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Comments from Diane Pop: This info is true, though some of the details are wrong. The Gary's ran THE EDGE, themselves; booked Dead Kennedy's, Skinny Puppy, Iggy, The Stranglers, Echo & the bunnymen, Spandau Ballet, Rage Against the Machine, Siouxsie and the Banshees, The Ramones- with Motorhead(!) -82' , I think it was- and numerous others at "The Concert Hall" and "The Music Hall, from 1979, to late 90's.

I think they've quit now. They also brought "The Police" to the edge in '79, and only 100 people were there, though now everyone in Toronto claims they were there. lol. (I wasn't at that one.) Most of the shows listed above, I went to. Also 4 shows of "The Cure" and many, many others.

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They managed many clubs, and brought U2 here when they were young pups. They came to "records on wheels" on Yonge St. It's closed now. That store was the only one that had the coveted Iggy picture disc of 5 foot 1, and I'm bored.

 

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My friends didn't tell me about the Police gig at The Edge, it was one of the G's. He may have meant the rehearsals or something. They also booked bands at Larry's hideaway, and the door guys usually let most of us girls in for free, as we knew them, and the guys would drink more, of course, and buy us beers. We were young. very young. lol.
I DID say "most of the people in Toronto claim they were there" - NOT my friends. We would have been too busy drinking at the bev, or going to another show.

Larry's hideaway was a flea and roach infested rat trap at between Sherbourne and Church, on Calton st. E. Nothing there now but grass. And a few ghosts.

I saw tons of band's at Larry's- and some of the best bands played there. Jayne County played and I snuck out to see her/him. My friend Lucy bought tickets. (we were both underage.) My mum knew I wanted to go and so she called the cops. I cops came and went. Nothing happened. lol. I think Jayne told them to bugger off.

Another time, I had no shoes, and they wouldn't let me in. Nina Hagen was playing, and someone told her, so she threw down her shoes from the window, so I could get in. Then I gave them back to her later. She was cool. Paul Eckness from Dick Duck and the Dorks later ran off with her. Could have been the same night.

* my brother- who shall remain nameless-was the one who clocked Frankie Venom in the head at an infamous gig- (at the horseshoe- in '77 or '79? He threw a whiskey bottle at him. In his defence, he probably doesn't remember, due to the ingestion of way too many things I cannot describe here.(I wasn't there, I was doing my homework.lol)  I am not proud of that, just saying. Although, they knew eachother, and did hang out together later.

I went to the first Police picnic- to see Iggy natch'  I was sitting on the fence wearing a bathing suit (purple), and army boots. lol. They wrote about it in The Toronto Star (Liz Braun)  Cause I wouldn't stop screaming for Iggy to come on- and they pulled the plug on Nash the Slash. (I think because of my screaming, and everyone else booing.)  And the rest, as they say, is history my dears. Oh yeah, Dean bag, Colin from Sturm group, & Wolf-were all at the police picnic, and pretty much ALL the gigs I have mentioned here. Cause we all were brats and hung out together. A bunch of us went, I got sunburnt, and almost had to walk home from Oakville. There were a ton of people, and it was a mess, but a blast too!  The boys were wearing "nappies" (Clash style) on their heads.  Oh yeah, Johnny Thunders played Larry's, I think it was there- and Richard Hell, and most of the guys who are gone now. sadly. Also Killing Joke did 2 amazing shows, which I haven't forgotten.

Don't ask me how I remember all this, who knows. It's all coming back to me now.  Must be the meds. (last small Gary's show I saw was The Cramps- I think at the opera house. Lux was on stilts, and it freaked me out. lol.)

Then there was Marilyn Manson, Nine Inch Nails and Jim Rose all in one fun package.  MM's first show here, I think. Maple leaf gardens. Fun was had by all. lol. I am pretty sure Gary's put that one on too.

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From Deirdre:

Topp and Cormier first owned the 99 Roxy, they started booking bands into the New Yorker including the Vibrators, Dead Boys and Ramones as well as local acts like the Ugly and the Viletones. They had the lease for the Horseshoe for a time but lost it when the owner decided to go back to Country & Western.  They opened their own club called the edge in a space previously known as Edgerton   They are the only people to have booked the Police in Toronto but by the time they had the Edge it was too small a venue, the police did do a show in a bar for the Garys at the Horseshoe,  Roxanne had just hit the UK charts and no one here had ever heard of them, there were only about 30 people there so most of your friends are liars. The Garys made up their losses however with several police picnics all of which they arranged.