Stories

Choose one of the stories below about Toronto-based artists and venues to begin your journey into the city’s dynamic music history.

All Artists Venues
All Artists Venues
Geometric graphic illustration of two faces with the word "Bamboo" written next to them.

The BamBoo
A young woman with long curly hair wearing a black top sings into a microphone with her eyes closed.

Alessia Cara
A man with a moustache and glasses, with his sleeves rolls up, and his hand place on a cymbal of a drum kit. Behind him is a neon sign that reads "Emerson's Bar & Grill".

Archie Alleyne
A black and white photograph of the exterior of a five-storey building on a curving street corner. The street is largely empty apart from one vintage car next to the building.

The Concert Hall
Four men stand on stage dressed in 1970s clothes. One holds a guitar and stands in front of a microphone. To his left two men hold and play guitars. On the far right, a man sits at a drum kit playing.

The Band
Black and white photo of an audience sitting in a theatre featuring Art Deco decoration. Every seat is full. Photo dates to 1943.

Eaton Auditorium
: A group of men in variously coloured blue suits smile and sing into a microphone on stage. The man on the right has a guitar on a strap. Behind them is a lit sign that reads “JUNOS”. In front of them, a large audience waves their hands and their smartphones.Photo by Ryan Bolton.

Barenaked Ladies
A black and white photograph of a group of five men standing on a bridge wearing jackets. The man on the far left looks directly at the camera.

Blue Rodeo
A black and white photo of a group of 12 individuals standing and sitting outside. Most look at the camera. Four members sit on the ground in front of the rest, who are standing. Some trees and buildings can be seen in the background

Broken Social Scene
Exterior of a building with a neon sign shaped like a palm tree with the words "El Mocambo Tavern" written in neon.

El Mocambo
An exterior black and white photo of a two-story building. A large sign affixed to the left-hand side of the building reads: Horseshoe. On the right, a marquee announces upcoming acts of Hank Williams Show Two Weeks. A 1970s-era car is parked out front. Photo by Patrick Cummins.

The Horseshoe Tavern
A woman with long hair, wearing a jacket with beads and fringe, stands on stage in front of a microphone

Buffy Sainte-Marie
An exterior image of frontage on a busy street. A three-story building is closest to the camera. Above the first-floor exterior a large sign readds: Le Coq d’Or Tavern, underneath is written Charcoal Bar-B-Q, Chicken & Stews, Banquets, Cabaret. Above the sign is another vertical sign that also reads Le Coq d’Or. In the windows of the second and third story are signs that read “Olympia Bowling 331”. Courtesy of Rueckwart/Jalonen Family Collection

Le Coq d'Or
A man stands on stage with his right-hand raised holding up his pointer finger. In his left hand, he holds a microphone. He is wearing a Toronto Raptors basketball jersey with the number 6.

Drake
An artistic rendering of three women wearing long jackets, looking at the ground. Photo by Kenneth Davison, courtesy of Fifth Column

Fifth Column
Exterior of a building with a marquee that reads "Maple Leaf Gardens". In front, several cars are parked.

Maple Leaf Gardens
An exterior image of Massey Hall in colour, featuring its iconic neon signage and three bright red doors.

Massey Hall
A man dressed in a light coloured shirt and dark pants sits on a small chair next to a piano in a concert hall. Glenn Gould is touching his chin and is in a contemplative state. Members of an orchestra are visible in the background.

Glenn Gould
A man sits on a barstool on a raised platform at the right of the frame, holding a guitar and singing into a microphone. He sits in a crowded room, where the patrons are seated at four-top tables. In the front left of the frame, a man raises a glass to drink.

Gordon Lightfoot
Exterior of a midrise building on the corner of an urban intersection. A car is driving through the intersection. Signs that read "Much" and "Speaker's Corner" are on the facade.

MuchMusic
A man with a beard and afro, wearing a hat, looks at the camera. Behind him, out of focus, is a bustling urban street. Courtesy of Daniel Cauderion

Jackie Mittoo
A black and white photograph of a group of people sitting around a stage inside a club. There is wood panelling on the walls and numerous musical instruments can be seen.

The Riverboat
A black and white image of a busy street scene with dozens of people lined up on the sidewalk outside storefronts with exterior signage advertising “Mr Farrouge: the King of Falafel” “Peter Dunn’s Vinyl Museum”, “”AAA, Canada’s Greatest Record Store”, and “Sam the Record Man”. Photo by Dale Brazao, 1987. Courtesy of the Toronto Star Archives

Yonge Street
A singer in white pants and sequinned jacket holds a microphone on stage. A trumpet and saxophone player stand next to them. Behind them is a drum kit.

Jackie Shane
A man seated at a piano wearing a cape. His tall formal hat rest son the piano. His eyes are closed.

Jeremy Dutcher
Colour photo of a woman singing into a microphone on stage. She is backlit from the numerous lights on stage. Photo by Mac Downey. Licensed through Creative Commons.

Jessie Reyez
A woman holding a guitar and wearing a shirt and pants stands on stage outdoors. She sings into a microphone while hundreds of people watch.

Joni Mitchell
A colour photograph of a man wearing a bandana and a jean jacket singing intro a microphone at an outdoor music festival.

K'Naan
A black and white photograph of a woman who holds a microphone close to her mouth.

Lillian Allen
A group of three people, two women on the left, and a man at the right look into the camera. The woman on the left is wearing a hat. All have their mouths open in a slight smile.

Lorraine Segato & The Parachute Club
A woman wearing a Blue Jays baseball hat raps into a microphone

Michie Mee
A young man and woman sit at a piano. They both face the camera and smile.

Oscar Peterson
A black and white image of a band on stage in front of a large audience. The drummer is poised to hit the drum kit while a man holding a bass guitar looks on.

PUP
Two musicians with long hair on stage play double-neck guitars. Behind them, a man sits at a drum kit.

Rush
Portrait of a man with short hair in a bathroom. Behind him, two shirtless men, with their backs turned, are using the urinals.

Will Munro