The Guvernment Nightclub has seen countless talented DJ’s roll through it’s doors during its almost 16 year existence, but what happened inside the venue for the official Veld Music Festival after parties is difficult for me to put into words. Leading up to day one of the festival many social platforms generated many rumors of what INK and festival organizers had planned without any official word. It was never a question of whether or not the after parties would happen, but instead who was going to play them. With one of North America’s most infamous clubs at their disposal, INK came through and surpassed any expectations dance music fans in Toronto could have had for the events.

For night one the trio of Michael Woods, Chris Lake, and Deadmau5 were announced as headliners inside the Guvernment, but in a surprise twist Steve Aoki and Knife Party joined SAVOY next door in Guv’s electro-dubstep room Chroma. Night two saw SIZE Records take over the Kool Haus as AN21 & Max Vangeli joined label head Steve Angello to officially close out Veld celebrations.

The buzz outside of the Guvernment on night one set the stage for one that would be full of surprises. Michael Woods and Chris Lake reiterated their label as some of the UK’s best producers with sets designed to thrive in the Guvernment environment. For these two it was evident that the opportunity to open and close for their good friend Deadmau5 was something they welcomed with open arms. The stage was littered with DJ talent and shared a similarity to the atmosphere they thrive in at each other’s shows during Miami Music Week. It was no secret that the majority of people flocking to the complex were primarily concerned about one individual in particular however,dithering out fail he made their venture worth while.

During Deadmau5’ closing set at Veld on day one things unfortunately did not go as planned and his equipment shorted out due to rain. As a result he was forced to alter the performance he had carefully planned out for months and openly shared his frustration. Inside Guvernment was a completely different story. It was almost as if the weather unleashed a monster. Deadmau5 took the opportunity to lay down some filthy and uncharacteristic tech-house that caught many people by surprise. This night saw him dive into the deeper realms of dance music and really showcase a side of Mau5 many of us had not seen before.

In the video above taken by Guvernment blog contributor Robbie Stilez, you can really get a feel for how far Deadmau5 strayed from his usual performances. In every sense of the word he displayed his versatility as an artist and furthermore just how broad his music catalogue really is.

Next door Chroma was just as crazy as Guv. The original after party was to have SAVOY as the main attraction but in a surprise twist Veld performers Steve Aoki and Knife Party made the decision to give the room its highest profiled guests to date. With all three acts in the perfect room to emphasize their sound it was no surprise to see many of the DJ’s not playing that were in the complex there to watch it all unfold. Aoki and Knife Party put on an incredible back 2 back set that emphasized the rooms ability to entertain some of the best talent electro and dubstep have to offer.

On night two of the Veld after parties Swedish House Mafia member Steve Angello served as the headlining act supported by younger brother AN21 and his partner Max Vangeli. Last time this trio played at Guvernment was in celebration of the Guv’s 15 year anniversay and the end result was one very messy mainroom. This time the venue shifted to the Kool Haus and as the night progressed it became clear that something very special was happening.

Steve Angello had performed at Veld on day one as the main stage lead in for Deadmau5, and spent the night in the city to be there on day two to support AN21 and Max Vangeli. Fortunately for us we live in Toronto, a city passionate about their dance music and Angello was inspired to skip out on his flight that evening to stay and play at Guv. AN21 and Max Vangeli altered their set from the one played earlier in the day to emphasize the sound system at their disposal inside the Kool Haus. Showcasing many of the new singles off their ‘People of the Night’ album (out September 3), the crowd welcomed the sounds of one of 2012′s breakout dance music acts.

Steve Angello took control of the decks somewhere around 1:30 am and took Toronto on one of the craziest rides the city has seen in recent memory. Not only did Angello play almost every track he and his peers have put out in the last 3 years, but in two different parts of his set he dove into what he referred to as “after party music”. No words can truly describe how incredibly passionate Angello was up on that stage. He told the crowd that he would not stop playing until they couldn’t dance anymore, and he didnt; not until well after the sunrise.

To say that Guvernment threw a party on either night would be a huge understatement. Its nights like these that reaffirm why the dance music community is one of the best in the world. Our favorite DJ’s give us endless reasons to support them with an emphasis on the music above all else, a concept that can’t be said about other genres of music.

If you missed out on these parties or are in need of another, make sure you check out the HUGE Labour of Love line-up here for the Labour Day weekend September 2-3.