Danforth Music Hall is a live music theatre at 147 Danforth Avenue in Toronto’s Greektown neighborhood, just steps from Broadview subway station. The building opened on August 18, 1919 as Allen’s Danforth Theatre, a silent-movie “photoplay palace” designed by the architectural firm Hynes, Feldman, and Watson, and it has operated continuously in some form for over a century, making it one of Toronto’s oldest surviving theatre buildings.
Over the decades the venue cycled through several identities, including the Century Theatre, a Greek-language cinema called the Titania, and The Music Hall, before Impresario Inc. relaunched it as the Danforth Music Hall in December 2011. Today it functions as a general-admission and reserved-seating concert venue holding roughly 1,427 standing patrons, and its heritage-protected Palladian and Georgian Revival facade remains a Danforth Avenue landmark.
Stats at a Glance
- Location: 147 Danforth Avenue, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Type: Live music theatre / former cinema
- Opened: August 18, 1919 (as Allen’s Danforth Theatre)
- Relaunched: December 2011 (as Danforth Music Hall)
- Capacity: About 1,427 general admission / 1,145 reserved seating
- Heritage status: Designated under the Ontario Heritage Act (1985)
- Famous for: Century-old theatre hosting acts like Rihanna, Justin Bieber, and Lorde
From Silent Films to Sold-Out Shows
The building’s early life was as a neighborhood movie palace, screening its first feature, “Through the Wrong Door,” in 1919. It was renamed the Century Theatre in 1929 under Famous Players’ B&F subsidiary, then became the Titania in 1970, serving Toronto’s Greek community as a Greek-language cinema until 1978, when it converted to a live concert hall called The Music Hall.
The venue underwent renovations across multiple decades, including work in 1985 and a more extensive 2005–06 refresh, before Impresario Inc. took over and reopened it as the Danforth Music Hall in December 2011. The original facade still shows Flemish bond brickwork, herringbone detailing, and opal glass windows from the 1919 construction.
A Modern Concert Destination
Since its 2011 relaunch, the Danforth Music Hall has become a favored mid-sized stop for touring artists, hosting Rihanna, Justin Bieber, Lorde, Disclosure, St. Vincent, Metric, and Dave Chappelle, among many others. In 2008 it was named Performing Arts Centre of the Year (under 1,500 capacity) at the Canadian Music Industry Awards.
Its location along the Danforth, steps from Broadview station on the TTC’s Bloor–Danforth subway line, keeps it easy to reach for concertgoers, and its heritage designation ensures the theatre’s early-20th-century character stays intact even as it continues booking contemporary shows.
Explore more: Explore more Music Venues.
Danforth Music Hall FAQs
How old is the Danforth Music Hall?
The building opened on August 18, 1919 as Allen’s Danforth Theatre, making it over a century old. It has been known as the Danforth Music Hall since Impresario Inc. reopened it in December 2011.
What is the capacity of the Danforth Music Hall?
The venue holds about 1,427 people for general admission shows or 1,145 with reserved seating.
Where is the Danforth Music Hall located?
It’s at 147 Danforth Avenue in Toronto’s Greektown, close to Broadview station on the TTC’s Bloor–Danforth subway line.
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Photo: Skeezix1000 / CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.