SoundScape Festival transforms Plaza Bridge underpass into immersive music venue

Immersive International is transforming Ottawa's Plaza Bridge underpass into a festival destination this fall with SoundScape, a hybrid experience combining live concerts, art installations, and creative technology.

Three events are scheduled for Tuesday, Aug. 27, Thursday, Sept. 12, and Thursday, Sept. 26. The lineup includes Toronto rapper Cadence Weapon, Ottawa indie rock band Hollerado, and local choir ensemble Tone Cluster, among other performers ranging from local to international acts.

Jordan Foster, global creative director at Immersive International, described the concept as creating an environment rather than a performance. "We're creating an experience you can step into. It sort of transforms around you and you get to experience and explore in lots of ways," Foster said. The festival aims to blend elements of a music festival, immersive experience, and sculptural art installations into one space.

The decision to use Plaza Bridge came after the team spent a year searching Ottawa for unexpected performance spaces. "We discovered the Plaza Bridge underpass location — it was a secret gem in Ottawa that people were walking through and nobody was looking closely at," Foster said. The goal is to shift public perception of the underpass and establish it as a gathering destination.

Foster emphasized the festival's role in growing Ottawa's creative community. "The kind of experiences that we do are complex and there's a lot of moving pieces to bring together, but the goal is always to present something here that is unique for this audience that they can't find in every other venue," Foster said.

The source does not specify ticket prices, capacity for each date, or city permits required for the Plaza Bridge underpass use.