The capital has a brand new concert hall, as History Ottawa will open its doors for the first time this Thursday, transforming the venue at Rideau Street and Sussex Drive into a 2,000-capacity destination for live music and special events.
The National Capital Commission acquired the landmark corner property in 2024, later enlisting promoter Live Nation Canada to oversee the two-year refit. The sleek, two-level room shares a brand with Toronto’s History but the Ottawa venue has a style all of its own.
One of its key features is the configuration of the stage, which ensures patrons are never more than about 30 metres from the performers. “It’s all about being able to see your artist up close and personal, and being able to feel the experience of not only the artist, but also the person next to you,” Ali Shafaee, regional vice-president for Live Nation Canada, told the Ottawa Citizen.
This is an intentional nod to the “up-close” ethos championed by celebrity partner Drake, whose creative team also curated the furnishings for a private, on-site green-room equipped to host A-list entourages. “These venues are where our stories are born, elevated, shared, and hopefully revisited. I will be there to drop off my personal touch to Ottawa soon,” said Drake on Instagram.
“In creating this I think about every artist that had to play a venue and ask themselves “is this what making it feels like” because I know we respect all the heritage and all the years of inheritance but hope to create a better experience for our budding artists moving forward.”
Opening-night honors belong to American roots-rock favourites The Wallflowers, whose sold-out performance kicks off a calendar that already lists more than 30 shows. Among them: Kaleo, Modest Mouse, Marianas Trench and Toronto cover band Dwayne Gretzky. Around 150 events a year are planned, potentially welcoming some 300,000 visitors into the ByWard Market annually.
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