Electro Swing TO – Revival Bar – Toronto Live Review

The Toronto Electro Swing Club went down on Friday night at Revival Bar with all the style and verve that one might expect from an event of this caliber.

The speakeasy-themed dance party had plenty of bootleg on hand to keep the spiffy crowd copacetic for an evening of whoopee.

Electro swing, a combo shot of traditional swing samples jazzed up with pounding beats isn’t necessarily everyone’s scene, but the crowd on Friday was out in force to celebrate, roaring twenties style. In the spirit of the evening, all the guys and dolls were dressed to the nines, and the dance floor was awash in 20s, 30s, 40s and 50s fashion.  Flapper dresses and waistcoats were not out of place, and the Toronto Vintage Society even rewarded the best dressed.

While the fashion was hot, the music was hotter. From start to finish there was never a dull moment at Revival, with The Lindy Hop Revolution getting the ball rolling early in the evening with some good ole fashioned swing dancing lessons.

Once the crowd was all limbered up and ready to dance, the main event, Good Co took the stage. There’s no question that the Seattle-based electro swing group stole the show with their EDM-laced jazz tunes backed by a live horn section.

Not to be outdone, and keen to keep the Charleston going, DJ Pony Montana (Italy) brought his own unique digital jazz sounds to the night, which blended seamlessly with Good Co’s set to keep the crowd moving.

The vintage beats continued well into the night with resident DJ as well as curator and mastermind behind the whole shebang, Richard Martin aka DJ Medicineman. And boy does he possess the cure for what’s ailing ya, with a very cool set of gypsy-swing and blues-inspired tracks.

The aural treats were plentiful, but that’s not to say the evening was at all lacking in eye candy. The Great Grantsby proved once again that he is a certifiable cool cat and the master of vintage vids, with some stunning visuals, and local showgirl Coco Framboise provided a little something sweet to cap off the absolute feast of entertainment. This burlesque babe is just the bee’s knees and delivered a cheeky performance to the major delight of the crowd.

The Toronto Electro Swing Club is a monthly event, with the next one going down on April 11th.  Keep an ear to the ground (or, you know, check Facebook) for more details.