April 11 edition: Remembering a punk legend

Plus: All the Brewery & The Beast Vancouver restaurants announced

Hey there. It’s another beautiful Thursday. 

The PNE has announced its summer concerts lineup, so we’re finding out which beloved artists from yesteryear are still touring. While the Amphitheatre is getting replaced, artists are playing the cavernous Pacific Coliseum. 

Personally, I think they’ve missed a trick by not just building a stage in the middle of the fair. Sure, it’s probably a health hazard to have so many people milling about—but imagine the experience of riding the Wooden Coaster to the background noise of “Ice Ice Baby” live. Now that would be a summer night to remember.

— V.
Associate Editor

FEATURE

Legendary punk drummer Jon Card dies at 63

Jon Card stands in front of a live band

The Canadian punk scene lost a legend this week. Jon Card died at age 63, with friends and fans mourning his passing on social media. Born in Germany and raised in Alberta, the superstar stickman played with Vancouver mainstays D.O.A. in the late ’80s and early ’90s, along with stints in some of the country’s other classic rabble-rousers: Personality Crisis, SNFU, and Subhumans. Mike Usinger has more on the timekeeper’s riotous legacy.

CITY & CULTURE

Dunbar-Southlands residents took out a bus stop ad to protest a new senior living development

A compass card tap station on a bus

Tale as old as time, song as old as rhyme: NIMBYs hate new builds. The latest project to bring local residents’ ire is a proposed six-storey care facility at West 41st and Blenheim. But instead of protesting something reasonable—like the system that makes elder care a commodity only available to the wealthy—some people are upset that the building could cast too much shadow.

SPONSORED BY DOXA DOCUMENTARY FILM FESTIVAL

Discover striking Documentaries this May

Western Canada’s largest documentary film festival, returns to Vancouver theatres! Presenting over 80 films, including new and critically acclaimed features, DOXA runs from May 2-12, 2024. DOXA brings filmmakers and audiences together to engage with thought-provoking cinema. Experience industry events, film premiere galas, and the art of documentary. Tickets and passes on sale now.

ARTS

This is How We Got Here reminds us there’s life after loss

A headshot of Metis playwright Keith Barker. He has a short grey beard, greay hair swept backwards, and wears a plaid shirt.

“We all lose people,” says playwright Keith Barker, “but when it comes to how to mourn people and honour people, we don’t know the rules.” That’s a tension the Métis playwright explores in This is How We Got Here, which follows a family trying to come to terms with a young character’s untimely death—and where they go from there.

*sponsored listing

MUSIC

Billy Idol’s Rebel Yell Tour to kick off in Vancouver

Billy Idol stands on stage in a leather jacket and chains, with a drummer behind him

Hey, little sister, it’s a nice day for a…Billy Idol announcement. Celebrating 40 years of his iconic solo sophomore album Rebel Yell, Idol proves that he’s anything but idle. The dance punk legend is playing a 13-date tour across Canada this summer, so you won’t be dancing with yourself when he rocks up at Rogers Arena.

*sponsored listing

SPONSORED BY FIREHALL THEATRE

‘This is How We Got Here’ navigates family grief on stage

Come watch Canadian Playwright Keith Barker's acclaimed family drama 'This is How We Got Here' exploring a family's resilience after a tragedy in a narrative filled with loss, love, and a mystical fox on stage from April 13 to 28.

FOOD & DRINK

Brewery & the Beast reveals mouthwatering restaurant lineup

A man in sunglasses makes a hang tight sign at the camera while grilling a huge amount of meat

Vancouver’s annual foodie festival is back for its 11th year with an extra helping of all-you-can-eat meat. More than 60 local restaurants and chefs are participating in the 604 event, with some local mainstays like Chambar, Jungle Room, and per se Social Corner jumping into the fray for the first time. Get all the juicy info here.

SPONSORED BY SOME ASSEMBLY ARTS SOCIETY

See the World Premiere of I KNOW YOUR SECRET at Some Assembly Theatre

Some Assembly Theatre’s ‘I KNOW YOUR SECRET’ is a MUST SEE and it’s FREE at the Roundhouse May 3 & 4 at 7:30pm.

A psychological thriller that navigates social influence and the dangers of social media. Created by Valerie Methot with a team of diverse youth and theatre professionals.

For more information and tickets, visit our website.

THINGS TO DO THIS WEEKEND

VISUAL ART 🖼️
Browse (and buy) canvases at the huge Art Vancouver fair. (April 11 to 14 @ Vancouver Convention Centre East)

THEATRE 🎭
Five actors play 40 characters in madcap whodunnit Baskerville: A Sherlock Holmes Mystery. (April 11 to 20 @ Gateway Theatre, Richmond) 

LIVING 🏖️
Botanica Tulip Festival is in bloom. (April 12 @ 41310 Royalwood Drive, Chilliwack) 

MUSIC 🎤
Lil Xan, a Californian rapper with one too many face tattoos, brings Xanarchy. (April 12 @ The Pearl)

COMEDY 🤣 
Pick a time slot for Graham Clark’s 24 Hours of Stand-Up. (April 12-13 @ Little Mountain Gallery)

THEATRE 🎭
Over the Ridge mixes music and dance to examine the horrors of Vimy Ridge. (April 13 @ Massey Theatre, New Westminster) 

FILM 📽️
Catch a 70th anniversary screening of Carmen Jones, which saw Dorothy Dandridge become the first Black person to be nominated for an Oscar. (April 14 @ Vancity Theatre) 

MUSIC 🎤
Mercury-winning musician and producer Sampha tours his second album, Lahai. (April 14 @ Vogue Theatre) 

Want to know what else is happening in Vancouver? Check out our events listings.

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