Comments on: The 23 Enigma

By: timber masterson

timber masterson — Fri, 23 Dec 2011 00:56:38 +0000

I recall quite a bit of this stuff, you should get someone to talk about the tazmanian ballroom and KOLA which was at a beautiful warehouse space on Richmond between Spadina and Bathurst, did my first extasy there with my girfriend Jill at the time, she was the main door girlm she worked all the warehouse parties, weather it was Ted Clarke’s or Mychol Holtzm,an’s or whoever, that’s what got me into throwing after hours parties, working at OZ on Sunday nights, bring the warehouse scene indoor for those couple summers was amazing…those were the days….

By: jimmyj

jimmyj — Fri, 29 Jul 2011 18:28:31 +0000

@t-rev;

Could an entire site that is basically built around 23 Hop have been created by someone who had never been? A walk-through of the space put together by someone who had never even walked through?

http://www.thecommunic8r.com/2009/08/318-richmond-street-west-floor-plan

Well I guess it could, but what fun would that be? My first experience at Hop was early October of 1991 – after which I never missed a single 318 Exodus event (except for NYE 92.) The along came Sykosis…but that’s another story….

Please forward the flyer would love to see it! Thanks.

By: t-rev

t-rev — Fri, 29 Jul 2011 06:23:58 +0000

My comments weren’t meant as any kind of attack. I do wonder if the author actually went to 23 hop himself though (just wondering). Personally I think anyone who got into the music 92 and onward pretty much missed the boat. By that time the wrong people started going to clubs, and the music became shit. Even Derrick May “quit” music (which later became a brief retirement) because he didn’t want to be a part of what he called “toy” techno. (that’s the only reason I mentioned the photo time stamp… I didn’t even realise that 23 hop was still going on after 91).

Yes I only did go a few times, but like I said, I knew a lot of people who kept going. I suppose I read your article wrong and thought it was soley about 23 hop’s “rave” period… which is why I thought the idea of any fighting was absurd.

I still have a red flyer which I can scan and send to you if you wish, it’s different than the yellow one you have on this site.

By: jimmyj

jimmyj — Fri, 29 Jul 2011 03:07:28 +0000

@t-rev – I see your two cents and raise you three!

For someone who begins their comment with “I went to hop a few times” it’s a little silly that you’re questioning this article’s accuracy.

- I’m not sure why the photograph’s time stamp is calling anything in to question. 23 Hop photography is extremely rare – if photos from ’91 existed you can bet I would have used them. The exterior of the building changed very little throughout its run.

- The fights I referred to were prior to the club’s rave days – when the nights were still in the hands of the owners. However, the notion that fights never took place at Hop, an afterhours/boozecan where intoxication was rampant – is udderly (cow reference) ridiculous. Yes the rave related nights were extremely tame but I’m sure there’s a handful of the club’s former bouncers who would get a chuckle from your remark.

- Say what you will about Shep, but he was an investor and had it not been for him you may never have enjoyed a single night there. He was a resident during the club’s initial run and also DJ’d Exodus’ ’92 NYE party. If you look at the membership card above you’ll notice he’s billed as “DJ Dog Whistle” as he also appears on this bill:

http://www.thecommunic8r.com/2009/12/exodus-nye-flyer

He and Hedly were obviously before your time there.

- As indicated above The Zombie club ran at Hop briefly in the summer of 1992.

Oh and my personal experience aside – I also communicated directly with owner/founder Wesley Thuro to ensure this write-up was on point.

By: t-rev

t-rev — Fri, 29 Jul 2011 00:46:56 +0000

I’m not sure how accurate this article is. I went to 23 hop a few times (I think it was 1991)… if you look at the picture where everyone is standing outside, it’s timestamped ’95. Also there were never any fights when i was there, and I never heard of any from anyone else who I knew that went. (also if you knew the type of people who went there… that statement is completely ridiculous). Never ever saw chris sheppard there, had no idea he had any part of it at all… anyone who was into that scene back then hated shep and thought he was lame. Also never saw hedley there either. Mark oliver was there (and I think dr no, but I may be mistaken). Never heard of zombie club, that must have opened after. (probably in ’92, when the entire scene went to shit). Anyway, that’s my two cents.