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Above us, the digital sign that had been empty earlier in the week was emblazoned with the face of Jakob Dylan, the soft-spoken son of folk hero Bob. Before the image went up, more than one nerdy Ottawan saw the words “History Ottawa” and got excited about a new museum on the history of the city.

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History Ottawa opened with a sold-out concert by the Wallflowers on Aug. 20. Before the show, concert-goers lined up outside the Rideau Street entrance below a marquee image of Jakob Dylan. Photo by Lynn Saxberg, Postmedia

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While in the barricaded line, a staffer checked ID and stamped the hands of those of us old enough to drink, which was most of the audience, I’d say. Security protocol involved walking through a metal detector and checking my bag.

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We picked up our tickets (paper tickets, no less!) at the box office, got scanned in and looked around. There was already a line at the merch booth, a long line at the nearest bar and an opening act, a rockabilly act called Early James, on stage.

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Beers secured ($15 each, including tax and tip), I wanted to get closer to the stage by moving up along the far side, but the route was blocked by an elevated section, evidently provided for wheelchair users who would normally be on the second level if the elevator was operational.

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Naturally, there was a cluster of fans at this dead end, and we ran into height-challenged friends who lamented the lack of a sloped floor, a feature they appreciate at Bronson Centre.

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History Ottawa, a Live Nation music venue, opened to the public on Thursday, Aug. 20, with a performance by the Wallflowers. Photo by Andrea Cranfield /Handout

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The next idea was to head up to the mezzanine to find a spot, but that hope evaporated when security told us the second level was at capacity. Yes, it’s available to general-admission fans, we were told, but only if there’s room.

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History Ottawa features premium mezzanine seating that overlooks the general-admission area in front of the stage. Photo by Tony Caldwell /Postmedia

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We were getting dejected and feeling the need for some fresh air during the break. No such luck. Re-entry is not an option here; once you leave, you can’t come back.

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Okay, maybe a slice of pizza would take the edge off things. Almost $60 later, we stood in the crowd awkwardly balancing drinks and paper-thin slices ($10 each) dotted with shriveled pepperoni and tasting like they had been reheated in a microwave. Another menu item we sampled was the Ottawa Popcorn, with its pleasing sweet and salty take on the crunchy snack.

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By then, we were pretty much back where we started, near the first bar. We navigated through a few layers of the crowd before hitting the aforementioned human fortress. I didn’t even get close enough to need earplugs.

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From what I could tell from that limited vantage point, it was a decent show, with a setlist divided between celebrating the 30th anniversary of the Wallflowers’ breakthrough album, Bringing Down The Horse, and Dylan’s favourite Tom Petty album, 1982’s Long After Dark.

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Wallflowers’ two biggest hits — One Headlight and 6th Avenue Heartache — were dispensed first, followed by the rest of the album’s tracklisting, played with all its roots-rock glory. There was a seamless switchover to the Petty platter, with Dylan remembering Petty as a “sweetheart” and joking about turning Wallflowers into a tribute act.

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Although Dylan’s voice has lost some of his range, giving him a Springsteen-esque rasp, he and the band rendered his mentor’s material with care, topping things off with an encore that included a pair of big Petty hits, Refugee and The Waiting, to the delight of the fans that remained.

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Others had wandered off in search of noodles or shawarma, just two of the countless food choices in the area.

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In the end, I’m not denying the potential of the venue, and I do like the layout, but I look forward to returning when the elevator is in service and the traffic flow improves.

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lsaxberg@postmedia.com

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