Metro Vancouver nightlife
 

With a rich history of nightlife, Vancouver has never been 'No Fun City,' author argues

I wish there was more nightlife outside of downtown Van.

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Another example of how Vancouver used to be progressive a 100 years ago. It's part of history, cuz the City is now just a follower, and often a bad one too. It's also aptly termed a "No-fun City". Can't argue with that.

there is lots to do if you know what you like doing. The amount of big name bands if you follow that genre that play smaller venues like the Biltmore or the Rickshaw every weekend is quite impressive.

Vancouver has always been like that. Back in the 90s me and my friends would go to a different club every night, 80s night, drag night, brit-pop night, progressive house night etc. Its always been that way, one night a club is packed the next night the same club is empty cause people are into the theme and travel with it, we would see the same people week after week, it was always fun. Hard to explain to tourists or outsiders who turn up on the wrong night and the club is half full.

Gone are the days of:
Several in New West like Mugs N Jugs, Kits I think, several on Kingsway in Burnaby (next to Tim's, one at Gilley), Fraser Arms south Van, several in Surrey, Ozone, Mirage :yuck:, the one at Dell Lanes. Roosters ...


Now a days it's more focused on Craft or at least modern styled pubs.
Port Moody has the brewery St at least, and there's "PubChains" like the townhalls or JRG properties in the burbs, and for some reason "nightlife" is considered by many outside Van to be "Earls, Cactus ect" LOL

You must live a pretty depressing life, always glass half empty, no fun everything, Vancouver can do no right. :shrug:

I've never had a problem with this city's nightlife. Then I grew old enough not to care anymore.

Plenty of "saloons" all around town. Can't go anywhere these days without bumping into a Colony or Storm Crow ad.

what we have now is a very gray industry and a lot of the trendier pubs are actually a food primary and allow kids

... Who in the hell brings their kids to a pub? Besides, many of them require ID.

It's pretty normal in the UK at least, and also in some other parts of Europe where pubs are common.

Pubs (literally "Public House") are not places for getting pissed and rowdy. That has become a thing. But pubs are traditionally a place to socialise (i.e., talk to people with no stupid tv screens) and have wholesome food and drink. A "pub lunch" and a "Sunday lunch" are classic British gourmet, and the whole family would go to these.

So yeah, pubs can definitely work as places for kids to hang out. If all somebody sees pubs for as pick-up joints (i.e., bars) or places to drink until belligerent, they're missing out on one of the true joys of traditional pubs.

Even Microbreweries allow children in to the drinking section these days.

We go with kids all the time. It's not like you can leave them at home.

Depressing life? Lol: not at all buddy.

FYI, you know that huge christmas tree the City just put up a few days ago at the Art Gallery Plaza? Guess what, 3/4 of the lights are already out of commission while those erected by the public sector are still glowing bright. Well well...... I wonder what the City has to say about that. Hey don't blame me: I'm just stating the facts.

I don't think you grew old enough not to care, I think you just grew old. :runaway:

It's not the quantity, but rather the quality of many of the venues that counts. We have too many old and tired-looking places. Has anyone been to the Fairview Pub on Broadway? Boy that's a depressing place!

This doesn't apply to nightlife specifically but I noticed in many cities around the world, they allow small scale commercial in the middle of residential areas. It adds life to the neighbourhood and it feels alive when you can see people working at a small bookstore or having a sandwich at a small cafe.

I wish we had this in Vancouver and allowed small scale commercial in all residential areas.

Venues that regularly host live music, that I know of and been to:

Fairview Pub
Red Gate
Biltmore
The Fox
Cascade
Toast Collective
The Lido
Rio Theatre
238 E 1st Ave
Open Studios
The Clubhouse
SBC (Closed)
Waldorf
Beaumont Studio
The Woods Studio
The Heately
Rickshaw Theatre
Imperial
Pats Pub
Memorial Jazz Space
Commodore Ballroom
Queen Eliz
Roxy
Venue
Orpheum
Fortune Sound Club
Astoria Hastings
St James Church (Rogue Folk's HQ)
The Wise Hall
Tangent Cafe
Libra Room
Penthouse (upstairs...)
Revel Room
RED
Water St Cafe
Railway Stage
The Vogue
Frankies Jazz Club
Red Accordian
Backstage Lounge
Eastside Flea usually and American Bar
Princeton Pub

off the top of my head

On one side folks claim Vancouver has lost it "charm" (grit?) and on the other folks say it's not classy enough. Can't win and please all but you can at least support local artists and venues.

You can add Revel Room and Pourhouse to that list of live music venues are those are just two places I've been to in the last week.

Crap... forgot LanaLou's, Anza Club, Guilt & Co, Portside and probably 1/2 a dozen others and about 3 I know closed this year because they were rogue venues but amazing.

You're being ageist here. Fairview is a blues bar that attracts an older crowd. It's a souped up legion basically, but what's wrong with that? The over 50 crowd likes to go out too.

I have a hard time believing that someone who champions shopping malls is any kind of authority on cutting edge night life. Curious to know what you think is a great night spot? I have a feeling you think night clubs in las Vegas are the shit. Have you ever been to a house music club or a rave party in your life?