History Ottawa opens August 20 with Wallflowers' first Ottawa show in 25 years

History Ottawa, a new 2,000-seat Live Nation music venue, opens August 20, with an all-ages show by the Wallflowers, the roots-rock band led by singer-songwriter Jakob Dylan. It marks their first appearance in Ottawa in 25 years.

The Wallflowers will perform material from their 1996 landmark album Bringing Down the Horse — home to their massive hit single "One Headlight" — as part of a 30th-anniversary tour. In a second set, they'll play songs from Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers' 1982 album Long After Dark, celebrating the late musician who was Dylan's close friend and mentor.

Jakob Dylan, now 56, is the son of Bob Dylan. The show is virtually sold out; as of publication, only one verified resale seat remained on Ticketmaster, priced at $277.14.

History Ottawa occupies 35,000 square feet at the corner of Rideau Street and Sussex Drive, the site of a former Chapters bookstore on property owned by the National Capital Commission. It mirrors the design of History Toronto in the Beaches, which includes Drake as a partner — Drake is also a partner in the Ottawa project. The venue features a two-level layout with general-admission ground-floor space in front of the stage and an upper level with seating.

Erik Hoffman, the Ottawa-born, Toronto-based Live Nation Canada executive who led the project, said the space is designed for flexibility: "The idea is that it feels raw enough that you can do a punk rock show, but you can also do any number of configurations for comedy or special events or award shows."

Close to three dozen shows have already been announced at the venue, including performances by Kaleo, Modest Mouse, and UB40. The venue hired dozens of staff, including several local music-industry figures: technical director Wayne Hawthorne and security manager Mike Postma. General manager Bronwyn Campbell and senior operations manager Rob Feller were brought in from Vancouver's Commodore club, where Hoffman previously worked.