Bastille at the Commodore in Vancouver Photos

Comments 1 by Rebecca Bollwitt

Bastille played a sold out show at the Commodore Ballroom in Vancouver last night although there was still plenty of room to dance around the venue when the winners of the 2014 British Breakthrough Award took to the stage.

Bastille at the Commodore in Vancouver Photos

Facing drummer Chris Wood, revealing the outline of a wolf on the back of his grey hoodie, Dan Smith jumped onto stage with “Bad Blood” as Bastille kicked off their Vancouver show. The single shares the name with the group’s first studio album, which was released in 2013.

Dan Smith of Bastille

Since that time, Dan Smith, Chris Wood, William Farquarson and Kyle Simmons have had other hits in the UK, bursting onto the North American scene late last year with a reissue of their debut album called All This Bad Blood, and making their way through the late night talk show circuit along with being the SNL musical guest in January of 2014.

Dan Smith of Bastille Dan Smith of Bastille

Expecting the crowd to mainly be familiar with the single “Pompeii”, currently in heavy rotation on radio stations of varying genres and on many an iPod playlist, the concert was one giant sing-along. Throngs of fresh-faced ladies pressed against the barricade at the front of the stage and each one knew just how to sing along to frontman Dan Smith’s spot-on vocals as they happily joined for a chorus, or ten.

Dan Smith of Bastille

Dan Smith of Bastille Dan Smith of Bastille Dan Smith of Bastille

Smith sounded better vocally than any of the live performances I’ve seen on television, or many of Bastille’s acoustic videos on YouTube, and the band was solid as they cranked out “Weight of Living, Pt. II”, “Things We Lost in the Fire”, “Icarus”, “These Streets” (which Dan said was his favourite) and tracks recently added to their album like “Poet”, “Laughter Lines”, and “The Draw”.

William Farquarson of Bastille

Dan Smith of Bastille Dan Smith of Bastille

Finishing out the show, Dan put his wolf hoodie back on and tied it up nice and tight before being led into the crowd like a prize fighter. He did a full lap of the Commodore, with a multi-man escort, singing “Flaws” with the audience.

Dan Smith of Bastille

For their second encore song the group performed their mashup of “Of the Night”, a mix of “The Rhythm of the Night” by Corona and “Rhythm Is a Dancer” by Snap! This was followed by the much-anticipated Pompeii for which they asked their opening band, To Kill a King, to join them on stage.

Dan Smith of Bastille

Bastille seemed to have a great time in Vancouver, stopping by Dude Chilling Park and doing a free concert with The Peak out at the Maritime Museum earlier in the day.

I think the fans at the Commodore may have just had a better time, as all were in good spirits, dancing like crazy, smiles on every face. It was an excellent vibe and probably one of the most positive atmospheres I’ve experience at a downtown Vancouver club show.

Catch Bastille in Seattle tonight, Coachella next week, and across North America the rest of the summer before they head to Australia and Europe.

Canucks Autism Network Free Family Festival

Add a Comment by Rebecca Bollwitt

It’s Autism Awareness Month and that means that the Canucks Autism Network (“CAN”) is hosting its CAN Family Festival on Saturday, April 12th.

canucksautismnetworkWhat: Canucks Autism Network Free Family Festival
Where Jack Poole Plaza (Vancouver Convention Centre)
When: Saturday, April 12, 2014 from 10:00am-2:30pm
Cost: Free. Open to the public. All ages welcome.

The day will include a fundraising walk, lighting of the cauldron, live entertainment with a special performance by the Vancouver band ODDS, a BBQ lunch provided by Moderne Burger and Dougie Dogs, and family-friendly activities including a Family Fun Zone sponsored by Ledcor with activities hosted by the Vancouver Canucks, Vancouver Whitecaps FC, Vancouver Canadians, BC Lions and Seattle Seahawks. Canucks alumni Dave Babych and Kirk Mclean will also be at the festival.

You can help support individuals and families living with autism in BC by fundraising, walking on Saturday, or by making a contribution in support of a team or individual participating in the walk. Find the Canucks Autism Network on Facebook and Twitter for more information.

Portlandiapalooza at The Rio Theatre

Comments 12 by Rebecca Bollwitt

Portlandiapalooza at The Rio TheatreThe Rio Theatre is presenting a very special full day binge-watch session of the hit IFC series Portlandia, airing seasons 1 through 3 on the big screen for Portlandiapalooza on April 13th.

There will be birds on things. Pickled popcorn. Artisanal grilled cheese sandwiches. A selection of some of Portland’s very best craft beer courtesy of the fine folks at Copper & Theory. Official Portlandia swag (vinyl! t-shirts! DVDs!) signed by stars Fred Armisen and Carrie Brownstein.

To top is off, series co-creator and star Fred Armisen (Saturday Night Live, Late Night with Seth Meyers) will be joining in for a live Skype Q&A.

This event is open to all ages. Those under 19 will be strictly limited to the balcony. Tickets are $13 in advance online or $15 at the door. Doors at 1:00pm.

If you would like to win your way in (and are 19+) I have a pair of tickets to give away. Here’s how to enter:

  • Leave a comment on this post naming your favourite sketch or character duo from Portlandia (1 entry)
  • Post the following on Twitter (1 entry)
RT to enter to win tickets to @RioTheatre #Portlandiapalooza from @Miss604 http://ow.ly/vwEkP

I will draw one winner at random from all entries at 12:00pm on Wednesday, April 9, 2014. Miss604 is a media partner of Portlandiapalooza at the Rio Theatre.

The Rio Theatre is an independent art and movie house located at 1660 West Broadway, at Commercial Drive, and is easily accessible by transit. Follow along on Facebook and Twitter for more film screenings, comedy showcases, and special event information.

Update The winner is Luke Matthew!

Spring Okanagan Wine Festival

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If you’re looking to escape to wine country this spring you will have a full calendar of events and activities to choose from in late April and May at the Spring Okanagan Wine Festival.

Osoyoos Wine Tours

Spring Okanagan Wine Festival

May 1st to May 11th, 2014 | Various Locations
Signature Events include:
May 1: Best of Varietal wines in British Columbia for 2014
May 2-3: The WestJet Wine Tastings
May 8: Comforts of Grilled Cheese and Wine presented by the Dairy Farmers of Canada
May 10: Blind Wine and Cheese Soiree presented by Valley First

Go to Bubbly Bootcamp May 1st, sample spring releases from May 1st to May 10th, book a spot at the Quail’s Gate Spring Release Dinner Series from May 1st to May 11th, and Sip Into the Sunset May 1st to May 10th at Summerhill Pyramid Winery.

Leading up to the Spring Okanagan Wine Festival there are a few events taking place the last week of April including: 2013 White and Rose Wines, and 2012 Red Wines New Releases; Budbreak at Crowsnest; and Celebrate the Season with a Taste of Heaven.

Throughout the season you can search events by region so whether you’re in Kelowna or Oliver, you can see what’s happening at one of the local vineyards and join in the fun. Follow the Okanagan Wine Festivals Society on Twitter and Facebook for more information.

Cherry Blossom Photo of the Day

Add a Comment by Rebecca Bollwitt

During the month of April I will be featuring a Cherry Blossom Photo of the Day, sourced from the Miss604 Flickr Pool and/or the #Photos604 tag on Instagram. You can barely walk a full block in the city without encountering a photographer capturing this pink blooms — or stopping yourself — so it’s the perfect time to start this series. Enjoy!

Vancouver
Photo credit: David Evanochko on Flickr

The canopy is filling in at the Stanley Park Rose Garden. Blossoms lead you to forest paths and if you know where to look, just around the corner from here is a permanent tribute to Shakespeare himself.

View more photography posts on Miss604 along with the Vancouver Photos of the Week.