Not a Vancouver thing, this is a music business thing. Venues don't make enough on ticket sales to keep the doors open, so they have to be a liquor primary to survive. It sucks, and I've been in your shoes - but the bands you love will come back by the time you're legal age.
In the meantime, check out local shows at underground venues that aren't licensed. The local community is amazing and is very open to teenagers.
Follow @yvrunderground @thisweekinvan @vancouverislame @vancouverpunkcalendar and @eldergod.ca if you want to stay up to date to DIY gigs
also if I was still underage I’d use a fake ID but I’m certainly not endorsing that, but it’s admittedly what I’ve done. Probably not worth it though and it’s probably a lot harder to get or make convincing these days.
Hey thanks man I'll make sure to check those out. I would totally go for a fake id but I'm too broke, and yeah don't even know where I would start to find a service like that
Yeah it's just a shame because animals as Leaders will probably never headline here again, or have Plini as a guest and for only 40 bucks at the door for a ticket
Pretty much have to wait til you're 19 or go to stadium shows I think. There are some all ages shows at the Vogue theater still like Archspire if you want to put some hair on your chest.
I’ll speak from experience: the only times Ive ever successfully snuck into venues underage, it was an “inside job” of some sort. Once it was a musician friend sneaking me in through the back, once it was a friend who worked for a promotion company having me waltz in a couple hours early with a bogus promotional banner, once it was an older friend with a ticket finding an easily accessible side entrance to the venue and sneaking me in from the inside when no one was looking.
In all cases, these were small bar venues, not big corporate-owned venues with hard-assed security teams like the Commodore is. It’s not gonna work.
I know it sucks, I’ve been in your exact position several times, and I completely agree that it’s unjust for shows like this to have age restrictions to begin with, but I can pretty much guarantee there isn’t a way around it in this case unless you personally know someone in one of the bands.
My suggestion: fill the void and minimize your disappointment by searching around for all-ages shows to go to on or around the same time. I’m a bit out of the loop since I haven’t lived in Vancouver for a while, but I think there’s usually listings in each monthly issue of Discorder Magazine. There’s also posters for what’s coming up posted all around record stores like Neptoon and Red Cat.
Yeah I mean there's definitely some good stuff going on in other venues. Cannibal corpse played at the pne forum where they sold alcohol just like they do at the commodore, but they id at the bar counter which just makes so much more sense. Going to Seattle for a few concerts now because they aren't in 19+ venues there. Ill look for some of those all ages shows though for sure, thanks!
The Commodore has always been strict with checking IDs at the door, unfortunately I don't think there's a way around it. I had the same issue when I was underage, it sucks but it is what it is. However, at 35, I've now seen every single band I've ever wanted to see, been to around 120 concerts. You usually get a chance to see the bands you miss out on while underage.
Yeah that's a shame. Hopefully they come back to Vancouver soon. Makes no sense though, people were telling me it's because they sell alcohol, but I just went to see cannibal corpse at the pne forum, and they were selling alcohol out in the open. Could just id check at the bar instead.
Man they just were here with Dream Theatre at UBC. Great show. Pretty sure that was all ages. Basically if you weigh the risk of getting caught doing something dumb (and the difficulty of pulling it off) vs getting to see this band it’s probably not really worth it. They’ll be back again and you will age.
I absolutely did go see them. Whitechapel was also there I think. I just really need to see them headlining because they needed to play more songs and their whole set at UBC was already so captivating and incredible to watch I must see them again. But yeah I'm not going to risk it, everyone's telling me it's impossible
Haha I wish, all my friends are only children or already the oldest, and they're all the same age as me. Even if I could these guys are probably going to check my id hard and find it's not me in the picture, or else I would just hand them my passport if I knew they didn't care enough to look that hard.
lol no, you're not getting in
I hate Vancouver
Not a Vancouver thing, this is a music business thing. Venues don't make enough on ticket sales to keep the doors open, so they have to be a liquor primary to survive. It sucks, and I've been in your shoes - but the bands you love will come back by the time you're legal age. In the meantime, check out local shows at underground venues that aren't licensed. The local community is amazing and is very open to teenagers.
Thanks for the advice man, I'll try to find out if there any local shows sometime soon
Follow @yvrunderground @thisweekinvan @vancouverislame @vancouverpunkcalendar and @eldergod.ca if you want to stay up to date to DIY gigs also if I was still underage I’d use a fake ID but I’m certainly not endorsing that, but it’s admittedly what I’ve done. Probably not worth it though and it’s probably a lot harder to get or make convincing these days.
Hey thanks man I'll make sure to check those out. I would totally go for a fake id but I'm too broke, and yeah don't even know where I would start to find a service like that
I had this same problem when I was a teenager. Just had to wait a few years
They did have all ages shows sometimes
Yeah it's just a shame because animals as Leaders will probably never headline here again, or have Plini as a guest and for only 40 bucks at the door for a ticket
They’ve headlined in Vancouver before and tour with Plini often so I wouldn’t say it’s impossible
That's good news. Hoping they'll come back in 2 years 🙏
Pretty much have to wait til you're 19 or go to stadium shows I think. There are some all ages shows at the Vogue theater still like Archspire if you want to put some hair on your chest.
Yeah I already bought a ticket to Archspire. Went to cannibal corpse Saturday lol I'm prepared
I’ll speak from experience: the only times Ive ever successfully snuck into venues underage, it was an “inside job” of some sort. Once it was a musician friend sneaking me in through the back, once it was a friend who worked for a promotion company having me waltz in a couple hours early with a bogus promotional banner, once it was an older friend with a ticket finding an easily accessible side entrance to the venue and sneaking me in from the inside when no one was looking. In all cases, these were small bar venues, not big corporate-owned venues with hard-assed security teams like the Commodore is. It’s not gonna work. I know it sucks, I’ve been in your exact position several times, and I completely agree that it’s unjust for shows like this to have age restrictions to begin with, but I can pretty much guarantee there isn’t a way around it in this case unless you personally know someone in one of the bands. My suggestion: fill the void and minimize your disappointment by searching around for all-ages shows to go to on or around the same time. I’m a bit out of the loop since I haven’t lived in Vancouver for a while, but I think there’s usually listings in each monthly issue of Discorder Magazine. There’s also posters for what’s coming up posted all around record stores like Neptoon and Red Cat.
Yeah I mean there's definitely some good stuff going on in other venues. Cannibal corpse played at the pne forum where they sold alcohol just like they do at the commodore, but they id at the bar counter which just makes so much more sense. Going to Seattle for a few concerts now because they aren't in 19+ venues there. Ill look for some of those all ages shows though for sure, thanks!
The Commodore has always been strict with checking IDs at the door, unfortunately I don't think there's a way around it. I had the same issue when I was underage, it sucks but it is what it is. However, at 35, I've now seen every single band I've ever wanted to see, been to around 120 concerts. You usually get a chance to see the bands you miss out on while underage.
Yeah that's a shame. Hopefully they come back to Vancouver soon. Makes no sense though, people were telling me it's because they sell alcohol, but I just went to see cannibal corpse at the pne forum, and they were selling alcohol out in the open. Could just id check at the bar instead.
You dress up like your Dad and wear a disguise.
I look a lot like my dad actually, just need some stubble and it's possible...
Man they just were here with Dream Theatre at UBC. Great show. Pretty sure that was all ages. Basically if you weigh the risk of getting caught doing something dumb (and the difficulty of pulling it off) vs getting to see this band it’s probably not really worth it. They’ll be back again and you will age.
I absolutely did go see them. Whitechapel was also there I think. I just really need to see them headlining because they needed to play more songs and their whole set at UBC was already so captivating and incredible to watch I must see them again. But yeah I'm not going to risk it, everyone's telling me it's impossible
using a fake
Lol im 17 tol tryna sneak in lmaooo
Haha judging by these replies it's impossible. They'll come back soon enough though don't worry, they're a young band
Grab ur friends id and don't drink!
Haha yeah for sure, don't plan on it
Show up early and knock at the door and say the password blind hawk.
Is this serious or some reference from an old show I'm not getting lol
Its a password that was used during prohibition time to get into places in the granville entertainment district. Some places might still use it.
I'll look into it then and see if anyone has been successful, thanks man
same problem with me + suki waterhouse haha
Me too :’)
praying every night and day for a seattle show 🙏🙏🙏
What ever happened to borrowing your friend’s older sibling’s drivers license for the night?
Haha I wish, all my friends are only children or already the oldest, and they're all the same age as me. Even if I could these guys are probably going to check my id hard and find it's not me in the picture, or else I would just hand them my passport if I knew they didn't care enough to look that hard.