Appearances deceive: Vancouver offers more in terms of nightlife than naysayers and outsiders believe or claim. This fact will become clearer when you go to www.clubvibes.com and click on Vancouver. The site lists no fewer than twenty-one categories under nightlife — including lounges, after-hours, gay clubs and dancing, and links and more links to sources and venues. For example, the DV8 Lounge (515 Davie Street, Downtown, 604-682-4388) covers a lot of catego¬ries and wins a lot of gold stars.
Clubvibes.com also posts nightly events, upcoming happenings, and music and club reviews. It’s a good idea to check out where you’re going in advance, because these places come and go with amazing speed. Tracking down a phone number can be next to impossible:
names change, clubs relocate, occasionally they burn down. And from time to time the city closes a late-night venue — usually for a few weeks at most — for some hours or liquor infraction.
To meet people and listen to live music, there’s the civilized second¬story Railway Club (579 Dunsmuir Street, Downtown, 604-681-1625) in the business district. Retro-looking Ginger Sixty-two (1219 Granville Street, Downtown, 604-688-5494) is a popular lounge, with both bar and sofa seating, where low-fl music makes conversation feasible.
The Silvertone Tavern (2733 Commercial Drive, East Vancouver, 604-877-2245) comes well recommended by a city music-scene writer for its affordable drinks and support for diverse Vancouver musical talent. Mr. T’S Cabaret (330 West Pender Street, Downtown, 6O4-682-8O96) also supports up-and-coming indie artists.
And on the better edge of the shady part of town, a nicely spruced up and gay-friendly Lotus Lounge (455 Abbott Street, Downtown, 604-685-7777) has enjoyed a revival in recent years, though it can, it’s said, get “sexed-up” at times. Current performers cover underground hip-hop, reggae, and “deep tech” territory.
The Voda (738 Homer Street, Downtown, 604-684-3003) is a gorgeous space, with a fine dance floor, at the street level of the Westin Grand Hotel. However, its proximity to a number of newish, high-end condos has caused it problems; noise complaints have pretty much precluded the use of its spacious patio.
The hottest spot for the downtown hipster is, I’m told by a denizen, Crush (1180 Granville Street, Downtown, 604-684-0355). Music runs through funk, soul, and jazz to R&B and more.
Richard’s on Richards continues to pound out the rock (1036 Richards Street, Downtown, 604-687-6794) as one of the city’s most popular and long-surviving club-cabarets. The nearby Wett Bar & Nightclub (1320 Richards Street, 604-662-7707) can get a little rowdy I’m told by my early-hour spy.
The Roxy Night Club (932 Granville Street, Downtown, 604-331-7999, www.roxyvan.com) is celebrated for, among other things, bartenders who know both their clients and drinks well. Sonar (66 Water Street, Gastown, 604-683-6695, www.sonar.bc.ca) is best known for dance music that runs from hip-hop to trance. It speaks for itself when it says: “You won’t give a f— who’s playing ‘cuz it’s all good.”
BarNone (1222 Hamilton Street, 604-689-7000) may be best known for its battles with neighboring residents over early morning exit-ers; however, insiders ofthis very Yaletown haunt obviously like its atmosphere and music enough to kick up some fuss on departure. A popular restaurant-lounge-bar (with patio) for just hanging out is Subeez (891 Homer Street, bowntown, 604-687-6107).
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