Live Music in Squamish: Sunday Sessions at The Backyard

Live music in a neighbourhood pub should feel like it belongs in the room.

Sometimes that means an acoustic set playing alongside Sunday dinner while people catch up over food. Sometimes it means music with brunch and an easy start to the day. Other times, the fiddles, accordion and percussion come out, the room gets louder and somebody starts moving the tables back.

The Backyard hosts regular live music in Valleycliffe, usually as part of our Sunday Sessions, with occasional brunch performances and livelier evening shows throughout the year.

Most of our regular performances are free to attend. You can come for the artist, come for dinner or simply walk in and be pleasantly surprised that your Sunday now has a soundtrack.

Sunday Sessions made for a neighbourhood pub

Our regular Sunday Sessions are not meant to turn dinner into a formal concert.

They are there to sit alongside the room. You can listen closely, have a conversation, order food and stay for the full set without feeling as though you need to choose between enjoying the music and talking to the people at your table.

The artists tend to work well in that setting: singer-songwriters, acoustic performers and small groups playing folk, roots, soul, indie and familiar covers. Some sets are quiet and thoughtful. Others find a bit more energy as the evening goes on.

What matters is that the music feels personal. The musician is only a few steps away, the room is close enough to listen properly and the performance becomes part of the evening rather than something happening on the other side of a barrier.

It is live music for people who want a good meal and a good Sunday, not a complicated night out.

Live music with brunch in Squamish

Every so often, live music starts earlier and joins us for brunch.

Brunch performances have their own pace. People are settling into the weekend over eggs bennies, breakfast sandwiches, bowls, coffee and Caesars, and the music gives the room a little more life without asking everyone to be fully awake before they are ready.

These daytime sets are usually relaxed, social and easy to drop into. They work just as well for a table catching up with friends as they do for somebody looking for something a little different to do on a Sunday in Squamish.

Brunch shows are occasional rather than every week, so check our current listings before making plans.

When the evening gets a little livelier

Not every performance is designed to stay politely in the background.

For some evening shows, we bring in groups with enough energy to turn the pub into something closer to a kitchen party. These are the nights with singalongs, traditional tunes, a bit of dancing and the kind of crowd where strangers start sharing a table because it feels strange not to.

Coast Mountain Folk brings traditional folk and Celtic music into the room, often with fiddles, whistles, drums and other traditional instruments. Their sessions have the warmth and looseness that make this music work so well in a pub. It is lively, communal and much more fun when the room joins in.

The Après Trio brings accordion, guitar, cajón and three voices together for a mix of rock, pop, Celtic tunes and polka. They are a Whistler-based group with a set built for toe-tapping, singing along and, once the evening gets going, dancing.

Across the year, we also welcome performers whose music draws from folk traditions found across the Canadian Maritimes, Ireland, Scotland and the wider Celtic world. That might mean a fiddle tune, a storytelling song or the kind of chorus that becomes everybody’s business by the second time around.

These shows are still at The Backyard, not in a formal music venue. You can eat, have a drink and settle in with friends. Just expect the room to be a little louder and the evening to have a bit more movement.

A stage for Squamish and Sea to Sky musicians

Our live music calendar is built around local and regional artists.

Some performers are established names around Squamish and the Sea to Sky. Others are playing the room for the first time, trying out original songs or finding a new local audience. The size of the pub means there is nowhere for the performance to disappear. People listen, talk to the artist afterwards and often come back the next time they play.

That relationship matters to us.

A neighbourhood pub should be somewhere musicians can perform without every show needing a ticket, a large production or a late-night commitment. It should also give locals an easy way to hear artists they may not otherwise come across.

Sometimes you arrive knowing exactly who is playing. Sometimes you come in for dinner and leave with a new favourite local musician.

Both are good outcomes.

Free live music without making a whole production of it

Most regular live music at The Backyard is free to attend and does not require a ticket unless the individual event listing says otherwise.

That is intentional. We want live music to be part of the normal life of the pub, not something people can only take part in after buying a ticket and planning their entire week around it.

Show days and times can vary, particularly for special performances. Some musicians play during brunch, many Sunday Sessions begin around dinner and the livelier evening shows may start later. We post the details for each performance on The Backyard’s Instagram and website.

If there is a ticket, reservation requirement, schedule change or limited-capacity arrangement, we will say so clearly in the event post.

Dinner and live music in Valleycliffe

The Backyard is at 1907 Maple Drive in Valleycliffe, a few minutes from downtown Squamish.

You can join us for brunch, settle in for dinner or come down specifically for the music. Our regular Sunday performances happen during normal food and drink service, so there is no need to choose between seeing the show and having a proper meal.

For the quieter sessions, expect music that accompanies the room. For Coast Mountain Folk, The Après Trio and our other livelier performers, expect a little more noise, a little less personal space and a fair chance that somebody will start dancing.

That range is the point. A good local pub has room for both.

Find upcoming live music at The Backyard

Our lineup changes regularly, with musicians from Squamish, Whistler, the wider Sea to Sky and beyond.

Follow @thebackyardsquamish on Instagram for the next artist, date and start time.

Most regular shows are free. Grab a table, order some food and let the evening unfold from there.

Frequently asked questions about live music at The Backyard

Does The Backyard have live music?

Yes. The Backyard regularly hosts live music in its Valleycliffe pub, usually through Sunday Sessions, with occasional brunch performances and livelier evening shows.

What kind of live music does The Backyard host?

The lineup includes singer-songwriters, acoustic performers and small groups playing folk, roots, soul, indie, rock, pop, Celtic and traditional music. Special shows may be more energetic and include singalongs or dancing.

Is live music at The Backyard free?

Most regular live-music performances are free to attend and do not require tickets. Check the individual event listing because special performances may have different arrangements.

What time does live music start at The Backyard?

Times vary by performance. Some artists play during brunch, many Sunday Sessions take place around dinner and some livelier shows start later in the evening. Check The Backyard’s current event post for the exact date and time.

Can you eat during live music at The Backyard?

Yes. Regular live-music performances take place during food and drink service. Many Sunday Sessions are designed to accompany brunch or dinner rather than take over the room like a formal concert.

Does The Backyard host Celtic or traditional folk music?

Yes. The Backyard hosts folk and Celtic performances, including Coast Mountain Folk and The Après Trio, as well as artists influenced by traditional music from the Canadian Maritimes, Ireland, Scotland and beyond.

Where is The Backyard in Squamish?

The Backyard is located at 1907 Maple Drive in the Valleycliffe neighbourhood of Squamish, British Columbia.