Music

Toronto venues Kool Haus and Guvernment are closing

by Mark Teo

Photo: Wikipedia.org

While we don’t always have the fondest memories of the Kool Haus and the Guvernment—they mostly involve waiting in line for crappy hot dogs, a long drab walk from Union Station, and some very, very late nights—the venerable venue had one thing going for it: At least it wasn’t the Sound Academy.

We’re kidding, of course. We saw plenty of wonderful shows at the Kool Haus, Guvernment, and the former RPM—which was a legendary electronic venue—and even if we didn’t love the crumbling concrete stroll to the club, we’re still glad it existed. But today, INK Entertainment announced that it will exist no more.

The entertainment company, which also runs the aforementioned Sound Academy, King St.’s Weslodge, and Tattoo (Edwin’s fave!), announced the Kool Haus and Guvernment will be shuttering on January 31, 2015. The Jarvis-Queens Quay colossus has been in operation for 17 years, and built their profile with large-scale rock acts (think: Paramore), pop acts (see: Ke$ha), and big-time EDM DJs (a la Tiesto). Their electronic legacy, according to Wiki, also had the club named the 8th best club in the world in 2008.

“It makes me proud to see how far we’ve come,” says Charles Khabouth, Founder and CEO of INK Entertainment. “The Guvernment is one of my proudest achievements and after such a long-lasting journey with such fond memories, we want to thank all those who made it possible and shared in our successes.”

According to The Grid, prior to its closing, the venue will throw a series of bashes commemorating the venue’s notable alumni; the marquee DJs that it used to host will be diverted to Tattoo or Sound Academy.

So, what’s happening to the iconic building? It’s Toronto, so you know the answer: Condos. Or, at least, that’s the speculation over at BuzzBuzzHome, where posters are dropping rumours that the Daniels Corporation are redeveloping the land. Either way, we’re pouring out a NOS for you, Guvernment.