MUSIC
Music to Your Ears
THERE ARE DOZENS OF SPOTS TO SEE LIVE MUSIC ALONG THE AMTRAK CASCADES ROUTE—HERE ARE SOME OF OUR FAVORITES WRITTEN BY BEN SALMON ILLUSTRATED BY COLIN ANDERSEN
FOR LOVERS OF LIVE MUSIC, the Pacific Northwest has no shortage of must-visit destinations. Here are a few of the best spots to catch a concert across the region.
VANCOUVER, BC RICKSHAW THEATRE Centrally located between Chinatown and the Strathcona neighborhood, the Rickshaw Theatre has SO T: AL K OU aret been an institution b C a E CH ore C dore in the city’s cultural m mo t l i » B Com room l » Ball ow k scene since 1971. B r in alk y Pa For more than a de» M tanle in S cade, it was the North American hub of the Hong Kong-based Shaw brothers’ kung-fu movie empire, and after a period of dormancy, it reopened as a music venue in 2009. Since then, the spacious room—known for its good sightlines and vintage character—has hosted hundreds of pop, rock, heavy metal and hiphop acts, from up-and-comers to the hugely popular. www.rickshawtheatre.com
FORTUNE SOUND CLUB Known for its hip art installations, its state-of-the-art sound system and its cozy layout, Fortune Sound Club is definitely one of Vancouver’s top 26
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destinations for those looking to drink and dance the night away. But in between the DJ nights, the club’s calendar of live acts features a number of inspired bookings, too, including white-hot rapper YBN Cordae, Russian punk activists Pussy Riot and avant-electro-classical artist Sudan Archives. There are lots of places in the city to see what’s now. Go to Fortune to see what’s next. www.fortunesoundclub.com
WASHINGTON COLUMBIA CITY THEATER SEATTLE Music courses through the bloodlines of this ex-vaudeville theater, built in 1917 about 5 miles southeast of downtown Seattle. Since then, the stately space has played host to jazz legends Duke Ellington and Ella Fitzgerald and Seattle’s own Jimi Hendrix, among others. These days, contemporary artists of all styles take the stage here, surrounded by red velvet curtains and the venue’s
beautiful exposed-brick walls. The vintage vibes don’t extend to the sound system, however—Columbia City is one of the city’s best-sounding rooms. www.columbiacitytheater.com
TRACTOR TAVERN SEATTLE Ballard used to be a blue-collar village of Scandinavian fishing families. Now, it’s one of the trendiest neighborhoods in one of the country’s trendiest cities. But if you wander down Ballard Avenue and duck into the Tractor Tavern, you’ll instantly feel as if time has stopped and you’ve C AL been transported » B HECKSO ena OU »T to an alternate S roya T: he Sho eattle Hall, »T reality where cow aco wbox ma , Se skulls and leather » V Tacom Dom attle era a e, boots count as Sea Proje ttle ct, décor, and where country music and rock ‘n’ roll not only play well together, but are forever entwined. To fans of rugged American roots music, the Tractor is church. www.tractortavern.com
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