Sound advice — 25 of the best Edmonton live music venues
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Without venues, no concerts, and as the nights grow longer and warmer, it felt like a sweet moment to do a flyover of Edmonton's best and beautiful (or charmingly crusty) live venues — the literal floors holding up our music scene.
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Not every neighbourhood cover-band pub, rental hall, wooden chamber music space, karaoke bar, multipurpose event warehouse, open mic or canned dance club is accounted for, apologies in advance for that.
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But do have a look! Then please get out there into our wide range of stages outside the festivals and playoff pop-ups.
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And of course, feel free to yell out what's missing!
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The Aviary — 9314 111 Ave.
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Est. 2016, capacity 140
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A perfect box with one of the prettier stage setups in town, Aviary's soul is community oriented, staging wide-ranging indie of any musical stripe, heavy on the local with interesting art on its gallery walls under plant-filled skylights. Norwood's can-do gem!
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Est. 2021, capacity 500
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With the outside vibe of an industrial park storage cage, Backyard is actually delightfully Barbie-cosy once you slip in, with a nice cabana bar, picnic tables on AstroTurf and strings of patio lanterns all adding to an open-air concert/DJ dance party warmth.
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Black Dog Freehouse — 10425 82 Ave.
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Est. 1992, capacity 100
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The grey-muzzled elder gentlepub of Whyte, The Dog's long-running rootsy Saturday shows are packed, with the clubbier DJ Thursdays upstairs on the Wooftop and freestyle hip hop in the basement Underdog last Saturday of the month. Deep-cut pub DJs almost every night, too. Woof!
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Primarily punk and metal with local music Friday and Saturday nights, Blakbar perfectly hooks that grungy '90s DIY vibe which made Whyte Avenue legendary in the first place — bring earplugs and jacket patches! Sweet back patio in the summer, to boot.
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With its Drag Karaoke Wednesdays and unmatched vegan pub grub menu, the eclectic Buck is another of Whyte's killer patio stalwarts with punchy and loud live shows peppered all over its calendar. Bonus: it's also skinned with Edmonton's greatest public art tribute to music, the mighty Chi Pig mural.
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Cask + Barrel — 10041 104 St.
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Est. 2011, capacity 77
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Leaning rootsy-acoustic for its Saturday afternoon shows in this cosy living-room sunken bar, Cask's weekend DJs include a resident house DJ Saturday night. Great selection of scotch, for those who celebrate.
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