Michael Wekerle and his team at the El Mocambo are pleased to announce they have appointed Ticketmaster Canada to handle ticketing services once the legendary music venue reopens in the spring of 2018. The deal was inked at a signing celebration at the El Mocambo Productions’ office in midtown Toronto.
The El Mocambo is one of North America’s oldest and most iconic music venues. Located in downtown Toronto where its famous neon palm-tree hangs over Spadina Avenue, the El Mo has hosted some of the biggest names in music, from Fats Domino and Charles Mingus, to Arlo Guthrie, The Rolling Stones, U2, The Guess Who, Elvis Costello, Stevie Ray Vaughan, The Cars, and Blondie.
“As we prepare to relaunch the El Mo in time for its 70th anniversary next spring, we’re thrilled to have this important service looked after by the pros at Ticketmaster Canada,” says Michael Wekerle, owner of the El Mocambo and CEO of El Mocambo Productions. “The music fan experience is paramount to me and my team. We want the El Mo concert-going experience to be both amazing and seamless, and obviously that experience begins with purchasing a ticket. We’re proud to have an industry leader managing this transaction for us, as well as the follow-up needed to help us maintain and grow the El Mocambo community.”
“Working with such an iconic venue as the El Mocambo is a dream come true for us at Ticketmaster,” Patti-Anne Tarlton, COO, Ticketmaster Canada said. “Its relaunch will be the talk of the town and the start of a new chapter for our relationship as their official ticketing and technology partner. We simply couldn’t be more excited to service the fans going to see shows at the El Mo.”
Andy Curran, GM and head of A&R for El Mocambo Entertainment, helped facilitate the deal. “It’s important for the legacy of the venue and for future generations of music fans who will attend El Mo shows that we offer the best service possible. Our partnership with Ticketmaster goes a long way in sending the message out globally that we’re doing everything first class. We’re excited to finally get some shows up on sale.”
The El Mocambo is nearing the end of a major renovation led by New York’s Walters–Storyk Design Group (WSDG), one of the leading acoustical architectural firms in the world. The reno will transform the historic venue into a state-of-the-art entertainment, recording, and production facility, complete with an in-house studio run by the famed producer–engineer, Eddie Kramer. Kramer and WSDG co-founder John Storyk first collaborated in the late ’60s, when they built Electric Lady Studios in New York for Jimi Hendrix.
