Hands down the best way in Vancouver to put a finger to the pulse of the look, feel and mood of urban culture is by going to gigs. We’re really fortunate because every notable and up-and-coming band comes through here en route to American indie music hub Seattle. The Biltmore Cabaret (www.biltmorecabaret.com) plays host to many of these performers, and with its red textured wallpaper, booths and mini-chandeliers, offers a particularly intimate, dancehall-type atmosphere.
I recently went to see the Loney Dear and Asobi Seksu double bill, an evening of music that ranged from quaint hand claps, whistles and humming to crashing guitars and “AAHH-OOOOHH-AAHH” refrains that made the singer red in the face – often within the same song. With their polite yet disaffected demeanours, and clad in hipster requisite wear plaid shirts, skinny jeans and vintage dresses, both bands looked like they could’ve been any five random people that wandered on stage from the crowd.
Erica – a transplanted Torontonian grad student in international health policy – consistently bedecks her 4’11” frame in mix & match ensembles that are so pleasingly put together that they put a whole room to shame.
The Diamond (http://di6mond.com/) is a pretty establishment in Gastown that has the feel of a 1940s era, Edward Hopperesque dining lounge. With its dark chocolate brown hardwood floors, exposed brick and art deco emerald wallpaper, it’s a sumptuous place for evening cocktails.
Story courtesy of Garwa Kong
