One of the reasons that Toronto is such a popular tour stop for traveling shows and bands as well as local acts, plays, and events is that there are so many venues to choose from. Even if the whole town is taken up by a single huge rock concert there will always be dozens of other hotels, auditoriums, concert halls, and theaters where another event can be taking place. Check out some of the different types of venues available as well as examples in Toronto to get a better idea of the possibilities.
Arenas
Arenas are huge venues, usually designed for sporting events, which can be set up for almost any sort of event, like a home show of furniture, craft show, biggest rock concert in history, or a visiting ballet. These types of venues seat thousands of people and tickets must usually be bought in advance of the event. Examples of this type of venue in Toronto include the Scotiabank Arena, the Rogers Center, and the Coca-Cola Coliseum, each of which regularly host several events at once in different rooms.
Theaters
Theaters are a very different type of venue from arenas. Instead of the traditional arena stadium bowl seating, in a theater all seats are facing the stage at the front. A band might play team building music on the stage, a play might be held there, a musical might be put on there, or a screen lowered to show a movie. Some theaters are large enough to seat hundreds, others are small enough to fit only a few dozen. Some of the best known theaters in Toronto include Massey Hall, the Elgin and Winter Garden Theater, and Roy Thompson Hall.
Night Clubs
Smaller acts make tour stops in Toronto as well as big ones. These small acts can't draw a crowd large enough to fill a theater or arena, so often they choose to perform in the more intimate atmosphere of a nightclub. There a comedian might respond to heckles from a audience member, an up and coming band might hope to attract the attention of a record label scout, or a local act might introduce themselves to the world. Some of the best known nightclubs in Toronto include the Hard Rock Cafe, the Cube, and Traffik. For the hottest nightclubs in Toronto, you can visit Clubcrawlers.com.
Hotels
When special events are going to need a permanent setup for more than one night, hotels and conference centers are often the best way to go. Event such as conventions, trade shoes, and sports clinics are likely to be found in hotels. Some of the more popular places to host these events include the Metro Toronto Convention Center, the Hyatt Regency, and the Marriot at Eaton Center.
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