LEE’S PALACE CELEBRATES 40th ANNIVERSARY WITH YEAR-LONG CONCERT SERIES
Iconic Toronto concert venue Lee’s Palace celebrates its 40th Anniversary in 2025 with a year-long anniversary concert series kicking off this month.
The long-standing Annex venue has hosted a handful of now internationally recognized celebrity acts, including The Tragically Hip’s performance in 1986, Red Hot Chili Peppers playing the same year and being the venue’s first international act, Toronto debuts including Nirvana in 1990 for their Bleach tour, The Smashing Pumpkins in 1991, Oasis while touring Definitely Maybe in 1994 and many more.
Other acts who have performed on the Lee’s Palace stage include Alanis Morrisette, Arcade Fire, Blue Rodeo, Blur, Goo Goo Dolls, Grimes, Hayden, Modest Mouse, Nickelback, Sloan, Slowdive, Queen of the Stone Age, Of Montreal, MGMT, Mumford & Sons, Kings Of Leon, and Arctic Monkeys.
Lee’s Palace continued to be a hub for arts and entertainment, and over time, solidified its spot as an internationally recognized Toronto landmark. With pop culture mentions from local cartoonists Bryan Lee O’Malley’s Scott Pilgrim series. Additionally the upstairs Dance Cave was featured in Tom Cruise’s 1988 feature film Cocktail and T&T with Mr. T.
This next era of Lee’s Palace’s will continue to create an environment for local artists as well as touring emerging international acts. Additionally, the space is being re-engaged by local artists re-visiting the venue following their rise to fame – allowing them to connect with their roots of smaller venues and bringing fans experiences to see these acts in a truly intimate venue. Last winter, Lee’s Palace hosted Keanu Reeves and his band DOGSTAR, this fall Our Lady Peace returned to the Lee’s stage, and Toronto instrumental jazz group BADBADNOTGOOD finished off their 2024 run of shows this December at the venue.
The venue also plans to bring some new life to the upstairs club The Dance Cave, focusing on revitalizing the space into a must-visit spot for music listeners seeking new local and international talent in this unique 250-capacity room. The venue is undergoing a number of new upgrades to both rooms throughout this year, and a special collaboration with Toronto’s concert archivist/historian The Flyer Vault.
The Lee’s Palace 40th Anniversary series will kick off this month on Wednesday, January 22nd with New York rapper and record producer Kool Keith taking on the Lee’s stage. Other shows in the series include Canadian and international acts ACTORS, FACS, Pom Pom Squad, Klangphonics, Last Dinosaurs, Papooz, ASAL, Adrian Younge plus a handful of shows yet to be announced including aussie punk rockers The Chats, Russian feminist protest and performance art group Pussy Riot:Riot Days, Brooklyn dance-punk group Model/Actriz, Ontario’s progressive metal legends Protest The Hero, Calgary post-punk band Preoccupations, Nova Scotia country musician P’Tit Belliveau, and Canadian electronic duo Freak Heat Waves. All concert tickets will be available on leespalace.com. More anniversary series shows will be announced throughout the year. The anniversary series will be presented by Lee’s Palace’s new venue owners and operators MODO-LIVE.
There are plans for a celebration on the venue’s official opening date of September 5th, which will officially mark 40 years of the historic venue, to be announced later this year.
Lee’s Palace Links
SPILL NEWS: SCOTT PILGRIM TRIBUTE CONCERT COMING TO TORONTO’S LEE’S PALACE THIS FALL
SPILL CONTEST: WIN A SIGNED POSTER AND A PAIR OF TICKETS TO SEE HARM & EASE AS PART OF CMW AT THE DANCE CAVE ON SATURDAY JUNE 8!
SPILL CONTEST: WIN A PAIR OF TICKETS TO SEE SPITALFIELD AT LEE’S PALACE ON FEBRUARY 1 ALONG WITH YOUR CHOICE OF A HOODIE OR T-SHIRT!
SPILL CONTEST: WIN AN ECONOLINE CRUSH PRIZE PACK INCLUDING PASSES TO THE TORONTO SHOW!
