Sam Roberts Band
Sam Roberts released his debut in 2002, following a popular independent demo recording he had made in Montreal. Before that point, he had been a violin player who eventually moved on to guitar and started a rock band with his friends. The Inhuman Condition was released and became the best-selling independent EP in Canadian history.
In 2003 he released his first full-length album, We Were Born in a Flame. The Certified Double-Platinum selling album was a huge hit in Canada and won the Juno Awards for Album of the Year, Rock Album of the Year, and Artist of the Year. He continued to release hit albums for the remainder of the decade: Platinum-certified Chemical City in 2006 and Gold-certified Love at the End of the World in 2008. Each album also won the Juno for Rock Album of the Year.
ABOUT THE VENUE
The Drill Hall
The Drill Hall at Base31 is a big stage, big sound performance space in a remarkable historic setting. This expansive and striking venue features a soaring hangar-like ceiling, exceptional state-of-the-art sound and lighting, with the most celebrated, chart-top musicians in Canada gracing its stage. The Drill Hall has a capacity of up to 1000 people, though individual show capacities may vary. Both reserved seating and general admission standing ticket options are on offer in this immersive venue, with lots of room to get up and dance. Both pre-show and during the performance, audiences can expect to be welcomed to the Drill Hall’s large, outdoor, licensed patio where local food and drink vendors share their culinary specialties surrounded by picnic table seating.
The Drill Hall is a magnificent 22,000 sq ft building built in 1940. It has a steel structure and a historic cedar shake exterior. The building was used by the RAF, RCAF, RCSA (AA) and the First Battalion of the Canadian Guards as both a drill hall and a gymnasium. Drills were practiced in both the drill hall and the patch of land adjacent to the hall – the parade square. During the 1950’s and 1960’s, the military opened the gymnasium doors on Thursday nights to the local community. It is said that there were often competitions against community teams and the military teams.
Photo Credit: Dave Gillespie
