Union Hall

6240 99 Street, Edmonton AB

The detached, boxy building that holds Union Hall acts as an ideal container for the venue’s loud, sometimes deafening events.
 
Host to nightclubs like Goose Loonies and the Thunderdome in the 1980s, the property sought to recapture its former glory when it was purchased by Gateway Entertainment in 2004, reopening as the Union Hall nightclub. In 2013, the property was purchased by Prestige Nightlife and converted into a live music venue. But its original layout remains — if you don’t arrive early to claim a stage-front spot, you may end up standing behind the band.
 
An eclectic group of performers have hit the Union Hall stage, like international hip-hop stars Snoop Dogg, Freddie Gibbs and Machine Gun Kelly; a wealth of Canadian talent including Simple Plan, Japandroids and Keys N Krates; and international acts like the Kongos and Frank Turner & the Sleeping Souls.
 
The younger crowd can be aggressive but enthusiastic, with mosh pits and crowd-surfing on the ground floor of the two-storey club, in a tightly packed venue with minimal seating. Come here to thrash out your teenage rage at the ‘Eat Sleep Rave Repeat’ Nights.