By Ryan McLaren

Last summer, Henri Faberge and the Adorables released their CD during an all-day outdoor show at the Palais Royale, with the Bicycles, Basement Arms, Woodhands, The Rural Alberta Advantage a number of other local indie bands. Sun, high fives, hugs, barbeque, balloons, giant beach balls, the slightly fishy smell in the air. People were excited, and the whole show had an atmosphere of fun. But in the meantime, there was a 12-year-old boy crying out front of the venue because he couldn’t get in.

When it comes to finding shows that are accessible to all ages, Toronto is terrible. If you go to London, Brantford, Guelph, Oshawa, or a lot of smaller Ontario towns, all ages shows are not only regular, but the norm.

So what’s the problem? Why aren’t all-ages shows more common? Essentially, it comes down to economics. Bars make money off of alcohol and kids can’t buy alcohol, so they don’t have all-ages shows. The laws enforce the economics and the economics don’t support all-ages shows. Promoters lose money, bars lose money, and so all-ages shows are a rarity and not the rule. The Phoenix, Docks, and Kool Haus can do it because they’re charging $40 or more for tickets and they have a large capacity. Edge102 has all-ages free shows on Thursdays and Fridays, but it’s sponsored by a beer company.

Last year, I decided to try and do something about it. I started ALL CAPS!, a monthly all-ages music series that would be something akin to a Wavelength Jr. Something that could act as a focal point for an all ages community. Of course, this isn’t just for “the kids,” it’s for the bands too. If a band can play to larger audiences, they sell more albums and more merch. A broader audience means more support, and it means making the art and the art community more sustainable.

Will it work? I don’t know. It’s been a bit of a ride so far, and there’s a lot I don’t know about doing this, but I learn more with every show I put on and I’ve definitely had some success. After trying to put on shows at almost every regular indie venue downtown and being told that only daytime shows would be okay (which no one came to, by the way), or that I’d have to pay $1000 for a 65 person space, finding a youth-focused art gallery called WhipperSnapper was a dream come true.

There needs to be ways of supporting art through means other than just alcohol sales. Because of the bar model, there’s a limitation on the people that can support independent music to people that can go to bars, but also to people that can go to bars between 10pm and 2am, when most shows happens. That means that not only are kids out, but so are the folks on the nine-to-five grind, or those with kids themselves.

What I hope is that “all ages” won’t just mean “13-20”, rather it’ll be an inclusive term that conjures a community-centre aesthetic. Shows should grow beyond the 10pm-2am bar niche if we really want to bring art to new people, and create a community that’s relevant to more people than just 20-something’s.

Just as music shouldn’t be accessible only to those over 19, music shouldn’t be something you grow out of, and it shouldn’t be something you have to sacrifice because you’re working a nine to five. One reason why independent music and culture can so easily be relegated to the margins by the majority of people in this city is because of this rigid scheduling.

I personally think independent culture should be pervasive. Not something you do on the weekends, not something you do during the summer, not something special, not a hobby, but something integral. Something that we’re all participating in all the time.

Putting on more all-ages shows is just the beginning.

The next ALL CAPS! is at Whipper Snapper Gallery on February 18th with Femme Generation, Woodhands and Kids on TV.