There are tons of great nightclubs and live music venues in Vancouver for visitors and residents alike. Party folks frequent places such as The Fortune Sound Club, Bar None, Venue Nightclub, Opus Bar, Celebrities Nightclub, and the Roxy Cabaret, to name a few.

Found in Chinatown in Vancouver, The Fortune Sound Club features hip hop and techno, live shows, and professional DJs. This is a great place for a night out with friends, your Bachelor’s party, or a drink or two on Friday evening. The club features weekly events such as Rogue Tuesdays, Project Pablo & Friends, Midnight Mondays at Fortune, and others. The Fortune Sound Club has been awarded a number of awards throughout the years, including the Best Dance & DJ Club in 2012, Best Dance Club, Bar, Bartender, & Local DJ in 2013, Best Vancouver Nightclub in 2016, and others.

Located in Yaletown, Bar None is a mix of a lounge and a dance club and a favorite place of party people in Vancouver. Bar None features different events, including music by good professional DJs, hip hop nights, and others. The drink menu includes a selection of drinks, including gin, rum, cognac, vodka packs, vodka, tequila, and whiskey.

Another great live music venue and nightclub in Vancouver, Venue Nightclub is a hot nightspot featuring international DJs that play Top 40, K-Pop, Dance Hall, EDM, hip hop, Latin, Brazilian, and a lot more. The venue hosts different events, including live music, bass producers, and more. Featured performers and groups include Cadillac Three, Herobust, Hobo Johnson

Also located in Yaletown, Opus Bar features professional DJs, live music, vibrant atmosphere, and great cocktails. Visitors are welcome to drop by for a drink or two for Happy Hour, including eats, beer, bubbles, wine, and more. The bar features special events and DJs playing music on weekends. Visitors enjoy live music on Wednesday evening. Those who are up for a drink or two and a good meal are offered tasty options at the La Pentola at the Opus Hotel. The menu includes a selection of delicious meals such as tagliatelle Bolognese, roast beef, and spicy meatballs with ciabatta, provolone cheese, pickled fresno peppers, and red pepper aioli.

A great live music venue in Vancouver, Celebrities Nightclub is a dance club that opened doors back in the 80s. Visitors enjoy a host of weekly and special events, including electronic music on Fridays and shows featuring a mix of production, entertainment, and music. The club is found in Davie Village and is known for great DJs and rocking parties.

The Roxy Cabaret is a top live music venue in Vancouver, featuring house bands such as Locked & Loaded, The Bulge, and Fully Loaded. Birthday packages are also offered and include a surprise birthday present, 5 complimentary covers, VIP line for all guests, and a table reservation. This is also a good place for high school reunions, bachelorette parties, and other events.

The Roxy

The live music scene in Vancouver is vibrant and hot and if you plan on running a live music club business in Vancouver, there are some things to consider, including location, genres and bands, food and drinks, equipment, and of course, a business plan if you need external financing. Click here for more options.

Choosing the Right Location

The choice of location is an important one, and it is best to open a live music club in a location with plenty of night traffic where party folks gather. Make sure the place is spacious enough as well.

Genres and Bands

The choice of genres depends on your target customers but as a rule, it is best to play more than one genre. You may want to invite local bands at first and when your club becomes one of the coolest in the area, it is time to book famous bands to play in your club.

Food and Drinks

Picking the right food and drink menu is also an important factor to attract party folks and run a successful live music club business. While it depends on your target customers, the classics are things like mozzarella sticks, chicken wings, nachos, and so on. Think of a drink menu as well, including bottled beers and cans, liquor, soda, coke, and other soft drinks, wine, etc. When it comes to liquor, there is plenty of choice, including scotch, whiskey, bourbon, gin, vodka, rum, dry and sweet vermouth, amaretto.

Equipment and Tools

You will need equipment, tools, and supplies such as ice scoops, bottle openers, knives, spirit measures, muddlers, and bar spoons. The list of equipment and tools also includes refrigerators and coolers, cocktail shakers, frozen drink machines, ice bins, bar stools.

Develop a Business Plan

To secure external financing, whether a loan from your local bank or government funding, it is important to have a detailed business plan. A good business plan for a live music club business covers details such as keys to success, strengths and weaknesses, mission, and objectives. List keys to success such as vibrant atmosphere, entertainment, quality food, exceptional service, and others. In your start-up summary, it is a good idea to include things like loans, investment, assets, and expenses. List your start-up requirements, including equipment, rent, insurance, consultants, stationary, fees and permits, lighting and audio equipment, and so on. Other sections to cover include products and services, company ownership, sales strategy, market analysis, and sales forecast. You may want to include a sales forecast for entertainment, food, and drinks.

Financing for Your Live Music Club

It's impotant to be financialy savvy. Click here for more options. If you are a regular customer at your local union or bank, this is one option to look into, as it is more likely to get financing with more favorable terms. There are plenty of options to look into, especially if you have a good business plan on your hands. Your payment and credit history, outstanding debts, and amount required are some of the factors that influence your credit score and hence loan approval. Banks offer different financial products to start-ups, including equipment and term loans, hard money loans, business lines of credit. Government-sponsored loans are also available to start-ups and come with competitive rates.