High hopes are riding on the new History Ottawa club. Here's what the very first show was like
The new downtown music venue opened to the public with an Aug. 20 performance by the Wallflowers.
By Lynn Saxberg, Ottawa Citizen
Published Aug 21, 2026 | Last updated 2 days ago | 5 minute read
At some point during the inaugural ticketed show at the spanking new History Ottawa club, I gave up on trying to see most of the musicians in the Wallflowers. I had a tiny glimpse of frontman Jakob Dylan, and that was going to have to be enough.
I decided it was too much of a struggle to elbow my way any further through the human fortress of tall people planted directly in front of the stage and managed to convince myself that I was content peering past the shoulders of dozens of burly fans in front of me.
After all, I reasoned, at least I wasn’t stuck under the overhang of the mezzanine, where the sound quality went to die and yakking took over.
But, still, I expected a better experience for a venue that’s been designed from the ground up for live music.
skip
Our new club looked amazing when it was empty, and it sounded great when Dwayne Gretzky played a surprise show at this week’s grand opening bash. Hundreds of invitees that night had the run of the place, exclusive VIP areas included, plus the unexpected bonus of an open bar.
But, with a sold-out crowd of demanding ticketbuyers jammed into the space and a non-functioning elevator throwing a wrench into accommodations for wheelchair users, traffic flow at the first public show was abysmal and sightlines were few and far between for anyone under six feet tall.
skip
We picked up our tickets (paper tickets, no less!) at the box office, got scanned in and looked around. There was already a line at the merch booth, a long line at the nearest bar and an opening act, a rockabilly act called Early James, on stage.
Beers secured ($15 each, including tax and tip), I wanted to get closer to the stage by moving up along the far side, but the route was blocked by an elevated section, evidently provided for wheelchair users who would normally be on the second level if the elevator was operational.
Naturally, there was a cluster of fans at this dead end, and we ran into height-challenged friends who lamented the lack of a sloped floor, a feature they appreciate at Bronson Centre.
The next idea was to head up to the mezzanine to find a spot, but that hope evaporated when security told us the second level was at capacity. Yes, it’s available to general-admission fans, we were told, but only if there’s room.
We were getting dejected and feeling the need for some fresh air during the break. No such luck. Re-entry is not an option here; once you leave, you can’t come back.
Okay, maybe a slice of pizza would take the edge off things. Almost $60 later, we stood in the crowd awkwardly balancing drinks and paper-thin slices ($10 each) dotted with shriveled pepperoni and tasting like they had been reheated in a microwave. Another menu item we sampled was the Ottawa Popcorn, with its pleasing sweet and salty take on the crunchy snack.
By then, we were pretty much back where we started, near the first bar. We navigated through a few layers of the crowd before hitting the aforementioned human fortress. I didn’t even get close enough to need earplugs.
skip
In the end, I’m not denying the potential of the venue, and I do like the layout, but I look forward to returning when the elevator is in service and the traffic flow improves.
[email protected]
https://ottawacitizen.com/life/seeing-a-show-history-ottawa
Prev
Linear Mode
