With summer nights at the PNE, star-studded shows at BC Place, a stellar line up at Rogers Arena and enough gigs scattered around the more intimate venues, we aren't hard presed to find great live music in town.
There is a catch though: most require shelling out a small fortune and, a torturous task come summertime for North Vancouver residents, travelling across the bridge.
Answering the call for live music that requires little more than a short jaunt and not a single dime is the annual Live and Local concert series, organized by North Vancouver Recreation & Culture. And unlike all those other ostentatious concerts, it comes with an added bonus: an imbued sense of community spirit.
Spanning 50 events across locations throughout North Vancouver, the annual series checks off outdoor concerts, market tents, artist sessions and family-friendly activities (think giant Jenga and Twister).
On the bill are a mix of local, household names and aspiring artists, including the likes of Sḵwx̱wú7mesh Úxwumixw (Squamish Nation) rock band Bitterly Divine, seven-piece band R&B Conspiracy, and bassist and composer Colin Sankey.
Sabrielle McCurdy-Foreman, a vocal powerhouse regularly seen on popular pub stages and at community events throughout Vancouver, said Live & Local harnesses music's inherent ability to bring people together.
“It helps us connect to ourselves and each other, encourages us to feel and explore the depths of the human experience… and sometimes it’s just simply fun and enjoyable,” she said. “It gets people out of the house and having an enjoyable experience together.”
McCurdy-Foreman, who played a Live & Local Artist Session July 9, was one of over 200 artists to apply to take part in this year’s event. The competition had been fierce, said event programmer Robin Wilson, and selecting those for the final cut hadn’t been an easy task.
This year the programming team focused heavily on “bringing much more diversity” to the concerts, and including new acts that hadn’t previously graced Live & Local stages, she said.
With artists like rock pop singer songwriter Matthew Presidente and social justice-oriented group Queer As Funk, a regular fixture at pride festivals, there is a strong LGBTQ+ presence among this year’s performers. Wilson said she wants to ensure the community feels as though they are accurately represented, and that locals of all backgrounds, ages and cultures feel welcome.
“We want everyone to feel like they are a part of something,” she said.
For such musician activists, performing in venues that are smaller in size than those usually found at free, outdoor concerts ensures their message is delivered to the community more accurately and personally, said McCurdy-Foreman. It allows for a better connection between performer and viewer.
“I love performing in smaller venues, because of the intimate and immediate feedback you get from your listeners,” she said. “As an artist, there’s less pressure to be overly performative, or to play ‘crowd-pleasers’.”
Rather, artists can focus on telling their own stories, holding the space and really connecting with the audience, she added.
Small venues with community-driven crowds are also the best places for burgeoning artists to cut their teeth, she said, especially at a time when exposure and support for up-and-comers can be so hard to come by.
“The Vancouver area can be a tough place for artists to live. The gig economy isn’t great. Expenses are high and it feels like there isn’t a huge market for original music,” she said. “I was so excited to see that the city was prioritizing local, original music with this series. Music is an important part of our community."
For the full schedule, visit the nvrc website.
Mina Kerr-Lazenby is the North Shore News’ Indigenous and civic affairs reporter. This reporting beat is made possible by the Local Journalism Initiative.
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