As a disclaimer, these reviews are based solely on first impressions, as I have really only visited each of the following venues a limited amount of times. (With the exception of the MacEwan Hall, which I have visited several times).
Union Hall
Edmonton, AB.
While this a venue that I would likely stay far away from normally, it worked quite well for the show I attended. Why would I stay far away? Generally this a ‘dance’ club, filled with people who don’t even look old enough to be in a bar, wearing very little clothing and filled with desperate boys looking to capitalize on the female clientele. Which is not really the type of crowd that I choose to associate with on a regular basis. The Union Hall is located in a semi-industrial area of the city. It’s slightly out of the way, but easy to get to and has a large parking lot close to the venue, due to it being located basically behind a strip mall. Personally, I don’t think I would rely on public transit to get here, but taking a cab would be an option.
Doors for the show opened on time and the line progressed relatively quickly for those who had hard copy tickets. A pat-down/bag search policy was in place, although it seems like this policy was more heavily enforced for males. Coat check was reasonably priced and quick, which was great for a cold winter evening. The inside of the Union has a set-up that I have not seen utilized to the same extent in any other venue. The floor/mosh pit area itself was quite small, as well as the stage. That being said, there were numerous vantage points on the first floor that would enable patrons to see the stage from nearly every angle. (The only exception to this being from directly behind the stage). A staircase led to a second floor running the perimeter of the building with narrow tables along the railing providing more good vantage points for those who did not feel like fighting through the crowds on the first floor, or for those who would rather watch the show than venture into a pit. It would have been nice if they would have had stools or chairs along this railing, but they were absent. Surprisingly, the sound was pretty good inside the Union, with few issues which might have been due to where I was located in the venue. Several bars are located throughout both the first and second floors. My biggest complaint regarding the bars themselves comes from the fact that the first two drinks I had were barely cooler than room temperature. You’d think that when you’re hosting a large event where there is a good chance that a majority of patrons will be drinking beer that you’d have plenty of beer pre-chilled before doors open. I’ve heard numerous complaints about weak drinks being served at this particular venue, but I cannot comment on that as the only things I drank were canned beer and water. Also, be aware that you will be paying a premium price for drinks. No cheap drink specials to be found here.
This venue boasts a separate door leading to an enclosed, roofless smoking area with a suspended radiant heater. This is something that more venues could benefit from in a cold climate. While the area was small, have a separate entrance reduced much of the congestion that generally happens at bar entrances. As a bonus, the washrooms in the Union Hall were quite reasonable in comparison to many other venues in the city. Various, out of the way areas were utilized on the first floor to display band merchandise. This allowed for a fairly large display area and probably helped to reduce some of the congestion that can normally be found around the merch booths. (I did not get around to looking at merch until after the show while waiting for the crowd to clear out). From a musician’s standpoint, I can see the stage set-up being a bit of a concern. It seems that the musicians and the road crew actually had to maneuver through parts of the public area in order to access the stage. Other than that, I found the venue to be to my liking due to the numerous choices of vantage points, the numerous bars, the relative ease of accessing the smoking area and the general design and color scheme of the Union itself.
Overall, the Union Hall gets a 4.5 out of 5.
Studio Music Foundation
(formerly The Mead Hall)
Edmonton, AB.
It is safe to say that the Studio Music Foundation qualifies as a so-called ‘hole-in-the-wall’ type of venue. Located in another industrial area of the city, it is an easy building to miss if you are not looking for it. It does have a small parking lot located directly beside it, and plenty of street parking in the evenings, both free and probably due to it’s location off a main road. While it does appear that transit busses do run through the area, I would rely on your own transportation or a cab to get to and from this venue. The Studio hosts mainly local bands, from all genres of music, and is capable of hosting all ages shows as well as licensed events. It does seem more like a place to hang out than a place strictly for music, having a few arcade games and a bunch of food court-style tables towards the back of the venue. The Studio seems to have a small kitchen where a variety of snack items, including burgers, hotdogs and salads can be ordered. Various non-alcoholic beverages not typically found at other bars can be purchased as well. Whether the kitchen is fully operational during all opening hours, I am not sure.
Obviously a repurposed industrial building, the Studio is actually quite cold in the winter, so bringing a jacket or at least a hoodie inside is probably a safe bet. The stage itself is a decent size, but be aware that the floor is cement, so falling when moshing can be a painful experience. The bar counter is small and does not appear to be the best equipped, but seems adequate for a small venue. It might be difficult to get a drink on a busy night, but the venue was almost empty when I was there. Another downside to this venue is tiny washrooms, with the women’s washroom only having one toilet. Again, not really an issue on a slow night, but it might become an issue on a busy night. The atmosphere is laid back, and this building seems like a decent bet for catching an up-and-coming band looking to gain some local exposure.
Overall, the Studio Music Foundation gets a 3 out of 5.
Rickshaw Theatre
Vancouver, BC.
Situated near the confluence of China Town and East Hastings Street, in one of the worst neighbourhoods in Canada, the Rickshaw Theatre actually proved to be a surprising venue, full of character and friendly staff. Be aware when going to a show here that you will be in a tough, sketchy neighbourhood full of homeless people and drug addicts wandering the sidewalks. Taking a cab to the venue, and being able to easily flag one down after the show did not prove too difficult though. Originally built as a movie theatre, the set-up is perhaps not quite ideal, but owners and staff have certainly made the most out of it. Tickets are taken literally right at the door, and the entrance area itself seemed a bit crowded with people going in and out.
The Rickshaw is another venue with sloping floors, obviously left over from its movie theatre days. There are several rows of seats at the back of the venue, and stairs lead through these seats to the main floor area. If I remember correctly, the floor itself is cement and all of the stairs can be a bit difficult to navigate in the relatively dim light inside if you are not familiar with the venue. There is a balcony with more seats upstairs, but I never did bother to explore this area. Being an old movie theatre, the venue is somewhat unique. While the Avenue Theatre in Edmonton was also a similar theatre, the Rickshaw has utilized it’s unique space much better. There is nothing fancy about the venue, but it does display character at every turn and the sound was pretty good at the show I attended there. It is kind of dingy, but did not strike me as being unclean. The Rickshaw also had some of the friendliest staff I have personally encountered at any venue and the patrons themselves were also friendly and quite courteous. The mosh pit at the Rickshaw was more reminiscent of ones in Europe, with people being reasonably careful and very few being outright idiots. There were no carefully placed elbows or punches to the back of the head, nor any crowd surfers or stage divers to be found. Perhaps this is more typical of a Vancouver crowd? Either way, it was nice to feel relatively safe from idiotic behaviour.
The bars were pretty limited, with only a few different beers to choose from, but the staff were excellent. Plastic water containers with taps and plastic glasses, like one would take camping, were available so that those who wanted water were able to serve themselves and did not have to stand in line for the bar, or take up the bartender’s time. This was a nice touch that more venues should adopt. Merchandise was displayed along the walls on either side of the stage which kept it out of the way of the majority of traffic. Washrooms were located upstairs and besides the terrible neighbourhood, are the biggest complaint about this venue. They could use some upgrading as many of the doors did not close properly and there was water all over the floor. (At least the water appeared to be clean). Once inside, you forget about how sketchy the neighbourhood outside is and sit back, or find a spot on the floor, and enjoy the show.
Overall, the Rickshaw Theatre gets a 4 out of 5.
MacEwan Hall
Calgary, AB.
The MacEwan Hall is located on the University of Calgary campus, and can be quite difficult to find. Having been there on four separate nights, I can safely say this is not one of my favorite venues. Arriving on the C-train is a relatively safe bet, unless you are coming from downtown and unsure of which track to take. That being said, it is a fairly long walk from the University C-train station to the venue itself, and the path is not well marked on the campus. Unless you are following someone who knows where they are going, you might find yourself wandering around until you find someone to ask for directions. Security has always seemed a bit over-zealous, and as far as I know, they have a strictly enforced ‘no spikes on anything’ (belts, shoes, jackets, gauntlets) and bullet belt policy. It’s probably best to leave these metal show staples at home, or in the hotel room. Security also seems to search concert-goers quite thoroughly, often requiring that you dump the contents of your pockets and purses out on a table to be inspected. Staff have never been overly friendly, and have sometimes been outright rude.
The biggest bonus to the MacEwan Hall is accessibility of the outside patio, which is to the side of the stage. This seems to be an often utilized space for smokers, or for anyone wanting to venture outside as MacEwan Hall also has a very strict no re-entry policy. Rarely can you experience good sound in this venue. It is obvious that this is more of a multi-purpose room, perhaps better suited to conferences than to live music. While it is spacious inside, it is disappointing that some of this space is not utilized for a few tables or chairs for those who might want to take a break between sets, or who would rather sit to watch a show. The beer gardens are also terrible, shoved into an alcove down the stairs from the main venue area. Identification must be checked upon each entry into the beer gardens and the tiny space is always so crowded that one can barely breathe. Honestly, between waiting in line to get into the beer gardens, waiting in line to get a drink and having to deal with a suffocatingly small area with no where to sit, it is barely worth consuming drinks at the MacEwan Hall. Unless there is a long change-over between band sets, it’s difficult to have a drink without having to chug it. The only reason I ever come to this venue is due to conflicting schedules that do not allow me to see shows in my hometown, or for special events such as Noctis.
Overall, the MacEwan Hall gets a 2.5 out of 5.
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| The front of the Rickshaw Theatre, Vancouver, BC. |
