The Cobalt Vancouver struggles through

By: Faiza Zia Khan

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Cobalt Hotel

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The push for cleaning up down town east side in preparation of the nearing 2010 Olympics has taken a different path with the enforcement of strict by-laws imposed by the City of Vancouver to reduce noise pollution exuding from live music bars in the area.

The Cobalt Vancouver has been the underground niche market to extreme metal music for over ten years, attracting fans from all over BC. The neighbours do not share the same perspective. Recent noise pollution complaints to the Vancouver Police Department have resulted in friction between the club goers, the management and the City .

“This has always been a problem. Not everyone is a fan of the deafening noise that comes out into the wee hours of the morning. I have to get to work at 5 am, why should I suffer.” Said a residential neighbour on condition of anonymity.

The bar’s management has a different perspective. Bar manager wendythirteen says they received the first visit from the police when it hosted the band Agent Orange on February 22.

“The noise complaints have begun recently. It is a bar and it is not unexpected that 50 people will smoke in the back alley.” explained Thirteen.

The Cobalt, which was built as working men's housing in 1910, has long been eyed by critics, activists, entrepreneurs and public. For regular patrons it rises to the status of a heritage building.

This death metal bar historically served as strip club, and the mounted pedestals with shower nozzles located throughout the room are remnants of its notorious past.

It is probably the lowest common denominator of bars in Vancouver, but it manages to take a certain pride in the dilapidated scenario. The Main Street location is full of audience that have a taste for punk metal, goth and extreme metal music. It is favoured for the extremely cheap beer and highballs. The ample seating and room for mosh pits creates the proper ambiance for its peers and comes off as easy-going.

Many upcoming extreme bands have given their first opportunity here, and some veterans return after achieving success for nostalgia's sake. Admirers fear that if the club is shut down there will be a dearth of a common platform for fans to gather on.

“Everyone loves Wendy. She will take the bands and the crowd with her wherever she will go, but The Cobalt is like our breeding ground” said Cameron O Neil, lead singer of the band Morbid Surgeon, one of the bands that play at the bar regularly.

The management is being pro-active on the complaints. Thirteen has set a goal to raise $50,000 needed to sound proof the Cobalt. She plans to do it through a series of fund raiser concerts hosted by the bar. A thick stage curtain is also needed that will muffle sounds when the back door is left open for fresh air. 

“It gets hot in here and we do need to leave the back door open to get some fresh air in.” Thirteen said.

The bands playing at the Cobalt are optimistic about the future of the music genre they loyally follow.

“No matter what happens, the community who support this venue will travel with Wendy to wherever she will to go, should she be shut down at the Cobalt.” Said Vincent Yu, Guitarist with Fetus Grinder and keyboardist with the band Carthage.

“I think they will go to Astoria, where they were before.” O Neil said.

Keep the Cobalt Alive Facebook group has attracted over 5,000 members and its membership is increasing by the day.