Vancouver · Nightlife

A 1929 ballroom at 868 Granville Street with a sprung dance floor that moves under a full room, booking everything from indie bands to hip-hop. Almost entirely standing, so arrive early if you want a rail or a balcony seat.

A brick-vaulted basement bar under 1 Alexander Street in Gastown that runs two live sets every night. Open 6pm to midnight Sunday to Wednesday, to 1am Thursday and to 2am Friday and Saturday; check the calendar, because sets have fixed start times.

Mount Pleasant's independent venue on Main Street: live bands early, then throwback dance nights — eighties, nineties, hip-hop, disco — later on, plus cheap monthly showcases of local acts. Programming changes weekly, so read the calendar before you plan around it.

A small neighbourhood brewery and tasting room at 2148 Main Street, open Tuesday to Friday 2–11pm, Saturday noon–11pm and Sunday and Monday 2–10pm. The tap list turns over constantly, so read the board rather than asking for a brand.

The blocks of Granville Street south of Robson are where the large clubs cluster, and on Friday and Saturday nights they are the loudest and most heavily policed few hundred metres in the city. Worth knowing about mainly so you can decide to be elsewhere.