If you love Electro, if you love to party, if you live in the GTA, you know who The Jons are. John Labella and Jonathan C started working on Dance Like You Fuck just after the idea was conceived by David Urbonas and Matt Medley. The night was an Electro night at Avalon nightclub in the Entertainment District initially intended to reach a 21+ crowd (I know this because I almost promoted the event).

The Jons took things in a different direction. They brought out their friends, and trust me they have a lot of friends, then moved the party to a hipper college west hot spot, Strangelove. But most importantly, turned it into one of the HOTTEST parties Toronto has seen on a Thursday night. No longer the over 21 crowd the event initially set out to target, it became one of the most exciting events for University kids tired of Top 40 music, asshole bouncers, and promotions attempting to bribe you (reverse cover) or wet t shirt contests.

When Jesse Keeler says you should head to a party, you listen. When Jesse Keeler tells people to head to your party, you’ve made it. That only touches on the surface as to who has graced these parties. Jon C told me a story about “Getting arrested and not knowing what for, then kicking out the back windshield of the cop car while in cuffs in the back, getting beat the shit out of by the cop, then going to jail for the night. Um, that kinda sucked. But NAS was at our jam and he was stoked?”. WHAT?!!! The story itself is awesome but the fact that Nas was jamming and loving every moment is unbelievable.

One of the reasons why these guys have been so successful is their attitude towards their guests. Natural hosts, they’ve been holding predrinks and parties that brought out 50-200 people depending on the night, they just managed to move their party into a club. They make sure they take care of everyone in attendance, “whether it be getting them in ahead of the line, getting them in free/reduced, getting them drinks and showering them with vodka, we always want everyone to be taken care of and raging hard!”

Since starting to promote Dance Like You Fuck they’ve broadened their horizons and gotten involved with Circa’s Randomland Fridays (I’ve seen Mario J hand them wads of cash for their good work) and Saturdays at West Lounge. As time progresses, they are looking to keep building and growing. Jon C is looking to “ride this motherfucker til’ the wheels fall off, and hopefully by then we’ll have our own clubs and other associated businesses. I want to have a club with hot tubs in it, but like, classy stylish club and then, wtf, are those hot tubs? SICK!” While John Labella would “like to see The Jons grow into something more, do bigger events and festivals, and get into management”, and is hoping “this summer we will do a few bigger events and really start to get a feel for it.”

I asked them to what they attributed the success of their Dance Like You Fuck. Or was it all just in the name? Here is what they each had to say:

Its all in the crowd and the music! There is NO better crowd in the city then the Dance Like You Fuck Thursday @ Strangelove crowd. Week after week that place is packed with the raddest dudes, and the hottest/most stylish girls. Almost everyone that parties there is a good friend, or friend of a friend, and they fucking rule. The people that go there are what make it the best, so I would like to thank them for being awesome! HUGE shout out to Resident DJ Matt Medley making people dance and jump all over the couches in there week after week! Goal for 09′, crowd surfing at Strangelove!
-Jonathan C

DLYF is our baby. It’s where we started so really to me it’s always going to be my favorite event of the week. We put a lot of ourselves into that night, so I attribute it’s success to that. I don’t think I even need to say that it wasn’t easy getting people to Avalon on Richmond street, so keeping it alive there was a real test for us.

The name has definitely become popular; it really does stick in your head. I don’t attribute the success of the night to the name because I know how much work we’ve all put into the night. Although, the name really is amazing. I have to credit David Urbonas for it, he was the one who came up with it.

From day one Matt Medley has been on the night killing it! That guy really holds it down, and I give him a lot of credit. Strangelove has definitely become known for its amazing music. There hasn’t been a single night that the music hasn’t been epic! Huge shout out to Jaime Bradbury for that too. He was the other original DLYF resident DJ.

DLYF is really just all about having a good time. That’s why it will always be free and welcoming to anyone and everyone. No dress codes, no attitudes, best staff, just amazing music and people.

Lets keep it alive! SEE YOU THURSDAY!
- John Labella

Thursday they are Dancing Like They Fuck @ Strangelove but look out for this Saturday, which is John Labella’s birthday party, at West Lounge. INSANITY WILL ENSUE.

Here are a couple of tracks they’ve been partying to over the past couple of months and a classic favorite of theirs.

Justice - Phantom pt. II.mp3Mansion - Stab.mp3

David Bowie – Rock N Roll Suicide (couldn’t put this in the player for legal reasons)

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