“There’s a whole element that’s lost out there of how grand a party can be. What drama and what can really happen when somebody plays music that is not just a succession of beats, or a collection of this week’s new releases, but is actually an inspired reading. It’s a message, it’s a telling.” — François Kevorkian
“It’s a unique situation when dancer becomes part of the whole setting of the music being played.” In this, the DJ is as much part of the audience as the dancers. “Basically, you have one foot on the dancefloor and one in the booth.” — David Mancuso. (Last Night a DJ Saved My Life By Bill Brewster and Frank Broughton 2006)
With corporate/nationalist interests increasingly co-opting dance music’s “Peace, Love, Unity, Respect (PLUR)” aesthetics for capital gain and as a means to legitimize state violence, “Why Do I Never See You at the Club?” explores how people use dance-music to build local knowledge and create opportunities that serve our community’s needs for play, connection, skill-sharing, and placemaking.
Curated by Places and featuring local Hamilton artists, Why Do I Never See You at the Club? is a multimedia project that explores and celebrates dance music culture through nightlife memorabilia, photography, collage, and video works. The event-driven exhibition invites you to film screenings on global rave culture; panel discussions on party organizing and safety in club spaces; workshops for the shy and dance-curious; weekly broadcasts featuring local selectors; and a living library of found objects offering a glimpse into Hamilton’s history of dance music culture—all anchored by a DIY DJ altar station for live playing and sonic exploration.
We create the club we want to go. This exhibit turns the gaze toward the dancefloor/gallery for (un)familiar modes of participation—watching, listening, mixing, mingling, jumping, creating breathing, thinking, dancing, and connecting.
Places is a Hamilton-based artist collective exploring the social and experimental sides of DJing, radio, and sound. Co-founded by Jeff Chow (Dunaway), Nikhil Rajput (Peachface Lovedeep), Vania Void (woodland bot), and Jac Hypolite (godemperor), Places evolved from a weekly radio show on CFMU and has since expanded into live events, community workshops, and multimedia projects.
Rooted in collaboration and curiosity, Places treats DJing as more than just mixing one track to another—it’s a tool for education, pleasure and community building. The collective is drawn to mixes that blend spoken word, analog radio, DIY aesthetics, and unconventional formats.
At its heart, Places aims to make DJing and sound art more accessible. By creating events and for skill-sharing, experimentation, and collective listening, the group challenges the idea that DJ culture is exclusive or technical. Instead, they embrace an open-ended approach—one that invites people to engage with music in their own way, whether as selectors, dancers, or listeners.
No AI Statement
Throughout the preparation and duration of the exhibition, we are committed to not using AI-generated technology for writing, editing text, creating artworks, or altering existing works. We also encourage participating artists to uphold this commitment in their submissions.
PACBI Statement
Places is endorsing the Palestinian Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel (PACBI) support of Palestinian artists worldwide and follows over 58 collectives, venues, cultural organizations, and more who have also endorsed this call.
How does one start a party? On April 25th, from 7 PM to 9 PM, join Hamilton-based event organizers and party-throwers Dallas (Strangewaves), Erika (SousBas), and Geneva (TREMA) as they cover what it takes to put together an event—from booking talent, venues, and equipment to managing finances and ensuring sustainability. They will also discuss how event organizing has changed in the post-COVID world, sharing observations and strategies for creating sustainable events.
Geneva (TREMA). Being embedded in the GTA underground community, Geneva has spent the past few years playing parties and clubs where music & culture come first. With southern Ontario's close proximity to Detroit, the birthplace of techno, her invigorating sets draw inspiration from early techno, electro, and Detroit club music. Geneva consistently demonstrates her passion for electronic music and culture. She co-owns TREMA AUDIO, a Hamilton based techno/electro record label and party series. As well, she hosts her own techno and techno-adjacent night in Hamilton & Toronto; showing local talent and fostering the budding scenes. Geneva also is involved in the community advocating for less harmful party practices, educating ravers, and fostering a safer dance floor space.
Erika McMeekin. (SousBas) Community builder, educator, and co-founder of Sous Bas. Currently working in the field of Seniors Programming and seriously considering making my life goal the creation a party-centric retirement community!
Dallas (Strangewaves) Dallas has nested in Hamilton since 2003, lured here by the city's fruitful and magnetic underground music scene. He is a co-founder and programming director of Strangewaves, which has presented 5 camping festivals & 150+ music-centric events within the city of Hamilton and slightly beyond. Since 2015, Strangewaves has been presenting vital artists from near & far - across a wide array of genres - in venues oddly big & uncomfortably small. He co-hosts the Hamiltopia radio program with Becky Katz & Randy Gagne, which aims to broadcast an idyllic hour of intoxicating sounds in Hamilton once weekly. A self-professed "party addict," Dallas believes in broadening the definition of partying to include daily aspects from life from the mundane to the extravagant.
Join Dunaway for an intro and beginner-friendly CDJ workshop—no experience required! Learn the essentials of using CDJs, from basic controls to different mixing techniques, with no genre limitations—play whatever you love. Beyond the technical skills, we'll discuss where to find music and how to listen and support musicians more equitably and sustainably. Whether you're curious about DJing or looking to refine your skills, this hands-on session offers a welcoming space to explore your sound.
How can we build community, collective presence, and embodied communication on the dance floor?
Join Vik and Skye for pb&jam (presence, body & jam), a two-hour movement workshop exploring this question through improvised dance with live DJ accompaniment. We’ll engage in deep listening, self-reflection, and mutual attention (presence) that will drive our explorations in guided movement and improvisational tools (body). Our work will culminate in collective improvisation (jam), with an emphasis on curiosity, play, and community care.
This workshop is recommended for movers of all skill-level, ages 16+.
Please come wearing comfortable clothing and indoor shoes or socks, and bring a water bottle.
retrograde: dance in motion is a contemporary dance partnership between Vik Mudge (they/he) and Skye Rogers (she/her). retrograde elevates the community through distinctive storytelling experiences. We are compelled to explore new methods of creating dance that empowers community development, and aspire to divert the direction of dance creation and performance in Canada. Our work is composed of community workshops and performances, and our curiosities tend to weave these two worlds together. Most recently, we created an original piece "Community Garden," commissioned by Ontario Culture Days. The piece was developed over three weeks, inclusive of public research workshops, and collective creation with emerging movement artists in St. Catharines.
A bartender, a harm reduction worker, and a consent educator walk into a club…
On May 10th, from 1 PM to 3 PM, Places invites SOPEN, SACHA, and a freelance bartender to have a sobering discussion about staying safe while partying.
Our panelists will answer the following questions:
In the context of nightlife, what are some proactive approaches to establishing safety versus responsive approaches to addressing harm?
How can we apply harm reduction practices to the club, where personalities are altered by substances?
How does substance use impact consent?
We invite bartenders, partygoers, venue owners, and event organizers to join us for an afternoon of discussion with reputable educators who dare to scratch the underbelly of our party scenes.
How does one start a party? On April 25th, from 7 PM to 9 PM, join Hamilton-based event organizers and party-throwers Dallas (Strangewaves), Erika (SousBas), and Geneva (TREMA) as they cover what it takes to put together an event—from booking talent, venues, and equipment to managing finances and ensuring sustainability. They will also discuss how event organizing has changed in the post-COVID world, sharing observations and strategies for creating sustainable events.
Geneva (TREMA). Being embedded in the GTA underground community, Geneva has spent the past few years playing parties and clubs where music & culture come first. With southern Ontario's close proximity to Detroit, the birthplace of techno, her invigorating sets draw inspiration from early techno, electro, and Detroit club music. Geneva consistently demonstrates her passion for electronic music and culture. She co-owns TREMA AUDIO, a Hamilton based techno/electro record label and party series. As well, she hosts her own techno and techno-adjacent night in Hamilton & Toronto; showing local talent and fostering the budding scenes. Geneva also is involved in the community advocating for less harmful party practices, educating ravers, and fostering a safer dance floor space.
Erika McMeekin. (SousBas) Community builder, educator, and co-founder of Sous Bas. Currently working in the field of Seniors Programming and seriously considering making my life goal the creation a party-centric retirement community!
Dallas (Strangewaves) Dallas has nested in Hamilton since 2003, lured here by the city's fruitful and magnetic underground music scene. He is a co-founder and programming director of Strangewaves, which has presented 5 camping festivals & 150+ music-centric events within the city of Hamilton and slightly beyond. Since 2015, Strangewaves has been presenting vital artists from near & far - across a wide array of genres - in venues oddly big & uncomfortably small. He co-hosts the Hamiltopia radio program with Becky Katz & Randy Gagne, which aims to broadcast an idyllic hour of intoxicating sounds in Hamilton once weekly. A self-professed "party addict," Dallas believes in broadening the definition of partying to include daily aspects from life from the mundane to the extravagant.
Join Dunaway for an intro and beginner-friendly CDJ workshop—no experience required! Learn the essentials of using CDJs, from basic controls to different mixing techniques, with no genre limitations—play whatever you love. Beyond the technical skills, we'll discuss where to find music and how to listen and support musicians more equitably and sustainably. Whether you're curious about DJing or looking to refine your skills, this hands-on session offers a welcoming space to explore your sound.
How can we build community, collective presence, and embodied communication on the dance floor?
Join Vik and Skye for pb&jam (presence, body & jam), a two-hour movement workshop exploring this question through improvised dance with live DJ accompaniment. We’ll engage in deep listening, self-reflection, and mutual attention (presence) that will drive our explorations in guided movement and improvisational tools (body). Our work will culminate in collective improvisation (jam), with an emphasis on curiosity, play, and community care.
This workshop is recommended for movers of all skill-level, ages 16+.
Please come wearing comfortable clothing and indoor shoes or socks, and bring a water bottle.
retrograde: dance in motion is a contemporary dance partnership between Vik Mudge (they/he) and Skye Rogers (she/her). retrograde elevates the community through distinctive storytelling experiences. We are compelled to explore new methods of creating dance that empowers community development, and aspire to divert the direction of dance creation and performance in Canada. Our work is composed of community workshops and performances, and our curiosities tend to weave these two worlds together. Most recently, we created an original piece "Community Garden," commissioned by Ontario Culture Days. The piece was developed over three weeks, inclusive of public research workshops, and collective creation with emerging movement artists in St. Catharines.
A bartender, a harm reduction worker, and a consent educator walk into a club…
On May 10th, from 1 PM to 3 PM, Places invites SOPEN, SACHA, and a freelance bartender to have a sobering discussion about staying safe while partying.
Our panelists will answer the following questions:
In the context of nightlife, what are some proactive approaches to establishing safety versus responsive approaches to addressing harm?
How can we apply harm reduction practices to the club, where personalities are altered by substances?
How does substance use impact consent?
We invite bartenders, partygoers, venue owners, and event organizers to join us for an afternoon of discussion with reputable educators who dare to scratch the underbelly of our party scenes.
©2025 Hamilton Artists Inc.