While Music Mile offers a dozen places to hear live music clustered in the inner city, music lovers who live far from downtown need not miss out.
That was the thought of Vic Bell, who founded Fish Creek Concerts in 2006 when he moved away from the core to Canyon Meadows.
Bell ended up singing in a choir at Southwood and made a mental note that it was a perfect room for music. So when Edmonton’s Northern Lights Folk Club needed a venue for Roy Forbes, Bell suggested they hold the concert there. Things “snowballed” after that — Bell began offering live music regularly at Southwood United Church (10690 Elbow Dr. S.W.) and also at River Park Church (3818 14a St. S.W.).
“Part of it is that when people drive home from the downtown core, the last thing they want to do is drive all the way back,” Bell says. “I was getting larger crowds than Southwood could comfortably hold. More than 300, or 320 people. I’ve never been comfortable with people packed in like sardines. I wanted to get into a bigger space where they could spread out. River Park Church has about 150 more seats and 450 people, and it has really comfortable chairs.”
Bell’s long history in the music industry informs his choice of artists. He was a founder of Calgary’s Nickelodeon Folk Club 46 years ago, served on the Calgary Folk Fest board, and travelled to many festivals and folk alliances.
Upcoming Fish Creek Concerts include the duo Madison Violet on January 24 and Catherine MacLellan & Mama’s Broke on February 7, both at Southwood. More will be announced later in the season.
Bell is clear on what listeners can expect. “Fish Creek Concerts is about quality music at good venues that are comfortable with good acoustics, ample parking, and accessibility.”
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Cornerstone Music Café (139, 14919 Deer Ridge Dr. S.E.) picked up Fish Creek Concerts’ welcoming vibe and rolled with it, offering a one-stop shop for live music, food, beverages and making good memories, yes, but also for music and art lessons, rehearsal space, recording, and shopping for pre-made meals. This place really puts their space to work. The completion of the ring road has brought music lovers from all corners of the city in.
Co-owner Sylvia Johnston (whose partner is her husband Jim Johnston, also an accomplished drummer and instructor at Cornerstone) worked in administration in the building in 2004 when it only offered music lessons.
“I used to sit at the front desk and dream about what the place could be,” Johnston says. “It was a music studio, and it had that doctor’s office feel to it with the parents sitting and waiting for their kids to be done with their music lessons. When there were quiet days, all the teachers would be sitting around having fun together. There would be a great big jam and lots of laughs, and I decided to build on that.”
When the Johnstons founded Cornerstone, that vision expanded. “We decided to add a café to the front and slowly built. We’ve been in business for 12 years, and we’re just getting to the place we want to be. We offer art and music classes. Our current artists that perform here use it as a rehearsal space, we even have records recorded in here. Our musicians have meetings here with other musicians that are collaborating, there are mentorships going on; it’s really become quite a hub.”
A reno last year doubled the space at Cornerstone. Pre-made meals in the fridge mean parents can come for their children’s lesson, stay and enjoy music on the stage, and pick up grab-and-go soups or curries for dinner that evening.
“What strikes people when they come in is the sense of community,” says Johnston. “We strive to know people’s names and greet them when they come in. One of my biggest wants is when people come in, they have that Cheers moment; you know, when Norm walks in the door, and everyone says ‘Norm!’”
Cornerstone hosts an arts market on December 7 featuring the music of singer/guitarist Alice Jane and a Spring Break Music Camp in March. A jazz jam is held on Thursday evenings, and other events occur throughout the week.
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Tucked into the semi-industrial area of Highland Park, Congress Coffee Company (1A 215 36 Ave. N.E.) has also updated their offerings recently. El Faro Flamenco Tablao with Anastassiia Alexander (music and dance) are available on the first Friday of the month. For musicians wanting to work up their songs and gain comfort with being on stage, the second Wednesday of each month features an acoustic open mic with Busker Bob. And Klezmerovitz (Klezmer music & storytelling with Allan Merkowitz) is usually onstage the first Sunday afternoon of each month.
“We have [also] been seeing tons of interest in using the space for queer events,” says owner Johanna Schwartz. These include Dice Dynasty (D&D Drag show by Fake Moustache), Housing Crisis (monthly drag show with Comrade Yulia Borscht & Dani Phantom) and an all-ages, family-friend show on the final Saturday of the month called Drag is for All Ages with Shane Onyou.
The menu continues to feature favourites like breakfast bagels, panini, and soup, and of course the famous Congress Coffee available on site or delivered to you as beans or ready to take home with you from the event you enjoy there.
With Mikey’s in Bowness now in full swing and Congress, Cornerstone and Fish Creek all just a short road trip away, folks who want to enjoy a venue outside of downtown now have several options. Clearly, the city’s cultural footprint is expanding and bringing live music to the suburbs, so keep your eyes peeled for events at these locations and others.
