The new Railway Stage & Beer Café is not only ready to open after a quick round of renovations to the room that once housed the Railway Club, but it’s doing so with an event that’s free. 

On Wednesday, April 5, the former Railway Club begins its new life as a live music, comedy, and craft-beer landing ground with a performance by Vancouver’s the Zolas. The show takes place a day before the Juno-nominated group headlines a sold-out performance at the Vogue. 

To score one of 70 general admission tickets go to myshowpass.com/zolas-at-railway, and do it quick as tickets are first-come first-served. A further five VIP packages are up for grabs on Instagram; simply follow @railwaysbc and tag a friend in the contest post. 

As previously reported by the Straight, the Railway—once one of Canada’s most fabled live venues—sat vacant after shuttering its doors in March of 2016. A group headed by local entrepreneurs Jeff Donnelly and Chad Cole leased the property in January of this year, and then subsequently announced their intentions to turn the room into destination for fans of live music, comedy, and craft beer. 

Vancouver icon Thomas Anselmi—who reimagined the Waldorf at the beginning of the decade—was brought on to help program the room. In its press release for the opening, the Railway Stage & Beer Cafe quotes Anselmi as saying: “It’s been completely revamped with the aspiration of being the most beautiful intimate live room in the city. The audio system has been upgraded to offer top flight sound, and has been matched with classic staging and lighting. We’re really proud of how the stage has turned out. The new Railway will be a great experience for performers and audiences alike.” 

Following the grand opening, Tuesdays will feature live comedy, Wednesdays and Thursdays will be devoted to local acts. Weekends will showcase touring acts and big-draw local bands. 

In the release, Cole states: “We’ve dedicated our Wednesday and Thursday nights to showcasing local acts, and bands who are interested in playing here are welcome to send their demos directly to me at chadc@donnellygroup.ca.” 

As far as the beer goes, the Railway Stage & Beer Café will feature 24 taps and four cask engines, with the focus being 100-percent craft products. Initial offerings will include Moody Ales Intrepid Lemon Matcha Saison, Brooklyn Bel Air Sour, and Twin Sails Dat Juice. 

Visit donnellygroup.ca/blog/ for more details.