Edmonton Event Centre

This is the strangest concert venue I’ve ever been to.
First off, I don’t think it’s really fair to say that a venue is «all-​ages» when you make the minors awkwardly watch the show from an upstairs balcony completely separated from the action. I’d hate to be an underage music lover living in Edmonton.
I understand the issue is alcohol, but most venues will have a separate area for drinking, not for minors. Besides ensuring everyone gets to have a good time, it also means people aren’t bringing drinks out on to the floor with them. Considering an unruly person threw a full can of beer at one of the opening acts last night (stay classy Edmonton!), I think my criticism is fair.
As others have already mentioned, not only does the unusual layout create an awkward standing area (who’s bright idea was it to have a support column right in front of the stage?!), it’s also awful for acoustics.
The only reason I’m giving EEC two stars rather than one is because it has more than adequate seating. Sometimes you aren’t in the mood to spend the entire night standing so it’s nice to have the option to sit down if you so choose.
Overall the EEC was a major disappointment. The only reason I know I will be back is that there aren’t any other concert venues in Edmonton that can accommodate 2000 people. However, it’s definitely an incentive for me to make the drive home to Calgary if some of my favourite bands tour in Alberta.

The Edmonton Events Centre gets a two star review from me because — yes — there are worse venues — maybe not in Edmonton — but I would be more eager to see a band play here than two of similar venues located in Victoria, where I used to live. But this place is still ridiculous for a number of reasons.
a) If you aren’t standing in the middle of the two sets of speakers, the sound is horribly distorted. Sound quality is decent if you stand between the speakers, but only about ¹⁄₅ of the club’s floor is actually located in this area. Out of 2000 people in attendance, only 400 can stand in this area.
b) Even if you are between the speaker sets, there’s a gigantic pole that’s likely to block your view.
c) There’s a balcony area, which may offer decent sound and sightlines, but both times I’ve been here, the balcony has either been closed or restricted to those under 18 and companions.
d) No beer on tap — This was also an issue for the Victoria clubs
e) Annoying security lineups
f) No ins and outs — once you’re in, you’re stuck until the end of the show.
But sadly, this is the only location within the city which has a capacity of 2000 or so other than the WInspear or Jubilee. So if a band that tours medium size venues comes to town and they aren’t the best fit for the Winspear or Jubilee, you’re stuck here.

Hmm… this was my first experience at the EEC when I attended a band’s concert. I thought I had paid money to watch Beirut perform, but to my surprise the headlining band was a bunch of pillars and columns. Perhaps the band was hidden behind these columns? I don’t know — but if there was a band on stage, you really had to be in a strategic position to see them.
While the acoustics are only sub par and more like a 2-​star (again, heavily dependent on where you are in the room), the lackluster yet expensive bar and lovely stench of cheap alcohol, vomit and other sorts of aromas, a potpourri really, gives the feel of a well beaten night club way past its golden years.
Entering this place is the best part. I certainly felt like I was at the Gaza strip border crossing into Israel. Everything was suspicious — the lady that was feeling me up (I suppose the only high point of this process) actually looked into my wallet — what was she looking for? Cyanide? And of course, things were complicated because I was carrying my routine evening pills. As soon as she started looking into the pillbox with her expert eye that is definitely trained to spot E from a distance, I snatched the box from her and emptied the pills into my mouth. I was like, ‘here this is yours — do what you want with it!‘
I’m not sure what’s with the security. For such a cheap atmosphere and experience it is weird that the security is so heightened. Unfortunately, I’m a slave to the big businesses. If a band that I love plays here again, I will have to swallow that cyanide and watch them here. Thank you, EEC.

I attended a Hanson concert here back in 2008. Yep, Hanson are still around making music and I get a lot of «wtf» comments about that. I’ve been a fan for 15 years now (holy crap!).
Anyway, although the physical layout is pretty good, the venue leaves much to be desired. The acoustics are atrocious, and what should have been a good show, sounded really bad through no fault of the band.
When Hanson were performing Where’s the Love, someone opened a door or something, causing the alarm to go off. I don’t think staff were doing enough about the issue because we had to listen to that through several songs. Including a solo ballad that Zac was doing. But he had a good sense of humor about it, stating that at the time he was writing the song, he actually intended to have a fire alarm going on in the background.
The surprising thing about the whole thing was that we weren’t evacuated from the building!
Hanson came back to Edmonton back in January this year. Needless to say, they didn’t book the Edmonton Event Centre again and they ended up booking Sherwood Park Place for the show. Glad to see that they seem to agree on the quality of the venue.

I can’t believe I was generous enough to give this place a 2 star review the first time around. I hate this place. Hate it hate it hate it. I don’t go very often (because I hate it)… I only go when a band I absolutely love is playing there (although begrudgingly). Edmonton has a serious lack of medium sized venues, so I will have to suffer through this venue again and again.
Sure it’s big, but the layout is so ridiculous it’s impossible to walk through when it’s very full (always). It is so frustrating. Sight lines are awful, sound is awful. The ground is always a sticky, dirty mess. The security line is quite intense — two long tables with one side for the men and one side for the ladies to get pretty thoroughly frisked and searched. Mandatory coat check is silly. It sucks that it’s not connected to the arcade/​bowling alley anymore. They play the music over the sound system between bands way too loud — practically as loud as the band — so it’s hard to converse with friends. Oh, and they keep it pretty dark between bands, too. Dumb.
West Ed is also pretty sketchy at night so I feel creeped out walking back to my car when the show is over, although that’s not EEC’s fault. At least I know it won’t be someone from the show I was just at coming after me thanks to all the security!
Thanks, EEC, for helping me write my first one-​star Unilocal review!

Surprisingly good sound quality in what used to be a restaurant/​pub games venue. With the hea
The event staff, whether they may or may not be employed by EEC, they can be over zealous with the pat-​downs.
The bar is naturally overpriced and limited. The drinks are generally brought over from the club directly to the east of the venue.
the parking its truly hit or miss. If you like to see the openers, you have to compete with the already over populated parking for the mall in general.
There are many support columns in the venue which obstruct the view of the stage.
There is limited seating via bar stools and two-​four top bar tables. Otherwise it is a standing venue.
There is mandatory coat check most of the time, though this may not always be the case.
Holds about 1500 people.

This place needs to be fixed, urgently.
I’ve only ever been here for two concerts, both of them being Coheed and Cambria concerts. My first experience was more pleasant… But for the obnoxious staff. Somehow then I overlooked the bad stuff.
The two stars are for the atmosphere. I’ll admit my rating is inflated to two stars for that reason and that’s about it.
Where do I begin. The way they handle outdoor lineups is atrocious, full stop. You essentially wait in the parking lot and hope to god the lineup doesn’t get so big to the point where people are blocking cars.
Then there’s that obnoxiously long hallway you go through upon entry.
The coat check is atrocious too. Very disorganized, took me 5 minutes to get my cost the second time because some jackass gave me the wrong number.
The layout is nice for a club, I’ll admit.
But as a concert venue it’s poory designed. There’s a bar practically right beside the stage, which may nit seem bad but your vision is partly blocked by the pesky pillar.
Speaking of which. They should make this an 18+ venue only, because the handling of all age events is ridiculous. They split the floor in half when it’s not sold out (WTF) and when it is, the kidlings are relegated to the balcony. Lame.
This place needs renos, because the way it is is just atrocious. And new staff is urgently needed too.

This small-​medium sized concert venue doesn’t have a lot of local love. I was really surprised when it recently ended up on a list of Billboard’s hottest clubs. Who woulda thunk it?
There’s some good and some bad at this place. The security is not on the good list. Minus points for major disorganization at the coat/​bad checks. And maybe it’s just me, but I also feel like I never see the same security guy working more than one event here.
Because of it’s smaller-​ish size, it’s easier to get a spot close to the stage. It’s not typically huge acts coming through here, but if you’re a fan of an up-​and-​comer, this is a good place to see them. (You won’t get this close to them at Rexall once they really hit the big time.)
The sound is sub-​par, which is odd for a not-​large venue.
I typically don’t come to this spot unless I really want to see the act performing here (or, in one case, when Brody Jenner was doing a special appearance — don’t judge me!), but if that’s what you want, it serves its purpose.

The Edmonton Event Centre (formerly Red’s — now Ed’s Rec Room @ West Edmonton Mall) is my pick for the best small/​medium venue for rock music in Edmonton!
Most recently, I went to the Jimmy Eat World Concert there last month… but my husband and I have seen countless shows there over the last few years including Les Claypool, Primus, Brand New, Bad Religion, Social Code, Steve Earle, Lynch Mob… the list goes on and on.
Here’s what I LOVE about EEC…
Being that I’m getting old and decrepit… okay, maybe not decrepit at 30 years of age… but I definitely do not have the energy I used to as a kid and I do not like standing on the floor for 3 – 4 hours for shows anymore — I don’t want crowd surfer wannabes falling on my head… and most recently at the Jimmy Eat World concert I was 7 ½ months pregnant — so I really didn’t want to be on my feet!
I love that they have tiered seating in the bar area with a great view of the stage… I’d say the tiered seating area holds a good 80 – 100 people depending on how squished in your are!
I also LOVE LOVE LOVE when they have all ages shows because then the young kidlets run around on the floor and can’t even get to the 18+ area where I like to sit — so it’s usually quite roomy!
They used to have a little restaurant in the actual music venue which was awesome for starving concert goers… this most recent visit they had Funky Pickle there selling pizza by the slice — not my cup of tea but still nice for the starving concert goers.
Another thing I like about EEC is the sound is usually pretty darn good! I can usually understand the words of all the songs — even the opening bands which are frequently local and unknown to me prior to the concert.
Also, being that it’s in West Edmonton Mall… It’s super easy to go for a quick bite to eat on Bourbon Street prior to the concert — Sherlock Holmes Pub, Earl’s, Mr. Mike’s, the Old Spaghetti Factory… the list goes on and on… not to mention the quick food in the food court like Extreme Pita or Tokyo Express. Of course, my favorite is Vietnamese in China Town!
Another reason this place gets 5 stars from me is the parking! I DESPISE going to Rexall in the dead of winter and either shelling out $ 10 to park or parking a mile away and walking in the frigid cold… and then Rexall itself isn’t all that spectacular. Don’t get me wrong… Hubby and I go to at least 3 – 4 Rexall shows a year… It’s just that I am way more excited when a band I want to see is at EEC.
Like getting to see Primus this past year — AMAZING! And we were so close… You could see the details in their crazy outfits and masks (Primus never shows their faces on stage…)
Now understand, I am a lucky girl who grew up in Seattle and have been spoiled by the best small/​medium size rock music venues in the world… and I wouldn’t dare give this location a 5 star review if located in Seattle… but for Edmonton — I’d rather see a rock band at EEC than the Shaw, Rexall, Starlite Room or anywhere else I can think of!
And lastly… my two pet peeves about EEC! It drives me crazy that the EEC venue allows people to be in the washrooms with their soaps and perfumes and colognes and hand towels — standing waiting there after you go to the washroom… they jump on you with soap and are holding a paper towel for you by the time you’ve finished washing your hands. It always feels VERY awkward to me. reminds me of Mexico to be honest where you have to pay your pesos for toilet paper to the person standing at the sinks. I really don’t want a stranger standing 1 foot away from me when I come out of the bathroom stall squirting me with soap in hopes for a tip… This is a rock concert people… not a ritzy restaurant!
Second pet peeve… last month they forced my husband to coat check his denim jacket for $ 4! Are you F*&^ing kidding me?!? How is my husband’s denim jacket different than the hoodies you could buy at the merch stand and since when is a denim jacket an issue? They didn’t force me to check my hoody… although, let ‘em try… I’d have a fit! If you’re going to offer a coat check for $ 4 fine… If you’re going to FORCE people to pay $ 4 for holding a denim jacket… you’ve lost your mind! Okay… enough for that rant… and to be honest — this is the first time they have ever forced either of us to do this. If we hadn’t been separated for the boy/​girl frisk check, I’m sure I could have talked our way out of paying… but alas my husband just did as he was told.
All in all… I’m very glad to have this venue with plenty of close parking and restaurants to get a quick bite at before or after the show!
EEC I’m a fan!

Sure the sound wasn’t great, but unless you’re at the Winspear, you really don’t go to concerts expecting great sound. The location is ace for parking and pre-​concert eats. The venue itself has options for sitting and standing (and crowd surfing, as necessary). The staff are top notch. I’d go again.

Ok, so I haven’t had a back hair sandwich, but I did attend another live show here earlier this evening. Same terrible acoustics, same lousy atmosphere and this time they tried to force a «mandatory» coat check on my friend. She wasn’t wearing one so I don’t know what the hell they consider to be a coat. Hands down the absolute worst venue for music in the city. Unfortunately, there aren’t a whole lot of other options around these parts.