Yuri
12-02-2007, 11:28 AM
Toronto’s Infamous ‘Horseshoe Tavern’ turns 60 years old this year.
The Horseshoe was yet another ’60s coffeehouse/tavern which competed with the Riverboat, Steeles Tavern and numerous others. Many notable artist have performed there over the years as it transformed from a folk/country venue thru post-punk.
Performers included Willy Nelson, Conway Twitty, Waylon Jennings, Loretta Lyn, Charlie Pride, Ian & Sylvia, Stompin’ Tom Connors, The Band, Bruce Cockburn and The Good Brothers.
The new wave era brought in acts such as The Police, The Talking Heads, Ramones, MC-5, The Stranglers, Mods, Vile tones & The Talking Heads.
Other notables included Blue Rodeo, Prairie Oyster, The Tragically Hip, The Watchmen,The Bourbon Tabernacle Choir, Moxy Fruvous, The Skydiggers, The Bare Naked Ladies, Amanda Marshall, Furnace Face, and Great Big Sea.
* * *
Toronto Star Article (December 2nd, 2007)
http://www.thestar.com/entertainment/article/281752
The Horseshoe turns 60
December 02, 2007 greg quill
Entertainment columnist
“It used to be about the ability to play an instrux ment. `F--- that’, we said. It’s about expression, politics, a sense of danger, something unexpected. That was the aesthetic we inherited from (Toronto concert promoters) Gary Topp and Gary Cormier, when Craig (Laskey) and I took over (from former owners X-Ray MacRae and Ken Sprackman) in 1997-98, and we carried it through. “We got rid of (bluesmen) Jack De Keyzers and the Paul Jameses and all the others who were living off the Horseshoe’s past, and started booking independent bands from the U.S. and across Canada. Audience acceptance was immediate.” — Jeff Cohen, co-owner, Horseshoe Tavern
From its post-war origins as a honky-tonk hosting the likes of Willie Nelson, Waylon Jennings and Loretta Lynn, through its Canadiana years as Stompin’ Tom’s stomping ground in the late 1960s, to its punk glory days a decade later under renegade promoters Gary Topp and Gary Cormier, to its ascendancy as the birthplace of Canada’s new rock heroes (The Tragically Hip, The Watchmen, The Bourbon Tabernacle Choir, Moxy Früvous, The Barenaked Ladies) in the ’80s and ’90s, and since then as a showcase for an astonishing array of diverse emerging talent from across Canada and around the world, The Horseshoe has never really lost its edge. How?
The Horseshoe’s enduring allure has a lot to do with its against-the-grain history, says Cohen, a tradition he and the club’s co-owner, Craig Laskey — and their promotions company, Against The Grain — cranked up a decade ago.
“In 1997 we started booking really left-of-centre stuff, we called it pink stuff ..... and (CFNY deejay) Dave Bookman opened up Nu Music Tuesday Nights as a way of developing young bands,” he says. “There’s no cover, and sometimes four bands a night.
“Older people hated us. We lowered the audience age from 35 to 19, the age of the musicians who played here from 30 to 21. If we were serious about building into the next 10 years, we had to make a break with the past. We booked the bands we liked over and over again Thursday through Saturday, sometimes for three sets a night. Blue Rodeo, Nickelback, Billy Talent, the Tragically Hip all got signed at the Horseshoe, or because they were spotted here.
“We’re very open-minded about booking new talent. It’s real easy to play at the Horseshoe. It’s more difficult to stay. You have to prove yourself.”
Cohen and Laskey don’t take all the credit. Much of their experience was gained as bookers for former owners MacRae and Sprackman. They also relied on former Toronto concert promoter Eliott Lefko and super-agent Ralph James at the Agency Group to pitch bands that suited their mandate. They watched what worked at the Rivoli, a couple of doors away on Queen St., and tracked down contenders. Cohen and Laskey go to the SXSW new music conference in Austin, Tex., every year to buy talent.
“We spotted Ryan Adams and Whiskeytown there, and instantly thought they’d be the next big Horseshoe weekend band,” Cohen says. “They played on a Tuesday night first time, then two weekend shows — now Ryan sells out Massey Hall. But he always stops by at the Horseshoe when he’s in town.”
Montreal-born Joey Burns, who heads up Tucson-based alt.country-folk outfit Calexico, says “It’s an old bar with old furniture that looks as if it came off a sailing ship in the 1800s.” But Calexico has performed there frequently in the past decade, always to packed houses.
“You walk in there and your first impression is that the place has character, age and that it’s sturdy enough to withstand the hardest blows bands and audiences can deliver.”
Even better, it’s an inner-city gathering place for hard-core music fans who know what’s good and what’s phony, he adds. “It’s in a well-fortified area, a part of the city where musicians and artists of all kinds hang out. It’s conducive to conversation, a real North American bar that feels like an Irish pub. There’s so much going on in there you don’t want to leave. Sure, the Troubadour in Los Angeles is still going, but it’s under siege, surrounded by the corporate fear factor. The Horseshoe is robust, lively, and really interesting ..... every night of the week.”
The first time Calexico played there, it had only the recommendations of trail mates Dallas and Travis Good (The Sadies) to go by. “
But the minute we walked in I knew it was going to be interesting,” Burns says. “I was surprised that so many people were so into our music. And Jeff and Craig are really creative promoters. After every show, they’re busy turning bands on to new music they’ve discovered. They make musicians very comfortable.”
For Joel Plaskett, who has played there countless times, the club’s design and layout is perfect for live music.
“It just draws you in. You’ve got the long bar up front where people congregate, talk, drink and eat, and when it’s time, you pay your cover at the far end of the room and go into the inner sanctum. It holds about 300 people, but you feel really close to the music. It’s a big performance room, but intimate.”
The ’Shoe is a destination point for traveling musicians, the one club whose listings every band checks when they hit town, adds Plaskett, who will be joined in his six-night run by his father, Bill Plaskett, on guitar, and Grady (former Big Sugar) frontman Gordie Johnson, among other surprise guests.
“It’s the place to play if you want to leave a mark, one of the most consistently curated music rooms in the country,” he adds.
“In fact, I can’t think of another.”
Ralph James inherited the Horseshoe as a client when he joined The Agency Group in 1991, much to the amusement of his colleagues.
“Even back then, X-Ray and Kenny refused to deal with agents. Basically their deal was that the band takes the door and they take the bar (proceeds). It seemed to me to be a brilliant opportunity.”
The ’Shoe still operates that way, but it’s Bookman’s free Nu Music Tuesdays that have become the magnet for talent buyers and managers over the past dozen years.
“Dave very effectively pre-screens new talent from around the world for Tuesday night’s shows,” James says. “On any given Tuesday, you’ll get a glimpse of the future of music. If you’re serious about the business, you’ll be there a minimum of 40 Tuesdays a year.
“The ’Shoe is magic. It’s the most consistent and safe showcase for new talent in the country. It’s no wonder so many bands come back after they’ve made it big.”
The Horseshoe was yet another ’60s coffeehouse/tavern which competed with the Riverboat, Steeles Tavern and numerous others. Many notable artist have performed there over the years as it transformed from a folk/country venue thru post-punk.
Performers included Willy Nelson, Conway Twitty, Waylon Jennings, Loretta Lyn, Charlie Pride, Ian & Sylvia, Stompin’ Tom Connors, The Band, Bruce Cockburn and The Good Brothers.
The new wave era brought in acts such as The Police, The Talking Heads, Ramones, MC-5, The Stranglers, Mods, Vile tones & The Talking Heads.
Other notables included Blue Rodeo, Prairie Oyster, The Tragically Hip, The Watchmen,The Bourbon Tabernacle Choir, Moxy Fruvous, The Skydiggers, The Bare Naked Ladies, Amanda Marshall, Furnace Face, and Great Big Sea.
* * *
Toronto Star Article (December 2nd, 2007)
http://www.thestar.com/entertainment/article/281752
The Horseshoe turns 60
December 02, 2007 greg quill
Entertainment columnist
“It used to be about the ability to play an instrux ment. `F--- that’, we said. It’s about expression, politics, a sense of danger, something unexpected. That was the aesthetic we inherited from (Toronto concert promoters) Gary Topp and Gary Cormier, when Craig (Laskey) and I took over (from former owners X-Ray MacRae and Ken Sprackman) in 1997-98, and we carried it through. “We got rid of (bluesmen) Jack De Keyzers and the Paul Jameses and all the others who were living off the Horseshoe’s past, and started booking independent bands from the U.S. and across Canada. Audience acceptance was immediate.” — Jeff Cohen, co-owner, Horseshoe Tavern
From its post-war origins as a honky-tonk hosting the likes of Willie Nelson, Waylon Jennings and Loretta Lynn, through its Canadiana years as Stompin’ Tom’s stomping ground in the late 1960s, to its punk glory days a decade later under renegade promoters Gary Topp and Gary Cormier, to its ascendancy as the birthplace of Canada’s new rock heroes (The Tragically Hip, The Watchmen, The Bourbon Tabernacle Choir, Moxy Früvous, The Barenaked Ladies) in the ’80s and ’90s, and since then as a showcase for an astonishing array of diverse emerging talent from across Canada and around the world, The Horseshoe has never really lost its edge. How?
The Horseshoe’s enduring allure has a lot to do with its against-the-grain history, says Cohen, a tradition he and the club’s co-owner, Craig Laskey — and their promotions company, Against The Grain — cranked up a decade ago.
“In 1997 we started booking really left-of-centre stuff, we called it pink stuff ..... and (CFNY deejay) Dave Bookman opened up Nu Music Tuesday Nights as a way of developing young bands,” he says. “There’s no cover, and sometimes four bands a night.
“Older people hated us. We lowered the audience age from 35 to 19, the age of the musicians who played here from 30 to 21. If we were serious about building into the next 10 years, we had to make a break with the past. We booked the bands we liked over and over again Thursday through Saturday, sometimes for three sets a night. Blue Rodeo, Nickelback, Billy Talent, the Tragically Hip all got signed at the Horseshoe, or because they were spotted here.
“We’re very open-minded about booking new talent. It’s real easy to play at the Horseshoe. It’s more difficult to stay. You have to prove yourself.”
Cohen and Laskey don’t take all the credit. Much of their experience was gained as bookers for former owners MacRae and Sprackman. They also relied on former Toronto concert promoter Eliott Lefko and super-agent Ralph James at the Agency Group to pitch bands that suited their mandate. They watched what worked at the Rivoli, a couple of doors away on Queen St., and tracked down contenders. Cohen and Laskey go to the SXSW new music conference in Austin, Tex., every year to buy talent.
“We spotted Ryan Adams and Whiskeytown there, and instantly thought they’d be the next big Horseshoe weekend band,” Cohen says. “They played on a Tuesday night first time, then two weekend shows — now Ryan sells out Massey Hall. But he always stops by at the Horseshoe when he’s in town.”
Montreal-born Joey Burns, who heads up Tucson-based alt.country-folk outfit Calexico, says “It’s an old bar with old furniture that looks as if it came off a sailing ship in the 1800s.” But Calexico has performed there frequently in the past decade, always to packed houses.
“You walk in there and your first impression is that the place has character, age and that it’s sturdy enough to withstand the hardest blows bands and audiences can deliver.”
Even better, it’s an inner-city gathering place for hard-core music fans who know what’s good and what’s phony, he adds. “It’s in a well-fortified area, a part of the city where musicians and artists of all kinds hang out. It’s conducive to conversation, a real North American bar that feels like an Irish pub. There’s so much going on in there you don’t want to leave. Sure, the Troubadour in Los Angeles is still going, but it’s under siege, surrounded by the corporate fear factor. The Horseshoe is robust, lively, and really interesting ..... every night of the week.”
The first time Calexico played there, it had only the recommendations of trail mates Dallas and Travis Good (The Sadies) to go by. “
But the minute we walked in I knew it was going to be interesting,” Burns says. “I was surprised that so many people were so into our music. And Jeff and Craig are really creative promoters. After every show, they’re busy turning bands on to new music they’ve discovered. They make musicians very comfortable.”
For Joel Plaskett, who has played there countless times, the club’s design and layout is perfect for live music.
“It just draws you in. You’ve got the long bar up front where people congregate, talk, drink and eat, and when it’s time, you pay your cover at the far end of the room and go into the inner sanctum. It holds about 300 people, but you feel really close to the music. It’s a big performance room, but intimate.”
The ’Shoe is a destination point for traveling musicians, the one club whose listings every band checks when they hit town, adds Plaskett, who will be joined in his six-night run by his father, Bill Plaskett, on guitar, and Grady (former Big Sugar) frontman Gordie Johnson, among other surprise guests.
“It’s the place to play if you want to leave a mark, one of the most consistently curated music rooms in the country,” he adds.
“In fact, I can’t think of another.”
Ralph James inherited the Horseshoe as a client when he joined The Agency Group in 1991, much to the amusement of his colleagues.
“Even back then, X-Ray and Kenny refused to deal with agents. Basically their deal was that the band takes the door and they take the bar (proceeds). It seemed to me to be a brilliant opportunity.”
The ’Shoe still operates that way, but it’s Bookman’s free Nu Music Tuesdays that have become the magnet for talent buyers and managers over the past dozen years.
“Dave very effectively pre-screens new talent from around the world for Tuesday night’s shows,” James says. “On any given Tuesday, you’ll get a glimpse of the future of music. If you’re serious about the business, you’ll be there a minimum of 40 Tuesdays a year.
“The ’Shoe is magic. It’s the most consistent and safe showcase for new talent in the country. It’s no wonder so many bands come back after they’ve made it big.”