Musical Memories Swing Back in Time to Remember Ray Condo and Frank Sinatra in Tribute Shows
June 8, 1957, Frank Sinatra rolled into town for a gig at the Orpheum Theatre with bandleader Nelson Riddle and a 26-piece orchestra. Sinatra had just finished some location shooting in San Francisco for the film “Pal Joey” before heading out on a brief West Coast tour that included dates in Vancouver, Seattle, Portland and the Bay Area. CKNW DJ Jack Cullen secretly recorded the Orpheum concert straight from Sinatra’s mic, without the singer’s knowledge. That move landed Cullen on Sinatra’s blacklist, although the bootleg eventually resurfaced decades later as an official release in Europe titled “Live at The Orpheum Vancouver June 8th 1957.”
The following night, sound engineer Wally Heider recorded the Seattle show in three-track stereo with an Ampex 351 tape deck, set up in the back of his station wagon. That recording, “Sinatra in ’57: In Concert,” available on vinyl and CD, got an A- from critic Robert Christgau: “The audio is exquisite, the repertoire is choice, the excellent Nelson Riddle arrangements are mixed way below the voice,” capturing Sinatra at the absolute peak of his career, traveling around with a full orchestra made up of Capitol Records’ top studio musicians.
Now, Dane Warren is bringing those classic Sinatra vibes back to life at the Deep Cove Shaw Theatre with “Ol’ Blue Eyes,” running through Sept. 21. Performing on stage with the Dean Thiessen Little Big Band, Warren will take audiences through six decades of Sinatra’s music. Tickets are available on the First Impressions Theatre website.
Also coming up this week, Cousin Harley and the Ramblin’ Ambassadors pay tribute to rockabilly legend Ray Condo at the Rickshaw Theatre on Sept. 13. The show marks the 20th anniversary of the passing of the much-loved musician and celebrates the release of a “Ray Condo Forever” vinyl recording.
Upcoming Events Guide: Live and Direct
Glass Animals, Rogers Arena, Sept. 8
Future Islands, Malkin Bowl, Sept. 10-11
A Tribute to Ray Condo (Cousin Harley, Ramblin’ Ambassadors), Rickshaw Theatre, Sept. 13
Sophie Ellis-Bextor, Commodore Ballroom, Sept. 13
Barnside Harvest Festival, Paterson Park, Delta, Sept. 13, 14 and 15
Tokyo Police Club, Commodore Ballroom, Sept. 14-15
Kaytranada, Deer Lake Park, Sept. 14, 5pm
Alberta-based singer-songwriter Celeigh Cardinal will be performing songs from her new album, Boundless Possibilities, at the ʔəm̓i ce:p xʷiwəl (Come Toward the Fire) festival, in UBC’s Chan Centre for the Performing Arts on Sept. 14.
Eric Idle, Vogue Theatre, Sept. 14
The Cult, Vogue Theatre, Sept. 17
Social Distortion, Commodore Ballroom, Sept. 17-19
Sam Hunt, Rogers Arena, Sept. 18
Kacey Musgraves, Rogers Arena, Sept. 19
Bif Naked, Rickshaw Theatre, Sept. 19
Paul Weller, Vogue Theatre, Sept. 20
Billy Bragg, Commodore Ballroom, Sept. 20, 7 pm
Shipyards Festival, North Vancouver Shipyards, Sept. 21
Fontaines D.C., Commodore Ballroom, Sept. 22
Tems, Queen Elizabeth Theatre, Sept. 22
Peter Hook & The Light, Commodore Ballroom, Sept. 23
Tori Kelly, Queen Elizabeth Theatre, Sept. 23
Childish Gambino, Rogers Arena, Sept. 23
Andy Shauf, Vogue Theatre, Sept. 24
Vancouver International Film Festival, Sept. 26 – Oct. 6
Opening the VIFF Live x Chan EXP series, Inuk artist Elisapie is presenting the West Coast premiere of her new multimedia show, Uvattini, at UBC’s Chan Centre for the Performing Arts on Sept. 28 at 8 p.m.
Lainey Wilson, Rogers Arena, Sept. 26
Cigarettes After Sex, Rogers Arena, Sept. 27
Anciients with Waingro, Worse and Empress, Rickshaw Theatre, Sept. 27
TsuShiMaMiRe, LanaLou’s, Sept. 27
The National / The War on Drugs, Rogers Arena, Oct. 2
William Basinski: Arcadia Archive (as part of VIFF Live), Rio Theatre, Oct. 2
Empress Of, Rickshaw Theatre, Oct. 2
Griff, Commodore Ballroom, Oct. 2
Spirit of the Beehive, Rickshaw Theatre, Oct. 4
Soul Asylum, Vogue Theatre, Oct. 5
ANOHNI and the Johnsons, Chan Centre for the Performing Arts, Oct. 5
Weezer, The Flaming Lips and Dinosaur Jr., Rogers Arena, Oct. 5
Hans Zimmer, Rogers Arena, Oct. 6
Luna Li, Fortune Sound Club, Oct. 7
Chaparelle, Hollywood Theatre, Oct. 9
Cirque du Soleil ECHO, Under the Big Top, Concord Pacific, Oct. 9 – Dec. 15
54-40, Commodore Ballroom, Oct. 11 & 12
Don Toliver, Rogers Arena, Oct. 12
Nick Carter, Commodore Ballroom, Oct. 13
Bonny Light Horseman, Hollywood Theatre, Oct. 14
Bad Religion, Commodore Ballroom, Oct. 14
Evanescence, Rogers Arena, Oct. 15
Lawrence, Commodore Ballroom, Oct. 16
Nilüfer Yanya, Hollywood Theatre, Oct. 18
After the Gold Rush Reimagined (Steve Dawson & Co,), Kay Meek Arts Centre, Oct 18 & 19, 7:30 pm
Niki with Allison Pontheir, Rogers Arena, Oct. 19
Kokoroko, Hollywood Theatre, Oct. 22
Kronos Quartet, UBC’s Chan Centre, Oct. 26, 8 pm
Kate Nash, Hollywood Theatre, Oct. 28
Suki Waterhouse with Bully, Commodore Ballroom, Oct. 28
Kid Congo and the Pink Monkey Birds, Rickshaw Theatre, Nov. 1
Porches, Hollywood Theatre, Nov. 1
The Dead South, Commodore Ballroom, Nov. 3 and 4
Sabrina Carpenter, Pacific Coliseum, Nov. 4, 7 pm
Dehd, Rickshaw Theatre, Nov. 5
Washed Out, Hollywood Theatre, Nov. 9
Arkells, Rogers Arena, Nov. 15
Death from Above 1979, Vogue Theatre, Nov. 16
Canadian Football League’s 111th Grey Cup, Jonas Brothers (Halftime Show) BC Place, Nov. 17
Zach Bryan, Rogers, Arena, Nov. 20
Tenille Townes, Commodore Ballroom, Nov. 22
Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band, Rogers Arena, Nov. 22
Billie Eilish, Rogers Arena, Dec. 3, 8 pm
Taylor Swift, BC Place, Dec. 6, 7 & 8
Thievery Corporation, Vogue Theatre, Dec. 15, 8 pm
Black Flag, Rickshaw Theatre, Jan. 5
Arooj Aftab, Hollywood Theatre, Jan.20
Translinear Light: The Music of Alice Coltrane, UBC Chan Centre, Feb. 28, 2025
Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds, Queen Elizabeth Theatre, May 11, 2025
