On March 12th of this year, fans and artists alike were given unfortunate news from a fan favourite venue: Take Your Time Back.
The city had gone and told them that they could no longer hold live events, in turn shutting down the heart of the operation. The building itself had been home to various other live music operations. Shows have basically been ingrained into the building since the beginning.
The official post announcing the shutdown can be read here:
https://www.instagram.com/p/DVztP8KlB9G/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==
The news came as a shock to many, despite it not being a new concept. Venues have had a difficult time existing as of late, with various closures happening all around the city. Still, it’s not something people like to hear.
This closure in particular is a tough pill to swallow though, as Take Your Time Back was a pillar in the community for various reasons. For one, it served as a pivotal stepping stool for emerging artists. The venue was the best place for new bands to step into Vancouver’s local music scene, with it being many artists and bands first big show.
Before the shutdown news, TYTB allowed Vancouver to have a very unique order of operations for new bands. Artists would start off with a classic house show, then move onto Take Your Time Back as their first proper venue, before finally moving on to larger independent venues like Green Auto or Red Gate.
The differences between TYTB and Green Auto or Red Gate were simple, but made a massive difference in the long run.
TYTB was much easier to book, as well as much cheaper. They lacked the usual deposit fees that came with booking. The venue was also all-ages, allowing bands to introduce themselves to a broader audience, instead of instantly blocking off a good chunk of could-be fans.
Among all of this bad news, there is still a positive. While the live music and Take Your Time Back is gone, Take Your Time Front is still active.
If you’re wondering what it is, don’t worry! I won’t leave you hanging. Take Your Time Front steps away from the loud kind of protest it usually led at TYTB, and traded it in for workshops, education, and community events. It still has the similar radical values it had prior, it’s just choosing to look at it from a new angle.
Personally, I haven’t gone to any TYTF events yet, but I’ve heard good things, and am happy they have found ways to continue giving the community a place to thrive. Shut down be damned.