Valazeen the monthly queer dance riot held in the Dance Cave at Lee's Palace and hosted by artist/dj Will Munro is closing shop. Lee's Palace is located in Toronto Annex neighbourhood at 529 Bloor Street West.
Will Munro, Toronto DJ & Queer Artist
Vazaleen was the kind of place would-be outlaws come secure in the knowledge that they won't have to listen to Whitney, Cher or any other examples of mainstream gay culture. The camp on display—of another, more cerebral kind—centred on, of all things, antique rock 'n' roll from Kiss to David Bowie. There was always a live act, but the ironic rockers (including the likes of vintage 80's Carole Pope) take a back seat to the go-go dancers, both male and female. The crowd was heavy with women who look like philosophy majors and men too jaded to take the retro-porn projected on overhead screens as anything other than a cool example of bad taste. Munro’s also ran the defunct electro monthly Peroxide, previously held at Kensington Market’s Club 56, which morphed into Syp Lounge, then disappeared as hole in the wall, Indie clubs tend to do, every six months. Visit Munro's Photo Blog or his Homepage
Over the next few months, Munro and partners are taking over the very small former Beaver Café, 1192 Queen W., in the Trinity Bellwoods art & design district, steps from newly renovated Gladstone Hotel. Munro's new venture, will be transforming it from a restaurant to more of a bar, building a stage in the back for live performances and small intimate parties. The queer west end of Toronto is the only place you see dykes and fags and cool straight people dancing together. A queer village, few outsiders know about, where none of the bars sport, a gay bar label. Meanwhile the boys at the Dance Cave upstairs at Lee's, will continue with Sin, the rock and roll queer night every Sunday.
I cycled past Lee's Palace late Friday night January 27, where the last monthly Valazeen was being held. There was a huge lineup of young 20's pretentious fags and friends, very Church Street looking. I guess that's why he's ending it, as it's lost its edge. - DQ
Will Munro, Toronto DJ & Queer ArtistVazaleen was the kind of place would-be outlaws come secure in the knowledge that they won't have to listen to Whitney, Cher or any other examples of mainstream gay culture. The camp on display—of another, more cerebral kind—centred on, of all things, antique rock 'n' roll from Kiss to David Bowie. There was always a live act, but the ironic rockers (including the likes of vintage 80's Carole Pope) take a back seat to the go-go dancers, both male and female. The crowd was heavy with women who look like philosophy majors and men too jaded to take the retro-porn projected on overhead screens as anything other than a cool example of bad taste. Munro’s also ran the defunct electro monthly Peroxide, previously held at Kensington Market’s Club 56, which morphed into Syp Lounge, then disappeared as hole in the wall, Indie clubs tend to do, every six months. Visit Munro's Photo Blog or his Homepage
Over the next few months, Munro and partners are taking over the very small former Beaver Café, 1192 Queen W., in the Trinity Bellwoods art & design district, steps from newly renovated Gladstone Hotel. Munro's new venture, will be transforming it from a restaurant to more of a bar, building a stage in the back for live performances and small intimate parties. The queer west end of Toronto is the only place you see dykes and fags and cool straight people dancing together. A queer village, few outsiders know about, where none of the bars sport, a gay bar label. Meanwhile the boys at the Dance Cave upstairs at Lee's, will continue with Sin, the rock and roll queer night every Sunday.
I cycled past Lee's Palace late Friday night January 27, where the last monthly Valazeen was being held. There was a huge lineup of young 20's pretentious fags and friends, very Church Street looking. I guess that's why he's ending it, as it's lost its edge. - DQ
Vazaleen is going to be ending?
ReplyDeleteThat's a shame really. Some of my friends, who truly felt uncomfortable in the gay mainstream are going to be at a loss now :(