Photo: Live Nation
Thursday, Sep 3
Weird Al opens the new arch
The biggest-selling comedy artist ever, full-production show, christening the PNE’s brand-new open-air amphitheatre. Bigger & Weirder, as promised.
Photo: Unsplash
The long-weekend issue
Summer’s
last call.
The Labour Day long weekend: Tame Impala’s two nights, a wave of free festivals, and the PNE’s final days. Summer goes out big.
Cover storyTame Impala twice, TAIWANfest, and the fair’s last call.
InsideWeird Al opens the PNE’s new amphitheatre.
The editTwo new rooms, and September’s big shows.
The city, edited
One last
long weekend.
Summer signs off in style. The week saves itself for Thursday, when Weird Al christens the PNE’s brand-new amphitheatre, then the long weekend piles on: Tame Impala’s two Rogers nights, TAIWANfest on Granville, the Nikkei and Turkish festivals, and the PNE Fair’s final days before it closes on Labour Day.
7days covered
17picks this week
4to book ahead
01
Monday to Thursday
The week, edited
A quiet start that saves it all for Thursday. One strong reason to go out, no decision fatigue.
Photo: Live Nation
Wednesday
Deep Purple, with Kansas
Abbotsford Centre. Two classic-rock institutions, one night, Smoke on the Water and all.
Thursday
Blood Orange
Queen Elizabeth Theatre, 8 pm. Dev Hynes brings the dreamy, genre-melting live show to the QET.
Thursday
Slayyyter
Commodore Ballroom. Hyperpop’s worst girl in the world, if you want the loud, late option.
02
Friday to Sunday
The weekend issue
The long weekend goes big: two Tame Impala nights, a wave of festivals, and the fair’s last call.
Fri
Friday, Sep 4
wave to earth
The Korean indie trio’s soft, jazzy bedroom-pop, one of the year’s hottest tickets, on campus for the long weekend.
Sat
Sat & Sun, Sep 5–6
Tame Impala, two nights
Kevin Parker brings the full psychedelic production for back-to-back nights. The weekend’s centre of gravity.
Sun
Sunday, Sep 6
Altin Gün
Turkish psychedelic folk, reimagined for the dancefloor. A fitting close, with the Turkish Festival on across town.
PNE
Last call
The PNE Fair closes Labour Day
Its final days, through Sep 7. SuperDogs, the Summer Night Concerts, mini-donuts and Remix Inferno one more time. Then summer’s officially over.
Festival field notes
03
Food, rooms and openings
New city
Two new rooms worth the trip, and a plan for a long-weekend day.
New opening
SUMU
Downtown · 888 Burrard St
A Japanese fusion room built on white binchotan charcoal: premium yakitori and a build-your-own nabe bar priced by weight. Grand-opened in August.
New opening
Mello Robson
West End · 1400 Robson St
The cult Korean brioche-donut shop’s new two-level Robson cafe, now with savoury donut sandwiches and Japanese fruit sandos. Opened mid-August.
How to do it
The long-weekend day
Festival → dinner → show
Wander TAIWANfest on Granville, an early bite downtown, then a show at Rogers or the QET. The whole weekend is walkable from the core.
04
Zero-dollar plans
The free page
Four free picks this long weekend, none of them a repeat.
01
TAIWANfest
A free street festival on Granville: food, music and Taiwanese culture.
02
Luminary Festival
A free send-off to summer: illuminated art and an 8:30 lantern parade.
03
Movies in the Park: Back to the Future
Free outdoor movie at dusk at Westminster Pier Park.
04
Summer Concert Series
Free live music at Town Centre Park, one of the last of the season.
05
Put it on the calendar
Book ahead
September’s arena run keeps coming. Lock these in before they sell.
Sep 12
Weezer
Rogers Arena
The Gathering. Blue-album and Pinkerton singalongs.
Sep 17
Brandi Carlile
Rogers Arena
The Human Tour. The Grammy-winning force, live.
Sep 20
Foo Fighters
BC Place
The Take Cover Tour, with Queens of the Stone Age.
Sep 20
Bring Me The Horizon
Rogers Arena
POST HUMAN: NeX GEn tour. A second huge Saturday show.
Your week should feel planned, not researched.
Every pick is verified and edited by Whim, then pulled together into a short list worth acting on.
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