Evolution Wonderlounge

Location: 10220 103 Street NW

For thirty years, The Roost was a staple of Edmonton’s LGBTQ2 nightlife. Along with Flashback, these two iconic gay dance clubs dominated the 1980s. When Flashback closed, other clubs—such as The Option Room, 109 Discotheque, and Buddys—rose to fill the void, but still, The Roost held its own with a loyal clientele. Late in 2007, The Roost announced they would be officially closing once and for all, which left a significant gap in Edmonton’s LGBTQ2 nightlife.

The first to try to step into The Roost’s void was Uplift Entertainment. In the summer of 2008, Uplift owner Jamie Miller created a series of monthly parties called Pure. These parties, held initially at the Velvet Underground, focused on 25- to 40-year-olds as their target demographic. Miller stated, “one gay dance bar isn’t enough,” but he didn’t “feel comfortable in a room full of 18-year-olds.” Miller also expressed concerns about opening an LGBTQ2 nightclub on Whyte or Jasper Avenue, suggesting the “lack of discretion” wouldn’t be popular with Edmonton’s LGBTQ2 community. “They don’t want to stand in line, on a busy street, or have one of their friends from work drive by,” Miller said. At the same time, several other groups were actively working on establishing a series of new LGBTQ2 dance clubs.

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Archival Photos

This virtual pride segment features a burlesque performance at Evolution Wonderlounge, which is Edmonton’s only remaining LGBTQ2+ nightclub.

 

Articles & Links

Learn more about the history of Edmonton’s LGBTQ2 bars and clubs with this 5-part series published by the Edmonton City as Museum Project.

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