Prime Time Live

"Behind The MP3" Vol. 1 | Col 3

Over-priced cocktails, 30-second song remixes and rich-college mobs wearing the latest Hill’s fashion may threaten the financial reality of live music venues, but they will never replace the community and culture surrounding live music. No more is this true than in the historic walls of Toronto’s iconic El Mocambo Tavern (a.k.a. El Mo). Originally bought as a nightclub in 1940, the name, meaning “road house” in Spanish, and famous, neon, palm tree sign were erected in 1946 to attract tourists visiting post-WWII Toronto.

Perhaps when people speak of the legendary El Mocambo they are referring to its tenure under Mike Baird and Tom Kristenbrun in the 1970s and 80s. During this special time in music history, the El Mocambo featured well-known acts like April Wine, Elvis Costello, The Rolling Stones, Stevie Ray Vaughan (live at El Mocambo), Blonde, Police, Charles Mingus etc., which solidified its place within rock n’ roll culture.

 And if one defining moment captures El Mo’s place within rock n’ roll, it would have be The Rolling Stones’ performance on March 4, 1977. It was the Stones’ first live performance in 14 years and they specifically choose the El Mocambo because it symbolized the clubs they started playing in as a band.

In attendance at the show was Margaret Trudeau, who was still married to Canadian Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau at the time. She danced the night away to the pleasure of Mick Jagger prancing around on stage, and the next morning the story flooded Canadian Newspapers.  

Furthermore, the performance was recorded live and released as the album, Love You Live, which reached number three on the UK charts and number five in the U.S. Jagger also wrote a song within the walls of El Mo.  

“During the rehearsal of the El Mocambo gig I wrote the song Miss You,” Jagger told the Toronto Sun in 1977. “So I remember that ‘cause I was waiting for everyone in the band to turn up and I was with Billy Preston, and Billy Preston was playing the kick drum and I was playing the guitar and I wrote Miss You on that so I remember that moment very well.”  

Those were the days the El Mocambo reached international status, but after financial troubles and frequent changes in ownership, the legendary venue was close to shutting down.  

In 2001, Abbas Jahangiri, the current owner, bought the establishment and stirred controversy for closing the second floor in order to renovate it as a dance studio for the National Dance of Canada. Fortunately, Jahangiri has managed to balance El Mo’s diversity and maintain it as a haven for independent artists and music journalists alike.

On February 27, 2010 the Revolvers play the first floor ($6 at the door; 9p.m.) with openers The Job, Elk and Sacred Balance. The El Mo is also featuring a wide range of bands during Canadian Music Week, including the Tropics, Black Swan, Audioblood, Fred Fortin etc. So check out the shows and support the community and culture of live music!  

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