[ad_1]
One among Toronto’s heritage live performance halls is ready to reopen as a daily dwell music venue later this 12 months. The Live performance Corridor, because it’s now referred to as, is positioned within the Masonic Temple constructing on the nook of Yonge and Davenport.
After a string of adjustments and updates, the venue is now managed by 888 Yonge, and Collective Live shows, Toronto’s largest unbiased promoter, has booked a wide range of reveals on the venue starting September 2023.
A Storied Previous
There was nice fanfare when the Masonic Temple first opened on New Yr’s Day 1918. Whereas the sprawling Temple itself was meant to behave as house to a number of chapters and lodges of the order, the Live performance Corridor was constructed as a money-making enterprise.
Geared up with dressing rooms, meals prep areas, and a large stage, the objective from the outset was to hire the corridor out to assist with Temple bills. The venue started its life largely as a lecture corridor and ballroom for public dance occasions, in addition to for group live shows.
Identified through the years variously as The Live performance Corridor, The Auditorium, Membership 888, The Rockpile, and Regency Ballroom, its repute is basically certainly one of a rock membership. It’s actually performed host to lots of the style’s royalty, together with Led Zeppelin, Frank Zappa, and The Who — all in 1969 alone. Frank Sinatra rented it for personal events, and the Rolling Stones rehearsed there as prep for his or her North American excursions on a number of events.
By the Nineteen Seventies, nonetheless, the construction itself was exhibiting indicators of damage. The Masons had been additionally abandoning the downtown space, and the Temple declined till the mid-Nineties, though it was nonetheless used often for giant title acts like David Bowie.
It was declared a heritage web site by the town in 1997, narrowly staving off demolition. Bought by CTV in 1998, it was taken over by MTV Canada in 2006 — however the Live performance Corridor itself was shuttered. In 2013, Information-Tech Analysis Group purchased the constructing, which they proceeded to renovate. It’s been open for particular occasions since then, however not regularly.
The licensed facility has a sq. footage of over 5,500 ft2, and its capability is 700. With its ornate raised arch preserved, and hardwood flooring, the venue retains a lot of its character.
Whereas its previous has not included many classical live shows, and with its superb acoustics, it fills an vital slot within the metropolis’s dwell music panorama.
#LUDWIGVAN
Get the every day arts information straight to your inbox.
Join the Ludwig van Each day — classical music and opera in 5 minutes or much less HERE.
Anya Wassenberg is a Senior Author and Digital Content material Editor at Ludwig Van. She is an skilled freelance author, blogger and writing teacher with OntarioLearn.
[ad_2]