Comfort Zone got raided ~ NOT the Silver Dollar

[Represto]

http://network.nationalpost.com/np/blogs/toronto/archive/2008/03/16/161272.aspx
http://www.citynews.ca/news/news_20656.aspx

What the fuck.

[thecjm]

what do you mean "what the fuck?"  The CZ on Sunday mornings is notorious for drugs. It is a sketchy place. Why shouldn't/wouldn't the police raid it?

[Represto]

Maybe I meant 'what the fuck took so long?'   or  'what the fuck did they have to go upstairs for?'   or  'what the fuck ever happened to Cosmic Steve?'

[dan burke]

The raid was on the Comfort Zone. The Silver Dollar was not open. The Zone is rave-style club which caters to a complete different crowd than The Silver Dollar.  I spoke with the owner of The Silver Dollar this morning and was told that the raid will not affect the Silver Dollar's operations. The raid on the Zone was indeed a heavy one. I'm glad I wasn't there.

[Represto]

Thanks for the update Dan.  Glad to see the that yourself and the Dollar didn't get mixed up in that craziness.  Maybe someone should tell the National Post.

[dan burke]

Thanks for the update Dan.  Glad to see the that yourself and the Dollar didn't get mixed up in that craziness.  Maybe someone should tell the National Post.

Thanks, Rep. The Post is identifying The Dollar as the target of the raid, which is an obvious error. It wasn't even open at the time. No one was in the Dollar at the time of the raid.

[thatguyoverthere]

The Comfort Zone was the sketchiest of the sketch.  It was a fucking Etcha-Sketch.
I was heavily involved in the electronic music scene from 1998 - 2004 and I only went to the Comfort Zone twice.  Both times because I was hosting people from outside of Toronto who wanted to party really really (really) hard.

[sally take my hand]

My fav part is the secret room where the people who overdose on G get to go.

[stef]

ya, my first thought was who's gonna bail Dan out of jail? Glad to here it had nothing to do with the Dollar and that you're ok Dan.

[Brett]

cops probably read these, eh.

[randomguy]

it was poisonous glass's fault!  hope that show went well, dan!

[dan burke]

cops probably read these, eh.

Possible. Send me an e:mail when you read this, Brett.

[al-x]

ha the post quoted stillepost

[noel]

ha the post quoted stillepost

I noticed that as well... Copy and paste.

[nerdrock]

I think i went to a dance party there -- and im quite certain a bunch of stilleposters were there too.. 

[sally take my hand]

I hope they are ok!

[Honeyschool Die]

After all these years, why is the Comfort Zone only now raid worthy?

[Wolfcow]

just watched the news.. why do they keep saying the silver dollar got raided when it clearly didnt??

[newpolluter]

ratings.

[dan burke]

After all these years, why is the Comfort Zone only now raid worthy?

The last serious raid at The Zone happened a few years back when some idot who was ejected from the club called police and told them someone had a gun inside. It was a Saturday at 11 a.m. and the police surrounded the club -- with snipers armed with laser-sighted assault rifles. We had to leave the club one by one out the front door and two riflemen were crouched on either side with the guns pointed at us, the red laser dots spotted on our ribs -- showing where the bullets would enter. On the street, each of us -- women and men -- were grabbed as we exited as if were the reported gunman.
    Of course, there was no gunman.
     In fact, I never heard of guns being in the Zone. Over 10 years, unlike other clubs, there never was a bullet fired there. Never was anyone shot to death like at The Docks or many other cluibs in the city.
     The raid this morning was far worse than one a few years back.. They brought those assault rifles into the club and ordered everyone on the floor. Even security were handcuffed and lay there for several hours face down. I found that out because at about noon I ran into group of them in front of Tim Horton's where they were comparing the welts on their wrists left by the handcuffs.
     So I guess it was rough day for a lot of people I know. I used to frequent The Zone and I made some firends there. I especially like the Vietnamese people I've got to know. I hope they're OK.

[spastic]

I often go to the comfort zone when I'm tripping on E and jenkem and I know it is a very non-violent place I have found much love on those floors, fuck the police.

[Franks2000inchTV]

Woah. Madness. Glad you're ok Dan. I wonder if a similar false report was behind this or if there's something larger at work.

[dan burke]

I often go to the comfort zone when I'm tripping on E and jenkem and I know it is a very non-violent place I have found much love on those floors, fuck the police.

As strange as that may sound to people who only know The Zone by its reputation as the outer limits of nightlife, I fully understand it. It's an incredible ethnic mix of people who share some sort of bent in their spirit. And when you spend enough time there in the never-ending nightlife, a sense of community develops. Affection and understanding, even.
   As for the Silver Dollar: if -- in the worst case scenario -- the authorities try to crush that fabulously classic live venue, it would surely crush some of my spirit. But I got choice to remain in this racket. Getting wounded won't remove me. The only way I leave will be dead.
    So let there be live.

[Franks2000inchTV]

The zone is such a bizarre and unique environment.

Every time I've gone (maybe five or six times) I end up meeting/talking to the most completely random people, so I guess it does act as some kind of twisted cultural blender.

That said, I can't think of any particularly memorable conversations to ever come out of the soup, other than the one time someone offered me $200 for my neon stussy hat. To this day I wonder if I made the wrong decision in turning him down.

If the zone gets done in/clamped down on, then there's still the other new, pretty rad rave-style club that stays open insanely late. I'm not going to mention it here since (as the national post article shows) the media (and who knows who else) are lurking this thread looking for juicy tidbits to supplement their shoddy reporting.

Still, it's such an institution that it would be a shame to see it go, and a closure would mean that the sketchiest parts of the scene would just migrate to the new spot, essentially killing the posi, friendly, relatively sketch-free vibe that's been cultivated there.

[sborer]

I worked security a few times at the Comfort Zone, and while it's certainly NOT sketch-free (Franks2K"TV, you have strange standards), it didn't feel nearly as violent as some of the Club District bars I bar-backed at.  I really believe there's a community down there, and I would be sad to see it go (although not as sad as I would be if it took the Dollar down with it). 

That said, I'm always confused as to why cops choose to raid places when they do.  Working at the CZ (and the Silver Dollar - the two share managers and staff as well as a building), I often heard people talking about the cops looking for a reason to shut the place down, but they couldn't have been looking very hard.  You couldn't take two steps without GHB vials crunching underfoot.  There used to be a poker game in a building by the Burger King across the road, and then one night there were a dozen cop cars breaking it up.  The next weekend, it was up and running again.  And I mean, for heaven's sake, who doesn't know about cold tea?!  And yet "vice" raids seem to be completely arbitrary and often smack of extortion. 

[al-x]

I worked security a few times at the Comfort Zone, and while it's certainly NOT sketch-free (Franks2K"TV, you have strange standards)

He was referring to the other place he's talking about.

"vice" raids seem to be completely arbitrary and often smack of extortion. 

totally

[Kursty]

I worked security a few times at the Comfort Zone, and while it's certainly NOT sketch-free (Franks2K"TV, you have strange standards)

He was referring to the other place he's talking about.

to be fair, Frank is pretty sketchy. If nothing else, at least aesthetics wise. Case in point:

[Franks2000inchTV]

All I see in that picture is a beautiful mane of rock.

My aura reader just told me that I was rock-a-doodle in a past life. I don't know WHERE she gets this crap from. Time to stop relying on a 1-900 number for accurate course corrections as we sail off into the future.

[graphs]

should be interesting to see what is revealed at this press conference. i would think if the zone got raided then there must've been some upset in the relationship between the police and whomever was making sure they looked the other way for so many years.

[dan burke]

should be interesting to see what is revealed at this press conference.

A much larger matter of interest to me is which bands I'm gonna add to my show THIS THURSDAY at The Dollar. I lost one yesterday. Got two slots open. It's Good Friday the next day, which makes Thursday like a weekend date.
   Who wants to play?
   I can be e:mailed at rockscars@yahoo.ca
   You might even be able to hang out at The Comfort Zone after.
   That's right. The Comfort Zone is planning to re-open!
    Stay tuned.
   

[nightvision]

My fav part is the secret room where the people who overdose on G get to go.

secret room!

[Pete]

Wish I could rock for you Dan but my new lineup only just started rehearsing..  hope to do a show with you soon though, been too long.

Fuk Da Po-lice.

[Brett]

Toronto Police are calling this raid 'Project White Rabbit.'

I'm going to the press conference now. Should be interesting.

[dan burke]

Toronto Police are calling this raid 'Project White Rabbit.'

And I'm calling it dangerously excessive. They went in armed to teeth, like it was a military operation in Afghanistan.
   My project now is to add two more bands to my show on Thursday at The Silver Dollar.
Who wants to strap on guitars and enlist in the great live music crusade on Good Friday weekend?
   My e:mail is rockscars@yahoo.ca

[Missouri Soupbone]

30 arrested in club raid, drugs seized
 
RON BULL/TORONTO STAR
Police search the Comfort Zone after-hours club March 16, 2008 following the arrests of more than 30 people. Cash and drugs were seized in the club, which is popular with the city's rave crowd. 
 
Student says he was forced to lie flat on the ground handcuffed for three hours in after-hours club

Mar 17, 2008 04:30 AM
Robyn Doolittle
Staff Reporter

More than 30 people were arrested yesterday in an early-morning raid on a downtown after-hours club.

Shortly after 6 a.m., dozens of police officers in riot gear stormed Comfort Zone on Spadina Ave., just north of College St.

Members of the emergency task force and drug squad seized cash and drugs, but were silent on further details, calling the raid a routine sweep.

A search warrant taped to the front window indicated police suspected marijuana, GHB – the date-rape drug – cocaine, ecstasy, PCP and ketamine, an animal tranquilizer, among others, were being trafficked inside the club, which is popular with the city's rave crowd.

Both users and dealers seemed to be targeted by police.

"Over 30 were arrested and they (confiscated) money and drugs. That's about all I can tell you. They're planning a press conference" for today, said Staff Sgt. Courtney Chambers.

A Ryerson student who was inside at the time said he was forced to lie flat on the ground handcuffed for three hours. He said it was announced inside, the club was being raided because of recent overdoses.

Online, clubgoers ranted about being targeted and many asked if anyone knew of a good replacement until Comfort Zone reopens.

Others noted that most of the "main guys" weren't even there.

Dan Burke, a booking agent for the adjoining Silver Dollar blues bar, said Comfort Zone is a successful business that doesn't need to sell drugs.

"I can assure you of two things: the club has never been a booze den. Liquor has never been served down there since its liquor licence expired more than five years ago," Burke said. "And two, if there are any drugs sold or purchased in there, the staff, management and ownership has no involvement in it whatsoever. There is absolutely no way the owners or staff were involved because I know all of them."

One witness estimated as many as 80 police officers descended on Comfort Zone. A TTC bus had been chartered to transport the charged individuals and a court services truck was also on site.

Some locals speculate the drugs come from the Chinese mafia, although a staffer said that was absolutely not true. "No bikers work there. No guns are in there and none of the staff are drug dealers."

[Franks2000inchTV]

Heh. My dad on the phone today: "So do you know anyone who was caught up in this raid thing? And you know this Dan Burke guy, right? He's quoted in the star article!"

Dan, someday you gotta meet my dad!

[Franks2000inchTV]

Some locals speculate the drugs come from the Chinese mafia, although a staffer said that was absolutely not true. "No bikers work there. No guns are in there and none of the staff are drug dealers."

Hrmmmmm.... those statements are not logically connected in any meaningful way.

[graphs]

seems like one was a guess and one was a slip

[pharma brown]

Anyone know what time the press conference is?

[newpolluter]

right now.

official press release:

http://www.torontopolice.on.ca/newsreleases/pdfs/13641.pdf