One of Vancouver’s most storied venues, the Commodore Ballroom first opened its doors back in 1929. Today it plays home to some of the most popular local acts in the city, with bands such as BlackAngels. The Midnight,  and Mother Mother all playing at the venue within the next 40 days.

What you might not know however is the Commodore has gone through its share of closures and rebrands. When the venue originally opened in 1929 it was originally branded as the “Commodore Cabaret”.  The Cabaret was supposed to be a direct rival to the only mainstay ballroom in the city at that time. That of course being the Hotel Vancouver.Unfortunately that did not last as only a few months later it would be forced to close its doors as a result of the great depression. 

They would reopen again a year later and have stayed open ever since, but under many new streams of management. Most notably management changed hands in 1969 by Drew Burns, who would turn the “Cabaret-style” ballroom into the notorious rock/indie rock venue it’s been known for.

The Commodore would continue a steady stream of revenue and popularity for the next several decades before closing again in 1996, but this time for renovations. The doors would stay shut for almost three full calendar years but when they reopened, the venue boasted a brand new hardwood dance floor, among many other upgrades and renovations. The project itself reportedly cost upwards of $3.5 million.

(Youtube/ Jean Claude Van Couver)

Burns was also quite charitable throughout his tenure, opening the venue to host fundraisers for The Cancer Society, Green Peace, the Food Bank and more local charities.

Over the years this storied venue has played host to hit artists like Nirvana, The Red Hot Chili Peppers, Pearl Jam, RadioHead, Coldplay, The Tragically Hip and more.