Loss of live music venues in Vancouver 

What's even worse is what most venues pay musicians to play (which is hardly anything).

One of my fav places when i was in my twenties. It so true Vancouver has really changed so much over the years, especially in the music scene. Lots of great venues no longer exist which is a shame, especially when you want to go see local talent

couldn't agree more! coming from montreal, where it seems every 2nd or 3rd place hosts some sort of indie band, the lack of music / culture / arts in vancouver is stark & sad to put it mildly!

It's so sad. As a musician in the eighties, I played as a drummer and bass player there was a good pool of venues local bands played at.

It seems Vancouver just keeps losing more and more of its character

So sad 😢 I met my live partner there and played many shows their too ❤

I beg to differ. My 2 cents to this - whenever you ask someone about live music venues, they always say, oh it was a lot better 10-15 years ago. The irony is that 10-15 yrs ago, when I asked the same question, I got the same answers. And it was exactly the same story 25 years ago! It's true that a few iconic places are no longer with us like The Media club, Richard's on Richards and Fairview pub, but a few are still around and I'm sure some new ones have been added on. Let's look at some local venues for live music: The Railway club, Backstage lounge, the pubs in the Patricia and Astoria hotels, Rickshaw theatre, Fox theatre, Lanalou's, Grand Villa hotel casino and Starlight casinos, Hard Rock Casino lounge, The Admiral, many of the Legions all over the lower mainland, Frankie's Jazz club, The Cobalt, The Penthouse, Biltmore, Waldorf, Roxy, Lamplighter, Pub340, Blarney stone, the Iron works, Guilt & Co., and so on. And most of these places I mentioned are mostly just in Vancouver. I haven't even include bigger places yet like Vogue or Commodore as I want to focus mostly on the easy walk in venues. Also, I haven't include cafes for open-mics. So there're really quite a lot of places if you really want to check them out.

I loved that place too. I didn't realize that it had closed.

Same in Toronto... about 15 years ago, venues for original music started to disappear, mostly replaced by condos. Time for a new model I think.

Noah! Jesse! I miss CDS, even if my snare had a gunshot-like quality to it.

jesse waldman was in a band called WEB and they have been my favorite band for 24 years,

As a musician who has played thousands of shows, I despise Vancouver with a passion. It’s the city of greed. 10 years ago it was a nightmare and it’s gotten only worse. To my fellow musicians, artists, the self employed, any skilled type workers and the culturally open minded: Save your spirit and get out ASAP.

with no Noblesse oblige among the elite, what is there to be expected?

No 🍺 means no 🎶

Did I see Kimball walk by?

Such a shame

LCB needs to make liquor licenses have live music instead of punishing venues for doing so .

Vancouver will always be a pretty city, but it has ceased to be a great city.

jeez, could have a pandemic had ANYTHING to do with it?

If you are a great band people will go to the ends of the earth to support you. Typical indie bands in Vancouver suck so bad it is an embarrassment to bother.

I loved that place too. I didn't realize that it had closed.

LCB needs to make liquor licenses have live music instead of punishing venues for doing so .