T.O. music venues fading away

Posted on 10. Mar, 2010 by lbrunetti in A&E

Maegan McGregor
A&E Reporter

The sudden death of a handful of Toronto’s famous music venues is leaving independent young bands without a place to cut their teeth, said Mark Kelso, head of the percussion department of Humber’s school for creative and performing arts.
“The music business has always been in a recession, it has always been hard to find places to play, especially as being an independent musician or band,” he said.
The lack of venues for unseasoned musicians is largely due to places such as the historic Big Bop concert hall and nightclub closing down, as the further gentrification of the Queen Street West area continues.

Shane MacPherson, a graduate of the Humber music program, played at the Big Bop numerous times.

(Maegan McGregor) Queen West’s Big Bop shut down after it was bought out by an upscale retail furniture store.

“With the Big Bop gone, it is going to be hard for new bands to find a place to play. Until you are more developed, not a lot of places will give you that kind of chance,” said MacPherson.
The Big Bop was an iconic venue for alternative music in Toronto. It closed its doors Feb. 1 to make way for an upscale retail furniture store.
Scooter Brown, who has worked as a bouncer at the Big Bop for nine years, said he feels like the club helped raise him, as he has been going to shows there since he was 14.
“It was one of the only places in the city that you could see a young garage band on their first gig and they totally suck, and through playing shows you watch them get better,” he said.
Kelso said clubs giving unsigned musicians a chance to play is important to learning their art form.
Brown said the closure of the Big Bop marks a huge loss, as it was one of the city’s only venues to foster young musicians when few others would.
The Big Bop is not the only venue struggling to avoid the gentrification in the area.
Kelso said that the historic Rex Hotel on Queen Street West has had many offers for the building.
Funhaus and 360 were two other clubs that did not survive the buy up’s on Queen Street West.
“At some point everyone has their price,” said Kelso.
“There are many places in Toronto that are anchors for every genre of music, they have a shelf life and close down but something else will always open up.”