Calgary Concerts
Start your own show.
A living room with twenty chairs. A Tuesday jam at the local. Four friends who need a drummer. A choir that meets in a church basement. A songwriter night once a month. Calgarians start these all the time, and anyone can. Here is how.
- 1Pick what kind
A house show, a jam night, a band, a choir or a small gig series. Small is fine. Most start with one living room or one night a month.
- 2Name it
Something people can say out loud and remember. Your street, your neighbourhood or your sound in the name helps people find you.
- 3Say how people join
Where and when, what to bring and who it is for. Be specific. "First Friday, 7 pm, a backyard in Sunnyside, bring a chair" beats "monthly". For a house show, name the neighbourhood and share the address with the people who ask.
- 4Post it
Fill in the page. A real person reads it, usually within a day, and then it goes live with its own page and a spot in the directory.
Community bands.
Be the first to start one
Most Calgary music starts small. A backyard, a borrowed PA, a few friends and one night. Yours could be the first page here.
Start yours →Before your first night.
Finish before ten
Calgary night-time quiet hours start at 10 pm and run to 7 am Monday to Saturday, and to 9 am on Sundays and holidays. Private parties cannot get a noise exemption permit, so plan the last song for before ten.
calgary.ca →A free room to plan in
Calgary Public Library program rooms are free to book with a library card, up to 30 days ahead. They suit a planning meeting or a songwriting circle. No admission fees or alcohol in library rooms.
calgarylibrary.ca →A hall for a bigger night
Many Calgary community associations rent out a hall by the evening. The Federation of Calgary Communities list shows each one with its hall size and who to ask about rentals.
calgarycommunities.com →Drinks need a licence
Serving or selling alcohol at a gig in Alberta needs a special event licence from AGLC. They suggest applying at least 14 days ahead.
aglc.ca →Grants for local music
Calgary Arts Development runs grant programs for individual artists and arts groups. Worth a look once your series has a few nights behind it.
calgaryartsdevelopment.com →