Upcoming Shows w/ the Sheepdogs, Dinosaur Bones!
Posted by admin on January 18th, 2012
YR are excited to announce some new Ontario shows with Toronto’s Dinosaur Bones. Also upcoming are a couple dates with those hairy Sheepdogs.
January 26th – Oshawa w/ The Sheepdogs @ Durham College
January 27th – Ottawa w/ The Sheepdogs @ The Cabin
February 2nd – Toronto w/ Dinosaur Bones @ The Horseshoe
February 9th – Guelph w/ Dinosaur Bones @ e-Bar
February 10th – Kingston w/ Dinosaur Bones @ The Grad Club
February 11th -Hamilton w/ Dinosaur Bones @ The Casbah
February 12th – St. Catherines w/ Dinosaur Bones
Last year we made a Halloween YouTube playlist, and thought we’d make a tradition out of it. Here is our 2011 20-song playlist you can stream and share with friends (embedded below) while you argue over the legitimacy of Ouiji boards, carve pumpkins, and discuss post-apocalyptic Zombie survival strategies. Thanks to lots of friends and fans online who made some solid suggestions. Leave your suggestions below for 2012!

Our blog series “Indie Travel Guide” focuses on cities we travel through, and features all of our favourite go-to spots. Everything is listed in order to mirror our typical schedules on a day-to-day basis while touring. Next time you want to take a drive across Canada, just use this on-going series as a guide. If you’re from the city we’re covering and think we’ve missed something good, leave a comment and let us know.

552 Pandora Avenue
Victoria BC
Phone 250-294-1127



735 Yates St
250-884-5313
The Mint has a pretty reasonable late night menu and doubles as a good place for some sit-down drinks.
1414 Douglas Street
250-386-6468
Big Bad John’s: 1/3rd of Young Rival can’t stand this place, another 1/3rd likes it, and the last 1/3rd thinks it’s one of the best bars in Canada. You’ll have to decide for yourself. Be prepared to put up with their shtick of horrible service and long waits in line if it’s a weekend night. Once you get in, grab a tree-stump seat and work away on the free basket of peanuts.
919 Douglas Street
1-250-383-7137 or 1-800-663-7476
Other options: The Sticky Wicket is a massive traditional pub just a couple doors down from Big Bad John’s (and also technically part of the Strathcona Hotel), and The Mint is usually a happening spot for some underground pints.
LEGEND HAS IT…
Rumour has it that Nirvana played a set in Big Bad John’s back in their early days. The bar claims to also have the first issued liquor license in British Columbia.

1900 Douglas St.
250-382-9231

Our blog series “Indie Travel Guide” focuses on cities we travel through, and features all of our favourite go-to spots. Everything is listed in order to mirror our typical schedules on a day-to-day basis while touring. Next time you want to take a drive across Canada, just use this on-going series as a guide. If you’re from the city we’re covering and think we’ve missed something good, leave a comment and let us know.

Neptune Records one of the country’s best record stores, amazing garage rock records section. They also throw in-store shows.
Zulu Records in Kitsilano, great record store, with an ounce or two of pretension.
…or if you’re feeling like being one with the Earth, go take a stroll through Stanley Park.
Gastown is worth strolling through. Gentrification live in the flesh.
The Naam – we haven’t been here in a few years, but we do remember being an awesome spot for a nice sit down meal if you find yourself in the Kitsilano district.
Budgie’s Burritos – around the Main St area, great for a quick bite.

The Railway Club stays open until 3AM on Fridays and Saturdays, and they get lots of quality indie bands coming through. Last time I was there I ran into Nardwuar, and although it was completely by chance, that automatically got them some bonus points in our books. They even have an electric train running laps above the bar.
The Narrow is a cool bar to check out too.
LEGEND HAS IT…
The Railway Club was once just that – a membership only club for the employees of the Canadian Public Railway, which once had a station down the street on Seymor. According to their website it maintains one of the oldest liquor licenses granted in British Columbia since the end of the prohibition.

This post marks the beginning of a new series on our blog: “Indie Travel Guide”. Each post will focus on a city we visit, and will feature all of our favourite go-to spots. Everything is listed in order to mirror our typical schedules on a day-to-day basis while touring. Next time you want to take a drive across Canada, just use this on-going series as a guide. If you’re from the city we’re covering and think we’ve missed something good, leave a comment and let us know.



Although these two stores are a small walk/bike/drive apart from each other, they’re both great places to check out. Cosmic Dave’s Guitar Shop was once a small diner. Its past is still present: lots of the original features are still in place, including the bar, diner stools, and breakfast menu hanging in the back corner.
At Cosmic Dave’s Vinyl Emporium you’ll find a tasteful selection of new indie and used vinyl.
WORDS OF WISDOM…
The Laughing Buddha makes a deadly za. If you’re not hungry enough to eat a whole pizza, order one anyways and get the other half to-go. You’ll be happy you made this decision at the end of the night when you’re sitting at the end of your bed at the motel craving some late night food.
LEGEND HAS IT…
Many a band has slept overnight in the basement of the Townehouse (it’s been open 20+ years). Legend has it that once upon a time there was a brothel in the same building that was a popular spot for some of the local nickel miners. Bands and employees of The Townehouse have reported ghostly experiences and claim that the basement is haunted by one of the “ladies of the brothel.”
LEGEND ALSO HAS IT…
that Stompin’ Tom Connors wrote the lyrics for the song ‘Sudbury Saturday Night’ on a wall in the basement. The wall has since been covered over with some sweet vintage wood paneling.
