Going to see Memphis May Fire in July was my first time visiting the Velvet Underground and I have nothing negative to say. I felt safe entering as they did appropriate security checks. The bar was clean and had a nice layout for a concert venue. The large basement was a nice place to be able to get a breather, go to the washroom and then get back to the show. There is a parking lot not far from the bar itself to be able to park for long hours, $19 covered our parking for the entire day into the evening right off Queen. As visitors from out if town, we liked the location as we were able to walk about and do shopping, grab dinner and still walk over and get in line for the venue. All the employees were really friendly. I guess the only downfall was the price of drinks at the bar, including water bottles at $4.00 a bottle. But I get it, it's a venue, you got bands playing, people are gonna pay, make your money! Lol. I would most definitely return for another venue in the future if a band I like goes there. As long as it's worth the 8 hour drive for me!! Memphis May fire, rain city drive and from ashes to new was absolutely worth it 😛👍

A great smaller live music venue in Toronto with a capacity of around 170 people. There are 2 bars and ample sitting room. The staff was polite and friendly. The sound system is pretty lo loud and clear without much distortion. The bathroom is on the small side but there was never any line-ups. This is a legendary Toronto live music venue that everyone should visit once.

Love the venue, love the vibes. However, I was sad to see that there was nothing being done to enforce mask wearing. I would say 90% of the people around me were taking advantage of this and had taken their masks off, despite not drinking. I think the venue workers could have gone on stage to encourage keeping masks on, or asked the performers to kindly remind everyone. It was a great night, and really I would just like to see that we can continue to have concerts.

nice place for a concert. was able to get a seat on the right side and was able to see the whole concert and have adequate space among all the other concert-goers :)

Exceptional concert. Should have gotten 5 stars but...one security guard was blocking the view the whole night when the mosh pit was going. It was a small and extremely well behaved pit and yet this guy was up and in the way. Anyways chill dude so we can see the band.

I have been hear a few times now and I've enjoyed myself every time. It is a small venue, very intimate setting. The stage isn't elevated too much and you're very close to the performers. It can be a little loud I would definitely suggest earplugs to wear. Bathrooms & coat check are downstairs. There is a bar serving a pretty good selection of beers and drinks, typically about 8$ a drink standard Toronto prices. The lights & sound quality are always really nice!! Can't wait to go back :)

Always been a great small venue for live music. Great sightlines no matter where you stand amd the drink prices are moderately priced compared to so many overpriced places. Great staff at the door. Alexandra Kay, Country Singer, was great there.

doesn't look like much from the outside but this is actually a great venue. The staff were attentive and friendly. The sound is great, and the sitelines were wide open. I should mention, I took my daughter to an all ages show, she had the time of her life!

Watched Culture Abuse last Tuesday! I'm definitely coming back!!! Tight security in here. Love it. I feel secure lol

Really enjoyed this venue, very intimate and close to the entertainment, I went for devourment and was a blast, highly recommend this venue

Love the vibe of this place but damn that sound system! Was here for Flock Named Murder/Harakiri for the Sky show and it was a good time. There is one bar selling beer at 10$ which is not bad compared to other venues. Coat check is on the same floor with the washrooms downstairs.

My wife and I saw Wilderado play at The Velvet Underground and it was a great experience! Once you get through the front doors, you are greeted with a dark and exciting music venue. We made our way to the front, with a drink, and soaked up some wonderful (and loud) live music from a band we really enjoy. It felt very personal and intimate, and the crowd was equally enjoying the experience with us. Thank you!

Really nice venue but the location of the coat check is annoying -- line has to like go up the stairs. Experience getting in is smooth and safe.

Went to see Penelope Scott . She was fine ...it would have been amazing if we'd been able to actually see her though. . You literally cannot see anything that is happening on the stage . My daughter was sooooo excited to go to this concert she loves Penelope Scott and all we ended up doing was staring at the back of people's heads the whole time. By 10 o'clock my daughter asked to leave so we left early. You literally cannot see the people on the stage unless you are in the front 10 percent of the audience . Velvet Underground ...RAISE YOUR STAGE UP HIGHER PLEASE. I personally will not go to another performance at this venue for this reason. I've never in my life (I'm 42) have gone to a performance where you could not see what was happening on the stage ... So disappointed 🥺 I'm posting a photo at head level with this review . The performance is underway and Penelope Scott is on the stage standing singing. We are about half way back in the crowd. If you raised your phone up as high as possible you could see her head . Second photo. :( Too bad. It would've been great otherwise.

I saw Rejjie Snow and Richie Quake (opening act) here a few weeks ago and I didn’t have to line up too early whatsoever and I got to stand in the front row which was great especially since the tickets were so affordable! (Around like $25-30 CAD or so) The coat check also pretty affordable which is good because it was a pretty windy day outside and I didn’t want to sweat during the concert. I wish the space was a teensy bit cleaner but overall, the staff were nice and it was a great show.

Fantastic security, they treated us super kind and not like cattle! Personable staff! Drinks were a great price for Toronto. The show had good audio. Just some tech issues

Seen Cormega live was amazing 💯💯💯💯💯🇨🇦🇨🇦🇨🇦🇨🇦🇨🇦 Venue is a nice spot good sound also.

I went to support my nephew at an all ages event. It was good, security is a bit power hungry for some strange reason, but I get it because it was all ages but still it was weird. Other than that, it was decent

Friendly staff, great venue for small intimate concerts. The drinks prices are understandably a little high, but more reasonable compared to other venues I've gone to. Saw Joey Pecoraro here tonight in concert and I had a wonderful time. Would definitely come here again for another concert. It's pretty easy to find and parking in the area was conveniently located too.

Saw "Say Sue Me" a sensational Korean band. VU is a great venue for live music, small intimate and is an "I was there... " kind of place. Please note it is a cashless bar. Only down side ... lighting crew ... please use less red .

What a beautiful space. Good vibes. SAFE! Very fair pricing. Honestly had an incredible experience there tonight. One for the books :) Check it out! They’ve got a good thing going. Queen West is always full of art & culture and they help that happen 🩷🎶🎸

This is one of those quaint venues that reminds you of a time when Toronto took things a bit slower. A rewind in time, The Velvet Underground is a venue space with a bar near to the door, the stage at the back of the room, and a split space for viewing. The room is low-lit and does get a little hot once it's crowded, but the cozy atmosphere is refreshing. Staff were accommodating and very friendly. The staff that was working behind the coat check was so nice and worked through the crowd efficiently so that everyone was able to get situated before the show started. I didn't have a chance to use the washrooms, but they appeared to be on the lower level, though I may be wrong. Great venue, great show, and the crowd really had fun! (Also check out Finish Ticket, the band's photos I posted. They're awesome!)

Awesome venue that had great sound for that intimate setting with your favorite band you are there to see.

What an amazing venue. Perfect for intimate shows - perfect for larger ones too!! Great spacing for mosh - excellent bar location and washroom location. Outstanding artist area and green room. 5 star !!

The Velvet underground is amazing! Went there for a concert and the venue is incredible. It has seats for you to rest, coat check available and the only downside is that the bathroom is downstairs. Awesome venue for concerts and I will definitely be coming back.

Friendly and enthusiastic staff and great music programming. Looking forward to hanging out at VU again soon. The Rival Consoles and Khotin concert was the perfect Saturday fall evening escape.

My favorite venue I've ever been to! I saw arms length here and the security did a lot to keep stage divers safe, without trying to stop them. There wasn't any fighting and the bag policy is reasonable!

5-star location, 5-star talent booking and a 1-star sound that ruins everything. I want to give every downtown Toronto venue a 5-star review just for existing and keeping the culture alive, I really do. Unfortunately, the Velvet Underground consistently attracts great artists away from nearby venues with competent sound to play in a box where all their songs compress into needlessly loud, muddled walls of noise. I've given the venue 3 or 4 tries with artists of different genres to see if any of them would be different, but nope. Every time I've gone, any bit of detail in the music is drowned out by deafening mid-tones - no matter where I stand in the venue. Maybe I sound like an old man, but I've been to countless venues, from big theatres to tiny basements, both as a performer and an audience member, and the only time I've genuinely felt like I had to wear earplugs or suffer permanent hearing loss was the Blanck Mass show here a few years back. It was musical malpractice. One venue having bad sound isn't the biggest deal, but the fact that the Velvet Underground has SUCH bad sound and SUCH good artists is a real shame for Toronto's live music scene. I'm sure the artists aren't leaving Toronto very impressed, either. If the Velvet Underground revamps their sound, I'll be happy to give the venue a reappraisal. Until then, there is only one justifiable rating to give.

It's a relatively small place, but has excellent acoustics and is cozy. If you go there for a concert, expect an amazing experience where you're quite close to the artist(s). Security is polite, helpful and effective, and they have a mandatory coat check costing $4 + tax. Bathrooms are clean as well. Loved my experience here seeing Skald, and would 100% go again!

Awesome venue! The small, intimate environment gives you a unique chance to interact with your favourite artists. Always good prices, always good music plus the Dime on Queen and The Bovine are within walking distance. I have seen Loviet, Huron John, Mating Ritual, Jawny, Cheekface, and Hobo Johnson here and intend to return for many more shows :)

Small venue with powerful sound. It was a pleasure being able to come see The Warning live for the first time in my life and their first time playing in Toronto. Had a great time at Velvet.

Fun concert venue in the downtown core. Often has good music, smaller stage and somewhat obstructed views but otherwise a good venue. Get there early to get a good spot up front or they also have a slightly elevated back area so in case you dont arrive early enough you can still see some of the action.

Love this venue! When it comes to the concert scene, less is definitely more. Small venues like the Velvet Underground make you feel as if you're part of the show. This place has a great vibe, staff are friendly and it's easy to get lost in the experience!

Good music venue, not big so it feels very intimate, very nice security at the door and friendly bartenders. All in all a very good atmosphere, will definitely come again for more concerts and live performances here.

Great little venue to catch some live music. Drinks are reasonable, and coat check is cheap.

Great location for small concerts - I recently saw Ruth B. there, and really enjoyed the event. Occasionally, depending on where the performer is standing, views are blocked if you're not the tallest person in the room because of the nature of the flat floor close to the stage. The lights, smoke machine and other aspects of a small show are great. Doors open time isn't 100% accurate, but the staff was prepared with wrist bands for those who were waiting in line and who wanted to drink at an all ages show. They had staff members go through the line asking people if they planned to be drinking before entering the venue to make entering the event go more smoothly. Bouncers do check bags and such, but are quick about it and friendly, and it was easy enough to pick up a ticket on the night of the event to save on service fees when booking online.

This is a great place. The drinks were amazing and the entertainment was out of this world.

Came here for the Sara Kays concert, it's a cute venue. I hope to see more shows here in the future

Very intimate setting. Everyone was friendly and drinks not too badly priced. So cool to be that close to an artist or band while they play! Great atmosphere. Good security and covid protocols are followed! Would highly recommend seeing a performance at this venue!

Attended a concert here. Lining up experience could have been better managed / signed but the venue was nice. Sound was amazing and security was helpful. Concert lighting was incredible and so were effects. A cozy venue that had the potential for a fantastic vibe when the music is right.

Awesome show and good drinks. Good vibes. Good crowd.

Should not be a venue for incoming big names! Incredibly small venue with a 350 person capacity. That is my only problem with the place is the size. Bar staff and security were very nice.

This venue is amazing for shows. Sound system rocks and the sound tech guy did an unreal job. You'll want to be up close though as venue is very narrow and long. Update: caught another show here 3 years after my first one. Sound quality still just as good. This place is a hidden gem for small shows.

Nice place for underground metal concerts, not huge but you know only the people that truly love that specific artist will go to that specific show, so you can have more fun meeting people who loves the same band. Btw I went there to enjoy the show of Swallow the Sun. Absolutely amazing, they killed it!!!

Velvet isn't the best club in Toronto but it is my favorite! I have my favorite spot in the club near the front on the right side where the steps/bench is, allows you to see over the crowd at see the DJ playing his tunes. Biggest issue (isn't really an issue) is the lights and stage setup is super low quality compared to other clubs. Again not to big of a deal but would love to see an update!

Saw The Warning here. Great sound. Actually nicer than most venues like this. Reasonably priced beers even!