The historic Albion Hotel began hosting shows in its bar during the start of the music boom in Guelph.

Ed Video Media Arts Centre (aka Ed Video ) is a non-profit organization supporting independent multimedia artists, but has become an alternative venue for up-and-coming musicians.

Hillside Festival co-founded by folk musician, James Gordon, in Guelph. Played on three stages on Guelph Lake Island every summer in late July, the festival has become a mainstay. Notable past performers include k-Os, Gord Downie, the Weakerthans, Arcade Fire, Broken Social Scene, and Constantines.

eBar was a venue that lived atop local bookstore, the Bookshelf. It stood out in that it was a hub for touring bands from out of town. Having hosted artists such as Caribou, John K. Samson, Born Ruffians, The Besnard Lakes, They Shoot Horses Don’t They and others, it was turned into the Artbar by the Guelph Arts Council. The ArtBar no longer hosts shows, rather it exists more as a multimedia installation space.

Jimmy Jazz, sometimes called simply ‘The Jazz’, is an ‘upscale’ dive bar that is one of the last standing beacons of the old indie scene in Guelph. With shows playing multiple times a week, it prides itself as the heart of live music in Guelph.

Trasheteria, aka ‘The Trash’, was one of Guelph’s alternative hubs. It was grungy, dingy, and the core of the punk scene.

Vish Khanna creates Stay Out of the Mall, an annual mini-festival that runs in December. A fundraiser for cancer research, the event brought many iconic indie artists to Guelph. 

Trasheteria became Club Vinyl.

Brad Mcinerey founded Kazoo! Fest, with the intention of platforming local artists. Putting on annual 4-day long fests and booking shows year-round, Kazoo! celebrated its final run in 2022. Notable past performers include The Magic, US Girls, Deerhoof, Fat Tony, and, at the last Kazoo!, Sledd.

GAIN (Guelph & Area Independent & New Music & Arts Festival) Fest is similar to Kazoo! - it’s an annual 4-day long multiple-venue spanning indie music fest, run by GAIN Media. 

Silence Sounds, or simply ‘Silence’, is a space for installations, shows, film screenings, workshops, and a number of different kinds of multimedia projects. Located just outside downtown, the ex-auto repair garage attempts to keep the indie scene alive.

Both Trasheteria and Club Vinyl ceased to exist. 

Stay Out of the Mall XVII becomes the last edition of the venue.

After changing owners during the pandemic, The Albion Hotel has been indefinitely closed. Behind its boarded up windows has the history of performers such as Ani DiFranco, Lowest of the Low, The Planet Smashers, Gentleman Reg, and Nomeansno.