fiogf49gjkf0d Vancouver gives you plenty to do come sunset, laying on a varied and cosmopolitan blend of both
live and dance music
. Clubs are more adventurous than in many a Canadian city, particularly the fly-by-night alternative dives in the Italian quarter on Commercial Drive and in the backstreets off Gastown and Chinatown. There's also a choice of smarter and more conventional clubs, a handful of discos and a smattering of
gay
and
lesbian
clubs and bars. Summer nightlife often takes to the streets in West Coast fashion, with outdoor bars and (to a certain extent) beaches becoming venues in their own right. Fine weather also allows the city to host a range of
festivals
, from jazz to theatre, and the
performing arts
are as widely available as you'd expect in a city as culturally self-conscious as Vancouver.
The most comprehensive
listings
guide to all the goings-on is
Georgia Straight
, a free weekly published on Thursday; the monthly
Night Moves
concentrates more on live music. These are available in larger stores and street boxes around the city. For detailed information on
gay and lesbian
events, check out
X-xtra
, a free monthly magazine aimed specifically at the gay and lesbian community, which is available at clubs, bookshops and many of the
Georgia Straight
distribution points. Many other free magazines devoted to different musical genres and activities are available at the same points, but they come and go quickly.
Tickets
for many major events are sold through Ticketmaster, based at 1304 Hornby St, which has forty outlets throughout the city (tel 280-4444 for concerts, tel 280-4400 for sporting events and tel 280-3311 for the performing arts); they'll sometimes unload discounted tickets for midweek and matinee performances.
Other useful information
for tourists (each section contains more specific sub-sections):
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