June 4 edition: Mexican food done right

Hi there. It’s June! Or rather, Juneuary. It’s our own little mid-spring wet season, ranging from drizzles to downpours, to remind you that yes, we do actually live in the Pacific temperate rainforest. 

Still: it beats smoke season.

— V.
Associate Editor

FEATURE

Fortune Sound Club rings in 15 years of good times for cool kids

In 2009, Garret “Gman” Louie and Rob Rizk had a dream: to open their own club. The DJs and promoters wanted their own space, though they worried about being on the third floor. “We were like, ‘Man, let’s go for it. Build it, they will come,’” recalls Louie. And, 15 years later, the Chinatown club with a banging sound system is still going strong—with legends and locals alike gracing the intimate stage.

CITY & CULTURE

This Vancouver artist created a local Pride map

It’s June, which means the Pride trimester has begun! (We get the whole summer; just go with it.) Ahead of Canada Pride next month, painter Brandy Mars has spent the past few months compiling a map of queer- and trans-run Vancouver businesses, including everything from clothing shops and beauty services to musicians, therapists, and artists.

• Fairmont Hotel Vancouver turns 85

• Strathcona Blocks Party returns for its third year

• Italian Day is back on the Drive next weekend

• Mexico City's Sonido Gallo Negro brings psychedelic tropical vibes to The Pearl on June 6 with Empanadas Ilegales, DJ's Ana Rivera & Tom Howard!*

• Medicine, a gripping journey through one man’s troubled past. A devastatingly funny and moving meditation on how we have treated those we call ‘mentally ill’.*

*sponsored listing

SPONSORED BY VANCOUVER INTERNATIONAL JAZZ FESTIVAL

Vancouver International Jazz Festival kicks off Summer

The 39th Vancouver International Jazz Festival returns June 21 - 30, 2024. This year's festival features 150 performances and more than 50 free events. Headliners include Killer Mike, Veronica Swift and Julian Lage. Opening weekend includes Downtown Jazz, a free concert series outside the Vancouver Art Gallery. Granville Island will be the hub for festival activity, with free and ticketed shows at Performance Works, Ocean Artworks and the Revue Stage. Downtown theatres, clubs and North Shore venues will host live performances throughout the ten days. 

Coastal Jazz believes live music and performing arts are integral to building community, platforming social issues, and feeling connected to the city and culture. One of BC’s most prominent not-for-profit music presenters, over 30% of its festival concerts are free because of a long-standing commitment to transcending economic barriers.

ARTS

Medicine uses dark comedy to shine a light on mental health

Pi Theatre is ending its season with the Canadian premiere of Medicine—Enda Walsh’s meditation on the absurdities of institutional mental health treatment. Walsh’s plays “don’t sound like anyone else,” says Pi Theatre’s artistic director Richard Wolfe. “The style is all his own and the theatricality is very vivid and intense.”

• Great news: Snotty Nose Rez Kids are starring in an eponymous comedy show

• Not great news: SFU Woodward’s Cultural Programs are winding down

• Here are the installation artists getting trippy at this year’s Bass Coast

• Join the Saint James Music Academy as they celebrate another year of Music at their Spring Concert on June 7! Get info.*

*sponsored listing

SPONSORED BY ACUMEN LAW CORPORATION

Keep Your Licence

When facing a Driving Prohibition, individuals find essential legal support from Acumen Law's experienced team. They focus on protecting clients' driving rights and navigating the legal system, advocating effectively to keep clients on the road. Trust Acumen Law to ensure your rights are defended and your driving future is secured.

MUSIC

Uncle Strut is here for a groove time

Indie sleaze is back. Or maybe it never left. But this time, it’s got a dose of surf rock and a silly sense of humour attached. Vancouver’s Uncle Strut is surfing the waves of success right now, ahead of the band’s biggest-ever headlining spot at the Hollywood Theatre this Friday. “Obviously, we want to put on a good show and play the music super well,” says lead singer Tyson McNamara. “But the main thing is if everyone’s having as much fun as they could.”

• What’s In Your Fridge: ScotFest director and bagpiper Mike Chisholm 

• Catch The Beaches, Ja Rule, Broken Social Scene, and more at Rifflandia this year

• Folk Fest reveals the full festival schedule

• The 36th Annual Dancing on the Edge Festival (June 13 – 22) features over 30 live performances presenting some of the most sought-after contemporary choreographers from across Canada, delivering innovative and spellbinding works.*

*sponsored listing

SPONSORED BY THE POLYGON GALLERY

Pussy Riot exhibition extended due to popular demand

The Polygon Gallery has extended the run of Velvet Terrorism: Pussy Riot’s Russia by one week to June 9, due to popular demand. The exhibition is the first museum survey of Pussy Riot and features documentation from more than a decade of activism, as assembled by member Maria Alyokhina. More than 50,000 people have visited The Polygon since Velvet Terrorism opened in late March. A closing party will take place on June 6, from 6–9pm. All are welcome.

FOOD & DRINK

Machete Ancestral Mexican Restaurant is unlike anything else in Vancouver

Cecilia Aguayo’s food is something special from the very first bite. Located on Main Street, Machete has been cultivating a devoted fan base since it opened in 2022, as patrons come to enjoy authentic Mexican fare that’s both healthy, hearty, and personal. “I remember the life of my grandmother,” explains Aguayo. “She was very healthy and had a beautiful life, and was always happy.”

• Straight, No Chaser: Amar Gill of Banda Volpi Hospitality explains his five-trial rule

• Gourmet cookie bakery Crumbl has opened its first BC location

• You’ve got until June 16 to savour Steveston’s Spot Prawn and Seafood Celebration

THINGS TO DO THIS WEEK

BOOKS
Motivational speaker David Roche chats about his new title, Standing at the Back Door of Happiness: And How I Unlocked It. (June 5 @ online)

FOOD & DRINK
Tostitos is opening a “tasting window” to raise money for Second Harvest food bank. (June 5 to 9 @ 804 Granville Street)

TALKS
Delilah Gregg, Lorna Bird, and Dave Hamm, in conversation with Nathan Crompton, discuss VANDU’s last 10 years of activism. (June 6 @ Gallery Gachet)

MUSIC
Sonic wonders from around the world abound at the Global Soundscapes Festival. (June 6 to 9 @ The Cultch Historic Theatre)

THEATRE
Three women who’ve lived into their triple digits take centre-stage in Super Seniors. (June 6 to 23 @ PAL Studio Theatre)

FILM 
Celebrate Hellenic cinema with the third-annual Vancouver Greek Film Festival. (June 6 to 27 @ The Cinematheque) 

VISUAL ART 
Les Grandes Dames draws inspiration from ancient terracotta to comment on the current state of misogyny. (June 6 to July 25 @ Craft Council of BC Gallery)

NIGHTLIFE 
Malandro takes over an intimate spot for Going Rogue: A Drag Cabaret. (June 7 @ Commercial Drive Legion Lounge)

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

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