Webby 

SUCH fond memories of this club, and Champ in particular. Always made this square-girl feel welcome and let us cut the line. My roomie and I used to go weekly – likely to the Bohemian night (still have the card!) – and dance our butts off. We had no money – nursed a G&T all night, along with the dollar sodas. I am mostly thrilled not to have lived in the age of the selfie, but wish we had a few more pics of ourselves in our 80s finery! 

9:52 am on October 2, 2014 







D-man

Wow…what memories. I remember the plane crashing through the ceiling and the motorcycles with skeletal “hell’s angels” riding each suspended from the ceiling. I was lucky to stumble on the place when I was covering TO as a sales rep. Wasn’t many sales made on the days after my RPM nights…! 

10:01 am on November 15, 2013 







Frank Fucked 

The infamous Jesus And Mary Chain incident happened November 1987. I worked that show. Funny thing is, everyone thought it was normal that someone was hit in the head with a mic stand. Just another show…haha. 

1:44 pm on October 9, 2013 







Phil 

I remember Club Fresh… RPM was by far the most important night club in Toronto in the 1980s. Sure the Zone and Larry’s had more street cred, but RPM was massive and where it was all happening. Nothing like dancing to Skinny Puppy on the massive dance floor and with that huge sound system. I remember having sex in one of the dark corners or in the parking lot or down at Cherry beach after. It was incredible. 

4:55 pm on January 9, 2013 






Joe Blow

Oh man this takes me back. We used to hit up RPM when it was Club Fresh, and then became regular fixtures at RPM. Champ was a great doorman and he always let us skip the line. I met so many women there just from dancing my face off. Seems everytime I came off the floor some girl was buying me a beer. And I even got to hang out with Bev, Earl, and Chris at the club and CFNY for most of the summer of 86. Hah, we used to shotgun beers in the DJ booth at CFNY while music was playing. And it kicked ass riding around with Earl in his sweet Porsche. Ahhh, good times. 

2:13 pm on October 12, 2012 







Chris Sartor 

I was part of the mass exodus of Copa staff who followed the head manager to RPM. The other Copa managers and corporate were none too happy about the mass defection. I remember Maria’s after-hours parties, and all the booze cans we were invited to. We had the city to ourselves at 4 and 5 am. Memories ……. 

4:26 pm on August 11, 2012 
 






Darren McLeod

I missed the Copa exodus, should have left it when it was going down, RPM was a much better space. I barely remember psychedelic Monday’s…but they were truly remarkable and nothing else like it in the city at the time. 

7:23 pm on November 24, 2012 







Melinda Mimi C.

Denise…I was regularly going to this club and loved it…I even remember all the jamaicans at my school going on about it when it was called Fresh. I guess this beats your humble beginings in Brockville…doubt that town ever had anything so cool. 

8:20 pm on July 29, 2012 







Rob ‘Bob-O’ Pollioni

Wow what memories. I actually started working at RPM quite close to the beginning as a bus boy just prior to my 19th birthday. I got to experience quite a few of the highlights mentioned in the article. This was a very special nightclub with a awesome group of people working there. 
The all ages Sundays were the place to be and actually help keep the clubs popularity thru its 10 yrs. 
I can still remember Jamie working on multiple art displays in the back room. He was able to create some awesome pieces. 
Great article, I have loved reading this entire series. 

7:19 pm on July 29, 2012 







Jesse Gold 

Great Article Denise. 

5:28 pm on July 10, 2012 







mike in parkdale
This is a great article. Thanks for taking the time to do the research Denise. I only made it to RPB a few times, and usually it was if they opened the doors from the Warehouse in the early morning hours.
I’d love to find out what name Shep is producing under now. I might have to track that one down myself. 
 
10:54 am on July 10, 2012 







Albert Assoon 

Yes I’m sure! They went crazy with graffiti on our walls before their show, at that time we were renovating and hadn’t painted the over the plaster yet. You may be able to see some pics on our Twilight Zone Music Tribute page on facebook.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/149468555069958/photos/ you’ll see it on one of the fashion show pics off the runway. 

10:37 pm on July 9, 2012 







Albert Assoon

BTW The Beastie Boys made their Toronto debut at the Twilight Zone brought by promoter Johnathan Gross. 

10:14 pm on July 7, 2012 







moonshake 

are you sure it wasn’t at Heaven in the Hudson Bay Centre? I remember that as their Toronto debut. 

6:06 pm on July 9, 2012 







Albert Assoon 

“Actually”
The Toronto Star (17th of May, 1985) – Chris Hollard :
Lest you get the wrong impression from some media reports, let it be noted that Madonna is no dummy. Latest proof of this fact is that she personally decided to hire New York’s Beastie Boys as opening act on her current concert tour.
Who are The Beastie Boys? Just four of the baddest bunch of white hard-core rappers this side of heaven, that’s who. The Beasties – in real life three nice Jewish boys from Brooklyn Heights – are breaking new ground with their combination of heavy-rock power chords and black rap beat.
Which is why a clever lady like Madonna took matters into her own hands to sign them for her concert tour.
The Beauty and the Beasties’ May 23 date at Maple Leaf Gardens has long been sold out, but rap fans can take heart. After the concert, the Beastie Boys will head over to The Twilight Zone, 185 Richmond St. E., to do a special midnight show to the faithful… 

10:47 pm on July 9, 2012 







Albert Assoon 

The Landlord Murray Blankstein was personal lawyer for Neil Vosburgh. When they opened The “Copa” they aimed to rival the Twilight Zone. The Copa opened shortly before Fresh Restaurant and could not used the massive sound system that Richard Long installed. So Vosburgh contacted Blankstein to figure a way to get us out. Our liquor licensed was illegally transferred in one week and they put in armed force to lock us out. They stole our staff, our events initiated with the Garrys. in addition they also stole our private events and promoters negotiating with us. All of this happened when the expansion was fully licensed. The Chairman Will Blair of the LCBO was later investigated by the RCMP and resigned shortly after.
They never had the vision to create this. You can read into the facts make your own decision up. 

10:02 pm on July 7, 2012 







Anonymous

There was a lot of dirty things going on back then that many were not aware of so it does not surprise me.
Another nasty fellow was high pitched Murray Ball. Theres a guy who’d screw his own mother if it would allow him to meet a celebrity.
A true celebrity groupie if I have ever met one, other than the Roots boys and believe that was one of the main interests for him opening his clubs.
But he screwed quite a few people over who had been loyal to him, all the way back to his original set up in the Fiesta Restaurant.
Don’t know if i believe in Karma but if it exists, I hope it hits him square in that squeaky little voice of his and hopefully whoever screwed you over as well meets the same… 

8:53 pm on August 14, 2014 







Zed 

I lost my Timex watch in the pit at one of the Ramone’s concerts, then waited until after the show, looked around and found it up against the stage still working – “Timex takes a licking, but keeps on ticking” 

12:49 pm on July 7, 2012 






JDHalperin 

In addition to hosting the Rolling Stones, the Ramones, members of Pink Floyd, I had my 10th birthday party at RPM in ’95. My friends and I played roller hockey in the warehouse and ordered pizza. 
One of the busboys said it was the wildest party he had ever seen. 

8:04 pm on July 6, 2012 







gary farrar 

yes the motorbike incident was true along with at least another 100 or more wild stories –too many to type out now with one finger[ as thats how I type ].For more information and goodtimes about R.P.M. -go to my facebook page Gary Robert Farrar and we;ll see what can be done .Yours truly Gary aka Steve Smashed 

11:12 pm on July 6, 2012 







anji b 

I worked there then and was the hostess/organizer for the birthday rollerblade parties at Warehouse. Hope you had a good time! 

2:45 pm on July 28, 2012








AK 

I remember hitting RPM on a Thursday night in 1992 and seeing the Jays lose game 5 of the World Series. Matt C was playing that amazing early 90s house, but they had pool tables and TVs up on the 2nd level. We were expecting Toronto to go mental afterwards and were so disappointed on the way home. Damn u John Smoltz! 20 Years ago this fall  
 
4:34 pm on July 6, 2012 







deltaslide

I would swear that I saw the Beastie Boys at the Copa in Yorkville when they made their Toronto debut and that that the place was packed with fans who sure knew who they were. Otherwise-great article-brings back some great memories… 

4:15 pm on July 6, 2012 






moonshake

Their Toronto debut was at “Heaven” in the Hudson Bay Centre at Yonge & Bloor. 

6:04 pm on July 9, 2012 







Tara S

Ohhhhhhh all ages Sunday at RPM! Great article – thank you for the flashback. 

4:10 pm on July 6, 2012 







Ian Carlo

Yes. All-Ages Sundays. I remember lining up right after dinner. I honed my danceskills on those nights. 

5:55 pm on July 27, 2012