Party in the suburbs? Hey, why not?! Last Thursday I ventured out to T2 Lounge located at Hwy 7 and Hwy 400 in Woodbridge to check out the weekly event, Sound of Thursdays. Why? Well because Toronto-based DJ/Producer Joee Cons invited EDM TOR to check it out – I just couldn’t resist. Sound of Thursdays is a weekly event stemming from the ever-popular Sound of Summer that premiered at T2 earlier this year. The turnout and vibe was just too good to end, so T2 owners decided to carry it through to the Fall and Winter.
Just a 30-minute drive north of downtown Toronto, T2 has a modern and classy feel. Upon walking in, you are immediately greeted with high ceilings, a wall full of beautiful mirrors, and tucked away in the corner is an elegant winding staircase. There is a large central bar located directly opposite the entrance door, and for Thursdays, the split-level floor is cleared for dancing space. The lower, more central part of the dance floor is accented with a large dining table with multiple chairs, suitable for sitting down for a drink, or storing your jacket, depending on the type of night you are having. To the right of this main floor, there is a slightly elevated area that holds the DJ booth, bottle service tables and doors that open into a large heated patio. Although half of it is closed during the Fall/Winter months, I hear the patio is one of a kind during the summer.
When I entered the venue on Thursday, around 11:30pm, Mark Zinga was on the decks spinning house tunes that had the moderately-filled lounge bouncing to the beat. I haven’t been to a party outside of the downtown core in a while so I wasn’t sure what to expect of the crowd, but I was not surprised to see a large number of early-to-mid-twenty-somethings mixing and mingling. Hanging by the main bar were the older, I’d say late-twenties to early-thirties crowd. There is definitely a sense that everyone knows each other, but I certainly did not feel like an outsider being there. As the night progressed, Zinga handed the decks over to Joee Cons who continued with a house-style groove with a live percussionist. There’s something about live drums and house music that adds a sensual feel to any environment, wouldn’t you agree?
I believe it was after midnight when feature DJs, Manzone & Strong, took over. Every week, Sound of Thursdays features a new DJ to play alongside Joee Cons and to bring a new and different, yet current sound of house music to the venue. Being strong advocates for house music themselves, Manzone & Strong brought a hard-hitting flavour to the floor. The dance floor became busier as young people trickled in from the patio to be in the presence of these Toronto natives. As the night progressed there was a steady inflow and outflow of people that kept the dancing space at a comfortable level. The music was loud, drinks were flowing, and people were genuinely having fun. The music started to gain a tribal flare as we approached 1am and Manzone and Strong got deeper into their set. I watched as the dance floor filled up and guys and girls alike got lost in the music.
Unfortunately I had to leave just after 1am, so I can’t tell you how it ended, but if I know Manzone & Strong, I know they treated their audience with banging house music that would leave them wanting more.
Overall, I’d recommend T2 to for anyone looking for good music, a classy yet comfortable environment, and a place with an option to lounge or dance with a 21+ crowd. The added bonuses: no cover and FREE parking. If you are in the suburbs, it’s a current and happening party. If you’re based in Toronto, I’d say it’s a great way to see your favourite DJs in a FREE and low-key environment.
So, will we see you at the next Sound of Thursdays? Let us know.
Anjali Handa – EDM TOR
