Victoria, BC Scene Report

by Vanislejay
published on 2025-5-21
tags: Scene Report Victoria British Columbia GLOBAL FAKE WHITE COLLAR POOCHED DISPOSAL SUNDIVER CHERRY VENOM SLANT BOOTLICKER SELF DEFENSE DRAÜMAR Issue 6

Ok, this isn't a full, true scene report – despite my name, I haven't lived on Vancouver Island for almost 20 years, but it's still a place I feel connected to and love. I have incredible friends here, some from when I lived here, and plenty are folks I have met in the 20 years since I left. I lived in Victoria for 10 years in the late 90's/early 2000's and since then, understandably, a lot of things have changed, but a lot has stayed the same. Here's a few things I tapped into while I was there recently.

How to find the gigs

The promoters here poster like the good ol days, but I can't tell you which telephone pole to check for the latest posters. Unfortunately the only good way to find out about shows here is Instagram. If you don't have Instagram, too bad for you! I'd say the best way is to hit up one of the shops at the end of this article and ask, bonus cause you'll make a local friend. Hopefully the Gigtoria folks will set up an alternative online calendar or something soon. Another option is Live Victoria, an independent website that has been going since I lived here. Back then it was mostly punk and underground stuff (and a forum we all argued on) but now it seems to list everything so check that out if you also want to know when the next DAVE MATTHEWS cover show is.

Bands

These are some of the bands I didn't catch live (all the bands I saw live are in the shows section). There are a ton of bands so sorry if I missed you! If I missed your band, you should write up a true scene report that isn't by some tourist who "used to live here."

LOVE LIFE is a pop punk band that has members of LOTS of other bands, the pedigree here is kinda close to unmatched. They were recording while I was here so hopefully that drops soon.

CORRODE is a metallic hardcore band in the best way. Great snare sound, political lyrics, 10/10. Not to be confused with CORRODE from Western Mass (who also rule, btw)

HEDONIST is death metal played by punks (yes!) I heard a rumour they are playing a particularly long-running Montreal punk fest this year, take this as a warning, but you didn't hear it from me.

SHOPLIFTER is on the shoegaze-y end of grunge, kinda gives me a lofi DINOSAUR JUNIOR vibe.

COUP D'ETAT is I guess screamo? Scramz? I'd call this post hardcore, but like the good 90's kind of post hardcore. They have a super pretty Bandcamp page.

BODYROT is a crust grind band, for fans of crust grind (like me). I'd love to see this band play in a packed basement on a super hot summer day.

I.O is a one piece drums only noise project. Fucking wild, I love it.

AK-47 is a fast super political hardcore band that started in 1997 and are still fully DIY, playing real punk shows and dropped an LP last year. They released an album in like 2000 called Free Palestine, you know they are legit.

Shows

WHITE COLLAR & GLOBAL FAKE @ Wheelies – Victoria, BC, Canada

Show poster for WHITE COLLAR and GLOBAL FAKE at Wheelies in Victoria BC Canada. The main image is a skull wearing a mask with the WHITE COLLAR logo between the eyes

Wheelies is a motorcycle-themed cafe in an industrial area of Victoria. I've heard they do shows in the parking lot, which would be kind of a perfect outside spot for shows since it's closed on three sides. This show was on a rainy Victoria night so the show was half inside. The bands played outside in a kind of covered patio, and the crowd was inside. This could be a pretty cool setup, except the cafe is mostly immovable booths so all of that was in the way for everyone watching the bands. That's a bummer cause I was ready to mosh and WHITE COLLAR is a very moshable hardcore punk band. They ripped it even though the crowd literally couldn't move to show our appreciation.

GLOBAL FAKE started setting up and I could tell it was going to be an early night for me. I gave them the benefit of the doubt but they started and really were not hitting the spot. They say they are post hardcore but that means something completely different in 2025 Victoria than it did in 1996 Victoria. They were tight, just not my thing.

POOCHED LP release show with DISPOSAL, SUNDIVER, and CHERRY VENOM @ Little Fernwood – Victoria, BC, Canada

Show poster of a black letter board with white letters with the show details. POOCHED LP release show with DISPOSAL, SUNDIVER, and CHERRY VENOM Littel Fernwoos All Ages $5 youth $10 adult 7PM

Little Fernwood is a small community center in a central Victoria neighbourhood. It has been hosting shows on and off for over 30 years, and at times it was central to the Victoria punk and hardcore scene. I hadn't been there in probably 20 years so to say I was very excited would be an understatement. This show ticked so many boxes for me: all local celebration of a local band's release, all ages with a lower price for youth, early start, community center, plus there were free chips and pop at the door.

SUNDIVER opened things up, they are a slightly mixed bag of folky pop punk and hardcore but it worked. They covered DEAD KENNEDYS "Nazi Punks Fuck Off" so you know I loved that. I was very down. CHERRY VENOM played second, They were a fun pop punk kinda vibe, they had great stage presence and played a solid set. DISPOSAL played next, if heavy dirty riff-y hardcore is your thing, definitely check them out. They put on a great show. POOCHED headlined, as they should every show they play. Heartfelt pop punk the way only a three piece can do it. I love them, definitely check them out and pick up their new LP. The crowd was moving right from the start, and that's what you get from an all ages gig in Victoria. Huge bonus for the show was that the POOCHED LP has a dog on the front and the dog made an appearance at the gig (in between bands of course, no doggo ears were harmed in the making of this gig).

SLANT, DRAÜMAR, BOOT LICKER, SELF DEFENCE @ Moon Under Water – Victoria, BC, Canada

Show poster green and pink on a white background. Band logos for SLANT, DRAÜMAR, BOOTLICKER, and SELF DEFENSE and show info, Thursday April 17 2025

I was pumped for this show and it did not disappoint. The energy was buzzing right from the start, the show was sold out well before the sun was down or the bands started. This was SLANT's second show of tour and when I went to buy tapes I got the last one. SELF DEFENSE got things started off right despite some technical problems. Fast hardcore that constantly felt like it was about to go off the rails (and maybe did a couple times) which is exactly how I think hardcore punk should be. BOOTLICKER played next and I was impressed. I've never listened to this band before because I couldn't get over their name, but their live show won me over and now I'm a fan. I moshed. Fast, tight, energetic hardcore punk. Joke's on me for sleeping on them for years. DRAÜMAR from Oslo, Norway played next. They were a late addition to the show, their tour plans got scrapped when they decided not to tour the US due to possible immigration issues. Very cool that they still made a go of it by playing a bunch of shows in BC. They were rad and the crowd loved them, especially the oogles. How did oogles get into a sold out show? SLANT from Seoul, South Korea headlined (obviously) and they put on a set worthy of the slot. What a fucking great powerhouse of a hardcore band, they deserve all the hype they have. I moshed, everyone moshed, some oogle tripped me in the pit and I went face first into the floor. No regrets.

Record stores and adjacent stuff

Pogo Pope Printing

Screen printing shop with a bunch of records, bootleg shirts, and punk accessories. Owned and seemingly staffed exclusively by active punks, go here if you need to find the latest hype release or some cool old record at an affordable price. I think these folks also run or are a part of Slow Death Records. If you are in Victoria and you don't stop here, idek, that says something about your priorities. 3588 Quadra St., Victoria, BC V8X 1H2

Downsided Distro

Cool local grind and crust distro, the name says it all. Obviously run by a punk, you gotta catch 'em at gigs I think.

Cavity Curiosity Shop

This is a super cool spot that's basically someone's special interest turned into a store. There's lots of books, VHS, records, CDs, tapes, patches, trinkets, some toys probably. Owned and run by an active punk. 2514 Douglas St., Victoria, BC V8T 4M1

Supreme Echo

Tiny record shop with lots of niche records, CDs and tapes. Collector's gonna collect kinda vibe, bring lots of cash if you wanna buy something here, you will find something cool, but it's gonna cost ya. Owned and run by an old head. Fucking stoked someone is living their dream. 2504 Government St. #102, Victoria, BC V8T 4P7

Ditch Records

Cool long running record store, usually has lots of cool punk and hardcore stuff and always has. 784 Fort St., Victoria, BC V8W 1H2

Camas Books

Anarchist bookstore, has books, zines, random stuff, a crucial stop for any anarchists and anarcho-curious. 2620 Quadra St., Victoria, BC V8T 4E2

Full disclosure, I love Victoria

I don't get to come back to Victoria very often, every few years at most, and this trip was the longest I've spent here since I left. I'm really glad I got to catch up with the scene a bit and shed a little tear of happiness that punk is going strong and the scene is so fucking cool here. If you are a band on tour and Vancouver is on your list, book a show in Victoria. It's worth it for the ferry ride alone, maybe you'll see orcas, and for sure it'll be a fun gig.