If you won the lottery, would you move out of your neighborhood? For some Vancouverites, that answer depends on which side of Main Street they live on. West of Main? You’ve got your Teslas and yoga studios. But East of Main? That’s where you’ll find graffiti-splattered alleys, bubble tea joints, and community that somehow still feels real.
And that’s where Blue Jay Valley calls home.
Before jumping to the conclusion that this is just another indie band trying to make its mark in the Lower Mainland, here’s something to chew on: every member of Blue Jay Valley is under 12. Yeah—you read that right. Five kids, all from East Van, and already playing fuzzed-out, guitar-heavy rock that would make Green Day proud. They’re proof that you don’t need a mortgage or a driver’s license to have something to say about growing up in the city.
Their latest song, “Living In the City,” doubles as a love letter to Hastings-Sunrise-the band’s backyard and playground. The music video follows them down familiar East Van streets, for some after-school retro vibes.
Musically, “Living In the City” sounds like the moment you discover your parents’ record collection and realize distortion pedals might actually fix life. It’s got that thick, grunge-inspired groove where the bass rumbles like a freight train, the guitars crash and swirl, and the drums hit hard enough to shake a locker loose. Their influences run deep—Sloan, Green Day, AC/DC, and even the Beach Boys show up in their DNA—but the end result feels fresh, loud, and very East Van.
What really sets Blue Jay Valley apart is their energy. Maybe it’s because they’re still kids, or maybe it’s because they’re writing about what they actually know—bike rides, after-school hangs, and that weird feeling when you realize your neighborhood isn’t like anyone else’s. There’s something authentic, even rebellious, about that.
They’ve already got an EP under their belt (2024’s We Like to Rock, pressed on sky blue vinyl, no less), and their new single “Breakaway” dropped this fall. That they celebrated with a release party at Green Auto Pop Up yesterday, and the buzz is still bouncing around East Van.
So yeah, maybe you’d move if you hit the jackpot—but Blue Jay Valley makes a strong case for sticking around. After all, the city sounds a lot better when you play it loud.