Loud Loudwest – Rock Music in Vancouver

THE SCENE

Underneath the veneer of Vancouver’s mod-friendly hipster scene is a layer of pure rock; a scene that over the decades, has produced some of the genre’s most influential practitioners. The city’s power-chord peddlers may not strut in the sweaty spotlight of yesteryear, but ask any long-haired, leather clad kid haunting any of the tattoo parlours, head shops and rock boutiques on the dingy-end of Granville Street and they’ll tell you… Rock’s not dead. It’s not even sleeping. It’s alive and well. You just have to know where to look.

THE ESSENTIAL ROCK MUSIC VENUES

Richards on Richards

1036 Richards St., Vancouver, BC, V6B 3E1 tel: (604) 687-6794

Frog Eyes at Richards on Richards - by foxtongue

Situated in the uber-cool urban neighbourhood of Yaletown, Richards-on-Richards has been synonymous with high-decibel good times for over twenty years. Although this 1200-capacity establishment moonlights as a dance club most weekends, it remains a purveyor of fine rock, Sunday through Thursday. The expansive space, with it’s multiple bars and second-floor brass balcony is the ideal layout for large yet oddly intimate shows. Indeed, it has played host to an alumni that reads like a Rolling Stones Magazine’s who’s-who including Prince, Brandford Marselis, Nickelback, Nomeansno, and Treblecharger. The soft, neon-accented lighting, friendly staff and upbeat clientele have made this a hotspot for local rock enthusiasts and visiting celebrities alike.

The Roxy

932 Granville St., Vancouver, BC, V6Z 1L2 tel: (604) 331-7999

LoFi Love in The Roxy - by Jonathan Sloan

The rakish red awning of The Roxy is at the heart of Granville’s famous entertainment district. This college crowd watering hole has been part of the city scene as long as Richards on Richards and also boasts a roster of both domestic and imported talent. Whether sizzling house acts like Joe’s Garage and Troys’R Us, a beer-fueled theme night or just good old karaoke, the priority here is boisterous fun. It’s not glamorous. It’s not super trendy. It’s just a true-blue rock’n’roll club. If you’re all about hot guitar licks and fire-breathing bartenders, then welcome home.

The Biltmore Cabaret

395 Kingsway, Vancouver, BC, V5T 3J7 tel: (604) 676-0541

The Stills at the Biltmore Cabaret - by Steve Louie

Located moments from downtown in the cosmopolitan neighbourhood of Mount Pleasant, this 362-capacity boutique-style rock club drips with the ambience of a Louisiana bordello. Truly, the design of this recently renovated room is the perfect balance of luxury, old-world décor and state-of-the-art sound and lighting. Two bars make for easy bourbon access and the decadent interior, peppered with cabaret seating and flanked by rows of intimate booths, guarantees a great view of the large stage from anywhere. This venue is as much about the ambience as the music.

The Morrissey

1227 Granville St., Vancouver, BC, V6Z 1M5 tel: (604) 682-0909

The Morissey - by Sam Lewis

Some places don’t show up on the radar screen. Maybe it’s The Morrissey’s modest façade in the Ramada hotel or maybe it’s just one block farther up Granville Street than most out-of-towners venture. Either way, the locals will tell you, this is one of Vancouver’s favourite hometown haunts. An homage to the famous lead singer of The Smiths, The Morrissey is as dark and beautiful as the songs of its namesake. Although more of a rock’n’roll lounge than a commercial venue, this pub has played host to Kings of Leon, Jet and The Killers as well as many local acts. Most importantly, it might be the only place in Vancouver where it’s fairly commonplace to find a famous rocker eating a plate of two-dollar burgers.

The Bourbon

50 West Cordova St., Vancouver, BC, V6B 2J1 tel: (604) 684-4214

The Bourbon - by jenerally speaking

In the heart of historic Gastown, this 300-capacity bar is for the rock aficionado, not the fanny-pack-wearing tourist. It can’t brag the most welcoming atmosphere, nor the friendliest door staff, nor the quickest service but if you want the real deal, you’re here. It’s a defiant reminder of Old Gastown in every sense, whether good, bad or ugly. Tuesday nights belong to house-favs, The 1980 Sicks Band featuring a repertoire of covers and originals. Any night, however, can promise loud music, cheap beer and probably a good bar-fight. Give ‘er!

The Lamplighter

210 Abbott St., Vancouver, BC, V6B 2K8, tel: (604) 899-3229

Veda Hille at The Lamplighter - by Noah Adams

Conversely, old Gastown has a new face, most famously noticeable at the restored pub in the historic turn-of-the-century Dominion Grand Hotel. A celebration of original brick walls, stained glass and tin-stamped ceilings, this 169-capacity establishment provides live-music most days of the week. While touted primarily as a rock venue, The ‘Lamp’, as the locals affectionately call it, caters to the punk and hip-hop circles as well. More than anywhere, this place stands testament to the symbiosis that is old Vancouver and its progressive new generation.

Pat’s Pub

403 East Hastings St., Vancouver, BC, V6A 1P6 tel: (604) 255-4301

Pets Pub Vancouver - by Sarah Cordingley

Once known as the Patricia Café, this eastside establishment in the hotel by the same name was 1920’s Vancouver’s jazz mecca. Home to legendary great Ferdinand “Jelly Roll” Morton, it also welcomed other jazz-merchants such as Lilian Rose, Oscar Holden, Leo Bailey and Ada “Bricktop” Smith. In recent years, Pat’s has redefined itself as a microbrew pub featuring rock and indie acts Thursday through Saturday. And the food’s as good as the music. Check out a smoked brisket or pork sandwich courtesy of their in-house barbeque.

BACKYARD TALENT

Numerous rock bands call Vancouver home. Here are some of this city’s finest.

• 3 Inches of Blood
• Black Mountain
• Blood Meridian
• Book of Lists
• Channels 3 & 4
• Destroyer
• Hot Hot Heat
• Ladyhawk
• Pink Mountaintops
• The Art of Dying
• The Christa Min
• The New Pornographers
• The Organ
• The Vincent Black Shadow
• The Weather
• You Say Party! We Say Die!

Chapter 3: Sax And The City - All That Jazz