This five-block stretch of Granville Street used to contain eight cinemas1. They are gone now. Growing up here, many Vancouverites came to this short strip to watch a movie. I saw almost every new film here. Rocky, Star Wars, Blade Runner… Often one or even two per week. Theatre Row.
As I got older, I came to associate this street with music. Here, I saw Johnny Cash, Roger Waters, Paco de Lucía, Public Enemy, Kraftwerk, Róisín Murphy, and many more.
That Daiso store used to be Kelly’s Stereo Mart. I worked there in ‘91, trapped with an indecisive customer, trying to sell a heavily discounted grey-market answering machine when Bootsy Collins walked past the store. He was next door with Deee-lite. I missed him! Ugh. I did get to meet Mike Rutherford and Paul Hyde on other occasions. Wonderful. But not Bootsy. You always remember the one that got away.
Who’s Róisín Murphy, you might ask? While she has her own distinct artistic identity, if I were forced to make a comparison, I’d say she’s a bit like an Irish Grace Jones2: similar vocal style and timbre, at least. She’s a funk-synth-pop diva with a wide vocal range, a penchant for sartorial theatrics, and clear wildness. If you don’t know her work, she’s a supernatural force and well worth looking up3.
All the music venues here are small and intimate. The Commodore Ballroom, The Orpheum, The Vogue Theatre, The Studio. Right where that man in the long coat is crossing the street is the Commodore Ballroom. It’s been there since 1930. I saw Public Enemy with Chuck D, Flavor Flav, and their S1Ws there, and they were great. I was right at the front and got a fist bump from Mr. Flav4 while I was dancing. That was cool.
Looking south, away from the mountains and on the right, used to be the Krak-A-Joke store. That is where one went for whoopee cushions, rubber chickens, and itching powder. Krak-A-Joke was a Vancouver mainstay for thirty-seven years, from 19485 until 1985, when it closed.
I miss the movie theatres and Krak-A-Joke, but otherwise I am happy with this street. Thankfully, Patrick’s Golden Age Collectibles comic shop is still there. Thank goodness. It’s been on this stretch since 1974. Crazy. I’m not ready for that to go.
This is Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
Canada. Land of public health care and good public education. I am totally happy to pay my taxes for this place.
One thing worth noting: none of the people in this fifty second video is nervous about being kidnapped by unidentified, masked agents and disappeared to a black box prison in another country.
There’s a calm here that’s easy to take for granted.
That’s it for today. Best, G. A. P. S. Isn't the busker good?
Capitol Theatre – 820 Granville Street
Orpheum Theatre – 884 Granville Street
Studio Theatre – 919 Granville Street
Vogue Theatre – 918 Granville Street
Plaza Theatre – 881 Granville Street
Granville Theatre – 855 Granville Street
Coronet Theatre – 841 Granville Street
Vancouver Centre Cinemas – 650 W. Georgia Street, with a Granville Street entrance through the Vancouver Centre mall
I am definitely a penguin to their shark
Glad you asked. This is Róisín Murphy.
Born William Jonathan Drayton Jr.
Gully, C. (1948, August 28). Anything possible if junior gets into PNE joke store. The Vancouver Sun, p. 17.
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