''UKULA Magazine'' was an independent arts and culture quarterly founded in 2004, based in

Toronto Toronto ( , locally pronounced or ) is the List of the largest municipalities in Canada by population, most populous city in Canada. It is the capital city of the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of Ontario. With a p ...

Ontario Ontario is the southernmost Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada. Located in Central Canada, Ontario is the Population of Canada by province and territory, country's most populous province. As of the 2021 Canadian census, it ...

Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its Provinces and territories of Canada, ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, making it the world's List of coun ...

. It was created by co-founders Kevin Renton and Graeme Maclean, who first started out DJing under the now well known UKULA moniker at the city's Andy Poolhall in 2002. Copies of ''UKULA'' were to be found throughout the cities of Toronto,

Montreal Montreal is the List of towns in Quebec, largest city in the Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Quebec, the List of the largest municipalities in Canada by population, second-largest in Canada, and the List of North American cit ...

and

New York City New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...

. Plans were underway to extend full distribution to include

London London is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of both England and the United Kingdom, with a population of in . London metropolitan area, Its wider metropolitan area is the largest in Wester ...

and

Edinburgh Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland and one of its 32 Council areas of Scotland, council areas. The city is located in southeast Scotland and is bounded to the north by the Firth of Forth and to the south by the Pentland Hills. Edinburgh ...

, though limited distribution was available in these two cities. In addition to publishing its glossy magazine, UKULA also had event planning and arts/culture consultancy departments catering to local bands and haute couture fashion houses interested in promoting their brand. Leah Rumack, writing for

The Globe and Mail ''The Globe and Mail'' is a Newspapers in Canada, Canadian newspaper printed in five cities in Western Canada, western and central Canada. With a weekly readership of more than 6 million in 2024, it is Canada's most widely read newspaper on week ...

, described the store as the "ground zero for all things impossibly cool in music, books and fashion".

History

After a year in Toronto, Renton and Maclean relocated to Montreal in 2003, where they continued their series of popular DJ nights. A year later, the first issue of ''UKULA Magazine'' hit the streets, a slim staple-bound 32 page paperbacked-sized volume that included interviews with then up-and-coming bands

Arcade Fire Arcade Fire is a Canadian indie rock band from Montreal, Quebec, consisting of husband and wife Win Butler and Régine Chassagne, alongside Richard Reed Parry, Tim Kingsbury, and Jeremy Gara. The band's touring line-up includes former core ...

and

Kasabian Kasabian ( ) are an English rock band formed in Leicester in 1997 by lead vocalist Tom Meighan, guitarist and second vocalist Sergio Pizzorno, guitarist Chris Karloff and bassist Chris Edwards. Drummer Ian Matthews joined in 2004. Karloff ...

. By the third issue, the magazine had evolved into a vibrant, glossy (with an average length of just over 100 pages), professionally bound magazine, with content about film, literature, travel and fashion. Renton and Maclean returned to Toronto in August 2006, and opened the UKULA boutique on 492 College St. A multi-purpose venue that could be converted for stage concerts and parties, the storefront featured a street-level lounge-style cafe, and sold books, magazines, CDs, and clothing. The magazine offices were located in the building's basement. Events at the UKULA store included the Canadian book launch of Stephen Hall's ''

The Raw Shark Texts ''The Raw Shark Texts'' is the debut novel by British author Steven Hall (author), Steven Hall, released in 2007. The book was released by Canongate Books in the US and the UK and published by HarperCollins in Canada. The title is a play on "R ...

'', as well as concert performances by Born Ruffians and The Coast. On November 5, 2005, the UKULA Bright Lights Festival in Toronto's

Distillery District The Distillery District is a commercial and residential district in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, east of downtown, which contains numerous cafés, restaurants, and shops housed within heritage buildings of the former Gooderham and Worts Distillery. ...

featured bands such as

Elbow The elbow is the region between the upper arm and the forearm that surrounds the elbow joint. The elbow includes prominent landmarks such as the olecranon, the cubital fossa (also called the chelidon, or the elbow pit), and the lateral and t ...

, The Duke Spirit, Stirling, The Call Up and the Meligrove Band. The 2007

Virgin Festival The Virgin Fest, known as the Virgin Mobile FreeFest in the United States, was a rock festival held in the United States and Canada, a spin-off from the V Festival held in the UK. In North America the Virgin Group, Virgin name, and more recently ...

Afterparty hosted at UKULA featured a performance by The Cinematics, and attracted members of

Metric Metric or metrical may refer to: Measuring * Metric system, an internationally adopted decimal system of measurement * An adjective indicating relation to measurement in general, or a noun describing a specific type of measurement Mathematics ...

Smashing Pumpkins The Smashing Pumpkins (also simply known as Smashing Pumpkins) are an American alternative rock band formed in Chicago in 1988 by frontman and guitarist Billy Corgan, guitarist James Iha, bassist D'arcy Wretzky and drummer Jimmy Chamberlin. ...

and

The Killers The Killers are an American Rock music, rock band formed in Las Vegas, Nevada, in 2001 by Brandon Flowers (lead vocals, keyboards, bass) and Dave Keuning (lead guitar, backing vocals). After the band went through a number of short-term bas ...

. The magazine and its storefront and website all folded in 2008.

References

{{Reflist

External links

''Ukula'' website
(archived)
''Now'' Magazine: Store of the Week: Feb. 2007

(archived)
Profile on the McGill Daily
2004 establishments in Ontario 2008 disestablishments in Ontario Alternative magazines Defunct visual arts magazines published in Canada Defunct magazines published in Toronto Defunct magazines published in London Magazines established in 2004 Magazines disestablished in 2008 Defunct magazines published in Montreal Defunct magazines published in New York (state) Mass media in Edinburgh Independent magazines