Past Events

JOLINE BAYLIS and MEREDITH BATES

SATURDAY, 9 NOVember 2024  |  DOORS AT 19:30, MUSIC FROM 20:00

A wonderful songwriter announces a show; this is always cause for celebration. But there’s so much good news semi-hidden in the simple fact that Joline Baylis will be singing her heart out on this night. For one thing, it marks her return to live performance after seven bodhisattvic years devoted to the nurturing of others’ musical journeys. For another, she brings with her a raft of beautiful new songs — and the proceeds from this concert will help get her back into the studio to record them! Want more good things to cheer? The ever-astonishing violinist Meredith Bates will play an opening set of her mesmeric improvisational soundscapes.

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SCHRYER, ENBLOM & DOBRES

SATURDAY, 2 NOVember 2024  |  DOORS AT 19:30, MUSIC FROM 20:00

This phenomenal trio features Franco-Ontarian fiddler Pierre Schryer, North American folk dance specialist Danielle Enblom, and European influenced BC guitarist Adam Dobres. The group brings together three diverse music careers laden with nominations and diplomas including JUNO, Canadian Folk Music Awards, Western Canadian Music Awards, as well as a Diploma in Traditional Irish Music (UCC). The ensemble performs an eclectic array of musical gems from across the globe including traditional and contemporary tunes in various styles from far reaching places including Ireland, Scotland, Algeria, Brazil, Quebec, USA and more.

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RÓISÍN ADAMS & CLARA SHANDLER

FRIDAY, 25 OCTOber 2024  |  DOORS AT 19:30, MUSIC FROM 20:00

You know we love piano / cello evenings. And you know we love Clara Shandler. And you surely do too, if you attended her fabulous (FABULOUS!) recent album release concert here with her full band. For this show, Clara is teaming up with her friend and longtime collaborator Róisín Adams. It promises to be smart and thrilling. Clara writes 21st Century lieder, haunting melodies which skate just to the romantic side of edgy, on which sit direct, socially resonant lyrics, and under which pulses deeply soulful playing. She also composes instrumental pieces which have a punky classical feel, eschewing the stark minimalism and dissonances of modernism while feeling absolutely contemporary. Róisín is an imaginative and immensely prolific composer, and her piano performances often showcase her dynamic, masterful improvisations, which range from ethereal to richly textured.

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BARRY TRUTER AND FRIENDS

SUNDAY, 27 OCTOber 2024  |  DOORS AT 14:30, MUSIC FROM 15:00

Musician and writer Barry Truter is a mainstay of Vancouver’s great folk music tradition. Join him to celebrate the release of Traveller 2 – Let Your Heart Lead, an album of eleven songs and tunes drawn from his award-winning book Traveller: Stories and Songs in the Key of Connection. Barry’s stories and songs are inspired by his travels, personal encounters, and reflections on the world around us. Joining Barry in this matinee variety performance are the talented musicians who helped make his songs shine on the album: Fraser-Henderson (Barb Fraser & Dennis Henderson), Tanglewood Duo (Emily Villavicencio & Noa Neuman), Phil Belanger, Don Fraser, Max Pinsky, and Fraser Union (Roger Holdstock, Kathy Griffin, Barry Truter). All proceeds will support Last Door and Westminster House, which provide addiction recovery and support services.

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VOICES FOR FREEDOM AND DEMOCRACY

FRIDAY, 11 October 2024  |  DOORS AT 19:00, DEMOCRACY FROM 19:30

Join Vancouver Asian Canadian Theatre for an evening where voices converge for freedom and democracy. This is a night to share our hopes, fears, dreams, truths, and the complex realities we face as individuals and communities. In a world where we often feel powerless, this gathering is a space to hold one another as we reflect on, remember, and celebrate the tireless work of those who have come before us. Hosted by Artistic Director Derek Chan, this curated event offers local artists a platform for expression through music, poetry, and storytelling. They will each contribute to a broader and increasingly necessary conversation on freedom, democracy, and the challenge of our shared human experience. Through the connective power of performance, this event intends to build resource and resilience, orienting us towards the actions that make collective liberation possible.
 

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JENNIFER SCOTT and RENE WORST: East Van Gogo’s Benfit for the Stephen Lewis Foundation

SUNDAY, 6 October 2024  |  DOORS AT 13:30, MUSIC FROM 14:00

Jennifer Scott is the diva of jazz vocal improvisation in Canada. Rene Worst is a virtuoso bassist. Together, they will present a torrid afternoon of music in support of the Stephen Lewis Foundation, which has provided decades essential services to the grandmothers in sub-Saharan Africa who have been holding their families and communities together in the aftermath of the AIDS and COVID epidemics. This benefit concert is produced by the East Van Gogos (from the Zulu word for “grandmother”) who have long participated in this grandmothers-to-grandmothers support network.

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THE SALON: Immersive Sound Bath and Guided Meditation

FRIDAY, 4 October 2024  |  DOORS AT 18:30, Event FROM 19:00

We celebrate the inaugural event of The Salon, a monthly community-building social gathering. (Future editions of The Salon will be held in other locations.) Faye Mallett and Lyn Sakari will lead participants through an immersive sound bath and then through a guided meditation. Along the way there will be participatory interludes of tea, journalling, and dance — as well as good, old-fashioned mingling.

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TEDDY THOMPSON

WednesDAY, 2 October 2024  |  DOORS AT 19:30, MUSIC FROM 20:00

This one’s gonna be special.

The facile way to identify Teddy Thompson is the way we’ve heard a thousand times: “He’s rock and folk music royalty, the son of Linda and Richard Thompson.” But this is more a feeble, genetic explanation of his astonishing musical talent than any sort of credential. Teddy doesn’t need credentials. He’s simply one of the most gifted songwriters you’ve ever heard, who delivers one breathtakingly beautiful vocal performance after another. His recordings are smart and bold, exploring traditional avenues of boy-with-guitar storytelling as well as taking deep dives into Americana and country music. But it’s Teddy’s live performances that are utterly unforgettable. And it’s rare to get to hear him in a room like Notional Space.

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PEACH & QUIET

SaturDAY, 28 September 2024  |  DOORS AT 19:30, MUSIC FROM 20:00

Pender Island’s Peach & Quiet, comprising singer songwriters Jonny Miller and Heather Reed, have enjoyed great acclaim and enthusiastic notices since the release of their debut album three short years ago. They now have a second successful full length recording under their belt and we are pleased to provide a Vancouver stage for their earnest song-making which, while fresh, original, and distinctive, somehow contains familiar resonances of every great indy songwriter you ever fell in love with at first listen.

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JESSE WALDMAN and MARC L’ESPERANCE: Album Release Celebration

SUNDAY, 22 September 2024  |  DOORS AT 18:30, MUSIC FROM 19:00

Come celebrate the release of Jesse and Marc’s new album, “The Shimmering Divide” with an intimate performance by this great Vancouver duo. The two have been playing together, live and in the studio, for nearly twenty years. They have featured at many beloved (and sadly bygone) Vancouver bar haunts and made formidable appearances at the Burnaby Blues & Roots Festival and Mission Folk Music Festival. Their new album reflects the length and depth of their fraternal musical relationship, long-time friendship, unique melding of voices, and deep-rooted artistic trust.

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CLARA SHANDLER

SATURDAY, 21 September 2024  |  DOORS AT 19:30, MUSIC FROM 20:00

Vancouver’s Clara Shandler performs under the modest moniker Sidewalk Cellist; but we think of her more as a scenic highway cellist. She’s a songwriter of haunting melodies which skate just to the romantic side of edgy, on which sit direct, socially resonant lyrics, and under which pulses deeply soulful playing. She also composes instrumental pieces which have a punky classical feel, eschewing the stark minimalism and dissonances of modernism while feeling absolutely contemporary. We first became captivated by her music years ago and are delighted to be welcoming her to Notional Space for a special sneak-peak, pre-release of her fourth full-length album, “Pacific Rain”.

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TIM READMAN: ALBUM RELEASE LISTENING PARTY

SATURDAY, 7 September 2024  |  DOORS AT 19:30, MUSIC FROM 20:00

Vancouver’s Tim Readman — musician, singer, songwriter, producer and music journalist — is celebrating the release of a new album: Songs from Eighth & Eight. The work is titled for the arts and community space initiative, led by Massey Theatre in New West, where Tim was an artist-in-residence and where the songs were written. Although he’s an accomplished performer, touring broadly throughout North America, Europe, and the UK, on this night, Tim will be DJing a “listening party” for his new record, rather than performing it live, providing commentary along the way. Songs from Eighth & Eight stands as a collection of protest songs, deeply relevant to our present moment, exploring themes of climate change, political conflict, and social inequality.

This is a traditional Notional Space gift economy event. Please support the artist generously.

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ZMI

SATURDAY, 13 July 2024  |  DOORS AT 19:30, MUSIC FROM 20:00


Zmi is a composer and pianist from Shizuoka, Japan whose boundless expressiveness is matched only by her irrepressible delight.  Whether finding her way through extemporaneous “Piano Diaries”, much like a young Keith Jarrett, or writing in a more formal, structured way, her work conveys an exuberant, if gentle embrace of the world.  Although Zmi’s tenderness and romanticism is uniquely identifiable, it’s also impossible to resist easy comparisons:  her more dramatic compositions often feature lush pentatonic motifs, giving them the kind of cultural rootedness you might expect from a composer like Sakamoto Ryiuchi; some of her short pieces have a touch and feel that evoke Bill Evans or Lyle Mays; her expressionistic work combining piano and voice call to mind experimentations by Patrick Watson or Sufjen Stevens.  Zmi is looking to raise the funds to record her next album.  Come help get her back into the studio.

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COUPLAND FISHER VOLKOV: SONGWRITERS IN-THE-ROUND

SATURDAY, 6 July 2024  |  DOORS AT 19:30, MUSIC FROM 20:00


Claire Coupland, Ian Fisher, & Sammy Volkov recently crossed paths at the Folk Alliance music conference in Kansas City.  Quick friendships were formed and the three songwriters, respectively from British Columbia, Missouri, and Alberta, cooked up the plan to share their heartfelt songs and humorous stories in an unforgettable night of “in-the-round” performances for their West Coast tour of Canada this summer.

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MEDUSA QUARTET

WEDNESDAY, 26 JUNE 2024  |  DOORS AT 19:30, MUSIC FROM 20:00

Wielding a sound that would turn classical music scholars to stone, these four folk musicians are reimagining the Western string quartet. By reviving string timbres previously regarded as too ugly for “polite society,” Medusa tempts us to redefine what is beautiful.

Since their formation, this adventurous quartet of Georgia Hathaway, Lea Kirstein, Marta Sołek, and Saskia Tomkins have been slaying all across Canada, including at Vancouver’s own Rogue Folk Club and in the showcases at this year’s Canadian Folk Music Awards in St. John’s, where their debut album was shortlisted for album of the year.

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SOLIDARIDAD LATINX CON PALESTINA

SATURDAY, 15 JUNE 2024  |  16:00 – 19:00

Learn about the linkages between the Palestinian struggle for liberation with Latin American movements. Interact with discussion panelists Alexandra Henao-Castrillon, Carmen Aguirre, Shaima Elmastry, and Byron Cruz. Make banners for display at forthcoming demonstrations of solidarity with Palestinians. Feast on Guatemalan Tamales. Groove to traditional Veracruzan son jorocho by Collectivo Yollotl.

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JAMES HOULAHAN

FRIDAY, 7 JUNE 2024  |  DOORS AT 19:30, MUSIC FROM 20:00

Join us for an evening with acclaimed Los Angeles-based singer-songwriter James Houlahan. James has produced a substantial body of work, including six albums over the past twelve years, since devoting himself full-time to presenting his own music. James puts substance over style, in a voice beautifully described by Glide Magazine as “rustic open-heartedness”. His work is is often driven by bluesy chops or floated over acoustic guitar rhythms that could have come straight from a 1960s Greenwich Village coffee house or West Texas roadhouse. This alchemy of Americana has made James a mainstay of the Indie scene in LA.

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HAIDA ORCA SANCTUARY BENEFIT with LUKE WALLACE

SATURDAY, 25 MAY 2024  |  DOORS AT 19:30, MUSIC FROM 20:00

Join singer, songwriter, activist, local favourite, and all-around goodnik Luke Wallace for a special benefit concert to help establish a sanctuary for the rehabilitation and rewilding of orcas held captive by the aquarium entertainment industry. This is a joint project between the Haida nations and We Belong to the Sea, a local nonprofit organization. Even if you cannot come to hear Luke (and Foghorn Lil of the Tiny Milkshakes, who will open), please consider giving your generous support to this project.

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THE NORTH SOUND

FRIDAY, 24 MAY 2024  |  DOORS AT 19:30, MUSIC FROM 20:00

Forged deep in Treaty 7 Territory, where the prairies rush towards the foothills, The North Sound is a partnership between lead singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Forrest Eaglespeaker and vocalist and composer Nevada Eaglespeaker. As spouses who play and write together, the themes of family, love and sacrifice are inescapable. At the heart of great songwriting is great storytelling, and The North Sound give shared voice to tales of tribulations overcome, traditions celebrated, and everyday triumphs.

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BY HEART: POETRY RECITAL and MUSIC

SATURDAY, 27 APril 2024  |  DOORS AT 14:30, Words and MUSIC FROM 15:00

By Heart is a poetry recital, hosted by writers Rachel Rose and Aislinn Hunter, followed by a musical performance by singer/songwriter Molly Annelle.

This event is a benefit for the non-profit Vancouver Independent School for Science and Technology.

What will be recited? Poems published before 2000 and not written by the reciter. Who will recite? You can! Or not. Follow the link below to get the full skinny.

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GEORGIA HATHAWAY

THURSDAY, 18 APril 2024  |  DOORS AT 19:30, MUSIC FROM 20:00

Georgia Hathaway, superb multi-instrumentalist and profoundly satisfying vocalist, returns to celebrate the release of their new EP, Between the Green. Georgia’s songwriting is inspired by wild places, geographical and emotional, and their meditative, bluesy lyrics tell stories of both natural landscapes and well-imagined lives. Many of you will fondly recall Georgia’s fabulous performance here with their band The Wilderness Inside in 2023, and will already know what a treat it is for us to host this special solo show.

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CHIE & KEITA

FRIDAY, 12 APRIL 2024  |  DOORS AT 19:30, MUSIC FROM 20:00

Hanawa Chie is one of Japan’s leading tsugaru shamisen players, and she brings a distinctive delicacy to the more percussive, baritone nature of this style of shamisen. Kanazashi Keita is a celebrated wadaiko percussionist, known for the gracefulness he has cultivated through his practice of kendo and traditional Japanese dance. They have formed their duo especially for this Vancouver visit. Given the expansive musical imagination and genre-defying versatility of both players, expect a performance that transcends the traditional Japanese folk music in which they are rooted.

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ARTEMIS MUSICIANS’ SOCIETY

SATURDAY, 30 MARCH 2024  |  DOORS AT 18:30, MUSIC FROM 19:00

Join Artemis for an evening of live world premieres as Artemis presents a collection of works written specifically for them. Repertoire includes works by Jennifer Butler, Jeffrey Ryan, Maria-Eduarda Mendes Martins, Nova Pon, Anna Pidgorna, Jaelem Bhate, Anna Hostman, Mathieu Lussier, Bruce Russell, and Jocelyn Morlock. Intimate and personal, these commissions for small ensemble will feature Morgan Zentner (oboe/english horn), Renz Eulric Adame (oboe/english horn) and Artemis’ founder and musical director, Katelin Coleman (bassoon). Your generous contributions at this gift economy performance will go to the Tsleil Waututh Nation Community Society as a part of Artemis’s thoughtful efforts toward reconciliation.

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P.W. BRIDGMAN: AN AFTERNOON OF READINGS

SUNDAY, 24 MARCH 2024  |  DOORS AT 15:30, READINGS FROM 16:00

Join a distinguished assortment of local writers and artists, who will read from the poetry and fiction of P.W. Bridgman, as we anticipate Bridgman’s forthcoming collection, The World You Now Own, a hybrid volume that combines new poems with a novella in verse. It will be released by Ekstasis Editions in the spring of 2024. You may be thinking: isn’t this celebration just a little premature? That’s just how we roll at Notional Space.

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TOM RICHARDS PRESENTS “SHORELINE”

FRIDAY, 22 MARCH 2024  |  DOORS AT 19:30, MUSIC FROM 20:00

Tom Richards is a musician with a kaleidoscopic range of work. He brings his latest creation, Shoreline 3, to Notional Space. This third instalment of his Shoreline series involves a fully interactive performance experience, immersing the audience within a tightly crafted dronescape, bathing the room in sound, and inviting audience participation both digital and organic.

Tom is joined for this performance by violinist Georgia Hathaway, whose bright, nimble voice bridges the worlds of folk, classical, and improvised music, visual artist David Ballantine, whose projections and light-work will augment the piece, and poet Kimberly Ivany, who will read.

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THE ELLIOT FREEDMAN GROUP

FRIDAY, 15 MARCH 2024  |  DOORS AT 19:30, MUSIC FROM 20:00

Composer-guitarist Elliot Freedman fronts a nimble, sensitive ensemble. The rich, sweet tones of Elliot’s baritone guitar accentuate his instinctive harmonic vocabulary and fondness for unique chord voicings. Along with vibraphonist Nick Apivor, pianist Dan Reynolds, bassist Dan Howard, and drummer Paul Mason, Elliot presents an uncompromising, non-canonical jazz of lyrical melodies and complex harmonies, detailed interplay and exciting improvisation, propelling rhythms and rich textures, collaborative creation and individual expression.

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CUORE PIANO TRIO

THURSDAY, 29 FEBRUARY 2024  |  DOORS AT 19:30, MUSIC FROM 20:00

We were super-lucky to catch these guys at the 2023 PRISMA Music Festival and are very excited to have them at Notional Space. Think Cream, think Nirvana, or (for you Canadians) think Rush — Cuore are the hot new power trio. Zuzanna Budzyńska on violin, Jadwiga Roguska on cello, and Szymon Ogryzek on piano will rock your socks off with a repertoire of classical chamber music masterpieces and, perhaps, less-well represented and modern compositions. Their performance here will be fresh from their late-2023 Warsaw studio sessions for a forthcoming album, featuring the works of 20th Century composers.

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DRUMPLAY

SaturDAY, 3 FEBRUARY 2024  |  DOORS AT 14:30, MUSIC FROM 15:00


Cleveland-based world/jazz ensemble, Drumplay, has been performing for over thirty years in a rotating collective. Drumplay creates “rhythmprovisations”, fusing elements of Afro-Cuban, Brazilian, Middle Eastern motifs, and spoken-word, all within a jazz sensibility. No two gigs are ever alike — so come hear something guaranteed to be unique!

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VIPER CENTRAL

SUNDAY, 3 DECEMBER 2023  |  DOORS AT 19:30, MUSIC FROM 20:00

Come celebrate the release of Viper Central’s latest video, while the band rips through two sets of classic and original bluegrass and Old Time music.

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VANCOUVER SINGING CIRCLE

SATURDAY, 2 DECEMBER 2023  |  SINGING FROM AT 16:30

Join community-builders V6V Collaborative for an afternoon of impromptu jamming and collective intelligence building. Circle singing is a spontaneous vocal jam (you can think of it as an improvised, collaborative choir of sorts). It’s one of the earliest forms of music-making and is practiced by cultures all over the world.

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THE LIMINAL

THURSDAY & FRIDAY, 23 & 24 NovEMBER 2023  |  DOORS at 19:00, PERFORMANCES FROM 19:30

Returning to IndieFest after a sold out premiere, The Liminal is an immersive performance experience that gathers storytellers of diverse artistic disciplines and lived experiences to reflect on themes of transformation. Conceived and directed by multidisciplinary theatre artist Stephanie Wong, in partnership with re:Naissance Opera and the Chinatown Storytelling Centre, this evening features a collision of theatre, dance, music, digital media, food, and community; and it concludes with a musical performance by Tonye Aganabe.

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BEAU WHEELER

FRIDAY, 17 NovEMBER 2023  |  DOORS AT 19:30, MUSIC FROM 20:00

The great and powerful Beau Wheeler is back, doing what they do best: delivering intimate musical messages to the heart by pounding them into the ribcage and searing them into the brain.  Beau will be joined by the inimitable Vancouver guitarist Jesse Waldman.

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TANGLEWOOD

FRIday, 3 NOVEMBER 2023  |  DOORS AT 19:30, MUSIC FROM 20:00


Vocal trio Tanglewood brings an eclectic tapestry of warm harmonies, rich rhythms, and precision delivery. The voices of Karla Mundy, Noa Neuman Spivak, and Emily Villavicencio blend together seamlessly to deliver an unforgettable musical experience that incorporates folk, bluegrass, jazz, French Canadiana, and global music traditions. They will be joined by special guest Andy Hillhouse on guitar.

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EAST VAN GOGOS: SMALL CHANGE FOR BIG CHANGE

SUNday, 15 OCTOBER 2023  |  DOORS AT 13:30, THEATRE + MUSIC FROM 14:00


The East Van Gogos (“grandmothers” in Zulu) present an afternoon of theatre and music in support of the Stephen Lewis Foundation Grandmothers to Grandmothers Campaign, which assists grandmothers in 15 African countries caring for children orphaned by the AIDS epidemic. Gina Stockdale will perform her play “Hired Help” and The Soda Crackers will play a set of bluegrass, country, and swing.

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BIG BIRD BUS BENEFIT

FRIday, 18 AUGUST 2023  |  DOORS AT 19:30, MUSIC + Poetry FROM 20:00


Monica Lee has a great evening of music and poetry planned for you: Arsenic & Old Lace, Marin Patenaude, Leah Nichole Barley, CR Avery, Couch Choir, Lindsay Robertson, Johnny D Trinh, Ashley Richelle, Chris Dawson-Murphy, Jesse Waldman, Bryony Ollier, Kyrst Hogan, and The Monica Lee Band!  Brad MacNeil will MC. The special occasion?  To give you a chance to help fund the recent emergency engine transplant on her big yellow bus.  Come experience how good mutual aid feels when we live in supportive community together! 

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NAOMI ELIANA POMMIER STEINBERG

TUESday, 8 August 2023  |  DOORS AT 19:30, WORDS and MUSIC FROM 20:00


Acclaimed storyteller Naomi Eliana Pommier Steinberg is serving-up an evening of tales (tall, medium-sized, and intimate) from her remarkable travelogue, Goosefeather: Once Upon A Cartographic Adventure, which chronicles her year-long, 56,000 km flightless journey around the world. Her extraordinary adventure offers touching reminders of our membership in the global community and the ways in which the important narratives of our lives are cast just as meaningfully in familiar, prosaic contexts as in far-away, exotic locales. Naomi’s stories will be punctuated with musical interludes, with Gregory Coyes’s joining her onstage.

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GEORGIA HATHAWAY and THE WILDERNESS INSIDE

Sunday, 23 July 2023  |  DOORS AT 19:30, MUSIC FROM 20:00


The Wilderness Inside combines the meditative, bluesy folk songs of Georgia Hathaway (dobro, guitar, fiddle, vocals) with the terrific musicianship of Kathryn Merriam (harp, vocals), Tristan Murphy (accordion, saw, vocals) and Elena Spanu (violin, vocals). Georgia’s songwriting is inspired by the wild places, in us and beyond us, and the band creates a sound that is both haunting and joyful. 

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DON McGLASHAN and ANITA CLARK

FRIday, 21 July 2023  |  DOORS AT 19:30, MUSIC FROM 20:00


Just off the stage at the Vancouver Folk Music Festival, Kiwis Don McGlashan and Anita Clark will give a more intimate performance at Notional Space. Don, now a Vancouverite, has been a songwriting and alt rock legend in his native New Zealand for decades. Anita adds a bold, airy, ambient, deeply lyrical vibe with violin, synth, environmental samples, and voice.

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SCOTT COOK & PAMELA MAE

Wednesday, 12 July 2023  |  DOORS AT 19:00, MUSIC FROM 19:30

Join celebrated songwriter Scott Cook for this Vancouver stop, as he tours his seventh album, Tangle of Souls, across North America. He describes it as “equal part introspection and insurrection”; and we’d add that these beautiful songs are tightly, smartly written and performed with a spare, intimate directness. Scott will be joined on upright bass, banjo, and vocals by his partner, Pamela Mae.

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FRANK PATRICK with REBECCA JENKINS

Thursday, 6 July 2023  |  DOORS AT 19:30, MUSIC FROM 20:00


Award-winning songwriter Frank Patrick brings his unique, rootsy, “transglobal rhythm and song” to Vancouver, in collaboration with local songstress Rebecca Jenkins. 

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HOW TO CLEAN A FISH by Esmeralda Cabral

Thursday, 8 June 2023  |  DOORS AT 19:00, Words FROM 19:30

Join us to Celebrate the Launch of Esmeralda Cabral’s new book. She’ll read from her work, as will some of her talented friends. How to Clean a Fish is an inviting family travel story about an extended stay in Portugal, full of food and cooking adventures, language barriers and bureaucracy, and that irresistible need to connect with the culture of our birth.  By exploring the intricacies of adapting to a culture that is at once familiar and foreign, she reveals that the search for identity and belonging is a universal story. 

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ZACH KLEISINGER & EMMA WORLEY

Thursday, 1 June 2023  |  DOORS AT 19:30, MUSIC FROM 20:00

Join Zach Kleisinger & Emma Worley for an evening of storytelling and song-sharing. Featuring performances by Zach and his band and Toronto’s Emma Worley, the event will traverse each artist’s version of alternative folk. Two great artists, one intimate stage.

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GILLIAN MORANZ

Friday, 28 April 2023  |  DOORS AT 19:30, MUSIC FROM 20:00

Alberta-born artist Gillian Moranz celebrates her latest catalogue while sharing  some of her own best kept secrets. The night will offer an exciting and dynamic alchemy of music, art, poetry, and performance featuring some of East Van’s most dangerous talent. Gillian will be accompanied by a full band wrecking crew featuring Noah Walker, Steve Huston, and Jodie Ponto, with an appearance from very special guest Isabeau Leone. It has been nearly five years since Gillian has made a ruckus in East Vancouver — so this little party seems long overdue.

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ARTHUR ARNOLD, Cello and MOIRA HOPFE-OSTENSEN, Piano

THURSday, 13 APRIL 2023  |  DOORS AT 19:30, MUSIC FROM 20:00

From Seoul to Spokane, Arthur Arnold has spent the past 20 years conducting symphony orchestras all over the world. Amidst the recent volatility of wars and pandemics, he has found comfort in reconnecting with his roots as a cellist. Join us for an intimate evening of cello and piano, performed in collaboration with Dr. Moira Hopfe-Ostensen. You will also hear stories from Arnold’s decade-long tenure as music director of the Moscow Symphony Orchestra and learn more about his passion project: the Pacific Region International Summer Music Association (PRISMA) Festival & Academy.

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CIRANDA: A Dance Party Fundraiser Benefiting RAVEN Trust

SunDAY, 2 April 2023  |  DOORS AT 14:00, MUSIC FROM 14:30

Dance to the Brazilian rhythms of Ciranda in support of RAVEN Trust, which defends indigenous interests in environmental and land rights cases within the Canadian justice system. Ciranda plays the hottest, coolest choro, forro, samba, bossanova, and more. Shake it for a great cause! (For those who prize booty stability during an axé, there will be plenty of seating.)

This event will be ticketed, all proceeds going to RAVEN Trust’s support for Gitxaala Nation: $20 in advance, $25 at the door. “What!?!” you say? “Events at Notional Space are never ticketed!” You are almost right. We are a non-transactional, gift economy space. But since this is a pure fundraiser, and the proceeds benefit indigenous environmental activism, this qualifies perfectly as gift economy. They want tickets, they get tickets.

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ANGELA FAMA’S DEATH CONVERSATION GAME

Thursday, 30 March 2023  |  DOORS AT 18:30, Event FROM 19:00

This event is a cross-disciplinary exploration of thoughts and feelings about death, starting with a musical performance by Cassidy Waring, singing candid songs about her personal experiences with mental health, grief, trauma and self-destruction, followed by a shared interactive Death Conversation Game session with facilitator Angela Fama, and wrapping up with a live healing soundscape by Faye Mallett. Grim? Not at all. It should be an engaging and fascinating evening.

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MERIVAL + TROLL DOLLY + DAWSON GOOL

Friday, 17 March 2023  |  DOORS AT 19:30, MUSIC FROM 20:00

Toronto’s Merival brings a sweet, storyteller’s voice and vaguely confessional writing to lushly unhurried songs.  As she sings in one of them, “If I knew you, I’d write you a song with fewer words.”  We are lucky to get to know her; but we’ll take the beautiful songs just as they are, thank you. Vancouver songwriters Troll Dolly & Dawson Gool will open.

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ART & CRAFT SOCIAL

THURSDAY, 16 March 2023  |  ART MAKING 18:00 – 20:30

Art & Craft Social is a free community event bringing together a diverse group of artists, makers, designers, and craftspeople of all levels of experience to share and create in a social setting. Bring a small creative project – drawing, painting, stitching, crocheting, collage, etc, to work on at Art & Craft Social. The Social provides an opportunity to meet new people, get inspired, and learn something new through exposure to the creative work of each person’s project.

Because space is extremely limited, you must RSVP on Art & Craft Social’s Eventbrite listing in order to attend.

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An Acoustic Evening with
JESSE WALDMAN and BETH SOUTHWELL + JESS HILL

FRIDAY, 24 FEBRUARY 2023  |  DOORS AT 19:30, MUSIC FROM 20:00

Jesse Waldman and Beth Southwell are kindred spirits who share a love of acoustic folk songs. Their musical connection started as East Van roommates over 15 years ago and they have been singing together ever since. They’ve performed together at major festivals, pubs and living rooms across BC, presenting both original compositions and thoughtful interpretations of other artists’ work. They have both played at Notional Space with other bands, but this will be their first time headlining here. We are delighted to have them.

Vancouver singer/songwriter Jess Hill will open the show.

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OLIVER SWAIN with ASHLEY WEY

FriDAY, 25 November 2022  |  DOORS AT 19:30, MUSIC FROM 20:00

Oliver Swain continues his celebrated “chamber folk odyssey” — a creative, genre-bending approach to roots music — at Notional Space. Oliver is a brilliant multi-instrumentalist, singer, and songwriter, whose music combines the erudition of an ethnomusicologist, the whimsy of a stand-up comedian, and the rousing urgency of a social activist. He is joined by pianist, vocalist, composer Ashley Wey.

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ART & CRAFT SOCIAL

THURSDAY, 1 December 2022  |  ART MAKING 18:00 – 20:30

THIS EVENT IS AT CAPACITY AND THE WAIT LIST IS FULL. Thanks to all who have shown interest. If you were lucky enough to get a space and will not be able to make it, please contact the organizers promptly so that someone else my take your space.

Art & Craft Social is a free community event bringing together a diverse group of artists, makers, designers, and craftspeople of all levels of experience to share and create in a social setting. Bring a small creative project – drawing, painting, stitching, crocheting, collage, etc, to work on at Art & Craft Social. The Social provides an opportunity to meet new people, get inspired, and learn something new through exposure to the creative work of each person’s project.

Because space is extremely limited, you must RSVP on Art & Craft Social’s Eventbrite listing in order to attend.

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WE HAVE NEVER LIVED ON EARTH: Book Launch and Readings

SUNDay, 6 November 2022  |  DOORS AT 19:00, Words FROM 19:30

Montreal writer Kasia Van Schalk introduces her hot-off-the-press eco-feminist novel, We Have Never Lived on Earth, to Vancouver. Currently a finalist for the Concordia First Book prize, the interlinked stories follow a young Canadian immigrant as she learns to navigate the dispiriting challenges of contemporary social architectures, while heedless environmental destruction provides context, mirror, and model for the process and consequences of her alienation.

Kasia will be joined by writers Brendan Bowles and Suzannah Showler, who will read from their recent work.

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SPEAKER FACE + DAYS OF LAVENDER

Thursday, 3 November 2022  |  DOORS AT 20:00, MUSIC FROM 20:30

Speaker Face combines lush keys and electronica, the earthy timbres of violin, unhurried beats, and sumptuous vocals for a sound that is fresh and mesmerizing.  It is the new project from Trent Freeman and Eric Wright, of the Juno Award winning band The Fretless, and singer Ruby Randall.  This is not a return to trip hop; it is the sensuous new edge of post-rock – and it promises to be a fabulous evening.

Days of Lavender, the new duo project of producer/bassist Stephen Clarke and vocalist/co-producer Daniela Mae, will open for Speaker Face. They bring gospel and roots sensibilities to an 80s synth pop and contemporary electronica sound in a unique, trancy vibe.

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BEAU WHEELER + DREAM HEAVY

WednesDAY, 2 NovEMBER 2022  |  DOORS AT 20:00, MUSIC FROM 20:30

The great and powerful Beau Wheeler is back, doing what they do best: delivering intimate musical messages to the heart by pounding them into the ribcage and searing them into the brain.  We love Beau.  You love Beau.  Come.

Opening for Beau will be Dream Heavy, the new folk-metal project of the Dunster, BC band Samson’s Delilah.  Heavy.  Heavy.  Dreamy.

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ART & CRAFT SOCIAL

Thursday, 27 OCTOber 2022  |  ART Making 18:00 – 20:30

Art & Craft Social is a free community event bringing together a diverse group of artists, makers, designers, and craftspeople of all levels of experience to share and create in a social setting. Bring a small creative project – drawing, painting, stitching, crocheting, collage, etc, to work on at Art & Craft Social. The Social provides an opportunity to meet new people, get inspired, and learn something new through exposure to the creative work of each person’s project.

Because space is extremely limited, you must RSVP on Art & Craft Social’s Eventbrite listing in order to attend.

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QUARANDREAMS: Book Launch and Poetry Reading

FRIDAY, 23 SEPTEMBER 2022  |  19:00 – 22:00
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Come join photographer Maggie MacPherson and a group of local poets — including Vancouver’s Poet Laureate, Fiona Tinwei Lam — to celebrate the completion of a 2-year creative collaboration entitled “Quarandreams”. This collection includes the poetry of twenty BC writers, which interpret Ms. MacPherson’s abstract images as a device for exploring and assessing the psychological and social repercussions of the global pandemic.

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JOHN BOUTTÉ QUARTET

WEDNESDAY, 6 JULY 2022  |  DOORS AT 16:30, MUSIC FROM 17:00

It is a great pleasure to present the vocal wizardry and ebullient sweetness of John Boutté, whose astonishing concert on Sunday night closed the 2022 Vancouver International Jazz Festival. John’s deft warmth is perfectly mirrored in his superb band, with Caleb Tokarska on guitar, Nobumasa Osaki on bass, and Luis Melgar sitting in for the first time on piano.

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ZINNIA + YAWN

Tuesday, 28 June 2022  |  DOORS AT 19:00, MUSIC FROM 19:30

Toronto’s ZINNIA finally comes west, after their 2020 tour was… ummm… postponed by the global pandemic. Rachael Cardiello’s experiment in thoughtful, expansive pop writing earned a place on CBC’s “Best Lyrics of 2019” list, following the release of ZINNIA’s debut record, Sensations in Two Dot.  Come welcome the full-colour sound of this five-piece band to our post-plague revival.

The evening will open with a set of synthy dreampop by Yawn, a project of Vancouver songwriter and artist Julia McDougall.

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MONICA LEE + SARAH WHEELER

SUNDAY, 10 NOVEMBER 2019  |  DOORS AT 20:00, MUSIC FROM 20:30

Do Vancouver music celebrations get better than this? Probably not. Monica Lee drops a new single and Sarah Wheeler drops a birthday. The house will rock.

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SALT THIEF + NAOMI KAVKA

FRIDAY, 8 NOVEMBER 2019  |  DOORS AT 20:00, MUSIC FROM 20:30

Salt Thief is a punky, rootsy masterstroke of fun, powered by viola-toting brothers John and Tony Kastellic, and featuring Ross Christopher Fairbairn on upright bass. Prince George singer/songwriter Noami Kavka will open the evening with her deliciously matter-of-fact Canadiana folk stylings.

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FEAST FOR THE PEACE: HONOURING THE PEACE RIVER VALLEY

SATURDAY, 26 OCTOBER 2019  |  19:00 TO 22:00

A crew of young artists and anti-Site C activists travelled to the Peace River Valley in July 2019. Their intention was to offer solidarity and art for people defending the river and Treaty 8 rights. They’ll share what they learned and experienced on that extraordinary trip.

The evening is a potluck feast! Bring something delicious to share. It is also a fundraiser for West Moberly First Nation’s litigation to protect the Peace Valley from obliteration by the Site C dam. We encourage everyone to stand in solidarity with them.

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CORRINA KEELING’S “BODIES OF WATER”

SATURDAY, 19 OCTOBER 2019  |  DOORS AT 19:30, PERFORMANCE FROM 20:00

Musician, writer, and graphic artist Corrina Keeling presents a multidisciplinary project which asks questions about our origin stories across bodies of water. The show is a collection of new and ancient songs and poems from Jillian Christmas and Corrina Keeling, brought to life through music, movement, live digital painting, and voices of the community.

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SCOTT PAULLEY: CD RELEASE PARTY

FRIDAY, 18 OCTOBER 2019  |  DOORS AT 20:00, PERFORMANCE FROM 20:30

Join Vancouver’s Scott Paulley in celebrating the release of his first solo recording, Oh My Darlin’. Scott has written for a number of Canadian bands, but generally likes to perform his songs of lost love, long nights, and endless adventure in small, acoustic settings.

Franki and Blue — Cellist Franki Lemon and Guitarist Blue Morris — will open for Scott.

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THE ARTEMIS MUSICIAN’S SOCIETY: ON LONELINESS

TUESDAY, 15 OCTOBER 2019  |  DOORS AT 18:30, PERFORMANCE FROM 19:00

Artemis is a performing ensemble dedicated to serving the interests of survivors of sexual violence, by featuring their professional musical talents on stage. Join Morgan Zentner, Jimin Joanna Lee, Chronfused, and Katelin Rose Coleman for an evening of music, both contemporary and classical, as they illuminate the survivor’s journey from isolation into togetherness. Artemis: On Loneliness is a musical and artistic exploration of solitude, the self, collectivity, and the power of community.

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VAN AFRO CONNECT PRESENTS: QUEST

FRIDAY, 27 SEPTEMBER 2019  |  DOORS AT 20:00, FILM & CONVERSATION & LIVE MUSIC FROM 20:30

Afro Van Connect hosts an interactive screening of the Jonathan Olshefski film, Quest, documenting the courage, dignity, and inspiring generosity of a working-class, African-American couple as they struggle to nurture both their family and a community of hip hop artists in their home music studio. The film will be following by an evening of discussion and live music.

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SAM SHOAI | ORLA SHIELDS | CÉLINE HODLER

THURSDAY, 19 SEPTEMBER 2019  |  DOORS AT 19:30, MUSIC FROM 20:00

Local songwriters Sam Shoai, Orla Shields, and Céline Hodler present an acoustic evening, with styles spanning folk, rock, jazz, and indie genres.

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LEAH BARLEY: music video release concert

SUNDAY, 25 AUGUST 2019  |  DOORS AT 19:00, MUSIC FROM 19:30

Come celebrate the release of Leah’s new music video, “Daddy”. The evening will entail a performance by Leah and her backing band; violist John Kastelic and multi-instrumentalist Ross Christopher Fairbairn, a screening of the video, and Q&A with members of the cast and crew.

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SAMBA NIGHT: Sending Cosmo on a Clowns Without Borders Mission

FRIDAY, 23 AUGUST 2019  |  19:00 TO 22:00

Cosmo (aka Melissa Aston) will be joining Clowns Without Borders in Brazil to perform for indigenous populations displaced by agriculture. And you can participate in her mission of good will. By dancing with us.

To help raise funds for Cosmo’s adventure, she and friends are hosting a samba party. Come hang with clowns, learn to samba, rock to the Carnival Band, and support Cosmo’s good work.

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PERFECT PITCH: a Karaoke Benefit for Good Pitch Vancouver

TUESDAY, 6 AUGUST 2019  |  20:00 TO 23:59

Karaoke: the national sport of the Philippines. Beer: the official sport of Vancouver. Together. You know you want it!

Illustrious karaoke DJ Gezelle Dee spins the [whatever-one-spins-for-karaoke] and False Creek’s own Faculty Brewing pours the brainiest of beer in what promises to be the most fun Tuesday night of the summer. Don’t ask your mom if you can stay-out on a “work night”. Just come.

This evening of raucous song-demolition… errr… ummm… song-styling will benefit Good Pitch Vancouver, a singular organization leveraging the social impact of Canadian-made documentary films with a creativity and reach that even the filmmakers themselves frequently cannot imagine. If you cannot join us for this vocal abattoir, we urge you to learn more about Good Pitch and to lend them your most generous support.

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TONYE AGANABA, CORRINA KEELING, and EARNEST ICE CREAM: a Benefit for Good Pitch Vancouver

WEDNESDAY, 10 JULY 2019  |  19:00 TO 22:00

How often do you get the warm deliciousness of Tonye Aganaba and Corrina Keeling, and the chilly deliciousness of Earnest Ice Cream in the same room? You’ll have to ask Tonye and Corrina — who are, fortunately for them and us, often found in the same room — about the nature and extent of their ice cream habits. But we’d wager that YOU don’t often have the chance for this tasty triple-threat.

This evening is a benefit concert-cum-pig-out for Good Pitch Vancouver, a singular organization leveraging the social impact of Canadian-made documentary films with a creativity and reach that even the filmmakers themselves frequently cannot imagine. If you cannot join us for this benefit concert (and ice cream!), we urge you to learn more about Good Pitch and to lend them your most generous support.

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BOOK LAUNCH: Bill Arnott’s Gone Viking: A Travel Saga

MUSIC: Bill Arnott and Michael Averill

THURSDAY, 4 JULY 2019  |  DOORS AT 18:30, MUSIC & READING FROM 19:00

Join bestselling author, poet, songwriter Bill Arnott to celebrate the publishing of his new travel memoir, Gone Viking: A Travel Saga. Bill treks the globe in the wake of the Vikings, finding adventure and hilarious misadventure.

The evening will also feature live music with Bill and Michael Averill performing work from their collaborative CD, Studio 6.

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ROBERTALANFUTUREHEARTS & TEN MOON

TUESDAY, 18 JUNE 2019  |  DOORS AT 20:00, MUSIC FROM 20:30

robertalanfuturehearts is a unique project, presented by a group of forward thinking jazz and folk musicians from West Toronto and East Gothenburg: The sound of human interaction snapped to the grid of music and language. Led by Robert Alan Mackie, Canadian double bassist and writer, their performance features spoken word poetry, free improvisation, and the rhythmic sensibilities of traditional music, combined in an immersive, wholly contemporary experience.

robertalanfuturehearts will be joined by Ten Moon. whose music places fantastical lyrics within dreamy soundscapes.

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GEORGE FAMILY SUNDANCE FUNDRAISER

FRIDAY, 24 MAY 2019  |  DOORS AT 20:00, MUSIC FROM 20:30

Murray Porter, Dalannah Gail Bowen, Buckman Coe, Oceanside Dakota, and MC Ostwelve headline this musical fundraiser in support of the 2019 George Family Sundance. The George Family have been heroic in protecting the land and water in T’sleil-Watuth traditional territory. Come show your appreciation for their tireless work.

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ILLITERATTY

SUNDAY, 5 MAY 2019  |  DOORS AT 18:30, MUSIC FROM 19:00

Earle Peach, Albert Klassen, Kirsten Daub, Natalie Philp, Simon Kendall, and Wesley Skakun play a diverse repertoire that is deeply musically literate, drawing on diverse “metafolk” traditions and genres; and their tight instrumental interplay and complex vocal harmonies are anything-but-ratty.

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BLACK DOG STRING QUARTET

FRIDAY, 3 MAY 2019  |  DOORS AT 20:00, MUSIC FROM 20:30

Violinists Elyse Jacobson and Molly McKinnon, Violist John Kastelic, and Cellist Doug Gorkoff comprise one of the hottest ensembles in Vancouver. Black Dog String Quartet will premiere John Kastelic’s songs for voice and string quartet, and will be joined by special guest Tony Kastelic. Erasing the lines between classical music and contemporary folk music, these latest songs sparkle with ingenuity, thoughtfulness, and lyricism. As a counterpoint to the songs, the group presents Brahms’ stunning String Quintet #2.

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GABRIEL DUBREUIL TRIO: with Madeleine Elkins and Chad Galpin

SATURDAY, 20 APRIL 2019  |  DOORS AT 20:00, MUSIC FROM 20:30

Violinist Gabriel Dubreuil is an astonishingly delightful and versatile musician. If you were lucky, you caught his electrifying show here last year with cellist George Crotty. He returns to Notional Space with guitarist Madeleine Elkins and bassist Chad Galpin. Gabriel calls their instrumental bent “swing-grass”; but The Celtic Connection considers their sound to be “a hot example of Celtic music and jazz fused together by superb musicians.” Come try to peg their virtuosic interplay for yourself… if you can.

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Re:Sisters  +  Fraser Union  +  What It Is!  =  benefit concert for WISH Drop-In Centre

SATURDAY, 6 APRIL 2019  |  DOORS AT 20:00, MUSIC FROM 20:30

Three great groups, one great cause. Come support WISH Drop-In Centre, which helps street-based sex workers on the DTES meet their basic daily needs.

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BONFIRE NIGHT BENEFIT FOR AUNT LEAH’S PLACE: BLUE DIRT GIRL, SARAH WHEELER, REID JAMIESON BAND

FRIDAY, 5 APRIL 2019  |  DOORS AT 19:30, MUSIC FROM 20:00

blue dirt girl is the latest musical project of singer, songwriter, guitarist, and Vancouver indie mainstay Kathryn Sutherland. The Notional Space show will feature Albert Klassen on bass and Jason Overy on drums, along with special guests Sarah Wheeler and Reid Jameison. 

This show will be a benefit concert to support Aunt Leah’s Independent Lifeskills Society, helping to prevent children in foster care from becoming homeless and mothers in need from losing custody of their children. The event is graciously co-sponsored by Luppolo Brewing Company, on tap for the evening. It will also be advanced ticketed by blue dirt girl — which is a nice way to show your support for Aunt Leah’s House if you cannot attend — so be sure to check the full information at the link below.

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MOIRA SMILEY

SUNDAY, 31 MARCH 2019  |  DOORS AT 19:30, MUSIC FROM 20:00

The great American composer, singer, and multi-instrumentalist Moira Smiley will present her solo show “The Voice Is A Traveler”, interweaving arresting original songs with American and European folksongs that speak of journeys and border-crossings, both geographical and metaphorical, and with stories that underscore the longing that drives the peripatetic life.  Moira will be joined by special guests Rene Worst and Jen Scott.

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CITIZEN JANE

FRIDAY, 29 MARCH 2019  |  DOORS AT 20:00, MUSIC FROM 20:30

We love Citizen Jane.  And we love the way songwriter, guitarist, mandolinist, and lead singer Reenie Perkovic and violinist extraordinaire Lea Kirstein describe their unique indie-folk sound: “Two parts daydream, one part grunge.”  Their debut album, “In the Storm” has received excellent notices and their live performances display both polished, sophisticated musicianship and compelling, raw emotional resonances.

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DANIELLE KNIBBE

SATURDAY, 16 MARCH 2019  |  DOORS AT 20:00, MUSIC FROM 20:30

At Notional Space, we don’t play favourites; but sometimes favourites play Notional Space. Danielle is, quite frankly, one of the most brilliant young songwriters in North America. Her compositions are presented in arrangements that feel simultaneously spare and lush. The offhand rawness of her gorgeous vocals are backed by intricate harmonies, always delivered with deft understatement. With bassist Connor Walsh and guitarist Bryn Besse, Danielle is touring her just-released “The Ribcage & The Heart”, the follow-up to her astonishing 2016 debut album, “Some Curious Birds”.

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FUNDRAISER IN SUPPORT OF SUTIKALH AND ULLUILSC ST’ÁT’IMC LAND PROTECTORS

SATURDAY, 9 MARCH 2019  |  17:00 TO 22:00

Come celebrate and support the defense of traditional St’át’imc territory and help to fundraise for Sutikalh and Ulluilsc camps. Many wonderful artists have either created pieces for this event or are donating existing work for auction. The inimitable Ostwelve will MC, and there will be food, drumming, and many other activities.More Information

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THE ACOUSTIC GUITAR PROJECT

SATURDAY, 17 NOVEMBER 2018  |  DOORS AT 20:00, MUSIC FROM 20:30

One Guitar. One Week. One Song. Six Songwriters.

The Acoustic Guitar Project is a global music platform and concert series, taking place in 50 cities around the world, that inspires musicians to write an original songs and record them in one week.  One songwriter starts the cycle with Vancouver’s special guitar, writes a tune, and passes it off to the next artist when their week is up.  The project culminates with all five songwriters coming together for a show to share their fresh works and stories behind them.  This is that show.

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DISNEY MATINEE: Benefit Concert for Music Heals

SUNDAY, 18 NOVEMBER 2018  |  DOORS AT 13:00, MUSIC FROM 13:30

Kids love the songs from Disney films.  Adults love the songs from Disney films.  Who else loves them?  Musicians do!  (You know musicians: they often look like adults, but are really kids.)

In this special matinee concert, local artists — including Julia Spitale, Shera Kelly, Michael Averill, Natalie Ramsay, and many others — have worked-up covers of their favourites.  So come — and bring a kid or two with you!

This show is a benefit in support of Music Heals which raises money and awareness for music therapy programs.  Consider giving generously, even if you cannot attend.

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DAUGHTER OF THE MOON

SATURDAY, 10 NOVEMBER 2018  |  DOORS AT 20:00, MUSIC FROM 20:30

Daughter of the Moon — none other than Vancouver’s sublime songwriter Natalie Ramsay — celebrates the release of her new album.  Come celebrate with her.

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IAN JANES

SATURDAY, 13 OCTOBER 2018  |  DOORS AT 20:00, MUSIC FROM 20:30

We are delighted to welcome back this great Nova Scotia songwriter.  Ian’s East Coast Music Award nominated album”Yes Man” has received wonderful notices from the music press, as has his latest single, “Can’t Remember Never Loving You”, which was originally heard in the TV show “Nashville”.

Ian’s performances are stunning.  His exceptionally strong songwriting might fit comfortably into a country genre, but the magic happens when these gorgeously crafted songs are married with his love of delicate jazz chords and a voice that is pure blue-eyed soul.

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DIEMM: “Ten Thousand Miracles” Album Release Concert

WEDNESDAY, 19 SEPTEMBER 2018  |  DOORS AT 19:00, MUSIC FROM 19:30

We are delighted to welcome back Diemm, the brilliantly introspective poet and Celtic harpist who played an absolutely transcendent show here in June.  This concert is special: it celebrates the release of her “ethereal, neo-classical chamber folk” album, Ten Thousand Miracles.  Her band will include bassist Oliver Swain and percussionist Ben Johnson.

Come enjoy the music and pick-up the new album.

ACQUA: Music for Cello Octet and Dancers

SATURDAY, 15 SEPTEMBER 2018  |  PERFORMANCES AT 19:30 AND  20:45, DOORS 20 MINUTES IN ADVANCE

The Allegra Chamber Orchestra presents the premiere of “Acqua”, by Composer-in-Residence Elizabeth Knudson. The work was conceived for cello octet and four dancers (Paula Pacheco Ribeiro, Oksana Maslechko, Alex Shigetomi, and Marie Taylor), with original choreography by Linda Arkelian.  The performance is made to be viewed from above, so most of the audience will occupy the mezzanine; but there will be seating for those for whom standing would be a challenge.

Also featured on the program will be music for water percussion, performed by percussionist Katie Rife.

There will be two performances of the program one at 7:30pm and another at 8:45pm. Space is limited, so please reserve well in advance.

If you reserve a space and find that you cannot come, please cancel your reservation or advise us so your space can go to someone else.

In keeping with both the water theme and the gift economy nature of Notional Space, Allegra Chamber Orchestra will be regifting all your financial support from the evening to the intrepid Coast Protectors — so please give generously.

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DON ALDER

FRIDAY, 6 JULY 2018  |  DOORS AT 19:30, MUSIC FROM 20:00

Vancouver’s internationally acclaimed fingerstyle guitar legend returns home after a three month European tour to blow down our house.  Don picks, strums, beats, and cajoles an orchestra-worth of sound from an acoustic guitar.  Like superman, he bends steel (strings) with his bare hands.

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RAHMA HADDAD’S EVENING OF MIDDLE EASTERN DANCE

MONDAY, 21 JUNE 2018  |  DOORS AT 19:30, DANCE FROM 20:00

Join Rahma Haddad, special guest dancers Caroline Heleczi, Carla Naar, and Devorah (Deborah Kerr), and Rahma’s students for and evening of Middle Eastern dance and music. While the dance performances are choreographed to prerecorded music, Oudist Serwan Yamolky and drummer Tim Gerwing will perform a live set of Arabic music.

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IAN JANES

SATURDAY, 16 JUNE 2018  |  DOORS AT 20:00, MUSIC FROM 20:30

The great Nova Scotia songwriter will take a break from Los Angeles, where he is recording the follow-up to his East Coast Music Award nominated “Yes Man”, to join us in Vancouver for an intimate, soulful evening.

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ANNA BAIGNOCHE + ANDY TABB WELCOME BAND

SATURDAY, 9 JUNE 2018  |  DOORS AT 19:30, MUSIC FROM 20:00

Anna B and Andy T bring their great bands and beautiful voices for a great evening of acoustic music.  Anna’s jazzy, folky repertoire is well-informed by her academic depth in ethnomusicology; but she plays straight from the heart.  Andy writes and renders traditional-feeling Americana with great sensitivity, virtuosity, and creativity.

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DIEMM + TOM VAN DEURSEN

MONDAY, 4 JUNE 2018  |  DOORS AT 19:30, MUSIC FROM 20:00

What do Diemm and Tom have in common?  The both call Kaslo home and they both write beautiful songs.  You may know Diemm as the brilliantly introspective poet and harpist who played an absolutely transcendent show here last November.  You know Tom as the guitarist and songwriter from Vancouver’s The Boom Booms.  The two will play an acoustic evening of original compositions and collaborations.

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RAIN COAST CHOIR + JOSHUA WOOD + SINÉAD SANDERS

THURSDAY, 24 MAY 2018  |  DOORS AT 19:30, MUSIC FROM 20:00

Joline Baylis directs this rock-and-roll community choir, which brings tight four-part harmony arrangements to contemporary music. Join them, along with Joshua Wood and Sinéad Sanders, for a rollicking end-of-term performance.

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THE BURYING GROUND

THURSDAY, 3 MAY 2018  |  DOORS AT 19:30, MUSIC FROM 20:00

The Burying Ground formed in 2014 as a duo, but Woody Forster and Devora Laye frequently perform their tight, torchy, old-timey Americana with a complement of wonderful instrumentalists — from strings large to strings small, from trumpets to tubas.  This event is a fundraiser to get them on their way to their first European tour.

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EAST VAN GUITAR NIGHT

SATURDAY, 14 APRIL 2018  |  DOORS AT 19:30, MUSIC FROM 20:00

Local guitarist Alexander Flock presents a line-up of virtuoso musicians representing guitar styles from around the world.  Joining Alex on stage will be Les Finnigan, John Gilliat, and Rossi Tzonkov.

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LOOSE ROOTS: Gabriel Dubreuil & George Crotty

SUNDAY, 25 MARCH 2018  |  DOORS AT 19:30, MUSIC FROM 20:00

Violinist Gabriel Dubreuil and cellist George Crotty met as students at the prestigious Berklee College of Music in Boston. Their music is rooted in Celtic fiddle tunes, but featuring a jazzy spontaneity and the intimacy of chamber music.

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Allegra Chamber Orchestra: WISH Drop-In Centre Benefit

FRIDAY, 2 MARCH 2018  |  DOORS AT 19:30, MUSIC FROM 20:00

Vancouver’s sensational all-woman chamber orchestra is  back at Notional Space, along with a lineup of very special guest artists, for an International Women’s Day concert. Proceeds from this event will go to Music Heals Canada to benefit the music therapy program for women at the WISH Drop In Centre on the downtown east side.  Advanced tickets are required, as space is limited.

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The Acoustic Guitar Project

17 NOVEMBER 2017  |  DOORS AT 19:30, MUSIC FROM 20:00

One Guitar. One Week. One Song. Five Songwriters.

The Acoustic Guitar Project is a global music platform — and concert series — that inspires musicians to write an original song and record it live in one week.

The Guitar Project takes place in 46 cities across the globe. This concert presents the 2017 work made by Vancouver’s five songwriters.

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Dawna McLennan

10 NOVEMBER 2017  |  DOORS AT 7:30,  MUSIC FROM 8:00

Dawna McLennan brings her unique “ethereal, neo-classical chamber folk” to Vancouver for an evening of music and poetry. Dawna is a harpist, poet, and songwriter whose words and music are both introspective and designed to foster introspection in her audience.

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Peace Poppies present an Evening of Song & Poetry

9 NOVEMBER 2017  |  DOORS AT 7:30, MUSIC FROM 8:00

The collective that works to imbue each year’s Remembrance Day with wishes for peace — and not simply valourization of war — will bring together pacifist poets and musicians in celebration of hopefulness.

Performances by the Left Coast Labour Chorus; Re:Sisters; Jim Edmondson & Madeleine DeLittle; Ruth Walmsley and Friends, Bill Hood & Georgina Arntzen; plus poets Christopher Levenson, Leslie Timmins, Ken Klonskey and others.

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Re:Sisters  +  Fraser Union  +  What It Is!  =  benefit concert for WISH Drop-In Centre

3 NOVEMBER 2017  |  DOORS AT 7:30, MUSIC FROM 8:00

Three great groups, one great cause. Come support WISH Drop-In Centre, which helps street-based sex workers on the DTES meet their basic daily needs.

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Emily Chambers with Alexander Flock; plus, special guest sets by Dawn Pemberton,  David Ward, and Terrence Jack

22 OCTOBER 2017  |  DOORS AT 7:30, MUSIC FROM 8:00

Come celebrate the work of videographer Michael Clarke, the visual force behind of Emily’s new music video and her wonderful VanJams project.

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Farnaz Ohadi

18 OCTOBERBER 2017  |  DOORS AT 7:30,  MUSIC FROM 8:00

Acclaimed singer Farnaz Ohadi, along with  Spanish guitarist Peter Mole, present an evening of Persian Flamenco.  The duo will be accompanied by Flamenco dancer Andrea Williams and Persian classical dancer Fereshteh Zakeri.

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C.R. Avery

3 OCTOBER 2017  |  DOORS AT 8:00, MUSIC FROM 8:30

Living in East Van, but celebrated far-and-wide for his imaginative, idiosyncratic poetry and music, CR Avery is a Neal Cassady or Tom Waits for a new generation.  He concludes a mini-tour with this hometown show to highlight his new book (“The Black Water Under The August Moon Parade”) and vinyl (“All the Angels Didn’t Scare Me”).

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blue dirt girl: Aunt Leah’s Place benefit

22 SEPTEMBER 2017  |  DOORS AT 8:00,  MUSIC FROM 8:30

blue dirt girl is the latest musical project of singer, songwriter, guitarist, and Vancouver indie mainstay Kathryn Sutherland. The Notional Space show will feature Albert Klassen on bass and Jason Overy on drums. 

This show will be a benefit concert to support Aunt Leah’s Independent Lifeskills Society, helping to prevent children in foster care from becoming homeless and mothers in need from losing custody of their children. The event is graciously co-sponsored by Luppolo Brewing Company, on tap for the evening. Along with the blue dirt girl trio, the evening will feature a poetry performance by #ThinkingShip and music by ukuleleist Moira Chicilo.

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Mohsin Zaman

6 SEPTEMBER 2017  |  DOORS AT 8:00, MUSIC FROM 8:30

Alberta’s great singer/songwriter has had an amazing year: he performed at the Edmonton, Winnipeg, and Calgary Folk Festivals; was appointed “Artist-in-Residence” with the Edmonton Folk Festival; and was voted Edmonton’s Male Artist of the Year.  He’s making his first trip to Vancouver to play St. James Hall — but we are lucky enough to get him the night before.  This Wednesday night show promises to be something very special.

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Danielle Knibbe Trio

1 SEPTEMBER 2017  |  DOORS AT 8:00, MUSIC FROM 8:30

With bassist Connor Walsh and guitarist Bryn Besse, Toronto songstress Danielle Knibbe presents her compositions in arrangements that feel simultaneously spare and lush. The offhand rawness of her affecting vocals are backed by intricate harmonies, delivered with deft understatement.  Her 2016 debut, “Some Curious Birds”, displays the breadth and intelligence of her songwriting and gives a strong sense of the natural virtuosity her band exudes in live performance.

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James Stuart Ferguson Band

25 AUGUST 2017  |  DOORS AT 8:00, MUSIC FROM 8:30

James — along with bandmates Taylor Pawsey and Dave Julé — is releasing his debut EP and we are celebrating! Come join the party, and take-in the solid songwriting, excellent musicianship and polished vocal stylings of these Richmond, BC up-and-comers.

​Songwriters Zach Kleisinger and Bre McDaniel will open the festivities.

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Kate Reid

18 AUGUST 2017  |  DOORS AT 7:00, MUSIC FROM 7:30

Slam poetry meets folk music and LGBTQ-themed tunes in celebrated queer-musical-activist Kate Reid. Her work is smart, funny, and biting; but it is also poignant and sweetly lyrical in the finest singer/songwriter tradition.

Julia Spitale

11 AUGUST 2017  |  DOORS AT 7:00, MUSIC FROM 7:30

Come Celebrate the release of Julia Spitale’s great new album, “Good Again”. The record is cool for any number of reasons, not the least of which is Julia’s terrific songwriting talent. But it was also recorded and mixed (by Vancouver’s great Michael Averill) exclusively at the Vancouver Public Library!

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And the other great shows?

Sadly, the migration of this website from one server to another didn’t go so sweetly, and we’ve lost the archives of the early performances, from Railtown Sound System inaugurating Notional Space on 21 July 2015 through early-August 2017. Oh well.