Club Quarantine Logo[1][2]

Club Quarantine (Club Q) is a virtual gay club based in Toronto that began hosting URL (online) parties in early 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic.[3][4][5] Created by four friends, recording artist Ceréna Sierra, DJ Casey MQ, comedian Brad Allen, and digital creative Mingus New, Club Q began by hosting parties on Zoom in March 2020.[6] In Ontario, full closures of all non-essential businesses were recommended by the province on March 16 2020.[7] Club Q's first online event took place on that same Monday, March 16, 2020, with a modest 12 attendees.[8] The Club Q Zoom event on March 17, 2020 featured a spontaneous live stick-and-poke session where a virtual club-goer got a tattoo reading "Club Q".[4] Later online events often saw 1,000 attendees.[4] By April 2020, Club Q had partnered with PAPER magazine (a collaboration called PAPER x Club Quarantine) to host a series of events.[9] Club Q hosted their first IRL (real life) - as opposed to URL) event for Halloween 2021 at a membership based co-working space called Eastroom in Toronto where 700 people attended. The IRL halloween event was called "Literally Dead" and was also live streamed to a Zoom audience.

Performances and events

April 2020

On April 3 2020, Club Q celebrated the birthday of Chester Lockhart who hosted the party on Zoom. Performers at the April 3 online event included Dorian Electra, Charli XCX, Abhora, Santi Storm, HANA, Allie X, Alice Glass, and That Kid.[10]

Club Q on April 8 2020 featured performances by Pabllo Vittar; DJS Nídia, Mazurbate (Matthew Mazur), and DJ MINAS; and Drag performers Rify Royalty and Louisiana Purchase.[9]

On April 15 2020, Club Q featured a live DJ set by Rebecca Black (of Friday fame), who had recently come out as queer.[11][12] Javiera Mena, Sateen, Himera, and Allysin Chaynes also performed at the 3-hour virtual event.[13]

On April 22, 2020, Mike Thornwell hosted the virtual party. Victoria Monét was a guest DJ, in celebration of her newest single at the time, "Dive".[14] Gia Woods, Dana Dentata, MEATY, Nar, JayJay Kings and Dinah Jane performed at the April 22 event as well.[14] The night also featured a surprise performance from Nasty Cherry.[15]

Brendan Jordan hosted Club Q on April 29, 2020, where Big Freedia, Uffie, Aluna (of AlunaGeorge), Messer (Mitch Grassi), Casey MQ, Edge Slayer, and drag performers Junior Mint and Paris L'Hommie performed.[16][17]

June 2020

Lady Gaga performed at Club Q via Zoom in June 2020, dedicating her performance to Marsha P. Johnson.[18]

Events by the same name

American DJ D-Nice, also created an online party by the same name in March 2020 that saw over 100,000 people attend virtually via Instagram Live, including celebrities like Kylie Jenner, Rihanna, and Missy Elliot.[19] DJ D-Nice's Club Quarantine played largely hip-hop and rap music, while the Canadian Club Q plays a wide variety of music genres including hyperpop.[19]

References

  1. ^ "@clubquarantine • Instagram Photos and Videos". www.instagram.com. Archived from the original on 2020-05-09. Retrieved 2021-11-07.
  2. ^ Steinberg, Sophie (2020-10-13). "Club Quarantine: A queer safe haven in the form of a virtual dance party". The Occidental. Retrieved 2021-11-07.
  3. ^ Adams, Kelsey (2020-03-21). "Toronto's hottest club is online". NOW Magazine. Retrieved 2021-11-07.
  4. ^ a b c "How to Throw a Rave at the End of the World". PAPER. 2020-03-31. Retrieved 2021-11-07.
  5. ^ bird, angie (2020-12-26), CLUB QUARANTINE, retrieved 2021-11-10
  6. ^ "People in Toronto are beating the coronavirus nightclub ban by partying online". www.blogto.com. 16 March 2020. Retrieved 2021-11-07.
  7. ^ "A timeline of COVID-19 in Ontario | Globalnews.ca". Global News. Retrieved 2021-11-08.
  8. ^ "Nightclubs Have Closed, But A Hot New Queer Party Is Happening Online". HuffPost. 2020-03-20. Retrieved 2021-11-07.
  9. ^ a b "Pabllo Vittar Will DJ Tonight's PAPER x Club Quarantine". PAPER. 2020-04-08. Retrieved 2021-11-08.
  10. ^ "Charli XCX Opened Her Surprise Virtual DJ Set With the 'Macarena'". PAPER. 2020-04-04. Retrieved 2021-11-08.
  11. ^ "Rebecca Black Performed 'Friday' at PAPER x Club Quarantine". PAPER. 2020-04-17. Retrieved 2021-11-10.
  12. ^ "Rebecca Black Comes Out as Queer". PAPER. 2020-04-08. Retrieved 2021-11-10.
  13. ^ "Party With Rebecca Black Tonight at PAPER x Club Quarantine". PAPER. 2020-04-15. Retrieved 2021-11-10.
  14. ^ a b "Victoria Monét and Dinah Jane Will DJ PAPER x Club Quarantine". PAPER. 2020-04-22. Retrieved 2021-11-10.
  15. ^ "Dinah Jane DJ'd a Virtual Set From Her Bathtub". PAPER. 2020-04-23. Retrieved 2021-11-10.
  16. ^ "Big Freedia, Uffie and Aluna Tonight at PAPER x Club Quarantine". PAPER. 2020-04-29. Retrieved 2021-11-10.
  17. ^ "Wig: Mitch Grassi Debuted Messer at PAPER x Club Quarantine". PAPER. 2020-05-01. Retrieved 2021-11-10.
  18. ^ Ramesbottom, Lauren (2020-06-26). "Lady Gaga makes surprise appearance at Club Quarantine 'fundrager'". etalk. Retrieved 2021-11-08.
  19. ^ a b "BP Diaz recognizes DJ D-Nice for creation of Club Quarantine". Bronx Times. 23 March 2021. Retrieved 2021-11-07.
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