starboy toronto

How a Toronto bar got in on The Weeknd's big launch

The Weeknd has official taken over Toronto with his show at the ACC, his pop-up on Ossington and now his beat up car parked on King West.

"I'm very curious to see tonight and tomorrow night when it's crazy with people on that corner," Albert Rishes, one of the owners of Early Mercy says. The car is parked outside his bar at the corner of King and Brant Streets.

He was approached by the folks at Free For All Marketing on behalf of Universal Music Canada to rent the spot for the weekend. Rishes had to agree to leasing the spot for a pop-up for a major recording artist before he was told who it was.

Once all the papers were signed, they told him it was for The Weeknd for his three-day Toronto blitz.

The car is a completely smashed up 1984 Lincoln Town Car with a giant neon lightning bolt jotting out of it, reminiscent of the neon crucifix in the "Starboy" video. There's a smoke machine inside and music pumping out to the street.

There will be a security person at the car, which is roped off because of the all the broken glass inside and around vehicle, for the duration of the activation which ends Sunday evening.

"I'm not sure if The Weeknd likes the location or if Universal thought it was the best suited location," Rishes says, but they're happy to have the exposure.

Lead photo by

Andrew Williamson


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