On our trip to Toronto we decided to hit up a few clubs to check what the scene was like. Now take into consideration that it’s the biggest city in Canada so there are all kinds of flavors when it comes to electronic dance music, from commercial to underground and everything in between. But since we focus mostly on the underground sound, we decided to go to Coda because of the lineup and its affiliation with Electric Island.
When we first reached out to them to let them know we were intending on writing an article about the place, we got an email asking for no flash on the camera. I was a bit curious to know why but when I got there I could see the reason behind the rule. The ambiance of Coda is very nice, it feels like a hybrid of fancy yet underground, but it’s only when you get to the dancefloor that you really get the gist of what the club is truly about.
The first night Julia Govor was on the stage playing very hard techno with 4 decks. The first thing you notice is the sound. Honestly, it’s one of the best sound systems I have ever heard at a venue. I immediately notice that it’s the same sound that was used in festivals like Evolve and Future Forest, that being PK Sound. If you went to either of these festivals you would notice just how flawless the sound is.
The other thing you will notice about Coda is that everybody is dancing everywhere. It is a place that focuses on the music rather than people popping bottles or taking selfies. It’s all about the DJs, which are the center of the venue–as clubs should be.
The second night I went was a Sunday, Dusky was a secret guest, and the vibe was the same as the night before. This shows that the club is consistent with its branding. Now if you know anything about how most clubs work, they usually change either their nights or the whole club itself to scale up profits and then they usually die off after a few months, or if they’re lucky, years. Coda proves that you can stick to your guns and still have a massive following, people that will go out every night just to party and enjoy themselves.
The cool thing about Coda is their whole hybrid idea, offering the best of everything. The club is beautiful, it has a wide dance space and it’s also after hours, so you can hear long extended sets until 5AM. Having all of that said, what amazed me the most was the openness and the people. Everybody was dancing everywhere and security didn’t mine at all. The place was dark and the music was bumping’, you weren’t thinking of anything other than the music the DJs were playing. In that moment I realized why they didn’t permit the camera flash, because it would just ruin the vibe, something I actually ended up feeling when I saw somebody trying to film something with their phone. Luckily the staff was polite, and simply asked them to shut it down.
In the end I can go on and on about Coda, but words can’t express all that I experienced; one would simply need to experience it themselves. If you live or are planning on visiting Toronto, Coda would be a great place to quench your electronic and dance thirst. Afterwards you can go next door to get some food, but a heads up, don’t ask for the spicy stuff unless you love it, because it’s extremely spicy.
Edited by: Shawna Cyr Calder.
