List of music venues in Toronto

Last updated

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Depeche Mode Toronto 04-07-2023 IMG 026 (52806345123).jpg
Toronto skyline, a 2023 concert held in Scotiabank Arena

The following is a list of music venues in the City of Toronto. Toronto is one of the most toured cities in the world, with 85% of large world tours passing through the city between 2015 and 2023. [1] [2] Rogers Centre and Scotiabank Arena are the highest capacity venues in the city, and they host most of the shows by superstar artists. [1] Additionally, Toronto has the third largest concert market in the world, after New York and Los Angeles. [3]

Contents

Live Nation Canada owns many of the large and mid sized venues in Toronto, including Budweiser Stage, History, The Opera House, The Danforth Music Hall, and Velvet Underground. [4] This has been criticized by some as "monopolistic" and "big-footing". [4] Supporters believe Live Nation is a benefit as it acquires venues that may otherwise go out of business, but critics say their practices push out independent venues and smaller promoters. [4]

Map

The following is an interactive map of Toronto's music venues with concert capacities greater than 1,000 people.

List of music venues in Toronto
Arenas are denoted in red, while concert halls / theatres are denoted in green.

Large venues

This section includes music venues with a capacity greater than 1,000 people. Defunct venues are not included.

VenueExterior imageInterior imageMax. capacity [a] DescriptionYear openedLocation
Rogers Centre
Toronto - ON - Rogers Centre (Nacht).jpg
Tigersbluejaysapril2008.jpg
40,000 – 50,000 [5] Large sports arena that can be reconfigured for concerts. [6] Previously known as the "skydome". [6] Since its design didn't have live acoustics in mind, sound quality can vary. [6] Accessible by a 10-minute-walk from Union Station [6] 1989 Entertainment District

(1 Blue Jays Way) [6]

Scotiabank Arena
Scotiabank Arena - 2018 (cropped).jpg
Scotiabank Arena Panorama (cropped).jpg
19,800 [7] Multi-use arena that hosts concerts. The venue describes itself as having a "state-of-the-art" BOSE sound system. [7] In terms of ticket sales, Scotiabank Arena is the busiest concert venue in Canada, and thirteenth busiest in the world as of 2018. [8] Accessible through the nearby Union Station. [7] 1999Entertainment District

(40 Bay St)

Budweiser Stage †
Budweiser Stage 2023 outside.jpg
Interior of Budweiser Stage, 2024-08-16.jpg
17,000 [9] Located on one of Ontario Place's artificial islands, Budweiser Stage is primarily a concert venue. [9] The venue consists of ringed sections. [9] The innermost area is enclosed and seats 5,000; the outermost ring is a grassy hill without seats, where smoking is allowed. [9] The sound quality is worsened in this section however, and improved in the inner seats. [9] Due to the closure of Ontario Place, parking is ample. [9] 1995 Ontario Place

(909 Lake Shore Boulevard W) [9]

CNE Bandshell †
Toronto bandshell.jpg
10,000 [10] Entirely outdoor venue that hosts concerts part of the Canadian National Exhibition. [10] 1936 [10] Exhibition Place

(60 Prince Edward Island Cr)

Coca-Cola Coliseum
Ricohcoliseum.jpg
Toronto Coliseum 2015 Pan American Games.jpg
4,100 – 9,200 [11] A multi-use arena originally built for the Canadian National Exhibition. Can be accessed via Exhibition GO, as well, 5,000 parking spaces are available. [11] 1921Exhibition Place

(45 Manitoba Drive)

Sobeys Stadium †
Rexall Centre at York Toronto Canada.JPG
Rexall Centre York University Toronto.JPG
9,100 [3] Tennis arena located in the suburban York University campus. [3] As of the early 2020s, it was underutilized for tennis, causing it to be pivoted more towards concerts. [3] The venue can be accessed by the Pioneer Village subway station and has 7,000 parking spaces. [3] 2004 York University

(1 Shoreham Dr)

The Theatre at Great Canadian Toronto 5,000 [12] Entertainment venue located in Great Canadian Casino Resort Toronto, which is the largest casino in Canada. [12] The venue is run by Great Canadian Entertainment and located near Pearson airport and Highways 401 and 427. [3] 2024 Etobicoke

(1133 Queens Plate Dr)

RBC Echo Beach †
Stage at RBC Echo Beach, 2023-09-18.jpg
4,000Entirely outdoor venue which is also located in Ontario Place. Concertgoers stand on beach sand and there is no cover, unlike Budweiser Stage. [13] 2011 [13] Ontario Place

(909 Lake Shore Boulevard W) [13]

Meridian Hall
Sony Centre for the Performing Arts (26891218639).jpg
Amadeus - Live in Toronto - 20190222A.jpg
3,200Opened as O'Keefe Centre, renamed several times including Hummingbird Centre and Sony Centre.1960Downtown Toronto

(1 Front Street East)

Massey Hall
Massey Hall August 2017 02.jpg
Massey Hall Interior 2022.jpg
2,700 [14] Historic performing arts theatre. The hall is designated a National Historic Site of Canada, [15] and was specifically designed for high-quality acoustics, one reason why live albums are frequently recorded there. [16] 1894 [17] Downtown Toronto

(178 Victoria Street) [17]

Roy Thomson Hall
Shiny buildings in Toronto.jpg
Roythompsonhall.jpg
2,600 [18] Concert hall that houses the Toronto Symphony Orchestra. [18] It is known for its distinctive glass canopy design. [18] The hall was renovated in the early 2000s following criticism about poor acoustics. [18] 1982 [18] Entertainment District

(60 Simcoe St) [19]

History
History Toronto exterior.jpg
Interior of History, Toronto.jpg
2,600 [20] Drake-owned venue which is almost completely standing-room only. [20] Food and alcohol are served by the bars surrounding the floor. [20] There are also a small amount of box and theatre style seats available. [20] 2021 [20] The Beaches

(1663 Queen Street E)

Rebel
Gojira live Toronto 2016 117.jpg
2,5002016
Elgin Theatre
Elgin & Winter Garden Theatre (5983254692).jpg
Elgin Theatre Interior 2022.jpg
2,1001913
Four Seasons Centre
Toronto - ON - Four Seasons Centre.jpg
Four Seasons Centre - R Fraser Elliott Hall.jpg
2,000
Harbourfront Centre Concert Stage†
HarbourfrontCentre2.jpg
Westjet Stage - Harbourfront Centre, Toronto, Ontario, Canada - August 10, 2015.jpg
2,000Outdoor venue located on the waterfront. [21] It hosts free shows and music festivals. [21] 1992 [22] Harbourfront

(235 Queens Quay W.)

Convocation Hall
Convocation Hall in UofT.jpg
Convocation Hall during Fall convocation, 2007 Nov. 16th.jpg
1,700 University of Toronto

(31 King's College Circle)

Meridian Arts Centre
Toronto Centre for the Arts front.jpg
Meridian Arts Centre Lyric Theatre 2024.JPG
1,700 [23] 1993 [23] North York

(5040 Yonge St)

Danforth Music Hall
The Music Hall Toronto 2010.JPG
1,400 [24] Originally built as a cinema theatre, the hall is designated as a heritage building. [24] It can be accessed via Broadview station on the Bloor–Danforth line.1919 [24] Riverdale

(147 Danforth Ave) [24]

Winter Garden Theatre
Elgin & Winter Garden Theatre (5983254692).jpg
Elgin and Winter Garden Theatres The Winter Garden 2022.jpg
1,4101913
Phoenix Concert Theatre
The Phoenix, Toronto.jpg
1,350
Queen Elizabeth Theatre
CNE Queen Elizabeth Theatre.jpg
Queen Elizabeth Theatre interior.jpg
1,2501956
The Concert Hall
Info-Tech Research Group Toronto Office at Masonic Temple 2016.jpg
1,200
Koerner Hall
Royal Conservatory of Music.jpg
Koerner Hall.jpg
1,100 Concert hall part of The Royal Conservatory of Music's Telus Centre for Performance and Learning. [25] Built for high-quality acoustics. [25] Accessible via St. George Station on the Bloor-Danforth line. [25] 2009 Yorkville

(273 Bloor Street W)

The symbol "†" denotes an outdoor venue.

Small venues

This section includes music venues with a capacity less than 1,000 people. Defunct venues are not included.

VenueCapacity [b] Year built [c] LocationRef.
The Opera House 8001909 Riverside

(735 Queen St E)

 [26]
The El Mocambo 6501910 Kensington Market

(464 Spadina Ave)

[17]
The Axis Club 6202002 Little Italy

(722 College St)

 [27]
Lee's Palace 5501919 The Annex

(529 Bloor St W)

 [17] [28]
Adelaide Hall5502013 Downtown Toronto

(250 Adelaide St W)

 [29] [30]
The Great Hall 4801889Near Parkdale

(1087 Queen St W)

 [31]
Velvet Underground4401995Queen West

(508 Queen St W)

 [32]
Horseshoe Tavern 4001947Downtown Toronto

(370 Queen St W)

 [33] [17]
The Royal Theatre4001939Little Italy

(608 College st)

 [34]
Lula Lounge3402002 Brockton Village

(1585 Dundas St W)

 [35]
Ground Control3302023Queen West

(1279 Queen Street W)

 [36]
The Garrison2702009 Trinity-Bellwoods

(1197 Dundas St W)

 [37]
The Rivoli 2401982Queen West

(334 Queen Street W)

 [38]
Mazzoleni Concert Hall

(Royal Conservatory of Music)

2401901 Yorkville

(273 Bloor Street W)

 [39]
The Redwood Theatre2401914 Leslieville

(1300 Gerrard Street E)

 [40]
Hugh's Room 2001894 East Chinatown

(296 Broadview Ave)

 [41]
Sneaky Dee's 2001987Little Italy

(431 College St)

 [42]
The Drake Hotel 2001890Near Parkdale

(1150 Queen St W)

 [43]
918 Bathurst Centre

(The Music Gallery)

2001976The Annex

(918 Bathurst St)

 [44]
Bovine Sex Club 2001991Queen West

(542 Queen St W)

 [45]
The Baby G1702016Brockton Village

(1608 Dundas St W)

 [46]
The Dakota Tavern 1302007Trinity-Bellwoods

(249 Ossington Ave)

 [47]
The Monarch Tavern1201910Little Italy

(12 Clinton St)

 [48]
Free Times Cafe 1101980Kensington Market

(320 College St)

 [49]
The Cameron House 701896Queen West

(408 Queen St W)

 [35] [50]
The RexUn­known1951Downtown Toronto

(194 Queen St W)

 [51]

Notes

  1. ↑ This value is rounded to the nearest hundreds and only shows the capacity of venues in concert configuration.
  2. ↑ Rounded to nearest tens.
  3. ↑ This is the year the building was constructed, but not necessarily when the venue became a music venue.

Related Research Articles

The Toronto Symphony Orchestra (TSO) is a Canadian orchestra based in Toronto, Ontario. Founded in 1906, the TSO gave regular concerts at Massey Hall until 1982, and since then has performed at Roy Thomson Hall. The TSO also manages the Toronto Symphony Youth Orchestra (TSYO). Peter Oundjian was the music director from 2004 to 2018. Sir Andrew Davis, conductor laureate of the TSO, was the orchestra's interim artistic director from 2018 to 2020. Gustavo Gimeno has been the music director of the TSO since the 2020–2021 season.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Scotiabank Arena</span> Indoor arena in Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Scotiabank Arena, formerly known as Air Canada Centre (ACC), is a multi-purposed arena located on Bay Street in Downtown Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is the home of the Toronto Raptors of the National Basketball Association (NBA) and the Toronto Maple Leafs of the National Hockey League (NHL). In addition, the minor league Toronto Marlies of the American Hockey League (AHL) and the Raptors 905 of the NBA G League play occasional games at the arena. The arena was previously home to the Toronto Phantoms of the Arena Football League (AFL) and the Toronto Rock of the National Lacrosse League. Scotiabank Arena also hosts other events, such as concerts, political conventions and video game competitions.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Canada Life Place</span> Sports and entertainment centre in London, Ontario

Canada Life Place is a sports-entertainment centre, in London, Ontario, Canada – the largest such centre in Southwestern Ontario. Its previous names include John Labatt Centre and Budweiser Gardens.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ron Sexsmith</span> Canadian musician (born 1964)

Ronald Eldon Sexsmith is a Canadian singer-songwriter from St. Catharines, Ontario. He was the songwriter of the year at the 2005 Juno Awards. He began releasing recordings of his own material in 1985 at age 21, and has since recorded seventeen albums. He was the subject of a 2010 documentary called Love Shines.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Blue Rodeo</span> Canadian country rock band

Blue Rodeo is a Canadian country rock band formed in 1984 in Toronto, Ontario. They have released 16 full-length studio albums, four live recordings, one greatest hits album, and two video/DVDs, along with multiple solo albums, side projects, and collaborations.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Metric (band)</span> Canadian indie rock band

Metric is a Canadian indie rock band founded in 1998 in Toronto, Ontario. The band consists of Emily Haines, James Shaw, Joshua Winstead and Joules Scott-Key. The band started in 1998 as a duo formed by Haines and Shaw with the name "Mainstream". After releasing an EP titled Mainstream EP, they changed the band's name to Metric.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tanya Tagaq</span> Canadian Inuk throat singer

Tanya Tagaq, also credited as Tagaq, is a Canadian Inuk throat singer, songwriter, novelist, actor, and visual artist from Cambridge Bay (Iqaluktuuttiaq), Nunavut, Canada, on the south coast of Victoria Island.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Massey Hall</span> Concert hall in Toronto, Canada

Massey Hall is a performing arts theatre in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Opened in 1894, it is known for its outstanding acoustics and was the long-time hall of the Toronto Symphony Orchestra. An intimate theatre, it was originally designed to seat 3,500 patrons, but after extensive renovations in the 1940s, it now seats only up to 2,765. It has an extensive history of concerts by artists of many musical genres which continues today.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lee's Palace</span> Rock concert hall in Toronto, Canada

Lee's Palace is a rock concert hall located on the south side of Bloor Street West east of Lippincott Street in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

Kids on TV was a Canadian punk-house queercore band from Toronto, active from 2003 to 2013. The group consisted of John Caffery on bass and vocals, Minus Smile on drums, electronics and vocals, Chris 'Wolf' Mills on guitar and vocals, and Roxanne Luchak on keyboard and vocals. The band was known for performing outside of the usual venues, and appeared at warehouses, steambaths and film festivals, among other places.

<i>Loose: The Concert</i> 2007 live album / video by Nelly Furtado

Loose: The Concert is a live album by Canadian singer Nelly Furtado. The DVD was recorded at Air Canada Centre in Toronto, Ontario. The CD was recorded at the Wamu Theater at Madison Square Garden in New York City and the Paramount Theatre in Oakland, California during the Get Loose Tour. The DVD and accompanying CD of the concert were released on November 19, 2007 in the United Kingdom and on December 4 in the United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hollerado</span> Canadian indie rock band

Hollerado is a Canadian indie rock band from Ottawa, Ontario. Formed in 2007, the band consisted of Menno Versteeg, Nixon Boyd, Dean Baxter and Jake Boyd. Hollerado went on to release four studio albums, before disbanding in 2019. They were nominated for awards such as the Juno Award that included Best New Group Award at the 2011 Juno Awards.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Budweiser Stage</span> Concert venue in Toronto

The Budweiser Stage, originally known as the Molson Amphitheatre, is a concert venue in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is located on the grounds of Ontario Place and hosts many diverse acts, including genres like rock, pop, country, and jazz. The first musician to perform there was Bryan Adams on May 18, 1995.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ontario Place</span> Entertainment venue and lakeside park in Toronto

Ontario Place was an entertainment venue, event venue, and park in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The venue is located on three artificial landscaped islands just off-shore in Lake Ontario, south of Exhibition Place, and southwest of Downtown Toronto. It opened on May 22, 1971, and operated as a theme park centred around Ontario themes and family attractions until 2012 when the Government of Ontario announced that it would close for redevelopment. It has since reopened as a park without an admission fee but without several of the old attractions. The Government of Ontario has placed 145 acres on a 95-year lease with the Therme Group.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Whitehorse (band)</span> Canadian folk rock band

Whitehorse is a Canadian folk rock band, composed of husband-and-wife duo Luke Doucet and Melissa McClelland. Based in Hamilton, Ontario, Doucet and McClelland were both established singer-songwriters before opting to put their solo careers on hold to work together as Whitehorse.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dear Rouge</span> Canadian indie rock band

Dear Rouge are a Juno award-winning Vancouver-based alternative rock band formed in 2012 by Drew and Danielle McTaggart.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Heliconian Club</span> Canadian non-profit association

The Toronto Heliconian Club is a non-profit association of women involved in the arts and letters based in Toronto, Ontario. It operates out of Heliconian Hall, a historic building located in the Yorkville area of central Toronto. Founded in 1909, the Club still focuses on its original commitment to women supporting and working in the arts.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Scotiabank Theatre Toronto</span> Cinema in Toronto, Ontario, Canada

The Scotiabank Theatre Toronto is a major movie theatre at the RioCan Hall in the Entertainment District of downtown Toronto, Ontario, Canada at Richmond and John Street owned by Cineplex Entertainment for the building and the lands owned by RioCan. Opened in 1999, the venue screens theatrical films throughout the year, but is best known as one of the major venues for the annual Toronto International Film Festival alongside the nearby TIFF Lightbox.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Music Gallery</span>

The Music Gallery is an independent performance venue in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is known as a space for musical and interdisciplinary projects in experimental genres. The Music Gallery is publicly funded through arts grants from the city, province, and country, and through membership and ticket sales.

References

  1. 1 2 "Toronto Named Most Popular World Tour Destination | Billboard Canada". ca.billboard.com. Retrieved 2024-04-27.
  2. ↑ "Toronto ranked the most visited music tour destination in the world". www.blogto.com. Retrieved 2024-04-27.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Rockin' off the freeway: With new concert venues to the north, Toronto's live music scene is moving to the suburbs". The Globe and Mail. 2024-01-18. Retrieved 2024-04-27.
  4. 1 2 3 "Is concert promoter Live Nation's growing footprint in Toronto stomping out competition?". The Globe and Mail. 2023-10-28. Retrieved 2024-04-27.
  5. ↑ "No luck getting Taylor Swift tickets in Toronto? You only had a one in about 400 chance". The Globe and Mail. 2023-08-09. Retrieved 2024-04-21.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 "Rogers Centre". Exclaim! . Archived from the original on December 2, 2023.
  7. 1 2 3 "Scotiabank Arena". Exclaim! . Archived from the original on October 5, 2023.
  8. ↑ "2018 YEAR END Worldwide Ticket Sales TOP 200 ARENA VENUES" (PDF). Pollstar. 2018. Retrieved June 22, 2019.
  9. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "Budweiser Stage". Exclaim! . Archived from the original on September 22, 2023.
  10. 1 2 3 Bliss, Karen (2023-08-25). "End-of-Summer Concerts Return to the CNE Bandshell With a Stacked Canadian Lineup". Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame. Retrieved 2024-04-21.
  11. 1 2 "FAQ". Coca-Cola Coliseum. Retrieved 2024-04-21.
  12. 1 2 "Toronto Is Getting a New 5,000-Seat Concert Venue". Exclaim!. Retrieved 2024-04-27.
  13. 1 2 3 "RBC Echo Beach". Exclaim! . Archived from the original on December 6, 2023.
  14. ↑ Kilbourn, William (1993). Intimate Grandeur: One Hundred Years At Massey Hall . Toronto: Stoddart. ISBN   9780773727427.
  15. ↑ "Massey Hall". National Register of Historic Places. Parks Canada. Retrieved December 24, 2014.
  16. ↑ "Massey Hall". Exclaim! . Archived from the original on June 20, 2023.
  17. 1 2 3 4 5 "Iconic live music venues in Ontario". Destination Ontario.
  18. 1 2 3 4 5 "Roy Thomson Hall". www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca. Retrieved 2024-06-09.
  19. ↑ "Roy Thomson Hall". NOW Toronto. 2024-06-09. Retrieved 2024-06-09.
  20. 1 2 3 4 5 Dingwall, Kate (2022-02-07). "A look inside History, Drake's much-hyped east end concert venue". Toronto Life. Retrieved 2024-04-21.
  21. 1 2 "Outdoor venues for live music". Destination Ontario. Retrieved 2024-04-21.
  22. ↑ "Novita Techne - Theatre Consultants - Sirius Stage, Harbourfront". novita.ca. Retrieved 2024-04-21.
  23. 1 2 "Toronto Centre for the Arts". www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca. Retrieved 2024-04-21.
  24. 1 2 3 4 "Danforth Music Hall". exclaim.ca. Retrieved 2024-04-21.
  25. 1 2 3 "Koerner Hall". The Royal Conservatory of Music . Retrieved 2024-04-21.
  26. ↑ "The Opera House". exclaim.ca. Retrieved 2024-04-21.
  27. ↑ "Axis Club". www.blogto.com. Retrieved 2024-04-21.
  28. ↑ "Lee's Palace". exclaim.ca. Retrieved 2024-04-21.
  29. ↑ "Radio (formerly Adelaide Hall)". Exclaim!. Archived from the original on August 13, 2021.
  30. ↑ "About". www.adelaidehallto.com. Retrieved 2024-04-21.
  31. ↑ "The Great Hall". exclaim.ca. Retrieved 2024-04-21.
  32. ↑ "Velvet Underground". Exclaim! . Archived from the original on May 29, 2023.
  33. ↑ "Horseshoe Tavern". exclaim.ca. Retrieved 2024-04-21.
  34. ↑ "The Royal Theatre, Toronto". The Royal Theatre, Toronto. Retrieved 2024-06-07.
  35. 1 2 "50 Magical Concert Venues that are the Heart and Soul of Canadian Music". CBC News .
  36. ↑ Gallant, Megan (October 10, 2023). "New music venue Ground Control invites Toronto to dive into Bowie's universe". Streets Of Toronto. Retrieved June 5, 2024.
  37. ↑ "The Garrison". Exclaim! . Archived from the original on May 29, 2023.
  38. ↑ "About Us". Rivoli Toronto. Retrieved 2024-04-21.
  39. ↑ "Facilities". The Royal Conservatory of Music . Retrieved 2024-04-21.
  40. ↑ "Redwood Theatre celebrates 110th Anniversary". CityNews .
  41. ↑ "50 Magical Concert Venues that are the Heart and Soul of Canadian Music". CBC News .
  42. ↑ "The history of Sneaky Dee's in Toronto". www.blogto.com. Retrieved 2024-04-21.
  43. ↑ "Drake Hotel". exclaim.ca. Retrieved 2024-04-21.
  44. ↑ "About". 918 Bathurst. Retrieved 2024-04-21.
  45. ↑ "Bovine Sex Club". Exclaim! . Archived from the original on May 29, 2023.
  46. ↑ "The Baby G". exclaim.ca. Retrieved 2024-04-21.
  47. ↑ Quill, Greg (2009-02-01). "A bar that stays close to its roots". Toronto Star. Retrieved 2024-04-21.
  48. ↑ "The Monarch Tavern". exclaim.ca. Retrieved 2024-04-21.
  49. ↑ "About us". freetimescafe. Retrieved 2024-04-21.
  50. ↑ "History of the Cameron House". The Cameron House. Retrieved 2024-04-21.
  51. ↑ Gutteridge, Adam (2023-08-13). "Down at Toronto's Rex Hotel, live jazz weaves its spell nightly". Toronto Star. Retrieved 2024-04-21.
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