Doors Open - El Mocambo, Toronto, ON

I had a fun day today volunteering for Doors Open at The El Mocambo (on Spadina Avenue, just south of College Street).

I used to go to the El Mo when I moved to Toronto in the late 1980s. Back then it was a fun dive. It closed in 2014 and reopened in 2021 after $30 million in renovations. It’s really nice now with tons of memorabilia scattered all over. 

This is the entrance to the Starlight Room (on the street level).

Mike, the Executive Director, gave us a tour.

Here is the Starlight Room ...

Acts who have been at the El Mo over the years are the the stairs ...

Here is the entrance to the bathrooms in the basement ...

Lots of neon signs ...

This was a fun find for me because I saw The Phantoms, a local band, often back in the day ...

This is looking down from the third level at the Under the Neon Palms (the second level), which is the main stage.

This is on the third level mezzanine ...

I spent the day in the "green room", on the third level ...

This sign was a popular photo op

Even with a dog!

A box lunch was catered by Mark MacEwan. It was a big lunch!

Before I left, I had my picture taken on the main stage (another popular photo op).