This concert, though, was a more exclusive start. Shows so far have been more in the realm of $20-$50, including some under a new partnership with the displaced folk and blues venue Hugh’s Room.
Before it was set to open pre-pandemic, he turned a few heads by saying tickets for shows would be $100 to $1,000. That’s somewhat surprising for the El Mocambo, whose owner/frontman Michael Wekerle (there Tuesday night in a checked green Don Cherry-type suit) sunk a reported $30 million into renovations. (But unlike the Horseshoe’s event, this show is $20, not free.) Nick LachanceĮl Mocambo owner Michael Wekerle (left), GM Alicia Hibberd (middle) and Jessica Lemmon (right). Hosted by longtime Toronto radio staple Alan Cross (currently of Edge 102 and Q107), the event has the vibe of the late Dave Bookman’s Tuesday Nu Music night at the Horseshoe – a friendly stage for up-and-coming bands to play and people to check out whether or not they know them. Now, it’s got its permanent home in Toronto. It wasn’t at the El Mo back then, but at a side-stage of the Warped Tour. That came from constant touring and running the industry gauntlet, which included a long-ago stop on the Lemmon Stage. They’ve got a locked-in groove, fleshed out 70s glam style and well-practiced rock moves – plenty of synchronized jumps and drop-to-knees guitar solos.
Other than Arkells, it’s hard to think of another Toronto band with so much industry push. The Toronto four-piece rock band have played just about every Canadian music industry and emerging artist event since they were teenagers, and it’s worked out for them – with heavy promotion from their major label Universal Music Canada and rock radio, it often seems like they’re everywhere. “We’re still little babies, but older now,” joked keyboardist/singer Leandra Earl. “We played here seven years ago as little babies,” said singer/bassist Jordan Miller. Lemmon Stage is a new Tuesday night emerging artist showcase series, and it kicked off with a splashy surprise showcase by a homegrown band that’s a veteran of the historic Spadina venue: the Beaches. Rating: NNNNįor the first time in seven years, the El Mocambo is a full-time venue again – and now it has a full-time weekly concert series. THE BEACHES with WHALE AND THE WOLF at the El Mocambo, Tuesday, November 9.
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