SPILL NEWS: THE PHOENIX CONCERT THEATRE RISES IN TORONTO’S WEST END

THE PHOENIX CONCERT THEATRE RISES IN TORONTO’S WEST END

After more than three decades as one of Toronto’s best-known live music venues, The Phoenix Concert Theatre is planning its next chapter in the city’s west end. In collaboration with the owners of The Parkdale Hall, located at 1605 Queen St. W., plans have been submitted to the City of Toronto to relocate The Phoenix Concert Theatre to the historic Parkdale Hall. The proposal is subject to rezoning and other required City approvals. Both The Phoenix and Parkdale Hall will continue to operate at their existing locations until approvals and construction are completed. The move brings together two iconic pillars of Toronto’s entertainment history. Since opening in 1991, The Phoenix Concert Theatre has welcomed generations of music fans and thousands of artists to its stage. From emerging acts playing formative Toronto shows to internationally renowned artists choosing The Phoenix for intimate performances, the venue has occupied a unique place in the city’s live music landscape.

“Over more than 35 years, The Phoenix has become much more than another concert venue: it is a community space where Toronto audiences discover new artists, where established performers return to connect more closely with their fans, and where countless memorable nights become part of the city’s musical history,” said Lisa Zbitnew, Co-Owner and Operator of The Phoenix Concert Theatre. “Now, the vision is to carry that legacy into a building with an entertainment history that stretches back more than a century.” Long before it became The Parkdale Hall, the building opened as The Parkdale Theatre in the spring of 1920, brought to life by Canadian cinema pioneers Jay and Jules Allen. The brothers commissioned esteemed movie-palace architect C. Howard Crane (who also designed the Danforth Music Hall) to create the theatre, establishing an entertainment destination in the heart of Parkdale.

More than a century later, the proposed project would return the Parkdale building to its roots as a major entertainment destination while giving The Phoenix a new home designed for its next generation of artists and audiences. The new venue is expected to have a capacity comparable to The Phoenix in its current location. “There is something incredibly fitting about bringing The Phoenix to Parkdale Hall,” said Alex Chan, President of the Parkdale Hall. “This building was created for entertainment more than 100 years ago, and The Phoenix has spent more than three decades creating its own remarkable history in Toronto. Bringing those two stories together gives us an opportunity to respect what came before while creating something new for the city’s west end.”

The collaboration is envisioned as both a continuation and an evolution of The Phoenix, preserving the character, programming and independent spirit that have defined the venue while taking advantage of the possibilities offered by its proposed new home. The project also brings live music to a Toronto neighbourhood long underserved by a venue of this scale, adding to the growing cultural and entertainment activity in Parkdale and the surrounding west end. “Fiercely independent and Canadian-owned, The Phoenix is a critical and vibrant part of Toronto’s live music scene,” said Pat Tobin, General Manager of the City of Toronto’s Economic Development and Culture Division.

“Working to hold and grow independent live music venues in Toronto, we are encouraged and inspired by the rebirth of one of our city’s flagship destinations for musicians, music fans and incredible memories.” Parkdale Hall will continue to operate as an event venue throughout the approval period, and clients with confirmed bookings are being contacted directly. The Phoenix Concert Theatre will also continue to operate at its current location in 2027. For The Phoenix, the proposed move is not about starting over. It is about taking more than three decades of history and giving it a new place to grow. A historic venue. A historic building. A new chapter for live music in Toronto’s west end.

The Phoenix Concert Theatre Links

Background Photo Credit: Stephen McGill (Billie Eilish @ The Phoenix Concert Theatre, October 30, 2018)