Live Music in Calgary

From Calgarypedia

1 Overview
2 History of Music in Calgary
3 Live Music Venues
4 Notable Musicians from Calgary
5 Music Publications
6 Musicians’ Associations
7 Stampede Show Band
8 Symphony in Calgary
9 Opera in Calgary
10 External Links / Sources

Overview

Calgary has an expansive and active live music scene. From the city’s many talented musicians across almost every genre to the world-class talent Calgary attracts on a regular basis, music lovers will rarely feel a dearth of options when it comes to shows.

Calgary’s live music venues range from large arenas and stadiums to intimate clubs and lounges, and include genre-specific venues for blues, jazz, reggae and hip-hop music, among others.

The city is also home to a renowned opera company and symphony orchestra, who often perform together.

History of Music in Calgary

Calgary has a long and storied history in music. It began with the pounding drums of the aboriginal people and the river jigs of the Métis. Shortly after the turn of the century, the choral societies of the churches and the many incarnations of the Calgary philharmonic and Calgary symphony orchestra came into existence. More recently, the music community has grown exponentially, incorporating rock, jazz, folk and indie bands as well as continuing the proliferation of classical music. For more information on Calgary’s music history, visit the Canadian Encyclopedia’s article on the history of music in Calgary.

Live Music Venues

Calgary has hundreds of live music venues, ranging in size and type.

Large Venues

Medium Sized Venues

Flames Central on Stephen Avenue
MacEwan Hall at the University of Calgary
Olympic Plaza
The GRAND
Jack Singer Concert Hall, home to the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra

Small Venues

Hundreds of bars, nightclubs, pubs, lounges and other types of businesses host live music on a regular basis. A number of directories list live music venues in Calgary:

Calgary Live Music Venues at Clubzone.com
Folk Clubs & Concerts at Calgary Folk Music
Live Venues at Calgary Music Special Interest Group
Event Listings: Music at Fast Forward Weekly
Calgary Live Music Clubs at DiscoverCalgary.com
Show Listings at CalgaryMusic.com

Notable Musicians from Calgary

A number of nationally and internationally successful artists hail from Calgary. They include:

Music Publications

Several media outlets cover live music in the city, including the Calgary Herald and Calgary Sun in their respective entertainment sections, as well as Fast Forward Weekly, a weekly arts and entertainment paper.

Musicians’ Associations

Professional musicians in Calgary have a myriad of resources at their fingertips and a number of groups to access those resources and network with other industry professionals.

The Calgary Musician’s Association "maintains professional standards, ethics and fees in the music industry."

The Alberta Music Industry Association’s mandate is to "foster the excellence, diversity and vitality of Alberta artists and the Alberta sound recording industry."

The Musicians’ Lounge forums provide a space for musicians to network, share gig and jam announcements and business advice.

Stampede Show Band

Performing predominantly during the Calgary Stampede, the Stampede Show Band is a marching band made up of Calgary’s most talented students of music and dance. More information on the Stampede Show Band can be found at Bands of Calgary.

Symphony in Calgary

Calgary has a long history of symphony, dating back to the foundation of the first incarnation of the Calgary Symphony Orchestra in 1910. Currently, there are two large symphonies in Calgary: the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra and the Calgary Civic Orchestra.

For more information, visit The Calgary Civic Symphony website and the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra website. For a complete history of the now-defunct Calgary Symphony Orchestra, visit the Canadian Encyclopedia’s page on the topic.