The Flyer Vault

A visual tour-de-force showcasing Toronto’s vast concert history.

Drawing from The Flyer Vault, an extensive collection of flyers and concert advertisements, Daniel Tate and Rob Bowman have assembled a beautifully illustrated showcase of Toronto concert and club life, covering the gamut of genres — from vaudeville to rock, jazz to hip-hop, blues to electronica, and punk to country.

The Flyer Vault: 150 Years of Toronto Concert History traces seminal events in Toronto’s concert history, such as Frank Sinatra’s debut at a long-lost hockey arena, James Brown’s first show at an Etobicoke roller-rink, Led Zeppelin selling out the Rockpile, and the Notorious B.I.G.’s only Toronto show, in a basement cafeteria.

Complementing the book’s stunning visuals is a series of essays that tell the story of legendary venues such as Massey Hall, the Horseshoe Tavern, and the El Mocambo, alongside lesser-known but equally important theatres such as Shea’s and the Casino Club.