Introduction Massey Hall Forever Time. That wise marker of the days of our lives. It''s the seconds, hours, months, and years that have united all the unique and outstanding performances made, speeches given, and songs sung for the first time on Massey Hall''s stage over the past 127 years. Designated as a heritage building in 1975 under the Ontario Heritage Act and a National Historic Site of Canada in 1981, Massey Hall is one of Toronto''s oldest links to our collective cultural past. It has survived when so many other heritage buildings and concert halls in the city have gone the way of the wrecking ball. This iconic building is a symbol of the history, not only of the artists that graced its stage, but of Toronto itself. The venue recently underwent its first major upgrade in nearly seventy years. This was not simply an exercise in fixing the blemishes of a century-old building.

It was a $184 million project that saw the hall close temporarily for only the second time in its history. For more than three years, no crowds gathered on the sidewalk outside in anticipation of a show, no performers waited backstage to step out to play for the first time, or the tenth. But with the revitalized hall opening once again in November 2021, years of intermissions now await, new memories will be made, and many more relationships between artist and audience will be forged and developed. Thanks to the vision of current and past leadership, donors, patrons, and all levels of government, my grandchildren''s children will have the opportunity to enjoy a show of perhaps some yet-unknown genre in the grandeur of Massey Hall and understand in their own way what makes this place special. The hall that Hart built will continue to be a place "for the people" for at least another century. Many have called Massey Hall Canada''s answer to Carnegie Hall. And the two buildings do share many similarities. Both were built and gifted to their cities by wealthy industrialists (just three years apart) and are woven into the fabric and cultural identities of their cities.

And both still stand. But what makes Massey different is that, unlike Carnegie, which has always been a destination for the well-to-do, this is and always has been a blue-collar hall; a gathering place for the entire community, for people from all walks of life and with different tastes and styles. Patrons feel just as comfortable walking through the doors in a three-piece suit as they do in denim and a favourite band T-shirt. Name most any genre, and you''ll find that Massey Hall is considered the temple of music in Canada for that group of fans. Like a comfortable pair of shoes, or a friend you can always turn to in good times and bad, Massey Hall has been there. When the ushers say it''s time, patrons walk through those three red doors, gather with fellow music lovers, sink into their assigned seats, and forget about life for a while. The music envelops the audience, from the orchestra to the upper balcony. It''s a collective experience.

So many memories have been made for people over the years. There is the story of a woman going into labour at a concert and refusing to leave until the encore. One woman even named her son Massey because the hall and a Gordon Lightfoot concert played a part in his creation. For anyone who was born and raised in Toronto, who has ever lived here for any stretch of time, or who has made the trip to the city for a performance, Massey Hall is a special place. As you travel through these pages, take time to savour these special moments in history, to recall and cherish your own Massey memories: your first or favourite show; the first time you heard a particular song; your favourite seat in the house. Then plan a trip to Shuter Street to experience the revitalized hall, generate new memories, perhaps even share the visit with a family member or friend experiencing their first concert at the hallowed hall. One wonders if Hart Massey, a strict Methodist and teetotaller, would be rolling over in his grave if he knew they now served alcohol in his Cathedral to the Arts. And imagine if he heard some of the acts that have stood on its stage, such as Iron Maiden singing their refrain "666, the number of the beast," with twentyfive hundred fans screaming along.

Not to mention the illicit acts of rock ''n'' roll excess that have occurred backstage. I like to think he would be pleased and proud to know that his gift to Toronto has become, as well, a gift to the country he loved -- one that keeps on giving more than a century after its inception. Sure, the programming has changed to reflect the zeitgeist of each era, but the reality is this: the raison d''être of the philanthropist who created the hall -- and his mandate that it be a gathering place for the community -- is and will continue to be the essence of Massey Hall. Over the years, Hart''s act of charity has touched and enriched the lives of generations of Canadians. And, thanks to this recent revitalization, will continue to do so for generations to come. The incredible acoustics and intimate ambience at Massey Hall are an audio engineer''s dream, the ideal space to capture live performances. From the 1950s to the 2000s, more than a dozen albums were recorded at Massey. I will highlight those that stand out for their unexpectedly high sales, quality, and importance to the artists'' careers.

Asked what makes Massey special, artists unanimously agree on the aforementioned two traits: its intimacy and its acoustics. When you are on that storied stage and set to perform, you feel as if you could hug the audience. It feels that intimate. For 127 years, the hall has withstood depressions, gentrification, calls for its demolition, and most recently a pandemic. Yet, the Grand Old Lady of Shuter Street still stands, a beacon of hope and guardian of the arts. Massey Hall forever.