House of Targ

House of Targ is a live-music venue, arcade and pierogi restaurant in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. It opened on April 17, 2014, launching with a performance by Toronto punk band PUP. The venue combines several forms of entertainment that are often associated with Ottawa’s independent nightlife: a concert room oriented toward touring and local acts, a collection of classic arcade games and vintage pinball machines, and a food operation centered on pierogi. The name refers to Targ, a popular arcade game released in 1980. That reference signals the venue’s deliberately retro identity, while its programming places it within contemporary independent music culture. House of Targ has been associated with rock, indie, alternative, punk, hardcore, metal, ska and synth music, among other adjacent genres. Its performance history includes Canadian and international acts such as PUP, The Nils, Rational Youth, The Real McKenzies, UK Subs, Screaming Females, C. J. Ramone, A Wilhelm Scream, The Interrupters, White Lung, Truckfighters, Surfer Blood, The Dirty Nil, Said the Whale and The Zolas. The range of bookings spans established touring artists, cult performers, underground bands and genre-specialist acts. The arcade component was central to the venue’s early proposition. In 2014, House of Targ was reported to have approximately twelve classic arcade cabinets and eighteen vintage pinball machines. The games give the venue an additional social and recreational function beyond concerts, helping distinguish it from a conventional bar or club. Arcade tournaments and related events also formed part of its public profile. House of Targ additionally published a monthly zine distributed around Ottawa. The zine and the venue’s eclectic concert calendar contributed to a community-oriented identity rooted in local promotion, music discovery and alternative culture. In 2015, the venue attracted public attention after a controversial show involving the band Black Pussy; reporting indicated that House of Targ subsequently released an inclusivity plan. Available reference material does not establish the venue’s current ownership, corporate structure, financial performance or operating status, so those details remain unspecified.

House of Targ opened in Ottawa on April 17, 2014, with a concert by Toronto band PUP. From its beginning, the business was conceived as more than a conventional music room. Its identity joined a live venue with a retro arcade, a pinball collection and a restaurant serving pierogi. The name was inspired by Targ, a 1980 arcade game, providing a direct link between the brand and the classic-gaming culture represented inside the venue. The venue’s musical programming developed around independent and guitar-driven genres. Bookings reported in reference material include punk, hardcore, metal, alternative rock, indie, ska and synth acts, as well as artists whose work crosses those categories. The list ranges from Canadian performers and touring international groups to underground and cult acts. PUP appeared at the opening, while later performers included The Nils, Rational Youth, The Real McKenzies, UK Subs, Neil Hamburger, Angry Samoans, Extreme Noise Terror, David Liebe Hart, B.A. Johnston, Rich Aucoin, Chixdiggit, Anciients, Hibria, Dayglo Abortions, Screaming Females, The Courtneys, C. J. Ramone, Ian Blurton, Truckfighters, Bob Log III, Re-Animator, Gorod, Mike Krol, Weaves, Hard Skin, Antidote, Blanks 77, A Wilhelm Scream, Days N' Daze, Moon King, Surfer Blood, Pop. 1280, Downtown Boys, Duotang, The Interrupters, Dave Hause, Dilly Dally, White Lung, Diemonds, Dirty Dishes, The Balconies, DZ Deathrays, Dune Rats, The Pack A.D., The Dirty Nil, The Cave Singers, Said the Whale, Library Voices, No Joy, The Elwins and The Zolas. The arcade was also a significant part of the early operation. In 2014, the venue was described as having about twelve classic arcade games and eighteen vintage pinball machines. This equipment supported casual play, social gatherings and organized tournaments, giving House of Targ a distinctive recreational dimension. Rather than treating gaming as a secondary amenity, the venue made it part of the core experience alongside concerts and food. House of Targ also circulated a monthly zine around Ottawa. The publication reinforced the venue’s role as a local cultural outlet and promotional platform. Its activities were reported in local media through concert-related coverage, arcade-tournament reporting and stories about attempts to engage performers and audiences. In 2015, House of Targ faced criticism over a controversial Black Pussy show. Contemporary reporting stated that the venue responded by releasing an inclusivity plan. The available sources establish the controversy and the existence of the response, but do not provide enough information to evaluate the plan’s implementation or long-term effects. Publicly available reference material likewise does not establish the venue’s current ownership, management team, financial results or status, so those areas remain undetermined.

• 2015

  Inclusivity plan follows Black Pussy controversy

  [2]House of Targ releases inclusivity plan after controversial Black Pussy showcbc.ca

  House of Targ released an inclusivity plan after controversy surrounding a Black Pussy performance.

• 2014

  House of Targ opens in Ottawa

  [1]House of Targen.wikipedia.org

  The venue opened on April 17 with a live performance by Toronto band PUP, introducing its combined music, arcade and food concept.

• 2014

  Early arcade and pinball collection documented

  [1]House of Targen.wikipedia.org

  The venue was reported to have approximately twelve classic arcade games and eighteen vintage pinball machines.

A community-oriented Ottawa entertainment venue combining independent live music, retro arcade culture, pinball and casual pierogi dining.

• Live entertainment · 2014

  Live music programming

  House of Targ’s principal entertainment offering is a concert program focused on independent, alternative and underground music. Its reported bookings cover rock, indie, punk, hardcore, metal, ska and synth, with performances by both Canadian and international artists. The venue has hosted touring acts, local performers and genre-specific artists, creating a calendar that ranges from punk and metal to experimental and indie-oriented music.

• Arcade entertainment · 2014

  Classic arcade

  The arcade is built around classic video-game machines and forms part of the venue’s central identity rather than serving merely as incidental décor. Early descriptions cited roughly twelve arcade games. The retro-gaming concept is reflected in the House of Targ name, which references the 1980 arcade game Targ.

• Arcade entertainment · 2014

  Vintage pinball

  House of Targ’s pinball offering complemented its video-game collection and supported social play and tournament activity. In 2014, the venue was reported to have approximately eighteen vintage pinball machines, helping establish it as an Ottawa destination for arcade and pinball enthusiasts.

• Food service · 2014

  Pierogi restaurant

  The venue includes a pierogi restaurant component, integrating casual food service into the concert and arcade experience. Available reference material identifies pierogi as a defining part of the business but does not provide a complete menu, pricing history or current service details.

• Music publication

  House of Targ zine

  A monthly zine was distributed around Ottawa as part of the venue’s community and promotional activity. The publication connected House of Targ with local music culture, although the available sources do not specify its full run, editorial staff or present availability.

• 2015

  Controversy over Black Pussy performance

  A Black Pussy show at House of Targ generated controversy, after which the venue released an inclusivity plan. The available reference material does not provide sufficient detail to characterize the allegations, the complete response or later outcomes.

  Source

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• 2015

  Issue an inclusivity planStrategy

  Background

  The decision followed controversy associated with a Black Pussy performance at the venue.

  Action taken

  House of Targ released an inclusivity plan intended to address concerns about inclusivity and the venue’s event practices.

  Aftermath

  The plan was reported by CBC, but the available material does not document its implementation, measurement or longer-term effect.

  Source

1. 1House of Targen.wikipedia.org
2. 2House of Targ releases inclusivity plan after controversial Black Pussy showcbc.ca
3. 3Pinball punks compete for street cred in Ottawa arcade tournamentmetronews.ca
4. 4House of Targ official websitehouseoftarg.com