When the Beatles Rocked Toronto - The Market Gallery's 1960s-themed exhibition features rare photographs and memorabilia

TORONTO, June 17, 2016 /CNW/ - The Market Gallery's latest exhibition turns a kaleidoscopic lens on Toronto in the 1960s by profiling the Beatles' impact on the city at a time of huge social and cultural transformation. 

"This exhibition is an exciting way to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Beatles' final concert in Toronto," said Councillor Michael Thompson (Ward 37 Scarborough Centre), Chair of the City's Economic Development Committee. "Its displays creatively intertwine the enduring magic of the Beatles with the changing landscape and lifestyle of mid-20th century Toronto."

From June 18 through November 12, the exhibit features themed areas including: 

• When the Beatles Rocked Us – to remember the band and the fans in 1964 to 1966 through projections of hundreds of rare images from that period taken by Toronto photographers including Boris Spremo, Lynn Ball and John Rowlands. This section also features two exceptional artifacts – a rare poster promoting the Beatles' 1966 concerts at Maple Leaf Gardens and the only known 'butcher' record jacket produced in Canada for the Beatles' Yesterday and Today album.
  
  
• Where We Played – a look at the clubs and coffee houses of the Yonge Street strip and Yorkville Village where Toronto's music scene developed. From Ronnie Hawkins at Le Coq d'Or tavern to Gordon Lightfoot at The Riverboat coffee house, displays show how music was promoted in the 1960s. Artifacts include The Riverboat's original sign and Domenic Troiano's Fender Telecaster guitar from his time as Mandala's lead guitarist.
  
  
• How We Lived – a fully-furnished 'rec' room modelled on a 1960s Don Mills home. A parents' hi-fi stereo and albums and a children's Seabreeze portable record player with 45s are shown alongside an original Project G stereo manufactured by Toronto-based Clairtone.
  
  
• From Toronto the Good to Toronto a Go-Go – an illustrated timeline charting the postwar, baby-boom era of change in Toronto's physical form, ethnic makeup and social outlook from 1950 to 1966.

"The evolution of Toronto's music scene in the 1960s set the stage for the city and its artists to attain international attention and acclaim," said Councillor John Filion (Ward 23 Willowdale), the Mayor's Arts Advocate. "This exhibition reveals the factors and influences that helped make those changes occur."

When the Beatles Rocked Toronto is part of BEATLES 50 T.O. which features concerts, walking tours, a fashion show and film screening. Complete event information is available at: http://www.toronto.ca/beatles50. Follow the excitement on Twitter with the #Beatles50TO hashtag and on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/MarketGallery/.

"The enduring cultural legacy of the Beatles is showcased at this exhibit and at the many BEATLES 50 T.O. events happening this summer," said Deputy Mayor Pam McConnell (Ward 28 Toronto Centre-Rosedale). 

The exhibition is produced by the City of Toronto's Museums and Heritage Services in collaboration with guest curators Piers Hemmingsen, Nicholas Jennings and Shauntelle LeBlanc. The Market Gallery is one of 10 historic sites operated by the City of Toronto and is located on the second floor of South St. Lawrence Market at 95 Front St. E.

Tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for seniors and youth from six to 18 years old. Free admission for children five and under. Tickets can be purchased at http://www.toronto.ca/beatles50 and at the Market Gallery.

Extended exhibit hours are Tuesdays to Thursdays, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Fridays, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., Saturdays, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Sundays, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The Market Gallery is closed Mondays and statutory holidays.

BEATLES 50 T.O and When the Beatles Rocked Toronto are funded by the City of Toronto and the Province of Ontario through Celebrate Ontario. BEATLES 50 T.O.'s exclusive digital media sponsor is Cieslok Media; the exclusive radio sponsor is Q107. The Toronto Star, Pattison Outdoor Advertising and Metroland Media are all valued media sponsors. 

Toronto is Canada's largest city, the fourth largest in North America, and home to a diverse population of about 2.8 million people. It is a global centre for business, finance, arts and culture and is consistently ranked one of the world's most livable cities. For information on non-emergency City services and programs, Toronto residents, businesses and visitors can visit http://www.toronto.ca, call 311, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, or follow us @TorontoComms.

SOURCE City of Toronto

Media contact: Shane Gerard, Strategic Communications, 416-397-5711, [email protected]