The Backlot

Lemme take you to a gay bar! Lol. Im not usually the type that would go to a gay bar, but I was visiting the city, so I just figured why not! In Calgary, you have like… 2(?) clubs/​bars, and from what I’ve gathered, one is a sketchier club. So I decided I would go out on a limb and check out The Backlot.
The entryway was a bit sketchy as it was kind of on the side of the building and in a dark alley. The establishment was nice overall, dimly light as most bars are, with quite friendly and welcoming bartenders. Got a drink with a friend and decided to sit in the corner of the patio to chat. People came and left, but it was quiet enough in the corner to carry a conversation without being heard by everyone.
They do have an upstairs area that had a performer that night, but we never actually went up to take a look. The only other odd part for me was the open washroom where the urinals were. No door to get to the area, which is quite scary knowing someone could just come up behind and … I would prefer a door that leads into a washroom.
A nice quieter bar to grab a drink with a friend (s) that is gay/​straight friendly, but not exactly the ‘party’ place. Felt like it was an older crowd that was in attendance and not quite the place for a young man out on the town! Maybe head to that sketchy club? Lol

LOVE it here! Way better than Twisted. Friendly staff, great prices, and the owners aren’t total douchebags!
Long live the Backlot!

This is my new favorite place to go! It’s like Cheers for the gay community, but straight people are totally welcome!
It’s a small two level bar with a patio out back and a fireplace in the front room. The drinks are cheap. They do BBQs for charity in the warmer months out on the patio.
I first really started going there this past gay pride with a friend although I’d been there years ago. When I walked in I already knew 5 people! I was getting hugs like crazy and she said to me, «You know more people here than me!»
Since pride I have gotten to know the Royal Court very well and have attended most of their drag shows upstairs for charity. They always have raffles and tons of prizes. When I’ve been I never come home empty handed. I love the little shows, but the people are what keeps me coming back. I’ve never felt unwelcome there and now am greeted with hugs from not only patrons, but from the staff too! Hubby comes with me most nights out and as a straight guy he felts very comfortable and welcome there. They of course love him!

Coming to The Back Lot during Stampede was quite the experience, and not for the truly faint of heart. My friend ordered a Heineken, but of course I had to order a greyhound, prompting a response as if such a request was effete. Beyond the facial expression of the bartender and the question, «what’s in it,» my drink was brought out in short order (albeit not to the same strength I’m accustomed to back home in the SF Bay Area). But the embracing of the Stampede events just demonstrates the depth of the culture in this city, regardless of venue, which I find fascinating since home for me doesn’t have this much esprit de corps for many cultural events on this broad scale. As far as The Back Lot is concerned, it seems to be a kick-​back type of establishment, not like a club with mostly guys in their 20s, but a bit more like 30s and up from what I saw. Definitely a non-​cruisey place at the point I visited (unless it changes drastically very late at night/​after Stampede events). For warmer weather, a patio’s available; otherwise there’s a fireplace to sit by closer to the front. Oh sure, I would come back here, Stampede or not.