Lee’s Palace

Lee's Palace has been one of the city's main rock clubs since it opened on 5 September 1985 on Bloor Street West. The building is older than the club: it was redesigned in the late 1910s as the 782-seat Allen's Bloor Theatre, which opened in March 1919, and later served as a cabaret before Chong Su Lee bought it in the mid-1980s and turned it into a music venue.

The club describes itself simply as a rock concert hall. The ground-floor room holds around 500 to 600 people, which makes it big enough for touring bands but small enough to feel close to the stage. Its list of past performers is long: the Red Hot Chili Peppers played in December 1986, Oasis played their first Canadian show here in October 1994, and Nirvana and The Smashing Pumpkins are among the bands that have appeared.

Upstairs, the Dance Cave is a nightclub that plays alternative rock at weekends and retro rock, mod, 1960s, Britpop and indie during the week. It has its own calendar of events and DJ nights.

The programme today covers rock, metal, tribute acts, album release shows and themed parties. Most shows are for ages 19 and over, though some events in the Dance Cave are all ages, and tickets are sold online. Popular shows often sell out, so buy ahead.

The facade is a landmark in its own right, painted with a large mural by the artist Alex Currie, known as Al Runt. Since December 2023 the venue has been owned by MODO LIVE. The building had several lives before the club. Famous Players bought the Allen chain in 1923 and the cinema was known as the Bloor Theatre until 1957. After a vacant spell it reopened as the Blue Orchid cabaret in 1967 and then as the Oriental Palace in 1976, before becoming Lee's Palace. Tickets are sold through the LEAP events platform, and the listings range from metal shows and DJ nights to tribute acts and Halloween parties.

Lee's Palace suits music fans, students and anyone looking for a night out in the Annex. It is at 529 Bloor Street West. Bring photo ID for 19+ shows.