Toronto is home to a wide array of eclectic music venues which will house thousands of performers during the upcoming North by Northeast (NXNE) festival. Big acts like Sleigh Bells and Juicy J will fill up Yonge-Dundas Square, while lesser-known talents will be scattered throughout smaller venues in the city. While you’re ultimately there to see the bands, exploring the city’s cross section of concert venues can be disorienting for newcomers. We’ve outlined seven of NXNE’s main stages to help you visualize as you plan your festival excursions.
Lee’s Palace
Location: Bloor Street West & Lippincott Street
Age Restrictions: 19+
Notable Performances: Shannon and the Clams, METZ
Located in the heart of the Annex, Lee’s Palace is a Mecca for concert-goers across the country. Having been around for the past 30 years, the venue has hosted plenty of notable acts such as Nirvana, Oasis, and the Red Hot Chili Peppers, to name a few. While Lee’s Palace has made a name for itself with the big acts it brings through its graffiti-covered doors, it’s also known for the sheer filth that tastefully decorates the walls inside. The venue is famous (or infamous, depending on how you look at it) for its generally grimy aura — the relatively small space is dark, crowded, and definitely grungy. Prepare yourself accordingly for a low-key atmosphere with lots of personality.
The Opera House
Location: Queen Street East & Broadview Avenue
Age Restrictions: Varies by performance
Notable Performances: Mac DeMarco, Saint Rich
If you happen to live out in the east end, The Opera House will probably be a more convenient spot to see live music than most of the other NXNE venues this year. Compared to most of Toronto’s concert venues, Opera House boasts a much more docile environment. With lovely acoustics and an elevated roof, no longer will you feel like your head is going to explode when watching a performance. For those who want to breath easy, the Opera House is a great place to go see live music.
The Great Hall
Location: Queen Street West & Dovercourt Road
Age Restrictions: Varies by performance
Notable Performances: The Pizza Underground, Xiu Xiu
Regardless of anything about The Great Hall, it should first be noted that Macaulay Culkin’s ridiculous band, The Pizza Underground — a band focused on covering Velvet Underground songs while replacing most of the lyrics with “pizza” — will be playing the venue on June 20. If you are willing to pay money for this, I would highly recommend watching as the kid from Home Alone plays the kazoo for what could very well be a sold out show. In terms of the venue itself, Great Hall is quite classy. The red carpeted staircase and the elegant balcony overlooking the stage make for a particularly majestic space to host a rock concert.
Yonge-Dundas Square
Location: Yonge Street & Dundas Street
Age Restrictions: None
Notable Performances: Sleigh Bells, St. Vincent, Danny Brown, Spoon
Could there ever be any downsides to seeing a show at Yonge and Dundas? And does it even matter? When everything to see there is free, it’s easy to overlook the mega-crowd that pours out onto Yonge Street whenever a famous musician plays there (it really will get crowded, though, so go early). Toronto’s version of Times Square is a great place to go when you’re looking for something to do without having to pay, and this year is no exception. The biggest acts to play NXNE will all be playing the square at some point, so you’ll probably be spending quality time in the area. And all for free 99, as Kanye would say.
The Silver Dollar Room
Location: Spadina Avenue & College Street
Age Restrictions: 19+
Notable Performances: Courtney Barnett, The Auras
The first advantage to seeing a show in The Silver Dollar Room is that it happens to be a 10-minute walk from campus. If you’re taking summer courses this semester, or perhaps living on campus, the Silver Dollar is a convenient place to see some fantastic live music when the school day is over. Unfortunately, being sandwiched in a seedier stretch around Spadina and College, the area can be a tad uninviting at the best of times. However, once you’ve made it through the doors, the Silver Dollar is a lovely little concert venue, complete with a bar and lounge area to accompany the music.
The Horseshoe Tavern
Location: Queen Street West & Spadina Avenue
Age Restriction: 19+
Notable Performances: Joel Plaskett Emergency, Dan Croll
The Horseshoe Tavern, having been around since 1947, is by far one of the oldest concert venues in Toronto. Known for showcasing local Canadian musicians, the Tavern is famous for being a stepping stone for artists such as Stompin’ Tom Connors and Bruce Cockburn. Nowadays, not much has changed. Canadian acts such as The Sadies and Joel Plaskett are regulars there, and during the day, the Horeshoe remains a pub. Needless to say, the Horseshoe Tavern, being a tavern and all, restricts anyone under the age of 19 from seeing shows there. So if you’re underage, you may just have to sit this one out.
Drake Underground
Location: Queen Street West & Dufferin Street
Age Restricitons: 19+
Notable Performances: Nicole Ariana, The Kite String Tangle
If you want to know where the real party will be going down for NXNE this year (which I’m sure you do), you’ll have to check out the Drake Underground from June 18–21. Set underneath the Drake Hotel, the Drake Underground is a mixture of both concert venue and clubbing venue all at the same time. The location is fit for both live instruments and DJs, making it easily one of the coolest places to see a show. This year, the Underground is set to have an assortment of great DJs playing their various electronic jams from 8 pm to 4 am, and although you’ll probably have to call off work the next day, the show will be well worth it.
