Dave "Bookie" Bookman — the late Toronto radio icon who was beloved in the city's scene for his championing of independent music — has been immortalized at one of the provincial capital's most important live music venues with a new memorial plaque.
Today, a host of Bookman's friends, family, colleagues and listeners were on hand for the unveiling of a Heritage Toronto plaque outside the Horseshoe Tavern, commemorating his lifetime of promoting independent music inside and out of Canada. Gathered on the sidewalk out front as if fresh off catching a set inside the venue, the sizeable crowd saw members of Arkells, Rheostatics, Billy Talent and Broken Social Scene in attendance.
The plaque, which can be seen below, will soon permanently stand out front of the storied venue steps from the northeast corner of Queen Street West and Spadina Avenue. It was at the Horseshoe where Bookman co-created and hosted Nu Music Nites, the long-running weekly concert showcase first held in 1993.
Bookman's career in radio began in the 1980s at CIUT-FM, the University of Toronto's campus radio station, as the host of programs including High and Outside and Don't Look Back. At the time, he was also working as a buyer for A&A Records, and was making music of his own as a member of the Bookmen, releasing album Volume One Delicatessen in 1987.
In the '90s, Bookman became a reporter and voice at Toronto's CFNY-FM (now the Edge), continuing to highlight independent music as the host of the station's Indie Hour that decade. In 2013, he helped launch CIND-FM — known best as Indie88 — and was awarded the Canadian Independent Music Association's Unsung Hero Award in 2018.
Hosted by Josie Dye, Bookman's friend and colleague at both Indie88 and the Edge, the unveiling event featured appearances from Billy Talent frontman Ben Kowalewicz, Bookman's friend and bandmate Tim Mech, Stephen Stanley of Lowest of the Low, and July Talk's Leah Fay and Peter Dreimanis.
Kowalewicz called Bookman "the embodiment of what this community is and what it should be," in highlighting the importance of his spirit to the future of independent music across the country. The Bookmen performed original song "Stop the Show" before covering "(What's So Funny 'Bout) Peace, Love and Understanding," famously sung by one of Bookman's all-time favourites, Elvis Costello.
Stanley reminisced about spending Tuesday nights at the 'Shoe with Bookman (and heading to Sneaky Dee's for a King's Crown nacho platter afterwards) before singing of his late friend in a song titled "The Owl," "You transplanted all of your things / And taught this city how to sing."
Dreimanis first shared upon stepping to the mic, "It's intimidating to meet a guy whose voice you only know from the radio," but noted how Bookman's Wilco hat was "a welcome invitation" to share in their love of music and stories. To close the gathering, July Talk covered Wilco's "Misunderstood," their acoustic rendition soon caught up in the music of the cityscape: a wailing fire truck, and dog howling alongside.
Bookman passed away in May 2019 after being hospitalized due to an aneurysm. He was 58.
Today, a host of Bookman's friends, family, colleagues and listeners were on hand for the unveiling of a Heritage Toronto plaque outside the Horseshoe Tavern, commemorating his lifetime of promoting independent music inside and out of Canada. Gathered on the sidewalk out front as if fresh off catching a set inside the venue, the sizeable crowd saw members of Arkells, Rheostatics, Billy Talent and Broken Social Scene in attendance.
The plaque, which can be seen below, will soon permanently stand out front of the storied venue steps from the northeast corner of Queen Street West and Spadina Avenue. It was at the Horseshoe where Bookman co-created and hosted Nu Music Nites, the long-running weekly concert showcase first held in 1993.
Bookman's career in radio began in the 1980s at CIUT-FM, the University of Toronto's campus radio station, as the host of programs including High and Outside and Don't Look Back. At the time, he was also working as a buyer for A&A Records, and was making music of his own as a member of the Bookmen, releasing album Volume One Delicatessen in 1987.
In the '90s, Bookman became a reporter and voice at Toronto's CFNY-FM (now the Edge), continuing to highlight independent music as the host of the station's Indie Hour that decade. In 2013, he helped launch CIND-FM — known best as Indie88 — and was awarded the Canadian Independent Music Association's Unsung Hero Award in 2018.
Hosted by Josie Dye, Bookman's friend and colleague at both Indie88 and the Edge, the unveiling event featured appearances from Billy Talent frontman Ben Kowalewicz, Bookman's friend and bandmate Tim Mech, Stephen Stanley of Lowest of the Low, and July Talk's Leah Fay and Peter Dreimanis.
Kowalewicz called Bookman "the embodiment of what this community is and what it should be," in highlighting the importance of his spirit to the future of independent music across the country. The Bookmen performed original song "Stop the Show" before covering "(What's So Funny 'Bout) Peace, Love and Understanding," famously sung by one of Bookman's all-time favourites, Elvis Costello.
Stanley reminisced about spending Tuesday nights at the 'Shoe with Bookman (and heading to Sneaky Dee's for a King's Crown nacho platter afterwards) before singing of his late friend in a song titled "The Owl," "You transplanted all of your things / And taught this city how to sing."
Dreimanis first shared upon stepping to the mic, "It's intimidating to meet a guy whose voice you only know from the radio," but noted how Bookman's Wilco hat was "a welcome invitation" to share in their love of music and stories. To close the gathering, July Talk covered Wilco's "Misunderstood," their acoustic rendition soon caught up in the music of the cityscape: a wailing fire truck, and dog howling alongside.
Bookman passed away in May 2019 after being hospitalized due to an aneurysm. He was 58.
