Vancouver Nightlife Tips by Carmanah Top 5 Page for this destination

Sonar: Sonar

Sonar is a popular nightclub located in Gastown, in the north-east corner of downtown Vancouver on Water Street.

Before the late 90's, it used to be a popular live-music venue called "The Town Pump". Ask any music fan who was in Vancouver during the 1990's and earlier, and they'll tell you fond memories about shows they saw in the Town Pump. Often people called it the best place to see a live band.

However, in the mid-90's, live music venues were no longer money-makers in the entertainment industry as DJ'ing and "electronica" was the next big thing. So the Town Pump shut down and "Sonar" opened up in its place.

Sonar originally focused on live DJ music and anything electronic. Slowly but surely, live acts were re-introduced to the venue, and it's definitely one of my favourite places to see a live band or a live touring DJ, whoever is in town.

In December of 2000 I was lucky enough to see Skinng Puppy's cEvin Key and Phil Western's collaboration, Download at Sonar. In June of 2003 I saw local Vancouver band Brundlefly and Montreal's The Dears at Sonar. In July 2004, I saw DJ James Lavelle (aka: Unkle) perform a set. Other famous DJ's, whether its Thievery Corportation, or Junkie XL, are just some of the names to visit Sonar. It's one of the better clubs in the city for those with a real interest in the music they're listening to.

The venue is small - one main stage at the end built up from the dancefloor... a DJ booth in between, and a bar at the back, and a little upper balcony for panoramic viewing. Sonar is small, but it has a lot going for it because it's intimate, and there's really no barrier dividing the crowd from the musicians - only a step or two. Most of the musicians mingle with the audience before and after the performance.

Dress Code: Depends on the event. Generally anything goes - no real dress code.

Address: 66 Water Street, Vancouver

Directions: Between Abbott and Carrall on the south side of Water Street, in Gastown.

Phone: (604) 683-6695

Theme: Concert

The Irish Heather: A real Irish pub

Ahh, the Irish Heather. Owned and run by an Irish brother and sister (who have subsequently opened up a variety of hugely successful eating and drinking establishments around town), the Irish Heather is one of Gastown's best kept secrets.

Located in the building that housed Vancouver's first jail, it has a bar at the front (with barstool seating around circular tables), an upstairs booth-type seating area, and a back glass-encased room that looks out over Gaoler's Mews - a beautiful brick and ivy-covered alleyway that wouldn't feel out of place in Europe. It's about as far as you can get away from Vancouver's modernity.

The Irish Heather stays open from 12 noon until midnight. I've been here several times for lunch with friends and family, and with exception to business lunch rushes, it's a very quiet time to be there. It's after work when this pub really gets going and often, all tables are full. But it's well worth hanging around in order to snag one of those tables, because once you've got one, you won't want to leave!

So why come here?

They pour a proper Guinness (or Kilkenny, or Harp, or Smithwick's, or Strongbow, or Carlsberg) - all draught.

The food is delicious. Try the cheese plate ($12) or the curry chips ($6) with your beer.

The atmosphere is lively but casual.

The staff are genuinely friendly and attentive.

The little secret most Irish Heather patrons don't even realize is that the Shebeen Whiskey House (also owned by the same people) is located in the alley behind the pub. The Shebeen Whiskey house specializes in nothing but scotch and whiskey. It's quite hidden away, but those in the know understand it's the best. Even U2 have pulled up to the Shebeen's Blood Alley entrance in their limos to escorted into whiskey house!

And the best part is that on nice weekend nights, they close the gates to the Gaoler's Mews alley and set up tables and chairs, so people from both the Irish Heather and the Shebeen Whiskey House can mingle and socialize. That's when the real party begins!

Address: 217 Carrall Street, Vancouver

Directions: Located at Gaoler's Mews in Gastown on the west side of Carrall Street, between Water Street and Blood Alley.

Other Contact: seal@irishheather.com

Phone: 604-688-9779

Theme: Eating and Drinking

The Commodore Ballroom: The Commodore Ballroom Commodore Ballroom, the Review

This is Vancouver's most popular concert venue - and it only holds about 1000 people. The Commodore was built in the 1920's and exists today as one of the oldest small venues in the city. The hard wooden dance floor was built above a layer of horsehair and tires so that the floor would bounce and and flow with the dancers' every step.

The Commodore has been providing a venue for legendary acts. Almost every band has played at the Commodore during the infancy of their career. Bands like U2, The Police, Nirvana, Jimi Hendrix, and more. And when the goth, synth-pop, grunge and rock bands of the 80's and 90's played at the Commodore, the audience would mosh and sway to the music as the floor would bounce like a trampoline!

In the late 90's, the Commodore was shut down, uncertain of its future. It was later reopened in 1999, completely renovated with its historic architecture and bouncing wooden dancefloor still in tact!

If a band that you know of is playing at the Commodore while you're in Vancouver, to be blunt, you'd be stupid not to go! ;) Recent acts at the Commodore include Paul Oakenfold, Doves, The Strokes, DJ Tiesto, Neil Finn, The White Stripes, Matthew Good, Travis, Hot Hot Heat, Slayer, Neko Case, Ladytron, Snoop Dogg, The Wallflowers, Morcheeba, Danzig, Youssou N'Dour and 3 Doors Down. Gives you an idea of the kind of shows you're likely to see there. As I said before, if you're in town and a band you like is playing there - go! :)

Dress Code: It varies on the event. Vancouver is very casual... and jeans/t-shirts are common for concerts... however, on Tuesday nights for the Commodore's famous Disco nights, a disco-themed costume is usually expected.

Address: 870 Granville Street, Vancouver

Directions: This is the block of Granville Street located between Robson & Smithe. The Commodore is next door to the Orpheum, and across the street from the McDonald's.

Phone: (604) 739-7469

Theme: Live Music

Strolling downtown in search of nightlife

You can probably get a good idea of special events going on in the city simply by observing the street posters - they're generally found on construction site fences or along specifically-designated lamp posts along the sidewalk. Keep in mind that these posters generally advertise special one-time-only events like concerts, fashion shows, DJ sets, etc. And I find ore and more these days that the posters are actually advertizing commercial products. If you're seeking nightclub listings, don't bother scouting out the posters - look for newspapers like the Georgia Straight, the West Ender, Discorder, and the likes.

Theme: Live Music

Luvafair: Luvafair

How sad. Luvafair finally closed on February 1, 2003 after remaining 27 years in business! It was the longest-running nightclub in Canada! They closed because the City of Vancouver is rezoning Richards Street, turning the once nightclub-lined street into a ritzy yuppified block of condos. How boring!

Gripes aside, Luvafair *was* Vancouver's first and ONLY alternative nightclub.

Bands like Skinny Puppy and NIN played Luvafair early on in their career. Well-respected people from the Canadian music scene, like Kim Clarke Champniss, Terry McBride and DJ Czech spun at Luvafair.

Former Luvafair DJ, David Hawkes, once saw Depeche Mode's David Gahan and Martin Gore dancing on the speakers to their own "Master and Servants" one night in the 80's... and celebrities such as Marilyn Manson, Tom Cruise and Johnny Depp have been spotted at Luvafair at one time. This is just scraping the surface of Luvafair's insane history. It's status to Vancouver's music scene was legendary, probably akin to New York's relationship with CBGB's.

If you *wanted* chain link fences, a no-meat-market atmosphere, plenty of dancing, an alternative crowd where you could look any way you want - Luvafair WAS the place. The music, of course, *was* the reason I went.

'Klassix' on Tuesday included the best of 80's alternative.

'Ya Like it Hard Don't Ya' on Wednesdays for heavy alternative.

Thursdays were the ever-popular Brit nights, with Brit-pop, 80's, Manchester and British dance music.

Fridays and Saturdays were a mix of everything.

Do you like: NIN? The Cure? Depeche Mode? The Smiths? Radiohead? Skinny Puppy? This may be your club...

Well, it *could* have been your club. It was definitely mine. How I'll miss it!

Dress Code: People used to dress in an alternative style - trendy, punk, industrial, goth, 80's etc, although you could have also showed up wearing a t-shirt and jeans and you would have been accepted.

Directions: Luvafair was on the 1200 block of Seymour Street. It's currently "Elan Living" - non-descript condos.

Theme: Nightclub

The Backstage Lounge: Casual pub atmosphere with live music Backstage Lounge, the Review

The Backstage Lounge (frequently known as the Arts Club Backstage Lounge) is a local institution. It functions as a restaurant (with a large patio), a pub, a bar for which Arts Club Theatre patrons visit during intermissions, and a live music venue. On most nights the Arts Club Backstage Lounge features local musicians - rock bands, singers/songwriters, folk singers, and such. Most of the musicians are known in the local music scene but a large majority of them are just starting out. Even I played a gig at the Backstage Lounge several years ago with a friend's band - it's that kind of place.

Dress Code: No dress code - everyone is welcome as they are.

Address: 1585 Johnson Street, Vancouver

Directions: Located on Granville Island at the back of the Arts Club Theatre (right next to the Granville Island Public Market). It's also located at the top of the Aquabus water taxi dock.

Phone: (604) 687-1354

Theme: Eating and Drinking

Website: http://www.thebackstagelounge.com

The Bayside Lounge: A good kind of weird

under construction - please don't rate this yet! :)

Dress Code: Anything goes

Address: 1755 Davie Street, Vancouver

Directions: On the north-east corner of Davie and Denman, upstairs.

Theme: Eating and Drinking

Website: http://www.bestwesternsandshotelvancouver.com/menu_bayside.html

The Atlantic Trap & Gill: Where East Coast meets the West Coast

The Atlantic Trap & Gill is one, if not the only, Maritime-themed pub in the city. And by Maritime, we're talking the four eastern-most provinces of Canada. Although I haven't been to the Maritime provinces yet, those in the know say this pub feels like it was yanked out of Nova Scotia or Newfoundland, and flung into downtown Vancouver. In a city over-saturated with trendy nightlife venues, these kinds of unpretentious pubs are real gems.

Most of the seating is picnic table style, and to call the interior "cozy" is an understatement. The walls are painted green, which apparently is common in pubs along Canada's Atlantic. You will certainly get to know your neighbours at this pub if you aren't already seated with a group of your closest friends. On most nights there will be live Celtic-inspired music. I have walked by here many times to hear fiddle music entertaining the masses.

Although this is a pub, the Atlantic Trap & Gill's also known for its seafood. They have bargain lobster dinners, for example. They also have mussels, clams, and all you can eat fish n' chips. While the food isn't high end gourmet, it's probably authentic in all its deep-fried glory. I mean, where else are you going to find clamstrips & fries without going all the way to Halifax?

For homesick Maritimers or those merely interested in this aspect of Canadian culture, I can highly recommend it for a fun few drunken hours.

Address: 612 Davie Street, Vancouver

Directions: Located on the south-west corner of Seymour and Davie Street in downtown Vancouver.

Other Contact: info@trapandgill.com

Phone: (604) 806-6393

Theme: Eating and Drinking

Website: http://www.trapandgill.com

The Georgia Straight: Vancouver's bible to nightlife Georgia Straight, the Review

The Georgia Straight is Vancouver's weekly arts & entertainment newspaper. It's free and comes out every Thursday. You can find it practically everywhere in Vancouver and all the way out into the suburbs. The newspaper itself is rather large and contains the best concert listings, club listings, restaurant listings, theatre listings, art gallery listings, and generally any event listing in the city.

But the Georgia Straight isn't just all concert listings, classifieds, and advertising. It proudly markets itself as one of the few completely independent newspapers in Canada. As a result, they tend to have a lot of unique articles pertaining to a wide variety of issues (politics, environmental issues, human rights, etc). The letters to the editor can also be rather amusing. I find that if you read the Georgia Straight cover to cover, you'll have a pretty good idea about what Vancouver's all about.

And for some Georgia Straight trivia, Bob Geldof used to be a writer for the Georgia Straight before he started the Boomtown Rats and Live Aid. The Georgia Straight has been a fixture in Vancouver since the late 60's. The name of the newspaper is a pun on the Strait of Georgia (the large body of water that separates Vancouver and the rest of the BC mainland from Vancouver Island).

Theme: Other

Website: http://www.straight.com

The Royal: The Royal

The Royal is a club/pub located on the ground floor of the Hostelling International's Vancouver Central hostel. I've only been here once in March of 2004 with my friends, but I had a great time. We were just being ourselves, goofing off. There's great music and VERY cheap drinks (ie: $2.75 Heinekens on Tuesdays are a steal!) I think we were even there for Heineken Tuesdays.

Unfortunately there was a lack of a large crowd when I was there - it seemed rather empty for such a cool little club. Perhaps I was there on an off night. Tuesday night in early March in Vancouver? Yep. Off night. I'm sure it's better in the spring and summer.

I do, however, remember having a blast when I was there. I recall dancing to all kinds of bands, from the Yeah Yeah Yeahs to Radiohead to Guns N Roses. Britpop and indie rock? You've got it.

Inside the club are pool tables and arcade games, but if you're not playing there's plenty of space to relax and dance. The place has a great vibe for chilling out with friends, drinking beer and dancing... kind of reminiscent of my old Luvafair danceclub before it closed, in the way that it's so laid back and super casual.

Regardless, the fact that the Central Hostel is above this pub means that backpackers (especially Brits and Aussies) will likely swing by here, making it a great hangout if you too are a backpacker, looking for friends to join with on your travels.

Dress Code: Dress code? What dress code?

Address: 1029 Granville Street, Vancouver

Directions: Located on the west side of Granville Street between Nelson and Smithe in downtown Vancouver.

Phone: (604) 685-7527

Theme: Nightclub

Website: http://www.theroyal.ca