Club 1-2-3

Club 1-2-3 Is Now Open; Credit: Tara Yellowley-Paul 

     College friends Mark Stone and Peter Faller came up with the idea of opening an alcohol free all ages nightspot in Peterborough.

     Peter Faller

     "...The club was three of the best years of my life with a lot of amazing memories.  Thank you all for remembering..."

     Peter Faller's father owned a building at 184 Brock Street that would make for a perfect location.  Directly across from the old Food City grocery store [later Frescho].  Previous to Club 1-2-3 the space was known as Rusland's / Orange Hall.  "...they used to do dances there and then started doing [live] shows..." [Richard Hanes].  Some of the first hard rock and metal concerts that I ever saw took place in that old Rusland's Hall.  This however would be something new, different and exciting.

     Mark Stone and Peter Faller opened Club 1-2-3 in the early fall of 1986.  With a very large dance floor; smoke machine; good lighting and a powerful sound system, this was exciting news throughout the local Peterborough school system.  Previous to this venture Mark was a CHEX - CFMP radio operator and live on-air weekend DJ from 1982 to 1985.  Roger Pierce was brought in as the club's main DJ.  His musical playlist was basically 'Alternative' and 'Dance' music modeled after CFNY's new artist free-form / personal choice type radio which at the time was hitting it's peak in popularity.  Brian Guest, Dave Pitts and Jeff Preston also DJ'd there as well.  James Doweny served Coffee, Sara sodas and other virgin drinks at the concession.  Mark and Peter ran the space for two years, then Peter's sister Suzie Faller took it over and ran it for the final couple of years until it closed.

Roger Pierce, Club 123 DJ; Credit Tammy Tennant  

     

     Mark Stone

     "...Club 1-2-3 was on Brock Street in Peterborough and ran for four years...  The club was my idea during College and my fest friend Peter Faller and his Dad owned the building and put up the money for the club.  Peter and I ran it for two years - then Peter's sisters Suzie Faller ran it for the final two years.  Roger Pierce was the DJ.  James Downey was a bartender [soft drinks]...  Club 1-2-3 had the largest dance floor of all the clubs in Peterborough for a while.  So many kids grew up there.  The city purchased the building from Hans Faller then demolished it and made the land into a parking lot..."

     Dianne Harte-Maxwell

     "...I-2-3 was supposed to be a multi-layered building.  Kids on the bottom.  Dining on the main floor and a swanky adult night club on the top..."

Club 1-2-3 Floor #1, circa 1987; Credit: Mark Stone

Corinna Abrams

     "...I loved how the dance floor had a counter around it where you could place your drinks and watch them as you dance.  That place was always so much fun.  I remember Tammy [Tennant] and Aurele [Gill] walking in with their huge mohawks hand in hand..."

Club 1-2-3 Live #1, circa 1987; Credit: Mark Stone

Christina Wilson

     "...the excitement of going there.  Getting all decked out and then making the drive with Christine [Jaros] or whoever else was driving.  I was a year younger than the rest of the Cobourg crowd so I wasn't old enough to drive.  I loved the music, the ability to dance however I wished.  Meeting all of the Peterborough freaks.  …I learned to ska dance there..."

Thomass Cisco Wheeler - The Ziggy Effect; Credit: Darcy Scott Clark 

Debbi Lowden

     "...walking in for the first time and seeing Thomas Cisco doing his thing on the dance floor..."

     Club 1-2-3 reveler Tammy Tennant wrote about the space in her high school newspaper shortly after it opened.

     "...The admission to the Club is three dollars plus fifty cents for coat check.  It may sound like a lot for a cover charge but it is well worth it because it has the best lighting set-up in Peterborough, they play good music, and it has the largest dance floor.

'Club 1-2-3 A Sucess'; Credit: Tammy Tennant

     If you are planning on going to Club 1-2-3 you should be over 14 and under 18.  There is no alcohol served, and you won't be admitted if you are drunk or on drugs.  Also you are not supposed to wear track pants or jeans unless they are of the dressier kind.

     They play music for everyone and try to fulfill most requests.  An example of some of the music they play is Skinny Puppy, Divine, Dead or Alive, Run DMC, The Cure etc.

     If you want to visit this club, go on a Thursday, Friday, or Saturday night between 7:00 pm and 3:00 am and plan to have a good time!..."

     Trevor H. Gulliver

     "...I wrote this poem [entitled 'When we were strange and beautiful'] for the creative writing section of my final high school English exam while coming down off of acid.  I was thinking of all the beautiful people at Club 123 when I wrote it.

I remember often laughing when you and I were poor

I remember being dusty and sleeping on your floor.

I remember being hungry and scratching at your door.

Do you remember eating pizza left (by whom?) the night before.

I used to make art from garbage; I don't do that anymore..."

     Janice Quade

     "...a place that felt liberating, exciting and free …free to be myself  …free to express myself through clothing, hair, music and dance without fear of being harshly judged.  It felt like a safe place to be around like minded people, all of us just stumbling through our teen years and finding our way..." 

Janice Quade; circa 1986; Credit: Janice Quade

     Tom Jenson

     "...I have such fond memories of that club, such a great alternative for kids who didn't want to drink alcohol but still wanted to go out and have a great time..."

Club 1-2-3 Floor #2, circa 1987; Credit: Mark Stone

     

     Marc Novoselec

     "...Club 123 was truly one of a kind, a nightclub for kids and every kind of kid went there, punks, metal heads, goths, country kids and the preppies.  Everyone had their music played and their hair sprayed!

     Even those who were 'of age' would come to 123 instead of the other popular places because there was a vibe, it was new, fun and for the most part very safe.

     A lot of us found new friends from other other schools, learned new dances and maybe had our first serious kiss there.

     The vintage of the building leant to it's cool vibe; we learned how to interact with other cliques and felt totally at home dancing with our eyes closed to DJ Roger's awesome mixes..."

Marc Novoselec - circa 1986; Credit: Janice Quade

     Tanya Dowdall

     "...It was an important gathering place and somewhat neutral territory for teens from all schools to meet rather than silo at a house party with others from their own school.  It was also a place that allowed us to focus on creative dressing up and dancing rather than sitting around drinking (which many probably did BEFORE going there but at least it was kind of chaperoned by bouncers!).  It was a place of sharing and advertising a certain kind of culture - music, fashion, dancing, and connection.  I have many fun and fond memories..."

     Club 1-2-3 tried it's best to create a safe, drug and alcohol free hangout that the Peterborough community would embrace.  In the beginning they were squeaky clean and even had a dress code and mandatory coat check.  They would keep a close eye on both alcohol and drug use.  The coats were checked thoroughly before entering, and anyone giving the slightest appearance of having consumed alcohol wasn't allowed in.  Once inside the club party goers were not allowed back outside unless they paid the entrance fee again.

     Even with all the rules... within months of the space opening, problems with youth drinking in the parking lot and surrounding area would have to be dealt with.

     "...Peterborough police recently charged eight young offenders and adults with drinking in the lot.  They were responding to complaints last Friday and Saturday about noise and broken beer bottles.   ...Inspector George Loyst, of the Peterborough police said several complaints have been received since the club opened..."

     Matt Barraball

     "...$53.75, Anyone remember that number?..."

Peterborough Examiner clipping: Credit: Roger Pierce 

     "...Continued cooperation with the police, plus the approach of winter will likely put a stop to the problem, said [Mark] Stone.  However, he said he anticipates it resurfacing next summer.  …However, he said the club can do little to prevent drinking in the city owned parking lot because bouncers have no jurisdiction.  Stone said the club tries to discourage customers from drinking in cars by making sure they stay inside the building..."

     Sue Faller

     "...There were never any impaired people in the Club :)..." 

     "...A Food City supermarket spokesman said there were a few incidents of youths drinking in the parking lot shortly after the club opened, soon after they discovered the presence of a security guard the problem was quickly solved..."

     At that time, the staff basically frowned on us metalheads ever going near the property.  The few nights I was allowed to enter, it was always very slow, or I was in the accompaniment of one of their 'known' regulars.  It was always assumed by the staff that I was there to deal drugs.  Which I wasn't...

     Sherri Wilfong

     "...Drugs!!!  I remember the bouncer sold them!!!..."

     Always under a very watchful eye, I never really found the place to be that ground breaking and alternative.  Anyone who ever talked to me about the place, always made sure to mention how "hardcore punk" it was.

     It wasn't...

     Alternative Dance; Dance-rock; Gothic Rock; Post-Punk or Synthpop would be better descriptions of the music played at Club 1-2-3.

     "...Meanwhile 123 on Brock Street downtown is just beginning to fill at 10 p.m. as mostly black-clad teens pay their $4 admission.  Whoops of welcome and hugs great newcomers as friends from across the room spot them.

Unknown Newspaper Clipping; 'Club 123!!!'; Credit: Jenn Caley  

     Self-professed preps, 17-year old Julie Houlihan and friends, frankly admit to being materialistic 'trendsetters' sporting brand name clothes.  The larger portion of the 123 crowd are the punks, easily identified by the black garb and wild hair styles.

     Dancing in slower, more deliberate movement than teens at [Club] 404, preps and punks mingle easily.  'Everybody here talks to everybody.' the preps say adding that although the punk's clothes say they aren't going to conform, underneath they are like everybody else..."

     Aaron Michielsen

     "...I frequently laid down in the middle of the dance floor because I was so bored.  I was a freak so I was invited.  It was the only place at the time.  I appreciate that they tried.

     Whenever I did manage to get inside, all I ever heard them play was Depeche Mode; New Order; The Smiths or The Cure.  Although the occasional request for Dead Kennedys or the Sex Pistols would be filled the music mostly played at Club 1-2-3 was solar systems away from bands like: Minor Threat; Bad Brains; Black Flag or Circle Jerks.  I will admit that near the Club's end, after Roger Pierce left to DJ at Clovers Nightclub the playlist became more industrial, goth and experimental sounding.  Bands like Front 242 or Ministry would get played as record labels like Wax Trax! gained in popularity.

     The following playlist by Damian Norman would be a better representation of the music being pumped from the sound system at Club 1-2-3 most weekends.

     Damian Norman

     "...Memories of Club 123 Playlist: Alphaville 'Big in Japan'; Animotion 'Obsession'; B-52's 'Rock Lobster; Bangles 'Walk Like an Egyptian'; Bauhaus 'Bela Lugosi's Dead'; Berlin 'Sex'; Bow Wow Wow 'I Want Candy'; Bronski Beat 'Smalltown Boy'; Company B 'Fascinated'; The Cure 'Boys Don't Cry'; Cutting Crew 'I Just Died In Your Arms'; Dead or Alive 'You Spin Me Round'; Depeche Mode 'People Are People'; Divine 'You think you're a man'; English Beat 'Mirror In The Bathroom'; Jean Loves Jezebel 'Desire'; George Michael 'Faith'; Human League 'Human'; Killing Joke 'Love Like Blood'; Ministry 'Every Day Is Halloween'; Modern English 'I Melt With You'; New Order 'Blue Monday'; Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark 'If You Leave'; Romeo Void 'Never Say Never'; Sigue Sigue Sputnik 'Love Missle F1-11'; Skinny Puppy 'Dig It'; Smiths 'How Soon Is Now'; Soft Cell 'Tainted Love'; Stacey Q 'Two Of Hearts'; Timex Social Club 'Rumours'; Tones On Tail 'Go!'; Trans-X 'Living on Video'; Yello 'Oh Yeah'..."

     As the original crowd from Club 1-2-3 grew in age and began to indulge in harder drugs I'm sure that just brought more problems and way too much liability for the owners.

     James Seaborn

     "...Most of mine [memories] are self incriminating or wrapped up in intimacy of the pursuit thereof  …club 123 was MY Club 54..."

     Debbi Lowden

     "...The night of the laser party when everyone except maybe five people were high on LSD..."

     Aaron Michielsen

     "...We were all experimental..."

     Christina Wilson

     "...Drinking and tokes in the parking lot.  Sometimes I'd go when I was staying with my dad but I'd have to lie to him about staying at Corrina Abrams for the night.  I'd usually crash at whoever was having a party after..."

     Unfortunately 1-2-3's future had been predetermined all too quickly from the start.  Although the music wasn't in line with my tastes, and the staff didn't seem to care too much for me, I did manage to make some lifelong friends at that place. 

     In 2007 the Administer of the Club 123 facebook group Jenn Caley along with Tammy Tennant together began to organize a reunion event.  The tradition has been periodically continuing ever since with out of town alumni travelling back to the patch to make appearances.  Sometimes held in local parks, other times in peoples basements or backyards.  The celebrations have continued into the evenings at local nightclubs such as the Trasheteria or the Red Dog.