Today we will try to fill you in on everything we know about music in Calgary. This is certainly a broad topic but we will do our best to cover the full scene in this post.
To get the ball rolling we will discuss the best musical instrument stores in Calgary. There will be separate lists for where to buy guitars in your area as well as the top drum shops in town.
Obviously there will be some crossover in those sections as some stores will have the leading guitar brands for sale like Gibson, Fender, or Keisel as well as all the keyboards, synthesizers, pedals, amps, or pretty much any supplies you may need.
Contents
Up next we will get into where to go for quality instrument repair near you. Some of you may need a piano tuned, a guitar repaired, or work done on other band instruments and there is somebody out there that can assist.
The best music lessons for kids or adults will get a shout out. And then there will be some local stores for music lovers with vintage CD’s and records.
We also think many of you will want to know about the best concert halls and live music venues here. There are also many bars and restaurants that have live music around the city.
And our final section will get into the best festivals on the Calgary music calendar. Stick around until the end where you will find a map with the wide variety of stores and venues we are discussing pinned on it. This region is one we have discussed many times in the past.
Musical Instrument Stores In Calgary
When you want to go to one of the best musical instrument stores in Calgary head to:
- St John’s Music at 700 58 Ave SE
- Music Centre at 10206 Macleod Trail SE
- Long & McQuade Musical Instruments at 225 58 Ave SE
For more than 90 years St. John’s Music has sold instruments and provided classes near you.
Music Centre wants to be your favorite local music store and strives to be among the best places to go for everything instruments, information, lessons, and advice.
Whether it’s for a day, a week, a month, or more Long & McQuade is a great place to rent instruments.
Where To Buy Guitars
If you are specifically trying to buy a guitar or guitar accessories in your area check out:
- Guitarworks at 7110 Macleod Trail SE
- Guitar OR at 6020 2 St SE #15
- Aeolian Strings at 6229 Centre St SW #9
- Kickaxe Guitars at 1409A 11 St SW
In addition to acoustic, electric, and bass guitars to suit everyone from beginner to pro you can expect to find the guitar accessories that will help you get the most out of your instrument at Guitarworks. They carry a huge selection of tuners, guitar strings, cleaning products, cables, guitar effects, cases, and more.
Guitar OR offers a full line of luthier services covering everything from acoustic and electric guitars to basses, banjos, and mandolins.
Kickaxe Guitars is open 7 days a week for online or onsite lessons, instrument or amplifier repairs, and general instrument, amplifier, and accessory sales.
Earlier we linked you to Music Centre and Long & McQuade Musical Instruments but we also need to mention them here.
Drum Shops Near You
The One World Drum at 131 61 Avenue SE provides drum circles, classes, artist in residencies, team building, workshops, facilitator training, sales, and repairs.
Another good place to buy drums is Long & McQuade Musical Instruments.
Instrument Repair
You can get quality instrument repairs in your area at:
- Guitar Repair Shack at 5340 1a St SW 2nd fl
- Blue Note Musical Instruments at 82 Varsity Ridge Terrace NW
The Guitar Repair Shack is a full service repair venue for stringed instruments and amplifiers.
Blue Note Musical Instruments is a full-service woodwind and brass instrument repair shop specializing in restoration of vintage saxophones.
We mentioned St John’s Music, Aeolian Strings, and One World Drum in the local music stores list but they are also great for instrument repairs.
Music Lessons
You will probably improve your skills by taking music lessons at:
- Music Makers at 71 Crowfoot Terrace NW
- Avant-Garde Music Studio at 8650 112 Ave NW #7227
- Leroux Studios at 2114A 14 St NW
- Chinook School of Music at 3522 19 St SW
- Morin Music Studio at 288 St Moritz Dr SW #2202
- RS Music at 31 Sage Hill Passage NW
Music Makers offers private instruction based on half-hour lessons once a week at their studios.
Leroux Studios is passionate about offering classes in guitar, piano, voice, bass, ukulele, drums, violin, banjo, and mandolin.
Morin Music Studio offers high-quality lessons for all levels and ages in a positive and nurturing environment.
RS Music has three conveniently located studios for lessons, individualized instruction, children, teens and adults, beginner and advanced lessons, guitar, bass, drums, piano, keyboard, voice, and theory.
Another place to take music lessons in your area is One World Drum.
CD & Record Stores
Calgary Live Music Venues
These Calgary live music venues are great places to see a concert or performance:
- The Palace Theatre at 219 8 Ave SW
- MacEwan Hall Concerts at 2500 University Dr NW
- Gallery House Concerts Society at 119 Nottingham Rd NW
- Dickens at 1000 9 Ave SW
- Blues Can at 1429 9 Ave SE
- Palace Theatre at 219 8 Ave SW
- King Eddy at 438 9 Ave SE
- Broken City at 613 11 Ave SW
- Bella at 18 Mt Royal Cir SW
Dicken is a famous laid-back haunt for drinks, pub grub, and entertainment ranging from local bands to gaming events.
Home to films, vaudeville acts, and orchestra performances the Palace Theatre was also the site of the first public radio broadcast in Calgary. This multi-function venue will be home to everything from concerts, musical performances, seminars, symposiums, and corporate events.
King Eddy is a restaurant, bar and music venue that is also home to the CKUA Calgary, the Rolling Stone Mobile Studio, other NMC recording facilities, and NMC’s offices.
Broken city is an electric avenue for live performances. They host a variety of different events from weekly comedy Monday night to their rotating live local music on Thursdays and Fridays.
Bella Hall is used for concerts, dance performances, convocations, AGMs, town hall meetings, speaker series, and film screenings.
Any of the above venues are great places to see live music near you.
Restaurants With Live Music
These restaurants with live music can be a lot of fun:
- Palomino Smokehouse at 109 7 Ave SW
- Junction at 628 8 Ave SW
- The Nash at 925 11 St SE
- Scarpetta Italian Eatery at 1003 9 Ave SE
- Notable at 4611 Bowness Rd NW #133
The Nash features contemporary Canadian cuisine with a seasonal menu rich in regional vegetables and Alberta beef.
Scarpetta has Italian classics with a modern twist where you can enjoy some of the pastas and pizzas made in house on their amazing vibrant patio and we suggest you visit on Saturdays for live music.
Bars With Live Music
Plus there are bars that play live music too:
- Broken City at 613 11 Ave SW
- Dickens at 1000 9 Ave SW
- Vern’s at 622 8 Ave SW
- Kings Head Pub and Eatery at 9116 Macleod Trail #15
- The Ship & Anchor at 534 17 Ave SW
Broken City is proud to host a series of weekly events that capture the heart and imagination of this vibrant city including comedy, pub trivia, live music, DJ sets, and home-spun karaoke all colliding on their dance floor.
Music Festivals In Your Area
The Calgary Folk Music Festival is a not-for-profit and registered charitable organization founded in 1980 that produces music and cultural events all year including the major festival
You may also be interested in these posts on:
- Music Lessons In Edmonton
- Music Lessons In Winnipeg
- Music Lessons In Vancouver
- Music Lessons In Seattle
Enjoy The Calgary Local Music Scene
Well guys, we tried cover the scene as well as we could. You read about the best musical instrument stores, drum and guitar shops, instrument repair services, where to go for lessons, vintage CD and record stores, concert halls and other live music venues like bars and restaurants, plus the best festivals near you.
Anyone that is still here probably knows bit about the local music scene themselves. If so feel free to tell us if we got anything incorrect, if we left any cool spots out, or just share your own thoughts in the comments at the end of the post.
No matter if you are trying to buy a new instrument, wanted some live entertainment, needed a vintage CD and record, or just wanted to learn more about music in Calgary we hope you enjoy yourself.
