Music Business Headlines: El Mocambo Goes Up For Sale, the Latest in Drake's Lawsuit Against UMG
This week also brings new stories on the lost Beatles demo tape found in Vancouver, struggles for Stratford Festival, a deadly nightclub roof collapse in the Dominican Republic and more.
El Mocambo
Breaking news in Toronto this week: historic music venue El Mocambo is up for sale after its owner, Michael Wekerle, has run up enormous debt. Drake, meanwhile, is celebrating a positive development in court and on the charts. The story of a deadly roof collapse at a nightclub in the Dominican Republic also continues to develop, claiming musicians and former MLB players as victims.
Read about those stories and more in our weekly roundup below:
Canadian Music Business Headlines
Toronto’s Iconic El Mocambo Music Venue Up For Sale
One of the most famed venues in Canadian music, the club has been a fixture in Toronto since it opened in 1948. Mr. Wekerle purchased the venue in 2014 for $3.8-million and eventually spent more than $30-million on renovations. – Joe Castaldo, Globe and Mail
Drake Can Seek Kendrick Lamar’s Record Deal & Other Docs in ‘Not Like Us’ Lawsuit, Judge Says
Drake’s lead attorney Michael Gottlieb said: “Now it’s time to see what UMG was so desperately trying to hide.” – Bill Donahue, Billboard
OVO Affiliate Preme Celebrates Drake’s ‘Nokia’ Success: ‘They Said We Were Dead’
After the release of the music video, "Nokia" has shot up the charts. – Angel Diaz, Billboard
A Lost Beatles Demo Tape Turned up in Vancouver. It Sounds Like a Revolution
The tape I heard was an unlabelled reel-to-reel believed to contain the original – or at least a master-generation copy – of the Beatles' famous 1962 Decca audition. – Jonathan Dekel, Globe & Mail
PUP Are Going on a Six-Venue Tour — All in Toronto
Celebrating their upcoming release Who Will Look After The Dogs? the Canadian punk band will play throughout the city on the Mega-City Madness tour, with a different guest each night, beginning July 13.– Rosie Long Decter, Billboard Canada
The Toronto Venue Considered one of North America's Best Recital Halls To Get A Major Upgrade
TO Live has announced a multimillion-dollar plan to renovate the George Weston Recital Hall in North York. The project, slated to begin in the summer of 2026, marks the first significant refurbishment to the hall since it opened in 1993. – Joshua Chong, Toronto Star
Alvvays Assist Miley Cyrus' New Single 'End of the World'
Molly Rankin and Alec O'Hanley, the primary songwriters behind the Canadian indie group, have co-writing and co-production credits on the wistful new track. – Rosie Long Decter, Billboard Canada
Canadian Folk Music Awards Turn 20: Full Winners List
The milestone anniversary featured four nights of bilingual concerts and presentations in Ottawa/Gatineau, with a diverse mix of veterans and newcomers taking home trophies. Loryn Taggart and Lucy MacNeil were the biggest winners. – Kerry Doole, Billboard Canada
Arkells Frontman Max Kerman Hits The Road – This Time to Promote the Release of His First Book
Part memoir, part self-help book, “Try Hard: Creative Work in Promise” is due to hit store shelves on April 22.Kerman says tour stops will include his old high school in Toronto the day the book debuts. – Canadian Press
Stratford Festival Posts $1.1-Million Deficit Amid Drop in Attendance for 2024 Season
The theatre company’s post-pandemic recovery will likely take years longer than previously expected, the festival’s executive director said. – Joshua Chong, Toronto Star
A History of Motown is Inspired by More Than the Music That Helped Reshape America
As revered as the music has been over the decades, the true power of Motown, suggests Vancouver’s Krystle Dos Santos, is the way it helped reshape the fabric of America. the singer and actress has created the stage production A History of Motown. – Mike Usinger, Georgia Straight
CNE Bandshell Gets Marianas Trench, Shawn Desman and More For Summer 2025 Concert Series
July Talk, Dean Brody and Loverboy will also headline the Ex's annual series. A little further south, the Jackson-Triggs winery has revealed its own all-Canadian slate of summer shows, including Chantal Kreviazuk, Tenille Townes and Jim Cuddy. – Rosie Long Decter, Billboard Canada
International Music Business Headlines
In addition to singer Rubby Pérez, the Jet Set Club disaster injured more than 255 people. – Billboard
Trump Welcomes Kid Rock to White House for Order Targeting Ticket Scalpers
President Donald Trump invited Kid Rock into the Oval Office and signed an executive order that he says will help curb ticket scalping and bring “commonsense” changes to the way live events are priced. – Associated Press
Judge Declines to Send Young Thug to Prison Over a Viral Post
A judge in Atlanta has declined prosecutors’ request to revoke Young Thug’s probation and send him to prison. But the judge cautioned him over his social media use after his viral post sparked an online backlash against the district attorney’s office. – Kate Brumback, AP
Madonna and Elton John Make Peace After Decades-long Strained Relationship
Briton apologised for his ‘big mouth’ and asked for forgiveness, saying he had written a song for the female star. – The Guardian
Critics May Sniff at Ed Sheeran’s Persian Fusion Hit Azizam – But We Iranians Love It
With its Iranian melodies, instrumentation and backing singers, Sheeran’s joyful new single is a reminder of how culture transcends borders.– Nadia Khomami, The Guardian
Original Beatles Drummer Pete Best Retires From Music
At age 83, Best is hanging up his drum sticks. – Noise11
