History Ottawa has announced its first run of shows.
The inaugural expansion of the Toronto venue, a partnership between Live Nation and Drake, will kick off on Aug. 20, with indie act The Wallflowers.
In September, blues rock group Kaleo, heavy rockers The Pretty Reckless and power metal quartet Sabaton will take the stage, followed by alt-rock band Two Door Cinema Club in October.
Of the eight acts announced, the final four are Canadian: indie artist Bahamas and pop-rock group Marianas Trench are scheduled for October, while Ottawa native Talk and Montreal’s Wolf Parade — hot on the heels of their “I’ll Believe in Anything” Heated Rivalry synch — also play to close out the year.
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Located in ByWard Market at 47 Rideau Street, more acts are set to be announced as the venue gears up for a summer opening.
Last year, it was announced that History would be expanding to Ottawa. It’s designed to be a sister venue to History in Toronto, a mid-size club venue that has become a key player in the city's concert scene. It marks the second venue collaboration between Live Nation Canada and Drake, a partner in the Toronto venue, who has invested in the Ottawa venture.
The expansion provides artists with additional opportunities to tour in Canada, with the opportunity for higher-profile touring acts to hit different cities and for the scale of concerts to improve.
“That's our ambition in a lot of these Canadian secondary markets. What’s missing? Or what's not good enough from an artist and fan experience? Let’s try to fill the holes,” Erik Hoffman, president of music at Live Nation Canada, told Billboard Canada in a joint Power Players cover story with Riley O'Connor and Melissa Bubb-Clarke.
The venue will have a similar layout to History Toronto, hosting a general-admission audience on the ground floor and seating on the upper level. Ottawa’s capacity will hold 2,000 people, approximately 400 concertgoers fewer than in Toronto.
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Melanie Brulée, executive director of the Ottawa Music Industry Coalition, told CBCthat the province is "ripe and ready" for the forthcoming music venue.
"We have a lot of talent here already. As well, we got a lot of the infrastructure that is starting to build. This is just the next step in Ottawa's music ecosystem."
History Ottawa joins the other purpose-built music venues in Live Nation Canada’s growing portfolio, including long-running venues like Muskoka's KEE to Bala, Vancouver's Commodore Ballroom and Toronto's Mod Club and Opera House.
