I’d still go back.

Tom Ancaster 

Often, there are multiple reasons for the failings of a club. The El Mocambo under my tenure was no exception. From September 1991 to January 1995, I know exactly what happened. I was there every day, always clean and much too sober.
Ultimately, the club failed because it was unsustainable–with or without Jeff Cohen’s mostly successful bookings, and later with or without William New and Elvis Mondays. The El Mo upstairs was a big shoe to fill on weekends despite ambitious inhouse bookings by Jeff, William, and myself, and sporadic meaty bones thrown our way by MCA, CPI, and The Garys. With the guaranteed exception of Elvis Mondays, the first floor could easily–and often–be dismal. Spadina & College simply had next-to-zero walk-in traffic; Queen Street West was king. Local bands playing the downstairs lived or died by who they drew. In the end, the club’s principals simply had neither the money nor appetite to eat any losses. Insurance lapsed, utility bills went astray, landlords were left wanting. But I take pride that bands and staff were paid unfailingly.
From day one, Jeff Cohen wore two hats at the El Mo. First, he was on contract as an inhouse talent booker. Second, he brought in talent as an independent promoter. Jeff was hired because he had talent and he had his own money to burn to buy some very fine acts. The slight majority of those acts turned good coin for both Jeff and the club, but the hungry day-to-day dogs of business soon ate the winnings.
As for Jeff Cohen’s claim he was fired by me, it is patently false. The fact is, Jeff quit as the El Mo’s talent booker, then wasted no time filing a Statement of Claim against the club for “constructive dismissal.” After the club filed a defence, Jeff and his lawyer threw in their wet towel. Although certainly I have spun my own tangled webs (always borne out of financial survival, I swear), so too did Jeff Cohen spin. “Saffire – The Uppity Blues Women,” a show Jeff independently promoted in 1993, comes to mind. After a spirited yet money-losing show, Jeff docked the band for income taxes, then claimed a week later to their pleading & protesting manager that he had already paid same to the El Mo, when in fact he hadn’t. The club had no such arrangement with Jeff for taxes. Talent he promoted (such as Saffire) was his entire responsibility. The Elmo supplied only the venue.
As for Enzo Petrungaro & Company and their claims of widespread if not quite grandiose renovations: Where was the central air conditioning? And if all were so swell–”glory days” as is written–why did they lose so swiftly to the landlords before I ventured along? My guess: A few too many failed shows, and too small an audience for those they booked. We hosted much the same talent as Petrungaro–big and small–and much, much more, for three-and-a-half years, and yet the club was unsustainable still.
The El Mocambo has never been a ticket to print money, and it’s always been a whack of work. It’s a grey, old elephant. But there was some fun hopping on for a ride. And this article brings back some fond and furious memories of that ride. 

2:49 pm on November 26, 2012 







david 

Great article as per usual, just want to mention that it was the Cult who were the last international act to perform in the El Mo in 2001, they wanted to play and did on the monday evening on oct 29, 2001 as they had heard it was being converted into a dance studio and closing down.They just so happen to be in town and were opening up for aerosmith who had postponed their gig at the acc due to one of their members being ill. astbury was very aware of the club’s history having lived in Hamilton in his pre-Southern dealth cult days. He said to the crowd; “What’s it been? 50 years at the El Mo? Child, boy, man. David Johansen has played on this stage. What about Forgotten Rebels?,” he said, referring to the Hamilton punk icons known for the song “Surfin’ On Heroin.”
I was at the El Mo 2 days earlier to see Momus and Stereo Total. for me seeing Momus for the first time was monumental. You must have been there too i would think  

2:19 am on August 21, 2012 







Michael Ikeda

Nice article Denise!
I am happy to see Enzo mention the Gonzalo Rubalcaba show that I produced on May 11, 1991. It really was a super show. Because Gonzalo was Cuban, he was not permitted to record or play in the USA. I got a call from Charlie Haden asking me to produce the concert. I hadn’t even heard of Gonzalo at that time but Charlie assured me he was great. I was also encouraged that Jack DeJohnette would be the drummer.
The trio were in Toronto to record an album for Blue Note. They had to put it under their Japanese label, Somethin Else for EMI. Kazunori Sugyama came up from New York to produce the CD at McClear Studio.
The media came to Toronto from all over. Downbeat Magazine and BET Television plus all the local media.
Enzo was a gracious and wonderful man to work with. I hope the new Elmo will have many great shows to come!
Michael Ikeda 

10:59 am on August 15, 2012 







Better Life

I reflect fondly on the El Mo…i was proposed to there..was a great venue to watch alot of local bands…hopefully, the El Mo will last longer than the engagement ;o) 

10:26 am on August 15, 2012 







Jason Paris

Some great audible El Mo stories (including one of my own) can be found on this page…
http://murmurtoronto.ca/place.php?239613 

4:54 pm on August 14, 2012 






Die J!
Mars 
Another great article Denise! Like the Sinisters clip too. My band, The Millionaires, opened up for them that Halloween and it was my introduction to them. I didn’t know what was coming as it took me an hour to syphon through broken bottles and junk onstage afterwards to try and find my guitar peddles. They literally tore the house down (and I guess always do!).  

2:40 pm on August 13, 2012 






Mike 

A great read, thank you! 

11:51 am on August 13, 2012