Random, Expletive-Laced Rant: Another Sign that Ottawa Will Never Rise Beyond Being a Hick Town

Measha Brueggergosman announced on Tuesday that she will be playing Ottawa on April 27 in support of her new album.  While it evidently features covers of standards and jazz songs rather than arias, this is not unusual for opera singers looking to expand their repertoire and their fan base; Renée Fleming released such an album about a year ago.  I also have to assume that due to Measha B’s (yeah, I’m not even going to cut and paste it…) role as a judge on ‘Canada’s Got Talent’ she is now at least relatively well-known, if not popular, with the mainstream.  Usually, such an announcement would fill me with anticipation at spending an evening listening to an accomplished opera singer in a full room.

So where is the concert taking place?

The Bronson Centre.

The fucken Bronson Centre.

I have nothing against the building itself.  It is a great example of finding a new use for an older, historic building.  Once Immaculata High School moved to new facilities many years ago, the building was transformed into a community centre, providing much-needed space to a number of community organizations.  That is extremely laudable and is the type of usage that helps build or solidify urban neighbourhoods.  Where I have a huge issue is that the Bronson Centre has now become the foremost (if not the only) medium-sized venue in Ottawa for concerts.

Let that sink in for a moment.

The main medium-sized venue in Ottawa, the nation’s capital, a metropolitan area that counts over 1.2 million people, is a high school auditorium.

A fucken high school auditorium.

Now, I have to admit that I have never seen a concert at the Bronson Centre, including some of my favourite performers such as Billy Bragg and Steve Earle, because, well, it is a HIGH SCHOOL AUDITORIUM.  Some friends have been extremely complimentary about the pleasantness of the staff, so that is definitely a positive.  However, do you know what I have never heard?  Anything remotely complimentary about the quality of the sound at the Centre.  I am guessing that, perhaps, maybe, just maybe, this is because it is a fucken HIGH SCHOOL AUDITORIUM.

Ottawa gets to host a recital by Maesha B., one of Canada’s top voices, and all we have to offer is a HIGH SCHOOL AUDITORIUM?

For fuck’s sake.