The low spectator capacity in Bell Centre during concerts (amphitheatre, floor)

[whitlock]

Bell Centre is a huge arena with capacity for hockey 21,273.

Never been there though but from information online I've noticed that it has a very low capacity during concerts.

For example,

Rihanna concert at Bell Centre only 10.778 tickets available but her concert at Staples Center in LA had 19,992 tickets available and Staples is a smaller arena. These were end stage concerts and the stage size was same in both venues. Rihanna is not the only example. A common size arena stage altough they varies a bit in size should not reduce the capacity so drastic as it does in Bell Centre.

Any thoughts?

Thanks.

[marc3565]

Arena's are built for sight lines not sound. They likely setup to only use a portion of the seating. Rogers center in toronto for example sets up big curtains and only uses a fraction of the stadium so people get some decent sound.

[whitlock]

That makes sense. Maybe the acoustics are especially bad at Bell Centre.

Thanks.

Found this link now,

http://centrebell.ca/en/page/venue_specifications


The positioning of the curtains improves the ambiance and sound of any show.

[BIMBAM]

I used to work there at events, as a St. John Ambulance Volunteer. They basically cut the room in half, making it an amphitheatre. In this way, the performer is on a stage with a curtain to their back, and there's room for backstage area, which is important for doing a concert properly. It also means that the musicians don't have their backs facing any part of the audience, which you can imagine is important.

[Tangerine69]

I find the bell centre has terrible acoustics unless your right be the stage. I've seen rush there twice and the first time was great on the floor but last April we were in the grey section right beside the stage and and almost at the top, we couldn't hear anything but the vocals and the drums. The only way I knew the guitar is I play guitar but there's a reason why the nosebleeds are only $79 and the floor is $400. I find this a terrible place for concerts.

PS: it sucks driving for 16 hours for a concert, only for you to not understand any of it!