Legendary Chicago promoter and Medusa’s club founder Dave Shelton has died

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Legendary Chicago promoter and Medusa’s club founder, Dave Shelton, has died.

Dave “Medusa” Shelton has died of natural causes, aged 64. The news was announced on Friday (7th August) in a post from close friend Miguel Ortuno via Shelton’s Facebook page.

“I’m sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but sadly, someone has to do it and well… I know he would want me to say something witty, sarcastic, fun and ‘Dave-like’ so here goes,” Ortuno’s post reads. “Just when you thought 2020 couldn’t get any worse, it took away your sense of normalcy, it took away your fun, your gatherings, and now it took away one of the kindest, most generous people to ever exist in the nightclub world and in the world in general. Dave Medusa has sadly passed away. He passed this week of natural causes and we are just announcing this tonight as we wanted the family to be notified first.”

“Take chances, dare to be different, express yourself, do what makes you happy… Dave always wanted everyone to have an amazing time and although this is horribly sad, he would want everyone to remember the best memories of him and just be happy for all the great times you did enjoy together.”

Shelton founded Medusa, a Chicago all-ages, no-alcohol club that opened after the Warehouse closed, over 30 years ago. It was a safe place for LGBTQ+ youth, and attracted teens of all races from the suburbs and city, inspiring a generation of dance music producers, from the likes of Tommie Sunshine and Kaskade to Hieroglyphic Being. He later opened another Medusa in his hometown that still stands today.

You can read the tribute below.