The gay void Before Playground face-lifted itself by way of a new wooden dance floor and became Storm, the street buzz was big. Everybody believed the Playground/Storm folks would finally bite the boogie and create a sorely needed GAY afterhours. But instead, Storm went up against straight-to-the-fat-laces Sona. And the wooden dance floor has lost no varnish because of it. So now, Storm is going under the scalpel again. They're procuring a liquor licence this month, installing new DJs (Peter Crno, Saturday), and ordering more plaster. Channel Productions will help with some Saturdays; Fridays have been nixed. Mark Anthony and Fred Everything resigned. Owners say they want a "stylish, older" clientele, a "musical" clientele. Sounds like an expensive cul-de-sac to me, since there is no such thing as a strictly "musical" crowd. And that elusive "stylish, older" group are either home listening to Esquivel, at Buona Notte being "older" or in Toronto being token "stylish" Montrealers. WHAT ABOUT THE GAYS? Or rather, what about the gays sick of Sky and pubbing it while waiting for the next circuit monster? This situation is not exclusive to Montreal. In New York, straighter clubs like Vinyl thrive where cock once ruled. Paris's legendary Queens has been dethroned and in Toronto, rare circuit gigs like the mediocre Garden Party have somehow stolen the club thunder. There are many Mark Anthonys "concentrating on studio work" at the moment. And the Black & Blue aside, let's hope this general hibernation wakes early. Maybe someone should try a modernized "old skool fag breaks" night, and see where it goes. Newspotting! Channel have confirmed Patrick Pulsinger (Oct. 18), Derrick May (Nov. 8) and Sven Väth (Dec. 6) for Storm. * The rumours about Groove sponsoring Bouge de là are false: they were going to if Bouge changed their dumbo hostess. * Shock productions may be involved in re-clubbing the former l'Esprit disco (once owned by NYC club shmarm Peter Gatien). They're thinking of putting in a buffet. Egg rolls in the air! * Last week a VJ saved my life: cheers for Coldcut! The future looked smasharoo last Saturday. Matt Black could use some style tips.