ConcertWorks Announce the Purchase and Takeover of Iconic Live Music Venue –
The Starlite Room
July 21st, 2017 (Edmonton) – Edmonton based independent concert promotion company ConcertWorks is proud to announce the acquirement of the iconic ‘Starlite Room’, a highly revered venue not only locally – but also within the North American touring circuit.
Photo By Dana Zuk – www.danazukphotography.com
The Starlite Room is a private live entertainment venue founded in 2004 which operates exclusively for members and their guests. The Starlite Room is open to all genres and walks of life and follows the rich musical history led by previous incarnations in the same building such as the Bronx, the Rev, and Lush. The building was designed by Herbert Magoon and George Heath MacDonald, two of Edmonton’s most prolific architects and was constructed in 1925 by the Salvation Army.
The history of the The Starlite Room began as The Old Citadel, built in Downtown Edmonton, one block south of Jasper Avenue, the main artery of the city. The brick building was originally formed as a “citadel” (church or place of worship) for the Salvation Army. By 1965 it was converted into the first venue of the Citadel Theatre company, with the company taking its name from the name of the building. After the company moved to a new purpose-built theatre building on Churchill Square in 1978, the building was converted into concert hall, named Rev Cabaret. Under this name, it hosted a variety of concerts including early 1990s shows of then-unknown American bands Nirvana and Green Day. In 2003 the Rev closed, and was reopened as The Starlite Room in 2004. As of 2012 the lounge/bar downstairs is called “Brixx Bar”.
The venue has been home to thousands iconic performances from Questlove, to Against Me!, Run The Jewels, Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros, Feist, Mastodon, MGMT, Amon Amarth, Avenged Sevenfold, Death From Above 1979, The Dillinger Escape Plan Marianas Trench, Metric, Nightwish, Propagandhi, The Smalls, GWAR & so many more. The Starlite Room has become an Edmonton mainstay to which many local concert goers have a long history and fond memories with.
With the recent closing of many venues across Canada, this ConcertWorks acquisition comes at a time when the Canadian music scene is desperate for new direction. Having The Starlite room remain open and change management will be revitalizing for both the music industry and the city as a whole. ConcertWorks Director, and head talent buyer spoke about the take over “We are very proud of the brand, and the support that we have established with ConcertWorks from the fans within our home city of Edmonton. Our team is composed of well-known figures from within the music community & service industry, carrying over experience from the levels of owner/operators, talent buying and management within some of Edmonton’s most popular establishments! It’s very exciting for us to have a home now established within the city we draw so much influence from, we are looking forward to integrating our specific interests under one roof!”
ConcertWorks intends to keep the buildings facade untouched as it has been recently restored and hopes to keep its historic character intact. The upstairs interior level of the venue will be getting production upgrades with a new PA and lighting installed specific to what will suit the room best and bring it up to present technology. ConcertWorks is also announcing Jason Borys will be coming on board as the house audio engineer. Jason ranks among some of the most talented technicians and has global touring experience with artists Junior Boys, Floating Points, The New Pornographers and toured extensively with the local Edmonton legends The Smalls. Jason has experience in hundreds of venues and festivals including Coachella, Red Rocks and a spot on Letterman. His experience is considered to be a very strong asset for the direction of the Starlite as far as a venue.
Photo By Jerry Jin – www.jinmedia.ca
More About ConcertWorks:
Established in 2011, over the relatively short term – ConcertWorks has become one of Western Canada’s leading and diverse promoters of live entertainment. With a strong history among the team within the hospitality industry, as well as a specialized knowledge of producing quality live entertainment of both international, national & regional talents- the team at ConcertWorks is confident they will continue the legacy of such an iconic room within the ranks of the best venues within Canada.
For Calendar & Venue Information Please Contact:
Tyson Cale Boyd | Director & Talent Buyer
P: 780-318-4666 E: tyson@concertworks.ca
Quan Diep | Talent Buyer
P: 403-396-1129 E: quan@truechannelentertainment.com