alto basso @ 718 college st.
djs dino & terry are there on fridays spinning soulful uderground dance music and saturdays with stephen byfield (spinning classic house, funk, garage) are great too.
here's a little description of the place...
From its location on College St. (718 College St.) in Toronto's "Little Italy" district, Alto Basso provides a music program specializing in deeply soulful house music as well as various genres of electronic and urban music.
Alto Basso is an oasis for mature individuals seeking an intelligent nightlife experience without the hassles of large clubs nor the elitism of so-called "upscale" lounges with VIP rooms and the like. Once you are inside Alto Basso, there will be no more ropes, checkpoints, or exclusive rules.
Alto Basso has carved a unique niche in Toronto's nightlife by going back to basics: the best DJ's, great service, a great menu featuring dishes with sumptuous ingredients, subtle yet stylish decor and lighting, friendly staff and a sound system that surpasses most, if not all, lounges/bars in the city. (the sound has just recently been upgraded as well.)
The space is purpose-built for dinner, "chill-lounging" and dancing with an upper level lounge/bar/resto layout and a lower-level dance-floor/bar area. Small tables and stools surround the lower-level dancefloor with a dimly-lit ambience throughout, consisting of subtle lighting accentuated by candlelight which enhances the design and overall vibe of the venue. Over the January break, design/visual decor enhancements have also been added by artistic director Mychol Holtzman (artistic director for famed Industry Nightclub, who has also done work at many other venues such as System Soundbar, Element and most recently, Hush/Underbar) and other design/decor elements will still be added over the next few weeks.
The goal at Alto Basso is simple... selecting the right ingredients and characters that combine to make an eclectic crowd mix. Presently, there is a trend towards smaller venues because of the greater intimacy that they can offer. When individuals pass the age of 25 or so, they get tired of the herd mentality. They want to go somewhere they can conduct a conversation, somewhere they can be heard, not herded. Alto Basso offers that comfortable medium - a bit glam, a bit stylish, yet still underground, vibrant, and most importantly- musically-driven.
Torontonians can look forward to a wealth of musical talent finding an intimate platform from which they can be heard. In its first 2 years, Alto Basso has featured some of the finest local and international talent in the underground dance music and 'urban' arena: Louis Benedetti (Soulshine Recordings, Miami), Mark Grant (Om Records, San Francisco), John Acquaviva (Plus 8 Recordings), Hatiras (Defected), Miguel Graca (Bombay Records,Montreal), Alix Alvarez (Distance, MAW Records, NYC), Steven Mestre (Kick Affiliates, NYC), K-OS (Source Magazine's Best International Hip-Hop album winner in '03), Peter & Tyrone (83 West Records), Dino & Terry (Crash Records), jojoflores (Gotsoul Recordings, Montreal), Nick Holder (DNH Records), Jason Palma (Higher Ground), Richard Brooks (Jazz Flight Unlimited, Chorduruoy Records), Ali Black (livinlarge), Christian Newhook (PanTiki Sound System), Peter Bosco (Garagehousemusic.com), Mat Chrysdale, Groove Institute (Solid Garage), the Poundhouse crew, DJ Stuart Li (Basic Soul Unit), John Kumahara (Iwanai), Alvaro C. and Boris (Quadrasonic), Alvaro G. (Layers, 4nMusic), Marco & Martino (Iwanai, Gemma Records), DJ Fase, Benjamin Boles, DJ Ill Na Na, Angel & Cullen (LifeSize Music), Gene King & Ray Prasad (Vibes n' Vinyl 88.1 CKLN) to name just a few out of a LONG list of talented artists.
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