Vern's is hideous. I doubt anybody has put any thought into the way this place looks. It's like everything was just there when the place was built, and the only reason you replace something is when it's broken and too dirty for the duct tap can stick anymore. It is the bar equivalent to a punk rockers beaten up grungy party basement.
So... basically what I'm saying is - VERN'S IS AWESOME!!! I LOVE VERN'S!
Love it, or hate it, and trust me it's going to be one of those two, Vern's is pretty much the 'as real as it gets' music bar for the Calgary music scene. This is the place where beginner bands get there first start and where the YYC music big guns love to come back to to pay their respects and feel at home in their first home. Vern's is where it all comes from.
Pro-tip: 100% of the cover charge goes to the bands. I hope you'll find that $5 or $10 split between two or more bands is a pretty small price to pay for live entertainment. The beer is cheap, so after five pints of Alberta Genuine Draft, you'll have more than made your money back, and you'll have had a heck of a good time.