1.4 Queen Street West, Part I: Classic Queen West and Clubland

2.3 Dundas West

The last virtual walking tour of this season will follow Dundas Street West - the latest contender to rival Queen, College and Bloor Streets as Toronto’s liveliest music strip - on a west-end odyssey. Starting at Bathurst and wandering west to the hipster corner of Dundas & Ossington - where small yet mighty independent venues The Dakota Tavern, The Garrison and The Painted Lady are emerging from a fight for survival - this episode will also explore the vibrant Latin and global music scenes supported by Lula Lounge, the up-and-coming arts scene on Sterling Road, and former folk hub Hugh’s Room. The episode will also address the imminent change of the Dundas street name - which came from an 18th century anti-abolitionist - in an interview with Andrew Lochhead, the local activist who spearheaded the petition to change the name.

2.2 Scarborough

This sonic exploration of the east side of the city continues on into Scarborough, shining a light on the lesser-known musical history of the inner suburbs. We'll visit sites such as the Knob Hill Hotel and curling club the Broom and Stone - where acts for the ‘60s Yorkville scene played for suburban teens - and the shopping malls and high schools that cultivated old-school hip-hop, while exploring how live music can pop up in public space in unexpected ways.

2.1 The East End

This virtual walking tour will take listeners on a TTC transit trek east from downtown, with stops at the Opera House at Queen East - revisiting the vibrant all-ages indie scene of the ‘90s - then up to the Danforth to visit the Danforth Music Hall - one of Toronto’s most beloved mid-sized concert halls - as well as mainstays the Only Cafe and Hirut, and dear departed spaces like the Roxy Theatre and Spectrum Nightclub.

1.5 Queen Street West, Part II: Go West (and Beyond)

Queen Street West is arguably Canada’s most important countercultural main street, and may even be North America’s. Queen West was a quiet, mostly forgotten commercial strip until the punk rock, new wave and reggae explosion of the ‘70s, and it really came to live in the diverse, inclusive, alternative ‘80s — eventually becoming a main hub for the Canadian music industry in the ‘90s. This two-part tour will take us west from University all the way to Gladstone Avenue.

Part II follows Queen West as the subcultural strip pushed further west past Spadina — and towards more glorious black-clad griminess. Venues visited include The Legendary Horseshoe Tavern, the Cabana Room, The Cameron House, Drom Taberna, the Velvet Underground, the Bovine Sex Club, The Big Bop/Reverb, The Great Hall, the Drake Hotel and the Gladstone Hotel. The tour concludes with a consideration of where else future tours might go — such as the East End or Toronto’s inner suburbs.

1.4 Queen Street West, Part I: Classic Queen West and Clubland

Queen Street West is arguably Canada’s most important countercultural main street, and may even be North America’s. Queen West was a quiet, mostly forgotten commercial strip until the punk rock, new wave and reggae explosion of the ‘70s, and it really came to live in the diverse, inclusive, alternative ‘80s — eventually becoming a main hub for the Canadian music industry in the ‘90s. This two-part tour will take us west from University all the way to Gladstone Avenue.

The first half explores the origins of the Queen Street scene at its most eastern end — “Classic Queen West” — as well as the birth of Clubland just south on Richmond. Historic sites include The Rex Hotel Jazz & Blues Club, The Music Gallery, The Beverley Tavern, Crash ‘N’ Burn, The Twilight Zone, 23 Hop, the BamBoo Club and the Rivoli.