Monday night muffled music poured onto an odd section of Dunsmuir Street. I looked around anxious to discover a hidden nightclub and through a discreet door I climbed stairs to The Railway Club. This intimate jazz, soul, and rock club has entertained Jimi Hendrix, Curt Cobain and countless music legends since the 1930’s.
“Its sing-a-long night” the doorman informed me as the dimly lit room and vintage décor drew me in. Distracted by the incredible atmosphere I admired the modestly hip crowd from the back of the bar. Only when I started making my way towards the music did the legitimacy of the doorman’s comment sink in as I was handed a song book.
It was truly sing-a-long night at The Railway Club. An event improper for a stage, five jazz musicians gathered around a table while everyone sang to classic songs that have touched the lives of most people in the dynamic crowd. Between songs a band member held up number cards indicating the page of the next song, sometimes switching “14” for “41,” but everyone always found the lyrics.
The nonchalant attitude of the Hard Rock Miners transformed the crowd into performers. They sat at the table in love with music, forgetting an audience. Admiration fuelled each song as talent and grey hair explained that these men pursued their passion in life. Every voice sung serenely, feeling connected to the unforgettable jazz era we have only heard about.
I left having lived a moment classic movies and novels are based on. At the bottom of the stairs one of the intoxicated musicians had taken a spill. Standing under the flashing ambulance lights I reflected on the overindulgent lives of many great musicians such as Ray Charles, Chet Baker and Thelonious Monk, playing in bars not unlike The Railway Club.
Leaving nostalgic for the bliss and chaos of a more soulful music era, The Railway Club is a window into the glamour and the grit of 1930’s. The Hard Rock Miners host a sing-a-long on the first Monday of every month.
Published: The Cavalier January 2010
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