| The El Mo | |
|---|---|
Toronto's El Mocambo Club at night |
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| Address | 464 Spadina Ave Toronto ON M5T 2G8 |
| Location | Toronto, Ontario, Canada |
| Type | Nightclub |
| Built | 1850 |
| Website | El Mocambo.ca |
The El Mocambo Tavern (aka "The El Mo" and sometimes "The El Cabomgo") is a live music and entertainment venue in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Located on Spadina Avenue, just south of College Street, the bar played an important role in the development of popular music in Toronto since the 19th century. It is perhaps best known for hosting two Rolling Stones shows on March 4 and 5, 1977 that were recorded for release on the band's Love You Live album.
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The El Mocambo was opened as a music venue in 1850. The building was first used as a haven for escaped slaves. The name and famous El Mocambo palm tree sign were erected in 1946. It was one of the first establishments in Toronto to obtain a liquor licence. Musical acts appeared on separate stages located on the main and second floor of the building.
The business and building were bought by Michael Baird and Tom Kristinbrun who also owned the Jarvis House in 1971. The previous owner, Mr. Schuy, rented the top floor space to any group. The German Club was a regular tenant. The El Mo brought bands like Downchild Blues Band and many others "up the street" and paid them a regular fee to perform. The bands would start out downstairs and if the revenue they generated increased, they would sometimes graduate on upstairs.
During the early 1970s, the upstairs featured "retreads" and "has-been" acts mostly with the occasional group on the rise. Most of the time drink sales determined which bands would return.
Located within walking distance of the University of Toronto, Ryerson Polytechnic, and George Brown College the venue became a popular place for students living nearby. Throughout the 1970s the club was known as a bastion of the blues and rock and roll during a time better known for disco.
In 2001, the El Mocambo was bought by Abbas Jahangiri who renovated both floors and now books a wide range of musical acts. He opened up the venue to all genres of music from rock and roll and orchestra to heavy metal, reggae, hip hop and jazz. As a consequence, the club's status as an important Toronto musical hotspot has been restored. Since Abbas Jahangiri has become a Missionary, the venue has become the #1 booker for charity events, fundraisers have been held for War Child, Amnesty International, Free the Children, World Vision, Blank-Fest and many more. Mr. Jahangiri is also founder of the non-profit charitable organization, Serving Charity and many other companies. The revenue, administration and operations of the El Mocambo fully support Serving Charity’s initiatives.
Over the years other major music acts appeared at the venue, including Marilyn Monroe, internationally famous jazz performers, including Grover Washington, Jr., Charles Mingus, and Al Di Meola, and rock acts such as U2, Moxy, The Police, Elvis Costello, The Ramones, The Rolling Stones, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Blondie, Meat Loaf, Jimi Hendrix, Queens of the Stone Age, and LimeBox.[1]
On March 4, 1977, looking for an unprepossessing venue to record in, The Rolling Stones played the first of two performances at the club, billing themselves pseudonymously as "The Cockroaches". It was their first live club date in 14 years. Their opening act was Canadian rockers April Wine of Montreal. The Stones show was recorded and released as one side (Side 3) of the double album Love You Live, which reached #3 in the UK, #5 in the US. April Wine took advantage of the high-tech remote recording equipment brought by the Stones to record their own show for a live album as well.[2]
On May 9, 2008 the acclaimed American hard-rock band Queens of the Stone Age had a surprise concert at the El Mocambo as part of their Canadian tour.[3]
Other live recordings made by other bands/performers at the venue include:
By the 1990s the club was often shunned by local indie groups, who perceived the El Mo as an "industry club", where record companies showcased packaged new artists at the expense of local talent. At least among some, it gained a reputation as the place to play once a promising indie band had "sold out". The relatively high price of drinks and cover charges and a fast-changing local music scene drove the mainstay student crowds to other clubs, notably the Beverly Tavern, DMZ, and Larry's Hideaway. Accordingly, throughout the 1990s, the El Mo went through several periods of near-bankruptcy and near-closure.