Whistler is a resort town, and that means there are going to be bars, parties, celebrations and live music. But has the live music scene morphed into the DJ scene? Do people just go out less? What’s the deal here—are we getting boring?
Not according to Doug Craig, one half of legendary Sea to Sky band, The Hairfarmers.
“The music scene, specifically in Whistler, has changed somewhat in that there are a lot more people here, and with a lot more distractions,” Craig says. “Including phones and electronic media, people seem more entertained than ever, and live music is just another option.”
The other half of The Hairfarmers, Greg Reamsbottom, echoes his bandmate’s sentiment.
“Bands come and go. Venues come and go, or change direction,” he says. “Venue managers come and go, and have different ideas of what type of entertainment they should offer their clients, and have different ideas of what their budgets should be for hiring bands and/or DJs. The music scene is always changing in some ways, but we are always busy—that hasn’t changed.”
Tom Csima, part of the four-piece band The Zummers (winners of the 2024 Whistler Music Search and Squamish’s 2025 Battle of the Bands) says while people still do appreciate live music, finding venues for a full band can be a challenge sometimes.
“As a solo artist, there are definitely more options to play at restaurants and bars all over,” Csima says. “As a band, it is definitely more challenging, especially as we play loud and almost entirely original music.”
A Community Hub
But both bands and solo acts need more options, says Casper Nova, who handles the door and helps promote and organize venues for bands up and down the Sea to Sky corridor.
“It’s a struggle for some musicians to access venues here,” Nova says. “It’s great that the Olympic Plaza has reached out and created a venue for artists [through the Whistler Summer Concert Series]. Although my preference would be not to have it so centralized. I like the more back-and-forth engagement of smaller venues. I think they should make it easier for little cafés to support singer/songwriters and smaller bands, allowing them to play at different hours than they’re usually open.
“A diversity of spaces is what I prefer, even busking. I think it’s ridiculous you need a permit to busk. It should be considered an attraction. Share the wealth and creativity.”
Kevin Wood and Martini Bart, owners of the recently renovated Alpine Café, have been doing just what Nova advocates for, supporting local music to the best of their ability since opening in 2003.
“From our perspective, we just provide a platform for musicians to get up and perform,” Wood says. “It’s a community hub up here in Alpine. Obviously we’re not a music venue, we just try to promote local musicians.”
He says he and his partner Bart once discussed charging people at the door, but decided that would become too complicated.
“If local musicians want to get up and play, we provide that platform. Sometimes it’s their first exposure; we had a band down from Pemberton last week, it was the first time they played live,” says Wood. But the Alpine Café doesn’t book acts, he stresses.
“It’s how we make it work for us,” he says. “We don’t pay, we just offer a dinner. And that’s how we grew—locals get to come in and see local talent.”
Kostas Lymbertos—better known as Kostaman—has been playing live in Whistler for more than 25 years, and was the host of several long-running open-mic nights in the resort.
He says live music and life in Whistler have gone hand-in-hand from Day 1.
“Since my first week in Whistler, I’ve been playing music as a way of life. I received lots of love and met the world,” Kostaman says. He credits Wood and Bart at Alpine Café for keeping him inspired. “I’m so grateful to have a wonderful, truly local stage to play at the Alpine Café—it is the reason I’m still in Whistler,” he says.
Bart says Kostaman, who has been playing at the Alpine Café almost from the beginning, has become sort of their house band.
“Last New Year’s Eve, we didn’t know Kostas would be here or not, but he just came in, and it turned into a big party,” he says, speaking to the spontaneous, organic quality that shapes a lot of local music.
“We can’t be like the village and charge $100 for an event on a big night like NYE, it has to just happen.”
Building a Following
Some would say impromptu live music was a bigger part of Whistler “back in the day” when the resort was less established.
“When I first heard about the music scene in Whistler I was a bouncer at a nightclub in Edmonton, and one of the guys who came in to play was Rob McQuaid (longtime Whistler solo act), and he told me about the music scene going on in Whistler, and that Brandy’s at The Keg was the place where people went for live music—that was back in 1987,” says Craig about his entry into the Whistler music scene.
“In the late ‘80s I got to Whistler, and as I was parking, Johnny Thrash (writer/ski bum/punk rocker) came up and told me about a jam night happening at Citta’s. I ended up playing there and hosting that jam night for the next two years. Also I played at The Boot, and hosted that jam night for three years as well—there were plenty of places to play.”
When asked if starting a band would be more difficult today, Reamsbottom says he really has no idea, since it’s been 25 years since he started a new band. But, he figures, the formula to success (or at least surviving at it) likely hasn’t changed since.
“If you can put on a show that truly resonates with people, and if you behave like a professional, and have any business sense at all, with a little luck, and a lot of hard work, you should be able to pull it off, and the people will come, and your band will be busy,” Reamsbottom says.
Csima, whose experience with starting a band is a lot more recent, says it’s not as challenging as some might think.
“It wasn’t that hard, to be honest, if you’re really trying,” he says. “The bigger challenge is finding a place to practise/play/store your gear.”
Of course, today we have social media, something that wasn’t a factor 25 years ago. Has that helped local musicians get more recognition?
“I never had Instagram until I started The Zummers, so I’m a bit of a newbie with it, though luckily my bandmates all chip in,” says Csima.
“Unfortunately the reality is it is an absolute necessity, and takes a huge amount of time and effort. I can see from other bands that we follow how important it is to regularly post content and engage with your audience. I can also see after every show we play the boost in ‘likes’ and ‘follows’ we get.”
Craig is no stranger to social media, either, but sees it as just another marketing tool.
“While social media can be a valuable tool for reaching a wider audience, it’s not a guaranteed path to increased engagement or sales, and it’s not a standalone solution,” Craig says, adding at the end of the day, the best marketing is a good performance.
“The Hairfarmers have always had an underground following and we will continue to expand our audience by word-of-mouth,” he says. “We are known for our sense of humour and just creating a really fun atmosphere at the shows.”
Best in Fest
Is appreciation for live music growing or declining? According to Csima, it depends where you are.
“In the Sea to Sky, I wouldn’t say it is growing. There are definitely more opportunities to play than there were a few years ago, during and after COVID. But I find DJs seem to be playing more of the bigger shows and in many cases have better turn-outs than live bands,” he says. “We do get a lot of feedback at our shows though, from excited music fans showing their appreciation and commenting on the lack of new original music locally.”
DJ culture has certainly taken over a lot of ground that used to be the domain of live bands, but Reamsbottom says it comes down to who can provide the best entertainment.
“There’s room for both, and in some entertainment situations a DJ is better suited to the event,” he says. “If what your band does can be replaced by a DJ then you have to change what your band is doing.”
Craig adds he fully supports the DJ scene in Whistler, and even DJs himself between sets where the Hairfarmers are playing.
With all the talent in Whistler and the Sea to Sky corridor, it does seem surprising there isn’t a large music festival in the area, along the lines of the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival, in southern California. Although it’s not for lack of trying.
Events like the Pemberton Music Festival and Squamish Valley Music Festival were popular and well-attended, though both ceased operations years ago (SVMF in 2015, and Pemby Fest the following year, in 2016).
“I think the lack of festivals here is largely due to cultural reasons, plus skills [needed], the connections you have to make, and the power dynamics of a resort community,” says Nova.
“Pemfest (in 2008), I think there were a lot of people who took advantage there.”
As artistic director of The Point Artist-Run Centre, and as someone who has started a band, Stephen Vogler sees the live music scene in Whistler from both sides.
“I think space is limited in Whistler, in particular, and unfortunately, very expensive. If you want to put on a big music festival, a big space that doesn’t cost an arm and a leg is what you need,” he says. “I always thought the Whistler driving range in the village would be a good place for a modest-sized music festival. There have been a few events there over the years, but for the most part we get golf instead.”
Reamsbottom also opines that the lack of festivals can mostly be ascribed to the bottom line.
“I’m not that surprised. With less corporate sponsorship available out there, fewer promoters are willing to risk the financial loss if a festival isn’t a success,” he says. “The market is fickle. The bands that can attract a universal audience are very expensive which makes ticket prices expensive, etc.”
His bandmate, Craig, says overregulation doesn’t help.
“I’m not surprised that the musical festival scene has become significantly smaller in the Sea to Sky due to policing, insurance, and management fees, that put a damper on all the beautiful places we have here,” he says. “And not due so much to a lack of infrastructure, but planning and cooperation.”
Bart echoes that sentiment.
“It’s the regulations, the liquor laws, security. When they did it in Pemberton, they made it very difficult,” he says. “In Europe it’s much easier. The Callaghan could be a great place for a music fest.”
But as Craig says, while a Coachella-sized festival isn’t in the works, smaller fests do continue to thrive.
“There’s the Squamish beer festival with a couple of live acts. Whistler has a small music festival held every summer, and that’s pretty consistent,” he says. “The Pemberton Arts Council (PAC) in Pemberton hosted the Mountain Muse Festival this year.”
As PAC executive director Clea Thomas describes it, the enthusiasm for the Mountain Muse Festival, both from participants and the community in general, was immense.
“This year, we received an impressive amount of applications for the Mountain Muse Festival of 105 bands. There seems to be more bands in the Sea to Sky, which is a great sign,” says Thomas, adding she hopes that level of involvement can continue.
“We just need to make sure we, as the Pemberton Arts Council, can provide a space, and promotion for the local bands to thrive. We recently were able to purchase a portable stage thanks to the Whistler Blackcomb Foundation funding. We are excited about the possibilities that this stage will bring to performing artists in Pemberton.”
Vogler is as optimistic as Thomas, and says he’s seeing a rise in interest in live music.
“At The Point, we really try to focus on live original acts because we’re an arts centre and it’s all about the creativity,” he says. “It’s exciting right now to see a blossoming of original acts in the Sea to Sky, from kids who grew up in Whistler like Zada, and Kaia Achenback (The Drink Tickets), to Lozen, Ruby Waters, Ryan Harris and Surf Hat, there’s something really happening out of this area right now. It’s exciting.
“I think appreciation for live music might be growing again. It’s the kind of thing that doesn’t go away. It may wane from time to time depending on trends and technologies, but I think it’s pretty deeply seated in humanity to want to hear live music created in front of you in the moment.”
Vogler admits, though, that when playing original music, it’s often easier to find gigs out of town than in Whistler.
Nova agrees, saying while artists largely play throughout the Sea to Sky, Squamish seems to be more receptive to original work.
“Looking at it from the outside, Squamish is looking more like an artist/musicians hub,” she says. “There are more live venues in Squamish for independent artists/DJs.”
She does feel The Point could be something similar to the Brackendale Art Gallery in Squamish, but, as she notes, “accessibility is a big issue, just getting people out there—but it has new generation of younger people who are going out there.”
A Beautiful Escape
What are the favourite venues for local musicians?
“Any venue can be a favourite,” says Reamsbottom. “It’s more about the people and the energy they bring than the actual location. The last few years we’ve been playing our shows mostly at Merlin’s and Dusty’s. The GLC can be great. The Sea to Sky Gondola is always a favourite. Looking back, The Boot was always an adventure to play at.”
Fellow Hairfarmer Craig concurs.
“My favourite venues now have to be Dusty’s, Merlin’s and the Sea to Sky Gondola,” he says, noting there are more venues than ever for live music in Whistler, with almost all hotels providing space in their lounges for live acts, plus all of the restaurants, pubs and of course the Olympic Plaza.
But who do live acts most appeal to? Is it the tourist crowd, or when we get right down to it, is it the locals who make up the bulk of the audience?
“It depends on the event,” says Csima. “Playing solo at a bar or restaurant, you definitely get a mix, but generally those people are not there just for the music. With the band, playing the Pemho pub or the Crystal Lounge, it is definitely more of a local crowd. At some of the bigger events, it is a mix.”
Nova says her favourite spot in the village is Black’s Pub, but she really enjoys Alpine Café for their community involvement.
“It’s not Gibbons, and they’re not charging a cover, but I do like certain venues for quality of sound,” she says. “And the variety of people, too, in Whistler, but I think of the barriers for artists at some of those venues—it can be hard for locals to access them because of the price.”
Bart says performing at the Alpine Café is one step up from busking.
“And then they can go up the ladder to the next place, and get paid. Maybe go on to bigger things,” adds Wood.
That being said, the restaurant has had rock legend Gene Simmons, of KISS fame, grace its small outdoor stage.
“He joined Kostas’ band once.” says Wood.
“And one of our cooks is a drummer, so he got to play with him, too,” adds Bart.
Aside from that, though, they are what they say they are: a smaller venue that allows new artists to get a start. For example, “Ryan Harris, he’s got an album out, and now he’s touring—he played here when he was starting out,” says Wood.
“We’re not always packed, sometimes it’s just five or six people, so we have to be careful—that’s why we can’t sell tickets,” says Bart. “But I love the energy when we have these young artists in here.”
Kostaman is certainly grateful the Alpine Café exists. Despite having played throughout the corridor and beyond (he is in fact currently on tour) the Alpine remains his spiritual home.
“I’m treated like a prince by the folks that come to Alpine Café, who are mostly a local clientele,” he says. “They eat dinner and drink and fill my tip jar with cash. Martini and Kevin, let me publicly say thank you for giving the community such a great place to be musicians.”
Vogler, who also plays fairly regularly at the Alpine with his band West Coast Front, says Whistler does do its part in supporting local musicians.
“Whistler is pretty good that way. As a local musician I’ve played everything from après patios to clubs and bars, private parties to farmers’ markets and even grocery stores,” he says. “Nesters Market has hired people to play in front of the grocery store and even in the produce section.”
Vogler agrees there is a lot of musical talent in Whistler and the Sea to Sky corridor in general. He lists the bands—Introduce Wolves, The Spiritual Warriors, Dakota Pearl, Sheri-Marie Ptolemy, Brother Twang, Last Reminisced Heroes, and Csima’s The Zummers—as just some of the local acts people should check out, although it’s far from an exhaustive list.
In the end, says Reamsbottom, whether locals or tourists, everyone is mostly after the same experience.
“There are subtle differences, but people are people,” he says. “They all want to be happy, have fun and forget about day-to-day life for a while, which is what music is great at providing: a beautiful escape, if done properly.”
