Toronto has sadly been losing music venues over the past few years — so when a new one not only opens but thrives, we need to celebrate that! Ground Control, Queen West’s David Bowie-inspired video dance bar, is coming up on its two-year anniversary, and to honour the occasion, they’ll be hosting a new wave retro party.
The independent music venue has clearly filled a niche in the Toronto music scene — it’s currently Canada’s only music video dance bar. The club features six high-end video projectors strategically placed in both the back and front rooms, synchronizing video playback with live music performances. Since opening, the venue has also hosted countless themed events, from goth bingo night and alternative clothing swaps to Halloween parties.
Two years later, they’re celebrating their success as the city’s newest and coolest music venue the way they know best: with an ’80s/’90s video dance party with a Bowie spotlight. That means around 12 David Bowie songs will be sprinkled throughout the retro mix, as well as the debut of new Bowie artwork by Playdead Cult and the Bowie Magazine wall with over 50 authentic magazines with Bowie on the cover.
The dance party begins at 10 p.m., but if you arrive between 8–10 p.m., you’ll get to enjoy a live Bowie tribute band performance.
The retro music mix promises plenty of new wave, post-punk, classic alternatives, synth pioneers, britpop, shoegaze, madchester, new romantic, classic industrial, ska and more.
When Ground Control launched in 2023, it was on the heels of multiple small music venue closures (including The Beaver, The Orbit Room, The Hideout) — the places where emerging local artists cut their teeth and found new fans. A few more longtime music venues have since closed, including The Velvet Underground and The Dakota Tavern. The pandemic and rising commercial rent and operational costs have all made operating a small venue even more challenging in Toronto, so we’re delighted to see the city’s newest addition thriving and celebrating such an amazing milestone.
The event is happening on Saturday, Sept. 27 at Ground Control. You can grab advance tickets here.
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