes back to bite us in the butt.

Jade is seemingly a nice person, and she played some pretty cool tunes, but unfortunately she was virtually stranded by her No.19 crew, a group  we were really counting on to show some love for Dory and the tech house sound. We had this gig planned for nearly four months in advance, but even that couldn’t ensure Jade’s fans wouldn’t be spread out across the city, all weekend, as they always are.

To make matters worse, our crowd isn’t interested in hearing a DJ that plays multiple times in the city week in and week out; and our gigs just aren’t intriguing enough for the regular club circuit without a big “name” on the bill. You gotta spend big, and in my opinion book boring, to be able to draw a crowd in this city.

In retrospect we should have asked Dory to go open to close and went for it on our own. At least that way people show more patience during the early hours of the party, knowing that the headliner is already in control. With Jade opening, people walked in and saw the cold, barren dance floor and decided to bail out to another club while they could still make list and avoid the peak time lines.

If you’re going local, you must go all local and if you’re bringing in a guest, you have to give them the utmost respect by handing them entire night to do whatever they please. Through our experience, for our parties, this is what works best. A lesson learned.

The weekend wasn’t a total disappointment. We created some amazing musical memories with Dory and special guest Naveen G. Club 1000 was in the fullest of effects, and for the first time ever, we’re releasing some beats from a btb after party. Check them out here.

Nine months ago we began the INTIMATE & UNDERGROUND series to promote our favourite artists in an environment which felt like home. Five events later we’ve established the night as one of the freshest parties in the city. Worldwide people are raving about the vibe created by the btb crew and the music that’s been let out by the phenomenal talents we’ve booked so far.

Ricky Ryan was the perfect guest to kick off the series, as he’s always been like a brother to us; supporting our movement with his promo mixes and performing in any sandwich shop, concert hall or kitchen we’d ever asked him to spin in. It was an extremely proud moment to put together the party that we did last October, because finally we gave Ricky the true underground experience we’d always been striving for.

On August 2nd we’re bringing Ricky back to Toika, a new and improved Toika, for another very special open-to-close set in support of his Mob Festival CD which is now on sale across South America. I can’t wait to hear Ricky in the upgraded space and feel the vibe that is sure to be enhanced with the club’s new layout. Ricky is by far our marquee international guest, this is sure to be our best INTIMATE AND UNDERGROUND yet.

FREE MOBILE TICKETS!!!

And as we have all season, we continue to offer FREE MOBILE TICKETS to Rogers Wireless subscribers through the Rogers Wireless Box Office.  Go to our mobile-tickets page to request info on how to acquire yours at urMusic™ (www.urMusic.ca), the only music service you need.

Non Rogers subscribers, guarantee your entrance all night by sorting advanced tickets at www.GetTickets.ca.

And if you haven’t checked out all the amazing music Ricky has released this year, get to downloading.  Once you’ve heard them you’ll know why we’re so excited for this party.

Download (left-click and unzip):
Ricky Ryan – www.mobfestival.com.br – January 2009 – Part 1
Ricky Ryan – www.mobfestival.com.br – January 2009 – Part 2
Ricky Ryan – www.mobfestival.com.br – January 2009 – Part 3
Ricky Ryan – www.mobfestival.com.br – January 2009 – Part 4
Ricky Ryan – www.mobfestival.com.br – January 2009 – Part 5

Download (left-click and unzip):
Ricky Ryan – www.bringthebeats.com – APRIL 2009 – PART 1
Ricky Ryan – www.bringthebeats.com – APRIL 2009 – PART 2
Ricky Ryan – www.bringthebeats.com – APRIL 2009 – PART 3

Download (left-click and unzip):
Ricky Ryan – www.warungclub.com.br – MAY 2009 – PART 1
Ricky Ryan – www.warungclub.com.br – MAY 2009 – PART 2
Ricky Ryan – www.warungclub.com.br – MAY 2009 – PART 3

Most nights I join my fellow citizens and happily resign to being shepparded through dense lineups and onto packed dance floors; where we all sway shoulder-to-shoulder to the heavy-thumping of the latest club-bangers.

It all sounds the same, looks the same, and feels the same. My city has unabashedly farted out a collection of these nights. The mind is numb and I succumb, happily bleating because the choices are few and the nights numbered.

Ah but then… there are those rare nights we are let in on a secret that only the truly Badass Music Guys know. Hungarian-native Andrew Genser spins as the DJ alias Add2Basket, and has been one such little-known secret to Toronto. That is, up until this hugely successful INTIMATE & UNDERGROUND gig at Toika.

I wasn’t sure of what to expect. Leading up to the event, I had feasted my ears on Add2Basket’s live sets and was satisfied – I knew the night would be filled with fresh and funky house beats. However, the newly-renovated Toika would mark his first-ever 4+ hour set, a sure challenge for any DJ.

So. I made an uncharacteristically early appearance, looking to catch the DJ in the moment. Add2Basket was the epitome of slick – cool, calm, focused and friendly: “I’m not nervous. I never get nervous. I have no expectations. I’ll see where the Toronto crowd wants to take the night.”

I knew where I wanted to take the night! The dance floor filled up early, again uncharacteristic of the Toronto house scene I frequent. And the beautiful I&U crowd was just as eager as I was.

The funky track selection had our feet moving and by midnight, the floor was packed. I swore to forgo my frequent smoke breaks – this was special. Add2Basket maintained an easy and natural flow, layering tracks and building momentum with grooves that were new to most of us.

The club-district crowd was hooked. Toronto was happy, and when we’re happy, we give props to the DJ! Eager dancers took turns visiting the DJ booth, letting Add2Basket know that we were happily riding his electro-funk wave. It had all come together perfectly.

Here are links to Add2Basket’s set: for those of you who missed the night and for those of you who want an encore:

Download (left-click and unzip):
Add2Basket – INTIMATE & UNDERGROUND v.4 – May 8, 2009 – 01
Add2Basket – INTIMATE & UNDERGROUND v.4 – May 8, 2009 – 02
Add2Basket – INTIMATE & UNDERGROUND v.4 – May 8, 2009 – 03
Add2Basket – INTIMATE & UNDERGROUND v.4 – May 8, 2009 – 04

Once again, the bringthebeats crew has lived up to its promise and the message is clear: Progressive House has a place in Toronto, and its here to stay.

And for those of you who complain that Toronto’s Progressive House scene is empty, soul-less bleeps, I have only this to say: come check the New Scene. And bring your dancing shoes.

Don’t forget to check the pics!!

This one really has been a long time in the making. Dory and I have been trying to work something out since the WMC ’07, but without any real tech-house roots for bringthebeats, it’s been difficult trying to sort out the proper party for Dory’s Canadian debut. That was until we met Jade this past December.

We’ve seen Frances Zibulski (Jade) out and about in the Toronto scene for some time now. It’s tough not to notice her and her super slick friends ripping it up on the dance floor. But when I realized she DJed and noticed her starting to get gigs with the No.19 crew (Kenny Glasgow, Jonny White, etc.), I became extremely intrigued by the prospect of Jade spinning alongside Dory at Toika for our first ever tech-styled INTIMATE & UNDERGROUND.

Frances stopped by our Boxing Day after party and after sitting on the sidelines for a bit, she decided to head to her car and slip her promo into rotation for the Club 1000 crazies. Admittedly we were all a bit sceptical about what we were to hear; as everyone knows we’re a pretty “jaded” collective when it comes to techno talent. But we were all pleasantly surprised to hear a deep, groovy promo that was most certainly techno, but definitely not soulless like we had feared and have heard way too much of over the past couple years.

It took a lot of guts to throw in those beats for group of hardcore progressive house heads that had just ingested a half a day’s worth of Luke Fair. For me it sealed the deal on the Dory gig as we finally had someone within the genre to spin alongside; do it well and with incredible enthusiasm. I think after listening to their most recent mixes you will agree, Dory and Jade is a match made in tech-house heaven.

Download (left-click and unzip):
Dory – listed Bookings Promo – WMC 2009
Dory – Winter Promo Mix – 2008-09

Download (left-click and unzip):
Jade – Promo Mix – January 2009

Add2Basket is a key player in the resurgence of the funky progressive house sound worldwide. He’s infused a serious groove in the underground scene with his stellar productions and ultra successful label Add2basket Records.

Andrew`s produced music for Sick Watona, Alternative Route, Stealth and Extrema. He`s travelled from Argentina to China, all over Europe and is currently touring North America, with Toika being his only Canadian stop.

He’s worked with and spun alongside the likes of DesynMasiello, Ricky Ryan, Luke Fair and Jody Wisternoff. With such huge accolades it’s an incredible honour to have Add2Basket at INTIMATE & UNDERGROUND.

Please check out Add2Basket’s super cool YouTube collection with tons of production samples and club videos.

And of course check the choons:

Download (left-click and unzip):
Add2basket – Audio Tonic Sunset Mix at 360, Dubai (Flashback) – February 13, 2009
Add2basket – Discoteca on Frisky Radio – January 22, 2009
Add2Basket – Live @ Submarine, Dubai – May 9, 2008 – pt1
Add2Basket – Live @ Submarine, Dubai – May 9, 2008 – pt2

FREE MOBILE TICKETS!!!

Once again we’ve partnered with the Rogers Wireless Box Office to offer FREE MOBILE TICKETS to Rogers Wireless subscribers (sorry, no mo Fido). Go to our mobile-tickets page to request info on how to acquire yours at urMusic™ (www.urMusic.ca), the only music service you need.

The Wireless Box Office is now closed, guarantee your entrance all night by sorting advanced tickets at www.GetTickets.ca until 5pm Friday.

This was an extremely important event for our promotion. We’ve preached for years that the most fun doesn’t necessarily come from the parties with the “big” names. This booking put that theory to the test.

Include the always present danger of Canadian winters, that this was our first non sponsored I&U, the loss of Gabriel Sordo from the bill (we really missed you bro) and the three massive events going on in the city at the same time; we certainly had our work cut out for us.

Thankfully we have Toronto’s best crew, we hosted a rock solid DJ with great tunes and phenomenal energy and we’re in the coolest venue in the city. In retrospect, we really didn’t have much to worry about.

Felipe Callado is a 23-year-old star in the making. He has the musical maturity of a seasoned vet and the type of character necessary to make it to the top. You wouldn’t know that he’s only been DJing in big clubs for just under two years by the amount of poise he displays both in and out of the booth.

I think Felipe’s first statement after the lights came on tells the entire story; “I made a couple gross mistakes, but at least I never lost the dance floor.”

Asking even the most experienced of DJs to remain focused for five and a half hours is an extremely tall order, let alone someone making his debut in such a critical market. Felipe accepted the challenge with unflappable enthusiasm and delivered an “A” performance that not even the smokers wanted to leave the floor for.

His track selection and layering had Toika grooving all night. I was constantly receiving props on his behalf; Felipe you made bringthebeats look really cool on this night, thanks so much bro.

Download (left-click and unzip):
Felipe Callado – INTIMATE & UNDERGROUND v.3 – February 6, 2009 – 01
Felipe Callado – INTIMATE & UNDERGROUND v.3 – February 6, 2009 – 02
Felipe Callado – INTIMATE & UNDERGROUND v.3 – February 6, 2009 – 03

Much praise also has to go to the little niche we’ve managed to carve out of the Toronto scene. The INTIMATE & UNDERGROUND crew provides TO’s warmest vibe, without a doubt.

It’s important that our friends trust that we’ll book top notch artists, regardless of how “big” they are. And by establishing this trust we always seem to attract a crowd that is respectful, energetic and aware of the differences between what we do and what you get from most of the rest.

We’re not bringing in the overplayed, overworked and unappreciative. The talent we promote is out to make an impression. They work like madmen right up to game time, always making sure they have the appropriate tracks for whatever mood they encounter and a proper head space to give us the best night possible. Hosting such personalities is something we take pride in and is what makes doing this so much fun.

We didn’t get to enjoy the full Toika renovation. Next time expect the room to be a bit bigger and the booth located at the other side of the room. This will definitely improve the connection between the DJ. and the crowd in the early parts of the night. And we’ll certainly need the extra space if our events continue to progress as they have so far.

Huge props to Junior and Winston for creating a coat check window, increasing the size of the ladies restroom and for leveling out the floor. What a difference these improvements already make, we can not wait for the complete transformation.

And thanks to Jenn Meneses for bringing out such a wicked crew to celebrate her birthday. Hopefully we’ll see some of the newbies out again.  Don’t forget to check the pics!!

If I had a dime for every time someone preached to me about progressive house not having a place in the Toronto club scene, we’d be able to host all of our parties free of charge. As crazy as it has always sounded to our crew, there are A LOT of influential figures within the T.O. underground that believe people like us don’t exist.

Boxing Day proved this assumption can not be further from the truth. Fun and funky vibes were in abundance this holiday season, as the guy who has carried the torch for our preferred style of EDM for many years, Luke Fair, delivered once again.

Even on off nights (which are blood red rare), Luke’s preparation and track selection make up for it every time. Technical mishaps by the club are always overshadowed by the incredibly warm vibe he constructs though his most precise programming.

(We have to give props to all the incredible producers out there making this possible. If weren’t for their slick progressive tunes, Luke wouldn’t have the tools to rock it like he always does. THANK YOU!!)

Boxing Day was filled with challenges for this highly professional talent. Not only did Luke have to deal the amped nerves he often feels when playing in front of his hometown fans, but he also had to deal with a somewhat “off” sound system and my many unsuccessful attempts to get it tuned.

For two hours I ran back and forth from the main to the booth trying to correct the bass which seemed way too heavy for my liking. Near the front of the room it sounded perfect, like Toika normally does. However earlier in the week they set the levels for a more jacking house sound, focusing on additional power within the lows, causing some pretty heavy duty distortion in the bass bin at the back of the room.

For many it didn’t make a difference, but after hearing how incredible it sounded for the first INTIMATE & UNDERGROUND, I felt we were short changing Luke and everyone on the dance floor, so it had to be sorted. About mid way through the night we reached a compromise and the party was on (for me at least, the rest of the place had been going off for hours).

I honestly didn’t believe that we could ever match the togetherness we achieved when Ricky kicked off the series for our anniversary, but again the vibe was incredibly tight and family-like. Many familiar faces and so many new to the crew as well; this space and most importantly, progressive house is taking off again.  The prospects for us at Toika in 2009 are extremely encouraging.

Now on to the good stuff, what we’ve all been waiting for since this most magical of holiday adventures. Thank you Luke for offering up these memories for all to share, not just the super lucky ones who were on the Toika dance floor for this most memorable party.

Download (left-click and unzip):
Luke Fair – INTIMATE & UNDERGROUND v.2 – December 26, 2008 – Part 01
Luke Fair – INTIMATE & UNDERGROUND v.2 – December 26, 2008 – Part 02
Luke Fair – INTIMATE & UNDERGROUND v.2 – December 26, 2008 – Part 03
Luke Fair – INTIMATE & UNDERGROUND v.2 – December 26, 2008 – Part 04

Huge thanks to all who used the Rogers Wireless Box Office once again. Our help beta testing has gone off really well and I’m sure we’ll have more cool promotions to offer to the btb crew in ’09 .

Finally and most importantly, THANK YOU ALL for helping to raise $2800 for the Yonge Street Mission. I know the YSM appreciates the financial support, as well as the exposure to a younger demographic.

Please, if you have a minute, check out all the incredible services this organization offers and if you have the time and / or resources to lend a hand, do so. It’s sweet karma to help amazing people help amazing people.

Don’t forget to check out the pics!  Special thanks to Jason Warth for the cool ones of Luke and for just being an overall excellent dude.