There’s a new event happening in Vancouver, and its organizers claim it “redefines how we experience music.”
Curious? Well, so were the hundreds who filled up Caffe Artigiano Roundhouse on the morning of May 11th for Outlier’s first-ever Morning After daytime coffee party. The free event ran from 11am to 2pm and featured house music sets from three local DJs: Johnny Jover, Clu, and VStar. Attendees could grab a coffee, socialize, dance, or just hang out and enjoy the music.
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While the event was free to attend, guests were prompted to RSVP online to ensure the cafe wouldn’t be overcrowded. The guest list was maxed out at 530 people registered, and while that doesn’t confirm how many were actually in attendance, videos posted to Outlier’s social media show the space was packed!
So, who exactly is Outlier? According to their Partiful profile, they’re “re-defining event spaces, music, and culture,” and “creating a space where wellness and culture overlap.”
In a number of promotional posts on social media, Outlier said, “the music scene is evolving.” They promised “a fresh wave” was coming, and with it would come “new spaces, new energy,” and “something totally different.”
While it’s hard to say for sure how much of an impact they’ll have based on this event alone, it definitely seems promising for new things to come. People have shown their support and excitement for the fresh ideas coming from Outlier.
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It’s especially refreshing to see an event like this in a time when people feel so isolated. It’s already notoriously hard to make friends in Vancouver, and with other factors like high prices, work schedules, and the alcohol-centered nature of most live events, it can be easy for many to feel excluded from the scene.
In recent years, sobriety, as well as just cutting back on one’s alcohol consumption, has been on the rise, especially among older Gen Zs. With this de-emphasis on drinking for many, I can only imagine sober events like this will increase as time goes on. Aside from Outlier, groups like the Club Soda Collective have been forming around Vancouver. This offers more inclusive and accessible events for those who, for whatever reason, may not feel comfortable in the heavily alcohol-focused environment that many social spaces provide.
What do you think? Are events like this going to usher in a new era of Vancouver’s music scene? Or is this just a small fad that will lose traction over time? I guess we’ll just have to wait and see.