The bar at our local university was called The Barn - this was due to the fact that is was - a barn. Apparently it used to actually be home to farm animals before it became a money-losing concert hall.
It was torn down today. A necessary move (it was probably getting dangerously decrepit), but it will be missed.
I can remember some great concerts there: Sloan, Thursh Hermit, Local Rabbits, The Watchmen, Treble Charger, Sum41 (before they were rock stars), The Flashing Lights, Horton's Choice, 54-40, Stawberry, and a few others.
It was a great venue. It sounded great, and was small enough that even the smallest shows felt packed. I’ll never forget seeing Sloan play in The Barn on their One Chord to Another tour. The place was packed well beyond safety, and it was unbearably hot inside - though it was -20 outside. In the middle of the set, someone opened a door on the balcony directly above and behind the stage. The temperature difference caused billows of fog to poor in over the stage. The band was probably pissed as their guitars warped out of tune, but it looked really cool.
The Barn is no longer, but you can watch it fall (1.6 MB animated GIF).
Comments
Peter Rukavina - September 3, 2002 10:39 pm
I remember seeing Peter Gzowski in The Barn for his pre-Golf Tournment gala. His special guest stars were Cynthia Dale and Peter Mansbridge. It was fun.
Andrew - September 3, 2002 11:57 pm
I had a few good times at the barn. I seen gob twice at the barn (before they sold out).
btezra - September 6, 2002 3:29 pm
out with th eold, in with the new I suppose
Jevon - September 7, 2002 12:53 am
Andrew: Correction; Gob has not sold out. They are trying desparatly to sell-out, but have not been able to.. Really, I'm sure they would tell you that. ;)
Gob still rocks.
Martin Foyle - September 8, 2002 11:43 am
I remember seeing a great Village People lip-synch show at the Barn back in the 80's, then I went twisting-on-a- waterbed at a nearby night club. Canadian culture at its finest.
Andrew - September 8, 2002 11:46 am
Jevon. Correction. They changed their style of music to bring in more listeners. In my mind that is selling out.
I'm not a music nazi by all means, and I'm not going to say they suck. Gob is very talented but no longer play the style of music I was once into.