Inglewood’s Blues Can announces closing date – and a new home

The Blues Can has a new home.

Owner Greg Smith posted a note on its website Saturday announcing that New Year’s Eve will be ithe beloved music club's final night in its old Ninth Avenue S.E. location.

“If you want to see the old place one more time you better get here before the end of the year 'cause we won't be here as of January 1st 2025,” Smith said.

That was followed by the news that musicians and music lovers across the city have been hoping for.

“But good news!” he added.  “If you have wondered what the fate of The Blues Can would be, after months of work, stress, back and forth, up and down, advice to the contrary and dire warnings of everything from the economy to the state of the arts scene and the US election.  

“The Blues Can has a new home,” he said. “The venue formally known as Tipperarys at 2002 16th Ave N.W. will be our new digs. We just signed a lease yesterday so we have it in writing."

Blues Can owner Greg Smith says he always knew the live music venue was on valuable land, and says he knew time was up when a sign was erected saying the landowner has applied to the city to build condos on the property.

“Bigger and better,” Smith added, and then, paraphrasing the theme song from the iconic CBS 70s sitcom The Jeffersons, said, “we are movin' on up.”

Money

All the club needs now to make the transition to its new location, Smith said, is money.

“Remember, we get zero help from the various levels of government or any arts grant organizations,” he said. “We are constantly broke and on the edge so we need help to get this across the finish line.  

“Despite rumors to the contrary and our status as a "for profit venue" -- which excludes us from any help from above mentioned entities -- we are not rich or actually even able to do this move.  

“We are counting 100 per cent on our friends, fans and music lovers from all walks of life.   We will be doing a variety of fundraisers -- whatever we can think of over the next couple months.

“To all the people who have asked "What can I do to help", here it is,” he said. “Please help. 

“This is a huge move for us and very financially demanding and risky, so please come for dinner and a drink,” he said. “Watch a show, purchase something from our auction or just donate a few shekels, either from the button which should show up above, or anything else we might come up with.  

Tom Phillips is just one of the artists performing during this weekend's fundraiser for the Blues Can.

“It would mean the world to us, and yours just might make the difference between us making it and not.  

“So come on live music lovers, let's show the world that Calgary has a first-rate music scene.”

For more information about the Blues Can, go here.