It鈥檚 been a tough start to the week for Vancouver鈥檚 music community.
On Tuesday, the Smilin鈥� Buddha Cabaret (SBC) Restaurant announced via Facebook that shows will no longer be staged at the East Hastings venue effective immediately.
Musicians are now scrambling to find alternatives for gigs scheduled for as soon as Friday. The venue was booked solid on weekends through until early 2020, as are many downtown venues, exacerbating any plans to relocate shows on short notice.
SBC owner Malcolm Hassin told the Courier Wednesday the change is being done to move into licensing compliance with Liquor and Cannabis Regulation Branch specs. Hassin said he鈥檒l meet with inspectors from the branch on Monday, Nov. 4 to discuss next steps.聽
A representative from the liquor and cannabis branch confirmed with the Courier Wednesday that the licence for SBC hasn鈥檛 been suspended.
The East Hastings venue has a food primary license, along with a 50-person capacity and a requirement to end shows by 1 a.m. Hassin could face thousands of dollars in fines if he鈥檚 found in contravention of those licensing conditions.
In the interim, SBC will remain open solely as a skateboard ramp.
Hassin and two business partners took over the space in 2013, though it opened in 1952 as the Smilin鈥� Buddha Dine and Dance nightclub. It remained a live music venue for soul and punk rock through the following four decades. Jefferson Airplane, Jimi Hendrix, 54-40, DOA, Subhumans and the Young Canadians performed at SBC over the years.
鈥淚鈥檓 trying to make it work, but it鈥檚 been a long time coming,鈥� Hassin said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 been the only positive thing [in the neighbourhood] for a long time.鈥�
There was online speculation that the sudden end of gigs was tied to a horrific accident outside the venue on Oct. 12. Burnaby resident Desiree Evancio was dragged several blocks underneath a tour van belonging to American band Off With Their Heads, and she鈥檚 since undergone four major surgeries.
to aid in Evancio鈥檚 recovery effort, which will take years.
鈥淚 think there was a lot of heat from that,鈥� Hassin said. 鈥淲hether it brought this, I don鈥檛 know.鈥�
麻豆传媒映画Police Department spokesperson Const. Steve Addison told the Courier that SBC鈥檚 announcement had nothing to do with the incident involving Evancio.
He noted the investigation will take weeks, if not months, before next steps are taken. The band member alleged to have been behind the wheel hasn鈥檛 been detained by police and has left Vancouver, given that charges haven鈥檛 been laid against him.
鈥淲e believe the driver had alcohol in his system,鈥� Addison said. 鈥淲e believe that alcohol did affect his system. We鈥檙e working to determine what role, if any, that played in the circumstances that led to the crash.鈥�
The VPD announced last week that surveillance footage has emerged showing Evancio walking between the band鈥檚 trailer and van while it was at a stoplight.
鈥淚 understand there鈥檚 all kinds of speculation out there and with the news that came out last week about the fact that we now know that she did, for an unknown reason, walk between the van and the cargo trailer,鈥� Addison said. 鈥淭here鈥檚 a lot of speculation out there about what happened and why that happened, we don鈥檛 have all the answers to that yet and that鈥檚 what we鈥檙e trying to figure out.鈥�
What happens next is in the hands of case investigators. Once all evidence is gathered, those investigators will consult with Crown Counsel to determine the charge assessment and approval process.
The investigation could end without any charges at all.聽
鈥淚 don鈥檛 think there鈥檚 going to be anything imminent on this,鈥� Addison said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 going to take some time.鈥�
鈥攚ith files from Jessica Kerr
@johnkurucz
