[Doug_Cgy]

Britney Spears just announced her North American tour today, and as no suprise, she is passing over Calgary due to Structural Integrity issues between her stage and the Saddledome...and she's not the first! In the last year we've missed out on Justin Timberlake, Beyonce, Carrie Underwood, Tim McGraw, Celine Dion...and I'm sure many, many more due to these issues! Love these artists or hate them, it would sure be nice to have the choice to see them in Calgary as opposed to having to make the trek to Edmonton...Does anyone else feel ripped off on this?? What options would they have to fix it, if any?? Would we just need an all out new stadium??

/rant here!!:(

[frinkprof]

Is there any way that a great new venue could be built that also manages to still be a deterrent to all the artists you list above?

[Arriviste]

Britney Spears just announced her North American tour today, and as no suprise, she is passing over Calgary due to Structural Integrity issues between her stage and the Saddledome...and she's not the first! In the last year we've missed out on Justin Timberlake, Beyonce, Carrie Underwood, Tim McGraw, Celine Dion...and I'm sure many, many more due to these issues! Love these artists or hate them, it would sure be nice to have the choice to see them in Calgary as opposed to having to make the trek to Edmonton...Does anyone else feel ripped off on this?? What options would they have to fix it, if any?? Would we just need an all out new stadium??

/rant here!!:(

If the act you are going to see needs that elaborate of a stage, then they probably aren't worth seeing.

[mersar]

What options would they have to fix it, if any?? Would we just need an all out new stadium??

The problem as I understand it is that these acts all have stages that require hanging excessive amounts of equipment from the roof of the building, something that the Dome structurally cannot handle. Not to say the Dome is structurally unsound, but rather just wasn't designed for it. We're not the only city to have this problem, there are a number of other stadiums and arenas with similar limitations.

[O-tacular]

At first I thought you were being sarcastic.

What frinkprof said.:yuck:

[Doug_Cgy]

I think it has less to do with "who" the act is, and more with the fact that Calgary is a large city, missing out on the opportunity to host big name artist...These concerts bring business to that area, generate jobs, and are culturally enlightening for the city...Love these artists or hate them...shouldn't mean the people of Calgary shouldn't have the option to see them...

I think a true "full service" arena/stadium is far more important than having a building shaped like a f&*king saddle! /rant

[kap384]

If the act you are going to see needs that elaborate of a stage, then they probably aren't worth seeing.

Good point. But the shitty acoustics in certain parts of the 'Dome make it worthless to see some shows:hell:

The fact that certain SaddleDome literature lists it's 'acoustic superiority' as a plus, is a joke. On numerous occasions, I've sat in parts of the 'Dome where any conversation on stage is garbled. The music masks the lack of clarity during the show.

[Doug_Cgy]

If the act you are going to see needs that elaborate of a stage, then they probably aren't worth seeing.

Its all in the eye of the beholder I guess...Just because Britney Spears has more of a "theatrical/showman/dancing" talent as opposed to "vocal" talent doesn't mean she isn't worth being liked...Thats the beauty of art, it can be interpreted in many different ways! I don't think I need to be slagged because I like her, I was more or less asking about solutions (if any) the Saddledome could come up with to improve the integrity of the building and these stages!

[Doug_Cgy]

The problem as I understand it is that these acts all have stages that require hanging excessive amounts of equipment from the roof of the building, something that the Dome structurally cannot handle. Not to say the Dome is structurally unsound, but rather just wasn't designed for it. We're not the only city to have this problem, there are a number of other stadiums and arenas with similar limitations.

Thanks for the info Mersar...Do you know which city/stadiums also have this issue??

[frinkprof]

Doug_Cgy, I was being a bit facetious with my reply above. It's just that you somehow managed to mention several of my most disliked artists, and I'm a guy who can appreciate a wide array of music.

Anyway, I agree that it would be great to attract more acts that currently bypass Calgary for one reason or another.

A new Saddledome-scale arena (new home of the Flames) will be built eventually, probably in under 10 years.

[freeweed]

If the act you are going to see needs that elaborate of a stage, then they probably aren't worth seeing.

I'll add myself into the snobby elitist category here, too.

Shows with a crowd of 100 people are infinitely better than the mass-produced pablum that passes for concerts these past few decades.

I swear, the 70s brought nothing but bad to society. Except Star Wars. And me. :D

[JBinCalgary]

the one im gonna miss is ACDC

[jeffwhit]

Good point. But the shitty acoustics in certain parts of the 'Dome make it worthless to see some shows:hell:

The fact that certain SaddleDome literature lists it's 'acoustic superiority' as a plus, is a joke. On numerous occasions, I've sat in parts of the 'Dome where any conversation on stage is garbled. The music masks the lack of clarity during the show.

That's another problem with the roof shape.

[Distill3d]

my vote is for a replacement of McMahon Stadium somewhere closer to the Stampede Grounds....or a "screw you, it was here before you were" attitude when it comes to hosting concerts at McMahon...

[jeffwhit]

^^ You are right. The new football stadium (whenever that should happen) should be more central, and should host concerts. The current location is has better uses I think.

[Coldrsx]

i dont mind it

[Riise]

i dont mind it

Of course you don't! Edmonton is like Phaneuf and Justin Timberlake et al. your Elisha Cuthbert... ;) Btw, I still can't believe they suspended Avery!

[Riise]

These concerts bring business to that area, generate jobs, and are culturally enlightening for the city...

Okay, I'll agree that they are good for business but culturally enlightening? Hell no! They are mass produced culture hogs if anything.



I think a true "full service" arena/stadium is far more important than having a building shaped like a f&*king saddle! /rant

Hey! Don't be dissing the 'dome, it's one of the few iconic pieces of architecture this city has.



Thats the beauty of art, it can be interpreted in many different ways!

It's correct interpretation is as utter crap though!



I don't think I need to be slagged because I like her...

True. Everybody has the right to their own opinion, but what is also true is that everybody else has the right to slag them for it. ;)

[ExcaliburKid]

:haha: Aw dont worry Calgary guys, we can sell out our structurally superior stadium without you having to make the gruelling trek alllllll the way up to Edmonton.
All joking aside, that really does suck though. Usually the largest grossing tours with the biggest artists are the ones with these elaborate stages. I would be bummed too.

[Coldrsx]

"Usually the largest grossing tours with the biggest artists are the ones with these elaborate stages. I would be bummed too."

which IMO is unfortunate as well... sure "shows" are good sometimes, but great bands need no show, they are the show

[0773|=\]

Meh. Most arena shows are overrated. Most bands that do arena tours are overrated too (yes, there are some that are worth listening to, but by and large...)

[ExcaliburKid]

True, granted the spin-off from such concerts is what Calgary may also miss out on, ie. food/drink revenue, hotel stays etc. not to mention it also may push them further down the "destination" list for performers/tours that, flavor of the week or not, are typically large draws with huge fan bases.

[Innersoul1]

At the moment I am not really bothered by any of this. BUT I was just thinking if U2 does a world tour and they don't come to Calgary due to Arena restrictions then I will TOTALLY cry! :cool:

[Doug_Cgy]

Okay, I'll agree that they are good for business but culturally enlightening? Hell no! They are mass produced culture hogs if anything.





Hey! Don't be dissing the 'dome, it's one of the few iconic pieces of architecture this city has.





It's correct interpretation is as utter crap though!





True. Everybody has the right to their own opinion, but what is also true is that everybody else has the right to slag them for it. ;)

Thanks for this Riise!! I can appreciate what you're trying to say...I'm not saying all the pop acts are culturally enlightening (persay)...However, I think the opportunity to go to a concert (any concert) improves cultural aspects of the city...I try to keep an open mind, and keep personal opinion of specific artists out of it...Example, I could personally care less if Metallica didn't come here, but I appreciate what it means to fans of Metallica to have them play here this weekend...

[Beazley66]

Is there any way that a great new venue could be built that also manages to still be a deterrent to all the artists you list above?

Thanks Finkprof. My sentiments exactly.

Sorry Doug, no insult intended. As far as I'm concerned Rush has graced our presence... and now I have peace. What we might want to do is set up an extreme fighting ring, featuring the coalition vs Calgary. If the structural integrity of the dome is questionable in this respect, we could opt for Olympic Park or drop the coalition off in the East Village, say at midnight... ?

I jest

[Jay in Cowtown]

the one im gonna miss is ACDC

Yeah, wtf happened there?

AC/DC never missed Calgary & Edmonton with any of their other tours... what's with this Toronto & Vancouver only bullshit this time?

[Innersoul1]

Yeah, wtf happened there?

AC/DC never missed Calgary & Edmonton with any of their other tours... what's with this Toronto & Vancouver only bullshit this time?

Sadly, there is a lot of Toronto & Vancouver concert bullshit!

[Calgarian]

AC/DC is definitely not coming here? they always come here and they always sell out. There are 2 bands I want to see before they retire, one is Metallica who I am going to see tomorrow, the other is AC/DC.

[Calgarian]

We need a football stadium downtown, obviously with a roof so we can get more major bands through.

[MrOilers]

Edmonton will be getting a new state-of-the-art arena within 4-5 years that can host these shows, and it would be great if Calgary could get one soon as well.

That would give this province a nice 2 city stop for these big acts that skip over Edmonton and Calgary.

[Jay in Cowtown]

AC/DC is definitely not coming here?

I got a feeling there will be a round two of North American shows this summer... if they're hitting Fargo & Omaha this tour I doubt they're going to pass up on places like Montreal, Calgary & Edmonton.

[MrOilers]

I'm expecting AC/DC to come through Alberta next June or July.

This isn't based on anything besides the fact that these geezers haven't toured in about 8 years and they aren't stupid when it comes to making money.

[reflexzero]

Well, I was kind of bummed to see that the stage and flying rig for Metallica's "in the round" performance was shoved off to one side of the arena last night, being as I was on the far away end of things. Too bad, but the show was still freaking amazing. Better that way then to not have them here at all.

Their sound setup worked a lot better than other acts I've seen at the Dome though, such as Ozzy and Def Leppard.

[Innersoul1]

The stage for that show was HUGE!! /\ /\ /\

[Slug]

Man I still smell like a pothead from last night.

[frinkprof]

Their sound setup worked a lot better than other acts I've seen at the Dome though, such as Ozzy and Def Leppard.
Yeah, when I saw them 4 years ago the sound engineering was terrible. The bass drowned out the guitars and vocals quite a bit. Really a shame.

[freeweed]

I got a feeling there will be a round two of North American shows this summer... if they're hitting Fargo & Omaha this tour I doubt they're going to pass up on places like Montreal, Calgary & Edmonton.

Don't discount Fargo as a tour stop. It's a tiny city but the Fargodome is an impressive facility that manages to attract top talent on a regular basis. Somehow it manages to sell out all the time, too.

[Deepstar]

Britney Spears just announced her North American tour today, and as no suprise, she is passing over Calgary due to Structural Integrity issues between her stage and the Saddledome...and she's not the first! In the last year we've missed out on Justin Timberlake, Beyonce, Carrie Underwood, Tim McGraw, Celine Dion...and I'm sure many, many more due to these issues! Love these artists or hate them, it would sure be nice to have the choice to see them in Calgary as opposed to having to make the trek to Edmonton...Does anyone else feel ripped off on this?? What options would they have to fix it, if any?? Would we just need an all out new stadium??

/rant here!!:(

I couldn't care less about any of those acts, but from a business point of view it would be good to see the concerts come through. They do generate some business, albeit not much, but it's still business whether a big amount or a small amount.

[Calgarian]

Well, I was kind of bummed to see that the stage and flying rig for Metallica's "in the round" performance was shoved off to one side of the arena last night, being as I was on the far away end of things. Too bad, but the show was still freaking amazing. Better that way then to not have them here at all.

Their sound setup worked a lot better than other acts I've seen at the Dome though, such as Ozzy and Def Leppard.

I loved it, I was on the close side. What a show! the boys seem to be in classic form, and the sound / light setup was far better than any show I've seen in the dome.

[Jay in Cowtown]

Don't discount Fargo as a tour stop. It's a tiny city but the Fargodome is an impressive facility that manages to attract top talent on a regular basis. Somehow it manages to sell out all the time, too.

No shit, I just checked is out on Wikipedia... pretty impressive building. I've heard of a couple indoor NCAA football stadiums with around 20 - 30 000 capacity now.

[freeweed]

No shit, I just checked is out on Wikipedia... pretty impressive building. I've heard of a couple indoor NCAA football stadiums with around 20 - 30 000 capacity now.

There ain't much to do when you live in the Dakotas. :P

[Phil McAvity]

I had no idea the saddledome is such an acoustic mess so i was reading about other possible venues and found the stampede corral and then further down the line I found the southern alberta jubilee auditorium but unfortunately there really isn't anything else in Calgary that comes close to the size of the saddledome.

If I may digress a bit, in 2005 we Victorians got our major arena (the save-on-foods memorial centre) finished which was the same year you Calgarians fixed up your old dilapidated S.A.J.A. To build our 7000 seat arena from scratch cost us $30 million, yet according to wikipedia you guys spent over three times that amount just to upgrade your facility that only seats about 2500. I could understand a major upgrade to a facility that size costing 10 or 12 million, but $91 million?!?!?!?!
How is that even possible?

[mwalker_mw]

A concert hall and a hockey arena are two very different beasts. Unless your hockey arena is lined with french walnut panels, has concert quality acoustics, has a full fly gallery, etc. this is hardly a reasonable comparison. Bare steel, concrete floors and plastic seats are relatively cheap to construct.

A quick comment on the acoustics of the dome:

I frequently work alongside the company currently responsible for maintaining the in house sound system and was chatting with them about this topic. The dome isn't that bad compared to many other arenas, the major problem for concert sound however is the new clock - there is no way to remove it. Some of you may have noticed for the last few years that the home opener and playoffs had a completely different sound system in there than the installed (and shitty) Bose system. As of this year, that system is now permanent and the Bose crap has been removed. What this means is that the area behind the clock now has, when the system remains in place, concert quality fill speakers to reduce the negative effect of the clock should the touring AE want it (for Metallica they were removed to increase roof load capacity which is still a major issue). Handled by a skilled AE most seats in the dome can sound pretty good. If it sounds like crap in there - it is probably the fault of the guy behind the desk or the system techs - not necessarily the building.

That being said, we do need a new building to handle the larger tours. But the dome isn't as bad as it is being made to sound here.

[CorporateWhore]

In the last year we've missed out on Justin Timberlake, Beyonce, Carrie Underwood, Tim McGraw, Celine Dion...

The Saddledome is just looking out for us.

[Jay in Cowtown]

The Saddledome is far past its prime... Peter Maher was saying on the broadcast from NY the other night that once Pittsburgh has its new arena, the Saddledome will be the 3rd oldest building in the league behind MSG & Rexall.

[jeffwhit]

The Saddledome is far past its prime... Peter Maher was saying on the broadcast from NY the other night that once Pittsburgh has its new arena, the Saddledome will be the 3rd oldest building in the league behind MSG & Rexall.

Peter forgot Nassau coliseum, which is 2 years older than Rexall.

[93JC]

And Joe Louis Arena, which is four years older than the Saddledome.

[Jay in Cowtown]

Peter forgot Nassau coliseum, which is 2 years older than Rexall.

Pete is getting old you know :yes:

[wild wild west]

The Saddledome is just looking out for us.


Indeed. I also note that Britney Spears is going to Edmonton but not Calgary. Thanks again Saddledome!:tup:

[S_B_Russell]

Are the Eagles skipping Calgary, too?

[401_King]

hmm i saw ACDC in saddledome. but that was around 8 years ago

[Western Spaghetti]

Are the Eagles skipping Calgary, too?

I thought they just played here? Or was that quite a while ago?

[drew]

Are the Eagles skipping Calgary, too?

There is an Eagles show coming up in Winnipeg, so there should be one probably in Edmonton or Calgary.

AC/DC always comes through Winnipeg as well. They aren't on this tour, so I would imagine that there might be some other Canadian dates announced sooner or later.

[Greco Roman]

Indeed. I also note that Britney Spears is going to Edmonton but not Calgary. Thanks again Saddledome!:tup:

Man, it's Britney Spears; are you really wanting a washed-up skank of a poor mother to come and flop all over the stage in Calgary?

Honestly, if you want her, you can take her!

[Yume-sama]

http://media1.clipaday.com/embed/m_videos/thumbs/britney_alone_88u3.jpg
Leave Britney alone!

Any high profile major concert would be good for the city.

[NumberFive]

Man, it's Britney Spears; are you really wanting a washed-up skank of a poor mother to come and flop all over the stage in Calgary?

Honestly, if you want her, you can take her!

Like these acts or not, missing out on some of the names mentioned above isn't a good thing.

[Doug_Cgy]

Thanks Yume-sama & NumberFive for understanding and appreciating the point I was trying to get across :banana:

[jeffwhit]

I had no idea the saddledome is such an acoustic mess so i was reading about other possible venues and found the stampede corral and then further down the line I found the southern alberta jubilee auditorium but unfortunately there really isn't anything else in Calgary that comes close to the size of the saddledome.

If I may digress a bit, in 2005 we Victorians got our major arena (the save-on-foods memorial centre) finished which was the same year you Calgarians fixed up your old dilapidated S.A.J.A. To build our 7000 seat arena from scratch cost us $30 million, yet according to wikipedia you guys spent over three times that amount just to upgrade your facility that only seats about 2500. I could understand a major upgrade to a facility that size costing 10 or 12 million, but $91 million?!?!?!?!
How is that even possible?

Actually Phil, $91 million was for both SAJA and NAJA in Edmonton which is a twin facility. the entire inside was gutted and the HVAC was completely redesigned and replaced. It still sounds like shit though.

[Innersoul1]

http://media1.clipaday.com/embed/m_videos/thumbs/britney_alone_88u3.jpg
Leave Britney alone!

Any high profile major concert would be good for the city.

HAHAHAHAHA "you bastards, just leave her alone."

[wmp.dll]

Yeah, wtf happened there?

AC/DC never missed Calgary & Edmonton with any of their other tours... what's with this Toronto & Vancouver only bullshit this time?

I would assume AC/DC is going to do another set of North American dates and Calgary/Edmonton will be included. They were here in 2001 for their 'Stiff Upper Lip Tour'. I was 10 at the time, so I never got to go.

Now if we could just get Plant on board for a Led Zeppelin tour...

[newflyer]

Don't discount Fargo as a tour stop. It's a tiny city but the Fargodome is an impressive facility that manages to attract top talent on a regular basis. Somehow it manages to sell out all the time, too.

The Fargodome is very cool ... I heard rumours that a few Manitobans have been seen taken in an event or two. ;)

... although having an amazing facilty like the MTS Centre, with concert quality sound .. Winnipeg is seeing a significant increase in major concerts from the old echo hall Winnipeg Arena days.