Circa
126 John Street
Website
Phone: 416.979.0044
- Posted by Staff
- October 5, 2007

Peter Gatien's 3000 capacity uber club at John St. and Richmond finally opened its doors last night after years of legal spats, a failed partnership and false starts. The verdict? It was worth the wait.
While Circa will alienate many - especially those it's purported to seek the most - for its long queues, cavernous main room, clubland prices and attitude, it does a lot of things right; and most importantly offers a fresh approach and ideas to the Toronto scene.

The entrance to Circa starts familiar enough with a Guvernment-esque box office. Beyond the cash registers is a long, dimly lit hallway filled with display cases where you might spot a female Elvis impersonator squeezed into a gold jumpsuit a top a pseudo-Harley, or a foxy mechanic working her pliers on a model engine.
All is just a prelude to the stairwells outfitted with leather clad mannequins. Or perhaps the topless dancer who parades under a see-through umbrella. Then there's the unisex bathroom outfitted with a bar and DJ.
A club this size implores ingenuity and creative flare. The massive dance floor which on this night housed giant speakers that emanated so much base it forced us to scatter, demands areas that offer reprieve. My favourite is an intimate room at the east end of the third floor which surprised with live musical performance and mood lighting. For a moment I forgot where I was.

Then there's the Kid Robot adorned bar on the west side that features Frank Kozic's smoking bunnies (some pimped up in gimp outfits!). It's a Magic Pony fan's wet dream.
Elsewhere is more standard fare like an obnoxiously tricked out VIP glass cube overlooking the dance floor (for celebs and athletes I'm told) or the bottle service booths for Bay Street bankers to show off their, um, personality.
But unmistakably, there's embattled impresario Gatien's touches. On this night, a stream of masked ballerinas strut on the second floor. It's a Kodak moment.

All photos by Zach Slootsky







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?Long cues?? As in for playing pool?