Quote:
Originally Posted by jayswin
I think a lot of Calgary venues are smaller than people think, especially with concert set ups. Julio (I think) is really good with exact figures as he's in the industry.
For example I always thought the Corral was 5-7k, too, but while it's 7700 for hockey, it was only like 3700 or something once you got the concert set up. I also thought Grey Eagle was 4k or so, but it's apparently 2700. Those 5-7k shows have almost always been at the Dome and many mid size cities are the same.
Edmonton has a nice mid size in the Shaw conference centre (now edmonton conference centre) I believe it's in the 5-6k range.
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Calgary is for sure missing that 4-7k venue that disappeared when the Corral got bulldozed. Max Bell is maybe 3000-3500, and I don't know if the renos they did a few years back fixed the issues that didn't let them do concerts any more.
In a perfect works, the arena @ COP would have an extra couple thousand seats, but I don't think they'd be able to expand, at least not to that degree. Also, it's not the easiest venue to get to, or to get in and out of before and after an event.
I'd love to see Stampede do something to replace the Corral, even if it wasn't a venue with an ice pad, but just as a concert venue. I'd be shocked if that happened tho, as it seems like they are happy just running the Big Four as their main concert venue.
I think that smaller shows will end up in the new arena, but they will have a better atmosphere than in the Saddledome. Almost all arenas, even old ones like SaskTel Centre in Saskatoon, have good curtain systems that both make a big venue feel much more intimate, and help with the sound.