Toronto music venue closing after 19 years

Say goodbye to yet another music venue, Toronto.

Gate 403 – the bar on Roncey known for some of the best live jazz and blues performances in the city – will be closing its doors forever on April 15.

“With a heavy heart, it is now time for us to say good-bye (sic),” says a post on their Facebook page that thanks staff, musicians, and patrons for their support.

“We feel incredibly privileged to have met and become friends with so many of you,” it says.

For the past 19 years, the local-art-lined walls of Gate 403 have housed almost daily musical acts playing everything from roots music to Celtic tunes.

As Gate 403 closes on April 15th, another toronto music venue bites the dust. Sad, we met a lot great people there too

— Doug Harper (@RogueCentre) March 19, 2018

After nearly two decades of running the bar, owners Young and Jin Ding decided to put the space up for sale two months ago. It's unknown who's bought the place since, but word among staff is that the bar will be transformed into a Korean-Canadian restaurant. 

It's a tragic loss to the city, which is still reeling from a succession of music venue closures over the past two years like Soybomb, Graffiti’s and The Silver Dollar Room.

Sad news, and a huge blow to our city's jazz and blues communities.
Thanks, @gate403, for all you've done for our scene.

— Errol Nazareth (@ErrolNazareth) March 18, 2018

News of the bar's closure has seen an outpouring of comments on social media from guests mourning a place where a community of music lovers have long gathered to enjoy a performance, a burger, and a martini.