In Search of Lost Venues

• Joshua Stevenson at the Anza Club

  Josh Stevenson has been playing experimental music since the 1990s in projects like Staked Plain, Jackie-O Motherfucker, Glow worm, Bold Axis Arms, -Outhern Acific+, Magneticring, July Fourth Toilet, and Von Bingen. He also does audio mastering under the name Otic Sound. This converation was recorded on April 17th, 2025. The Anza Club is on the corner of Ontario and 8th Avenue, the home of the Australia New Zealand Association. The building was previously the Mount Pleasant Hall. In the 1990s it was home to Vancouver’s weirdo and experimental music scene, but had shows both before and after that. Though the Club still exists, it only very occasionally has shows. Other venues visited: VIVO, formerly Video In, began life as The Satellite Video Exchange Society, founded in 1973. It excited in three other spaces before moving to 1965 Main Street in 1993. It moved to Kaslo street in 2014. The Glass Slipper, a legendary Vancouver jazz club at 185 E 11th Avenue, burned down. Other venues mentioned: the Malcolm Lowry Room, the Sugar Refinery, Chroma Books, Solder and Son, Ms T’s Cabaret, the Press Club, Manifesto (Edmonton). Band discussed: Refrigerator, Wicker Spigot, Noggin, Blowhole, Good Horsey, Smog, Truman’s Water, the Ruins, Pipe Dream, Blaise Pascal, Sun City Girls, US Maple, Wolf Eyes, Climax Golden Twins, Zumpano, Vic Chestnut, Couch, Duotron, Loscil, Matthew Shipp/Susie Ibarra/William Parker, Eyelickers, New Pornographers, Frog Eyes, Leviathans, GHQ.   This episode features the following music: Von Bingen: Eyeglasses in Kentucky from Von Bingen (2009) Magneticring: The City Lives from City (2011) Magenticring: Side B - Vancouver March 27th 2010 from All the Fluid is Floating (2012).  

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• Marita M. at Astorino's

  Marita M. is a musician, performer and arts organizer. She has been in many bands including True Crush, Lunch Lady, Derek Wheeler, Divorcer, Reveal Yourself and Bill Can. This conversation was recorded on April 3, 2024. Astorino’s was the venue for the Safe Amplification Site Society (Safe Amp 2013-2015) at the site of a former Italian dining hall at 1739 Venables Street. Other venues visited: Britannia Community Centre, El Cocal, the York Theatre, the Mansion. Other venues discussed: Mesa Luna, Art Bank, Dharma lab, Fingers Crossed, Alf House, The Shooting Gallery, Lucky's Comics, What Lab, Boombox, Goonies, The Birdhouse, Vancouver East Cultural Centre, Croatian Cultural Centre, Seylynn Hall, Purple Thistle, UBC SUB Ballroom. Bands mentioned: Mt Eerie, Kidnap Kids, Screaming Queens, Hot Fruit, Pet Fairies, Fake Fruit, Death from Above, Animal Collective, Arcade Fire, The Evaporators, Riff Randells, Shreaing Pinx.   This episode features the following music: True Crush: Story Book from We Like Us (2013) Divorcer:  Life is a Hellhole Trap from Nutty Grotty (2022) Bill Can: Hot & Normal from Bootleg 2 (2024)

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• Jerome (M01E) at UBC Cry Club

  Jerome is the founder of the band M01E, and of UBC Cry Club, which took place weekly, at one point, at the Fraser River Parkade at UBC. Cry Club started in 2021 and continued, usually weekly, for a couple of years, and then less frequently. It is unrehearsed and open to participation from everyone who attends. Cry Club is on hiatus but hopefully will return. This conversation was recorded on April 1st, 2025. Venues visited: UBC Cry Club @ Fraser River Parkade. Other venues discussed: The Emergency Room, Pit Pub, SUB Ballroom, Red gate, Take Your Time, Grey Lab, Under the Bridge.   This episode features the following music: M01E:  Make Space from The New Youth (2025) UBC Cry Club: VOLUME - Kit, Hansen, Jerome - October 15, 2021 (From UBC CRY CLUB 2021-2022 哭中作乐 / best consumed at volume: 60% - 100% ) UBC Cry Club: DRUM - Sarth, Rafe, Jerome - July 22, 2022 From UBC CRY CLUB 2021-2022 哭中作乐 / best consumed at volume: 60% - 100%)  

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• Lisa Marr at Cub house

  Lisa Marr played bass and sang in the beloved Vancouver band Cub. She started by playing in the Evaporators. She continues to play music, make films, and do all kinds of other art and activism. This conversation was recorded on January 28th 2025. Venue visited: Cub House (1992-1997) at 837 west 19th Avenue. Other venues discussed: Pop, Studio J, the Cruel Elephant, the Commodore, Notorious, the Arts Club, the Malcolm Lowry Room, the Starfish Room, Powell Street Festival, Hastings Community Centre. Musicians mentioned: Neko Case, Hard Rock Miners, Sebadoh, Rancid, They Might be Giants, DOA, Maow, the Smugglers, Modernettes, Pointed Sticks, the Bombshells, Coal.   This episode features the following music: Cub: My Chinchilla from Betti-Cola (Mint 1993?) Lisa Marr: A Bit of a Fight (2020) The Beards: Sidewalks from Funtown (Sympathy For the Record Industry 2002)

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• Phil Smith (Corsage) in Kitsilano

  Phil Smith began in the awesome Vancouver punk band Wasted Lives, whose few recordings were recently released by Supreme Echo. This conversation was recorded on December 18 2024. He went on to musical projects like Snow Geese, Blanche Whitman, Bud Luxford and the long-running band Corsage. Venues Visited: Starvin' Marvin's was a nightclub on Burrard and Broadway which closed in the late 1970s. Quintessence Records (later Zulu) opened at 1869 west 4th avenue and often had in-store performances. It moved to 1972 w 4th where it still exists today. The Indian Center was built as a church (initially the Kitsilano Presbyterian Church) in 1911, and eventually became the Vancouver Indian Centre (now the Vancouver Aboriginal Friendship Society) at this location (1855 Vine) from 1970 to 1979. Now called Devon Court, the building contains luxury condos.  The Subhumans played there in June and July 1978, and the hall had at least 2 additional shows. The Russian Community Hall on 4th and Arbutus has had events over the decades, but most famously was The Afterthought, where psych and hippie shows happened in the '60s before the Retinal Circus opened.  Rohan's opened at a record store at 2865 West 4th Ave (it was an old house!), and then relocated to 2723 west 4th as the venue, Rohan's Rockpile, in 1972 or 1973. According to BC Business Online The Who came to play after an arena show. The Legion Hall at 2611 west 4th avenue was known at Lion's Gate Hall, and was legion #79. There is an ad from 1963 listing it for rent for events. Bands mentioned: Alan Horowitz Band, Heart, Dishrags, Subhumans, Jonathan Richman, DOA, Modernettes, Iggy Pop, Ramones, Talking Heads, Helium, Actionauts, Pointed Sticks, U-J3RK5, Steely Dan. Other venues discussed: Luv-a-fair, Sub Ballroom, the Plaza (punk house), the Snake Pit, Viking Hall, Nat Bailey Stadium. This episode features the following music: Wasted Lives: Wirehead from s/t EP 1979 (reissued by Supreme Echo). Corsage: Royal Couple from CORSAGE (originally released on cassette 1988)  Corsage: September Song from Ancient Songs (2023)

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