A Hamilton-based company is bringing new life – and music – to an old venue with the launch of Sonic Hall.
The new venue will be taking over the spot previously home to Onyx Nightclub, above Frank & Steins at 12 Wyndham St. N.
It already has a lengthy roster of acts slated for shows starting in October and spanning into the new year, including Skye Wallace, Born in the Eighties, Shania Twink, Alan Cross, Great Lake Swimmers and more.
That’s just the tip of the iceberg, said Tim Potocic, owner of Sonic Unyon Records, which owns the venue.
“We want to be able to bring Canadian and American talent through Guelph,” he said.
It’s something Potocic and his team have decades of experience in. Sonic Unyon started out as a record label in the 90s, and manages bands to this day.
The company has also always had a focus on live music, and now owns two Hamilton venues – Bridgeworks and Mills Hardware – that have seen the likes of Death from Above, Matthew Good, Silverstein, Corb Lund, Lagwagon, Laura Jane Grace and more.
They’re also responsible for Supercrawl, the biggest outdoor music festival in Hamilton, along with several other festivals and events.
“We have a very robust live business,” he said. “For the last number of years I’ve been looking at other cities in Ontario that are underserved, and I felt Guelph was very underserved. I’ve been literally looking for years to find a space that would work.”
“It’s very vibrant, and there’s some amazing things that happen there (like Hillside),” he said. “I love the city. I just think it’s a fantastic market where we can bring some amazing shows.”
So when he learned Onyx closed, he jumped at the chance to move into the space.
“Our plan is ultimately to work really closely with the Guelph community. We’ve reached out to all the festivals and a pile of local artists. With the announcement we’re hoping more local artists will approach us that we don’t know.”
Potocic said Guelph can “absolutely” expect the same calibre of musicians and performers hitting the stage at Sonic Hall, along with lots of shows for local performers.
Events will span all genres from rock to country to dance parties. Cover bands will perform from time to time too, and when they do, he said to expect “the best in the country.”
The venue will be getting a grungy makeover, with a new stage, new sound and lighting systems, and a paint job that includes multiple murals.
“I guess it worked for the previous bar, but our style is a little bit different. We’re always gritty, I like to say, because we’re from Hamilton,” he said.
A “cool industrial-ish type of feel” is what concert-goers can expect once doors open in October.
Sonic Hall has a capacity of 230.
He said the venue size is great because it allows for guaranteed sold-out shows for bigger acts, and gives them the chance to develop local talent and smaller touring acts at the same time.
While the River Run Centre has a bigger capacity, it’s a sit-down venue – and standing venues “can be a little bit more rock and roll.”
“We’re not gunning for a sellout every single night. That’s not really practical. You have to have a variety of different things,” he said. “At that size, you can still do like lower capacity shows and they’ll still feel great.”
“It’s going to be a lot of shows for Guelph. Of course it’s a risk, but it’s a risk we’re willing to take.”
