I don’t know about any of the other nights of the week, but Scratch last Friday was the second greatest dance party of all time, of all time!
The so-called “Team Canada DJs” were playing some excellent tracks including the theme from Beverly Hills Cop, which pretty much made the entire night. I could throw out a bunch of phrases to explain the mastery that went into DJing that night but I would be venturing into territory that I know nothing about. The DJs, laid out some wicked tunes? The party was bumpin’? Those guys sure knew how to use that spinning thing/MacBook combination. Whatever lingo you want to use, it was a good time had by all, I think.
However, after one spilled drink (not mine) and two or three injuries (also not mine), I discovered that I should refrain from dancing in public ever again. The women’s washroom was tidy enough, I think (I didn’t notice), although I feel that the mirror/sink area was disturbingly small and crowded, and with a lot of ladies wanting to freshen up, things can get a little hostile.
When I was invited to go to Scratch I imagined something along the lines of a downscaled version of the Scuzz as in the same crowd, the same music, the same fucking fog machine.
I thought the hype and excitement surrounding the whole affair could be just a side effect of it being a new, fandangled club. That could be the case (it’s too early to tell) but when I arrived it seemed more like a place that you would go in search of the elusive post-work martini, as it was mostly occupied by businessmen in suits and ties and their associated broads in tiny dresses and high-heeled shoes. I arrived around 10 p.m. so I was impressed with the laid back feeling and not having to wait in line.
Being primarily a beer drinker the club scored fairly well in having a large selection of brews on tap. The service was satisfactory at the beginning of the night, but waned as the club got busier, necessarily so.
The crowd itself was an odd sort of mutt: business people, club goers, hip-hoppers and some hipster kids. Although the night was not lacking in extremely short and revealing skirts, it was still a pleasant experience that differed greatly from all my previous encounters with such establishments.
As of right now, Scratch holds a lot of potential for Saskatoon DJs and caters to a broader demographic than other clubs. Although cover can be a little pricey and the drinks are a bit steep, a good pre-drinking party can cure most of the financial problems you would encounter during a night out at Scratch. I managed to lose $40 that night, but I did go to MacDonald’s afterwards, so it’s okay.
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photo: Matthew Stefanson