Iconic live music venues in Ontario

Greater Toronto Area

Massey Hall

As one of the most well-known Toronto music venues, Massey Hall’s history boasts a long list of greats who have played on its acclaimed stage, including Bob Dylan and Bob Marley. During his long career, Gordon Lightfoot performed over 170 times on the Massey Hall stage.

Commissioned in 1894 by Hart Massey to honour his son Charles’ love of music, the hall’s red brick building features a neoclassical facade, Moorish arches and thirty stained glass windows, and was designated a National Historic Site of Canada.

The hall has undergone multiple renovations throughout its history, enhancing its auditorium, acoustics and amenities while preserving its timeless charm. It currently has a capacity of 2550, providing an intimate musical experience at the heart of the city. 

Location: 178 Victoria Street, Toronto

The Danforth Music Hall

Surprisingly, this beloved music venue in Toronto’s Danforth neighbourhood was not originally intended to host concerts. The Danforth Music Hall was constructed in 1919 to show movies. It wasn’t until the 1970s that the Danforth started hosting live music, and even later, in 2011, when it officially earned its current name.

The Danforth Music Hall has become one of Toronto’s most iconic music venues, one that has seen high-profile names like Lorde, St. Vincent and Rihanna grace the stage.

Location: 147 Danforth Avenue, Toronto

Lee’s Palace

With its eye-catching colourful mosaic, Lee’s Palace is a memorable rock concert hall, dance floor and gritty bar in Toronto’s Annex neighbourhood.

Its building dates back to the early 1900s and has served as a shoe factory, bank, silent film, movie theatre and cabaret before it became one of Toronto’s iconic concert venues in 1985. Since then, Lee’s Palace has hosted hundreds of live shows by Canadian icons like the Barenaked Ladies and The Tragically Hip.

Location: 529 Bloor Street West, Toronto

The El Mocambo

The large neon palm tree sign is a very familiar sight on downtown Toronto’s Spadina Avenue. Although the site was constructed in 1910, it wasn’t until 1948 when, armed with one of the city’s first liquor licences, it transformed into an entertainment venue and music hall.

Since then, the "El Mo" has been a key player in Toronto’s burgeoning music scene and famously hosted The Rolling Stones in 1977. The El Mo has undergone several incarnations in the last few decades but has recently been reborn and revitalized as a live music venue.

Location: 464 Spadina Avenue, Toronto

The Horseshoe Tavern

The doors of this unpretentious Queen Street tavern first opened in 1947, and over the next few years, it became the local go-to for country and bluegrass. As the back room live stage started seeing more big-name acts, including Willie Nelson and Hank Williams, the Horseshoe also earned its reputation as a significant live music venue for local Canadian talent.

This reputation was solidified when Stompin’ Tom Connors played sold-out shows and even recorded his first live album at the Horseshoe. Today, it’s a terrific institution that has hosted the likes of Bryan Adams, The Tragically Hip, Arcade Fire and Broken Social Scene.

Location: 370 Queen Street West, Toronto

Budweiser Stage

Open from May to October, Budweiser Stage, located on Toronto’s waterfront, is one of the most iconic music venues in Toronto, having featured big-name performers like Drake and Sarah McLachlan in its open-air environment.

Location: 909 Lake Shore Boulevard West, Toronto

Rogers Stadium

Toronto’s newest live music venue, Rogers Stadium, is set to open by the end of June.

Located in the former Downsview airport lands, this 50,000-seat venue is an open-air, summer-only concert venue, the largest of its kind in the Greater Toronto Area. With plans to host artists and fans from around the world, the venue promises a fun festival experience for everyone.

The stadium’s summer concert lineup for 2025 includes Stray Kids, Coldplay, Oasis and Blackpink.

Location: 105 Carl Hall Road, North York

Niagara Region

Merritt Park Amphitheatre

With a floating stage over the Welland Canal and stone seating for 750 visitors, Merritt Park Amphitheatre has the intimate feel of a real neighbourhood concert venue. Despite that, the space is large enough to accommodate the buzzing summer music festivals that take place here each year.

Location: 151 King Street, Welland

Bruce Peninsula, Southern Georgian Bay and Lake Simcoe

Burl’s Creek Event Grounds

Located on over 600 acres, Burl’s Creek Event Grounds is Canada’s largest outdoor event venue that also accommodates overnight camping.

The venue is best known as the home of the popular Boots and Hearts Music Festival held each August and has hosted some of the biggest names, including Shania Twain, The Rolling Stones and Kendrick Lamar. 

Location: 240 8 Line South, Oro Station

Muskoka, Algonquin and Parry Sound

The KEE to Bala

Located steps away from Bala Bay, this venue operates seasonally, drawing music lovers to its historic stage each summer.

Cherished memories have been made at this Muskoka live music summer concert venue and bar. Since 1942, KEE to Bala has hosted notable artists, including The Tragically Hip, Blue Rodeo, Drake and even Louis Armstrong.

Location: 1012 Bala Falls Road, Bala

Ottawa Region

Lansdowne Park

Ottawa’s urban park in the Glebe neighbourhood is surrounded by heritage buildings, stores, restaurants, a sporting venue and even an apple orchard. Lansdowne Park’s history began when its grounds were chosen as the site of the first public demonstration of the telephone in Canada in 1877, as well as the location of the annual Central Canada Exhibition from 1888 until 2010.

Today, the venue hosts popular music events like the CityFolk Festival for a weekend of fun with world-class musicians.

Location: 1525 Princess Patricia Way, Ottawa

Kawarthas Northumberland

Westben

Blending music and nature, Westben offers concerts, outdoor performances and a variety of nature and culinary experiences.

A rustic timber-framed Barn is its primary venue, offering rich acoustics and intimate seating for 400. Guests are also treated to two additional open-air venues. The Campfire is a cozy venue near the meadow where guests can enjoy entertainment and treats by the campfire, and Willow Hill Amphitheatre invites music lovers to bring their lawn chairs for a gourmet picnic and beautiful tunes.

Previous performers have included Serena Ryder and JUNO Award-winning guitarist Robert Michaels.

Location: 6698 County Road 30, Campbellford

Southeastern Ontario

Base31

Having operated as a military base until 1969 and later as a business park and airport, Base31 has recently been reimagined into a vibrant cultural destination in Prince Edward County.

In 2024, over 200 large-scale concerts, festivals and intimate performances were hosted at its indoor and outdoor stages, cementing its reputation as a top venue for Canadian talent. With a lineup spanning rock, folk, jazz and blues, Base31 offers something for music lovers of all kinds.

Location: 343 County Road 22, Picton

Southwestern Ontario

The Aeolian

This music and arts event venue is a gorgeous Victorian-style heritage building in London.

First constructed in 1882 as a town hall for the then-independent village of London East, the building served various other roles after the community amalgamated with the city of London three years later. It was a fire station, a hardware manufacturing company, a library and a telegraphy school.

Its concert venue history began in 1968, when it was used as a temporary concert hall for local chamber music after the original Aeolian Hall was destroyed by fire. What started as a stopgap solution turned into a permanent one, and by 2004, the hall had transformed into a multi-genre music and arts facility. It has since won several awards and accolades as one of Canada’s best live venues.

Location: 795 Dundas Street, London

Northeastern Ontario

The Capitol Centre

Initially opened as a Famous Players cinema in 1929, the Capitol Theatre was beautifully designed and fitted with state-of-the-art technology for the time. The theatre was purchased by the North Bay Theatre and Arts Community Centre in 1985 and converted into an arts centre.

Since then, this venue has transformed through several renovations into a modern performance facility, yet still retains its heritage beauty. It has hosted cherished musicians and entertainers like Johnny Cash, Roy Orbison and Tom Cochrane.

Location: 150 Main Street East, North Bay

The Townehouse Tavern

Over the past three decades, this odd, wedge-shaped building with its retro black-and-white marquee has earned its place among Ontario’s legendary music venues.

The hub for live music in Northern Ontario, it has welcomed every genre of music to its stage, from rock and folk to reggae and funk. Past performers include Feist, Our Lady Peace and The Sadies. As a bonus, it’s also known to serve some of the best burgers around.

Location: 206 Elgin Street, Sudbury

Buy your tickets and visit these iconic Ontario music venues to hear and experience for yourself the sights and sounds of your favourite bands on their stages and within their walls.