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The Axis Club

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Coordinates: 43°39′19″N 79°25′10″W / 43.6554°N 79.4194°W / 43.6554; -79.4194
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The Axis Club
The Axis Club in 2023
Map
Former namesThe Mod Club (2002–2020)
Coordinates43°39′19″N 79°25′10″W / 43.6554°N 79.4194°W / 43.6554; -79.4194
OperatorMFG Entertainment
TypeMusic hall
Seating typeGeneral admission (standing)
Capacity618
Opened2002
Website
https://theaxisclub.com/

The Axis Club is an entertainment venue in Toronto.[1] Its address is 722 College Street, which is in the city's Little Italy neighbourhood.[1]

Founded by Platinum Blonde frontman Mark Holmes and fellow English-expat Bobbi Guy as The Mod Club Theatre in 2002, the venue hosted live performances and DJ nights.

The Mod Club announced its closure in 2020, citing the financial strain of the COVID-19 Pandemic, before reopening the following year as The Axis Club.[2]

Overview

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The Axis Club has a 618 person capacity and a stage that is 24 feet wide x 18 feet deep.[3][4] The original Mod Club interior was accented with murals featuring images of 1960s mod subculture,[5] while the updated Axis Club features music-themed murals from Toronto artist John Nobrega.[6] In its original iteration, concert-goers could watch acts from the floor, the tables to the side of the room, or the second floor balcony,[1] and the club featured two large video panels to give audience members views of the performers on stage.[4] In transitioning to The Axis Club, these features were removed to increase capacity and focus on state-of-the-art audio and streaming technology.[6]

The Mod Club featured theme nights such as ska nights, and Velvet Goldmine nights featuring glam music.[7] Holmes also deejayed at the club under the name DJ MRK, with set lists featuring genres such as hip hop, electroclash, dance-punk and other forms of alternative dance music.[1][8]

History

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Jameson whiskey artwork in The Mod Club Theatre during a 2018 The Oh Hellos concert.

During a hiatus from Platinum Blonde, Mark Holmes, along with former Platinum Blonde drummer Sascha Tukatsch and musician Dave Barrett, formed a band called Vertigo, which later became known as No. 9.[9] Described by C. J. O'Connor of the Toronto Star as "pre-inflatable-pig Pink Floyd, powered by Marshall/clothed by Galliano," the band's sound was inspired by the music of the late 1960–early 1970 London rock scene.[10] The band was not finding any labels to take them on, so in 1996 Holmes began to organize once-monthly club events, called "Orange Alert".[10] The "Orange Alert" events were inspired by happenings of the 1960s and got their name from the alert that sounded whenever penal colonists attempted an escape during the 1960s, British TV series, The Prisoner.[10]

In 1999 these happenings were rebranded as "Mod Club" nights, which were held Thursdays at the Toronto nightclub, Lava Lounge.[11] Due to the popularity of these shows, Holmes and partner, Bobbi Guy (a fellow British-expat who managed the Toronto record store Sam the Record Man,) added Mod Club shows on Saturdays at the nightclub Revival, which was situated in a former Baptist church.[12] Attendees of these club nights dressed in mod-inspired fashions.[11] Mod Club nights incorporated R&B, funk and soul music from the 1960s, music from the mod revival scenes of the 1970s and 1980s as well as 1990s Britpop.[11][7]

In 2002 Holmes and Guy established the Mod Club Theatre in a venue that was previously a pool hall called Corner Pocket.[1] Holmes convinced the venue's owner, Bruno Sinopoli, to convert it into a nightclub venue.[1] Holmes deejayed at the club under the name DJ MRK and from 2003 to 2007 his Thursday night shows were broadcast live from 102.1 The Edge.[1]

The venue opened with a focus on British musical artists and hosted live performances by artists such as Amy Winehouse, Muse, New Order and Keane.[1] Other performers that played at the club included The Killers, Metric, Calvin Harris, The Lumineers, Sia, John Mayer, Florence + the Machine, Cypress Hill, Yukon Blonde, Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds and Lana Del Rey.[5][13] The Weeknd referred to the nightclub as "the stage that changed my life," having performed his first live concert there in 2011.[13]

The Mod Club came to an end in 2020, having been financially affected by COVID-19 lockdowns.[1] The concert venue reopened under the name The Axis Club in late 2021.[3]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i Ship, Jesse (November 7, 2020). "The Mod Club becomes the latest live music venue in Toronto to permanently shut down". BlogTO. ZoomerMedia. Retrieved May 26, 2022.
  2. ^ Trapunski, Richard (2021-07-14). "The Mod Club is relaunching as the Axis Club in September". NOW Toronto. Retrieved 2024-06-09.
  3. ^ a b Wheeler, Brad (November 11, 2021). "Toronto's revitalized live music scene leans on the past and on a new venue called History". Globe and Mail. Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Retrieved May 26, 2022.
  4. ^ a b "Venue Specs". TheModClub.com. Archived from the original on September 28, 2020. Retrieved May 26, 2022.
  5. ^ a b McGwire, Frank (August 9, 2012). "Canada's biggest band from 80's reunite". The Brandon Sun. Brandon, Manitoba, Canada. p. 4. Retrieved May 26, 2022 – via NewspaperArchive.com.
  6. ^ a b Dingwall, Kate (April 5, 2022). "Inside the west end's newly refurbished premier concert venue". Toronto Life. Retrieved June 9, 2024.
  7. ^ a b Ellis, Don (December 27, 2003). "British invasion lands on College". National Post. Don Mills, Ontario, Canada. p. TO13. Retrieved May 26, 2022 – via ProQuest.
  8. ^ Trapunski, Richard (November 6, 2020). "The Mod Club is closing". NOW. Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Retrieved May 26, 2022.
  9. ^ Sperounes, Sandra (August 18, 1999). "Surprise! Surprise!: Platinum Blonde, ... er No. 9, is back Get set for a trip down memory lane". Edmonton Journal. Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. p. C1. ProQuest 252722903. Retrieved May 26, 2022 – via ProQuest.
  10. ^ a b c O'Connor, C.J. (August 21, 1997). "Retro DayGlo: Glam, bam, thank you, man". Toronto Star. Toronto, Ontario, Canada. p. G3. ProQuest 437706871. Retrieved May 20, 2022 – via ProQuest.
  11. ^ a b c Murray, Christine (October 7, 2000). "Modus operandi: Toronto's mod scene has spawned an elite group of fashion-savvy people who've shrugged off raver trends in exchange for slim pants and scooters". National Post. Don Mills, Ontario, Canada. p. W10. Retrieved May 26, 2022 – via ProQuest.
  12. ^ Shinn, Eric (August 25, 2001). "The mod spirit is in Revival in Little Italy". Toronto Star. Toronto, Ontario, Canada. p. J16. Retrieved May 26, 2022 – via ProQuest.
  13. ^ a b Bliss, Karen (November 10, 2020). "Toronto's Mod Club Theatre, a Rite of Passage for Canadian Artists, Closes Its Doors". Billboard. Retrieved May 26, 2022.
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