The Great Hall

Came here for the first time at a Long Winter event. I loved the layout. Hallways are narrow but the venues themselves open up spaces for dance or whatever is playing there. At this event there were multiple artists/​groups performing simultaneously and we had the opportunity to leave midway and catch some other sights. Really cool place and I hear Long Winter happens every month, a must see if you live in Toronto.

A beautiful venue with stellar acoustics, but my experience was unfortunately tarnished by rude staff and the poor physical condition of the property.
I saw Matt Nathanson here on 10÷3÷15. It was a great show; even Matt and his tour buddy Aaron commented on how GOOD their music sounded in the room. The décor and general look of the venue was beautiful, as well.
Staff was horribly rude and managed the show very poorly. Some fans had been camping in front of the doors since 7am the day of the show to get a front-​row spot; they were the first let through, and they got spots standing directly in front of the stage.
As the venue started to fill up more with people who were only there because they’d been given free tickets or because they knew the artist’s one hit, those of us standing near the stage were yelled at to find seats. Minutes before the show started. When there were no longer seats.
Our tickets were for the balcony, so we grabbed our drinks from the bar and tried to head up the stairs. A venue employee rudely told me that I couldn’t bring my alcohol to my seat. I explained to him that I had purchased this beverage at the venue and that I was being forced by another employee to go to my seat. He proceeded to tell me to stand at the door and finish my ENTIRE overpriced drink before letting me through the doors. Maybe make an effort to write somewhere on the ticket that I can’t utilize the venue’s full bar when seated at my pricey balcony seat?
The venue was also poorly kept. A «historic» venue, sure, but that doesn’t mean that the balcony railing should shake, that the floorboards should lift up under my feet, or that not one of the stalls in the ladies rooms should shut properly (I spoke with other women who used the restroom while there; all of us had to keep the door shut with one foot while managing our bathroom-​stall business; zero privacy).
It’s really unfortunate that the venue was such a trash heap, because the show was a 6 out of 5 stars experience.

It might not look like the fanciest venue in Toronto, but it’s the slightly old, Victorian façade that makes this historic building so remarkable. Divided in three levels (basement, main level, loft), this venue can boast about amazing acoustics. The main stage, located upstairs, also has a second-​level balcony, but the parterre is where you should be. The small size of the room makes it possible for you to be directly in the music and to stay close to the performers, while the acoustics are amazing, thanks to the high ceilings.
I went there for a concert that was part of the Canadian Music Week – the cover price was cheap ($ 15) and the lineup at the small bar wasn’t too long.
Would go back if the occasion arises! Accessible by public transit, which makes any night much less complicated.

Get AC and this place would be great.
I only ever come here for the Art Battle events and although it is a great space the crappy bar charges too much for drinks and it gets too damn hot in the place.

It’s difficult not to like this space. The sound was good. The vaulted ceiling seems heavenly and there is plenty of space to spread out. Toronto needs more venues that are low key like this. Smaller events with low cover charges need low overhead and this place must be doing something right to host some of the most eclectic events you could imagine. What makes events wonderful are the people who show up at them. When I visited the Great Hall, everyone seemed in a great mood and the majority couldn’t stop moving to the music even though they were in conversation. Scenes like this are what make Toronto a fantastic city to go out in!

4.5
What do I love about the Great Hall? Let me count the ways. For one, this old building has a rich history and has served many purposes over time (I’ve written about it for the Grid if you care to google), but it works best as a concert venue and event space. It’s grand staircase and grandiose stages make it an epic place to watch live music. The sound is amazing, whether you’re upstairs in the Great Hall or downstairs in the Black Box. The only bad part about this place is in the summer it gets really hot. Really, really hot. Especially downstairs. Hence I had to deduct half a star for bad ventilation.
But alas, I have seen some of the most amazing performances here. I’ve seen everyone from the Weakerthans to the Wooden Sky. I’ve seen local bands and bands from afar. I’ve had the privilege of getting a behind-​the-​scenes tour to explore my inklings that the place is haunted (I believe it is… this is also in the Grid article). And really, since this place is in my home of WQW, it is an ideal venue for me. It’s unlike anything else in the city and it’s very consistent and reliable.
Apparently they’ve recently had some issues with capacity and a bunch of shows had to be relocated. I hope whatever is going on soon gets sorted out fast so I can return to the bliss that is the Great Hall.

I checked out Four Tet here on a Friday night. First impression: amazing set-​up. But I’m not sure if that was the venue or Four tet? They had set him up in the middle of the floor so that people could get right up close to him as he played.
I had a vodka soda and it was ok. A little vodka, mostly soda. I can’t vouch for other drinks because I wasn’t in much of a drinking mood.
One thing I found was that the sound wasn’t great for Four Tet — the bass-​y end of things felt a little muddled. There were spots in the room that weren’t as bad but it was by far not the best sound system I’ve heard before. This could’ve been the venue or Four Tet? I’m not sure who supplied the speakers.
I liked the option of going upstairs to watch from the balcony. Also a good spot to rest your feet if you’ve been dancing. The venue was a little warm but not terrible considering the number of people and the amount of dancing that was happening.
I would definitely check out a band here. Perhaps not electronica though…

The Black Box Theatre is truly just … a black box, with nothing else to dress it up. You can see the thick black paint lines on the walls, which adds to the obvious no frills point of the place.
That being said, the sound system is incredible! Well-​balanced, perfect bass, and it works for every variety of electronic music.
I came on a night with some friends DJ-​ing. The sparse crowd was a blessing in disguise given how creaky the ventilation was, but it was an ideal venue for local musicians. There’s a grungy feel that brings back Lee’s Palace in the 90s.

A very consistent concert venue. I’ve been to events on the main floor, the basement (now called Blk Box), and even the loft on the upper level.
Blk Box:
They call it the Blk Box because it’s painted black, and it’s a box in the basement. It’s dark, dank and perfect for any type of underground dance party. I’ve attended techno, house, trap and disco events here and the venue worked for all of them.
It gets super hot down here, be prepared to strip down pretty quickly.
Main Floor:
Beautiful wood trimming, it’s a decent sized concert hall with a high stage. The sound is excellent, and the second floor balcony is good for resting.
Loft:
Upstairs there is a loft with one small bar. It’s good for small events, and there is good room for dancing.
I’ve never seen them have technical issues.
One of the best things about Great Hall is that people don’t normally wander in randomly. If you go to the great hall it’s normally for a specific event. Normally that leads to a great atmosphere.

What a cool venue. It’s reasonably intimate for some decent shows. Much better stage design than the sound academy, as it’s just the right height that you can see from any spot in the hall.
I like the design elements of the hall, and felt like it must have had some history, although I don’t know it. there’s a cool balcony which provides a space away from the hipsters on the floor.
Bar is pretty basic, rather expensive mixed drinks, average beer selection. Kind of what you expect for a concert venue. Staff were generally friendly though.

This is a good venue. It’s small and wasn’t packed when I went even though it was a sold out show. Main level is GA standing room, top level is seating. I don’t like standing all night so first floor wasn’t an issue. They had a couple of tech issues with the lights, they were fine for the opener but kept going on and off for the second band. SHAME ON YOU, GREAT HALL! (jk).
I only drink beer when I go out and PBR tall boys were 6.50. The staff are gooooood loooookking hot daaaamn… Boucers + bartenders + bus boys or whatever all pleasant to the eye. I love the location, it’s perfect for when you get to a show early and just wanna walk around. GO TO TRINITY BELLWOODS! yeeea

Grande salle de concert dans le quartier de Queen West. Vouz avez également accès à un balcon pour une vue plongeante sur la scèné.
Grand piste de danse en parquet et bar à disposition pour les consos.
/​/​Big concert venue in the Queen West area. You can climb the stairs to access the balcony and enjoy the view on the scene.
Big hardfloor dancefloor and nice bar with regular beers and drinks.

This is such a great space. I have been coming here for almost three years for random concerts, DJs, art events and markets.
It is a really nice intimate space with a great upper level chillout– view space.
The floors are creaky but when the sound system is on you don’t even notice it.
I love pretty much any event that is ever here.
Note: Bathrooms are a bit old school– very few stalls and it’s an old building. just keep that in mind. And the coat check system is pathetic to nonexistent… but there is space. I wouldn’t bring anything here that I’m not willing to lose.

I’ve been here twice now and it’s definitely one of the better music venues in Toronto. Though the place looks old and beat down, the acoustics are fantastic and the staff is the nicest of the places I’ve been. There a bar in the back of the room for the alcoholics out there (though it looks little drab). Downstairs right in front of the stage is the best if you don’t mind standing… Lazy people can go upstairs and sit.
If you do go in the winter, bring a coat if you get there before it fills up. When it’s empty the place is FREEZING from the open space, but once the people come it warms up… Mmmmm body heat ;)

This venue has absolutely no redeeming qualities (except maybe that it’s close to poutinis). I went here recently for the 10^th anniversary of Paper Bag Records in which they had 5 bands playing on the night; it was my 2^nd trip to this venue.
Aesthetically the venue is nothing special; the first level is standing room only with a U-​shaped balcony hovering above. The balcony is quite imposing and makes the venue seem smaller than it actually is; the stage itself is quite small. The first floor feels very narrow and claustrophobic, I have been up to the balcony on my previous visit and the feeling up there is much more open. Because the balcony overhangs the first level by quite a bit, the sightlines can be atrocious. Basically if you are stuck under the balcony you will most definitely have an obstructed view, so you better get front and center if you want any chance of seeing a thing (or head to the balcony, if its not for VIP’s only, I believe this policy differs from show to show).
The sound is about as lacklustre as the environment. The acoustics are bad, the sound is muffled and if a band is playing electric guitar your ears may start bleeding, luckily the headliner on this evening (the Rural Alberta Advantage) had enough stage presence to overcome the sound quality.
In addition the drinks are overpriced, and the beer selection is poor ($ 7 for a bottle of steamwhistle? What is this a jays game?!). The reason this venue gains a 2 star rating is twofold: first off both times I have been the crowds were really good (this particular time the crowd was quite energetic, it salvaged the show), second is that they run special music events (first time I went was a benefit concert, second time was for Paper Bag Record’s celebration of their 10^th anniversary), so doing more than your basic concerts definitely merits a star. Overall I would not be happy if a band I really liked decided to play this venue.

I’ve been to the Great Hall on several different occasions: twice for concerts, and once for a yoga workshop. It’s quaint and lovely inside, with creaky hardwood floorings and high ceilings, but the building does have its downsides. One sentiment that I can echo is yes, it can get incredibly hot inside. Being an older building, there seems to be a lack of ventilation/​any sort of cooling system. Ironically I sweated my face off here during a *Cold* Specks concert, but the sound was great and her voice filled the entire room, so I’m not complaining.
Also — one time I was here a bouncer randomly came up to me and asked to see my ID (he wasn’t checking anybody else’s in the room). I willingly obliged and forked it over, as he proceeded to peer at it carefully and proclaim, «WOW. That is the BEST fake ID I’ve ever seen.» My eyes widened into saucers and I was ready to protest when he grinned and told me he was joking. Seriously? Seriously?! Is that some sort of bouncer way of having fun that I wasn’t aware of? That same night there was a crazy drunken woman roaming through the crowd screaming and dancing wildly and pretty much ruining the show for everyone, and I wish that bouncer would have noticed and done something about it. I ended up leaving early because I was having such a bad time.
ANYWAY, to sum it up: there are pros and cons to the Great Hall. There’s a full bar, but drunken hooligans. It’s a beautiful old building, but there’s no ventilation. Such is life.

I have to admit something. I shouldn’t be the duchess for this venue. I DID go here two Friday’s in a row, but when I went to «draft review» on my iphone, it additionally checked me in a third time. It was an accident! I didn’t mean to! (I feel only slightly less guilty because I HAD been here before. Before I had my iPhone. Like when we held our high school semi formal in this venue. A. Long. Long. Time ago.)
Accept my apologies for my fraudulent check-​in. I am a liar and a thief.
Now, for the venue… It can be hard to separate a venue from the events that happen in it. A week or so ago I checked out the Big Sound dance party, which was incredible! $ 12 cover at the door, and I loved that it was an older crowd. The music was hopping, there was dancing, and while it was very full, it wasn’t so packed that you couldn’t move. A fact I appreciate.
Went this Friday for a Hooded Fang Show. The openers were… horrible. The venue still was fun, but that post modern electro yelling with tambourine… Let me never experience that again.
My friend has her wedding booked here next September, and I can’t wait to see how it varies from this experience (although I WILL be back to check out Big Sound before then!)

Great venue! Maybe I’ve been going to too many clubs with too high of prices for drinks lately, but when I go to a show and can order an imported 500ml tall boy of Stiegl for $ 7 or a bottle of Mill Street Organic for $ 5, I know I’m usually in for a good night. The bartenders were all on point so kudos to them for their role.
I enjoyed the layout of the main room as the stage was a good size. It was big enough for a decent sized band or even more than enough space for a dj setup. You could see what you wanted to from pretty much any point of the floor. There is also a balcony surrounding the main room a floor up which provides a nice view down on things as well. There is a second room available which is a smaller, square room. Nothing really worth talking about there though.
The venue itself is a good size on the whole, a bit bigger than Wrongbar down the street but smaller than Revival on College St. Personally I think the Great Hall is probably the best of the bunch although the sound is probably better at Wrongbar.
The one thing that could use some fixing up is the bathrooms, perhaps some dividers between the urinals or a layer of paint (just because its an oldskool heritage building doesnt mean you can’t make the inside look new!) but as a guy this is less of an actual issue when going out, so yeah, 4 stars!
I hope more Toronto promoters make a point of using this venue for special events!

Checked out the Great Hall on Friday night for a new party called the Big Sound Motown dance party created by the guys who do Loving in the Name Of and Shake a Tail.
The hall was a nice space but it was so mofo hot… AC possibly broken?
Drink prices around $ 5.75 for mixed drinks, tall cans of beer (PBR) and $ 10 cover at the door.
It’s an older hall so when every one is jumpin’ jumpin’ you can literally feel the earth move under your feet (and the skies tumbling down).
3-​stars for the venue.
5-​freakin stars for the Big Sound band. Please, please consider adding a second set to your next performance.

I came in here for a fantastic acapella concert by «Straight No Chaser» put on by Groupon Toronto (it’s first Toronto event) and just for the record our Unilocal events are far more awesome!
But strictly keeping to the venue, I’m not sure what else they have going on in that building but the second floor room the event was at looked like a converted old church (very much like the Berkley Church Venue but less glamorous and smaller). They had a bar at the end and chairs set up in a very compressed manner which brings you in to very close contact with fellow event goers.
The did have staff walk around with drinks so you didn’t have to get up and line up at the bar.
My big complain was the set up of the washrooms, they are small, not the cleanest very awkwardly set up so that women lining up for the washroom have a clear view of the men’s urinals thus making the men line up for the stalls all in a very narrow corridor. This is just on that floor, maybe the situation is better elsewhere in the building.
It’s a nice looking venue overall but I would not want to attend what would be a high attendance event in here.

My first foray into the Great Hall was for Canzine 2010 and I was immediately taken at the grandeur and feel of this charming venue. Your ascent up the entry staircase rewards you with a well-​lit and airy event space decked out in Old Wood and natural light. It’s not often that you see theatres with huge windows. The main hall seems to be about 2,500 square feet, with a stage at one end and a ring of balcony seating above. Just adjacent to the event space is the Conversation Room, which is much cosier and also has huge windows to let in a lot of light.
I thought it was a pretty solid venue for Canzine, though I empathize with exhibitors who would have wanted more space. I’d love to see a concert or play here someday. For charm and character, this is definitely a top venue in the city, and in a cool neighbourhood too.
Obligatory Title Pun: It’s GRRRRRRRRREAT!
Menu Readability: Nope.
Need to mention: They are affiliated with the Crème Tangerine café next door.
What this place teaches me about myself: I’m actually over Frosted Flakes. They’re so 1988.