The call of revered hall
Canadian greats and rising stars line up to play Massey, honour the venue’s past and celebrate its future
Even in the worst seat in the house at Massey Hall, you can still make out facial expressions with the artists and make eye contact.”
JESSE KUMAGAI, PRESIDENT AND CEO OF THE CORPORATION OF MASSEY HALL AND ROY THOMSON HALL
Gordon Lightfoot was 13 the first time he sang at Massey Hall. It was 1952, and Lightfoot took the stage as part of a Kiwanis Festival. Naturally, he won first prize.
Sixty-nine years later, Lightfoot is a fitting choice to reopen the 127year-old venue. His three-night homecoming on Thursday, Friday and next Saturday will add to a record 170-plus Massey Hall appearances, including two live albums, 1969’s “Sunday Concert” and 2012’s “All Live.” Lightfoot was also the last act to play the venue on Canada Day in 2018, before it closed for an extensive restoration.
“We wanted to be able to celebrate our past and our future,” Jesse Kumagai, president and CEO of the Corporation of Massey Hall and Roy Thomson Hall, said of the programming that will reopen the venue. “It’s very much a balance between being reverent of all of those incredible artists who have graced the stage over the course of generations and a lot of artists who are new.”
So, while the legendary Buffy Sainte-Marie will return to the stage Nov. 30, Toronto’s Mustafa, currently ascending to international stardom on the strength of his debut album, “When Smoke Rises,” will make his Massey Hall debut on Dec. 1. Majid Jordan, the Toronto R&B act signed to Drake’s OVO Sound label, will also bring a futurelooking sound to the stage on Dec. 2.
With retractable seats added as part of the restoration, Majid Jordan will be the venue’s first generaladmission event.
“For a lot of genres that didn’t have a history with Massey Hall in its earlier configuration, we are really excited about creating opportunities for more artists and audiences to call the place home,” Kumagai said.
As Kumagai booked the initial shows, supporting Canadian acts was a priority.
“You will see an especially heavy concentration of those in our opening,” Kumagai said. Montreal singer-songwriter Patrick Watson performs Dec. 15.
Dallas Green’s City and Colour is just one of the acts booked for multi-night runs, playing five nights on Dec. 9, 10, 11, 12 and 14. In 2022, rock band the Glorious Sons and Massey favourite Jann Arden will also play multiple nights, and on April 20, Broken Social Scene makes its long overdue Massey Hall debut.
“There’s no question artists can make more money if they go down and perform at Scotiabank Arena,” Kumagai said.
“The reason they are choosing to perform at Massey for an extended period of time is because of the intimacy and connection to the audience. Even in the worst seat in the house at Massey Hall, you can still make out facial expressions with the artists and make eye contact.”
The venue will celebrate the holidays with a series of holiday concerts, with Andy Kim playing Dec. 8, Molly Johnson and guests on Dec. 17, Good Lovelies on Dec. 20, and the Tenors on Dec. 22 and 23.
“I’ve travelled the world and know that Massey Hall is one of the iconic venues,” Kim said. “I’m honoured and excited to be one of the first performers after their restoration.”
It’s a sentiment echoed by the Tenors’ Victor Micallef. “Being a proud Torontonian, it has always been a dream of mine to perform at Massey Hall,” he said. “It’s a special place with an amazing energy, and many legendary artists we grew up listening to have graced that stage. Ending our holiday tour in one of Canada’s most historic venues will definitely be an extraordinary moment for us.”
That sense of musical history is a common refrain Kumagai hears from the artists who take the Massey Hall stage. “Through the years, it’s gone through a real evolution,” he said. “Depending on who you ask, they’ll have a different take on why the room is so important.
“A jazz fan will tell you the 1953 concert really cemented it as one of the most important jazz venues in the world. Any Rush fan will tell you that it’s one of the world’s great rock ’n’ roll rooms. Any Gordon Lightfoot fan will tell you about the impact of artists like him and Joni Mitchell and Neil Young and others in making it one of the most incredible singersongwriter rooms.
“Our hope is that versatility has been broadened and we are going to be able to attract a wider array of audiences and genres in the future. But a lot of the qualities that made the place magical in the past will apply in the future.”
I’ve travelled the world and know that Massey Hall is one of the iconic venues.”
ANDY KIM