#Red Gate

[dognonsense]

Upstairs murals and grafitti at redgate, a music venue in vancouver bc. I drew the pink and blue clown in the 3rd pic :3

[thepermanentrainpress]

Gallery: The Aubreys @ Red Gate - Vancouver, BC Date: September 2, 2023 Photographed by: Kianna Sumitani

*Do not share without credit. If shared, please tag and credit both Kianna Sumitani and The Permanent Rain Press on Instagram, and The Permanent Rain Press on Twitter.

[luvieur]

Kyoto 2023

[beezusishere]

Red Gate, Blue Mountains, Australia

[the-cricket-chirps]

Gan Rei

Red Gate

1972

[nicolasgardiano]

Red Gate, Blue Water, Santorini, Greece

[kirain]

My favourite bit of BG3 lore is that Withers is legitimately responsible for the Dead Three, but he's probably too embarrassed to tell you, so every time you ask him to elaborate he just gives you a very stern, "Noooo."

I also love that the reason he's responsible for their uprising is because he got bored. He literally got bored of his position as Lord of the Dead and wanted to retire, so when these three morally questionable humans came looking for godhood he was like, "Hmmm. Yes, okay. Here. Take my portfolios. Fight over them. I don't care. I quit."

So after bowling with skulls in a friendly competition to decide who would get what portfolio, they took up his powers and wreaked havoc on the world. Only at that moment did Jergal, AKA Withers, AKA our precious Bone Daddy think, "I'm just now, internally, asking myself, in quite a worried way, whether I might've made an error."

So he joins your merry band and watches your escapades, calmly twiddling his fingers while you clean up his mess. He's happy to lend his aid, even to the point that he'll bring Durge back to life if they reject Bhaal, even though he technically shouldn't. But he's Withers. The rules don't apply to him. If Ao doesn't like it, he can descend from the Heavens and say it to his rotting face.

And the reason he saves Durge isn't necessarily because he likes them or because he's a morally good entity (though one certainly could make that argument), but because he wants to add insult to injury. He steals Bhaal's child with a big smile on his face, dubs them his Chosen, and praises them for rejecting all the power they were promised. But of course, he still doesn't tell them who he is—or rather who he was.

Then, when all is said and done, he throws Tav and their companions a cute little party. No one knows it's probably half a thank you party and half a "Withers is bored again" party. And if anyone misbehaves, he'll get irritated and whisk them away. Because how dare they? He put a lot of work into that.

And at the end of it all, he walks up to a mural of the Dead Three and basically goes, "Lmao. Thou didst fuck around, and thou didst find out." Just savagely roasting them.

And then poof!

He waves them into non-existence.

[dmbakura]

in honor of bg3's birthday, i am posting some of my favourite art ive done. can you tell i like astarion?

[caitmayart]

Fate spins along as it should.

[standing-wave-mag]

Let’s Hear It 2024 Showcases Vancouver’s Most Promising Musicians

On a cold March evening in Vancouver, 4 beloved venues heated up for a night of local talent. From the prestigious Fox Cabaret to the intimate winery La Fabrique St-George, people gathered from all corners of the city to taste a flight of 18 talented local bands in 30-minute increments.

While I wish I could’ve cloned myself and attended all 18 often overlapping shows, I was still able to discover a handful of music I didn’t know existed until that very night, which is something uniquely special. Every artist brought something new to the table that had locals hook line and sinker. Here’s a rundown of each show I was able to attend.

FOX CABARET – Parlour Panther, Haleluya Hailu

The night all started at the historic Fox Cabaret in Mount Pleasant, the former porn theater-turned-venue. Known as the hottest venue in the city (according to the MC, in temperature not vibes!) the space was surprisingly chilly. But the spirits were high as guests piled in ready for the first band to hit the stage.

Four-piece Parlour Panther opened the night, engaging the crowd with dreamy indie pop tunes. Lead vocalists and instrumentalists Frankie and Lee have been making music for a decade now, and this was evident as their chemistry filled the entire room. They promoted their new single “BLOOM,” a bass-heavy but light indie pop tune about self-change. Just observing from the floor, you could feel the intense love reverberating amongst the band members; this is what they enjoyed the most. They were the best choice to kick off the night on a positive note.

Following this was the quick-witted and feisty singer/songwriter Haleluya Hailu. Hailu, her drummer and guitarist all walked on stage wearing brightly coloured construction vests, with the singer waiving a light saber-esque red wand around the stage.

“We're here to construct sounds for you!” she joked.

The singer has a distinct R&B flavor with a trilly powerful voice that launches her music into new dimensions.

Hailu showcased singles such as the floaty “pinball,” and crowd favourite “MANIC PIXIE PACIFIST.” Using the infamous trope, the singer wants you to know she is a force to be reckoned with.

Boldly, she quips at the crowd to boo her. She gave out her next song “Useless” to all Vancouverites, defining her relationship with the crowd as one of love-hate (but mostly love, we can only hope).

RED GATE - POSH COAT, LEO D.E. JOHNSON, SLIGHTEST CLUE

Next to open its doors was Vancouver’s beloved DIY music and arts hall Red Gate Arts Society. Upon arrival, the venue felt like a closed down fire hall. But once inside, it opens a dimension where all music and art is free to thrive–it’s like a breath of fresh air from the larger shinier venues that have been popping up lately. From the holes in the ceiling, to the cartoon eye stickers placed on the speakers, this venue is brimming with charm.

We were just in time to hear Posh Coat's final song. The trio, hailing from nearby Victoria, has so much potential to be a superstar band, describing themselves as “a cold front of Arctic Monkeys from the north.” It is astounding they currently only have 3 singles out at the moment, but their standout talent and energy is evident. I can’t wait to see what’s next for them.

Following Posh Coat, powerhouse singer/songwriter Leo D.E. Johnson took to the stage, absolutely blowing everything out of the water. Simply accompanied by an electric guitar and a drummer, Johnson’s voice evoked such a primal appreciation for how transcendent music can be. Blending soul with rock n’ roll, the non-binary artist expresses intense lyricism involving identity and belonging, allowing his voice to be all-encompassing. 

He performed my personal favourite track “Beneficiary,” a 7-minute ballad featuring growling rock vocals in the chorus combined with softer soulful verses; this perfectly showcases Johnson’s versatility as a vocalist and lyricist. To me, Johnson is the most promising and talented new Vancouver singer and songwriter we have.

To complete my personal Red Gate sandwich of performances, 4-piece band Slightest Clue was up next. What piqued my interest was the background of each band member, and how they shouldn’t work: “a stage actor, a hook-obsessed recovering choir girl, an electrical engineer, and a guitarist who played for (and left) ten other bands before deciding this was the one for him.” Their biggest draw is how they really shouldn’t work as a band but somehow do, in a post-punk garage kind of way.

The Vancouver misfits were eager to play songs off their latest EP Carousel, chock full of drippy post-punk hooks and word-vomit ramblings between verses. Lively bassist and vocalist Hannah Kruse asks the crowd “have you ever had a crush like, really really bad? ‘Cause I have,” before launching into the heavy garage guitar obsessive single “Why Can’t I Call You.” 

Another highlight was the “Carousel” single, featuring a back and forth vocal war between Kruse and lead vocalist Malcom McLaren accompanied by screaming guitar solos. Despite their mismatched union, the band is quick to show that they work in such a unique way that draws any post-punk indie rock fan in (seriously, I can’t stop listening to their music, even days after their show!).

La Fabrique St-George - JADE LE MAC, CARA BATEMAN

The final venue to open its doors for the evening shows was the smallest and most intimate of all the venues: winery La Fabrique St-George. A small queue of people formed a line outside, as the venue was at full capacity for a short burst of time, showing just how much Vancouverites were flocking for the local talent. Eventually, as people trickled in and out, we were let into the narrow hall. Unlike the grandeur of the Fox Cabaret, or the boldly artsy halls of Red Gate, La Fabrique held a more sacred and somber tone. Concert-goers sat cross-legged on large colourful pillows  in front of a small stage, or around long tables drinking wine.

Jade Le Mac was next, perhaps the most popular and youngest of all the artists in the festival. Armed simply with her powerful steady voice and an accompanying guitarist, it’s easy to see why Le Mac is so renowned among teenagers and young adults; she is the voice of youthful angst. Her lyricism and bubbly personality leads me to believe she is Vancouver’s own Olivia Rodrigo.

It’s clear she’s passionate about everything she writes, sharing stories and background about each song before launching into it. For the short set, the singer jumped between albums “Constellations” and “Confessions,” showcasing just how versatile she can be in sound: from the starry-eyed softness of single “Constellations” to the pounding anthemic “You’re Not A God.” Le Mac has the spark to launch further into superstardom.

To round out the night, the final artist to hit the winery stage was the charismatic and compelling Cara Bateman. Described by her friend as a “35-year-old teenager,” the artist walked out in pink sunglasses, cowboy earrings, and a silver glitter top. What makes Bateman stand out the most is her ability to genre-jump: using a primarily singer/songwriter base she can flawlessly transition from country to punk.

The risk-taking singer launched into her latest single “Time To Be A Bitch,” an electric-guitar heavy anthem about setting boundaries and self-defining. But later, she seamlessly transitioned to the moody and jazzy “I Wrote This for You.” Each song was stripped down with piano and guitar accompaniment to match the low-key tone of La Fabrique.

To me, these two artists with their stripped down sets were the perfect way to end the night. Of course, many were headed to the late-night bonus shows at the Cobalt featuring more local artists such as NIKKAELA and PEAK. While I ended my night at the winery, I’m sure the aftershow was just as much fun as the entire evening.

MusicBC’s Let’s Hear It Festival is only in its second year of operation, but judging on how fast tickets sold out, it’s clear the people crave a glimpse into Vancouver’s newest and best local music. This is the festival to fill in the gaps, the perfect palette of music that allows local audiences to connect with emerging artists.

[ineed-to-sleep]

Collection of bg3 sketches I've been nibbling at over the month. teehee

[hekuuu]

first part of my Baldur's Gate 3 tarot deck!!

part 2, part 3

[thepermanentrainpress]

Gallery: Kylie V @ Red Gate - Vancouver, BC Date: September 2, 2023 Photographed by: Kianna Sumitani

[fire-in-the-dingo]

Red Gate, Cyclades, Greece

[himufanart]

How you screamed as my knife slit your skull, your brain juices sticky and sweet.

[kindlingonfire]

Should’ve went for the wizard instead