In August 1990, Eugene Tam opened a small family-run record store on Yonge Street. Through word of mouth, Play De Record quickly became a magnet for college radio and club DJs who spun new sounds far from the mainstream. Through Tam’s contagious work ethic and steady guidance, the store became more than the sum of its parts: an essential hub for up-and-coming dance, hip-hop and electronic artists, and a vital part of Toronto’s underground music ecosystem. Today, its impact on the music scene in Toronto—and Canada at large—is without question. This is the story of Play De Record.
Tickets: FREE for Doors Open Toronto
One May weekend each year, Doors Open Toronto invites the public to explore the city’s most-loved buildings and sites, free of charge. The event, which is recognized as one of Toronto’s most culturally significant events, provides rare access to buildings that are not usually open to the public and free access to sites that would usually charge an admission fee. Since its inception in 2000, it has attracted more than two million visits to nearly 700 unique locations and remains the largest event of its kind in Canada.
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