Vancouver - soul events and record shops

[Seano]

Looking forward to a trip to Canada and we'll have a couple of nights staying in Vancouver. Does anyone know if there are any soul nights, venues promoting live soul, or good shops to try and find some interesting vinyl?

[Akerlof]

When will you be in town?

Best record store to visit in Vancouver proper would be Neptoon Records (3561 Main St)

[Seano]

Thanks for the reply and recommendation. We'll have all day Sat 31st Aug and the morning of Sunday. Arrive Friday evening. I've seen stuff about Burning Hearts Soul Club (or something like that) but it doesn't look like they have an event on that weekend, do you know of anything that might be worth a look? Or maybe if any of the Kimberlite artists might be performing? 

[Fourmintsover]

There's also a reggae night called Boss Takeover, see if they will having an event while you're there.  The record stores in Vancouver are pricey and there's not too much in the way of soul, although you can always get lucky I suppose.  

[Akerlof]

8 hours ago, seano said:

Thanks for the reply and recommendation. We'll have all day Sat 31st Aug and the morning of Sunday. Arrive Friday evening. I've seen stuff about Burning Hearts Soul Club (or something like that) but it doesn't look like they have an event on that weekend, do you know of anything that might be worth a look? Or maybe if any of the Kimberlite artists might be performing? 

Hey, 

You are missing BHSC 4 year anniversary party that is happening the weekend after you are there, too bad. Boss Takeover is on hiatus at the moment I believe. There is a scooter rally that weekend in Vancouver, there might be some soul related DJ events attached to that, but I have not heard any specifics. Here is the facebook event for it: https://www.facebook.com/events/375226786523669/

Kimberlite artists are from Edmonton, 12 hours away. We have been looking at getting them down to Vancouver, but that is in very preliminary stages at the moment. 

It is indeed slim pickings for soul records in Vancouver, but stuff turns up from time to time. 

[Seano]

22 minutes ago, Akerlof said:

Hey, 

You are missing BHSC 4 year anniversary party that is happening the weekend after you are there, too bad. Boss Takeover is on hiatus at the moment I believe. There is a scooter rally that weekend in Vancouver, there might be some soul related DJ events attached to that, but I have not heard any specifics. Here is the facebook event for it: https://www.facebook.com/events/375226786523669/

Kimberlite artists are from Edmonton, 12 hours away. We have been looking at getting them down to Vancouver, but that is in very preliminary stages at the moment. 

It is indeed slim pickings for soul records in Vancouver, but stuff turns up from time to time. 

That's frustrating to miss the anniversary party! Are you part of the people behind it? Best of luck with getting the Kimberlite artists over, or any others of course. Thanks for the link to the scooter rally event. Happy to just mooch around a few of the areas we've looked into and enjoy the visit. My wife is a yoga teacher so she's looking forward to seeing Lululemon stores in the city......

[Seano]

OK, been over now, and sadly only had time for one record shop - bought a 45 on Volt by the Bar Kays (Son of Shaft) more for the token fact of bringing a record back than any chance of spending time really enjoying going through the boxes.

Beat Street records on West Hastings - great shop, happy to put the record aside while I moved on with my wife as she searched for lululemon yoga clothes shops. We came back later and picked up the record and the guy serving me was kind enough to even give me a used 45 mailer to protect it while I took it around and travelled back with it. I posted a few photos here on Flickr:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/seanosullivan/

There was another record shop just down the road but it wasn't open (I think it was just called Vinyl), and a few others a little further afield, but we only had one day so I wasn't going to be able to add those in.

But - if you are wandering around the city in that area, you might want to avoid crossing over in the direction of Chinatown along where West Hastings becomes East Hastings. We're all familiar with homeless people being on the streets throughout the UK I'm sure, but this area felt like you were walking step by step deeper into a film set from a George Romero film. People who were maybe on Spice or similar just frozen in standing or slumped positions, others carrying all that they could in any bags they had wandering along but often struggling to walk. Groups hanging around together in the back alleys between main streets as well as in a small park area and a flea market. Virtually every shop recess had one or several people sleeping there with all they had piled up around them, guys touting packs of cigarettes on corners, and the stench of urine pretty much everywhere. Wasted people (in every sense of the word). Compared to my normal experience back here, the very unexpected complete absence of any one person whatsoever approaching us for help, asking for change etc just added to how intensely weird it all felt.

[Akerlof]

Haha, that is a classic Vancouver experience, wandering from west to east Hastings. People are often taken aback by Vancouver's Downtown Eastside neighbourhood (where you wandered in to). It has long been known for its extremely concentrated poverty and high levels of open drug use. It has also been hit particularly hard by the fentanyl crisis.  Despite how crazy it looks, it is actually not a very dangerous neighbourhood, particularly for outsiders, unless you are looking for trouble. I am probably biased in this assessment as I am used to the neighbourhood and I am in it for various reasons relatively often. I never personally feel unsafe down there. I understand how it could be shocking to those who have never seen it before.

Beat Street is definitely a cool store, my second recommendation after Neptoon for sure. You didn't miss much with Vinyl

 

 

 

[Seano]

9 hours ago, Akerlof said:

Beat Street is definitely a cool store, my second recommendation after Neptoon for sure. You didn't miss much with Vinyl

 

 

 

Thanks for all that - helpful to get a local perspective on the area. If we ever go back I'll certainly look up Neptoon and revisit Beat Street.

[Mal C]

If you go downstairs at Neptoon,  there are some great original 25 count boxes of Canadian Motown tracks,  and some interesting ‘Gimp’ furniture!! 

[Seano]

6 hours ago, Mal C said:

If you go downstairs at Neptoon,  there are some great original 25 count boxes of Canadian Motown tracks,  and some interesting ‘Gimp’ furniture!! 

Thanks Mal - more incentive to try and go back some time......

[Mal C]

Only reason I went...