Stephan Bodzin @ Balroom

I got to Balroom half past midnight and found myself at the end of a line up extending from the coat check counter down two flights of stairs and out of the lobby. Well, let's just say Larry Tee sure seemed like an option for a while, until things got moving again and we got in.

Inside, we were faced with the usual "it's a three day week-end" Sunday night scenario. On one hand, it was clear that Balroom wasn't ready to handle such a large load of customers: the place was overcrowded, and service was unbearably long. It was hard to find some space to dance, and if you had the misfortune of getting thirsty, then you probably had a good 15-20 minutes of waiting before getting yourself one of those overpriced glasses of ice cubes.

The upside was that the place was full. I always like the vibe at Balroom, but last Sunday's No Excuse night was reaching critical mass: it was that moment in time when a soirée gets to that next level for the first time. No Excuse made its mark in Montréal and we were there to see it. One of those moments, you know?

The first thing that got my attention was the madness going on behind the decks: Bender was burning the place down with beats, firing one hit after the other and sinking any hope I had of leaving this mayhem unharmed.

Then, for some reason, Bodzin took over. I guess the fact that baldy came all the way from Germany was as good a reason as any. He sure made himself feel at home, and dished out a whole five course meal from his own kitchen.

To top things off he got a great reaction from the mixed crowd, comprised primarily of electric hipsters/fashion victims, oft-rude St-Laurent yuppies and the blasé, ever demanding and elusive off-work nightlife industry employee. Pulling that off should be rewarded with a special medal, ribbon or perhaps some kind of sash.

Bodzin's energetic German electro kept the place alive until the end, making for a overall pleasant evening at Balroom.