A playful Jesus sticker at the entrance of the new Blues Can reads, “If you don’t sin, I died for nothing.” The exterior is modest, but inside it’s buzzing: old posters, wood blinds, soft light, and a sense that everyone knows each other. A Buddha on a poster holds up an “okay” gesture, as if to say everything will be all right.
The Inglewood closure last year stirred concern among many, but in April, the Blues Can returned in a new location on 16th Avenue, where Tipperary’s used to be. “One of my big worries about moving here was that it’s much fancier,” says owner Greg Smith. “It’s in an upper-class neighbourhood.” The building, however, isn’t new — it was built in 1972. “Worn, scratched, paint chipping … it’s looking a little more Blues Can-y,” Smith said. “Road hard and put away wet, as we say.”
A lifelong music lover, Smith is the son of a professional musician. “I was born without the musical genes,” he jokes. “But my father always held one thing in higher esteem than even musicians — someone who paid them. That’s how I ended up in this business, so I do it for the musicians, the industry, and the whole scene.”
Booking shows takes persistence and instinct. “Sometimes I hear [bands] on Bluesman Channel and start researching,” says manager Teena Wilson. “Other times they come through recommendations or emails.”
That kind of hustle fuels a tight schedule. “We’re doing 10 to 14 shows a week. That’s a pretty big number for anywhere in the country,” Wilson says. “With this size, we’ve got more room — and responsibility.”
The new venue is three times the size. “Which means three times the rent, utilities, staff, and work,” Smith adds. “But the vibe remains familiar. We kept most of our team. The programming, the food, the feel — it’s all the same.”
The idea for the Blues Can was born after the original King Eddy shut its doors. “Watching it go felt like losing a friend,” Smith says. “This is how I tried to close that hole in my heart.” It wasn’t quite the same when the Eddy eventually reopened in 2018 — something about the old magic was missing for Smith.
The venue is usually packed with birthday parties, friend hangouts, and date nights before concerts.. The atmosphere has a rough charm — simple, bold, and joyful. People dress casually, some in cowboy hats.
On June 6, California blues duo Casey Hensley and Laura Chavez lit up the small stage with the iconic blue light. When Hensley’s deep, soulful voice filled the room, the audience whistled and called out in approval. When she launched into “I Got No Money” over a punchy guitar riff, a few couples made their way to the dance floor as if on cue, like an impromptu flash mob.
Looking to the future, Smith says it’s all about survival. “We hope that the bigger size will give us a little more headroom. It may or may not. Depending on how things work, it could either help us or wipe us out.“
He is (understandably) cautious about change as the Blues Can enters a new chapter. “We’re hoping to maintain the course we were on, continue in the same vein, with the same feel, and the same people, and do the same kind of things.” He describes the opening of both the original and the new Blues Can as near accidents – or, as he put it, “million to one shots”.
“Greg never wanted to run a bar,” says Ken W. Lord, Greg’s friend of over 30 years. “He just wanted to listen to his favourite music and eat his favourite food.”
Honestly, that sounds like a good enough reason. And if those were million-to-one shots, then may the odds keep surprising them.
Check out the menu and calendar of upcoming shows at thebluescan.com.
Blues Can Quick Facts
Address: 2002 16 Ave. N.W.
Hours:
Monday to Thursday from 4 p.m. to 2 a.m., Friday to Sunday from 11 a.m. to 2 a.m.
Events this month:
Jay Coda Walker on July 4 and 5, Taylor Ackerman’s Global Acid Reset on July 11 and 12, Alfie Zappacosta on July 17.
Food & Drink Recs:
The menu offers a lineup of kickass Cajun food. Folks rave about the Louisiana barbecue pork ribs, best washed down with some PBR. Specials change regularly, so be sure to check with your server.
