Editor’s Letter

Holy shit! Winter 2010 is here. We’ve talked about it, voted about it and fought about it, but the Olympics are finally coming to town. I’m not a big fan of talking about “what’s in the issue” with the editor’s letter. Pretty much all other magazines do that and it’s like, “Thanks for reiterating what’s in your table of contents.” But this issue requires it. Pretty much all of the artists, bands and fashion in this issue are from Vancouver. Yes, we are hopping on the Olympics bandwagon.

And why the fuck not? All the eyes of the world will be on Vancouver for the first time ever. Except for that time in 1997 when we tried to murder all the world’s leaders at the APEC conference. Or that time in 1994 when the Canucks lost a heartbreaking Game 7 in the Stanley Cup Finals to the New York Rangers and we tried to burn down our shopping district. Oh yeah, and who can forget the summer of 2003 when Ben Affleck got a blowjob from a stripper. Aside from all that though, Vancouver pretty much stays off the grid.

Watching the transformation Vancouver has undergone over the past few years has been surreal. Some changes were practical, such as the rapid transit line that connects the airport to downtown, or the improvements to the Whistler highway that were so extensive, people have stopped referring to it as The Widowmaker. And some were questionable. A speed skating oval in suburbs? Thanks guys, I’m sure that’ll get a lot of use.

Doing an all Vancouver issue is a difficult task. It’s kind of similar to selecting the Canadian Men’s Hockey Team. There are so many good Canadian hockey players we could suit up two teams and be competitive. The same rings true for this issue. There’s so much bloody talent in this city, there simply aren’t enough pages to cover it all. There’s a ridiculous amount of talent in Vancouver and I’ll debate anyone till I’m blue in the face that this city produces some of the most interesting culture in the world, be it music, fashion, art or film. So sorry if we left you out. Maybe next time.

Why are we so good at churning out world caliber culture? Probably because there’s an ongoing battle against culture in this city, and that always keeps things interesting. Maybe battle is too strong a word. But that’s what it seems like sometimes. People have to keep on their toes. The party keeps moving but it still keeps going. If you’re not from Vancouver, here’s the deal. We have a bunch of liquor and zoning bylaws that were written back when women were crushed under large rocks if they wouldn’t confess to being witches. We make it so tough for culture producers in this city that they pretty much have to be awesome if they want to eat.

Consequently, the tag “No Fun City” that has been thrown around this city so much over the years that it’s cringe inducing. The people who say it really don’t look very hard. This city is fun. Too much fun. We’re hoping this issue will give you an idea of some of the good times to be had in this bitchin’ city.