Derek E 

At the time I used to live within stumbling distance of the place… Spent soooo much money there wed. nights, and it was $2.50 drinks before midnight if I recall. The perfect mid-week piss-up! 

8:27 pm on February 21, 2014 







Mike C

Denise thank you SOO much for this piece. Element was my home away from home whenever I dropped in on Toronto. it reminded me so much of what Jai Bar in Montreal had been doing already for a few years.
Great staff, great crowds, seemingly half the house dj’s in the city just hanging out most every night made it a go-to spot for many.
Highlights for me included Heather on her Tangerine album tout and one spectacularly legendary birthday party for Tim Patrick playing along side both him and Myka in the basement all night.
Judging by how many dj’s have posted comments, it think it is safe to say how integral a part Element played in the scene.
Thanks for the trip down memory lane! 2:02 am on September 17, 2012 







Evan G

Oh how I miss element. Nothing will ever replace it. 

9:18 pm on May 22, 2012 







hip-hop 

denise good on ya for bigging up fase and hangman’s nights. element was what is currently missing in the toronto scene: a nice 200-400 person venue that can handle a busy weekly. could definitely use more of those to help burgeoning dj’s build their brand name nights. 

8:46 pm on May 4, 2012 







mike gleeson 

Loved this place to bits. Great article too.
I also was the final dj to play(upstairs though), and still have an Element drink card from that night. Magic!
I really miss this place. 

8:10 pm on April 26, 2012 







Conor

Element is that one bar/club that I still to this day catch myself thinking about all the amazing times and great people that I met and danced with there. Of all the clubs that have come and gone in this city, Element is by far the one venue I miss most.
In its last two years I felt like I must have lived there, the good times would always start on Wednesday night for the activate party, which would always get hot and sweaty, especially when they were selling imported beers at $2 each! Then I’d find myself back the next night on Thursdays for RubyJay, and by then the weekend was rolling around with more great jams.
I’ll never forget the night Speedy J destroyed Element. 

7:12 pm on April 26, 2012 







Mat Lunnen

Element was my home for the last year it was open. Loved that space….it really cut my teeth on Toronto DJ culture and was the first place i started getting gigs playing with international talent…..i was booked for NYE event with Gryphon and AMtrak….which back in those days was a pretty hot ticket…..H-Foundation….so many great nights which i was fortunate to be a part of. We briefly left Element to go over to Red Square for our Solma nights….but quickly returned to our home.
Denise, great article….love to see on on 99 Sudbury…being the precursor to Footwork! 

6:27 pm on April 26, 2012 






Matt Coleridge

Another great article Denise about another club near and dear to my heart that I miss a lot.
Some of my favourite memories there were:
1. The legendary Sasha afterparty where about 50 of us got to hear Sasha play in that basement room.
2. The first Southbound night, an offshoot of Breathe, where I played with Steve Lawler for his first ever visit to Toronto.
3. Activate Wednesdays, an amazing accomplishment of a night that thrived despite being mid-week.
4. The final DJ to ever play Element was Jon Tremblay. Jon is also the final DJ to ever play BOA. That is why he’s called the Terminator. 

5:25 pm on April 26, 2012 







mike in parkdale 

thanks very much for writing this up – between this and your piece for Resident Adviser – this part of Toronto history is getting the coverage it deserves. From someone who was there, even if only a few times, props! 

3:17 pm on April 26, 2012 






olivera 

the spirit of Element jumped out at me reading this article. The enthusiasm and uniqueness of Element, as expressed by the contributors and owners, really captures what this place was all about. One fine piece of writing Denise. I’m so grateful having had the chance to experience this amazing place, its people, and its rich musical heritage. 

11:04 pm on April 26, 2012