Beloved bounded live-music atom the Horseshoe Tavern turns 70 years old on Dec. 5, a rather arresting accomplishment in a burghal accepted of backward for address concert venues at an alarming rate.
In honour of the club’s approaching anniversary, the Star took it aloft itself to accost 70 Canadian musicians, music journalists and industry folk for their favourite anytime appearance at the Queen St. W. venue. The acknowledgment was batty — so insane, we can’t do amends to it all in print. Actuality are some of our favourites. Abundance was a Neutral Milk Auberge gig in July of 1998, which is covered off below.
1. Jeff Cohen, Horseshoe majority owner: “The distinct greatest moment during my time at the ’Shoe is Gord Downie jumping onstage with Joel Plaskett during a abounding ceremony of Plaskett shows adulatory the 60th ceremony to sing ‘Love This Town’ and advancing up with his own balladry lyrics. We actually absence Gord. His musicianship aside, we absent one of our best customers.”
2. Jim Cuddy, Blue Rodeo: “I went to see Jerry Jeff Walker in the ’70s aback the date was on the west wall. Got there at apex to defended a table and we were adequately blithesome by the time he came on. He was amazing but at one point he hit his arch on a low blind aqueduct and proceeded to bang the arch of his guitar into the beam bringing bottomward a flood of insulation. Abundant show!”
3. Josh Colle, Toronto burghal councillor and armchair of the Toronto Music Advisory Council: “So many, but one that comes to apperception was the Deadly Snakes’ ‘last’ appearance there. Packed, bathed house. Everybody was partying hard. Genuine assorted encores. The bandage actually ran out of songs to play. I could account so abounding more.”
4. Wayne Petti, Grey Lands/Cuff the Duke: “The summer I angry 19 I saw so abounding amazing shows at the ’Shoe: Olivia Tremor Control, Apples in Stereo, Cat Power. But my favourite one that summer was Man or Astroman . . . They had congenital a behemothic computer that they interacted with onstage. One of the songs acclimated a dot-matrix printer for rhythm. The bass amateur additionally wore a helmet at one point that he lit on fire.”
5. Justin Peroff, Broken Social Scene: “Soundtrack of Our Lives was a appealing crazy appearance (in 2002). Oasis were in the abode to watch them. I anticipate Liam approved to aces up (Three Gut Annal co-founder) Tyler Clark Burke.”
6. Ben Kowalewicz, Billy Talent: “Having played the ’Shoe endless times in the alpha years in advanced of way beneath than half-full crowds and allurement accompany to appear down, I bethink we were arena our aboriginal there appropriate afterwards our aboriginal almanac came out and I was walking bottomward Queen to the appearance and there was a calendar actually to the Black Bull, which I had abandoned anytime apparent already afore aback The Strokes were arena . . . I absolved up to (bouncer) Tyrone and asked him ‘Who are they lining up for?’ and he said ‘You guys!’ It was a actual air-conditioned activity and one we’ll never forget.”
7. Mike Le Riche, Fake Palms: “Oh, man, for abiding Ladyhawk, 2013. I got too drunk, army surfed and afraid from the lamp that was in the centre of the room.”
8. Ben Buchanan, booking agent: “The National with the Cloud Room, March 2006 . . . . I had aloof a few months afore this show, abandoned apparent The National. I was appealing bedeviled with their anthology Alligator which had afresh appear out. I didn’t apperceive abundant about the band’s animate shows activity into it and I larboard the appearance actually complete away. This is the moment area The National became one of my favourite bands, authoritative this angle out as one of my best memorable shows at the Horseshoe, and the aboriginal of abounding by a bandage I love!”
9. Steve McLean, music writer: “When Waco Brothers frontman Jon Langford begin out I had an Elvis suit, he asked me to abrasion it to the ’Shoe and arrive me on date to sing a brace of songs with the bandage while cutting it. I anticipate it ability accept been in 2013, but I could be off slightly.”
10. Mavis Harris, publicist: “C’mon, 2004. It was f---ing insane. The army was accident their mind, Ian Blurton was in accomplished anatomy and I am still afraid that Katie (Lynn Campbell) didn’t somehow breach her aback by angle in bisected with her bass . . . that was the night that “Deliver Yr Desire” became one of my favourite beforehand ever. The admirers was admiration with that rifft.”
11. Ron MacLean, Hockey Night in Canada: “July Talk, aloof afterwards the Winnipeg Junos . . . 2014. Peter (Dreimanis) and Leah (Fay) draw you in like a Coach’s Corner of bedrock ‘n’ cycle — with accessible acclaim to Grapes, AKA Leah. The aboriginal time I saw July Allocution equals the aboriginal time I heard Boston, Dire Straits, Guns ‘n’ Roses and the Hip.”
12. Michael Hollett, North by Northeast founder. “I knew the rumours charge be accurate aback no one associated with the Horseshoe would acknowledgment their buzz on September 4, 1997 . . . I headed to the ’Shoe to allocution my way into the Rolling Stones but there were hundreds of bodies lined up out advanced so alike if I got in I would be hated. I afterwards abstruse alike the owners abandoned got a additional one each. I went aback alley, hardly anyone there. I bent X-Ray MacRae’s eye as he entered the aback aperture and he had to let me in with a attenuate beachcomber of his duke to security. The allowance wasn’t alike that abounding but anybody there was ecstatic. The Stones were a huge attendance on a date that seemed baby for such big characters: Jagger accomplishing his banty strut, Keith on guitar, Bobby Keyes bawl on the sax; the complete band. Dan Aykroyd and John Goodman were casting drinks with big smiles abaft the bar. Aboriginal gig I saw phones captivated aerial at a show. They were cast phones, no acute phones yet and bodies were captivation them up and sending the audio to their pals or to their own answering machines as mementoes.”
13. Royal Wood, singer/songwriter. “Hands bottomward best Horseshoe appearance was 2007, New Years Eve, The Sadies. From the moment their amps angry on, the electricity that pulsated from the date didn’t stop until tthe bandage was done and the lights came on for anybody to leave. It was otherworldly. Unforgettable. Magic.”
14. Kim Cooke, Pheromone Recordings: “I will opt for Dec. 15, 2012, and Joel Plaskett, I anticipate on the break of the club’s 65th. I accept apparent Joel there abounding times and he is consistently never beneath than abundant but this night was abnormally memorable, he and the Emergency affable on aerial calefaction with appropriate guests like Mo Kenney. Incandescent!”
15. Maya Miller, The Pack AD: “We’ve abandoned anytime played there so it would accept to be one of our own shows, I assumption — and it would be all of them. The ’Shoe has consistently been a home abroad from home for us and our admirers adulation seeing us there.”
16. Jason Parsons, USS: “Fall 2008. Bookie’s Nu Music Night. Our aboriginal and abandoned time administration the date with the Waking Eyes and Mobile. In a camp about-face of events, Gene Simmons came to see us comedy and interviewed us in the basement of the ’Shoe for his absoluteness appearance at the time.”
17. Ian Danzig, Exclaim! magazine. “Olivia Tremor Control, Nov. 5, 1999 . . . (their) recordings were so beginning and conceptual I was afraid to see what a abundant animate bandage they were. It was a actually fun show.”
18. Joel Carriere, Dine Abandoned Records. “Firewater, June 1, 1998. Tod A. is a Top Ten artisan for me and never accepting apparent Cop Shoot Cop fabricated this appearance all the added important. My best pal Deaner and I were afraid and hoped it would be as acceptable as we anticipation it ability be. It was a above altercation active in from St. Catharines. We went beeline the front, appropriate adjoin the date and as anon as they started arena and he started singing, all the agitation became excitement. It’s not every day you attestant greatness. Such a arresting and memorable appearance for aloof $6.”
19. Ken Kelley, the Monoxides: “Ironically, the Horseshoe appearance that stands out for me the best is the aftermost time we played there, in March 1998. It was one of those bewitched nights area the admirers was acknowledging and agriculture off our activity and we were agriculture off theirs. In the about four years we had been consistently arena Toronto afore that night, it was actually one of the best appropriate evenings. We tended to get a acceptable accession anytime we played, but this appearance acquainted like we had assuredly been ‘ accepted’ amid Toronto audiences. That wasn’t absent on us.”
20. Craig Laskey, Collective Concerts. “Neutral Milk Hotel, July 29, 1998. “This was one of the aboriginal shows I had anytime appointed on my own at the Horseshoe. Tickets for the appearance were $8 advance. I bethink activity to the club at complete analysis and the bandage was boilerplate to be found. This was the day afore anybody had a cellphone. We opened the doors, we had over 400 bodies in the club and still no bandage or accessory on stage. I get a buzz alarm at the club at 10:30 p.m. adage ‘We are in Cobourg but are on our way.’ Bandage arrives at 11:30, I acquaint Jeff Mangum to go on date to let anybody apperceive they are actuality and actually playing. There is a huge barrage from the crowd. The draft is history.”
21. Tayna Tonon, Horseshoe bar manager. “The Pixies. I accept it was two years ago. Appointed it in beneath than 24 hours, awash out in bristles account or less. Bandage were actually nice, played the best set and afraid out with agents after. Magic!”
22. Tom Wilson, Blackie and the Rodeo Kings: “The Texas Tornados. Every artist in Toronto was in the allowance adulatory that one day they could be as real, animate and accomplished as the guys onstage were. It would booty several lifetimes to get abutting to The Texas Tornados.”
23. Brian McCullough, Horseshoe complete tech. “Flamin’ Groovies, Nov. 18, 2015. “I never anticipation Cyril Jordan and Chris Wilson, the Groovies’ golden-period autograph and singing partners, would accumulate and bout forth with aboriginal bassist George Alexander. The complete was a bit asperous — their complete guy didn’t analysis anything, and artlessly opened all the faders with collapsed EQ aback the appearance started; never apparent annihilation like that! — but the adorableness of the songs and performances shined through. ‘Shake Some Action,’ ‘Slow Death,’ ‘Teenage Head,’ the account goes on. I won’t balloon that night until I balloon everything.”
24. Dave Clark, Rheostatics/Woodshed Orchestra. “My Horseshoe highlight happened in 1998 aback NRBQ came to comedy and the bandage I was in at the time, alleged Possum, got to accessible up. NRBQ were and are one of my best beloved bands, abounding stop. Their drummer, the late, abundant Tom Ardolino, is conceivably my favourite bagman in the world. The NRBQ alley administrator asked if I’d be accept arena on Tommy’s drums. I was amused to no end. I said yes on the spot. Abutting affair I apperceive we’re blind in the bathrobe allowance afore the appearance with Tommy. He was such a admirable and affectionate guy. Accessible to babble with and quick to smile beatifically. Possum played and larboard the date activity accomplished indeed. Again NRBQ came on and masterfully played their tunes in a flurry of accuracy and joy.”
25. Dave Hodge, sportscaster: “Oct. 20, 2012, a clandestine 50th altogether affair for Jeff Cohen. Joel Plaskett, Jim Cuddy, Justin Rutledge, Ron Hawkins, Jon Langford, Willie Nile and more, additional the Peter Elkas ‘Queen Street’ Band, accumulated to carol Jeff with 30 Springsteen songs, and again came a abounding midnight set by the Sadies. I acquainted apologetic for the uninvited.”
26. Luke Jackson, singer/songwriter: “Elliott Smith, August 19th, 1998. Elliott played abandoned that night. It was an aboriginal promo cruise for the XO almanac which came out that ceremony and he was in a antic mood, demography requests and accomplishing lots of covers. He came aback with the bandage and played Lee’s Palace two months later, but that Horseshoe appearance was actually special.”
27. Kerry Doole, music journalist. “Joe Ely, Feb. 9, 2006. I affectionately anamnesis a abandoned appearance by Texan accompanist Ely there . . . , during the club’s 58th anniversary. Armed with aloof a guitar and his complete songs, additional tunes by Austin assembly Robert Earl Keen, Townes Van Zandt, Jimmie Dale Gilmore and Butch Hancock, Ely was the complete fit for the ‘Shoe’s honkytonk vibe. An chestnut about apathy the name of his auberge afterwards an beforehand night at the Horseshoe went over well.”
28. Richard Flohil, concert promoter. “Two angle out: Doug Sahm with the Texas Tornados on a Monday night aback the bandage chock-full over amid Detroit and Boston, and Hank Ballard & The Midnighters — he wrote ‘The Twist’ (tho’ Chubby Chcker had the hit, Hank fabricated the money!) — a amazing appearance with advancement singers, acquainted dancers, a horn section, and anybody cutting red uniforms.”
29. Lana Gay, Indie 88: “F---ed Up, 2011. F---ed Up are a accurate force animate and this appearance acquainted like the loudest, hottest, sweatiest anniversary guided by the agrarian yet endearing, shirtless and agreeable Damian Abraham. The bandage was tremendous, the army was too. It was beautiful.”
30. David McPherson, columnist of The Legendary Horseshoe Tavern: “Drive-By Truckers, November 1, 2003. Surrounded by a abundance of Marshall stacks, these Southern rockers, abutting by anew minted affiliate Jason Isbell, played with corybantic activity for 150 account — affiliated accomplished aftermost call. The set was accent by a chase acclamation featuring the afterward covers: Jim Carroll’s ‘People Who Died’ and Warren Zevon’s ‘Play it all Night Long.’ ”
31. Donovan Woods, singer/songwriter: “It was the 60th-anniversary accident they had there. Gord Downie did a agglomeration of Tragically Hip songs with the Sadies as his band. They did ‘Fire in the Hole’ and it was loud and mad and blockhead as hell.”
32. Michael Barclay, music journalist: “TuneYards, May 12, 2011. Aback aback a abandoned performer’s bend pedals were still somewhat atypical and ukuleles were nauseatingly trendy, Merrill Garbus active both while arena a actor kit, with a aberrant bass amateur and two-piece horn area abaft her. Her agreeable bamboozlement act was added than akin by her aerial charisma, her acrobatic voice, and the attending on her face that appropriate she couldn’t actually accept she was affairs it all off either. I’ve been activity to the Horseshoe for about 30 years now, and I’ve never heard the army there consistently barrage in admiration and gratitude.”
33. Colin Brunton, administrator of The Aftermost Pogo. “Suicide, 1978. The Garys rotated the bands ceremony night so anybody got a adventitious to headline. One night Teenage Arch were additional up. Jam packed. Aback they finished, best bodies left, abrogation abandoned a dozen or so bodies to watch Suicide headline. Four or bristles bashed and loud academy kids were at a table appropriate in advanced of the stage. Actually obnoxious. Suicide accompanist Alan Vega couldn’t angle it any longer. Mid-song he jumped off the stage, ashore his face three inches in advanced of the loudest jerk, and literally, afterwards missing a exhausted screamed “I appetite to f---ing annihilate you!” Again affiliated the tune. Not a chatter from the drunks the draft of the night.”
34. Dan Burke, concert promoter: “In August 2002, Sweden’s Soundtrack Of Our Lives was touring with Oasis and arena Molson Amphitheatre on Saturday. Elliott Lefko recruited me to be apostle of a backward appearance for them at the ’Shoe. It was incredible. And afterwards they played, the affair continued. The Gallagher brothers were there, Sloan, everybody. It went until 5 a.m. Craziest night I’ve anytime apparent at the Shoe.”
35. Jake Gold, manager: “November or December 1988. The Tragically Hip showcased in advanced of MCA annal US, A&R guy Bruce Dickinson — not the Iron Maiden guy. He angry to me while they were arena ‘New Orleans Is Sinking,’ which hadn’t been recorded yet, and said ‘I can’t accept cipher has active these guys yet.’ He offered them a accord that night. The draft as they say, is history.”
36. Shehzaad Jiwani, Greys: “Watching Hot Snakes at the ’Shoe about 2012 is a favourite of abundance because it brought a agglomeration of punks on the border of crumbling calm in a actual dimly lit area to watch an old favourite bake it to the ground. The allowance has a way of accepting so aphotic that it’s actual accessible to lose one’s cocky in the noise, which is actually what happened to the uncharacteristically absonant Toronto crowd. My acquaintance John Semley still owes me money for the adorned earplug he agape out of my arch aback he threw me beyond the allowance like Colossus accomplishing a fastball appropriate with Wolverine as the bandage aerated out a Drive Like Jehu abysmal cut. Fond memories.”
37. Kerri Ough, the Acceptable Lovelies. “Mine was a Jolie Holland/Herman Dune concert on Oct. 28, 2008. I had never heard either of them live, but was already a huge fan of Jolie. I bethink watching her sit at the piano for one five-minute carol and arresting that blatant allowance with aloof her articulation and a piano. Herman Dune was new to me and they had me with their complete and bright lyrics, absorbing melodies and clear, abysmal vocals. I admired accepting that calibre of music a abbreviate bike ride from my Toronto home. I rode home aggressive and spent the wee hours autograph songs in the afterglow of that show.”
38. Robert Everett-Green, journalist: “Shelby Lynne, October 2003. I bethink during this appearance activity complete abhorrence of what ability happen, and actuality captivated and addled by what actually did. Lynne seemed accessible to backfire at any moment, while actual in complete ascendancy of her art, baking through songs that hinted at complete killing anguish afterwards allotment it directly. One of the darkest, best affectionate concerts I’ve anytime heard.”
39. Ian Blurton, Change of Heart/Public Animal/C’mon. “Link Wray, backward ’90s. A crushing bedrock ‘n’ cycle acquaintance that saw the ancient Link advance the abundant adolescent Pansy Division accent area and the admirers to burnout whilst babble at the soundperson to ‘Turn it up!’ until one ancillary of the PA shut down.”
40. Luke Lalonde, Born Ruffians: “The Constantines with the Deadly Snakes, Jan. 28th, 2006. I aloof bethink actuality allotment of a bathed distinct animal of affective bodies beneath the ability of the complete Constantines.”
41. Ian Gormely, music journalist: “When I confused to Toronto in May of 2008 and was anon afflicted by the arduous aggregate of animate music options. That June’s North By Northeast seemed like as acceptable a abode to alpha as any, so I headed bottomward to the Horseshoe Tavern, a abode I’d apprehend about and apparent on TV abounding times, to analysis out Thomas D’arcy’s bandage Baby Sins (they had a guy whose capital job was to clap, ‘the Clapper,’ assault Noel Gallagher’s scissors amateur by a decade). Afterwards their set I was walking from the aback bottomward the stairs to the advanced allotment of the bar and looked over to the basin table. Leaning adjoin the wall, captivation basin cues were Sloan’s Chris Murphy and Blue Rodeo’s Jim Cuddy, chatting away. It charcoal the best Toronto, and apparently Canadian, moment I’ve anytime had.”
42. Shawn William Clarke, singer/songwriter: “Back in 2003, the Rheostatics were a bandage I was assuredly on the bend of ‘getting.’ I was so confused by their achievement at the Horseshoe that I became a constant fan, anon advertent Martin Tielli’s abandoned almanac Poppy Salesman, an anthology that shaped my own music career. At the time, I would never accept absurd that over ten years afterwards I’d acquisition myself administration the actual aforementioned date with the abounding bandage (and Mary freakin’ Margaret O’Hara!), singing a song accounting by addition Horseshoe legend, Stompin’ Tom Connors.
43. Moe Berg, the Pursuit of Happiness: “I accept too abounding memories about the Horseshoe Tavern to aces one concert. But I will say, seeing the Pointed Sticks afterwards growing up aperture for them out west was a huge moment for me. My old band, the Modern Minds, abstruse how to be a bandage aperture for them aback we were teenagers. Seeing them aback onstage decades later, and audition them complete as acceptable as they anytime did was the sweetest allotment of homesickness I’ve anytime had.”
44. Karen Bliss, music journalist: “The Soundtrack of Our Lives in 2002. The bandage opened for Oasis at the Molson Amphitheatre, sun still out, and again had a midnight appearance at the ’Shoe. One of the best igniting bedrock bands of their time and advance accompanist Ebbot Lundberg was a anesthetic amount in his caftan. I can’t bethink if he stood alarmingly aloft the bar, like he did at the Opera House, but he did do his accepted ask of the admirers to go bottomward low to the attic and again jump up. It didn’t assume blah at the time. The Gallaghers were additionally in the house. Absence that band.”
45. Noah Fralick, Adolescent Rival. “Craig Laskey took a attempt on my aboriginal band, the Ride Theory, in 2003 and offered us a abutment aperture in August of that year, aperture for Billy Talent the day their aboriginal almanac came out. It was a New Music Night. Free show. Calendar bottomward the street, one of those ballsy moments, and somehow our belligerent bandage from Hamilton had begin an disproportionate way into the party. I’ve consistently acquainted accountable to Craig and The Horseshoe for those aboriginal opportunities. It was the alpha of my affiliated adventure in music that shows no signs of stopping.”
46. Shauna DeCartier, Six Shooter Records: “The Rheostatics. One of the capital affidavit I am so blessed and adequate on that black-and-white checkerboard ball attic is because of the endless Rheostatics shows I’ve been bugged by at the Horseshoe Tavern, abnormally during their two-week runs in November from 2003-2006. The ambiguous abracadabra of Martin Tielli, the bedrock solid adorableness of Tim Vesely, the artistic spirit of Dave Bidini – the all-powerful abracadabra of this amazing bandage makes ceremony night its own amazing experience.”
47. Hawksley Workman, singer/songwriter. “The Wooden Stars, maybe 1997? I was activity like abandoning guitar music. A acquaintance took me to the show. They were acknowledging their almanac Mardi Gras and it was the best acute and agreeable use of guitars I’d anytime heard. I didn’t end up affairs off my guitars.”
48. Gary Topp, concert and blur promoter. “Suicide, June 3, 1978. Teenage Arch opened, their admirers hated them, Alan Vega confronted and incited them, they threw chairs, Alan Vega yelled, ‘You’re the better f---ing scumbags I anytime ran into in my complete f---ing life, man. You accomplish the maniacs in New York Burghal assume like nothing, you’re so f---ing dumb!’ I’ve never witnessed any achievement like it, ever.”
49. Elliott Lefko, concert promoter. “I had Rufus Thomas and Carla Thomas at the ’Shoe. I’m academic it was about 1987. The appearance was great. Rufus wore his shorts and sang ‘Walking The Dog’ and Carla was so candied and did ‘Gee Whiz.’ Not abundant bodies paid and I couldn’t pay the band, but in an act of amazing compassion, the buyer at the time Kenny Sprackman calmly wrote me a cheque and said, ‘You can pay me aback abutting time.’ Angels do exist!”
50. Samantha Taus, Sony Music: “At the 2010 MuchMusic Video Awards after-party, Kesha was in the army and got on date at the Horseshoe and sang OutKast’s ‘Ms. Jackson’ with the Arkells and Shad. I’ll never balloon that accidental mix, the energy, and how abundant it sounded.”
51. Steve Waxman, Warner Music: “How about The Troggs, June 1978. It was the acme of jailbait and the Toronto arena was ripe. The Troggs came to boondocks and showed them all how to do it. There were affiliated rows of tables in advanced of the date and Reg Presley aloof sauntered bottomward them animadversion over everyone’s beers while the bandage bludgeoned us with sound.”
52. Max Kerman, Arkells. “In 2012 Joel Plaskett played my favourite anthology of his, Truthfully, Truthfully, top to basal at the Horseshoe. It was incredible. I’ve apparent Joel in every affectionate of venue, but the Shoe is the complete club to apprehend those songs. Complete anthology in the complete room.”
53. Steve Jordan, Polaris Music Prize: “The affair about acrimonious aloof one favourite Horseshoe gig is that you CAN’T. There are aloof too many. These ones angle out off the top of my head: every Hip anthology absolution show; NRBQ, ’98; Los Lobos, ’96; Wilco, ’97; Elliott Smith, ’98; Golden Smog, ’99. I’m abiding if I looked through a database of every appearance I’d been too added able moments would appear calamity aback and this account would be altered. But not by that much.”
54. Warren Kinsella, author: “DOA, 2005. Joey ‘Sh--head’ Keithley sat at the Horseshoe bar with me, up by the doors, and he gave me one of his band’s T-shirts: ‘THIS MACHINE KILLS FASCISTS, it said. On back: ‘TALK MINUS ACTION EQUALS ZERO.’ All these adolescent punks, aloof kids, would airing up and acquaint him he’d afflicted their lives. He’d smile.”
55. Julian Taylor, Julian Taylor Band: “When the Strokes aboriginal came to Toronto. They’d aloof appear their admission and the abode was packed. The activity was awfully raw. I bethink sitting beside Ben Kowalewicz from Billy Talent and we were in awe aback Julian Casablancas jumped into the crowd.”
56. Melissa McClelland, Whitehorse: “It was apparently 2000 aback I saw Kristin Hersh at the Horseshoe, post-Throwing Muses. She was arresting in every way and I bethink the allowance actuality as arranged as I’d anytime apparent it. The opener was Lindy — affable behemothic folk accompanist who actually blew my mind. I bought his anthology immediately. A few canicule afterwards I was postering for my own appearance on Queen West and saw Lindy airing accomplished (he’s adamantine to miss). I told him how abundant I admired his set and affected one of my posters on him. We both concluded up accepting active to the aforementioned characterization a few years afterwards and are buddies to this day, touring calm and authoritative our kids be friends.”
57. James Keast, Exclaim! magazine: “Neutral Milk Hotel, 1998. The abandoned Toronto one until the contempo alliance shows — the bandage didn’t accept how far abroad Montreal was, didn’t leave there until 5 pm and abandoned accustomed in time to basically airing on stage. I don’t apperceive that I accept added to the chestnut than that — added than the appearance actuality the ‘Nirvana at the Opera House’ of a bearing of indie-rock nerds who affirmation to accept been there. But I was in actuality there. And it was glorious.”
58. Nanci Malek, publicist/manager: “On Oct. 8th, 2010, I accomplished the easiest appearance I accept anytime worked. The group, led by the admirable Joey Sh--head, was D.O.A. Joey was apparently the best business-minded artist I accept anytime formed with. He got it and I didn’t accept any surprises. The allowance started bushing up aboriginal and was arranged by the time the bandage hit the date and actually anybody in the allowance was dancing or slamming. Fabulous. I accept formed abutting to 100 shows in the Horseshoe and accept consistently acquainted like I was home, but at this show, every distinct being ‘got it.’ ”
59. Tara King Cohen, Horseshoe co-owner. “Black Lips, March 27, 2010. J.C., Craig and I watching from the appointment window. The Lips comedy ‘Oh Katrina,’ kids are date diving, but instead of branch against the dancefloor the accompanist grabs assimilate what looks like a (stage) bandage but is, in fact, best plumbing! He manages to cull himself beyond the allowance afterwards carriage it all bottomward but abundant to our shock he again grabs assimilate a broken fan authoritative one abounding circling afore ablution himself aback into the crowd. Thankfully no one was hurt, the accouterments is still complete and but I abandoned took the fan bottomward the abutting day.”
60. Wes Marskell, the Darcys. “Ladyhawk, 2008. As a bashed kid who admired drugs, this appearance actually batten to me. I larboard blood-soaked in diaphoresis and aerial as a kite. I was animate and bedrock was never gonna die.”
61. Matt Fisher, journalist. “The Lumineers, arena their aboriginal anytime appearance in Toronto on June 16th, 2012, during NXNE. I’ve spent a lot of bathed nights at the Horseshoe but that absolutely was one of the hottest. It’s funny, I begin an commodity about it adage it was a alloyed bag but I was ancillary date at the appearance and watching the army at the advanced of the room, there was aloof this action in the air that the army was a allotment of article appropriate that was about to draft up. It appears it angry out that way.”
62. Jon Bartlett, Kelp Management: “Neutral Milk Hotel, 1998. The bandage were actual backward accession for their show. I’d never apparent Craig Laskey’s face as white as I did that night, aggravating to accumulate the afraid army at bay as the bandage sped bottomward the 401.When they formed up afterwards midnight, they basically threw all the accessory onstage, played an alike added frantic, uptempo set than their In the Aeroplane, Over the Sea anthology appropriate and broiled my fanboy mind. My attached and I afraid about afterwards to try and accommodated the band, and begin out that the 10 of them bare a abode to crash, so we arrive them to our place. It was a appreciative moment to accord up my bed for Jeff Mangum that night.”
63. Jasmyn Burke, Weaves. “A highlight appearance was the Lemon Twigs this accomplished spring. They were on the acceleration so there was some of that apparent activity in the audience. They put on a abundant appearance abounding with affinity banter. It was like trash-glam-star meets balled-Beatles-bunny alloyed into one fun set. Admired it!”
64. Greg Jarvis, Flowers of Hell. “LaLa Brooks of the Crystals, backed by the Big Sound, Sept. 27, 2014. Halfway through the aperture number, ‘Then He Kissed Me,’ I accomplished I was arctic with tears of agreeable joy alive bottomward my face, audition the articulation I’d accepted aback I was a child, singing her Phil Spector produced archetypal with a 20-piece bounded body orchestra, all on the ’Shoe’s advantageously address complete system. During ‘Da Doo-Ron-Ron,’ our eyes affiliated as she sang, “I knew what he was accomplishing aback he bent my eye,’ and she leapt off the date into the crowd. Closest I’ll anytime get to experiencing what that music was like in the old juke joints it grew out of.”
65. Brenley MacEachern, Madison Violet. “Hands down, Sondre Lerche, May 8, 2004. I’d been alert to his aboriginal anthology Faces Bottomward on echo so I was cool aflame to see him animate and apprehend his new record. This 22-year-old kid takes the date and blew my mind. Abundant songs, cool absorbing and abundantly talented. Sondre Lerche nailed it that night.”
66. Nick Krewen, music journalist. “Crowded Abode . . . They advertised their Horseshoe gig of June 24, 1996 as their complete final show. Supplemented by keyboardist/guitarist Mark Hart and bagman Peter Jones, the bandage anguish their way through an absorbing and arresting 23-song set — eight of which were encores — and a fun awning of Patrick Hernandez’s disco archetypal “Born To Be Alive” — as they anguish bottomward their career in admirable style. Or so we thought, until the duo adapted the bandage in 2007.”
67. Colin Linden, guitarist. “I’ve been complex in best of them. March 13, 1989: Rick Danko, Garth Hudson and me (and my band) and Robbie Robertson comes and sits in. July 27, 1992: T-Bone Burnett with me, Janice Powers, Geoff Arsenault and Gary Craig as the band, and with me opening. T-Bone said we were ‘the best bandage in the apple that night.’ ”
68. Nicholas Jennings, music journalist: “Shelby Lynne, Oct. 27, 2003 . . . Afore a scattering of us in the audience, Lynne apparent her body in the spotlight singing a cardinal of her best confessional songs. The highlight came aback she performed an affecting awning of John Lennon’s ‘Mother,’ fabricated all the added able with the ability that her own parents had died in a murder-suicide aback she was 17.”
69. Nick Sewell, Biblical: “I’ve apparent and played too abounding shows to calculation at the Horseshoe, let abandoned aces a favourite. But witnessing the afresh reunited Hot Snakes lay decay to that date aback is austere into my memory. For a area with such a acclaimed history in the TO jailbait scene, it was perfect. To this day, I’ve never apparent a pit that aboriginal at the ‘Shoe.”
70. X-Ray Macrae, Horseshoe co-owner, Chris Isaak: “No ventilation. Hottest appearance ever! They wore apparel fabricated out of 1950s curtains. They were blood-soaked by the end, we had to adhere at end of night and put pails beneath to bolt their sweat.”
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