The Danforth Music Hall in Toronto has just celebrated it’s 90th year of operations in my neighbourhood. It’s one of those great buildings that you drive by every day, but are not aware of it’s importance to the area. It’s seen it’s ups and downs over the years and now it’s time to place it in it’s proper place in history!
Originally this great gal on the Danforth was called the Allen Theatre Chain. Back in the day they referred to it as a grand “photo-play palace.” The Theatre chain was owed by Julie and John J. Allen.
This grand venue was home to both Vaudeville and theatrical acts as well as silent movies, which were accompanied by live piano. It has a single screen, holds multiple types of events, has 1800 seats and has been use in many movie scenes. To name just a few of the feature films shot there were Chicago, How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days, (Studio) 54, Bulletproof Monk and some scenes of My Big Fat Greek Wedding.
Their first theatre was in Brantford Ontario. In 1920 Julie and John J. Allen returned to Brantford and bought the now Sanderson Centre. After remodeling and redecorating it was opened on February 2, 1920 as the Allen Theatre.
Then the location changed hands in about 1929 and was called Century Theatre. They kept the inside and outside look of the building pretty much as the original.
Some of the past acts that performed at the historic Danforth Theatre & Concert Hall in the 80s and 90s were The Police, Bruce Cockburn, James Brown, Duran Duran, Pat Benatar, Tom Waits, Barenaked Ladies, The Tea Party and Blue Rodeo just to name a few.
I’ve only witnessed two events there, Amos Lee and Rick Wakeman. Both shows were great, the sound was beautiful, the hall itself was majestic and the seats were GREAT!
So here is to the old Danforth Music Hall and many more years to come!
Keep on jammin’
