Viewpoint: It’s about time for a makeover at the Bronson Centre

When a musician stands onstage at a concert and declares that he hopes his music challenges the structure of the building, there is a problem with the venue.

This happened at the Mother Mother concert in November at the Bronson Centre.

The concert hall is the old theatre of Centretown’s Immaculata High School. It is filled with rows of theatre-style seats and a stage. There is also a balcony filled with seats overlooking the stage.

There is very little room to dance, there is no coat check, and there is no bar. If you do want a beverage, you need to leave the theatre and sometimes there is a table set up with drinks on sale.

It is very hard to socialize in the concert hall because with the seats side by side, people are forced to direct their attention at the stage and cannot comfortably make conversation with others around them.

This may be good for an acoustic gig, but is not ideal for any upbeat show. Concerts are about the music, but the atmosphere also contributes to the experience.

Audience members have said that waiting for a show at the Bronson Centre feels much like waiting for an amateur community play to begin.

As one tweeter, @robrames, put it, “I’m in a high school auditorium (@The Bronson Centre…).”

Another person who reviewed the Bronson Centre on the Internet, known only as Haley R., said, “It didn’t have the energy or the space for a good rock concert.”

“I’d rather not be so displaced from the action by 30 rows of filled seats or up on the balcony,” she explained.  

Although the design of the Bronson Centre theatre is less than ideal for many concerts, the venue has been attracting lots of big names.

Lady Gaga, Hey Rosetta!, Theory of a Deadman, Down With Webster, Broken Social Scene, Tegan and Sara, Against Me! and many more high-profile artists have performed there.

There must be something the Bronson Centre is doing right if it is attracting these musicians.

A  reason may be that it is one of Ottawa’s only concert halls with such large capacity. The Bronson Centre, which can hold 900, is a good option for artists who want a large space, but do not want to go to an upscale venue like the National Arts Centre or the Scotiabank Place out in suburban Ottawa. As well, the NAC and Scotiabank Place can hold significantly more than 900 people and may be too big for some shows.

But just because the Bronson Centre is a good alternative does not mean it is utilizing its full potential. The centre can still improve the experience of concertgoers and make it more appealing to bands and music lovers.

With simple renovations, the atmosphere could be transformed.

The Bronson Centre should remove some of the chairs from the main level of the theatre, opening up the space for a dance floor. This would still leave some seating on the first floor and a whole balcony of seats for those who prefer to sit down.

The Bronson Centre should also allocate space to be used as a bar and create a coat check. This would make the experience of guests more positive and generate revenue in the long run. People wouldn’t have to lug around their winter jackets all night or leave the show to get a drink.

These changes may seem simple, but would do a lot to enhance the experience of attending a concert at the Bronson Centre. Although the venue is already doing well, it could become the best large location for concerts in the city.