9th October 2024

Playback’s 10 to Watch 2024: Shawn Gerrard

Playback is proud to present the 2024 cohort for our annual 10 to Watch. This year’s group of Canadian screen industry talents were selected from more than 250 submissions. We are rolling out profiles on each individual this month. Far be it from Shawn Gerrard’s collaborators and colleagues to call him emerging — but “burgeoning” would certainly fit the bill. The Toronto-based filmmaker, 38, cut his teeth in the industry as post-production producer on shows such as TVOKids and PBS’ Odd Squad, Ne...

Georgia Straight • 24th April 2024

How to be a tourist in your own city

Craving a getaway but unable to actually get away? Consider a staycation in your own fair city. No matter what you’re craving, here are some ideas for where to eat, drink, play, and stay right here at home. Stay just steps away from the Vancouver Art Gallery at the Fairmont Hotel Vancouver, an iconic luxury landmark hotel dating back to 1939. For an equally interesting downtown experience, try the EXchange Hotel: it’s housed in a striking glass-panelled skyscraper that was once the Vancouver St

Georgia Straight • 11th April 2024

Vancouver Earth Day events to check out

Be it through music, education, talks, or shoreline cleanups, there are plenty of ways to show mother nature that we appreciate her bounty this Earth Day (April 22). All month in Vancouver, organizations and groups pay homage to the environment with curated Earth Day-inspired events that will have us gathering to show love for the land, sea, and sky. Join MEC Vancouver for Tommy Caldwell Talks: Ride for the Planet on April 25. The record-setting American rock climber (featured in documentary

Georgia Straight • 11th April 2024

BC and Yukon Book Prizes reveals shortlist

The West Coast Book Prize Society has revealed the shortlist for the 40th Annual BC and Yukon Book Prizes. Authors, poets, and journalists across eight categories have been nominated in the best of BC and Yukon writing. The winners will be announced at the BC and Yukon Book Prizes Gala on September 28 in Vancouver. There, the recipient of the 2024 Lieutenant Governor’s Award for Literary Excellence and the Borealis Prize: The Commissioner of Yukon Award for Literary Contribution, will also be r

Georgia Straight • 11th April 2024

The Cup returns to Hastings Racecourse with food, DJs, cocktails, and over-the-top fashion

Dust off your fascinators and betting strategies, because The Cup is back. Set to take place at the 132-year-old Hastings Racecourse, The Cup—formerly known as the Deighton Cup—reignites the tradition of betting on thoroughbred horse races amid the luxury of fine foods, drinks, and ostentatious displays of fashion. "We consistently work to make the event better and more fun each year,” says Tyson Villeneuve, co-founder of The Cup, in a release. “The food will be the best yet. With the music li

Georgia Straight • 11th April 2024

You Nearly Missed: Sakura Days Japan Fair at VanDusen

Celebrating the bounty of the pink blooms from Japan is the Vancouver Cherry Blossom Festival’s Sakura Days Japan Fair, happening this weekend at VanDusen Botanical Garden. Taking place Saturday and Sunday (April 13 and 14), the fair boasts a schedule full of activities from 10am to 6pm (with timed entry). The weekend-long fest showcases traditional and modern Japanese culture and customs—all in front of stunning cherry blossom trees. Included in the fair are performances by Japanese artist du

Georgia Straight • 11th April 2024

You Nearly Missed: Salish Sea Early Music Festival sees classical compositions made new

Classical compositions are made new through the performances of Soprano Arwen Myers, harpsichordist Elisabeth Wright, and baroque flutist Jeffrey Cohan at this weekend’s Salish Sea Early Music Festival. The local musical event—called Airs for Springtime—is an offshoot of Early Music America, which brings early music through historically-informed performances to audiences across North America. Taking place this Saturday (April 13) at Vancouver’s St. Mary’s Kerrisdale Church, the program will fe

Georgia Straight • 11th April 2024

First-ever Ourofest Street Dance Festival takes to Vancouver in May

A brand new street dance festival is set to take place in May—but its roots in the community have been a decade in the making. For 10 years, Ouro Collective has been celebrating and promoting street dance-based culture and performance in Vancouver through shows and workshops. To celebrate the milestone, they’re launching the first-ever Ourofest. The four-day street dance festival will take place at multiple venues across Vancouver (namely SFU Goldcorp Centre for the Arts, Robson Square, and Q7

Georgia Straight • 11th April 2024

Photos: Vancouver International Burlesque Festival brought the glitter and the sensuality

The Vancouver Playhouse was alight with glitter, feathers, and sensuality last week as the 19th annual Vancouver International Burlesque Festival (VIBF) hit the stage. From April 2 to 7, the city got to witness the artform’s new talents, along with legendary burlesque performers Moscato Sky, Red Tongued Raven, and Burlesque Hall of Famer Shawna, the Black Venus. There were also workshops, TIT Talks (great name), and panel discussions about the burlesque community. But why tell you when we can

Georgia Straight • 10th April 2024

Psychological thriller “In Flames” to premiere in Vancouver with filmmaker Q&A

The Georgia Straight is a proud media sponsor of the In Flames premiere. Award-winning psychological thriller In Flames will open its Vancouver run at Cineplex International Village on April 19. A special Q&A with the film’s director Zarrar Kahn and actors Ramesha Nawal and Bakhtawar Mazhar will take place alongside the evening screening. The Pakistan-set psycho thriller, an official entry for Best International Feature Film for the 2024 Oscars, touches on the dynamics of control and patriar

Georgia Straight • 10th April 2024

PNE 2024 Summer Nights Concerts includes Brad Paisley and Charlotte Cardin

Get the best of Vancouver in your inbox, every Tuesday and Thursday. Sign up for our free newsletter. From legacy acts to mid-career rappers and newly-minted Juno winners, the Pacific National Exhibition has stacked its Summer Night Concerts lineup. The annual concert series that runs in tandem with PNE Fair—happening in late August and running until Labour Day—has released its lineup of musical acts who will be taking to the Pacific Coliseum this year (as the Ampitheatre is closed for renov

Georgia Straight • 10th April 2024

Kits Pool (hopefully) set to reopen over May long weekend

Vancouver’s beloved Kits Pool is set to reopen on Victoria Day Long Weekend—depending on the weather—says the Vancouver Park Board. Monday’s (April 8) Vancouver Park Board meeting heard that the pool should be up and running again soon, despite a staff report revealing that it has been leaking 30,000 litres of water per hour. Last year, the pool opened in June (which was late in the season) after work to repair a series of broken pipes. Despite its numerous problems, it hosted more than 120,00

Georgia Straight • 10th April 2024

Mark Your Calendar: Pi’s Phucking Phunny Celebration of Comedy hits Little Mountain Gallery

All the provocation you’ll need for a laugh will soon take place during Pi Theatre’s Phucking Phunny Celebration of Comedy on May 4. Set to happen at the new Little Mountain Gallery in Gastown, the evening of comedy includes standup and improv in four-and-a-half hours of non-stop chuckles. Curated and hosted by local comics Kwasi Thomas and Jeff Gladstone, the evening will play host to a panel of emerging Vancouver standup comics, including Eden Kaminski, Sahara Bayley, and Sean McDonnell. La

Georgia Straight • 10th April 2024

You Nearly Missed: Art Vancouver, Western Canada’s largest art fair

Art Vancouver, the largest art fair in Western Canada, is back in Vancouver this weekend. Running from April 11 to 14 at the Vancouver Convention Centre East, it’s a great opportunity to view local and international artworks up close. The annual fair celebrates contemporary art through showcasing a bevy of galleries and artists from around the world. Participating galleries for the fair include Perve Galleria, PHJ Gallery, Gallery UG, Society of Nigerian Artists, and Art in Dongsan. Included

Georgia Straight • 10th April 2024

Mark Your Calendar: Vancouver Art Gallery’s after-hours Art Party returns for another stunning year

On May 11, the Vancouver Art Gallery will host its annual Art Party, rolling out the red carpet in celebration of the intersection between self-expression and visual art. Expect food, drinks, and late-night performances within its exhibition spaces—in your most creative outfit, of course. On the docket for the fete is a sneak peek of the exhibit Copy Machine Manifestos: Artists Who Make Zines, which opens the next day (May 12). The show is a documentation of the DIY artform of zine-making throu

Georgia Straight • 9th April 2024

Brewery & the Beast reveals mouthwatering Vancouver 2024 restaurant lineup

Drinks, music, all-you-can-eat meat—that sounds like a pretty epic BBQ to us. More than 60 local restaurants and chefs joining Brewery & the Beast Vancouver have just raised the steaks—err, stakes. Returning for its 11th year, the outdoor foodie festival will continue on with its all-you-can-enjoy format, serving up carnivorous fare from the city’s most-loved restaurateurs and chefs. “Thanks to an incredible lineup of talent and the many improvements we’ve made, this year’s Brewery & the Beast

Georgia Straight • 9th April 2024

Karan Aujla’s It Was All A Dream tour to hit Vancouver

Canadians might remember the name Karan Aujla from his recent Fan Choice Award score at this year’s Junos. Now, the Punjabi-Canadian artist, who is based in BC, will be kicking off his world tour in Canada—hitting Toronto and Edmonton before making a stop in Vancouver on August 17. Dubbed It Was All A Dream, the singer’s tour comes after the release of his album, Making Memories, which earned more than one billion streams and helped Aujla chart the Global Digital Artist List at number 38. His c

Georgia Straight • 9th April 2024

Mark Your Calendar: Modified Ghost Festival VII headbangs back to Vancouver

The seventh edition of the Modified Ghost Festival is set to reignite stages across Vancouver from May 16 to 19. The annual festival is bringing four days of headbang-worthy music across two stages, featuring both local and touring bands. The festival kicks off on May 16 at the Rickshaw Theatre, featuring Polish death metal troupe Decapitated, plus Greek death metalers Septicflesh; Juno-winning metalheads from Quebec, Kataklysm; American technical melodic death metal band Allegaeon; and local

Georgia Straight • 9th April 2024

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

A group of Dunbar-Southlands residents are protesting a senior living development—and took out a bus stop ad to grab the neighbourhood’s attention. Intracorp, a developer, has applied to rezone a section of West 41st and Blenheim Street for Amica Seniors Living: an 85-foot, 232-unit, six-storey community care facility—but not all locals are happy about it, specifically citing that the build will destroy trees and block sunlight in the neighbourhood. The group of residents created a petition ab

Georgia Straight • 9th April 2024

You Nearly Missed: Lil Xan at The Pearl

It’s going to be total Xanarchy at The Pearl this Friday night (April 12), as 27-year-old California rapper Lil Xan will take the stage alongside Lil Godd and Lil Kid. Lil Xan—whose real name is Nicholas Diego Leanos—rose to fame in the mid 2010s, making waves with his brand of emo-rap, along with his controversial face tattoos and nod to prescription drugs. The young artist’s standout song “Betrayed” hit the Billboard Hot 100 at number 64 in 2017, catching the attention of bigger names in the