Since this article's original posting, Kingston Live has learned that the “Mattress Shop Series” concerts will no longer take place inside the former Kingston Penitentiary, and will instead take place at The Broom Factory and The Spire, respectively.
KPP Concerts has announced a new lineup of live music events that will take place within the walls of the historic Kingston Penitentiary. According to a statement by KPP Concerts, the “Mattress Shop Series” will feature a combination of touring and local musicians, performing in the old Kingston Pen Mattress Shop, which will hold about 150 attendees per show. [caption id="attachment_8885" align="alignleft" width="300"] Photo: Tourism Kingston[/caption] “The decommissioned Kingston Penitentiary has hosted walking tours and film productions in recent years, but the future of the building is uncertain,” explained KPP Concerts in their statement. “Our hope is the space can be re-imagined for the arts and community building - a place that doesn't just entertain, but also provides opportunities for learning and collaboration.” The statement also said that the Mattress Shop Series will feature three concerts in total, two of which were also announced today: Classified with Reeny Smith on Thursday, October 13, and Status/Non-Status with Funeral Lakes and Tiny Horse on Friday, October 14. Since it's decommissioning in 2013, the Kingston Penitentiary has been used as an event venue, most notably for the Rockin' the Big House, a 2019 charity concert that featured Kasador, The Trews, The Pursuit of Happiness, The Headstones and Tom Cochrane. KPP Concerts is producing the Mattress Shop Series In partnership with The United Way of KFL&A, the John Howard Society, and CFRC Prison Radio. KPP Concerts hopes that the Mattress Series concerts “...will assist artists, provide jobs for local arts workers, raise funds and awareness for local charities, and showcase how the space may be utilized for a broad range of the community as the conversation escalates on the future of (the Kingston Penitentiary.”   Posted: May 3, 2023 Originally Published: Sep 12, 2022