Photo courtesy of Tom Carter. Rather, its a link to the citys ever-evolving landscape. It was a sad day for locals who had fond memories of partying there. Even though Walters was not a drinker, he had a knack for the nightclub scene, and Isys (alongside The Cave and Marco Polo) quickly became one of the citys preeminent spots for entertainment both wholesome and risqu. Vancouver in the 70s: chronicle of city's formative years This article from our archives was originally published on January 20, 2019, and updated on May 17, 2021. } Champagne Charlie This strip club at 1006 Granville Street opened in 1983. Best nightclubs on granville street near Granville St, Vancouver, BC - Yelp Yelp. I never went to Oil Can Harry's but the name sure jumped out at me when I saw your post. To be offended is a choice we make; it is not a condition inflicted or imposed upon us by someone or something else. The facelift gave it new life including state-of-the-art sound and lighting, solidifying its reputation as a premier nightclub on the West Coast. They closed down in 2014 after an impressive 18 years. What may be a more relevant epicentre to consider about this peaceful city is its status as the latter-day predecessor to Vancouvers historical Chinatown. Reviews on Nightclubs on Granville Street in Granville St, Vancouver, BC - The Roxy, Fortune Sound Club, Celebrities Nightclub, Numbers Cabaret, Blarney Stone, Granville Street, The Lamplighter Public House. Post It was a particularly horrible plane crash, Carter says. The '80s were a turbulent time for Vancouver's West End. Its legacy You couldnt get into many places with a camera in those daysno one wanted to be caught cheating., Tough Drag Show, 1981 This was an after-hours club called the Playpen South, a real den of iniquity. It wasa popular spot in the 90s with its eclectic vibe. They were known for having an awesome lineup of local DJs and live performers. After nearly a decade of awesome parties, many were sad to see the Gastown club close their doors back in 2004. The city has the highest population . A Vancouver nightclub that was known for being punk-alternative. It shut in May 2011 and has since been replaced by Taco Bell after being left vacant for years. It was located at 1320 Richards Street. It closed down because the city decided to focus more on nightlife on Granville Street. and the Dead Kennedys sneering sets at punk dive the Smilin Buddha Cabaret. It was located at 15330 102A Avenue. Based in the west coast, Vancouver is a metropolitan city thats geographically blessed with a temperate climate. It was originally known as the Lester Ballroom, then the Embassy Ballroom, and later Dantes Inferno and Retinal Circus, hippie-era clubs that played host to The Velvet Underground and The Doors. 500 Block Beatty Street (rear view), Vancouver, 1983. It called itself a 'Private Gentleman's Club'. Chapman has spent the entirety of his adult life immersed in Vancouver nightlife, gigging around town in the early 1990s with Celtic punk band the Real McKenzies,and more recently with the Town Pants. It was located at 15330 102A Avenue. An Elite CafeMedia Publisher. Adjacent to Vancouver, Abbotsford is the air and road gateway to experiences such as skydiving to hot springs and waterslides. Top 10 Best Dance Clubs 80s Music in Portland, OR - Yelp In his 2019 book Vancouver After Dark, author and local historian Aaron Chapman chronicled the citys once-vibrant nightlife and lamented the dozens of clubs that have disappeared. Vancouver Nightlife A Complete Guide [2023 March Update] After nine epic years in business, the Gastown nightclub shut down in 2004. Roosters Country Cabaret just closed down in 2019. Truly. Many popular DJs first got their start from Graceland. Heres a blast from the past with some of Vancouvers most popular nightclubs. Around that time there was another club one block north at 1037 View called Club Tango on the site of the present vacant lot near View and Vancouver St. Before the creation of Legends and the Sticky Wicket, The Strathcona Hotel had several clubs, including "Max Headroom", a short-lived industrial-type dance club in the basement. } by sunluvr Aug 20th, 2009, 4:06 pm, Post Known as one of the citys premier nightclubs, it hosted performances from the likes of Lena Horne, Marvin Gaye, the Supremes, and countless other top-shelf entertainers. DJ Ross Davis at the Mecca in Portsmouth (Image: Eileen Sinclair) Seriously, you cant go wrong with the dim sum here. Starfish Room A great place to spend a Friday night in the '90s. The venue has grown with the community, and continues to attract some of the biggest artists from around the world. 2022 - 604 Now. If you like house, I would definately . 2. They got delayed, and Oscar thought they werent coming, so he started drinkingand when they finally did show up, Oscar was totally annihilated. It has been said to be one of the best jazz clubs in the world, but they closed their doors in 2014. Get a roundup of the most important and intriguing national stories delivered to your inbox every weekday. In 2009, itwas torn down for a condo development. Decadent 80s 5.0 (1 review) Dance Clubs Arbor Lodge "Always a fun night out dancing with an excellent mix of music! It was destroyed to make way for new real estate developments. It was the place to go for great music, delicious food and have a drink with friends. There is also a hotel on the reserve land on the east side of Lions Gate Bridge (can not remember the name) it had a little bar cabaret that was once very popular. forms: { Own your city with Vancouvers thrice-weekly scoop on the latest restaurant news, must-shop hotspots and cant miss events. But the owner was friends with Grace McCarthys son. Moonwalk down memory lane with T. Learn More Starting at $ 1,100 per event View Profile Request Free Quote Chapman notes, for instance, that a country-western bar from the 1970s called the Purple Steer would later transform into dance music hub Luv-a-Fair in the 1980s (it was leveled for condos in 2003). But although disco is said to have died in 1979, with punk increasingly running low on enticing aesthetic ideas and rap's then popular perception as being little more than a passing fad, the early 1980s produced one of the most productive and intriguing periods in dance music history. It was popular in the 00s but they only closed their doors last year. 455 Abbott Street, Vancouver, BC. Oscar was a bit of an autograph hound, Carter says, chuckling. In fact, the stretch between Oscars and The Palomar was once known, according to Sun columnist Denny Boyd in 1985, as the most exciting piece of sidewalk in Vancouver, and the steakhouses storied entrance hall contained dozens of pictures of proprietor Oscar Blank, posing with every famous person who had walked into his business. by Bsuds Oct 1st, 2009, 1:03 pm, Post I was born and raised in Vancouver, and theres always been something going on. Vancouver's favorite nightclubs from the '00s The basement jazz club . Read the 10Best Vancouver night club reviews and view user's nightlife ratings. Entertainment, Food, Travel, the Arts, Summerland and Other Election Categories, Vancouver night clubs from the 60's 70's and 80's, Re: Vancouver Night Clubs from the 60's 70's and 80's. What are some of your favourite Metro Vancouver nightclubs of the past? - You spent time in the "smoke pit" under the stairs in the food court at Guildford. Photograph courtesy of Tom Carter. It was located at 1036 Richards Street. Lotus Sound Lounge/Lotus Cabaret (Lotus Hotel) 455 Abbott Street, Vancouver, BC. What it was like to work in a Canadian strip club in the 1980s. Video Dance Attack 4.4 (17 reviews) Bars Performing Arts DJs $Portland "and carrying baguettes ("French Kiss.") I came as a Rubik's Cube since it was 80s night. It was known as being one of the greatest places to listen to jazz in the world. Bars & Clubs Comedy Clubs. The gay club was a hit with its eclectic music and atmosphere. Vancouver History: Clubs & Venues of the Past By Vancouver Is Awesome. event : evt, It was located at 1136 West Georgia. In the 1980s we hit peak nightclub. And I remember driving by, and seeing Isys Strip City and going, Whats that? And my parents went, Dont look at that. Walters died in the club in 1976. Photo courtesy of Neptoon Records Archives. He put his children to work in the clubs, and later brought his son Ritchie in as a partner. Photo by Bev Davies/Arsenal Pulp Press. Killing Joke at Luv-a-Fair in 1982. Take a stroll down memory lane by reminiscing over some of Metro Vancouvers most beloved nightclubs and pubs that we have sadly lost over the years. An awesome spot to show off your moves, with a huge dance floor and awesome DJs. Daily, we engage a diverse community and excite our readers to explore the best of their city within the metropolis. Could the solution be a Night Mayor?. (What's On) by "Crosby Herald (Liverpool, England)"; News, opinion and commentary General interest Nightclubs . })(). The family also runs local restaurants, such as Sopra Sotto and Nammos Estiatorio. Apparently in those Pryor shows, there was silence a lot of the time, Chapman says. Langleys past stretches back almost 200 hundred years ago, which if you know anything about Canadian history, is practically ancient times. Listed on the Route 66 Hall of Fame, the venue has served as a bar and dance hall to locals and travelers since 1945. Vancouver's Most Exotic Venue Just dont mention the Canucks. The true Surrey is a story of economic revitalization and a green future. It was located near the Old Spaghetti Factory on Water Street. The first one opened in Winnipeg in 1935. Very popular among thecollege kid crowd with cheap drink specials and a big dance floor. North Vancouver is known for hiking and skiing trails in the forested North Shore Mountains, including Grouse Mountain, whose Skyride cable car offers sweeping city views. One of the most recent clubs to close down in Glasgow, The Arches was a much-loved arts venue underneath Central Station. It looked so sleazy.". It was so very Saturday Night Feverit had a Plexiglas dance floor. by Jo Oct 1st, 2009, 9:42 am, Post - David A. Bednar. Celebrities Nightclub 2 Bars & Clubs Dance Clubs & Discos Davie Village 8. . The supper club dates back to the 1930s. Langleys past stretches back almost 200 hundred years ago, which if you know anything about Canadian history, is practically ancient times. It opened in the 1980s and underwent a huge renovation in 2013. . Its a coastal community that boasts a beach, Canada's longest pier, tons of hidden gems and most important of all: a giant white rock the area was named after. In Vancouver After Dark, he also recalls the musty charm of the beneath street-level Pig and Whistle, and the terrible sound at the Plaza of Nations, an outdoor venue erected for Expo 86 whose rotted-out stage was levelled by the city in 2018 after a decade of inactivity. The drink we ordered ( Pan Galactic Gargle Blaster) was fun and. It also explores seedier stories like the drum-roll murder, a 1971 incident at Club Zanzibar where, during a strip performances grand finale, an audience member wearing a wig and a fake moustache timed a fatal gunshot to another patrons head with the onstage crash of drums. Level 5 was situated on the fifth floor of the space at 595 Hornby Street. Let us know in the comments below! 1971 Gastown riots over Vancouver smoke-in Vancouver-born Dorothy Stratten, Playboy Playmate of the Month for August,. avalanche lost father, brother-in-law, family friend in slide, Great Pyramid of Gizas hidden chamber revealed, Trudeau says probes into foreign election interference ongoing, Heated debate in B.C. Top 10 Best 80'S Night Club in Vancouver, BC - February 2023 - Yelp Atlantis night club That said, his judgement wasnt always solid. Photograph courtesy of the City of Vancouver Archives. Sadly, this spot closed its doors for good in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, after an impressive 35 years in business. Celebrities have often been spotted around town here, including Mark Wahlberg, Johnny Depp, U2, Pearl Jam, Tom Cruise, and Marilyn Manson. } It closed in the early 90s and became Yaletowns Bar None. As a multicultural city, Vancouverites are known for being a laidback, easy-going bunch. This hot spot had been in business for an impressive three decades before closing its doors in 2003. It was a more affordable spot with $1 tequila and high-ball nights. It was best known for disco and it was located at the International Plaza Hotel in North Vancouver. 21 Piccadilly Friends And Clubbers / Facebook. A Look Back At Vancouver's Most Popular Clubs From The '80s, '90s and '00s Atlantis Nightclub An awesome spot to show off your moves, with a huge dance floor and awesome DJs. Crosby is leaning back, because he didnt have his toupee on and he didnt want people to see his bald head. Everyone in Surrey remembers partying here. Crafting a story about Park Avenue, a popular Milwaukee nightclub in the 1980s, presents a unique set of obstacles. The nightclub at 674 Seymour Street had DJs playing the most popular dance beats that drew crowds on the weekends. The best-known of Vancouver's dinner club was The Cave on Hornby . Guilt & Company 276 Music Venues Lounges $$Gastown The mere mention of some of Vancouvers long-shuttered nightclubs is enough to send residents of a certain age into fits of nostalgia. Everyone has memories of Gabbys Country Cabaret in Langley. 2022 - 604 Now. } Thats interesting enough, and theres something to be learned from that, but I think theres a lot more to be learned about how Vancouverites met socially, where they interacted in spaces other than boardrooms.. window.mc4wp = window.mc4wp || { . In this story from our archives, Chapman pays tribute to three memorable venues. The facelift gave it new life including state-of-the-art sound and lighting, solidifying its reputation as a premier . This is the one that became legendary, surviving more than four decades and . Vancouver History: Clubs & Venues of the Past - Quietly This is just one of the many colourful yarns threaded throughout Chapmans latest local history book, which follows his Liquor, Lust, and the Law on the Penthouse Nightclub, andLive at the Commodore, an in-depth look at the celebrated ballroom. It was in a prime location right on Water Street near the Old Spaghetti Factory. Drew Lazor. While it initially played disco and catered to a mostly gay clientele, Luv-a-Fair quickly became a place where all club-goers partied side by side. by Jo Sep 15th, 2009, 6:01 am, Post Eagle Mountain? The Opus Barpart of the Opus Hotel is the pinnacle of Yaletown's nightlife. The supper club dates back to the 1930s. Local trombonist Ernie King once said the Caves management didnt always extend its inclusivity to people of colour in Vancouver, preferring to employ an all-white house band. Best Hip Hop Clubs in Vancouver - Discotech - The #1 Nightlife App It was originally known as the Lester Ballroom, then the Embassy Ballroom, and later. Vancouver's Best Nightclubs | Vancouver's Best Places David Ribchester An illegal rave goes wrong. Rest assured your email is safe with us. I remember they had these giant plywood girls on the roof, Carter says with a laugh over brunch at the historic Sylvia Hotel in the West End. King later opened Vancouvers only Black nightclub, called the Harlem Nocturne, in 1958. Like any big city, Vancouver is rapidly changing. When it opened in 1986 everybody told them they werent going to get a liquor licence, Chapman said. The big music speakers were regularly draped with drag queens and dancers, and the stage showcased an impressive array of live acts, such as the Violent Femmes, Sonic Youth, and Nine Inch Nails (who, according to Gold, performed there in 1989 to approximately 100 people). Another party spot in Gastown, they specialized in rock music. listeners: [], 8 Things to Do in Abbotsford (Even If Its Pouring Rain), Explore the Rockies by Rail with Rocky Mountaineer. Boa Redux Boa was both a Yorkville cafe and a dance spot in late 1990s, but it eventually grew into a full-out nightclub on . By the mid-1980s it was running as the heavy metal-friendly Metro, which brought in New Jersey rockers Bon Jovi as customers when they were recording Slippery When Wet in town. Luv-A-Fair, Richards on Richards, The Cave, the Town Pump. FileF1221 - Nightclubs - Vancouver - 1980s FileF1222 - Nightclubs - Vancouver - 1990s FileF1223 - Nightclubs - Vancouver - 2000-17 FileF1224 - Nightclubs - Vancouver - A-B FileF1225 - Nightclubs - Vancouver - C 1928 more. So the picture is of Dal, Dals wife, Bing Crosby, and a gal from Shaughnessy that Crosby was screwing around with. In 1969, after a decade of hassles, King shut down his club. Last month, The Manchester Evening News shared images of . Thats a funny thing about glory days, they transfer with each generation, he says. by ce-Web-rity Aug 20th, 2009, 4:06 pm, Powered by phpBB Forum Software phpBB Limited, To be offended is a choice we make; it is not a condition inflicted or imposed upon us by someone or something else. It ran from 1983 to 1997 and hosted some impressive talent, including Nirvana, No Doubt and Pearl Jam. Though a popular spot, the club was repeatedly denied a liquor license and faced countless city crackdowns. To order the clip clean and high res for your commercial pr. A look back at Manchester's greatest nightclubs and venues ); This hot spot was in business for an impressive three decades before closing their doors in 2003. I shot this on the street outside the Gandy Dancer. There was a lot of restaurants in downtown Edmonton in the 80's when the floor dropped out, they dropped like flies, Boccolino's I believe was one of few downtown restaurants that survived, they were also one of the first to do the micro brew thing in the west.