Comments on: Then & Now: Go-Go

By: Diego

Diego — Fri, 08 Nov 2024 20:43:57 +0000

I remember Go-Go was the most elegant club at the time in Toronto. The bouncers wore tuxedos, the ticket booth girl wore an evening dress and greeted you with a smile behind a desk that had an orchid in a vase. There was also an art gallery downstairs by the coat check area,something I had never seen before in a nightclub.
The white room was a fascinating dance space, I remember the white statues and the sounds of underground tracks being played. Later, we would make our way to the Theatre room to dance the night away.
I miss this club and the Toronto of this bygone era, forever feeling a bittersweet longing.

By: Brandi Moore

Brandi Moore — Fri, 30 Aug 2024 19:26:15 +0000

I know this is an old post, but I had to reply – what a great story and fun memories made at Whisky Saigon. SO many fun times there. When I think of my time in Toronto, WS is paramount to the best memories.

By: Doug Law

Doug Law — Sat, 10 Jun 2023 19:17:36 +0000

Just wanted to say I loved Ballingers in Cambridge and went there as many nights as they were open. I danced my ass off, I was always on the VIP and dated one of your waitresses. The doorman in the Berret and Sammy at the Bar. Parked across the road and ran across. Thank you Ballingers

By: Fernando Fidalgo

Fernando Fidalgo — Tue, 15 Jun 2021 07:31:51 +0000

I worked as the lights jockey with James up in the Theatre Room. I was there the night Neil Tennant from Pet Shop Boys had a private party in the White Room. I remember going down to see him and said hello. I was drunk (as usual) and asked him to come with me upstairs and introduce him to my ex-girlfriend at the time, she freaked out. I then asked him on up to our booth and hang out for a bit. It was an amazing night. My most cherished memories was going out with the staff after hours to all the clubs downtown and dancing until late mornings. Good times, I miss those days

By: D L

D L — Tue, 12 Jun 2018 01:30:40 +0000

Whisky Saigon/ Go Go went to both and often but Whisky was where my life turned around a complete 180. met a girl did not want anything to do with her. I was pissed at letting this really hot girl I had spent the night dancing with get away……I was leaving when I lost 2 of my friends who were riding back with me. I had to be at school ( teacher) for 8:20 it was now like 1 am and I was pissed off. go back to the second floor and find them working these 3 girls and I got roped in to staying till close. to top it off we ended up walking them back to their Holiday Inn at harbourfront I got home at 4:45 am…. I called in and said SICK need a sub. But i did get the girls number. we dated for 3.5 years engaged for 18 months travelled the world together and we still are ….separately I may add 97 countries and countng. But had not been for that night in Whisky Saigon I’d be still teaching somewhere in Ontario bored out my freaking head. I’m nearly 50 and I still wish there would be a night where Whisky or the Go Go for that matter would pop back up with the music of those days just 1 more night. Gimme Martin Streek and Paul Dinghra, It was Magic.

By: Lon ballinger

Lon ballinger — Sat, 05 Sep 2015 12:02:11 +0000

We enjoyed the article very much and the comments and observations made by the staff and a few others where fun to read ….We learned a lot in Toronto,and Cambridge, and even where we grew up in our old farm villages and towns of Corbetton and Dundalk and Orangeville as well ….take care Toronto and come see us at Webster Hall in New York City sometime ….thank you for the memories ….The Ballingers …

By: JOHN ROBERT HECTOR

JOHN ROBERT HECTOR — Mon, 09 Feb 2015 02:42:15 +0000

What a great essay ! SO many memories ! AND thank you oh so much for the big ups and the shout outs unto my home base wherein i used to work everynight as a promoter for BAR ONE w/ Basil /Judy / Virgil and i was also involved as a gossip columnists for the newspaper called OUT in Canada for Shawn Vannasa ~!~ NOT MANY EVER MENTION BAR ONE OR KOMRADS as too many hated us back then for packing them in like sardines but oh my did we have so much fun and all we ever charged was 5 bucks to get inside at the door or 10 after 1 am ! LOL ! The younger promoters are behave as if all OF THIS DID NOT EXIST before their lil parties like Wayla or Church of Church ) OMG !) came along trying so hard to rekindle and redo and remake the 90s warehouse ‘vibe’ again. One set of parties i went to last pride was PITBULL and i was so annoyed at the price of everything and the attutides so very very different than anything mentioned in this remarkable essay ! THANK YOU so much for the consideration and big ups cause after the GO GO and or Boom Boom Room closed for the night at 2 you all FOLLOWED GUYS like me unto isabella by the HOUSE OF LORDS unto BAR ONE ! WOW ! everyone was there ……Gilles Bellengier , David HYnes from the Kurbash or the Lizard Lounge……even the Betty Page Social CLUB ….all the industry staff came in from other places to witness the fancy pants balls on the dancefloor and the sheer afterhours insanity ! LOL ! This is when it first became fashion to wear DROOPY DRAWERS lol ! ITs was so amazing to show up with no money and still have so much FUN ! This is SURE not the scene or case today on such a large scale…as everything shrunk like a digital chip or bit mark or j peg on the html ! LOL ! I remember at about 3 am the sheer joy and energy on the dancefloor I HAVE NOT SEEN IN TORONTO ANYWHERE SINCE THOSE DAYS AND HAZE of dry ice ! LOL !

By: Sarah Wayne

Sarah Wayne — Fri, 12 Dec 2014 22:15:47 +0000

All comments in the string below have been republished from their original appearance on The Grid website. We're including the readers' comments as they add to these Then & Now stories. We look forward to reading new comments here as well. Shaun   Whiskey Saigon!! That was the club to be at for Martin Streak’s Retro 80′s night. The best, and I mean THE BEST! Miss the club – miss Martin Streak.  12:04 pm on May 6, 2014       Dom   This is a great series. Brings back a lot of memories of when I was in my 20′s and partying. Back when I was going to clubs in the early 2000′s, the club of choice for me and my friends was Fluid Lounge. Every night was amazing but Saturday’s and especially Sunday’s House music night were the best. It had an awesome crowd too. Everyone just listening to the music and having a good time. You should do a piece on it.   3:38 pm on February 25, 2013       Anonymous   Kat Club Friday nights! Kevin Williams and guests, unbeleivable.   3:49 pm on February 22, 2013       Damien 74   You should do one on the ill-fated Meow Lounge sometime   2:47 pm on February 22, 2013        jay_sands  I also love these features. I came of age during the mid-to-late 90s, and I cut my teeth on the big parties by the likes of Syrous, Dose, Better Days and Nitrous. Later, when it was time to move the party into the clubs, I and my friends fell in love with Industry, System Soundbar and Roxy Blu. But some of these pieces make me wish that I could go back and experience some of what was going on back when my bedtime was still 9pm.   3:33 pm on February 19, 2013        Patrick Jameson   Love these stories. Thanks very much. I seem to recall that a bar called Atlas was a bit later than this. I think it would make a great story.   8:59 pm on February 12, 2013  