ntil now, this new club might have faced strong competition from the Comfort Zone, where all-night ravers grooved to music and, apparently, did a lot of other things as well. After last weekend’s police raid, however, things have definitely changed. And consequently, those looking to continue dancing away to new wave beats until the early morning are probably looking for a new venue. Enter BLAK.

This is definitely not to say that Blak has the same problems as its now-defunct cousin (read: enough drugs to kill a pod of whales). It’s true that Blak will be offering late-night beats and hypnotic laser shows for the after-hours crowd. But Blak seems to be distancing itself from the super sketchy and is doing so by implementing some all-ages nights, a bar replete with upscale liquor, and plenty of notable talent on the calendar.

The space was formerly Crosstown, although only for a very brief period of time. Before that, it was Healy’s and even before that it was the infamous Bassmint, which any veteran Toronto partier should be familiar with. Blak, in its current incarnation, most closely resembles Bassmint. The subterranean space isn’t high on décor or ambience but I doubt that’s what you’re here for anyways. The real focus at Blak is the music, and fortunately they have a sound system that delivers enough bass to vibrate your internal organs.

The list of upcoming talent includes some highly-respected DJs and artists, like Freedom Danish, Indica, Atomic Babies, Barbi, Matt Sims, and Joe Rowe. There’s no doubt that club kids, hipster scum, and insomniacs/vampires alike will be flooding the dance floor at Blak, in hopes of warding off another night of sleep. And while no one can predict what will go on behind closed bathroom doors, here’s to hoping that Blak’s emphasis on live entertainment and an inclusive door policy will attract some more straight-edged clientele who don’t need ketamine to have a good time.