Venue notes: New York Theatre, VancouverPunk/hardcore rock venue active from the 80s through at least the mid-90s, located at 639 Commercial Drive. The theater was originally built in 1913 as the Alcazar and renamed the York Theatre in 1940. During its era as a punk venue, it was known as the New York Theatre, not because of any connection to the city of New York, but presumably to distinguish it from the old York Theatre. By Dec 1998 it had become a specialty movie house, the Raja Cinema, screening Hindi films from India (thanks to Gregor Young for the info). Raja shut down this location in early 2004, after which the building appears to have been unoccupied. By Dec 2009, when the first Google streetview images became available, it looked derelict. There was, however, already a move underway to preserve the site as a cultural landmark. In December 2013, the restoration was complete, and the facility reopened once again as the York Theatre.Note: The Hüsker Dü 25 Oct 1985 date was for a long time listed as being at the "New York Theatre, Toronto," a nonexistent venue; the gig was in Vancouver, at this theater. [Do you have more information about this venue? Please email me.] Return to Hüsker Dü dates page |