The Yale Hotel

The Yale Hotel has indeed seen a rich history. You can sense a bit of the rawness held inside the walls having heard decades of powerful music and spirited conversation. In the 1800s, its main trade were railway workers and comrades. It miraculously was saved from Vancouver’s most damaging fire of 1886, becoming a hospice and community centre for those in need of sanctuary. After a stint as the Colonial Hotel, it once again became The Yale Hotel in 1911, continuing a legacy of wilder nightlife. It's currently a down to earth place which has seen a roster of former guests that span the great divide of rhythm and blues from John Lee Hooker to Brian Adams to Koko Taylor. I was there for Koko Taylor, got escorted backstage and into the alley for a private greeting where I received a signed autograph on a pair of drum sticks. With that and some great tequila, it was a night that will go down in history in my books. Salute to a Vancouver legendary institution that keeps on keepin on!