Audience numbers going up following revamp of Darke Hall
Audience numbers going up following revamp of Darke Hall
It has been almost a year since the doors re-opened at Regina’s infamous Darke Hall, and attendance is trending in the right direction.
“Actually in the last couple months we’ve noticed that the audience numbers are going up,” Dawn Bergstrom, manager of Darke Hall explained. “People are becoming more comfortable and they’re also getting to know the fact that we’re here, and that we’re open again.”
The building was under construction for six years, and saw an $84.5 million facelift, according to the University of Regina, but ensured it kept the bones that make it recognizable.
“This is a venue that a lot of people grew up performing in, we took music lessons here, we danced on the stage, we did shows here so it became so much of our childhood,” Bergstrom said.
Darke Hall reopened their doors almost a year ago after renovations. (Brianne Foley / CTV News)
Luke McMaster was set to perform at the hall for the first time Tuesday evening.
“When you see a nice theatre that has maintained some of the original architecture, it’s always really fun and there’s stained glass, there’s original wood still intact and you just instantly get a feel for something,” he said.
McMaster used to be part of McMaster & James, but has since turned solo, pursing Mo-Town music with his Canadian band.
He said just like the venues' blending of old and new, mo-town looks to unite generations through the blending of music.
“It’s where they first started blending jazz, blues, gospel and that is what created pop music, pop music really came out of that…music for everyone, that was Barry Gordie’s mandate when he started mo-town.”
Darke Hall boasts many Saskatchewan acts, and with the upgrades, artists can enjoy the nostalgia of the hall, with state of the art equipment to produce the best quality performances.
“So many of our professional artists that have come out of Saskatchewan actually performed on the Darke Hall stage, so there’s a really strong connection and I think bringing it back really builds that connection again.”
McMaster is from the prairies, but never performed at Darke Hall before. He said when he walked into the venue for the first time it felt like the Apollo, that it has that kind of vibe to it.
“Darke Hall is perfect for what we do, absolutely perfect, we love playing in theatres, we love the fact that we can really connect with an audience.”
Booking shows like McMaster, and Jack Semple, means ticket sales and audiences have been growing for the hall.
“People have been really enthusiastic, and they’ve really enjoyed the experience and we’ve had some amazing artists performing on this stage,” said Bergstrom.
“For a while, we were so used to this building being under construction, that people didn’t know it was open so that word is getting out now, and more and more people are coming.”
When two skiers collided on a beginner run at an upscale Utah ski resort in 2016, no one could foresee that seven years later, the crash would become the subject of a closely watched celebrity trial.
A Toronto man, whose neighbours vanished eight years ago and left their home completely abandoned, said he's fed up living next door to a property that is in complete disarray.
A candidate for the United Conservative Party in southern Alberta has resigned after she posted a video claiming children are being exposed to pornography in schools.
A scientist at CAMH says video games have similar addictive features to gambling which cause social isolation of the individual and dependency on the activity.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau offered a brief initial response to the final report from the Mass Casualty Commission (MCC) into Canada's worst mass shooting, which claimed the lives of 22 people in Nova Scotia in 2020. Vowing changes will come, here's what Trudeau said in Truro, N.S.
The federal Liberals are trending downward on three key measures while Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre has surpassed Prime Minister Justin Trudeau when it comes to the question of who Canadians would prefer now as their prime minister, according to Nanos Research.
A coroner has denied a request from a former Toronto police officer to explore a theory that a distraught teen he shot was committing "suicide by cop."
A Saskatoon murder trial is being adjourned to allow police to follow-up on "significant information" that just came to the Crown prosecutor's attention Wednesday.
A community-focused historian has found several potential ancient artifacts along the Saskatchewan River, including a bison bone that is over 8,000 years old.
A judge has acquitted a now-retired priest of forcing himself on a residential school student more than 50 years ago, saying she believes an assault happened but could not determine beyond a reasonable doubt who did it.
Two Manitoba hunting outfitters have been fined thousands of dollars and lost their licenses after a four-year investigation revealed numerous violations of the wildlife act.
Alberta Premier Danielle Smith has yet to answer direct questions about a growing scandal of her alleged interference with the justice system, but her deputy premier has responded the media about the issue.
A candidate for the United Conservative Party in southern Alberta has resigned after she posted a video claiming children are being exposed to pornography in schools.
A 2021 plane crash at the Westlock Airport was caused by an "unstable visual approach" to the landing runway, a Transportation Safety Board investigator has found.
Alberta Premier Danielle Smith has yet to answer direct questions about a growing scandal of her alleged interference with the justice system, but her deputy premier has responded the media about the issue.
A candidate for the United Conservative Party in southern Alberta has resigned after she posted a video claiming children are being exposed to pornography in schools.
A Toronto man, whose neighbours vanished eight years ago and left their home completely abandoned, said he's fed up living next door to a property that is in complete disarray.
A coroner has denied a request from a former Toronto police officer to explore a theory that a distraught teen he shot was committing "suicide by cop."
Just a week after Airbnb tightened regulations for Quebec listings following a deadly fire, hosts may already be bending the rules. Airbnb now requires its hosts to provide a six-digit policy number with their listing, obtained when a tourist lodging is registered with the provincial government. But a scroll through the Airbnb website suggests users are falsifying their permit numbers to sneak past the authentication process.
It's been two weeks since a major fire ripped through a heritage building in the heart of Old Montreal, killing seven people and forever altering the lives of families across the globe. For the families of those who died, the grieving process is only starting.
A 32-year-old man from Campbell River, B.C., has been sentenced to four years in prison for the beating death of a 59-year-old homeless man in October 2020.
Two-and-a-half years after it was established, Nova Scotia’s Mass Casualty Commission has recommended sweeping changes to everything from gun control to mental health services, although there’s no guarantee any will ever be implemented.
There are exciting plans for Knox Presbyterian Church in downtown Sudbury. Built in 1927, the former church was sold after its congregation dwindled and will be transformed into a concert hall.
Darke Hall reopened their doors almost a year ago after renovations. (Brianne Foley / CTV News) 
