Lee's Palace
|
Artwork by Alex "Runt" Currie | |
| Former names | Bloor Theatre (1950s–1960s) |
|---|---|
| Address |
529 Bloor Street West Toronto ON M5S 1Y5 |
| Location | Toronto, Ontario, Canada |
| Coordinates | 43°39′55″N 79°24′34″W / 43.665272°N 79.409448°WCoordinates: 43°39′55″N 79°24′34″W / 43.665272°N 79.409448°W |
| Type | Nightclub |
| Genre(s) | Alternative, Indie |
| Seating type | Standing Room |
| Capacity | 550 |
| Opened | 5 September 1985 |
| Website | |
| leespalace.com | |
Lee's Palace is a concert hall located on the south side of Bloor Street West east of Lippincott Avenue in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The facility consists of a converted motion picture theatre and can accommodate several hundred guests.
History
The building is about 100 years old and was at one point a bank.[1] On 5 September 1985, Lee's Palace was opened as a Music Club by Mr. Lee, the venue's namesake, with dancing on the top floor and live music on the main floor, much as it is today.[2][3]
In 2001, Lee died and sold to a Mr. Kang. In 2006, the business change hands again to the current owners.[1]
Live music
Lee's Palace is a Toronto hotspot for live music. Known for its intimacy and strong acoustics, it hosts live music nearly every night of the week. The music genre generally played at Lee's Palace is alternative rock. Canadian music groups such as Moist, Sloan, Our Lady Peace, Barenaked Ladies, and The Tragically Hip have played this venue's[4] tiny stage early in their careers. International stars such as The Verve, Nirvana, Tortoise, Blur, The Smashing Pumpkins, Oasis, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Arctic Monkeys and The Magnetic Fields made their Toronto debut at Lee's Palace.
The capacity of the venue is roughly 600 people in the concert area, and more upstairs in the "Dance Cave", the dance club under the same roof. The Dance Cave caters to the alternative rock crowd, playing retro rock, Mod, '60s, Britpop, and indie rock during the week, and straight alternative on the weekends.
Regulatory agencies
As the venue serves alcohol, attendance at concerts and events at Lee's Palace is generally restricted by the laws of the province of Ontario to those 19 years of age or older, although the venue occasionally hosts all-ages shows (usually on weekend afternoons or early evenings) where alcohol is not served.
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 http://www.leespalace.com/history/
- ↑ http://www.leespalace.com/history
- ↑ Punter, Jennie (14 September 1995). "Lee's thrives on nuturing [sic] local acts", Toronto Star, p. H10.
- ↑ "Best of List". Lee's Palace. Retrieved 16 March 2011.