LEGENDARY MUSIC CLUBS COMMEMORATED ON YONGE ST.

LEGENDARY MUSIC CLUBS COMMEMORATED ON YONGE ST.

Plaques to celebrate Town Tavern and Bluenote

Two of Toronto’s most iconic music venues will be forever remembered on Yonge St., with plaques celebrating the Town Tavern and The Bluenote. The Downtown Yonge Business Improvement Area and Heritage Toronto will unveil the plaques at a special ceremony December 12, joined by musicians who performed at the legendary clubs.

“In the 1960s and 1970s, Yonge Street was the beating heart of Toronto’s musical and cultural scene,” says Downtown Yonge BIA Executive Director Mark Garner. “The Town Tavern and The Bluenote were two of the beacons for generations of Toronto music fans.”

The Town Tavern, just off Yonge at 16 Queen Street East, was a revered jazz venue for decades, while The Bluenote at Yonge and Gerrard was a cathedral for rock and blues artists – and their fans.

“Bars and clubs like the Town Tavern and The Bluenote were incubators for now-legendary Canadian talent,” says Kaitlin Wainwright, Interim Executive Director of Heritage Toronto.  “Heritage Toronto and the Downtown Yonge BIA are proud to be creating permanent tributes to celebrate their legacy.”

The plaque unveiling will take place at a special event at the Hard Rock Cafe – itself on the site of the legendary Friar’s and Nickelodeon clubs.  Performers at the event will include George Olliver, Jay and Shawne Jackson, JoAnn Brooks and Bobby Dean Blackburn, legendary artists who cut their musical teeth on the iconic stages being celebrated. 

Registration for the event is at http://heritagetoronto.org/event/yonge-street-music-dec12/.

The plaques, in partnership with Heritage Toronto, are part of the Downtown Yonge BIA’s Music Strategy, an ambitious, multi-pronged plan to re-establish the area as a ‘Music Mecca.’

“Music is obviously a big part of our past, and we are working to reinvigorate Downtown Yonge’s musical presence, today and in the future,” Garner says.

About Heritage Toronto

Heritage Toronto is a charitable agency of the City of Toronto with a mandate to enhance the understanding and appreciation of Toronto’s past and present among residents and visitors through education, commemoration and celebration of the city’s diverse people, places and events.

About Downtown Yonge

The Downtown Yonge Business Improvement Area (DYBIA) is a catalyst for creating vibrant urban experiences and events in the heart of downtown Toronto. Representing more than 2,000 businesses and their employees, as well as the broader community of residents, students and visitors, the DYBIA champions attractive public spaces, popular events, safety and cleanliness. It plays an active role both at street level and in boardrooms, advocating for a thriving and diverse community of retailers, restaurants and services.