Author Archives: Quinn Taylor

The Penthouse: One of the most historic BC nightclubs

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Opened in 1947 by the Italian immigrants, Filippone brothers. The Penthouse became a sanctuary for some of the greatest musicians to ever live. Seriously, a lot of clubs claiming fame are hosting musicians that the average person wouldn’t know. But not the Penthouse. The Penthouse brought in names like Louis Armstrong, Ella Fitzgerald, and Sammy Davis Jr. What’s wild to think about now is why they were there. Back then, Vancouver had these unofficial “Jim Crow” style rules where Black performers could play the big fancy hotels downtown, but they weren’t allowed to stay there or hang out after the show. The Penthouse didn’t care about any of that. It was an open door during a time when the rest of the city was closed off.

I’ve actually been inside the Penthouse. Not for clubbing activities, but rather to watch a live podcast. Every month The Penthouse hosts a gathering. Where people eat, talk, and listen to “The Chat Room”  an in-house podcast hosted by Joe Leary, Danny Fillipone and Aaron Chapman. Where they engage with interesting guests, and engage in conversation. In my time there, I was looking around imagining how it could have been in the 50s. The neon lights, carpeted floors, scream old school, but honestly success as well as the building has stood the test of time. 

 

Of course, history isn’t all just jazz and spotlights. The place has a “notorious” reputation for a reason. It’s been raided by the police, tied to the old school Italian mob, and has survived every attempt by the city to shut it down. But the fact that the Filippone family still runs it today is a miracle in a city that usually loves to tear down anything with a bit of grit. I think it’s definitely safe to say that the Penthouse is a community and the people who frequent it show what it means to people.

To me, The Penthouse is a reminder that Vancouver’s music identity wasn’t built in a boardroom, it was built in these dark, smoke filled rooms that ignored the rules. It’s very easy to understand just how important the Penthouse is to the history of Vancouver’s music scene. When you realize that Louis Armstrong’s voice once echoed off those same walls, you start to see the city a little differently. It’s a piece of our history that’s still standing.



From talking the talk, to walking walk

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If your parents were around the Burnaby scene back in the day, they’ve probably told you stories about D.O.A. But nowadays, you’re more likely to spot the band’s frontman in a suit heading into City Hall than on a stage at the Rickshaw. Joe Keithley or Joey Shithead, depending on who you ask isn’t just a local city councillor, he’s a legit punk pioneer who basically coined the term “Hardcore” and put BC punk on the global map.

 I feel like for every artist that I don’t like, one of their most common character traits would be that they feel inauthentic. Like they’re trying to be someone they’re not to sell or to be edgy. But, when I look at clips and research of Joey is the complete opposite. He’s spent over 45 years living by one simple rule: Talk-Action=0. It’s a slogan that was plastered on D.O.A. albums and t-shirts decades ago, and it’s a reminder that if you aren’t actually doing something to change the world, your words don’t mean much. 

While researching Joey for this article I realized pretty quickly that Joey wasn’t some polished kid with a record deal. Rather,  he was a guy from the suburbs who was fed up with the status quo. In the late 70s and 80s, D.O.A. took that raw, unmanufactured BC sound and toured it across the globe. They were playing shows in places that most bands wouldn’t touch, all while staying fiercely independent on their own label, Sudden Death Records.

Now, after reading that about him, just how shocked would you be for me to tell you that Joey Shithead ended up transitioning from the stage to the council chamber. Seriously.

A lot of people think punk is just about making noise and breaking things, but Joey proved it’s actually about community and just spreading a message. He went from screaming about social justice in dive bars to actually trying to fix housing and environmental issues in his hometown. I love it, because compared to today you see a lot of famous people make statements and yet never join the office to actually make a change.

Even in 2026, Joey hasn’t slowed down. Whether he’s strapping on a guitar for a benefit show or debating policy in a boardroom, he’s still the same guy who refused to be manufactured by the industry.



FIFA Fan Festival Lineup

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If you thought the FIFA World Cup 2026 was just about soccer, think again. Vancouver is preparing to host one of the largest live music programs in the city’s history. This week, officials revealed the “Park Stage” lineup for the FIFA Fan Festival at Hastings Park, and for local music fans, it’s a goldmine. Over the course of 28 days this June and July, the city will get the chance to see over 60 free performances hosted by the city of Vancouver, turning the PNE fairgrounds into a massive, open air concert hub.

For music listeners like me, who love Canadian indie and alternative music, this is the festival to go to for the summer. With big names like Broken Social Scene, Metric, The Sheepdogs, and Dear Rouge, who are all set to headline free dates on the Park Stage. It’ll be a rare opportunity for fans to see stadium level acts without the stadium level ticket prices. For the younger adult demographic like myself, this is effectively a monthlong, free version of a major music festival like Westward or Pemberton, right in our own backyard.

The coolest part for me of the festival is the debut of the brand new Freedom Mobile Arch (the new PNE Amphitheatre). This $184 million mass timber masterpiece is set to reach full completion just weeks from now. While the Park Stage offers free shows, the Amphitheatre will host signature ticketed events featuring heavy hitters like Mötley Crüe, Arkells, and BC’s own Cameron Whitcomb. It’ll be your first ever time in Vancouver, where the city has had a permanent, world class outdoor stage of this scale, and its debut during the World Cup is a massive moment for the city’s infrastructure.

Beyond the headliners, the festival is leaning heavily into BC’s cultural diversity. Expect to see global sounds ranging from the Latin Grammy winning Alex Cuba to local electronic favourites like Felix Cartal. For students at BCIT and young creators in Burnaby, this festival represents a massive shift in how Vancouver handles large scale entertainment. The city is finally acknowledging just how much us people enjoy music shows, and this summer’s FIFA Fan Festival is proof.



A decade of Zolas

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Apparently in a world of nearly 8 billion people, and the province of BC 6 million people, only 60,000 people are smart. I say that tongue in cheek of course, but 60,000 is the number of monthly listeners to the Zolas. And if you haven’t already given them a listen, you’d understand why I speak so highly of their listeners. 

Led by frontman Zachary Gray, the band has found a unique electric indie sound over their 17 years of releasing music. This April, the band wrapped up their “Swooner 10” anniversary tour, a celebration of the 2016 album that propelled them from local favourites to national indie royalty.

The impact of Swooner cannot be overstated. When it dropped, it gave Zola’s fans a shock of just how good the band could get. With  four of the ten songs in the album reaching over 1 million streams on Spotify. Tracks like “Swooner” and “Molotov Girls” became instant indie anthems, capturing the specific, frantic energy of being young and broke in a city as expensive as this one. My favourite part of the 10 year anniversary is the slight change to the album colour. Although remaining the same image the set colour changed, much like one of my favourite album/deluxe album covers “House of the Holy” from Led Zeppelin.

What makes The Zolas unique is their commitment to the BC ecosystem. Zachary Gray’s passion for music goes far beyond just song writting. He is also a vocal advocate for the preservation of local venues and has often used the band’s platform to mentor younger artists under the 604 Records umbrella. In 2022 Zachary was outspoken about the return of live acts to music venues during the covid pandemic. 

“Vancouver is a place that’s constantly coaxing you to give up music and leave,” Said Zachary.

And you can bet that they don’t worry about involving local Vancouver venues into their own lyrics. In their 2009 Tic Toc Tic (Which was the opener for their first ever album, the lyrics paid an homage to local establishment.  “Love don’t live at home, oh no, it slithers in the wild/ I met her at the Biltmore, she was cold and over-styled.”

In their 2026 anniversary shows haven’t just been nostalgia trips, they’ve featured opening sets from rising BC talent, proving the band is more interested in the future of the scene than living in the past.

As they finish this tour, the band is already teasing new material that leans back into the Brit-pop influences found on their 2021 record, Come Ahead. Whether they are headlining a rainy Khatsahlano Street Party or a sold-out Commodore Ballroom, The Zolas remain a constant. They are a reminder that a Vancouver band can stay in BC and remain successful, and not have to sell out to the big corporations in cities like Los Angeles or Toronto.



This 1970’s band spent time in Vancouver because of Draft dodging

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When you hear about the band Heart, naturally you’re gonna think of Seattle, their hometown. But, what if I were to tell you that the band actually had a crazy connection to Vancouver that involved draft dodging in one of the most crazy BC music stories of all time? 

The 1970’s were the early days of the band. They often spent time in BC performing at local venues and graduations, still not yet broken out. Naturally the band grew a small following but many speculated as to why this Seattle based band were performing in Vancouver. 

The story begins with a young Michael Fisher, the band’s future manager and soundman. In the midst of the Vietnam War, Michael was set to be drafted into the US Army. But, Michael had no interest in this. Instead of reporting for duty, he slipped out a rear window during a home raid and fled to Canada, becoming a “draft dodger” living in Vancouver. Back in Seattle, his brother Roger Fisher (Heart’s guitarist) stayed behind with the band, but they were missing their leader. 

Everything changed when Ann Wilson met Michael during a secret trip he made across the border to see the band play. It was love at first sight, and shortly after, Ann packed a backpack and a guitar case and hitchhiked to Vancouver to be with him.

By 1974, the whole group—including Ann’s sister Nancy Wilson—had moved to BC to reform the band under the name Heart. Because Michael couldn’t cross back into the US without being arrested, Heart spent their early years acting like a local Canadian band. They toured every small town in BC and Alberta, building a massive following from the ground up. In 1975, they walked into Mushroom Studios (then called Can-Base) at 1234 West 6th Avenue to record their debut album, Dreamboat Annie.

The album was a sleeper hit that started in Montreal and Vancouver before exploding globally. Tracks like “Magic Man”were literally written about Ann’s infatuation with Michael and their life in the Canadian wilderness. For a few years, Heart was the biggest “Canadian” band in the world, even though they were technically American expats. Though they eventually moved back to the States after the draft amnesty was granted, their Vancouver connections remain the foundation of their legacy. 

Could you imagine just how cool it would have been to see one of the best bands of all time due to them dodging the war?



The amazing career of Mission BC’s own: Carley Rae Jepsen

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It was just last month that Vancouver musical legend Carley Rae Jepsen welcomed her first child to the world. But if you asked any fan of pop music in the early 2010’s they would say that this is her second baby, and that her first came over a decade ago. 

In early 2012, Carly Rae Jepsen was working as a waitress in Vancouver, playing coffee shops, and handing out demo tapes. But the dream for any local artist would soon take over. By the end of that year, she had the biggest song on the planet with the release of Call Me Maybe and was opening for Justin Bieber as part of his North American “Believe” tour. 

A once labeled “One hit wonder” Carley has proved over her 19 years of releasing music, that she isn’t just not a one hit wonder, but rather one of the best Canadian artists of all time. Throughout her career, the BC native has cemented her status as one of the most influential songwriters of her generation, and it’s not just me saying that, as she has the accolades and stats to back it up.

Carley’s journey is a masterclass in BC musical heritage. Before the world knew her, she was a student at the Canadian College of Performing Arts and a third place finalist on Canadian Idol. Her early career was forged in the small clubs of the Lower Mainland, eventually leading to a signing with Vancouver’s own 604 Records. It was here, alongside Marianas Trench frontman Josh Ramsay, that she co-wrote “Call Me Maybe.” The song was great. It was catchy, fun and matched every box that an early 2010 pop song needed to go viral. However it wasn’t until her fellow countrymen Justin Bieber would tweet about the song, for it to become a global hit.

“Call Me Maybe by Carley Rae Jepsen is possibly the catchiest song i’ve ever heard lol” Tweeted Bieber in December of 2011.

The song was huge. I remember I was only in Kindergarten when it was released. Every car ride, every radio station, it was a must listen. Today the music video for the song as well as the Spotify version has nearly 2 billion watches and listens. Easily cementing it as one of the staple in Canadian music history.

Carley didn’t just stop there. Since, she has released 4 albums and in 2023 was a nominee for Juno Pop Album of the Year with her hit release “The Loneliest of All Time”.

As Carley Rae Jepsen takes on her new role as parent, she is a reminder to all local artists that you can make it no matter what. And to all world wide artists not to conform to what people label you. Without Carley’s constant songwriting and work ethic the world would be without amazing music like Call Me Maybe. And if Carley were to have listened to the haters she would have conformed to being a “one hit wonder”. Rather she persevered and proved that she’s one of the best BC born musicians of all time.



Why Red Robinson is the Architect of BC Rock

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If you’ve ever eaten at a Red Robbins restaurant then you may already know the legend of Red Robinson. 

Before there were music festivals, streaming services, or even local record stores that stocked rock and roll, British Columbians had Red Robinson. Most people know him as a broadcasting icon, but for those of us in the BC music scene, he was the primary gatekeeper who brought the world’s biggest stars to the West Coast. 

As an up and coming broadcaster, Red Robinson paid his dues. It started in 1954 at CJOR while he was still a student at King Edward High School. At just 16 years old, Red became the first DJ in Canada to spin rock and roll regularly, effectively smuggling the culture into Vancouver living rooms.

For every article I write, I tend to do at least 20-30 minutes of research. But with Red, it was very easy for me to fall down a rabbit hole. One of his most famous encounters happened on August 31, 1957, when the then 20-year-old Red MC’d for Elvis Presley at Empire Stadium. While waiting in the BC Lions’ dressing room, Elvis got restless and borrowed a pair of handcuffs from a Vancouver police officer. In a classic moment of rock and roll hazing, Elvis handcuffed Red to a shower rod and jokingly lost the key. Later that night, the show was so chaotic that it only lasted 22 minutes, and Elvis escaped through a secret trapdoor built into the stage while a decoy in a gold jacket led the fans away.

 

Seven years later, Red was back at Empire Stadium for The Beatles’ first ever Canadian show in 1964. The Beatlemania was so dangerous that manager Brian Epstein ordered Red to go onstage mid set to tell the audience to back off. John Lennon, unaware of the safety concerns, screamed at him to “get the f*** off our stage!“. You would think that a young Red would’ve given in to one of the most famous musicians of all time, but no. Red stood his ground, explaining that the show would be cancelled if the fans didn’t stop crushing the front barriers. Lennon eventually realized the severity, replied with a “Carry on, mate,” and the show continued for its brief 29 minute run.

Red Robinson’s impact was so significant that in 1994, he became the first Canadian broadcaster inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland. He wasn’t just playing records, he was fighting for a genre that many adults at the time called “the devil’s music.” He even received threats for playing “race records” by Black artists like Lloyd Price. Today, as we watch local artists thrive, we owe a huge debt to the kid from Burnaby who refused to turn down the volume. He remains the gold standard for every broadcaster in British Columbia.

EKKSTACY matches Vancouvers vibe with his music

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As beautiful as British Columbia can be, often the non summer times can feel very grey. A lot of the cold rainy cloud days can feel repetitive and dull. So why not listen to an artist from Vancouver that matches the city’s vibe? That’s exactly why I listen to EKKSTACY’s music. EKKSTACY, formally known as Khyree Zienty, is a 24 year old who  grew up in Vancouver and you can really see how his music reflects that. While most pop stars try to have uplifting lyrics or melodies, EKKSTACY authentic sound is what separates him from others. But, just like how his music style is untraditional, so too is the path he took that brought him to success.

EKKSTACY’s rise is the ultimate example of the SoundCloud to superstardom pipeline. He began creating music in his late teens, teaching himself to produce while channeling personal struggles and PTSD into his tracks. EKKSTACY wrote and recorded his first single “Stupid Kids” in his Vancouver home and released it to SoundCloud and TikTok. It wasn’t soon after in 2021 when he would release his breakout hit “I walk this earth all by myself”. The song became a smash and would see over 4,000,000 listens on Spotify just from that song alone. 

What makes his sound so captivating is the evolution. While his early work was rooted in bedroom pop, his 2025 album FOREVER and the 2026 follow-up forever and always have leaned heavily into his love for Vancouver’s guitar lineage drawing inspiration from local legends like Japandroids.

“Their shit makes me feel something that other bands don’t make me feel… Japandroids give me this fucking visceral feeling. They’re like, ‘Let’s fucking go out and party, let’s get hammered and let’s get depressed.’ It’s perfect. They’re the best band ever.” Said EKKSTACY 

His recent 2026 single “Bloody Eyes” (a collaboration with fellow local act Passion Mango) shows he’s still pushing those genre boundaries, mixing shoegaze fuzz with trap-influenced rhythms.

Despite his massive global numbers, EKKSTACY remains deeply connected to the BC scene. You’re just as likely to see him playing a massive festival like Just Like Heaven in California as you are to find him playing at the RickShaw theatre July 5th. He represents a new kind of BC artist, one who doesn’t need traditional radio play to build an empire. He’s built a cult following by being unapologetically himself. And has been able to make listeners of his music feel connected to the music due to its heavy lyrics.



The twins on Billboard

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What is it with twins and BC? Of course there’s the Sedin twins Henrick and Daniel, Lions Peak which is referred to in indigenous language as “the twins” and then now in the music world Alanna and Brianne Finn-Morris. 

Honestly as a person who lives just out of Vancouver, I was disappointed with myself how long it took to discover the Finn-Morris twins. If you do know them though, it may be because you’ve seen the twins busking on Granville Island or playing small sets in White Rock. 

Alanna and Brianne, known professionally as Fionn, have officially graduated from local favorites to national heavyweights. In an era where viral TikTok hits usually get looked down upon as un-serious music. The Finn-Morris twins showed that if you’re good, people will find you. 

Their breakout moment came with the track “Blow”, an anti-mansplaining anthem. The song didn’t just hit the charts and leave, it stayed on the Billboard Canada Modern Rock Airplay chart for a staggering 42 weeks. After 31 weeks of steady climbing, it finally hit the No. 1 spot in late 2025, proving that their grit and persistence under the 604 Records banner was paying off.

What makes Fionn so interesting to follow is their evolution. They started with a folk-pop sound rooted in their Celtic heritage. When I listen to their music I notice a clear shift in sound by 2021 with their release of “Dirty Dancing”. A much more pop upbeat sound that really resonates with young music fans. Since then they’ve released their fourth studio album, scum, in late 2025. They’ve managed to capture the frustration of a generation while keeping the melodies catchy enough for mainstream radio.

As we move through 2026, the momentum isn’t slowing down. They were recently named one of Billboard Canada’s “10 Rising Acts to Watch,” and they are set to headline a major showcase at NXNE this June. For a band that used to play 100 shows a year in BC restaurants just to get noticed, seeing them sell out rooms in Toronto and Ottawa is a massive win for the West Coast. They are proof that in the BC music scene, you don’t need to be an overnight sensation to become a legend, you just need to be too good to ignore.



Why Nelly Furtado’s Hall of Fame Induction is a Win for BC

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If you’ve ever taken the ferry over to Victoria and driven down Gorge Road East, you’ve passed through the literal roots of one of the biggest pop icons on the planet. Long before she was winning Grammys/Junos and releasing World Cup theme songs, Nelly Furtado was a student at Mount Douglas Secondary and working with her mom at the Robin Hood Inn and Suites. 

On March 29, 2026, Nelly finally took her rightful place in the Canadian Music Hall of Fame at the Juno Awards. It was a massive night, made even crazier when Drake showed up on the big screen to deliver a surprise tribute, calling her a pioneer for every Canadian artist who came after her. 

“You are our North star. The proof that it was possible. The Portuguese princess who could go from spitting 16, to dropping Man eater and Promiscious” Said Drake.

Throughout the night you could see how much this moment meant to Nelly and how proud she is to be a Canadian Musician. In her acceptance speech she stayed true to herself acknowledging the importance of growing up in Canada and how it has influenced her. 

“Canada’s always cared about art and culture. I am a product of that. I’m just really proud to be Canadian. I live in Canada, I make my music in Canada, and I work with Canadians, because I truly believe in the Canadian dream.”

For a lot of young adults in BC today, Nelly was who we grew up with. Her biggest album “Loose” released in 2006 and was a hiphop anthem right away. Nelly is the ultimate proof that you don’t have to change your DNA to make it big. You can come from a working class family in Victoria, maintain your heritage, and still become a global force. Every time I hear “I’m Like a Bird” or “Maneater,” I don’t just think of a pop song, I think of that unique West Coast energy that refuses to be put in a box.

Her induction also came with a huge exhibition at the National Music Centre, featuring her original lyric sheets and stage outfits. It’s a literal timeline of her journey from the Island to the world stage. It’s a reminder to every young creative in BC and Canada that music history isn’t just something that happens in big music cities like LA or New York. Rather it can start on the streets we drive past every single day.