Last year, Hugh’s Room Live purchased a historic property at 296 Broadview Avenue as a permanent home for its Toronto music venue. The long-standing nonprofit arts organization had raised more than $500,000 in donations and loans from its supporters and secured a loan guarantee of up to $2.2 million from city council, but still needed to raise another $2 million to complete the purchase, including a $1.3 million first mortgage that is due Sept. 30.
To overcome this hurdle, the venue’s board has issued a series of community bonds offering up to 4% interest over five years, secured by a new first lien mortgage on the building, and is asking for donations to cover the mortgage debt.
According to a memo sent to members, Hugh’s Room is already financially viable and has generated a surplus over the past six months after paying off its debts. “And thanks to a generous donor, we just paid off a $500,000 mortgage we took out from a supplier!”
Since opening in 2001 at the former Dundas West location, Hugh’s Room Live has hosted countless high-profile acts including Gordon Lightfoot, Murray McLauchlan, Dan Hill, Buffy Sainte-Marie, The McGarrigles and international artists such as Jesse Winchester, Odetta, Pete Seeger, Judy Collins, Tom Rush, Albert Lee, Maria Muldaur, David Lindley, Richie Havens and Fairport Convention.
This is a novel approach to funding and the venue’s 2K supporters have proven time and again that they are willing to financially support this unique space for alternative music.
– It’s being billed as the Rebel Yell Canadian tour for Billy Idol, but reviews of the shows so far suggest that opening act Platinum Blonde are on a roll after years of downplaying the hysteria they caused in the ’80s. Reports of fans storming the stage, legions of autograph hunters and a romantic revival of the catalogue of hits they created are more or less common. Alan Cross had Ross MacDonald post a review of the band’s performance at Ottawa’s Canadian Tire Centre on Saturday, August 10. It includes a glowing review of Billy Idol’s return to the spotlight.
PS: Before the show at Scotiabank Arena on August 9, Sony Music Canada President Shane Carter presented the band with an official Diamond Award certified by Music Canada. He also presented an award to former CBS Canada A&R Vice President Jeff Burns, who signed and contributed to the band’s recording success.
With the blondes Alien Coasts With the album now having sold 860,000 copies (diamond), it seems almost certain that a million-seller is in sight.
– In a long introduction to her quirky but factual and thoughtful occasional newsletters, Shari Ulrich apologized to her fans for the length of her introduction, writing the following to her list of subscribers: “I know, as I’m on Bob Lefsetz’s email list – (and who is that? Frankly, I have no idea). He sends one every day, sometimes two! 1500-2000 words per newsletter, so I know long missives can be annoying – even rude and disrespectful to readers who have their own busy lives. (I rarely read them, but still haven’t unsubscribed. Why, oh why?)
“And now I’ve spent the whole time talking about words and used up my quota for your attention. Aargh! But of course that won’t stop me!”
What Lefsetz could learn from this is anyone’s guess.
Those interested can sign up for the newsletter here and learn more about the West Coast multi-instrumentalist, singer and songwriter.
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