Swifties, get ready with your friendship bracelets and your best showgirl outfit. Because on October 2nd, a Taylor Swift listening party for her album Life of a Showgirl is happening at 2270 Manitoba St, Mount Pleasant. That neighborhood smells of creativity. Surrounded by beautiful street art, many art and performing studios, it’s the perfect place to experience her album. What fun is listening to new songs without passing opinions back and forth? When the Swifties show up with so much love, that community feel is going to make the album feel even better than it’s already going to be.
What makes it even better is that it’s being hosted at Chill x studio, which is woman-owned. They have hosted everything from improv shows to stand-up comedy to art shows. If those walls could talk, they would have so much to say. But we won’t need to ask the walls how the viewing party was, because I know I am going to be there. The venue is a cozy, neon-lit space that is going to be decked out in Taylor Swift memorabilia.
You can expect many photo ops, so much glitter, and drinks, including Pop culture Dirty Soda, which is a trailer run by two sisters from Langley. They make flavorful, fizzy-soda drinks “inspired by your favourite pop‑culture moments,” as it says on do604. Tickets are below 28 dollars, but it is a limited capacity! It’s going to run for two hours from 7-9 pm, so loads of time for exchanging bracelets, getting to know other Swifties, before you cry, laugh, and enjoy the night together. There’s also going to be a best dressed showgirl contest, and one winner will be picked. What makes Vancouver so special is its ability to be such a big city, yet have all these niche spots where even smaller communities can come together to celebrate what they love. Though Taylor Swift is a huge brand name, people who wish to enjoy a listening party in an intimate setting can be a smaller group.
If intimacy isn’t your vibe, Fortune Club is doing a listening party on the same night from 10 pm to 2 am. As they describe on their website, “Join every Swiftie in Vancouver for a night of love, lyrics & late nights”. They are also having special drinks: Taylor-inspired cocktails. They are going to be giving away vinyl albums, and it’s going to be hosted by Plug Vancouver’s Karmen Leong. Both venues are going to bring their own sparkle, their own charm. It’s going to be a fun night out with the community, no matter what venue you choose to go to. Just get ready to say to your partner, your family, your friends, “And by the way, I’m going out tonight”!