What to know
- Vancouver has its fair share of iconic concert venues with rich histories.
- Granville Street’s entertainment district houses The Commodore Ballroom and Vogue Theatre, two art deco venues with nearly a century of history.
- BC Place is Vancouver’s only stadium with a capacity of 54,500. It has hosted major global events, including the FIFA World Cup and Taylor Swift’s The Eras Tour.
- Hollywood Theatre and The Rickshaw both started as neighbourhood movie theatres, but have since become versatile event venues.
From art deco style ballrooms to converted movie theatres, catching a concert in Vancouver is a must-do bucket list item.
Whether you’re looking to sing along with 54,000 people at B.C. Place or discover an up-and-coming indie band at The Rickshaw, the city boasts numerous concert venues with rich history and impeccable vibes.
Here are five concert venues that showcase the best of Vancouver’s music scene.
Commodore Ballroom
- Location: 868 Granville Street
Situated in the heart of Downtown Vancouver’s entertainment district on Granville Street, the Commodore Ballroom, or known by locals as just “The Commodore,” opened in 1929 as a ballroom for swing dancing. Over the last century, the venue has gone through many facelifts and is now a nightclub and a place to catch musical acts before they become big, such as The Weeknd, The Tragically Hip, Metric, and Lady Gaga.
BC Place
- Location: 777 Pacific Boulevard
Every metropolis needs at least one stadium to host superstars and sporting events. In Vancouver, BC Place is its crowning jewel. With a 54,500 capacity, the stadium has hosted some of the world’s most exciting events, including the FIFA World Cup, Taylor Swift’s The Eras Tour, and the 2010 Winter Olympics. Located conveniently just outside of Stadium-Chinatown Skytrain Station, BC Place is accessible and the perfect place to take in the vibes of a big city.
Vogue Theatre
- Location: 918 Granville St.
Located a few storefronts from the Commodore, Vogue Theatre is another concert venue on Granville Street with over 80 years of history. Established in 1941, Vogue Theatre was originally built for screening movies and was operated by Odeon Theatres and Cineplex Odeon. In the 90s, the venue reopened as a rock venue, and has since hosted David Lee Roth (of Van Halen), Corinne Bailey Rae, and Brandon Flowers (of The Killers).
The Rickshaw
- Location: 254 E Hastings St
Despite The Rickshaw’s shabby exterior, the venue is one of Vancouver’s prized landmarks. Originally called The Shaw Theatre and showed only kung-fu movies, it reopened in 2009 as a concert venue. Located on East Hastings Street in Chinatown, The Rickshaw has hosted some incredible indie and touring musicians like The War on Drugs, Snotty Nose Rez Kids, and Julien Baker.
Hollywood Theatre
- Location: 3123 West Broadway
Hollywood Theatre is another art deco event venue in Vancouver that has been around for nearly 100 years. Opened in 1935, the space served as a neighbourhood theatre until 2011. After a few years of dormancy, Hollywood Theatre reopened as a versatile event space, where it now hosts concerts, comedy shows, watch parties, and dance shows.
