London Music Hall to open new comedy club, increase capacity by September

When downtown's London Music Hall isn't filled with the sounds of live music at night, the harmonies of hammers and drills echo through the venue during the day.

The construction is part of a series of renovations at the music venue ahead of its upcoming 20th anniversary, which will bring about a new comedy club and increased capacity within the main hall.

"We've been looking at renovations for a little while and the idea popped up as we were approaching the 20th anniversary," said London Music Hall owner and chief operating officer Demetri Manuel. "We said, 'Let's get this done for September,' and then celebrate the past and present music in and around London."

Construction started in February and is set to end before the venue hosts special anniversary celebrations in the fall.

"When a private investment comes along and thinks, 'This is something worth investing in, I'm going to put my own money up, and I'm going to develop my club,' … it's something to be supported," London Chamber of Commerce chief executive officer Graham Henderson said about the project.

A key change is the Music Hall's main entrance and marquee will move from Queen Street to Dundas Street, Manuel said, which will make entry more streamlined and accessible. The Queen Street doors will be for performers only.

Security checks, artist merchandise tables and a coat check will fill a new lobby area before fans enter a larger main hall. Following renovations, the venue will now be able to hold 2,000 people -- 400 more than its current capacity.

"It will help attract a few more acts that we may not be able to get otherwise," Manuel said. "The cost of touring is expensive and the operational cost to run a venue is expensive, so the more bodies that we can comfortably get into the venue, the more ceiling there is for revenue to be made."

On nights when there are no shows in the main hall, the lobby has the ability to turn into a pop-up comedy club called Comedy & Co., which can host around 100 people.

"It's going to be a very customer-friendly environment, have a warm atmosphere and have the experience that all the top comedy clubs give its customers and comedians," Manuel said.

The renovations also mark an end for the neighbouring A&W and London Music Hall of Fame, though new additions to the venue will include an in-house concession stand and showcases to display music memorabilia.

The upstairs 400-capacity Rum Runners venue will remain untouched.

Manuel said the London Music Hall renovations will cost about $1.2 million, which will be paid out of the family-owned venue's own pocket.

Henderson said he would like to see the city put the same types of investments into other small venues and music projects in London, especially those that cannot pay for upgrades themselves.

"I hope the city's watching and sees this happening because in addition to this sort of [private] development, the city itself has to adapt," he said. "I think the idea that the city shouldn't or can't fund culture or support not-for-profits is increasingly becoming outdated."

Manuel and Henderson both said they think the development of music venues will help improve London's nightlife, especially in the downtown core.

"When we sell 1,600 tickets to a concert, that's 1,600 people who are coming downtown that wouldn't have likely come downtown that night," Manuel said.

As more Londoners find a reason to come to Dundas Street for live music, it will create a domino effect of even more people hitting nearby entertainment, food and shopping businesses, Henderson said.

"People feel safer in cities where there is an active late-night live music environment, and it just makes sense," he said. "It's eyes on the street. It's not just you when you come out at night, there's people everywhere."

While Henderson said he could envision even more additions to London Music Hall, such as a patio or rooftop garden, Manuel said there will be no plans for more changes until current renovations are complete.

All scheduled shows at London Music Hall and Rum Runners will continue as planned throughout the construction.