Affinity Place is getting ready to host its first concert in nearly 20 months.
Sure, there have been various musical acts that have performed inside the events centre since Blue Rodeo’s appearance in January 2017, but this marks the first time since then that the main attraction at Affinity has been a musical act.
Needless to say, we’re looking forward to the appearance by shock rock legend Alice Cooper. While he’s been touring for decades, and we know his biggest hits, ranging from School’s Out for Summer to Poison, it’s not likely a concert that a lot of people have seen before, and those that have seen him likely haven’t seen him play for a long time. It means that there is a fresh element to the show.
A scan of the Ticketmaster site for the concert shows there are some tickets still available, too, most of them in the rear seats of the arena floor.
It promises to be an entertaining show. And while Cooper might not be a spring chicken any longer, he still tries to provide a unique and memorable experience for the audience.
When it opened in 2011, Affinity Place (or Spectra Place, as it was called at the time) was billed as an events centre. It wasn’t going to be just a hockey arena; it was going to be a place that would host concerts, marquee curling events, banquets, community events and much more.
Some would say it should now be for hockey and figure skating during the ice sports season, since Estevan is now a two-arena city, and will be for some time.
But the community as a whole will be better off if it’s used for more than just ice sports.
In particular, it’s important for the concerts to be well-supported. The initial concerts were. The first ever concert, with Kim Mitchell as the opening act, and then Tom Cochrane and Red Rider taking to the stage, was a great night.
Hedley’s first appearance in Estevan was memorable as well. It sold out almost instantly, and even the band’s detractors praised the experience.
Doc Walker, Paul Brandt, Burton Cummings and Simple Plan all appeared within the first 18 months of Affinity Place opening.
And Motley Crue’s performance in May 2013 was arguably the most memorable concert of them all.
It’s hard to say why the support for other concerts dwindled. Some of them were acts that weren’t going to be big draws, at least not in Estevan. Others were shows that many people had seen repeatedly. The economic slowdown hit, which cut back on the disposable income for a lot of people.
And there might have been an element of concert fatigue after so many shows in the first two or three years of opening.
After nearly 20 months, hopefully people are ready to embrace concerts again.
Two months from now, another music legend, John Mellencamp, will be rolling through Estevan. We hope that will be well-supported as well.
After all, Affinity Place is an events centre. And those events need to happen throughout the year, even if it means juggling the ice schedule.
Affinity Place is a great place to play and watch hockey. And hockey has to be king. It’s great for figure skating, too. But it’s also a great place to watch a concert, take in a marquee curling event, have a fundraising banquet or host a community event.
As long as the concerts are well-supported by the community, they need to be coming to Affinity Place.
