Twoset Violin was the most recent concert I have been to at Roy Thomson Hall. The 4 previous times were school related assignment and field trips. Roy Thomson Hall was pretty easy to get to by public transport. The closest train station is St. Andrew with exits that lead towards the Hall. Staff were friendly and helpful. Though the prices might be pricey, the concert was fun and enjoyable. It was great to hear some classical music and Twoset Violin live. read more

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Wow, what a spectacular venue! It's been a few years since I've been here and it's just as incredible as I remembered. This place is beautiful, inside and out! The acoustics are perfect, with clean sounds and no unwanted echoes. The lobby and waiting areas outside the seating area is spacious and clean. I only wish the washrooms were easier to locate and access. If you ever have a chance to visit Roy Thomson Hall for a show, just go! read more

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I buy tickets 2 or 3 times a year. I just phoned the venue to enquire about HANDICAP ACCESSIBILITY. And appropriate seating purchase ti Swan Lake. I was met with an interuptive and VERY RUDE 'gentleman'? I was never allowed to complete my sentence. He overtalked me, said he was transferring, then hung up and BLOCKED my number so now I can not call the venue. Of all places. That Roy Tomson Hall treats people with disabilities this way is abhorrent. I would not have left a review if I wasn't blocked from calling them back. First review I have ever left. That itself should validate my comment. read more

I have to be careful with this review. I would rather place it at 3.8 stars but there is not that option available on Yelp. First, take my review with a grain of salt: I am an audiophile by default and am older and have not had my hearing checked, though I am aware I am in an age group where doing so may make a difference. That being said, RTH underwent a series of renovations back in 2002, citing its main issue as poor acoustics - this was a complaint voiced not only by audiences, but, most crucially by the performers themselves. Whilst the atmosphere is aesthetically pleasing, I have to disagree with the slew of Canadian press which lauded the new acoustics following the renovations. Some will say the best seats in the house are front mezzanine, I would argue off center to the left, mid level mezzanine as the best seats in the house - a belief shared by many a concert aficionado, which still isn't saying much. The sound still lacks the type of impressive reverberation one might expect in a concert hall. Visuals aren't great from this vantage point either as you are sat rather high, I wear prescription lenses and it didn't improve the experience. It isn't awful, and for the lack of such concert halls which prioritize classical music within Toronto, it does have its share of boons: far better talent than seen in years previous are making debuts and returning performances here. I am a stickler for a good conductor, and RTH have been, for the past few years, bringing in some genuinely gifted artists. One major bonus you will want to mark on your calendar are the collaborations with The Toronto Youth Symphony Orchestra and the soloist invited to perform at RTH. On one of the days the soloist is performing, there will be a free of charge, one day only collaboration with the TYSO and the talent, which, very pleasantly can be found performing music of composers outside of the classical canon. You will want to look out for these starred dates in your programmes. There are youth activities, live orchestra sessions with famous movies playing in the background, and the house frequently offers discounts. All in all, a great place to visit for a lack of competitive venues with greater reverberation around the city. I would absolutely recommend. Beware though, the more expensive your seats, the more uncouth some visitors can be. Yelling at the stage during intermission to show all they know the talent, getting drunk, and there can be/are seemingly john-escort dates who sit in these seats. This is not always the case, and historically, opera houses were never meant to be quiet, so you may have to put up with some old traditions in a new millennium. read more

Last week, I walked by Roy Thomson Hall a couple of times to get to Mascot Brewery. The Hall still looks beautiful decades after it was first established. Here's an interesting fact about me. I have only been to Roy Thomson Hall once in my life. It was fairly new when I dropped by. I was in grade 5 and I ended up in a recorder group at school. I wasn't officially a part of this group, but I played recorder on my own to the point where I joined peers who were in this group. In other words, I crashed the recorder party. I remember sitting on steps in a stairwell on the third floor of our school and my peers were teaching me this song that would be performed at Roy Thomson Hall. With practice, I nailed it. The woman who led the recorder group and my homeroom teacher, who was also a music teacher, noticed my playing and they said yes to my being a late member of this group. So, our group performed at the Hall in the afternoon. We had a school bus drive us over there. Our attire was a white top and dark bottom. I wore a white sweater and a dark wool skirt. I was incredibly warm. We sat in the balcony. There were many schools playing songs on various instruments that afternoon. The balcony felt like a fancier staircase than what I had practiced on at school. My seat was comfy with lots of leg room. I was probably just over five feet in height by then. Jann Arden was to perform at Roy Thomson Hall. Her show got postponed due to the pandemic. When it was rescheduled this summer, the venue had changed, and she was back at Massey Hall. It's where I normally see her perform. It's crazy that I haven't been back. Roy Thomson Hall is home of the Toronto Symphony Orchestra and the Toronto Mendelssohn Choir. I should take in a performance or more, to snap my ridiculous record. (489) read more

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I went to Roy Thomson Hall for a film during TIFF. Clearly, the exterior architecture is striking, beautiful and iconic, which already adds to the pleasure of attending events at this venue. The screening was fine. It was fine to view the film from our seats, and seems like it'd be comfortable from many seats. The interior was not so great for a well-attended event. Washrooms are a bit hard to find, and there weren't many facilities -- an update to the washroom facilities would be good. There was a glut of people at the lobby level, making it difficult to enter, exit, and move around. In general, it was fine. Location is great & easy to get to. read more

This is a fantastic theater. Tons of easy seating. Plenty of doors to get into and out of so it's easy to get in and out of here as well. There seems to be plenty of parking all in the area although that may only be because I've never had trouble parking. read more

Enjoyed two concerts and one natgeo speaker series here. Fantastic theater and the acoustics are perfect. The seating is pretty old and even the carpeting seems old. Restrooms are too few and there's a long lineup during intermission or after the shows. It can be modernized. The staff is very nice and polite. There are few places around the hall where you can buy drinks - alcoholic or non-alcoholic. read more

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The Roy Thomson Hall is the Toronto Symphony Orchestra's main venue. I've been to the venue a couple times and have generally had a good experience. I like how casual yet still upscale the ambience to the TSO concerts are here, people who aren't perhaps use to going to the symphony can easily experience a concert here without necessarily having to spend a lot of money on the tickets or their attire. What was surprising to me was that the menu items at the bar were very reasonably priced. Compared to the 15 dollars a beer at Scotiabank Arena or Budweiser Stage, you could easily get one for under 10 dollars here. The concert hall itself was also very spacious; even if you were sitting in the balconies you can see the stage quite well. read more

Roy Thomson Hall - Music Venues Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

I have an overdue review of the Roy Thomson Hall. We have visited a few times for TIFF over the years and it's always been a pleasure. The venue is nice and most importantly the staff is super. You'll at least connect with a few staff directing and guiding you to your seat. Snacks and drink counters are on all floors, which includes popcorn, candy, chocolate, pop, beer and other alcoholic beverages. About my recent TIFF experience: a little over a month ago we watched The Greatest Beer Run, based on a true story about the Vietnam war. While war movies are typically not my cup of tea, I enjoyed it. However, when comparing films with a similar war theme, I do prefer Blood Diamond and Taegukgi more (not biopics). A nice bonus is that almost all of the cast was on stage at the show's beginning, including Zac Efron. To our surprise, at the end of the movie, they announced that a few of the real-life war veterans and lead characters portrayed on the show were watching the screening with us the whole time. The light shone on them while the seniors waved to the audience from the Mezzanine area. I'm always unsure what to expect at TIFF though I wish there were some Q & A sessions like some other shows. On our way out, we saw Lee Jung-jae from a distance on the red carpet... I almost missed out until someone told me that he is the lead character in Squid Games! read more

Roy Thomson Hall - The cast including Zac Efron of Beer Run all came out for TIFF! - Music Venues Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

Came here for the Toronto Symphony Orchestra for the nightmare before Christmas. Had such fun There is paid parking and each section is named after an instrument used within the orchestra. It's quite neat and also allows you to remember where you parked your car better. It's not a huge space so you can be close to the stage but also a good amount a way if you want to be. The seats are comfortable in my opinion and there are snack stands on each floor. I can only speak to the first floor though. I saw people with popcorn and drinks. I'm not sure if there is more offered but I'm sure there is. The hall in my opinion was pretty and I look forward to going to another Toronto Symphony Orchestra show. read more

I did not remember when was the last time I was at Roy Thomson Hall but I was able to come here for a TSO concert recently for Star Wars Series. The structure is interesting and quite iconic. Though the building is over 30 years old but still in good condition. If you are here for TSO, you won't be disappointed with great acoustic. If you have your tickets on will call, drop by at least 30 minute before the show begin. Since as of the time I wrote this review, one cannot print the tickets ordered online, so you can expect how long the queue was at the will call box office. read more

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Roy Thomson Hall is seriously a GEM in Toronto! Why many people don't consider this a top attraction like the CN Tower, Ripley's Aquarium, Hockey Hall of Fame, I don't know. The hall itself is quite beautiful once you step inside and find your seat. That being said, don't worry about wherever you pick your seat. There is no such thing as a bad seat in this house. Wherever you sit, you will always have a great view of the orchestra. The music the Toronto Symphony Orchestra performed when I came here was so moving and performed very well. The night I was here, the two main highlights were Tchaikovsky's Variations on a Theme by Rococo (with Jean-Guihen Queyras as the cello soloist) and Ravel's Daphnis et Chloé Suite No. 2. My only complaint, however, is that the acoustics are not the best in here. Compared to other halls I've been to such as Koerner Hall, the sound just does not project and travel as well in here. The hall is also not as resonant. Regardless of that inconvenience, that did not take away from the overall uplifting mood the concert gave me once I left the hall. Although I do not live in Toronto, I left feeling like it would be worth coming to another TSO concert when in the area. Looking forward to being back! read more

Roy Thomson Hall - a large auditorium full of people - Music Venues Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

I hadn't been here in a long time. The first time I was here was for a field trip to see the orchestra during middle school. I distinctly remember falling asleep. The next time I was here my friend asked me to watch a performance during university and I was hesitant because of my prior experience but thought I'd give it another shot. I tried super hard not to fall asleep and did not but there was definite head nodding. This time I readily decided to go since Justin Nozuka would be performing. I've seen him play many times before, but usually at smaller venues like Phoenix Concert Theatre, Mod Club and the like. When he started playing the sound was incredible. The acoustics here are so much better than anywhere else I've seen him play. Just a note that the escalators only seem to ascend. To get to a lower floor there's the stairwells by the washrooms. read more

Roy Thomson Hall - Music Venues Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

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Nice patio. The summer free music was good. The food there was about $6.99 for the cheaper option. The chicken wings are $12. Alcohol drinks are about $10. In the summer there are generally 2 free concerts per week. read more

Roy Thomson Hall - Free live music. - Music Venues Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

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one of my favorite venues in all of Toronto, that I've only been to a couple of times unfortunately. the first time i came here was to watch Kevin smith do a famous Q&A for Toronto that was not filmed, which was a wonderful introduction to the building, the second time i came here was because of my convocation ceremony for graduating George brown college. both times were fantastic moments at this building, which is beyond well kept, not a thing is out of place, everything looks majestic, and the staff here are super great. i often wonder to myself why more events aren't held at this beautiful building, would love to catch a concert here and i hope it happens sooner then later, heck even a symphony would be nice. transit options are the 504 king streetcar and 508 lake shore streetcar (limited service) directly, and the 510 spadina streetcar indirectly, and finally the st. andrew station, both indirect options with a bit of a walk. really cant wait to come back! read more

I've been to this place twice for a piano concert and a talk show respectively. The sound effect were super bad for both times. For the two times I was here, I sat at top balcony on the side and front rows respectively. The sound was really blury for the concert and for the talk show I can hardly hear the performers' words clearly. Terrible experience. read more

In a downtown core in a country not far away there lied a uniquely shaped building that was designed for increasing the quality of sound played by an orchestra like the TSO! This was my first time in here and found the interior very unique of a performance hall but makes sense on the type of music played. My dad and I came to see the TSO play live to the music of Star Wars Return of the Jedi and it was a mind blowing experience that exceeded expectations! The staff were very friendly and didn't seem to criticize the face I was so not dressed to fit in with the crowd luckily it was nerd night so I didn't feel too uncomfortable wearing a red plaid sweater amongst fine dressed folks. The Roy Thompson Hall and the TSO has impressed me so much I already booked tickets for 2 up coming concerts I can't wait! read more

Roy Thomson Hall - The movie is about to begin! - Music Venues Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

Great space for TIFF highly recommended for concerts, performances. Lot of great memories. Beautiful. read more

Roy Thomson Hall - Music Venues Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

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Unfortunately have to rate this three star on patron ageism and genderism, we did not think this was a problem at Roy Thompson until we experienced it ourselves. We had a large party of friends arriving all first time goers. At the entrance there is a person checking for liquid beverages to encourage purchase at the venue. Inspection was aimed at women with purses, I had been advise that I could not go in if there was a beverage I'm my water bottle and was advised to empty - fine I guess you could think it's a colorless beverage like vodka. None of the men were inspected. Another friend who was under 30 was also inspected in a Kate Spade wristlette/purse and this was a tiny bag about 4x8in not built with any base like a very thing volume less pencil case. She had a hand sanitizer in her bag approximately 30mL quantity 20% full. The Roy Thompson staff first said "You are not allowed to have that in". Then my friend clarified this is just hand sanitizer (a normal Torontonian item to have in a purse, it is not like we drink hand sanitizer). The Roy Thompson staff said "I'll let it go this time." It sounded belittling/patronizing and even a bit ageism and gender bias. If we are understanding correctly, my friend specifically was advised she would not be granted entry next time if caught with hand sanitizer. Certainly our party was also dressed in conservative night out attire, I do not think our way of dressing would have compelled this. We were seated in the balcony and as a regular goer myself who usually sits at the mezzanine I was pretty impressed. The acoustic was not as great from the balcony but a full view of the stage was possible; you can still hear the fully clarity of the trumpets the piccolo and the feature of the oboe with the Symphonie Fantastic. One comment of another incident that did happen. We were travelling with a kid, and the child was checking their cell phone. A patron was brashly saying you cannot have your cell phone on, I get it for video and photo capture. But if you use your eyes the phone was not aimed on the stage. Again, it's a bit ageist. Unless you see someone doing something like recording the performance you really should be respectful because kids will be kids, and they are the future subscribers for Toronto Symphony. Don't be sending a Roy Thompson staff over to scare the child. We are hoping a less age and gender bias is experienced in the future that we can update our review. For now 3 star for targeted guest under 30 faulting for hand sanitizer and targeted calling out a child for just taking a glance at their phone-they are just a generation born with phone in their hand. We hope a better experience in the future. read more

Roy Thomson Hall - View from right balcony, as good as mezzanine. Acoustic is still better at mezzanine. - Music Venues Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

I've been to Roy Thompson Hall numerous times to watch the TSO and I always have a positive experience. All of the employees are super friendly and they are helpful from picking up your tickets at the box office to directing you where to go to be seated and to purchase food/drinks at the kiosks. The TSO always puts on a wonderful performance. Seating: I have sat in the mezzanine and various levels of the balconies throughout the theatre. I much prefer the lower levels because the highest balcony level does make me feel dizzy. The ceilings are low and it feels like I'm on a ship and I begin to get vertigo. Once I'm seated, I'm okay but the balcony is pretty high up. If you sometimes feel dizzy when you are high up you might want to opt for better seats. read more

I loved the show that I came to see here recently. The venue itself has a great circular unique layout, but I'm not a huge fan of all the cement. Supringsly poor amount of bathrooms (was there even more than one?). And this shouldn't matter much, but how can they serve such poor coffee? I'm not even sure it was Maxwell House quality and they probably poured 4 scoops for 20 cups. Great layout within the theatre itself. I had fairly good seats, but even the ones furthest away didn't seem too distant. This venue does a great job at utilizing the lateral space to allow more of the audience to be closer to the orchestra. Seats were fairly uncomfortable though. I'm hardly an acoustical expert, but though I found the sound to be clear, it didn't seem to project as well as a couple other venues I've been to when seeing other orchestras of a similar size. read more

Great location in entertainment district. Parking underground and various lots close by, but also easily accessible by transit. Large with several levels. Let an usher guide you as certain. Tickets only enter through certain doors. Lots of concession stands on all floors and escalators to get up and down. View from very top can be a bit strained or obstructed. read more

Nothing beats going to the symphony to hear absolutely amazing music performed by an extremely talented group of individuals. You will have a good view of the stage no matter where you sit. I've been to over a dozen shows here are have always sat in different spots. The only seats I didn't like were the ones that were too close to the stage. You just can't see anything. The mezzanine is my favourite place to sit for a nice birds eye view of the orchestra. Also, if you're under 35, then you should sign up for TSO Sound Check will allows you to buy tickets for approximately $16. The sounds in this place is fantastic. They really did a great job on the acoustics. Much better than the Four Seasons and obviously a much larger orchestra. The drink menu is expensive but everything else about this place is top notch. Highly recommended. read more

Roy Thomson Hall - Music Venues Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

Very nice venue. Very good acoustics. Any seat is a good seat. However, I'm not a big fan of the contemporary, minimalist design. Outside of the main concert hall, other events are regularly held. read more

I came here once as a school kid, again for my birthday a couple weeks ago, and I can here again today. I didn't realize it was the place from my childhood until today because today we sat in the balcony, as I did when here as a youth. It helped me take my mind off of stuff. read more

Roy Thomson Hall - The symphony - Music Venues Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

Here we are enjoying the 150 years celebration of Canada and Ontario. A Place to Stand. Hosted by the Lieutenant Governor of Canada, her honour, Elizabeth Dowdeswell. Enjoying a talented and diverse range of Canadian performers here. Fantastic acoustics! What a wonderful and generous event in honour of Canada's 150th birthday! I feel proud to be Canadian! Also recognizing our indigenous cultures in Canada with beautiful pictures and videos on the big screen. Some indigenous music was performed as well. Music that is not often heard so was a good eye or ear opener. Many good stories were told about Canada and it's history. A very nice commemoration of Canada's 150th celebration. Seats are very comfortable and parking underground is $15. Very Reasonable for downtown Toronto. read more

Roy Thomson Hall - Music Venues Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

Roy Thomson Hall is home of the Toronto Symphony Orchestra. I've been here on many occasions to hear some of my favorite pieces and some of my favorite musicians perform. Thanks to subscription series and tsoundcheck, I have been able to get great seats at affordable prices. One time I was able to get seating in C1 M for less than $20. Those were the best seats I've ever had in terms of comfort and acoustics. Recently I sat in C1 S and although the sound was good, I though it sounded a little muted. It was also quite warm from all the body heat. For violin soloists, I really like seating at the front of R8. There are some performers, like Itzhak Perlman, where any seat is great because he plays loud. read more

Roy Thomson Hall - View from C1 S 21 - Music Venues Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

I'm such a loser, I just created a new venue because I thought RTH wasn't on here. And I spelled it "Thompson". Anyhow. What's great about the place is location. It's right at King Street, and you can walk underground from St. Andrews station. Parking is available too at $10 flat rate in the evening. Actually for 2 people, it's cheaper/same as a round trip on the ttc. TIP #1: go to the lower level parking and you'll find tons of spots. TIP#2: park closer to the exit on the lower level you'll have to leave this way anyway TIP#3: when leaving the parking lot, there are TWO lanes you can use, not just one. The structure of the place is round, but with multiple levels. It's sad but sometimes I still get lost. The benefit is though, almost every door you can exit to the lobby no matter what. It's sometimes forgotten, and so many times the crowd is stuck in a bottle neck, but there's another exit right beside them. Today when we were leaving, there was clearly a traffic jam, but the usher did not point people out the exit right in the next aisle (nor did they notice). I walked right through, and found everyone stuck going one exit, when an empty staircase was facing them straight in the face. HELLO, PEOPLE! Okay, back to the venue. There's a music store that sells overpriced classical cds. Who buys CDs anymore? My dad, that's who. But regardless, I think their prices here are inflated, but still makes money because people of a certain age won't care to find deals or get them on iTunes. TIP#4: check in to Foursquare and get 10% off your purchase The bar people are nice. As with all music an theatre venues, TIP#5: Prepay and order your drink and snacks before the start of the show. It will be ready for you when intermission hits, and you won't have to line up (and you can score a nice seat by the window). Inside, they renovated the place, got rid of the hanging glass ball, and put in some wooden acoustics. Other than that, not much has changed since I was coming here in the 90s except the amount of people showing up. Anyhow, the acoutics are really good, for music. There were hardly any mics tonight while the chamber orchestra played, but we could barely hear the concert master speak. In the program is says "Please avoid humming whispering or crinkly wrappers because our acoustics are so good" (or something like that). The Program also says "do not lean forward or stand because it obstructs others view". I found the chairs really uncomfortable. They are too slanted back, and I end up slumping down, it's already hard enough to stay awake! But what is nice, is that the orchestra seating is slanted upwards. The back few rows of Orchestra are not so bad. TIP#5: Apparently if you get there early enough youcan go to customer service and get an ObusForme backrest while supplies last. I want to do this next time, no kidding! I feel like the place, no matter how much they try to modernize, something about it has it still stuck in the 70-80s. read more

Roy Thomson Hall - Music Venues Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

I've been a season ticket holder at RTH since 1998, so I know that there have been some rough times. But I continue to go because I love the TSO and the Roy Thomson Hall experience. I appreciate that they have made efforts to make beautiful music more accessible with fun programs, kids' concerts, CBC recordings and lower priced tickets for the under 30 set. But since the symphony is a music experience, not a public service, I also want to mention that the TSO has really been knocking my socks off under its current leadership. I can say with no exaggeration that the performances are often breathtaking. And what I love about having those performances at Roy Thomson Hall is that nobody is going to look down at you if you want to cheer at the end. Roy Thomson Hall will accepts music gourmets and music gourmands under the same roof. You can wear your jeans; although I often wish you wouldn't. A worthwhile stop for tourists and a wonderful gift in the city for Torontonians. read more

Roy Thomson Hall - Opening night, September 2013 - Music Venues Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

I was here earlier tonight. The people really seemed to enjoy the show. It helped me clear my mind. read more

Roy Thomson Hall - Menu - Music Venues Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

I am quite flabbergasted at the fact I have never gotten around to reviewing this famous Toronto hall, especially when taking into consideration I have been attending concerts regularly since I was old enough to afford tickets on my own, since roughly... 1998?!?!? Wow. I am getting old. Alright, back in the day, I began by purchasing season tickets for the TSO, which is to say you would buy a package and then you would pick your own concerts a la carte. As far as that is concerned, nothing has changed, except for the price. I digress, back to the venue. First and foremost, I must admit, I am not a huge fan of 1970's Brutalism, which this entire building seems to be an embodiment of. Seriously, could they have not picked ANY other architectural style? Guess not, since they broke ground on this thing in '78 and that is what all the cool architects were into back then. I get the arts are short on cash but it would really add a lot to the experience if they added a few more decor touches throughout. Also, I remember the venue before the renovations which DID improve the acoustics back in 2002, adding a bunch of wood paneling in order to make sound resonate better. That was a great thing. The actual inside of the hall aside, the circular design is fairly different however overall if a little pedestrian during intermissions although the VIP lounge, although small, adds a badly needed sense of personality. The store in the premises is almost like it was and is an afterthought which, now that I think about it, I have blocked out of mind. I am not even sure if it is there anymore. Wow. All in all, I RATHER much have RTH than not have the venue at all. So I take the good with the MEH bad anyway. I am a happy customer, even with the brutalist design. Whether I like it or not, it gives it character. You should drop by for a concert or two. read more

Roy Thomson Hall - This wood paneling was during the $135 million dollar renovation back in the early 2000's to improve acoustics. :-) - Music Venues Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

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Love this place especially on Nat Geo nites!! Orchestras are awesome events as well :) read more

Roy Thomson Hall - Music Venues Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

Architecturally speaking, this building definitely stands out. Conical in shape, it looks like a segment that would be cut out of the end of a trumpet, large side down. The sister venue to Toronto mainstay Massey Hall (http://www.yelp.ca/biz/massey-hall-toronto), the glass and metal structure is definitely eye-catching and as such has become the focal point for the squire found around the Metro Hall (http://www.yelp.ca/biz/metro-hall-toronto). Erected for performing arts, but focussing on an orchestra, the Hall became the new home for the Toronto Symphony Orchestra (http://www.yelp.ca/biz/toronto-symphony-orchestra-toronto). Open to performers other than orchestras, comedians, dance acts, musicians, even a rave has graced the stage of Roy Thomson Hall. So it does have some mass appeal. The sad part is that in its early days, it got panned for poor acoustics. Make chiefly out of concrete, it's not the most sound-conducive material that you could make a performance hall out of. Some orchestras were even rumoured to state that they would never play in the venue. Taking this to heart, the Roy Thomson Hall organization set about making the hall better acoustically, removing some seats and placing in panelling that would make for a better sounding hall. All of the work seems to have paid off. The Hall is definitely better than its previous incarnation and still has all of the interesting allure that it always had. It's still that weird looking building on King Street. It just looks way better now. read more

Roy Thomson Hall - Roy Thomson Hall - Music Venues Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

A beautiful venue that's conveniently located on King W and easily accessible by transit (St. Andres station) or car, The CN is the backdrop and just sitting outside on the benches with these 2 landmarks behind you is amazing. The space itself is a very cleaned lined, minimalist design. All the ushers are dressed up in black so spotting a guide is easy. They are also super friendly - directing you to your section and seat and holding doors open. The plush white carpets make you feel oohh la la. There really are no bad seats in here - you can get a good view from just about any section. I was here for the Second City Guide to the TSO (a MUST see - simply the funniest show I have seen in a very long time). I was sitting in the balcony section - the very last row - G. I had no issues seeing or hearing anything. The acoustics are pretty amazing. Every floor has a bar area so you don't have to run down to the first floor. The only minor issue for me is that this venue is narrow - the aisles to get into the actual seating area are so narrow you feel like ants walking in a single line. You can imagine when the show is over - all those people trying to leave but there is no space for them to go so it gets clogged up at certain points. read more

We attended the first night at this fabulous venue, of the National Geographic's Speakers Series. Paul Nicklen was the first speaker. We were seated in the third level up, and the accoustics is great - really had no problem hearing him. Or seeing him from these seats, for that matter, although we were high enough up. Apparently this series was so popular last year, that they've added a 2nd night - it's now running Mondays and Tuesdays. I learned a lot about what it takes to become a photographer for this magazine: you have to be Extreme about it. I cannot imagine getting frost bite on a regular basis to do my job, among other things! You know what? He often does ice diving. I used to scuba dive many years ago, but the thought of ice diving scared the crap out of me - gave me claustrophobia. Ok, then there's the threat of the hole out of this place freezing right over. But that's precisely what he does, to do his research on global warming. My research leads me as far as reading his articles in NG! Woo hoo me! LOL I learned something about this event, and I would do it differently next time. After Mr Nicklen's presentation, he offered to sign his book. But the book had to be purchased at the event. And of course, by the time we got to the boutique where they were being sold, they were sold out. SO my word to the wise: purchase your books at the boutique before the event starts - and you won't be disappointed. read more

An absolute favourite of ours. My wife and I have enjoyed numerous performances here, and everytime it has been a special experience. From the box office to ushers everyone is efficient and helpful. The interior is top notch, and the acoustic is great. There is also a good selection of drinks/refreshments. If you like to experience symphony then this is a must visit destination. read more

This review is from my various experiences during 3 years worth of tiff. A gala event here is something that is definitely fun to dress up for, especially given its proximity to some fancy dining options before or after the movie. The fan experience here is not super at red carpet, but you do get a better experience than at the Elgin, the red carpet is visible from the outside and fans have more space to crowd around for a view. There are also a few movies that host after parties at the Bell Lightbox, and that venue is also open for fans to keep trying to catch glimpses of their stars (how you figure out which movies are hosting after gala events there I have no clue). Back to RTH though, the big plus is that even if you're on the rush line you stand a very good chance of getting in (unless you're pretty far back). The RTH probably hosts more big name gala events than any other venue at tiff and it's acousitcs make it a better experience for a large scale movie compared with the Elgin (I could be easily mistaken though). The cast and directors/producers always sit on the first balcony level on the first section to the left (facing the front) from the middle, if you do have the option of where to sit, you might want to seat yourself at a prime location to catch a glimpse of them stand up at the end to acknowledge the applause. The building looks as good inside as it does from the exterior, ushers are friendly, there are ample bars and concession stands so you're not in line for too long. Hint - parking here is surprisingly not more expensive than surrounding car parks, and keep an eye out for times when you might be able to park for free (not during the evenings though), either it's legit or I was just lucky to catch the one time they failed to check for tickets on a weekend afternoon. read more

RTH feels like a institution. A symbol of Toronto style, it's architecture, it's people and it's live performance. Been here a couple times for symphony. Fist time had cheap seats on third level. Most recently came to see Handel Messiah holiday performance with amazing seats just a couple rows from the stage in main level. Huge difference in the experience and would get better seats again if I can afford it :) I did read online that acoustics vary based on your seating. Would have to agree, for the close up seats we had, at times the sound seemed... not directed toward us. When we sat at higher seats in the past I would say the acoustics might be slightly better if not the same. The lobby is expansive all around the theatre in a circle. I enjoy walking around and seeing everyone dresses up for Evening performance. There is more than one set of bathrooms. So if you see a long line up, keep wandering and you can find another bathroom. This is a great place for a date. Or to take your parents. It's also fun just to linger a couple minutes longer in the lobby after the production. Sometimes they have a small performance or band in the lobby afterwards. Parking lots are nearby, at least 3 come to mind. Price will be around $15 for the evening parking yikes! So if you can take ttc or walk on over. Ttc subway is connected to RTH. read more

I have a secret love affair with this place. Not even ashamed to admit it. The first time I visited Roy Thomson, way back in 2008, I was covering the Toronto Symphony Festival for a college newspaper and was blown away the first time by the experience. I hadn't seen a symphony perform live in years, but Peter Oundjian and the orchestra performed an amazing set that formed the basis of a CD they also released around that time called Reflections. Since then, I've been back a number of times. One of my most memorable experiences was being invited by a friend to attend the TIFF 2010 opening night film, "Score: A Hockey Musical", though not for the reason you might think. The respectful crowd quickly turned hostile towards the film once it became clear that it was terrible, making this a hilarious experience (though for the wrong reasons). I absolutely love the atmosphere and design of the hall, and I've been back several times since then for various concerts, most recently to celebrate their anniversary when they did a special performance with Itzhak Perlman. The seating and the design of the main hall itself is incredible, and the seating and acoustics are stellar. I don't think I've ever had a bad experience over the many years I've visited. If you haven't visited the hall, make it a priority to come down and catch a concert. It's one of the best experiences in the city, and a can't-miss destination. Highly recommended. read more