July 4 edition: Orville Peck keeps evolving

Hi there. It’s been quite a week—and there’s still two whole days left. 

Our new print edition is out today. You know the drill: find it at newsstands (and businesses) all over the Lower Mainland. 

None other than Orville Peck graces the front cover. And you can read that feature right now, in this very newsletter. The wonders of modern technology never cease!

— V.
Associate Editor

FEATURE

Orville Peck isn’t such a lonesome cowboy anymore

“I like change,” Orville Peck says over the phone. “I think change as an artist is really important and actually very crucial to keep making good art.” That might explain how the Vancouver underground mainstay turned into a boundary-smashing country renegade—and why he’s releasing an eclectic album of genre-spanning duets. We caught up with the ever-changing mystery man ahead of his headlining show at the Doug Mitchell Thunderbird Sports Centre on Monday.

LIVING

Your very Vancouver July horoscopes

What does the summer have in store for you? Cancer season is here, and Rachel Burns is on hand to give you all the advice you didn’t know you needed. Whether it’s advising Leos to watch out for unicyclists on the seawall or reminding Geminis to avoid bad fitness deals, the stars have some very Vancouver predictions for you.

• Mark Your Calendar: Fitness is Such a Drag returns for Pride

• The Mural Festival will be back (with daily programming) in August

• Experience the magic of Khatsahlano Street Party! Live music, food, and fun on West 4th Ave. Join the celebration on July 6.*

*sponsored listing

SPONSORED BY VANCOUVER PRIDE SOCIETY

Canada Pride 2024 is almost here!

Get ready for the biggest Pride celebration Vancouver has ever seen! Canada Pride is bringing over 40 events in just 10 days. You can catch amazing performances by Rêve, LU KALA, Litney and Witch Prophet. Plus, Canada’s Drag Race superstars Venus, Giséle Lullaby, Icesis Couture, Aurora Matrix, Kendall Gender and Melinda Verga will be there to light up the stage alongside our best local drag performers and DJs.

With 2 lounges and VanPrideFest taking over Concord Pacific Place for a free 2-day festival, Canada Pride is sure to be the hottest party of the Summer. Check out the full schedule on our website.

ARTS

ALOK finds power in the paradox

ALOK is doing everything, everywhere, all at once. The non-binary poet and performance artist has carved out a niche from themself as a comedian, telling stories both silly and deeply personal in their quest to spread radical kindness. That journey continues at the Chan Centre this weekend, as part of the Indian Summer Festival. “My comedy came from a place of celebration, of triumph,” says the endlessly thoughtful speaker. “I'm having fun being here, as me.”

• Here are all the local arts and culture events happening this July

• The inaugural Filipino-Canadian Book Festival is coming to Vancouver

• The Dance Centre recognizes three artists with its 2024 awards

• Bruce McCulloch’s (Kids in the Hall) Tales of Bravery and Stupidity one-man show takes over Friday June 28th at Hollywood Theatre!*

• July 27: Making her Canadian debut, please welcome to @riotheatre: Broadway Barbara LIVE! Because the show would be less funny if she were dead. @broadwaybarbaraofficial.*

*sponsored listing

MUSIC

Here are all the coolest concerts happening in July

Ah, July: the month where sweating your feelings out at a show can take on a myriad of different forms. Do you prefer sunstroke at a festival, or heat exhaustion in a mosh pit? Or possibly, refined enjoyment from a seat in an air conditioned theatre? Whatever your flavour, we’ve rounded up July’s coolest concerts—all in one place.

• Queer As Funk is throwing a gay ol’ 11th anniversary bash at the Commodore

• You Nearly Missed: VSO’s Symphony at Sunset happens this Saturday

• Misery Signals arrives at The Pearl on July 11th for their Farewell Tour with Neck Of The Woods, A Mourning Star & Creature//Conspire.*

• Find Your Folk! Mission Folk Music Festival, July 26-28, Fraser River Heritage Park. Come for amazing music, dance, Wee Folks fun, on-site camping & more!*

• Come hear dance-inducing rhythm-makers, heart-searing harmonizers, beats, banjos, banduras and more! Vancouver Folk Music Festival, July 19-21,  ʔəy̓alməxʷ Jericho Beach Park. Evening tickets on sale now!*

*sponsored listing

SPONSORED BY ACUMEN LAW CORPORATION

Facing a Driving Prohibition?

If you have received a DUI/Immediate Roadside Prohibition, Notice of Intent to Prohibit or a Driving While Prohibited charge, Acumen Law Corporation has a highly experienced team of driving lawyers to provide you with the strongest legal defence. Start your defence by calling Acumen Law at 604-685-8889 for a free consultation.

FOOD & DRINK

Resurrection Spirits is changing the game in East Van

Just south of Hastings and Commercial, there’s a little stretch of the city filled with great bars and restaurants, but enough out of the way that they remain local secrets. Resurrection is one such spot: a craft distillery home to gorgeous ambiance, sublime cocktails—and now, great pizza—that’s long been a hidden gem. “That’s what we’re here to fix,” explains director of operations Shawn Bachynski, “putting ourselves on people’s radar.”

• Dîner en Blanc, the event you love to hate or hate to love, is back

• Where to grab a drink at Khatsahlano Street Festival

SPONSORED BY CHILLIWACK MURAL FESTIVAL

Chilliwack Mural Festival announces 2024 performer lineup

Chilliwack Mural Festival has announced over 40 performers for the free, annual street festival in Downtown Chilliwack from August 15-17. Performers include Sadé Awele and Serengeti, Las Empanadas Illegales, Vox Rea, Higher Ground Dance Battles, Spank Williams, Kara Kata Afrobeat Group, Michaela Slinger, CiMaX & Vino, and more.

THINGS TO DO THIS WEEKEND

VISUAL ART
A dozen artists appreciate nature in Terrain: West Coast Views. (July 4 to 28 @ Ferry Building Gallery, West Vancouver)

LIVING
The sun’ll be shining for Pacific Northwest’s largest Latin American festival, Carnaval del Sol. (July 5 to 7 @ Jonathan Rogers Park)

THEATRE 
A Smoke Behind the Rope follows two accidental activists in solitary confinement. (July 5 to 10 @ Roundhouse Community Arts & Recreation Centre) 

THEATRE
Theatre Under the Stars kicks off its 2024 season with CATS. (July 5 to August 24 @ Malkin Bowl)

MUSIC
Catch Babe Corner, Hotel Mira, Toddy, NADUH and more at Khatsahlano Street Party. (July 6 @ West 4th Avenue)

COMEDY
Local comic Amar Singh releases his debut standup special. (July 6 @ The MOTN)

FASHION
Don something smashing for a vintage evening wear fashion show, Night at the Theatre. (July 6 @ Mackin Heritage Home and Toy Museum, Coquitlam)

VISUAL ART
Kimira Reddy’s Drift encourages interaction and reflection in a strange, immersive tableau. (July 6 to 14 @ Ocean Art Works)

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

That’s it!

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