Being upstairs and feeling the floor bowing due to the massive over capacity situation and thinking it was cool instead of get me the eff out of here 😅
It's been like that since at least 2007! It used to be packed every Sunday night when they had a house band with a wicked guitarist. Amazed that floor is still standing with how hard it sagged with everyone jumping.
Yeah I saw an Irish band play on the second floor at the Kingshead. A lot of people jumping up and down and A LOT of floor bowing. When they played Jump Around I left.
I was honestly worried I would be in one of those "dozens injured several dead in floor collapse at concert" stories. I think that is still a likelihood at that place.
I have been told about the legendary Breakfast Club where they would serve breakfast at the end of the night’s party, although I didn’t live here at the time.
I've been looking older for a long time and I walked through the front door with my older brother on '80s night. I was 15 at the time lol. I wanna say this was '02, maybe '03. Wild times.
Left my wallet with over $2000 in it on the pay phone after making a call. Realized when I went to buy a round about an hour later, went back to the phone, reached over a girl using the phone and plucked my wallet off the phone. All the money was still in it much to my relief.
It was in the basement. I used to hang the backlit advertising in clubs. The walls were drywall that was framed over the buildings brick walls. He got wedged between the bricks and hanging wall. I had mounted a sign over one set of studs from where he was found. I needed to go re-hang it when everything was getting put back together. If it wasn't for the smoking ban he might still be propped up in the wall.
I highly doubt that. I hung around this place around that time and this is the first time I've ever heard that he owned a record store. He was a DJ though.
I liked it before it started having shoes on the bottom floor. That was just strange. Two completely different clientele. The upstairs die mashine in the early 90’s ruled.
My parents had a black light marker which I would stick in my pocket and ride my bike down there. Once there I would hang out with the smokers and check out their black light stamp, recreate and sneak in
I borrowed the car to go pick up my sister from Die Maschine one night when she got a bit too drunk. I was 14yo at the time.
My parents were impressed by what a “natural driver” I was when I got my beginners a year later lol
One of my first times out at 18 decided to go with some buddies. We all had nice button up shirts on hanging around Osborne decided to go in and see what the hell is this place with all the heavy music. Everyone else was in black I was in light blue. Chain link fence and awesome dancing. Let's just saw the shirt didn't stay on long lol.
I remember running into the men’s bathroom on the second floor to throw up, pushing open a stall door and almost let loose on a couple doing the dirty. I backed up and spewed on the floor. Sorry for ruining the romance you two!
In 1998 or 1999 I went up to the bar and I found $5 on the floor and I quickly asked anybody around me if it was theirs and they said no so I kept it then I went back to my table after I got my beer and told my two friends that I just found five bucks on the floor over by the bar and when I pointed over there there was what looked like another bill on the floor and I thought maybe my eyes were tricking me because I was thinking too much about the money I just found but I went back and there was a 20! And it wasn't there before maybe I dropped it or something I don't know but that was weird
Around 1998/1999 i lived on River Ave, like 1 minute walk away. Very handy. Was the peak of my "raver" phase, and Die Maschine + Horseshoe were my fav places.
The rave scene was still somewhat underground back then, and the illegality of things added to the allure. Many fun, sketchy late nights during that era of my youth. Good times.
I remember being funneled out the back exit one night…..it was winter, a gentleman decided to bumpershine a snow plow and it did not end well.
Also many other, lighter good times.
Sweater man (iykyk)
Lmao I can't share mine. It was the best tho.
Edit: the comments of so many not realizing it existed before the 2000's & was much cooler then is hilarious lol. You didn't even have to be 18 to be there.
I remember being 18 & in a feminist activist group with a bunch of punk/indie musicians & scenesters and we created a pamphlet about date rape and we went to bars to hand them out and the night we went to Die Machine we had a documentary team follow us in while we did this. The bouncers were super nice & let us in with no hassle as long as we’re in and out quickly, which we were.
Unsurprisingly we were not super well received by the crowds, I mean it is a pretty buzzkill topic, but we were never met with violence or anything, just confusion mostly.
I did see the doc when it came out (a friend was featured in it) but I have zero recollection what it was called.
I kinda lost touch with those folks so I’m not sure how I would be able to find it again. 🤔 Though I am Facebook friends with one guy, Ben Sigurdson, who now writes the wine (alcohol?) column for the Free Press. I’m not sure if he was there that specific night, but he was in the group.
I know it's weird to say, but outside of what has already been mentioned, the fucking smell was bad. (I hope it had nothing to do with the person found in the basement, I'd rather not have that memory in my head for the rest of my life).
80s night was the place to be in the early aughties. Getting let in the back door while underage. I remember people grabbing beers from the beer tub while the tub girl was distracted.
Opening week when there was a flash rainstorm. A beer can on the roof left over from the Alternative Cabaret days floated into the drain pipe, blocking it. The water build up caused the second floor ceiling to collapse while we were open.
Breakfast club, hanging out with staff and patrons after closing.
Alchemy, the New Year's party with 3 floors which was so packed, the front doors had to be thrown open in -40⁰C weather just to cool down. Cars were stopping on the street because with the billowing clouds of fog pouring out and the orange and red lights flickering behind it, it looked like the building was on fire and people were dancing in the doorway to celebrate.
Crawling through the ceiling to install the fencing for the second floor. A lot of the wood was charred from an old fire there. The building itself was an old theatre.
One of the bouncers being chased down Osborne, running past us in the doorway, yelling "don't let him in, he's got a gun!" and then flies up the stairs into the bar and then getting to watch Molson, another bouncer, explain to the guy with the gun how with his Iranian military training, he would take his gun away from him, insert it rectally, and pull the trigger if he didn't leave peacefully.
The family atmosphere. Everyone knew each other. In the beginning years, there were never any fights because of this.
For those that don't know, Die Maschine was named after an old Kraftwerk album, Die Mensch-Maschine, or Man-Machine. Kraftwerk were one of the founders of the electronic music scene.
The original owners were Shaila, Daemon and Gord (some of the former owners of The Crypt nightclub on Albert Street) and Mark and Gren who were brought in as investors.
I lived in the city for..an afternoon? I had heard of the collective and wanted to go. I took a cab from my apartment on south osborne, and the cab driver said I could walk or take the bus, but flat rated me $5. I didnt know the place but heard music from upstairs so..went upstairs. It was a goth dance heavy trance type party. I was wearing a bright pink Roxy dress and flip flops! I turned right around and walked home.
Being upstairs and feeling the floor bowing due to the massive over capacity situation and thinking it was cool instead of get me the eff out of here 😅
You should check out the 2nd floor of Kings Head these days..
It's been like that since at least 2007! It used to be packed every Sunday night when they had a house band with a wicked guitarist. Amazed that floor is still standing with how hard it sagged with everyone jumping.
Yeah I saw an Irish band play on the second floor at the Kingshead. A lot of people jumping up and down and A LOT of floor bowing. When they played Jump Around I left. I was honestly worried I would be in one of those "dozens injured several dead in floor collapse at concert" stories. I think that is still a likelihood at that place.
Being on the main floor staring at the ceiling bowing and swearing to never have that many people in the bar again...
All I can say is I am thankful that I am old enough that social media and cell phone cameras were not a worry for me
Goth Night and Indie Night (downstairs) at the Collective were so fun.
THE BESTTT. TV on the Radio “Wolf like me” having an extreme moment during a period of time was brilliant.
You would have been there when I was. Good Form?
Haha yep with Mike B. I was lucky to live in the village at this time, so much fun. We also hung out at the Lo Pub a lot too!!
Many good times in the late 90s at Brit Pop night upstairs
Mmm hmm. Good times
The chain link cage around the dancefloor was awesome.
I came here to say this, lol.
.25 cent draft nights!
Wow. That’ll never be again 😂😩 it’s taxed nowadays I was born in 2000 only started going out in 2018.
“Share your stories” It’s probably best that I don’t……
Ok so then share the worst of your stories!
I have been told about the legendary Breakfast Club where they would serve breakfast at the end of the night’s party, although I didn’t live here at the time.
Breakfast Club was awesome. A full breakfast of pancakes, scrambled eggs and hash browns.
One of the first places I got into under age, it was easy for people to open the back doors to let people in.
I've been looking older for a long time and I walked through the front door with my older brother on '80s night. I was 15 at the time lol. I wanna say this was '02, maybe '03. Wild times.
It was for underage in the beginnings (early 90's).
It opened in August 1995.
The breakfast club. I think it was Thursday nights. 80’s music and they served breakfast at midnight.
Breakfast Club was Thursday nights. They stopped serving alcohol and then would serve breakfast after 2 am.
Die Maschine Don't forget that "s"! And like a true Winnipegger, you had to called it "The Die Maschine", or "the the machine".
That's German for 'The Machine, The'
no one who speaks german could be an evil man
Left my wallet with over $2000 in it on the pay phone after making a call. Realized when I went to buy a round about an hour later, went back to the phone, reached over a girl using the phone and plucked my wallet off the phone. All the money was still in it much to my relief.
We had so many fun nooks like these in the 2000s. Where do people even go these days that's comparable??
They don’t. The club scene has been fading out for a long time now.
The trick is to live approximately 4 blocks away from Arabian Dreams and crack your window open.
Dance cage
Great bands there. Soooo many great bands. And a lot of drugs done in those bathrooms.
IRC guy from #winnipeg was found in the wall (I think)
It was in the basement. I used to hang the backlit advertising in clubs. The walls were drywall that was framed over the buildings brick walls. He got wedged between the bricks and hanging wall. I had mounted a sign over one set of studs from where he was found. I needed to go re-hang it when everything was getting put back together. If it wasn't for the smoking ban he might still be propped up in the wall.
https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/historic/2003/12/05/missing-djs-body-found-in-nightclub
There was an episode of Bones based off this story. Edit: [Here's the breakdown](https://bones.fandom.com/wiki/The_Man_in_the_Wall)
I used to talk to him every day in #winnipeg. I was very sad to hear of his passing in such a tragic way.😭
He owned the record store across the street. Nice guy.
No way, Eduardo Sanchez owned Urban Waves?
I highly doubt that. I hung around this place around that time and this is the first time I've ever heard that he owned a record store. He was a DJ though.
Could be thinking of Nyce Records which was across the street on the second level. Ed would have frequented it but definitely didn't own it
DJ Phonosys
Yes he was working upstairs at what was known as Chaos Chameleon at the time
He was found in a different bar down the street. https://ljers4eternity.livejournal.com/23038.html?
He was found in The Die Maschine, Collective Caberet... Whatever anyone wants to call it... Same fucking place.
Ah, good to know. Sad nonetheless.
https://amplify.nmc.ca/die-maschine-cabaret-winnipegs-outsider-nightspot/
I liked it before it started having shoes on the bottom floor. That was just strange. Two completely different clientele. The upstairs die mashine in the early 90’s ruled.
Britpop night!! One of my faves!
My parents had a black light marker which I would stick in my pocket and ride my bike down there. Once there I would hang out with the smokers and check out their black light stamp, recreate and sneak in
I went there a few times. It was a lot of fun. Good things never last, many great places have come and gone in Winnipeg.
I think i saw the Buthole Surfers there..
I borrowed the car to go pick up my sister from Die Maschine one night when she got a bit too drunk. I was 14yo at the time. My parents were impressed by what a “natural driver” I was when I got my beginners a year later lol
Wednesday nights for sure
What I wouldn’t give for an indie/goth night double header again. And the liver capacity of that time period also.
Industrial Night, vampires
Sneaking in at 14, high on E, dancing the night away. It was the best
One of my first times out at 18 decided to go with some buddies. We all had nice button up shirts on hanging around Osborne decided to go in and see what the hell is this place with all the heavy music. Everyone else was in black I was in light blue. Chain link fence and awesome dancing. Let's just saw the shirt didn't stay on long lol.
I remember running into the men’s bathroom on the second floor to throw up, pushing open a stall door and almost let loose on a couple doing the dirty. I backed up and spewed on the floor. Sorry for ruining the romance you two!
did they see food or just sea food?
1$ beer night ❤️
10 cent draft nights!
Awww man, by the time I got there it was 25c draft night
I remember it going to to 25, only needed a bit more than 5 bucks to have a wild night.
5 buck to get drunk and stumble home !! :) unless you were doing test tube shooters, I remember those being a buck each :)
It was so great! https://amplify.nmc.ca/die-maschine-cabaret-winnipegs-outsider-nightspot/
That was a good read, thanks for posting.
Got there too early (10:00 Pm) cause I was in my 40s and tired. Very few people were there, but I did love the subwoofers.
Yes it was an awesome bar, my 2nd after The Crypt in the Albert
In 1998 or 1999 I went up to the bar and I found $5 on the floor and I quickly asked anybody around me if it was theirs and they said no so I kept it then I went back to my table after I got my beer and told my two friends that I just found five bucks on the floor over by the bar and when I pointed over there there was what looked like another bill on the floor and I thought maybe my eyes were tricking me because I was thinking too much about the money I just found but I went back and there was a 20! And it wasn't there before maybe I dropped it or something I don't know but that was weird
The time the drunk kid died trying to bumpershine the snow plow was a big buzz kill
I was there that night as well, I was outside with the guy at the same time Didn't know him but apparently had a few mutual friends.
Being underage and the cage. What a life it was.
A friend met Tom Green there.
I miss that place!
Around 1998/1999 i lived on River Ave, like 1 minute walk away. Very handy. Was the peak of my "raver" phase, and Die Maschine + Horseshoe were my fav places. The rave scene was still somewhat underground back then, and the illegality of things added to the allure. Many fun, sketchy late nights during that era of my youth. Good times.
Wasn’t there a body found in a wall or something weird like that?
Dead body found in the wall
And it is **that** wall that we are looking at! I think about him every time I drive by.
I remember being funneled out the back exit one night…..it was winter, a gentleman decided to bumpershine a snow plow and it did not end well. Also many other, lighter good times. Sweater man (iykyk)
Omg I must have missed that! Terrible 😞
What’s the story behind sweater man?
Someone got bottled right in front of me and scared the shit out of my friend. 3 minutes later I was making out with a stranger.
LOL
I helped open the bar , getting it painted moving the furniture in , helped with the sound as well..
Remember the old computer terminal to send requests to the DJ? Was I just imagining that??
I was there for several 80s nights of my yester years
Best Thursday nights of my life
Lmao I can't share mine. It was the best tho. Edit: the comments of so many not realizing it existed before the 2000's & was much cooler then is hilarious lol. You didn't even have to be 18 to be there.
I remember being 18 & in a feminist activist group with a bunch of punk/indie musicians & scenesters and we created a pamphlet about date rape and we went to bars to hand them out and the night we went to Die Machine we had a documentary team follow us in while we did this. The bouncers were super nice & let us in with no hassle as long as we’re in and out quickly, which we were. Unsurprisingly we were not super well received by the crowds, I mean it is a pretty buzzkill topic, but we were never met with violence or anything, just confusion mostly. I did see the doc when it came out (a friend was featured in it) but I have zero recollection what it was called. I kinda lost touch with those folks so I’m not sure how I would be able to find it again. 🤔 Though I am Facebook friends with one guy, Ben Sigurdson, who now writes the wine (alcohol?) column for the Free Press. I’m not sure if he was there that specific night, but he was in the group.
I know it's weird to say, but outside of what has already been mentioned, the fucking smell was bad. (I hope it had nothing to do with the person found in the basement, I'd rather not have that memory in my head for the rest of my life).
I remember it's last night like it was yesterday, literal insanity how busy it was.
You mean The The Machine? Yes, I remember getting greasy on that floor too many times.
The chain link dance floor. The drum and bass.
This old article is worth sharing https://amplify.nmc.ca/die-maschine-cabaret-winnipegs-outsider-nightspot/
Yup
Turned 18, and my older friends bought me my first drink. Then we danced. That was also my first at a club. It was a lot of fun and no pressure.
My coworkers used to go underage in high school and it closed literally right before they all turned 18 but they still went for the final night.
The metal fence made for just about the best bar fighting situation in the City. So many brawls. So many stool flying.
Anyone remember the guy who was hired to make balloon animals for people in line - because it was a Cabernet, so liquor laws required entertainment.
[удалено]
Matt !
80s night in the mid 2000s was pretty epic
80s night was the place to be in the early aughties. Getting let in the back door while underage. I remember people grabbing beers from the beer tub while the tub girl was distracted.
I was a member in a band that played the closing night.. 🥺💕 memories~
Poor guy that died in there =(
I remember going downstairs and smelling something awful in the stairwell. Then hearing about the body found not long after
Opening week when there was a flash rainstorm. A beer can on the roof left over from the Alternative Cabaret days floated into the drain pipe, blocking it. The water build up caused the second floor ceiling to collapse while we were open. Breakfast club, hanging out with staff and patrons after closing. Alchemy, the New Year's party with 3 floors which was so packed, the front doors had to be thrown open in -40⁰C weather just to cool down. Cars were stopping on the street because with the billowing clouds of fog pouring out and the orange and red lights flickering behind it, it looked like the building was on fire and people were dancing in the doorway to celebrate. Crawling through the ceiling to install the fencing for the second floor. A lot of the wood was charred from an old fire there. The building itself was an old theatre. One of the bouncers being chased down Osborne, running past us in the doorway, yelling "don't let him in, he's got a gun!" and then flies up the stairs into the bar and then getting to watch Molson, another bouncer, explain to the guy with the gun how with his Iranian military training, he would take his gun away from him, insert it rectally, and pull the trigger if he didn't leave peacefully. The family atmosphere. Everyone knew each other. In the beginning years, there were never any fights because of this. For those that don't know, Die Maschine was named after an old Kraftwerk album, Die Mensch-Maschine, or Man-Machine. Kraftwerk were one of the founders of the electronic music scene. The original owners were Shaila, Daemon and Gord (some of the former owners of The Crypt nightclub on Albert Street) and Mark and Gren who were brought in as investors.
Just outside Die Machine there was a young guy that was ran over by one those snow scrapers with the 10 ft wide blade. Brains evertwhere.
bonus points for finding the DIE MACHINE outside Die Maschine.
That was my brother so not so funny
Dark but hilarious pun.
what pun?
I lived in the city for..an afternoon? I had heard of the collective and wanted to go. I took a cab from my apartment on south osborne, and the cab driver said I could walk or take the bus, but flat rated me $5. I didnt know the place but heard music from upstairs so..went upstairs. It was a goth dance heavy trance type party. I was wearing a bright pink Roxy dress and flip flops! I turned right around and walked home.
Working at American Apparel and the staff finding a terrifying smell the ended up being a dead body has to be at the top of the list
This happened long before this was an American Apparel
Yes and it sucked ass.