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‘I always wanted big bands in small venues,’ Gillian Dorella-Scott says of plans for historic Dunlop Street East venue in downtown Barrie
The Queens Hotel in downtown Barrie has upped its entertainment game by bringing in a veteran of the local music scene as its new general manager.
Gillian Dorella-Scott, 43, who most recently was a manager at The Rec Room at Park Place in the city’s south end, brings a wealth of experience and music industry connections to her new role.
Dorella-Scott. who has lived in Barrie for the past decade, had worked with The Queens in the past, serving as an entertainment booker for four years. She has now been brought back into the fold.
“This place is my home,” she told BarrieToday during an interview while sitting at a table in the historic Dunlop Street East establishment.
A home for music in the downtown core is much needed, said Dorella-Scott, after the nearby Foxx Lounge closed its doors some time ago.
“(That closure) was very hard on the music community,” she said.
Dorella-Scott says she’s still going to be booking shows at The Rec Room, despite becoming the GM at The Queens.
“(The Rec Room managers) know the music community is my passion … and things that I can’t do here, we can do there,” she said of events, such as all-ages concerts.
This past Wednesday was Dorella-Scott’s first official day on the job.
“The team that works here is absolutely fabulous,” she said.
Her aim is to bring in some larger touring bands to grace the Queens’ stage, and some bigger players in the music world are taking notice, with a representative with entertainment giant Live Nation visiting the downtown venue recently to see a show, as an example.
With an audience capacity of 350, The Queens has hosted shows by notable acts such as Cancer Bats, Comeback Kid, DOA, Dayglo Abortions, Teenage Bottlerocket and others.
“We do a lot of hardcore tours and metal tours here,” Dorella-Scott said.
Expanding beyond those particular genres is the next goal.
“I would love to do, like, Arkells in a small interactive venue, and that’s always been my thing … I always wanted big bands in small venues,” she said.
“I’ve noticed that a little bit, in the bigger industry, that a lot of bigger bands are playing smaller venues, so I’m hoping that puts us on the market soon where I can say, ‘Yeah, we’re a 350 (capacity) room, but we could literally sell it out within minutes … and could even do two-night shows,” Dorella-Scott said.
And then there’s the possible impacts of the planned performing arts centre on the downtown waterfront.
The proposed 45,000-square-foot venue, which is to include both large and small performance halls, seating 600 and 250 people, could be located at the Sea Cadets/Navy League site along Lakeshore Drive. Currently, the new performing arts centre is in its planning stages.
“I hope it works, I really do,” she said. “I really hope they look at the whole (music) community, too, because I think it would be great.”
Dorella-Scott feels the arts centre and The Queens could work together to bring unique entertainment experiences to Barrie.
“(A band) could do a big show there and then an intimate and interactive (set) at The Queens,” she said.
Growing up in the ’90s, Dorella-Scott was a fan of the MuchMusic format of a big artist playing to a small group in their studio, and with people outside pressed up against the window to get a look at the show.
“I was there for Bush when I was young, and that kind of sparked my dream — ‘I want to do this,’” she said.
With the astronomical prices of big arena and stadium shows costing fans $500 or more for tickets nowadays, will out-of-reach pricing spawn a renaissance for smaller club shows in the near future?
“That’s exactly what I’m hoping for … people who would rather spend 40 bucks to go to a show,” Dorella-Scott said.
As for bands that are arriving to play at The Queens, Seagrave was in town on Friday, with Coldlung, Afraid and Apple of Basilisk in tow.
On Aug. 7, Teeth hit the stage with openers Cruleintent and Tangents, while Aug. 17 will see Heavy Petter, The Highdives and Lyfe Skillz.
On Aug. 21, Battlescarred with Burdizzo, Abysion and Cadillac Blood take the stage.
The Cancer Bats play a show in Barrie in this file photo. | Kevin Lamb/BarrieToday
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