Edmonton is home to a thriving music and arts scene, with concerts happening almost every night of the week. From large arena shows to small club gigs, Edmonton offers music lovers a wide variety of concert venues to choose from. Some of the most popular places to catch live music in Edmonton include:
Major Event Centers
| Rogers Place | Downtown arena and home of the Edmonton Oilers that hosts major concert tours. Seats up to 20,000. |
| Commonwealth Stadium | Outdoor football stadium on the University of Alberta campus that hosts outdoor concerts in the summer, with capacity of over 56,000. |
| Shaw Conference Centre | Downtown convention center that hosts medium-sized seated concerts for 2,000-3,500 people. |
| Edmonton Expo Centre | Hosts concerts and music festivals in multiple halls, with the largest holding up to 8,000 people. |
These large venues have hosted concerts by major touring acts like Paul McCartney, Garth Brooks, Taylor Swift, and many more. The facilities, capacity and central locations make them ideal for big-name concerts.
Mid-Size Music Venues
In addition to the major event centers, Edmonton has a variety of mid-sized venues that host concerts for 500-2,000 people. Some notable mid-sized venues include:
| Winspear Centre | Downtown theater that hosts seated concerts for up to 2,000 people. |
| Northern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium | Auditorium south of downtown that seats 2,538 people. |
| Union Hall | Music venue and bar located downtown that holds up to 850 people. |
| Starlite Room | Popular downtown music venue with a capacity of 500. |
These versatile venues give music fans the opportunity to see artists that can sell hundreds of tickets but not fill an arena. Musicians across genres from country to indie rock utilize these mid-sized rooms when touring through Edmonton. Their high quality staging and sound capabilities make them great live music spaces.
Clubs and Small Venues
In addition to the dedicated concert halls, many of Edmonton’s nightclubs, bars and smaller venues also host live music. Some of the top spots for intimate club shows include:
| New City | Underground venue for up to 300 people that leans towards punk, metal and rock shows. |
| The Aviary | Cocktail bar and music venue downtown that hosts shows for 150-200 people. |
| The Rec Room | Restaurant and entertainment venue at South Edmonton Common and West Edmonton Mall that books concerts in their 200 capacity venue. |
| Black Dog Freehouse | Pub and music venue that holds shows in their 80 person back room. |
Edmontonians looking for a more intimate concert experience often seek out their favorite local bands at these small venues. The city has a thriving local indie music scene that utilizes the smaller rooms to connect with audiences. Touring indie bands also perform at these clubs on their way through Western Canada.
Most Popular Concert Venues
While Edmonton has no shortage of places to see live music, a few venues stand out as the most popular for major concerts in the city.
Rogers Place
Without a doubt, Rogers Place is Edmonton’s premier venue for major concerts and events. Opened in 2016 in the heart of downtown Edmonton, Rogers Place is a state-of-the-art arena with a seating capacity of up to 20,000 for concerts.
As the first new arena constructed in Edmonton in over 30 years, Rogers Place brought the city back onto the touring circuit for major acts. The arena has hosted huge names like Elton John, Justin Timberlake, Pink, and many more. Events are put on by leading concert promoters like Live Nation, and the arena has booked concerts on almost all the major tours passing through Western Canada.
Rogers Place also houses luxury amenities like private boxes and premium seating. Combined with excellent acoustics and sightlines, it provides a world-class concert experience for touring acts and fans alike. Getting a chance to see an arena spectacle like U2’s Joshua Tree Tour at Rogers Place is a major perk of living in Edmonton.
Commonwealth Stadium
During the summer concert season, Commonwealth Stadium takes over hosting the biggest concerts in Edmonton. With a mammoth seating capacity of over 56,000, Commonwealth can accommodate shows too large for Rogers Place.
The open-air football stadium is home to the CFL’s Edmonton Elks. But each summer, the stands get filled by music lovers enjoying a unique outdoor concert experience. Commonwealth has hosted acts including The Rolling Stones, AC/DC, One Direction, and Kenny Chesney over the years.
The huge capacity also allows Commonwealth to book destination music festivals. Events like the Country Thunder Music Festival and the Ozzy Osbourne curated Ozzfest have turned Commonwealth into a temporary rock and country festival playground for a weekend. Outdoor shows on warm Alberta summer nights create memories that live on for years after.
Shaw Conference Centre
The Shaw Conference Centre in downtown Edmonton offers another premiere concert venue in the city. It hosts events in the large Hall D, which can be arranged in various seated configurations to accommodate between 2,000 and 3,500 people.
The Conference Centre is a more modern facility than many traditional theater halls, with state of the art lighting and production capabilities. This makes it attractive for rising touring acts who want a top-notch experience. In recent years, Shaw has hosted acclaimed shows by artists like John Mulaney, Bryan Adams, City and Colour, Sturgill Simpson and many more.
The smaller Hall C can also host more intimate shows in a stylish ballroom setting for 500-750 people. Overall, the Shaw Centre gives touring concerts a chic, contemporary Edmonton venue that offers plenty of seating options at every price point.
Outdoor Summer Concerts
Beyond the major indoor venues, Edmontonians also flock to outdoor concerts during the summer months. The temperate weather from June through August gives the city ample opportunity to take the concert experience into outdoor parks, stadiums and public spaces.
Edmonton Folk Music Festival
The annual Edmonton Folk Music Festival is one of the highlights of the outdoor summer concert season. Held in mid-August, this three-day event takes over Gallagher Park in the river valley with multiple festival stages hosting dozens of folk, roots and world music acts. Amateur musicians can bring their instruments to participate in jam sessions as well.
The natural amphitheater formed by the river valley creates excellent music listening and viewing areas. Roving food trucks and market vendors also add to the outdoor festival atmosphere that makes the Folk Fest a beloved Edmonton tradition.
Cariwest Festival
Edmonton celebrates its Caribbean heritage each August with the Cariwest Festival held downtown at Churchill Square and nearby parks. The festival features multiple outdoor stages hosting musicians performing soca, calypso, reggae and other Caribbean music. Other events include a carnival parade, food vendors with Caribbean cuisine, and visual arts displays.
Cariwest gives locals a taste of Caribbean culture against the backdrop of downtown Edmonton. The outdoor environment becomes a beach party for a weekend where the music and food transport attendees to the islands. It’s a lively outdoor concert experience that brightens up the Edmonton summer.
Taste of Edmonton
The Taste of Edmonton festival held in Churchill Square also incorporates live music into its programming. Local artists are brought in to provide musical entertainment on outdoor stages while attendees sample food from Edmonton restaurants. Jazz, blues and folk musicians help create a lively ambiance both day and night.
Taste of Edmonton and other festivals using Churchill Square take advantage of the public space to bring Edmontonians together around music and food during the brief window of warm weather. The outdoor concerts feel like a communal celebration of summer before Alberta is plunged back into winter.
Commonwealth Stadium
In addition to full touring concerts, Commonwealth Stadium also hosts outdoor music festivals where the football field becomes one big general admission area. Local radio station Sonic 102.9 FM puts on their annual Boonstock hip-hop festival each July at Commonwealth. Fans on the field can get up close to artists like Ludacris, Fabolous and Nelly.
The football stadium also hosted the inaugural Flickerfest country music festival in 2018, featuring headliners like Dallas Smith and Dean Brody. Bro-country music and cold beer drinking fit in perfectly at Commonwealth Stadium for a summer weekend. Edmonton’s largest outdoor music space keeps the festival options rolling well beyond the major concert season.
Supporting Local Artists
While Edmonton welcomes major touring concerts, the city also has a thriving local music scene. Edmonton is known as a great place for local artists to develop with a supportive arts community. Venues like New City, the Aviary, and Black Dog Freehouse focus primarily on booking local underground talent in Edmonton and Western Canada.
New City
Underneath a nondescript warehouse exterior, New City is a legendary Edmonton music institution. The venue has been running since 2000 and has hosted early performances by notable Alberta acts like Corb Lund, Cadence Weapon and Scenic Route to Alaska. Their reputation for edgy punk, metal and indie shows makes New City a rite of passage for up and coming Edmonton bands.
The stage and layout at New City resembles traditional gritty rock clubs where bands cut their teeth. Musicians craft their stage presence and performance chops at New City before moving on to headline larger venues. With a capacity under 300, bands feed off the intimate energy of passionate fans right in front of the stage diving into the mosh pit.
The Aviary
For developing indie artists, The Aviary has become a favorite venue for landing those important first shows in Edmonton. Their stylish space combines a cocktail lounge up front with a music hall in the back for 150-200 people. The Aviary brings a classy vibe to the local music scene.
Artists performing at The Aviary learn how to command attention in a seated listening room versus a noisy club or bar. The pristine in-house sound system also gives opening bands the chance to hear their songs through a top quality live mix. Aspiring musicians get treated like stars at The Aviery, helping motivate them to perfect their craft as they build their careers.
Nextfest
The nonprofit Nextfest organization has also become integral to boosting Edmonton’s local music scene. Nextfest runs an annual festival each summer to showcase emerging Alberta musicians. The multi-venue festival provides up and coming bands the opportunity to apply and earn a showcase gig to play in front of music industry veterans.
Nextfest takes advantage of venues like The Starlite Room, New City, and The Aviary to book multi-day festivals that focus on local talent discovery. Giving new bands a platform to impress helps propel them to the next level where they can land opening slots for touring acts or bigger festivals. Nextfest’s rising artist discovery model brings vital energy into the Edmonton music ecosystem.
Diversity of Music Genres
The breadth and diversity of artists that perform in Edmonton speaks to the varied musical tastes of its citizens. Music fans can find concerts in almost every genre taking place somewhere in the city on any given night from classical to electronic and everything in between. A few of the scenes that are particularly thriving in Edmonton include:
Country
As the capital of Alberta, Edmonton naturally has a robust country music fanbase. Rogers Place frequently books major country stars like Keith Urban, Luke Bryan and Chris Stapleton when they pass through on tour. Commonwealth Stadium also holds multiple large country music festivals each summer.
Smaller country acts have a local home at Cook County Saloon, where Nashville musicians stop in when touring Western Canada. The lively late-night honky tonk atmosphere builds up future country fans. Edmonton even has an annual country music awards show called the CCMAs to honor Canadian country artists.
Hip-Hop
Edmonton’s hip-hop community continues to grow with artists like Cadence Weapon, Rollie Pemberton and Conscious Ra gaining national attention. Venues like New City, The Starlite Room and Union Hall cater to local hip-hop crowds.
The annual YEG Hip Hop Summit also builds community and connections within Edmonton’s urban music scene. Edmonton even birthed a hip hop magazine called The Alberta Rose that showcases underground rap throughout the province. Hip-hop is thriving as a vital genre energizing Edmonton’s diverse musical landscape.
Folk & Blues
Edmonton has long been a hub for folk and blues artists in Western Canada. The legendary Edmonton Folk Music Festival is a testament to the city’s roots music heritage dating back to the 1970s. Edmonton also honors blues history at the annual Labatt Blues Festival.
Smaller venues like Black Dog Freehouse and The Almanac Gastropub regularly host folk and blues showcases that attract devoted local audiences. The long cold winters seem to inspire excellent folk and blues songwriting meant to be heard in cozy pub environments. Edmonton’s northern latitude has forged a special bond between artists and fans in these organic genres.
Classical
Classical music thrives in Edmonton with the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra performing year-round at the Winspear Centre downtown. Smaller ensembles like the Edmonton Chamber Music Society and the Richard Eaton Singers also perform classical works at venues like Robertson-Wesley United Church.
Edmonton’s classical fans can enjoy world renowned guest artists and orchestras along with performances by talented local musicians. The University of Alberta campus provides an influx of youth to perform alongside seasoned veterans. From Mozart to Mahler, there’s no shortage of acclaimed classical concerts for music purists in Edmonton.
Conclusion
Edmonton concert venues run the spectrum from massive arenas to cozy dive bars. Accordingly, music fans can find their preferred concert experience somewhere in the city. By fostering local talent across genres while also attracting major touring artists, Edmonton continues to cement its reputation as an exciting music city. Wherever your musical taste lies as a listener, Edmonton likely has a venue and live concert tailored exactly for you.
