The City of Estevan is going country for the next concert at Affinity Place.
An announcement was made earlier this week that veteran Canadian country music singers George Canyon, Doc Walker and Charlie Major, along with newcomer Manny Blu, would be performing at Affinity Place on May 11.
It’s billed as a cabaret-style show, with the arena floor limited to those 19 years of age and up, and the arena bowl’s open to people of all ages. (We’re guessing that the event will attract mostly adults, but there will be some young fans present).
Canyon and Doc Walker have been in Estevan previously, but their most recent appearances are far enough in the past that it shouldn’t be a deterrent to people buying tickets.
(Walker performed at a cabaret at Affinity Place in 2011 shortly after the venue opened, while Canyon played at the St. Joseph’s Hospital Foundation’s Festival back in 2014).
Both put on good shows, and they have a lot of songs that are familiar to local country music fans.
As for Major, if he’s ever been in Estevan, it’s been a really long time.
Country music acts haven’t always done well at Affinity Place, but it is worth noting that the most recent one, Johnny Reid, attracted about 2,200 people and it did make money. Had alcohol sales for that concert been at even an average level for an Affinity Place concert, then it would have made a lot of money.
It’s been a long time since we’ve seen a concert at Affinity that had several different acts. Hopefully the variety of acts offered creates an added incentive for people to buy tickets. It’s not just Canyon, Walker or Major performing; you’ll get all three, and an up-and-coming country music singer to go with them.
We have previously stated our support for the city’s ongoing effort to offer entertainment options to local residents at Affinity Place. When the building opened in 2011, it was billed as an events centre. It wasn’t going to be just a hockey arena, it was going to be a place that could host hockey games, concerts, community events, fundraisers and other attractions.
It’s a great place to watch a concert. The acoustics are excellent, and its comparative small size creates excellent ambiance.
A crowd of 2,500-3,000 people at Affinity Place looks and feels a lot better than a crowd of 2,500-3,000 people in a venue that accommodates 5,000-10,000 spectators.
There have been tours in which Affinity Place has been the smallest venue on the tour, and Estevan has been the smallest community. That should be a source of pride.
The city has to be smart with the events it offers. While they won’t make money off of every concert, when they book a concert, they have to believe it’s one that has the ability to make money. They can’t afford to book a show that has no chance of turning a profit, not when they’re dealing with taxpayer dollars.
Most people will tell you they want to see good entertainment at Affinity Place, and they’ll support the city taking a financial risk when it comes to the concerts.
There are the members of CAVE (Citizens Against Virtually Everything) who want nothing to do with concerts. But these were the people who were likely opposed to Affinity Place in the first place, and still think Affinity Place shouldn’t be as great as it is.
Hopefully this next special event will be well-attended, and that it will be the first of several shows at Affinity this year.
