Tucked & Treasured

Photo by Stylus Records

Tucked away off the street lies a tiny gem of a jam space that caters to music lovers who value intense and intimate performances over polished and overproduced arena shows.

A local favourite of East Vancouver, Stylus Records, offers a unique atmosphere for those seeking asylum from the mainstream venues and their day-to-day interactions with art.

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“It’s the wrong place”

Confusion struck while flashes of light cut through the onslaught of west coast rain.

Peering through the windows of a darkened office building, it is easy to miss one of East Vancouver’s best kept secrets. The front of house at 291 East 2nd Ave. consists of an expensive wine shop but just around the corner, music blares through a singular opened door. Venues throughout Vancouver draw crowds with marquees and lit displays while some don’t need anything more than a pixelated sign that reads ‘Stylus Records’.

The doors of Stylus Records opens up onto a world of kitsch and construction. Rows of knick-knacks, tools, half-finished chairs and pop culture references of the past lend the air of an older brother’s basement than a music venue.

In the harsh light of day, Stylus is a rather obscure retail destination but by night, walls lined with records lend an air of authenticity to the single-room showcase.

The most striking feature of Stylus Records is the tri-usage of the space itself. It is not just a carpentry studio, a record store or a music venue. In the harsh light of day, Stylus is a rather obscure retail destination but by night, walls lined with records lend an air of authenticity to the single-room showcase.

Featured talent plays in corner of the largely opened room, set against a bare wall and blocking a hallway.

This hallway in particular leads behind the large triage desk of Tom, the seemingly unimpressed but helpful owner. This space is also home to a lavatory blocked by playing musicians and forcing a marginally uncomfortable pass-through, should you need to use the facilities during a set.

For Vancouver audiences, there is something uniquely honest about the flawed layout of Stylus Records. Musical acts take up instruments without sound checks or acoustic adjustments, playing, for lack of a better word, raw.

“It’s what the city needed. You don’t just show up here to hear music. You see it, buy it, share it, explore it. Music in this city is a lifestyle. We need places like this”, expressed one concertgoer.

Venues like Stylus Records are rare these days. Audiences don’t show up to drink over-priced liquor while music plays in the background. Stylus is a place for the seekers of the obscure and the emerging. Quarters are cramped, posters are bad and the locals love it.

If you’re in Vancouver, British Columbia check out Stylus Records at Unit 99 – 291 East 2nd Ave.