He's a country star born and raised in Canada. There is a true country sound but the Canadian…read moreappeal makes it sound more humble even if the themes themselves are very country blue print. I will admit that I was a little drawn and magnetized by his charm and good looks. I did get into the songs. My favorite song is Country Girls which was cool to hear live.

On the way to the show I was humming The Bare Naked Ladies song about Brian Wilson. Aside from the…read moresong being as catchy as Brian Wilson's own material, it summed up everything about Brian in just a single sentence of a catchy chorus. Over the years I've been aware of Brian's questionable mental state, some of which was depicted in last year's bio pic Love & Mercy. Even if Brian himself was unaware of where he was during the show I still felt that I should at least be in the same room as the song writing legend, who has had more hits than McCartney, before he permanently lays in bed. The show started 10 minutes earlier than scheduled in true Brian Wilson fashion. He just walked on stage with the house lights still on and started playing piano without the band. The band rushed the stage a few bars in as people were frantically filing in. The lobby of the theatre was repeatedly and urgently warning people that the show had begun. He opened up with California Girls. I wondered during the show if this was Brian's way of quilting the audience for not filing in fast enough even though he took everyone off guard, including his own technical staff. He even semi scolded the audience by saying, "You can take your seats now anytime." It's hard for me to tell if he was joking or was having one of his signature senior moments. Either way it provided some unintentional entertainment. It wasn't the first of the evening. The 2.5 hours was divided into 3 segments: A few early hits, Pet Sounds in full (which this tour was celebrating) and a few other hits. Everyone came and got what they wanted to hear and more. The whole time I was actually tapping my feet like a metronome. It was also the first time in months that I watched an entire show without checking my phone. The bulk of the enjoyment of the show was more for the band than Brian. Most of the band members have touring history with the original and different incarnations of the Beach Boys including founding member Al Jardin who, along with the rest of the band, did all the heavy lifting. Brian sang 40% of the time, most of which was during the Pet Sounds portion. Brian was just an honorary ornament with an extraordinary band. The band played tight and made certain songs sound better than the original recordings. One of the best live touring bands that I've seen in decades with a long resume of who's who in music (that went under appreciated with most of the audience). One moment that put a smirk on my face was when Brian suddenly stopped playing the piano during Sail On, Sailor. He waddled off stage and went to the bathroom leaving his band behind in confusion. There was a forced extended guitar solo until the band were able to figure out what was going on. The intermission before the Pet Sounds portion was supposed to be 25 minutes, however, Brian wandered on stage 9 minutes into the intermission with no band, no lights and a sound delay as some of his technical crew were still in the bathroom. The band were ear shot away so they were able to get their shit together two bars in. Half the audience were still in the lobby getting drinks. Pretty much most of us missed the first two songs of Pet Sounds. Another memorable Brian Wilson moment. The majority of the audience were under 25 to whom Pet Sounds actually matters to, therefore, missing the first two songs was more of annoyance for them than the older crowd. At the time of the initial release Pet Sounds did very poorly and the label wanted to shelve it completely. Hard core Beach Boys fans still dismiss it all together. There's something charmingly ambitious about the album. It was fun audience watching to see how the material got lost on the older fans and embraced, in admiration for Brian, by the young hipster kids. Pet Sounds has sold more copies in the past 10 years by people under 30 than it did 50 years ago that it had to have two 180g vinyl re-issues. The album has influenced a lot of new bands like The Shins, Zola, The Flaming Lips and Tame Impala. If you're one of those music fans that shits on new music you can blame Brian Wilson for being ahead of his time influencing what is being played on iTunes today. During the Pet Sounds portion of the show I had to listen with my eyes closed to appreciate and understand some of the mathematical calculations and awkward time signatures. For the rest of the show it was beneficial that I had a balcony seat with a birds eye view so that I could see what the band were actually playing. I wanted to understand the technicalities of what made the blue print of his material. The sound mix was beyond amazing, the members played well that it proved that you really don't need backing tracks at any show if the band has their shit together. They did a technical band introduction to the audience which you rarely see bands acknowledge by name. It was well appreciated and earned. During the greatest hits portion everyone was on their feet. The crowning moment wa

we got tickets to the jesse cook show at the centre in vancouver on 777 homer street, which feels…read morepretty new and sleek. the moment we stepped inside, that curved marble staircase caught my eye, it was elegant and dramatic, with mirrored panels that bounced reflections around in such a cool way. the venue itself is small, it seats around 1800 people across three levels, with great acoustics and comfy purple chairs. during intermission, i was surprised to see there were no long lines at the washrooms, there were plenty of stalls, the concession stand was actually a lot longer. you can bring drinks into the auditorium, but note, there are no cup holders. jesse cook's performance gave off the gypsy kings energy, upbeat, rhythmic, and full of flamenco and andalusian flair. he's not only a talented guitarist but also a natural storyteller. between songs, he shared little anecdotes about how he met one of his bandmates or what inspired a particular piece of music. he was accompanied on stage with four other band members. there was lots of hand clapping along with the rhythm, and toward the end, he invited everyone to get up and samba. it gave the night this warm, easygoing energy.

First time watching Bini, and it was at the Centre in Vancouver for Performing Arts. The venue is…read moresmall, and my seat was on the 3rd floor, making it hard to see the performers. I could've used a telescope! This was Bini's first big sold-out performance, and when I booked my ticket, I didn't realize how confusing the seating would be. Although I had a wonderful night, the height of the second and third floors wasn't ideal for those who want to be closer to the stage. By the time I bought my ticket, most of the seats were already gone, even though I booked as soon as they went on sale. Still, it was worth it!

Toque! was great this weekend. I actually took care of my Christmas shopping in one location and…read moreleft feeling creatively satisfied. Glad I found out about this event.

I went to a show there, and the performing space was uncomfortably warm. A few industrial fans…read morewould help! Also, it is disturbing that the only refreshments they have on offer are ALCOHOLIC. There was no bottled water, or soft drinks on offer. I guess the Western Front is rich, and doesn't need the extra money.

Had a great night at The Improv Centre on Granville Island with my kids, ages 12 to 17. Everyone…read morehad a blast. The TheatreSports format is fast and easy to follow. The performers were the best part. Super funny and quick on their feet, making stuff up on the spot that had us laughing the whole time. Good pick for families too. The content stayed pretty clean, nothing really inappropriate for a 12 year old, not that a typical 12 year old hasn't heard worse. They've got one intermission, free water, and a bar with snacks, popcorn, and drinks. The seats have cup holders so you can enjoy your tasty beverage while watching the show. Three people from the audience get picked to judge each scene from 1 to 5. They get chosen randomly before the show. Need to be at the tables at the front or in the first or second row to get picked, I think. Would totally recommend for a family outing especially if you have kids interested in comedy, high school drama class, SNL or similar. And Granville Island area is so nice to walk around it makes for a nice evening. Just keep in mind that the market closes at 7pm so arrive to island by at least 6:30pm to buy and eat your dinner, and then walk the 4 minutes to the Improv Centre. Or else skip dinner and eat Snickers bars and popcorn at the Improv Centre. Bought my tickets only the morning of the show. Easy to do.

Not gonna lie, this far exceeded my expectations. came in on a friday night for the early theatre…read moresports show, not sure what to expect I was thoroughly entertained not having laughed like that in a long time. actors were fully committed and nothing seemed forced. they had a deal where you could catch the second show for $20 and we happily did that for unhinged. Really the only difference I could tell is they added like a twist or extra rule (you can only use x number of words) to each game. I honestly preferred the regular theatre sports version as the extra added unnecessary confusion and I rather enjoyed watching the actors be creative vs. bending over backwards to adhere to a random rule. All in all, I had a great time and would definitely make an effort to come back whenever I'm in the area.

Vogue is an older theatre with some renovations. It seems the seats were most recently updated and…read morefor the worst. They reduced the size of the seats and the space between the rows of seating. I'm 5'6" and it is uncomfortable to sit through a 1 hour 30 min standup. If you're not sitting at the end you are likely going to bruise your shins walking through. Good luck trying to let someone pass without leaving the row. People have fallen flat on their faces trying to get out. It seems like a safety issue. As it's an older theatre, the floor is pretty flat. Not tiered like newer movie theatres. Recently went to a show where they posted no photos of the show were allowed. The security guards paced through the middle aisle throughout the show. It was pretty distracting. During concerts they remove about half the rows for standing room. Oftentimes though the balcony is closed off. Washrooms are on the second floor. Only 3 stalls in the women's washroom as one is forever out of order.

We had a wonderful time at the Vogue Theatre watching Maoli in concert. We stood in line for…read moregeneral admission, we got thru the metal detectors wands and got front row! Bathrooms were good, and always lines at concerts. We had drinks there and enjoyed ourselves.

Their string trio (violin, cello, and harp) played beautifully at our church wedding ceremony…read more Leading up to the wedding, V&G was responsive, helpful, and willing to accept special requests. Overall, a wonderful experience working with them!

I worked with Stephen Bulat to engage the musicians my granddaughter envisioned for her wedding at…read moreSkamania Lodge. Stephen was so easy to work with throughout the process and the musicians he selected could not have been more perfect. They were friendly, punctual and gladly played the music she selected amongst other pieces they played. All were seasoned professionals. The price was excellent value. The harpist, Matthew Tutsky plays and looks like an angel carved by Michelangelo. This was the loveliest private concert I could imagine. Jamie Chimchurian and Jae Choi on violin and cello played the most beautiful music during dinner forming the perfect elegant backdrop for the guests' enjoyment. Jacob Daniel then played keyboard and sang just amazingly well. His repertoire was so broad and tailored perfectly for this occasion. I'm looking to buy albums from each and every one of them. I was the wedding coordinator and wedding day coordinator myself and have been involved in upscale events for many years. Believe me when I tell you these are the finest musicians and management I have ever worked with.

Just recently took a lesson with Duran, such a great class. Duran is a professional drummer and…read moreactually does this for a living, who else better to show you how to do this! He has the skills of a drummer and the know how's in the industry!