My name is Jake Disman.
I’ve worked full time in the entertainment industry, specifically doing sound for bands in clubs (and on the occasional tour) in the GTA since 1992. I’ve been the head tech at The Rockpile (5555a Dundas St. West, Etobicoke) since 2010, and worked for the same owner at his previous club, The Big Bop, since 1997.
Mayor Tory, on April 21, 2017, the CBC published an article headlined, “Mayor John Tory unveils plans to bolster Toronto’s music scene”. They quote you as saying, “We’re at our height of music success but the Toronto area has always been a place where artists and musicians have had global reach,” Tory told the summit. “I know some in this audience may be skeptical of my positivity as live music venues are closing, but venues are opening too.”
I am fully aware that the overall climate has changed significantly, especially recently, but now many of the venues that play a very important role in the development and advancement of local talent are in dire need of representation at both the municipal and provincial levels. You are quoted as saying, “We’re still facing some issues, issues that are all a result of a successful city. We need to work at it year after year to make sure Toronto’s music scene remains one of the best in the world.”
Mr. Tory, we need to know if you were telling the truth, or just paying lip service to the Canadian Music Week’s Music Cities Summit attendees. We need to know VERY soon.
To Premier Doug Ford, though I didn’t vote for you, I’m quite pleasantly surprised by your response to this pandemic so far. Until 7 days ago that is. As reported in the National Post, “Premier Doug Ford indicated Friday he won’t be putting a freeze on commercial evictions, but pleaded with “vicious” landlords to be flexible with business tenants during the COVID-19 pandemic.”, and directly quoted you as saying, “I’m pleading with landlords, be flexible.”
Sir, that is simply not good enough. If commercial landlords are not given incentives to keep their tenants, nearly every live venue that isn’t either owned/sponsored by a large multinational corporation, or in a building that is owned outright by the residing venue, is going to have to throw in the towel, probably 8 days from now.
Between the two of you, there must be a way to save our venues. The fate of the music industry in what has been considered a world-class city is entirely in your hands. Please don’t fumble the ball.
Respectfully,
Jake Disman
