Tag Archives: Live Music

Car Free Day Sunday, June 19th On Commercial Drive & Main Street

15 Jun

CarFreeDayCar Free Day began over 10 years ago on Commercial Drive. The idea of organizers was to reclaim the streets and oppose highway expansion and more traffic. Car Free Day has now expanded to several neighbourhoods and in East Van will be held on Commercial Drive and on Main Street. These festivals are 100% organized by local volunteers and each festival has a unique flavor and is a family friendly event. There is lots to see and do for all ages. We have set out some of the highlights for this Sunday’s event at both locations.

Commercial Drive (Venables to Grandview on Commercial Drive) Noon–7:00 pm

Car Free Day on Commercial Drive will span 15 blocks from Venables to Grandview and include an array of artisans, street patios, vendors, musicians and activities for all ages. Here is some of what you can expect at this year’s Car Free Day On The Drive:

Family Fun Zone filled with free activities at Charles Street
Wishing Wellness Garden At Napier Street
CiTR Radio 101.9FM and Discorder Magazine
Swordplay Demos by Academie Duello – School of Modern Swordplay
Bike tune up and bike race By Landyachtz Longboards
DJ Soo at The Venables Stage
Kitchener At the Public Domain Stage
The Carnival Band Parade at 5:30 pm
Letter Writing With Post A Letter Social Activity Club At 6th Avenue
Art Making Corner With Opus Art Supplies at The Napier Greenway
A Drum Circle by Paranada Traders

Note: For those planning to cycle to the event, there will be a free bike valet service provided by Better Environmentally Sound Transportation (BEST).

Main Street (Broadway to 30th on Main Street) Noon–7:00 pm

On Main Street, you will find lots of mini-festivals, community-supported stages with dozens of bands, multiple kids zones, artisan markets and much more. The Main Street Festival takes up some 21 blocks. Some of the highlights of this year’s festival include:

Broadway: The Beaumont Studios Festival Zone
Community Police Street Hockey
TransLink Vintage Bus
Startup Zone
LOVE Leave Out Violence Mini-Festival
Enroot – Meals on Demand
Bohemia Gallery
Vancouver Performing Stars
The Granville Island Toy Company Children’s Zone
Street Fantasy Garden Fashion Show & Village
Neptoon Records Stage
Giving Gifts Festival Zone
Canvas Homemade Artisan Group
Groundwerk x De Radio Stage at Car Free Day
Sonic Planet Rock School Stage
The Reef Soca Block Party
Red Cat Records
Arts Off Main Gallery

Come out and celebrate Vancouver’s diverse neighbourhoods and our communities.  These events are free and will go ahead rain or shine. For more information on the events, visit Car Free Day.

Photo Credit: Car Free Day

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Update On International Jazz Festival In East Van – Tangent Cafe & Now The Roma

13 Jun

JazzDoubleBassThe Vancouver  International Jazz Festival kicks off June 24th and continues to  July 3rd in and around Vancouver. The festival is now in its 31st year and features an array of artists from Canada and around the world.  There are 300 performances during the course of the festival that take place at various venues around the City.   East Van’s Tangent Café located at 2095 Commercial Drive regularly features live jazz music and for this year’s jazz festival, will have a steady line up of talent to showcase. We’ve set out their schedule below along with the start times. There is a $10 cover charge for all of these shows.

June 24 – Two Much Guitar!
June 25 – Steve Kaldestad Trio
June 26 – Nobuki Takamen Trio
June 29 – Autobahn
June 30 – Victor Noriega Quartet
July 2 – Anger Management
July 3- Meghan Gilhespy Quartet

Another venue that was scheduled to be showcasing some jazz, that being The Libra Room, has closed unexpectedly until mid-July. We’ve heard The Roma on Commercial Drive has taken on their line up for the jazz festival.  We’ve set out the previously scheduled line up below. Note, due to change in the venue there could be some slight changes.  For a full rundown of events happening around the City, visit Vancouver International Jazz Festival.

June 24 – The Paris Trio
June 25 – The Grand Trio

June 26 – Deanna Knight and the Hot Club of Mars 7 pm
June 26 – Mostly Marley  9 pm

June 27 – Monks’ Dream 7 pm
June. 27 – Alvaro Rojas 9 pm

June 28 – Bruno Solo Piano  5 pm
June 28 – Alvaro Rojas Trio 9 pm

June 29 – Jon Roper 7 pm
June 29 – Zak Youssef  9 pm

June 30 – Hot Club of Mars 7 pm
June 30 – Tim Sars Band 8 pm

July 1 – Bruno Piano Trio +1  7 pm
July 1 – Jay Leonard Jautco 8 pm

July 2 – Winston Minkler Band 7 pm
July 2 – Alma Chevere  9 pm

July 3 – Los Duendes Latin Band

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Free Family Day Fun At Western Front Saturday June 18th

1 Jun

FamilyDayWesternFrontLooking for some free family fun? Well you are in luck. On Saturday, June 18th the Western Front is hosting their first ever Family Day.  Established in 1973, Western Front is one of Canada’s leading non-profit centres for contemporary art and new music, producing and presenting visual art exhibitions, new music concerts and media art residencies. Their upcoming Family Day event will feature musical performances, curated screenings as well as hands-on art and music activities for all ages. You are invited to explore their facility and get those creative juices flowing which can be through drawing scores for guest musicians that will be on hand, or hat-making, cookie-decorating or a host of other activities they will have lined up.   The Western Front’s youth music program will showcase some of their compositions from the past year which we hear will feature everyday sounds interpreted through looping, beatbox, storytelling, hip hop, electronics, video triggers and of all things, cornstarch!   The Western Front is located at 303 East 8th Avenue and the fun begins at 12:00 pm and goes till 5:00 pm and again, it’s all free.

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Free Events Happening In East Van

26 May

FreeEventWe all know, life is expensive. That got us to thinking about the many free events that regularly take place in and around East Vancouver.  Our community centers always have lots of family friendly events open to all ages.  There also free movies, art exhibitions and much more.  We wanted to share some of the free events that we’ve come across that will be happening in East Van in the coming months. Note, we do update this list regularly.

 

APRIL 2018

Apr. 1: Golden Egg Hunt – River District 10 am – 1 pm
Apr. 1: Easter Eggstravaganza Swim – Britannia Pool 2:30 – 5:00 pm

Apr. 2: Holiday Free Skate – Britannia Rink 1:00 – 3:30 pm

Apr. 4: Exhibit Opening Reception – Cultch Gallery 6-8 pm
Apr. 4: Drop In Stitch & Craft In The Lounge – Wise Hall 5-10 pm

Apr. 6: Youth Free Swim – Britannia Pool 8 – 10 pm
Apr. 6: Flavours of Puglia – Italian Cultural Centre 7 pm
Apr. 6: Movie ‘Wall-E’ – Renfrew Public Library 3:30 pm

Apr. 11: Drop In Stitch & Craft In The Lounge – Wise Hall 5-10 pm

Apr. 13: Movie ‘Mother’ – Mount Pleasant Branch Library 6 pm

Apr. 15: Bird On Stilts Workshop – Trout Lake Comm. Centre 11:15 am

Apr. 21: Earth Day Parade – Commercial Drive & Broadway 1 pm Start
Apr. 21: Earth Day Festival – Grandview Park 1:45 pm – 3:00 pm
Apr. 21: Earth Day Celebration – Everett Crowley Park 11 am – 3 pm

Apr. 25: Emergency Preparedness Workshop – Sunset Community Centre 7 pm

Apr. 28: Workshop ‘Plastic Free Living‘ – Lupii Cafe

Apr. 29: World Music Festival All Ages Event – Trout Lake Comm. 11:30 – 3:30 

MAY 2018

May 2: Emergency Preparedness Workshop – Sunset Community Centre 1 pm
May 2: Emergency Preparedness Workshop – Trout Lake Comm. Centre 7 pm
May 2: Emergency Preparedness Workshop – Renfrew Park Comm. Centre 7 pm

May 5: Mother’s Day Crafternoon – Lupii Café

May 6: Bird On Stilts Workshop – Trout Lake Comm. Centre 11 am 

May 12: 23rd Annual Stone Soup Festival – Napier Greenway Noon – 5 pm

May 26:  Cedar Cottage Community Garden Spring Fling 11-3

If you know of a free event you think should be added to this list, drop us a line ILiveInEastVan@gmail.com. We’d love to hear about it.

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Crystal Shawanda Is Coming To The Waldorf Hotel May 13th

5 May

TheWholeWorldsGottheBluesEast Van if you love the blues, you are in for a real treat. Canadian Juno award winning recording artist, Crystal Shawanda, is coming to The Waldorf Hotel on Friday, May 13th.  Crystal Shawanda released her first single in Canada in 2008 “You Can Let Go”. It was the fastest climbing  single on the Canadian Country Singles Chart since Carolyn Dawn Johnson’s “Georgia” in 2000.  Crystal has performed at a Presidential inauguration in Washington, DC, won a Juno Award for Aboriginal Album of the Year in 2013 and is now singing the blues.  She has just released a new album the Whole World’s Got The Blues and will be performing some of her new songs. Crystal has an amazing rawness and soul reminiscent of Etta James, Janis Joplin and Lucinda Williams. We had the immense pleasure of seeing her perform at the York Theatre shortly after it opened and what treat. Crystal is one dynamic performer.  We recommend you take in this show which is an unbelievable deal at $10. Show gets under way at 10:00 pm at the Hideaway in the Waldorf Hotel, 1489 East Hastings Street.  Tickets are available online from Ticket Zone.

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Stone Soup Festival May 7th At The Britannia Community Centre/Napier Greenway

13 Apr

Stone Soup 2016 Postcard Front ecardBritannia Community Centre, 1661 Napier Street, is hosting the 21st Annual Stone Soup Festival on Saturday, May 7th. This annual event is a celebration of food, art, environment and community. You can expect to find a food market, local artists, community groups, talks and workshops, live music, tea leaf reading, children’s activities, free soup and much more. The Stone Soup Festival aims to bring awareness to the issues of food security, the benefits of sharing resources and eating ‘local’ and celebrating the diversity of food in our neighbourhood, the environment and its importance to the culture of our community.  Some of the highlights from this year’s festival include:

Urban Foraging & Medicine Making with Lori Snyder
Free Drop-In Workshop & Walkabout
Family Activity Room 1:00 pm – 3:00 pm

The Greenhorn Community Music Project
Performance 1:00 pm West Kid’s Area

Children’s Interactive Music with George Rahi (from Gamelan Bike Bike)
West Kid’s Area 2:00 pm

“Saving Our Wild Salmon” Slide Show & Talk by Eddie Gardner
Britannia Library  3:00 pm

There will be live music on the Commercial Drive Stage starting at Noon with the Carnival Band kicking things off, then at 1:00 pm Backspin takes the stage followed by the Tim Sars Duo at 2:00 pm. After that The Vancouver Fiddle Club keep things moving about 3:00 pm which are followed by Rio Samaya at 4:00 p.m. The Stone Soup Festival kicks off at Noon and runs till 5:00 pm. This is a family friendly event with lots of activities for the kids including face painting, storytelling and a kids activity area.  For more information, contact the Britannia Community Centre at T: 604.718.5800.

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Garagiste North – The Small Guys Wine Festival April 17th At The Wise Hall

30 Mar

GrapesWine lovers listen up! There’s a great little wine festival coming to the Wise Hall on April 17th called Garagiste North (pronounced gar-ah-jeest).   The garagiste originates from a group of winemakers in the Bordeaux region of France, that started producing “vins de garage” or “garage wine”.  Let’s be clear, these are NOT home-made wines, though some of the wineries may in fact use their kitchen tables as offices.  They are renegade small-lot winemakers who may sometimes work in their garage, but refused to follow industry laws and protocol.  Synonyms: Rebels, pioneers, renegades who are driven by their passion.   In 2014, two women started this wine festival to feature small wine producers, by definition those that make less than 2,000 cases per year. There will be 25 hard to find artisan winemakers on hand along with Peruvian food by Chicha Restaurant and music by the Chicken Like Birds. The event runs from 2:00 pm – 4:30 pm for the general public with an industry only event prior to that. Tickets are $49.00 and available via Eventbrite.  Pssst and in case you hadn’t heard the London Financial Times named this festival one of the top five new festivals in the world.  To which we say, see you there!  Cheers.

Photo Credit: Vladislav Zhuk

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Blue Dirt Girl Production Presents A Chautauqua At Backspace March 5 & 6

1 Mar

BlueGirlDirtMarch6You are invited to check out a very cool event that’s happening this weekend. A Chautauqua is happening this Saturday at Backspace, 1318 Grant Street. Yes, it’s a little off the beaten path in East Van. Entry is from the back alley. What is A Chautauqua? Think of a traveling tent-show “Chautauquas used to move across America” and produce “popular talks intended to edify and entertain, improve the mind and bring culture and enlightenment to the ears and thoughts of the hearer.” – Robert Pirsig

This weekend Blue Dirt Girl Production brings together live music by Nohearums and blue dirt girl conversations with a human library, Javayoga, dance artist Donna Redlick’s dance video and Sophie Yendole poetry. Along with entertainment, there will also be a show and sale which include Erland Kirste’s carved wood spheroids, Sarah Campbell’s jewelry, artwork by Chris Blades and Blake Williams Art, Charmian Nimmo’s Tuxedo Cat pottery and Kiki Yee’s photography.  For libations, Strange Fellows Brewing, will be supporting this event and if you bring a receipt from a receipt Strange Fellows beer purchase, you receive a $5 discount on your ticket price. Tickets are $20 and available at the door or you can obtain tickets in advance by emailing e: bluedirt@gmail.com. The event takes place Saturday, March 5th 8:00 pm to midnight and carries on Sunday Noon to 4:00 pm. Note, Saturday evening ticket is good for Sunday attendance. Sunday’s attendance is by donation.

Jewellerydeer

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East Van’s What It Is Returns To The Cottage Bistro For Some Soul

2 Feb

WhatItIs!PhotoEast Van’s Soul returns to the Cottage Bistro, 4470 Main Street, this Saturday, February 6th.  Come check out the sounds of What It Is!  This group consists of four amazing East Van ladies, being Mebrat “Mimi” Beyene, Cass King, Patti Powell and Carol Wiedemann.  Together they are a powerhouse of a cappella soul. If you don’t know them, their sound is steeped in the soulful sounds of such greats as Aretha Franklin, Ray Charles and Etta James.  They are engaging performers and will be sure to have you singing and clapping along with them.  These ladies bring heart to their East Van Soul. If you get the chance, be sure to stop by the Cottage Bistro and give them a listen.  They take the stage at 8:00 pm. The event is $10 at the door or Pay What You Will.

Photo Credit: What It Is!

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Metamorfest Happens In Mount Pleasant September 26th

21 Sep

Metamorfest2015SmallMetamorfest will be hitting the streets this Saturday, September 26th from Noon to 6:00 pm.  The festival is located on two blocks – one north of East Broadway on Fraser Street and one south of East Broadway on Prince Albert Street. The day will include live music, a whole host of activities and booths for children as well as a bouncy castle. There is something for all ages at this event. A couple of fun activities planned to keep an eye out for include Zumba and Laughter Yoga in the park.

The Mount Pleasant Neighbourhood House will also be hosting activities inside their building on the corner of Broadway and Prince Albert Street. The Broadway Youth Resource Centre and Vancouver Native Housing will hold some activities just outside their locations on the corner of Broadway and Fraser. As well, there will be 3 stages with live music featuring local artists and bands. You can expect everything from hip hop to jazz. A full schedule of events is available at Metamorfest.

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