While the Coulson Nightclub in downtown Sudbury may look the same, its owners are taking steps to change the way it sounds.
Thanks to a FACTOR (the Foundation Assisting Canadian Talent On Recording) grant, the owners of the Coulson have been using the down time during the COVID-19 pandemic to renovate and rebrand their product.
Those who live in Northern Ontario are likely familiar with the Coulson Nightclub. The building at the corner of Larch and Durham streets was originally built as the Americana Hotel. It burned down in 1937, eventually making way for what is now the Coulson Nightclub.
Now, it’s called the Coulson Entertainment Centre.
Tony Monteleone has owned the club since 2010. He said it was time for a change.
“Since the pandemic, we have decided to pivot operations from being a downtown bar into creating Sudbury's only broadcast studio and downtown Sudbury's Entertainment Centre,” said Monteleone. “We are no longer The Coulson Nightclub. We are now the Coulson Entertainment Centre.”
The grant was used to purchase state-of-the-art equipment that will allow bands to not only record their songs, but edit and livestream those songs across the world. It’s really a “plug and play, one-stop-shop” for anyone’s recording purposes, said production manager Steve McArthur. And, if so desired, it can be done in front of a live audience. Once current capacity limits are further eased, bands could very well play to an audience of 250 people.
“We've transformed this room from just a plain, live-music venue into a live recording studio, a live broadcasting studio, with state-of-the-art equipment, and the lighting system has been upgraded. We have completely transformed it into a plug and play studio. Any band would be more than happy to walk in and play on our stage.”
The Coulson is no stranger to musical acts. Many of Canada’s top musical acts have performed there including The Tragically Hip, Platinum Blonde, Ronnie Hawkins, April Wine, Trooper and others, said McArthur.
“I love the concept of the room,” McArthur said. “This building is downtown Sudbury history, and we want to upgrade it so that this place can stand the test of time.”
