Orpheum — Attraction in Vancouver

I attended the Jessie Reyez concert on October 31st 2022 which ended traumatically due to racist staff at the Orpheum. Jessie was amazing but once the concert ended I found out an Indigenous femme was experiencing racist treatment from staff. I asked for the name of the staff member and mangers contact information to make a formal complaint. Staff became aggressive and refused to comply with my request. Security guards dragged the Indigenous femmes I was with out of the venue and trapped me inside until police arrived. Once police arrived, I was violently arrested by VPD. The Indigenous femmes outside of the venue were refused when they asked to check on me. VPD tied my legs together and threw me into the paddy wagon upside down. They then purposely shut the door on what was tied to my feet so I rode upside down all the way to station. Once in the station I continued to receive inhuman treatment from VPD. While in cuffs I screamed I couldn’t feel my hands which they responded that they didn’t care and pulled tighter. I was refused a lawyer call and medical care while in police custody. I began to sang Indigenous songs to stay strong during this traumatization. I told VPD they could brutalize me all they wanted, but they couldn’t take away my voice. I spent three hours strapped to a chair unable to move and told I would be released only if I shut up for an hour. I was finally released at 3:30am feeling broken spiritually, emotionally and physically. I left with mass amounts of bruises on my body and swelling, bruising and nerve damage in both my wrists. I was not charged with anything, so why was I arrested? I am very much visibly Indigenous and it is known how VPD treat Indigenous people. Orpheum escalated the situation by targeting and calling the police on an Indigenous femme. I called today and staff continued to refuse to give any contact information for the manger to make a complaint. I am disgusted by the management and staff...

We went here tonight for Tom oddel's concert. Outside the Orpheum, there was a long line to enter, which of course moved quickly, and we waited for maybe 5 minutes to enter the main hall.

After entering, we checked our tickets and entered. It had many toilets and was clean.

There were stalls for buying food and drinks and alcoholic drinks, but since we had just eaten, we only bought a vodka and water.

The main space where the concert was held was classy and very beautiful.

The lighting and the sound of the music were also very good. This was the first time I went to a concert in Kanadel and I can't compare how it was compared to other places, but the main atmosphere of the concert reminded me of European architecture.

Before the start of the concert, there was a warm-up for about two hours, and several singers, including Isabel LaRosa, performed, which was very good.

Even though the main stage of the concert was very simple, but the smoke that they spread and the combination with the lighting created a very beautiful scene that I will post one of the videos of the concert here.

I just think that the presence of a big monitor there was lacking, because we were on the upper floors and we had bought tickets late, we were very far from the singer and I would have preferred to be able to see the stage...

One of the most beautiful theatres I've ever been to. The concerts are always incredible.

Unfortunately, the other day was the only bad experience I've ever had here. Before the show started, my grandma took a photo of the theatre and one of the Ushers walked up to her and yelled at her (not exaggerating) and told her in a super condescending way to stop taking photos. Photography of the theatre before, during intermission, and after is allowed and encouraged, and is one of the most effective ways to get the word out and advertise about the VSO and the concert itself. My grandma told the usher the concert had not started but they would not accept this answer.

This same usher went and did the exact same thing to another group of people who took a photo (again, before the show started). I'm guessing they also told the usher they weren't breaking any rules cause when the usher walked back up the aisle, my grandma and I both told her again the show had not started. She would not look us in the eye, and did not utter a single apology to us.

Even if she had been taking a photo during the concert, the ushers should always be polite when asking guests to turn off their phones.

The show was great, but our moods were definitely ruined for the rest...