With all the festivals, boat cruises and huge parties that took over the summer, it was nice to come upon a smaller, more intimate DJ event that graced the Toronto trance scene over the weekend. Thanks to Ozmozis Productions, Henry and Matthias, the German DJ/Producer duo behind Stoneface & Terminal, were back in Toronto after an almost two-year hiatus from our charming city. The venue, Toika Lounge (at Richmond and Spadina), is a hidden gem in the entertainment district that provides a welcoming environment for international artists to get to know their Toronto fans.
The night began with resident DJ Mr. Morton on the decks spinning trance and tech beats that were nicely setting the tone for what was to come. As the crowd rolled in, beer buckets were circulating to the tune of remixed versions of Fragma’s Toca’s Miracle and Kosheen’s Hide U – the feeling of Friday night finally began to sink in.
Around midnight, as the beats got funkier, Henry and Matthias arrived and took a seat beside the DJ booth. For almost 45 minutes, they sat back drinking beers, shaking hands and taking photos with their fans, before it was time for them to take over the decks. Mr. Morton graciously ended his set with the Andrew Bayer mix of Above & Beyond’s Thing Called Love before handing it over to Stoneface & Terminal, who started their party with their very own track Time to Wait.
The rest of the night was a musical journey as the duo played hard party tracks like Ummet Ozcan’s The Box while also throwing in vocal trance staples like the Kyau & Albert remix of Armin Van Buuren’s Down to Love, their own new track, Go the Distance, and of course Oceanlab’s On A Good Day. Staying true to their trance roots, the duo pleased us all with their remix of Gareth Emery’s More Than Anything, Andy Moor’s Fight the Fire, and their own Venus.
I can attest to the fact that the event was much more than good music on a Friday night. Emotions ran high as fans grasped their hearts at various parts of the night, remembering lost friends and good memories as classic tunes took them back. One gentleman revealed that the friend who introduced him to trance music had sadly passed on. When Stoneface & Terminal’s remix of Onryic played, he remembered it was his lost friend’s favourite track and paid tribute by soaking up the memories on the dance floor. Another couple smiled as they explained how they met each other at a similar trance event five years ago. Now they have a child and are ready to get married. They were dancing all night with radiant glows on their faces. Music truly connects people, and it is intimate events like these that bring us together to share experiences and create new memories.
As the night wound up, Henry and Matthias played their closing track, Stardust, at 4am. At that point lights went on and shouts from the crowd screamed “Thank you Oz”, in recognition of Ozmozis Productions, who made the night happen. Applause was given and whistles were blown as Stoneface & Terminal stuck around for photos with their fans.
It was a great night for trance, and therefore a great night for Toronto.
If you’re looking for a low-key and unpretentious vibe on a Friday night, check out Foundation Fridays at Toika Lounge presented by Ozmozis Productions. Co-organizers revealed that they wanted to stay away from the “bottle service crowd” and attract the people who are truly there for the music. Toika, it’s a wonderful place to meet your Toronto Trance Family, dance freely to amazing music, and the best part, meet some of your favourite DJs in person.
More information on Ozmozis events can be found on their website: http://www.ozmozisproductions.com/
Also connect with Ozmozis on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/#!/ozmozisproductions) and Twitter (http://twitter.com/Ozmozis).
The September line-up is incredible, see you all at the next one!
Anjali Handa – EDM TOR
