The past meets the future with the recent opening of Grand Rapids’ new large events and entertainment venue, The Big Room.
Connected to Silva (975 Ottawa Ave. NW)—the innovative “dinnertainment” complex that combines a restaurant, bar, Bocce ball and more—The Big Room held a soft opening back in May, with a free performance by Grammy-nominated singer/songwriter Valerie June.
Since then, the space has hosted an Adult Prom, and a Cacao and Sound Ceremony over the summer. This fall they will welcome folk/punk singer Sunny War, along with blues guitarist/singer Buffalo Nichols on Sept. 5, an evening with acclaimed singer/songwriter Brett Dennen on Nov. 22, a talent show featuring staff called Silva’s Got Talent Sept. 22, and a merchant and makers market on Nov. 28-29, with many more events to be announced.
“The Big Room is clearly about more than just conventional concerts,” Big Room Talent Buyer Quinn Mathews told REVUE. “While we are for sure a music venue, The Big Room is an open space with a blank slate for a variety of programming and mixed use. We have an internal creative team eager to produce events whether theatrical, variety, music, interactive events. We will bring in touring artists, we’ll throw parties, we’ll host theatre groups, variety programming, the sky is the limit.”
Living up to its name, The Big Room has a capacity for 1,500 guests, while the entire building, which was once the Berkley & Gay Furniture Company Factory complex, sprawls over 55,000 square feet.
“The history of the room has contributed so much to our vision,” Director of Operations Sarah Andro said. “When (Silva/Big Room owner) Mark Secchia purchased the building he had a historian do a report, and it came back 184 pages long. We learned the Berkey & Gay Auditorium was constructed as a multi-use space for the employees of the Berkey & Gay Furniture Company, and they allowed them to use the room for basically anything they wanted. There were variety shows, 50-piece bands, roller skating, farmers’ markets, movies, indoor baseball, boxing. We really feel inspired to recreate those kind of community-centered events.”
Mathews added that what makes the space so special is that it can adapt and be whatever it needs to in order to cater to the event taking place.
“We can be packed and decorated for an interactive ‘Alice In Wonderland’ experience, where the room is taken over in a fairy tale, but by midnight the crowd is gone and the room is struck, and back to four walls and a stage,” he said. “By morning, it could be set with tables and chairs for a catered lunch for a presentation event, then by that evening we could load in a touring performer for a 7 p.m. concert.”
Embracing history, The Big Room also features stained glass windows reclaimed from a historic church in Kalamazoo, adding to its distinct charm, and already capturing attention.
“Valerie June posted a picture of our unique stained glass cathedral windows that are backlit by LED lighting and called it ‘The Ryman of Michigan,’” Mathews said, referring to the famed Nashville auditorium. “And I can’t help but want to steal that quote for sure.”
Mathews has a long history of his own in the Grand Rapids music scene, having previously worked as the station manager at WYCE, and director of programming and music at Midtown (previously The Listening Room) since its opening in 2018. He also performs as part of the indie-folk duo Channing & Quinn.
“After finishing up at Midtown/Listening Room last October, I was working contract with some booking agencies and various venues, then connected to the team at Silva/Big Room, and had a fantastic chat about possibilities and programming for this venue,” Mathews said. “Once I saw the space and chatted with the team, I wanted in. I think I started the next day. It’s been really great to have the background of previously opening a venue, so I have been able to utilize some of my experience in being brand new on the scene locally, nationally, and even internationally, by connecting with folks in the industry that I utilized when opening that previous space back in 2019.
“However, it is another ballgame. That project was 200 capacity, all seated, with a pretty narrow programming scope for performances. Whereas this is 1,500 capacity with a wide variety, or dare I say ‘big’ variety of capabilities in the space for programming. My first day on the job I had already booked an aerialist, a magician, and I think a stilt walker, which I can for sure say were all firsts for me.”
Mathews said that they are excited for the fall and the holidays, and heading into 2026, as that’s really when programming at The Big Room begins to ramp up. Later this fall, the venue will host several touring musicians, a local album release show, a special Halloween event, a weekend featuring a specially choreographed dance company, and more.
“It’s a tough time for the arts and live entertainment, that’s no surprise,” Mathews said. “I believe in live art and entertainment, and we’ve got to have teams behind it, people literally building venues, investing in venues and performers. From the artists, to the agents, managers, promoters, tech crew, literally every last person involved in any sort of live entertainment, I’m just beyond proud when anything new is brought in to our community, whether I’m involved or not, and to join this team in this community really means the world to me.
“West Michigan has an insane amount of professional entertainers and touring artists. I’ve honestly never seen anything quite like it. It’s hard to just call it a ‘local music scene’ because what it really is, is professional artists that live in West Michigan, (and) I can’t imagine a better spot to be to find professional artists for a stage than West Michigan.”
The Big Room
975 Ottawa Ave. NW, Grand Rapids
Thebigroomgr.com
