Music entertainment in Canada
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Royal Unicorn Cabaret
A grungy, uninspiring old-school lounge throughout the week, the Unicorn is transformed on Salbourg Saturdays into perhaps the city’s best alternative night out, when it’s packed to the rafters with indie lads and lasses celebrating a relentless barrage of ironically cool dance music. They’re certainly not here for the beer selection, which runs all the way from Coors to Kokanee. Arrive early to avoid the line-ups.
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Café Chaos
This down 'n' dirty basement bar is just the place to catch the latest up-and-coming bands for a pittance in cover. Tuesdays there are two-for-one microbrews and turntable action with 80s glam rock, old pop classics and a pinch of punk. The bar is a workers' co-op that's definitely worth its weight in bong water. The downstairs Bar les Conneries runs a Wednesday oldies evening and hosts a variety of its own rock acts.
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Sonar
Many Vancouverites don’t know it, but double-roomed Sonar is actually the city’s premier club for experimental DJs and live club shows from all over the globe. On any given night you’re likely to find progressive house, jazz fusion, soul, hip-hop, reggae or electronica. It’s definitely worth braving the atmosphere – which can sometimes be thick with attitude – if you know exactly what you’re looking for.
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Main Hall
You'll find a mix of everything here from rock bands to world music. Check the local free entertainment guides around town to see what's coming up. You can usually buy tickets at the door (generally around C$10) when the doors open at around 21:00, but the entertainment guides will also mention which secondhand music shops or other venues you may be able to buy them from.
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Glo
Victoria's best mod lounge bar, Glo has waterfront views, cozy oversized booths and a warming red-hued ambience. A great spot for nighttime cocktails, this is where the city's beautiful young people come to ogle each other. The food is also worth an ogle: the flatbread pizzas are great and the dessert menu covers all the bases. DJs spin a few tracks on weekends.
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The Wheel
Hosted by bluegrass star Bob Fuller, Hillbilly Night has been going strong for more than 40 years. Monday nights, this members-only NDG dart club is open to anyone hankering for some old-time bluegrass, cowboy and fiddle music. Montréal isn’t exactly a cowboy capital, but local heroes are full of smiles and authenticity. Yeehaw!
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Piknic Électronik
A large metal sculpture, L’Homme (Humankind), was created by American artist Alexander Calder for Expo ’67. It’s also here, near the sculpture, that the fantastic Piknic Électronik takes place. DJs spin techno and electronic music while you can dance or lounge on the grass.
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Exit
Exit is one of those clubs where what's exciting is the people who fill it and not the space itself. This house and R&B mainstay doesn't look like much on the inside with its sparce interior, but when the star DJs show up this place is packed - it's one of the best nightclubs around.
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Foundation Room
A 30-plus crowd of city drifters descends into this plush, Middle Eastern–inspired room near St Lawrence Market – all dark wooden floors, Moroccan lanterns, mirrored walls and red velvet cushions. DJs play house; bottled beers and martinis seem to be in every hand.
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Broken City
If you fancy a bit of rock and roll and are looking for a club with a 4/4 heartbeat, then Broken City is your scene. Indie rock, alt country and punk all do the rounds and get the crowds going. Gigs are usually on Thursday and Friday nights.
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Cadillac Ranch
For dancing, look for the parking lot of pick-ups at the bustling Cadillac Ranch, where the band or DJ plays mostly country music (classic rock does slip in) and you can two-step to your heart's content. The club gets many touring acts.
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Passeport
Passeport is a small dance-music club spinning New Age and hip-hop. Québec's crème-de-la-crème shows up dressed to kill on weekends.
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Bell Centre
When it’s not hosting matches of the city’s beloved Montréal Canadiens hockey team, this 21,000-seat arena in downtown hosts all the big concerts. The likes of U2 and Céline Dion usually end up here when they’re in town.
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Legends
Conveniently located under the Sticky Wicket pub, Legends is a mainstream hang-out known for its Saturday Top 40, hip-hop and R&B night. Friday is also popular and there are additional live acts throughout the month.
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Soho
Hip and happening on either the right or the wrong side of the tracks; DJs, theme nights and much debauchery ensue come the weekend. You can get a meal if you're hungry, but you're really here to dance.
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Spectrum de Montréal
This converted cinema with great acoustics is a leading venue for rock and pop concerts as well as comedy acts. It serves as a main indoor venue for the International Jazz Festival in summer.
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Sugar
A long-standing, popular club that's only open a few days a week, Sugar offers mainstream house and Top 40 DJ sounds (under a giant disco ball) plus regular live events.
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Ginger's Tavern
This mellow venue known as Ginger's Tavern showcases folk and alternative country acts. It was popular in the '70s and '80s and is now experiencing a sort of rebirth.
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Kiosque Edwin-Bélanger
Each summer 35 free concerts are staged in the middle of Battlefields Park. Music covers everything from pop, jazz and world music to blues.
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