Where Calgary Magazine September / October 2018 | Page 21

CHARBAR
618 Confluence Way SE, 403-452-3115, charbar.ca
SIDEWALK CITIZEN BAKERY
618 Confluence Way SE, 403-457-2245,
sidewalkcitizenbakery.com
HEAR’S MY SOUL CAFÉ
535 - 8 Ave SE, 587-350-2200
WHERE TO
CATCH LIVE MUSIC
ON THE MILE:
FORT CALGARY BURNSWEST THEATRE
750 - 9 Ave SE, 403-290-1875, fortcalgary.com
THE HOSE & HOUND NEIGHBORHOOD PUB
1030 - 9 Ave SE, 403-234-0508, thehose.ca
9 A
ve
WITHOUT PAPERS PIZZA
1216 - 9 Ave SE, 403-457-1154, wopizza.ca
SE
GRAVITY ESPRESSO AND WINE BAR
909 - 10 St SE, 403-457-0697, cafegravity.com
Y
03-454-6670,
SCARPETTA EATERY
1003 - 9 Ave SE, 403-455-4248,
scarpettaeatery.com
RECORDLAND
1208 - 9 Ave SE, 403-262-3839
L AND
C CENTRE
-1679, kingeddy.ca
IRONWOOD STAGE & GRILL
1229 - 9 Ave SE, 403-269-5581,
ironwoodstage.ca
THE NASH
925 - 11 St SE, 403-984-3365, thenashyyc.com
LOLITA’S LOUNGE
1413 - 9 Ave SE, 403-265-5739,
lolitaslounge.ca
FESTIVAL HALL
1215 - 10 Ave SE, 403-233-0904, calgaryfolkfest.com/festival-hall
LANTERN COMMUNITY CHURCH
1401 - 10 Ave SE, 403-234-9116, lanternchurch.com
THE BLUES CAN
1429 - 9 Ave SE, 403-262-2666, thebluescan.com
along the mile every weekend, with
many found in unexpected places like
Charbar and The Nash.
“Think of it like the python that
swallows the pig,” laughs Music Mile
organizer Meg Van Rosendaal. “The
spine of the mile is along 9th Avenue, but
it spreads out on both sides into Inglewood
and East Village. What gives the Music Mile
the chance to be something wonderful is that
it connects two neighbourhoods — it’s not
just one attraction, it creates a destination.”
With beloved venues like The Blues Can,
Ironwood and Festival Hall already in the
area, as well as the promise of the King Eddy
returning, Van Rosendaal says the area was
already a music mile, “but it didn’t have a
name.” So, along with musician and friend
Bob Chartier, she helped put together a
steering committee and officially launched
the Music Mile Society in January 2016.
The launch coincided with the opening
of Studio Bell’s National Music Centre’s
(NMC) new location built around the King
Eddy. Andrew Mosker, president of the NMC,
says “the history and the lore” of the King
Eddy was what drove them to build around
it, essentially making it the biggest piece of
their collection. Members of the Music Mile
Society reached out to Mosker early on to
join the grassroots initiative, and he said the
NMC immediately jumped at supporting the
cause.
“For Calgary, it’s important for us as a
community to support local artists,” adds
Mosker. “Venues are closing all over Canada,
so we want everyone along the Music Mile to
benefit from having more venues to (create)
a destination. I think that’s what’s going to
make Calgary a real music city.”
Calgary music venues have seen multiple
closures over the past year, such as
downtown’s Nite Owl. Chartier, known as the
“Mayor” of the Music Mile Society, says that
many other venues are struggling, and added
that their initiative is to foster a creative
community.
“We’re here to support venues and artists,”
he says. “What we want to do with the Mile
is make live music sustainable in Calgary.”
After Chartier retired in 2014, he went on a
musical pilgrimage through the States where
he says he fell in love with music cities.
From Austin to New Orleans to Memphis
to Nashville, he returned home craving a
musical hub. He and Van Rosendaal walked
along 9th Avenue shortly after his return,
and says the impetus of the Music Mile
Society blossomed.
They talked to businesses along the strip,
and found an “overwhelmingly” enthusiastic
response. Before long, even retail businesses
were embracing the title by hanging guitars
up in their windows, while cafés and
restaurants launched open mic nights.
Before the Music Mile Society was even
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2018
where.ca
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