The Horseshoe Tavern (known as The Horseshoe, The 'Shoe, The 'Toronto Tavern' and The 'Triple T' to Toronto locals) is a concert venue at 370 Queen Street West (northeast corner of Queen at Spadina) in downtown Toronto, Ontario, Canada, and has been in operation since 1947. Owned by "JC", Ken Sprackman, Craig Laskey and Naomi Montpetit, the venue is a significant part of Canadian musical lore. It is captured in the memories of thousands of concertgoers, and in books such as Have Not Been the Same. History The building, erected in 1861, previously housed a blacksmith. Originally an 87-seat saloon, it was advertised in recent decades as a "Country Roots n' Rockabilly Music Tavern". The Horseshoe Tavern welcomed blues and folk artists in the 1960s; reggae, mod, punk and new wave acts in the 1970s and 1980s; and then alternative rock and everything from ska, surf and swing to Celtic music and alternative country from the 1990s onward. Influential acts that have played concerts there include The Rolling Stones, The Police, Etta James, Ramones, The Tragically Hip, Talking Heads and The Jeff Healey Band. Actor Dan Aykroyd was once part-owner. The Horseshoe has supported up and coming Canadian artists through programs such as Dave Bookman's Nu Music Nite, a regular Tuesday showcase. Bookman was a Toronto radio DJ for Indie 88. As a result, the club has been a springboard for such notable acts as Stompin' Tom Connors, The Band, Blue Rodeo, The Tragically Hip, Bryan Adams, The Watchmen, Big Sugar, Wide Mouth Mason, Great Big Sea, Prairie Oyster, Our Lady Peace, The Pukka Orchestra and Helix. The Horseshoe Tavern celebrated its 60th anniversary in 2007 with six shows by Joel Plaskett. Plaskett played his entire catalogue over six consecutive nights, devoting each show to one full album. Special guests appearing at the concerts included Peter Elkas, Sarah Harmer and Gord Downie. Due to the drastic difference in the amount of daylight Toronto gets from summer to winter, the tavern installed light-enhancing windows, which make it appear as daytime inside the bar even when it is pitch black outside. Media appearances Two Stompin' Tom Connors concert films, This Is Stompin' Tom (1972) and Across This Land with Stompin' Tom (1973) were shot at the Horseshoe. In 1978, the tavern was the setting for Colin Brunton's punk rock documentary The Last Pogo, featuring The Scenics, The Cardboard Brains, The Secrets, The