After 10 years of silence, the King Eddy will be rockin’ again. From July 8-17, the Bell Live Series will play host to some of your favourite country, blues, and Americana artists.
Established in 1905 on what was then called Whisky Row (how cool), the King Edward Hotel was the first desegregated bar in Calgary. In the ’80s, “the Eddy” expanded its purview from a worker’s hotel into a live blues venue, playing host to greats like John Hammond, Buddy Guy, and Otis Rush — the place became known as the “home of the blues.” It was bought by the National Music Centre after being condemned in 2004, and has been fully restored since construction began in 2013.
This year, the Eddy will be live daily from 11 am to 2 am, featuring beer and food, country DJs, impromptu performances, and of course, nightly headliners. A $20 cover will be charged after 6 pm.
Headliners at the King Eddy:
July 8-9 – Petunia and the Vipers
July 10 – Steve Pineo / Tom Phillips and the Men of Constant Sorrow
July 11 – Carolyn Mark
July 12 – Dick Damron
July 13 – Western Swing Project
July 14 – Ramblin’ Ambassadors
July 15 – Leeroy Stagger
July 16 – Tim Hus
July 17 – Jake Mathews
Advance tickets went on sale, June 20 Tickets are $20 and will be available at Studio Bell’s box office until two hours before each nightly event.
If you’d like to support NMC’s capital campaign, you can visit nmc.ca/donate, where original bricks from the Eddy are available for purchase.