Northwest Dance Halls

The Egress
Vancouver, British Columbia

Some of the bands that performed at this place during those great years of NW music were:
 

Mose Allison
Eric Anderson
Hoyt Axton
Tim Buckley
Albert Collins
Larry Coryell
Bo Diddley
Don and Dewey
Paul Horn
Freddy King
Goose Creek Symphony
Steve Martin
Muddy Waters
Odetta
Phil Ochs
Tom Rush
B.W. Stevenson
Sonny Terry & Brownie McGee
Taj Mahal
Jessie Winchester
 

Others??

I was reading about the dancehalls, and I saw the Egress.  I went to the Egress several times in 1973.  It was in Vancouver near the old bus depot at Geogia and Beatty.   We saw Goose Creek Symphony, and Blues. My friends and I got to talk freely with Howlin'Wolf, and Bo Diddley.  One night I wanted to see Muddy Waters, but I had to work that night. For young blues players, it was perfect

Mike Kennedy, Nelson, BC, September 2003

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I am pretty sure I saw Don "Sugarcane" Harris and Dewey (they used to be Don and Dewey) at the Egress. As I remember the club was pretty small and so the atmosphere was intimate so that undoubtedly added to the experience. I was pretty close to "the band" ...spent the winter of '72-73 in Vancouver so it was probably then.

By the time I got back from a European trip in the Spring 73 - Fall 74, the Egress was gone ... sadly missed.  Then it was a whole different scene as I got involved with co-op radio and their efforts to document the local music scene '75-'81.  i was very impressed with DSH's acid playing and his really cool lime green fiddle ... the  work he did with Mayall and Zappa was pretty tuff.

Jim Burnett, Producer/Host, CFRO-FM/CiTR FM, March 2007

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I grew up in New Westminster and frequented New West and Vancouver venues. The Egress was a cool little club down by the old Vancouver bus depot ( Beatty and Georgia) The ceiling was low and it was a little smoky. I saw Albert Collins there doing his signature "walk into the crowd " thing. Tim Buckley , Phil Ochs , and Odetta also performed there.

Brian Shields, April 2007
 
 

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The Egress was one of my first forays into the club scene in Vancouver. It was small and smokey and everything you would want in a blues club.  I saw Taj Mahal sing ‘Cocaine’ there and I felt I had fallen into the centre of coolness.

Kerry Stansfield, September 2007

I was also a regular at the Egress. It only held about 150 people, but the food was great (those giant Beefalo -beef and buffalo mix- burgers) and the music even better.   Some of the acts I saw there were:  Goose Creek Symphony (I saw every show the did for the five days they were there); Sonny Terry & Brownie McGee and Larry Coryell (man, he was LOUD!!!!!!)

Roger Stomperud, January 2008

I'm just just adding a little the info on this great small club.  I met my first wife in April 1974 at the Egress.  I specifically remember, in spite of obvious competing attractions, that Freddie King was playing. Freddie passed in 1976, one of the truly greats.

Neil McBurney, October 2008

I worked there the first year, starting before we even opened.  The memories, the music!!!  We picked the acts up at the airport and took care of them while they were in town.  Consequently got to know them offstage as well as on.
 
Janet Thibaudeau, October 2009