Former location –
The Retinal Circus was a short-lived dive that operated in a basement from the summer of 1967 to November 3, 1968 when the Velvet Underground played the last show there.
Other performers included:
Country Joe McDonald
The Youngbloods
The Charlatans
Bo Diddley
Junior Wells
Muddy Waters Blues Band
Notable Concerts Held At The Retinal Circus:
October 20 & 21, 1967 – Country Joe McDonald, Painted Ship, Papa Bear’s Medicine Show
December 28, 1967 – Youngbloods, Wildflower, Pretty Broos, Graeme & The Wafers
April 11, 12 & 13, 1968 – Charlatans, My Indole Ring, Pacific Nation, Mock Duck
May 30, 31 & June 1, 1968 – Bo Diddley, My Indole Ring, Black Snake Blues Band, United Empire Loyalists
June 27, 28, 29 & 30, 1968 – Velvet Underground, Seeds Of Time, Black Snake Blues Band, My Indole Ring, Papa Bear’s Medicine Show, Don Thompson Trio
August 6 to 10, 1968 – Muddy Waters Blues Band, My Indole Ring
October 31 to November 3, 1968 – Velvet Underground, Black Snake Blues Band
The Retinal Circus
1024 Davie St
Vancouver, BC V6E 1M3
I Lived in the West End and the Retinal Circus was my Friday and Saturday Night, It was Dante’s Inferno before that. It was not a basement and was professionally managed and produced. They gave lots of coverage to local talent and brought in the best and most dynamic performers. Bob Masse who lives on Salt Spring Island, did the posters for the Doors when they played in Victoria and Vancouver. These are terrific art works and representative of the period. http://www.bmasse.com/
The building was designed in 1911, is a Heritage Site and the current home of Celebrities Nightclub .
http://www.vancitybuzz.com/2013/06/celebrities-nightclub-to-receive-places-that-matter-historical-plaque/
In my den, I have postcards from Dante Inferno and the Circus. We used to get these when we entered and they have become collectables.
Mine collection include the Doors, signed by Bob Masse himself, Velvet Underground, Muddy Waters, Hohn Handy and others.
I do not live in the past but I do respect it.
Now ! if you want something with a bit of fun, Go to the Blue Grass festival in Coombs, BC https://sites.google.com/site/coombsbluegrassfestival/
I was in the Royal Navy, my ship called in Vancouver in 1968, I went to The Retinal Circus with a girl called Nancy Martin from Altalake. great venue which got me into the superb of the era. still listening to that plus new stuff
I used to hang outside the Circus and the Inferno, but seldom went in. My “job” was making customers happy on their way in. Man, that was long ago and far away. I cannot remember the name of the Biker Club that hung just down the street, but they used to love to roust us long-haired hippies. They weren’t the only ones; Vancouver’s finest undercover narc squad continually drove by on weekends taking pictures, but to the best of my knowledge they never busted anyone there. Ah, but they thought they were being so discreet.
That was a different world, in a different time. Life was still beautiful. Wow, man. By 1969 the area was losing its groove. Still, the Circus holds a good feeling in my heart.
Just wondering, didn’t Eric Burdon and the New Animals play there one night, minus at least one of the group who got caught holding coming over the border? I don’t remember if they were billed, or just jamming there, but my memory says they were there.
I remember seeing them at the Circus. They were playing at the Coliseum and went to the Circus for short session after. I seem to remember that one of their bandmates had a problem at the border.
Yeah, I was there that night too, but it wasn’t just a short session. The story I got was that they knew the club owner and dropped by to unwind after their concert. It was after midnight before they were talked into going on stage.
They treated it more like a Jazz gig than rock. I remember a long rambling improv of War than went on for at least 25 minutes. And a completely different rendition of Misunderstood that went on for almost as long.
I sat on the floor right in front of the stage, not ten feet from Burden and the musicians. We all couldn’t believe our luck. We knew we were witnessing something that very very few people would ever get to experience.
I saw them again in Zurich a few months later, but that was a monster event in a gigantic venue with many other acts (including Jimi) and nowhere near as magical as that intimate little gathering in the Circus that I will never forget.
I remember seeing County Joe & The Fish at the Circus, I liked them so much that I went and saw them at the Coliseum in Vancouver and put up with Tiny Tim who ended not being to bad. The Fish were cool!