Underground, Over Coffee: How Loophole Fosters Calgary’s DIY Scene

Kaiden Jackman, Connor Scott, Jesse Fortier, Jack Sinclaire, Mike Kasper and Tevin Straub. Photo by Shannon Johnston.

Located in the garage of a cozy coffee bar off of Calgary’s 10th Street SW, Loophole Coffee Bar is one of the city’s most dynamic DIY venues. What began as an espresso-forward hangout spot has become a hub for local music communities spanning punk, noise, emo, electronic, and beyond. Today, it stands as a rare all-ages venue where creativity flourishes, community thrives, and the next generation learns how to throw a show from scratch.

Jack Sinclaire is the calendar coordinator and the person behind the email for hosting a gig at Loophole. But Sinclaire doesn’t curate the lineups. Instead, Loophole operates with a radical ethos of hands-off curating. "You email me? It’s your show," Sinclaire says. That trust allows artists and organizers to fully shape their events. For emerging promoters, especially youth and marginalized voices, it means having the freedom to experiment and learn. "You worry about doors. You worry about sound. You’re not just playing. You’re learning how it all works."

Sinclaire hopes this method gives emerging promoters the skills he wishes he had when he began throwing shows. "It gets young people involved in the community in a more practical way.”

Public Assembly System started with Connor Scott, Jesse Fortier’s bandmate in Calgary hardcore band Sawlung, and grew out of the record label called AUGHT \ VOID, which centers artists and audiences who often get overlooked elsewhere, especially in a considerably niche genre like noise. The advantage of these shows, Fortier notes, is that noise shows have a uniquely low barrier to entry. "You don’t need a full band or years of technical training. You can get a couple of pedals and make a set happen. That accessibility is huge for younger or lower-income artists."

Moira Whitworth and Jesse Fortier, who now run Public Assembly System and are in the project LOOMING together, were the first to bring regular programming into the space. Focused on noise and experimental sound, they've hosted more than 30 shows at Loophole since the pandemic, transforming what began as a one-off series into a monthly staple. "The consistent access to the same space each month helped us build a real community," Whitworth says. "Loophole became that anchor."

It's not just about the sound, it’s also about the space. Loophole is one of the few venues in the city where artists and attendees with mobility needs can find seating, where bathrooms are non-gendered, and where the vibe is intimate rather than overwhelming.

For Whitworth, the intention behind that setup is deeply personal. "I spent a lot of time in my adolescence at music shows, and a lot of those times unfortunately led to unsafe environments for young folks who didn’t know better, especially when you’re mingling with other people in bands and there’s a position of power," she explains. "So it felt very important to me, when diving into Public Assembly, to create safe and inclusive spaces where everyone feels protected. I feel a real sense of responsibility in making sure people are comfortable and having a good time."

"After the pandemic, big crowds became intense," she adds. "Here, people can dip into the cafe if they need a breather. That matters."

Tevin Straub, Mike Kasper, Jack Sinclaire, Connor Scott, Jesse Fortier and Kaiden Jackman. Photo by Shannon Johnston.

That kind of flexibility and intentionality is also what drew Kaiden Jackman, who performs as The Furnace and founded the genre-spanning Black Ice Festival. "Loophole made it easier to create community," Jackman says. "It’s a place where people show up not knowing what they’re going to hear, but they’re excited to find out."

Jackman’s programming highlights artists across noise, punk, and electronic scenes, genres that often don’t get the spotlight elsewhere. Black Ice was started to prove that genre crossover could work, and Loophole was the ideal lab to test that theory. "We booked each night around a different sound, and people came back for more. That kind of openness doesn’t always happen in other venues."

For many, like Bookburner Productions, that low barrier to entry is everything. Founded by Mike Kasper and Tevin Straub of the emo band Still There, Bookburner was born out of necessity. "We were in a little emo band and had a hard time getting shows," Kasper says. "So we decided to put them on ourselves." What started as a platform to perform quickly grew into a west-coast-facing booking project.

"Loophole is the first place we look to put on shows," Straub adds. "The management is kind, the space feels welcoming, and it’s not locked into any one genre. You can do what you want here." That openness helps foster genre-diverse bills and cross-generational community. Their shows are increasingly multigenerational and stylistically broad, from classic screamo to new math-rock acts. It also makes space for youth. "We’re seeing more 16-year-olds come to shows and say, 'I want to start a band,' and we tell them, 'Let us know when you do.'"

Public Assembly's programming has included notable bookings like Gazelle from Singapore and Limbs Bin from Massachusetts, establishing the project as a reliable tour stop for experimental artists crossing the world. Their Sled Island-weekend outdoor matinee has become a fixture as well, offering a spotlight for noise side projects not featured in the official festival lineup.

Jackman’s work through Black Ice Festival and their DIY collective Lavender Dream has similarly drawn impressive acts, including local favourite MORRIGAN, Red40, Gino Fashion House, and Tomorrow a Cloudy Autumn from Texas. Black Ice Festival will return in December, and a call for submissions can be found here. Jackman continues to curate regular shows through the year, steadily expanding into electronic and experimental genres.

Bookburner has brought together impressive lineups from across the prairies and West Coast, including a standout emo showcase featuring bands from Edmonton, Lethbridge, and Winnipeg such as seeyousoon., 4BPM, and Leon’s Getting Larger.

Designed by Flora Bews.

Across each interview, one theme kept surfacing: Loophole feels like home. Not because it’s polished or perfectly equipped, but because it offers something much rarer—freedom, patience, and belief in DIY ethics. From noise matinees powered by car batteries to packed emo nights where kids line up out the door, Loophole keeps the scene alive by keeping the door open.

"Sometimes people ask me where Loophole is," Kasper from Bookburner says. "I just want it to be a household name. I want it to stick around forever."

For now, that dream is still alive, one show at a time.

You can find the latest issues of REVERIE Magazine at Loophole Coffee Bar, located at 1040 8 Ave SW, Calgary, AB. Look for the purple box, designed by Flora Bews of Cat Milk Remedies.