With the support of Interac, Billboard Canada is telling the story of this long-running Toronto institution and its support of the local music community.
Yorkville is one of Toronto’s most storied neighbourhoods — and one of its most dramatically changing.
In the 1960s, it was a hippie epicentre, an enclave of folk music coffeehouses and bohemian arts scenes. Today, it’s full of luxury shopping, dining and new developments, many under construction.
Sitting right in the middle of that rapid evolution is The Pilot, a local institution celebrating over 80 years in business. As towers go up around it in every direction, the long-running bar is reaffirming its status as a cozy local institution.
To do so, it’s doubling down on something that has always been a part of The Pilot’s identity: live music.
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“We’ve always done Jazz at The Pilot — it’s been doing jazz forever,” says Vicki La Rocca, Director of Revenue at One Duck Hospitality. “But booking current bands, up-and-coming indie acts, and all sorts of different genres? That’s a newer venture for us.”
When One Duck Hospitality — also the owner of two other 40+ year institutions, Hemingway’s and Bar Wellington — took over ownership just over two years ago, they wanted to help address a growing problem across Toronto: independent music venues were closing at an alarming rate, leaving fewer small stages for emerging artists to build their followings.
So, they decided to transform the second-floor space, the Stealth Lounge, into a dedicated, 120-capacity live room by investing in the sound system and furnishings and turning it into a destination for intimate shows and up-and-coming artists.
“Music venues are closing everywhere in the city all the time. It’s tough,” says La Rocca. “We really want to showcase that room and that community. It’s an amazing space. We put real money and thought into the sound, the lighting and the speakers to give bands a great setup.”
For the second year in a row, The Pilot was an official venue at NXNE, the ultimate festival for music discovery. The venue hosted three full nights of lineups over the festival weekend including up-and-coming bands like Disaster Pony, Teen Dream, A Weekend at Ramona’s and more.
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“[NXNE] brought a lot of new talent through the restaurant and the venue,” La Rocca says. “It helps get our name out there, shows bands what we can provide, and lets new guests know that we’re here.”
Through a joint initiative aimed at supporting the small businesses powering Canada's music scene, Interac, NXNE and Billboard Canada set out to spotlight the independent businesses at the heart of local music scenes. The Pilot was one of the venues that recorded the most Interac Debit transactions throughout the festival this year, allowing the business to save on transaction fees while supporting the arts.
When fans choose to pay with Interac Debit for drinks or a meal at a venue, the business saves on transaction processing fees. Those savings help independent venues keep operational costs down, allowing owners to put more money back into paying staff, booking local talent and maintaining infrastructure for live music.
"At Interac, we're committed to supporting the small businesses that help drive Canada forward,” said Chris Lee, Head, Payments at Interac. “Through our collaboration with Billboard Canada and NXNE, we're proud to highlight venues like The Pilot that are creating opportunities for local artists and strengthening Canada's music community."
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As Yorkville continues to build up around The Pilot, La Rocca says neighbourhood support is the only reason independent spots can survive. “Without it, small venues can’t make it,” she says. “We have four buildings going up around us right now, so it’s important to stay that neighborhood bar where people can come together for live music.”
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She notes that smaller venues give fans and artists an experience that massive halls simply can't offer. The important thing is visibility.
“Two years ago, people were like, ‘The Pilot? Music?’ It didn't go hand in hand,” she admits. “But now it’s starting to get a name in the city where people know we’re a detonation for live music.”
