The Element
Cambie Street
Vancouver, British Columbia
(no longer in operation. Edited 2020)
Rated ***1/2 by Leaf McGowan.
Review by Leaf McGowan on Thursday, 11/8/01:
” I hailed down a cab and headed over to the Element on Cambie / Hastings, by the Cambie Hotel. I wasn’t quite sure if I was in the right place, but as I walked in past a restaurant kitchen, back into the dank and dark pub – I saw horror movie and haunted house tacky decor … with a sprawled sign stating I was in “the Element”. I saw Melissa, gave her a hug, and chatted – headed over to Bernie and gave her a hug and wished her “Happy Birthday” as I handed her a gift and watched as she enchanted “the Element” with her DJ magic. Chilled out to a couple of drinks with Bernie as other friends appeared and wished her birthday blessings. The element had a intriguing decor of a haunted house with the top pseudo-balcony covered with Halloween stuffed beings and macabre decor. Green fake ferns and air plants sprawled along the ceiling – the evening had great music but lacked numbers of individuals, and at this point, no one dancing. Then came in Jeffy, and two other friends I met previously at a Halloween party – they recognized me without my green makeup and faery wings. We all grabbed a table and chatted away through the night, discussing Skinny Puppy, how we wished we were at the Tori Amos concert, the Survivor series, and other elements of news going on in the world. As I partied with my friend Bernie at the Element and was woo’ed by her dj’ing with excellent 80’s, dance, and Industrial mixes – as the clock struck 12, I decided to head back to Seymour street for a little dancing at my favorite hot spot on Thursdays … Luvafair. The drinks are pricey here but created with pizzazz and a good kick. Music was excellent, just lacked the people to fully utilize the dance floor. By the time I was planning on leaving, a handful had started to dance.”