Rock and Roll Mini-Vacation in Vancouver!

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Not only did L and I enjoy a long weekend, but we took Tuesday/Wednesday off as well! We took the seaplane over to Vancouver to see Frank Turner in concert, our 6th time, last time being here twice in one weekend in 2018, six years ago! 

Frank may be my favourite concert to see, but this is my favourite person by far. Twenty-five-plus years of doing fun things! 

As we did just one month ago (here) when we popped over to see Molly Tuttle, we packed minimally.

I wore this sparkly denim suit, and my 6-year-old concert tee, and only took a change of socks/underwear. I wore a different concert tee home - one I bought that night! 

• Suit - Cappopera, vintage 90s, consignment; last worn here (2nd outfit) in December 2023 for a shopping day with Yvonne
• T-shirt - Frank Turner 2018 tour shirt, not tracked
• Shoes - Adidas Harden Vol. 3 "Imma Star", consignment; first seen here (3rd outfit) in August with triple Adidas

This is how most people saw me. 

A small purse and a silk scarf, and in my sunnies.

With the jacket off, which I did a few times.

I liked how the pants of the suit looked with the sneakers.

I left the hems unzipped.

Also showing the amazing embroidered and studded detail around the pockets. 

After wearing this suit for the 3rd time, I'm done with it. The jacket is not a good cut on me. 

The gold sparkle is only discernable up close - it photographs dully. I want my sparkle to be in your face!

The jeans are good shape-wise, but the gold sparkle actually means they are slightly scratchy.

In the end, I don't love this set enough to keep it - I'll consign or sell it. It ended up at just over $20 per wear, which is...not my best, but I'll make sure it gets to a good home. 

Incognito.

The heroes were the scarf (cold A/C) and shoes (much standing, dancing and walking).

Accoutrements: 

I carried the bare minimum, with the scarf often tied onto the purse thusly. 

• Purse - Rebecca Minkoff, consignment
• Scarf - Forele, vintage, consignment

The stuff: 

The sneakers were great - we walked many kilometers, danced to all the punk songs, and stood in line for an hour. 

Badass bling: 

Armouring up for General Admission seating (eeeeee!). 

• Belt - vintage 90s, consignment; purchased here for $23.00
• Leather cuff - Guess, thrifted
• Leather/metal cuff - thrifted
• Silver Anneke & Lars ring - vintage mall
• Lapis lazuli ring - Wendy Brandes
• Silver/kyanite ring - consignment
• Steel earrings - gift from Lise

Wait, something's missing...

Ah, I still had my pendant on! 

• Celtic S - vintage 90s, gift from Mom & Dad

Are you ready to join us in our little adventure! Buckle in, my friends! 

L and I walked to town Tuesday morning - it was overcast with some fog. L carried our sole bag with our toiletries and change of clothes, and I spy our plane peeking out from behind the terminal. We watched the Coho Ferry (with the red stripe) leave much later.

Much later? Yes, due to that overcast foggy weather, our flight was delayed by 1.5 hours, until the haze hanging over the water lifted. All the flights prior to ours were cancelled - seaplanes fly on instruments/visuals, not radar. 

A big challenge of living on an island (even though Vancouver Island is huge) is that you're often at the mercy of the weather. I've lost track of the times we've been delayed or had to cab to the ferry due to poor weather - it's happened in Victoria, Vancouver and Seattle. 

I know, First World problem! I'm still filled with gratitude that the Weather Gods saw fit to bring out the sun and allow the planes to fly again.

We usually take off from the Victoria Harbour and curve for a south-east approach to Vancouver, over the water and Gulf Islands. 

But instead we looped to the west a bit then headed north overland. 

Shadows of clouds over Saanich. I think that's Elk/Beaver lake behind the low hill with the white dome (the observatory).

I'm not even really sure which part of the Saanich Peninsula this is. 

Low cloud and haze. 

Oh, here's a more populated area.

Looks like the farmland to the north. 

Finally, we cut across the Strait and could see the mainland in the distance. 

A tug puttered along, and a pleasure-boat sped in the opposite direction. 

Tankers! We must be near Vancouver.

The silhouettes of urban centres loom like a post-apocalyptic landscape. 

But it's just Vancouver, with Burnaby in the distance. 

We landed right down there near the building with the white pointy sails (Canada Place). 

The view from our hotel balcony.

Some construction going on.

We'd texted ahead and invited our niece Zoe to join us for a late lunch.

So good to see you, hon! Thanks so much for traveling all the way from Coquitlam to see us! 

L and I scoped out the Commodore Ballroom before the show. Oh, excuse me...the FABULOUS Commodore Ballroom! 

I thought you might appreciate the tile detailing of the Box Office sign. 

We were 4th and 5th in line - one of us (*cough*it'sme*cough*) has anxiety issues in crowds and needs to get there early to get a seat. 

L is also wearing a Frank 2018 tour shirt ("Be More Kind"). As you can see, it got bright and sunny - we were sweating!

But we got excellent seats on the side, before everyone came in, and I was able to get in line and buy myself some merch ("MI-post-CH" in this pic).

I admired the grand dance floor, surrounded by raised sections with tables, bar seating and lovely Art Deco railings. There is also a balcony section with some seating above the Commodore sign on the right.

But I like to be close - but not too close! We had a tall table in an alcove (I like my back against a wall), which was perfect.

Enjoy a history of the Commodore Ballroom here (link 'cause I love, as always) - it was built in 1930.

Our opening act was Bridge City Sinners (link here), a "folk" band. I appreciated the silver balloons they poured out onto the audience.

More like a cross of psycho-billy and metal, with a dash of punk. Also, "Polka's Dead," did you hear?

I enjoyed them, and L bought a t-shirt and all of the band's CDs. They had an enthusiastic fanbase, so worth the risk.

Their fiddler, guitarist and banjo player - the redhead is the main singer. A fun show! 

The next act was Bedouin Soundclash (link here), who played as a trio.

I knew a bunch of the songs from the radio (hello, CanCon, more than you ever wanted to know here). 

And then it was time for Frank Turner, punk troubadour from the UK.

L will have a review up soon (check in here in a few days), but the show followed his "rule of thirds" for a good show.

One third "stuff from the new album" (which is pretty solid).

A rather large jostling crowd now, and Frank always encourages a mosh-pit.

One third of the show is ideally deep cuts, and one third fan favourites/hits. Check, check, check! Good show!

There was a fair amount of crowd-surfing, and the patient security guard (the man in the turban) gently brought each down to the floor and scooted the perpetrators out of the crowd. 

The show wrapped up after 11pm, and L and I walked back to the hotel, gobbling "by the slice" pizza on the way. 

I bought a pack of pins for $25.00 - L gets the "F/T/H/C" (Frank Turner Hard Core), I get the "I'm Still Standing Up" and the cassette pin (totally going on my jean jacket!). 

In fact, I bought the t-shirt with the cassette on it too. This is a little big on me, and VERY long, so I might be just sleeping in it. 

I wore it during the show over my original tee, as we were directly in the path of a blast of frigid A/C (the silk scarf saved my chilled hands!). It was $55.00 - yes, merch is stoopid expensive, but I also know that's where the artists make the most profit, so I nearly always buy a shirt. Support art! 

No worries about the weather preventing us from getting home.

It was a gorgeous hot day. We had a quick breakfast in the hotel restaurant before walking down to the docks.

There's a plane landing right in the middle of this picture.

After a short wait, we were winging our way back to the island. 

Ever noticed "Lionsgate Films" in the credits when watching a movie? That's a locally-founded production company, named after this suspension bridge, which is called...

The Lions Gate Bridge, named after a pair of nearby mountain peaks. 

A pretty view of the north shore, and the mountains leading up to the coast of BC. 

Powell River is way, way north of here. 

A ferry probably coming from Nanaimo, on the island.

Ferries are the only way to get a car on or off the island, and are a mainstay of island life - but they do take hours to get from there to here. Planes are expensive, though.

After only 40 minutes, harbour-to-harbour, here we are back at Victoria. No cruise ships in the docks, but there often are.

Mount Baker (in Washington State to the west) deigned to show itself. 

Coming in closer...

We landed moments later, and L and I hopped a bus home.

Our little bud is doing good - the news from the vet was positive, although we have noticed he's gotten fussier with his food, and his eyesight seems to be deteriorating. 

"I'm a cranky old man, and I want kitty treats, not that garbage medical food."

Photo from "uncle" Ross, who took good care of him while we were away.

Thanks so much for stopping by, and for rockin' out with me! 

Peace out!