Railway Stage & Beer Cafe

The historic Railway Stage & Beer Café will celebrate its 85th anniversary from April 6 to 8, featuring three days of special events, including shows by local heroes Said The Whale and Hey Ocean! plus a four-band showcase night headlined by Friction Project.

It’s rare for bars and clubs to make it to their 10th anniversaries, let alone to 85, so the owners decided to ring it in with a bang!

Railway Stage & Beer Cafe

The 7 Railwayman’s Club opened in 1932 as a private members club for the workers based out of the Canadian Pacific Railway terminal at the base of Seymour Street (now the SeaBus Terminal). It operated continuously for 84 years, most famously as a live music destination, before closing in 2016.

The club was reopened in 2017 as The Railway Stage & Beer Café with extensive renovations: upgraded sound system and stage, refreshed kitchen, craft beer program.

The new management (led by local pub operators Chad Cole and Jeff Donnelly) invested in the room and kept the commitment to a weekly schedule of live local music and programming.
 
Railway Stage & Beer Cafe

The celebratory weekend kicks off on Friday, April 6 with a four-band showcase featuring Friction Project, Aaron Trory, Sarah Wheeler and Jazzberry Ram.

On Saturday, the celebration continues with a Blues Brunch with Rob Montgomery followed by Jam Sessions featuring The Modelos and winds down with a rare small club show by local heroes (and Juno Award-winners) Said The Whale.

The weekend wraps up on Sunday with Vancouver indie synth-pop favourites Hey Ocean! who’ve been going strong since their 2017 reunion following a three-year hiatus.

Said the Whale photo by Taby Cheng
[Said the Whale; photo by Taby Cheng]

“In a city where music venues come and go all the time, The Railway’s 85th Anniversary is a seriously big deal,” said David Vertesi of Hey Ocean! and the Vancouver Mural Festival. It’s reminder of how important it is to protect and cultivate these spaces. I love that the recent renovations stayed true to the Railway’s roots and I’m so glad they will continue to be a space for music, community, and, of course, good times for many years to come!”

Said The Whale tickets sold out the moment they went on sale, but a limited number will be released through showpass.com on March 25.

Tickets for the Friday showcase are available for $10 at showpass.com while tickets for the special Hey Ocean! show will be made available through contesting and promotions.

For more information about these special events and The Railway Stage & Beer Café, visit the Railway online.

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