Best of Toronto
The Best Live Music Venues in Toronto
The best live music venues in Toronto span the entire downtown grid and are about as diverse as our music scene itself. Our city continues to thrive, leading the charge for great Canadian talent, both local and from afar, as well as hosting some of the best international artists in must-see shows all around the city. From warm acoustic shows to a club banging dance party or a sweat-fueled rock show, Toronto has a bit of everything any given night of the week.
But what are the best spots? What venue has the best acts, sound, lighting, and vibe? Here are the 15 best live music venues in Toronto as voted by readers of this site.
Note: This list was previously published on March 2, 2008. Venues that were on the original list but did not make the cut for this one include Sneaky Dees and The Rex. Comments below made up until June 13th, 2010 are in reference to the old list. We've purposely kept the archived comments here because we believe they (mostly) add value to this topic.
Horseshoe Tavern
A venue so good that “legendary” has become synonymous with its name. The Horseshoe Tavern continues to be Toronto’s favourite live music venue for over 60 years, offering an intimate environment, great sound, and a comforting familiarity to any avid concertgoer looking to check out up-and-coming local and touring indie bands. More »
Lee's Palace
The freshly painted mural that covers the front of Lee’s Palace is a historic part of the Annex, shining like a beacon to all those that pass by, and reminding music fans to check their local listings. The mid-sized venue hosts some of the best local and international indie talent and bands. More »
Dakota Tavern
Saddle up, partner, because the Dakota Tavern’s western atmosphere is hard to ignore, allowing a perfect saloon-inspired setting for up-and-coming Country, Blues, and Rock bands to cut their teeth and drink their whisky. The brightly lit corner stage, a mere step up from the floor, maintains the romanticism and subterranean country setting. More »
Mod Club
Taking up shop in Little Italy, the Mod Club offers an eclectic mix of live music that ranges from bands, emcees, DJs and dance parties. The large interior offers concertgoer’s plenty of room to move and groove, while the stage, with its awesome lighting setup, allows for an arena style show without the binoculars. More »
The Garrison
Quickly rising to the forefront as one of the best places to catch up-and-coming talent, the Garrison hosts the Wavelength concert series, which is most renowned for helping bands like Broken Social Scene, the Constantines, and the Hidden Cameras break out in Toronto and beyond. More »
The Opera House
One of the most popular live music venues in the city, the Opera House hosts those bands that are too popular for a smaller venue, but not quite mainstream enough for the ACC. The sound and lighting is incredible - a perfect way to catch those rising stars or old favourites without paying inflated ticket prices. More »
Drake Underground
Offering up a different vibe than the rest of the Hotel, the Drake Underground enlists the talent of local and international DJs, as well as some of the hottest young indie acts in Canada to help fill their venue with a “hip” clientele. More »
The Phoenix Concert Theatre
The Phoenix is best described as a warehouse, a mid-sized to large venue that offers two floors, nice sound, and good lighting to catch your favourite rock band or 102.1 The Edge live on to air broadcast. It has hosted some legendary acts over the years and is a true staple among Toronto music fans. More »
Hugh's Room
The Folk/Roots revival began at Hugh’s Room, which has made the genre its primary focus since opening back in 2001. Located just north of Roncesvalles, the venue and restaurant offers concertgoers a chance to sit down, relax, and get swept away in its intimate setting and back-to-basics approach to live music. More »
Wrongbar
Parkdale's favourite hole in the wall, Wrongbar is a down and dirty mix of party goers and indie rock, hosting concerts that feature bands, emcees, and DJs. It’s a great place to catch touring artists that are still building their fan-base in Toronto and not quite ready to hit some of the larger venues. More »
The Music Gallery
Located in an old Church on John Street just north of Queen, the Music Gallery is a beloved venue that boasts incredible acoustics that simply can’t be beat in the city. A make-shift bar is usually set up in the foyer for refreshments, but this venue truly is all about music. More »
El Mocambo
Just as “legendary” as any other Toronto venue, the El Mo is a two-story powerhouse that features indie bands, folk music, DJ sets and more. Downstairs is a little more reserved, lending its ear to the quieter side of rock, while upstairs generally hosts the louder bands and DJs. More »
The Rivoli
The Rivoli is a staple amongst up-and-coming talent and one-off nights, as this small all-purpose venue guarantees an intimate night with great sound. The back room hosts everything from comedy to burlesque shows, but music is where it ultimately stands out the most. More »
The Shop at Parts & Labour
Planted in the heart of Parkdale, the Shop is located within the restaurant Parts & Labour and gives the impression of a basement show at a house party. Music ranges from Punk and Hardcore to Dance and Hip Hop, giving this new venue a chance to attract anyone and everyone. More »
Lula Lounge
Considered ground zero for Latin music in Toronto, Lula Lounge offers up dinner, dance lessons and has nice show packages on the weekend. More »
Discussion
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A lot of others on the list do have raised stages, which makes it much easier to see the performers from the back of the venue. But this alone doesn't always a good venue make. Case in point: The Phoenix, which didn't even crack the top ten (for good reason).
Plus, i'd much rather grab a pre-show Cafe Americano at Il Gato Nero than the Second Cup on Lippincott.
@Chris: I never went to the Docks, but I was at Sound Academy last night, and it's a really nice place, albeit a pain to get to by public transit.
as a side note: can we get less of these top 10 lists that link to nigh-empty pages? Every single one of those "more..." links lead to... less. It's not just this list, either. It's rather annoying.
Not even Jesus playing bluegrass banjo could get me out there again. Last time was Ween, and that's only because I consider them much greater than Jesus anyway.
...anyhow, it's my favourite new bar.
Also, the sound at The Opera House is terrible. The Sound Academy has put a lot into their system and the difference in sound quality now is amazing and makes it a pretty great place to see shows so I'm not understanding why you're shitting on the place.
Finally...Sneaky Dee's should be on this list. The place has really stepped it up to fill a void in the city after the Big Bop closed down and the amount of people going through the place to see bands every week is impossible to ignore.
I do agree the 'shoe is legendary, but shouldn't be #1 on the list. Due to the sole reason, that often, the patrons of horseshoe talk too much during shows and drowns out the bands/music a lot of the time. Yes, I think that the people/their behaviors who visit these venues should be considered in this process since it's a major part of the concert experience.
So glad Sneaky Dee's didn't make it.
I don't EAT CHUPS
I only eat plinkton!
As a live music fanatic who's been at it for almost 20 years though, I think the venue list is too short, as some of the rest of you do.
If you don't mind a little self-promotion, try my Toronto Live! Club Hub web site... http://TorontoLiveClubHub.com . On my VENUES page I've mapped out about 35 of what I consider the best clubs for live, mostly original music. (I don't include bars that have bands that play golden oldies or other cover tunes.) The map is interactive and dynamic. Click on a map pin or venue name and you'll see detailed directions, plus links to live listings... directly from the clubs.
There are lots of other goodies too, so browse around.
As for the Sound Academy, Sneaky Dee's, the Horseshoe or any other "pick" on this list and my "opinion" of them, this list was chosen by BlogTO readers, not by me or the staff (though we did vote to, it counted just like yours), so I'm not "shitting" on anywhere, hyping up a certain venue or doing anything opinionated. This list was compiled democratically and everyone had their chance to vote on their favourites. Sneaky Dee's was previously on the list but didn't make the cut this time around. Sound Avademy is a great venue that probably would be on my PERSONAL list, but it didn't make the cut in the majority of people's opinions.
IMO, this list is validated due to it NOT having that venue on the list. There's a REASON people groan and seriously re-think purchasing tickets to show's when the SC is the venue.
Sound Academy - worst!
I agree about the Horseshoe - it's popular for some reason, but the sound is terrible!
Lee's is alright, but I really love the Phoenix and the Opera House.
And if you're about the intimate set - Painted Lady gets the nod.
Serious oversight !
My iPad is now broken and she has 83 views. I know this is completely off topic but I had to share
it with someone!
The Horseshoe, Lee's Palace, the Elmo, someone mentioned Massey hall but you're not going to get the foot stompin', beer swillin' honky tonky twan in there, now, are you, unless it's someone big, but it's a great auditorium.