STROBEfest Celebrates 35 Years
Toronto's STROBEfest celebrated 35 years of house music on February 14 at Revival Bar featuring Abacus, DJ YOGI, Ron Allen, Nick Holder, Dino & Terry, DJ Dirty Dale, Jason Palma, and Tyrone Solomon. The anniversary party highlighted the longevity of Toronto's house music scene with veteran DJs spanning multiple generations.
- Strobe Records was founded in 1991 by Ron Allen and Hayden Andre and is considered one of Canada's most influential underground house music labels. The label was pivotal in shaping the soulful and deep house sound that emerged from Toronto in the early 90s. - JUNO-nominated producer Ron Allen was a primary creative force behind Strobe Records, which also helped launch the career of fellow Toronto DJ and producer Nick Holder by releasing his debut, the "Digital Age EP," in 1993. - The event's lineup featured pioneers of the city's house scene, including twin brothers Dino & Terry, who began DJing in the mid-1980s and held a legendary Sunday night residency at the Phoenix nightclub. - Nick Holder, who began DJing in the early 80s, was heavily influenced by the Detroit techno scene and producers like Derrick May and Carl Craig before developing his own successful career. He is the owner of DNH Records, a house music label. - Jason Palma is a 25-year veteran of the Toronto DJ scene and was the co-owner and head record buyer for the iconic Play De Record shop for more than two decades. - Tyrone Solomon is a member of the production team 83 West and the collective The Trackheadz, alongside Nick Holder and Martino Lozej. - Revival Bar, the venue for the anniversary party, has been a staple of Toronto's live music and event scene for over 20 years.
