When 27-year-old Tim Berry received difficult health news while staying at Ottawa’s Bruyère Health, hospital staff bypassed traditional venue limits to organize a live heavy metal concert in a facility boardroom, bringing a full-scale rock show directly to the patient’s bedside.
Transforming a Hospital Board Room Into a Heavy Metal Venue
According to Bruyère Health clinical chaplain Roshene Lawson, the event came together within a single week after Berry expressed a desire to attend a heavy metal show. Because Berry’s medical condition was deemed too fragile for him to leave the hospital, the care team and local music organizers brought the experience indoors on July 21.
Lawson reached out to Scott McClinton, owner of the ByWard Market hard rock venue Dominion Tavern. McClinton promptly recruited the local heavy metal band The Scepter. Within days, the hospital boardroom featured a colourful light show, hair-blowing fans, and live guitar performances.
“All of a sudden, people in heavy metal outfits with guitars and stuff are asking where the chaplain is,” Lawson told CBC’s All In A Day.
Musicians and Patients Share an Emotional Experience
The Scepter adapted their stage performance to the unconventional hospital layout, utilizing the space between patient seating as a makeshift catwalk. Guitarist Josh Collins noted that the band had enough room with the stage lights to move near patients and deliver a high-energy performance.
According to event organizers, the concert drew strong emotional reactions from attendees and performers alike. Lawson recalled that Berry shed tears of happiness during the set, while McClinton admitted he was surprised to find himself crying during a heavy metal show.
Following the performance, Berry met with the band members and received merchandise including a T-shirt and a CD.
Did you know? Bruyère Health’s clinical care model includes a strong focus on spiritual wellness alongside standard medical treatment, encouraging care teams to think creatively to support patient quality of life.
Prioritizing Holistic Patient Care and Spiritual Wellness
Lawson emphasized that accommodating the patient’s wish was a vital part of supporting his overall well-being during a challenging period of hospital care. By listening to what brought meaning and value to Berry, the clinical chaplaincy team aimed to address his spiritual needs.
“Sometimes we’ve got to think outside the box, and in this case I went to a heavy metal concert,” Lawson said.
Frequently Asked Questions
How did the heavy metal concert at Bruyère Health come together?
After patient Tim Berry expressed a wish to attend a heavy metal show, clinical chaplain Roshene Lawson contacted Dominion Tavern owner Scott McClinton, who enlisted the local band The Scepter. The entire event was planned and executed within one week.
Why was the concert held inside the hospital?
Berry’s medical condition was too fragile for him to leave Bruyère Health, so the venue, band, and hospital staff collaborated to bring the concert directly to the facility on July 21.
Who performed at the hospital concert?
Ottawa heavy metal band The Scepter performed live for patients in a transformed hospital boardroom, complete with lighting and guitar-shredding displays.
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