The North Country Club. Gone too soon.

Just one week ago Elliot C Way opened the doors of The brand New North Country Club. The response was unanimous. Each person who walked through that door off Hastings street and down the stairs below the old Dayton Boots had a similar reaction, their jaws hit the floor.

Elliot had spent a lifetime dreaming of opening his own venue. One month ago he stumbled on the space that would become The North Country Club. Friends came together, hammers started swinging, lights were hung, and in three short weeks the basement below Dayton Boots was transformed into a world class Listening Room and Honky Tonk. The room was pure magic. Thursday through Sunday, April 17-20 those walls were filled with the sounds of laughter, joy, and music.

The North Country Club quickly became a home to so many in the Vancouver community. The North Country Collective (A record label Elliot founded with friends Nick Lawton, Bob Sumner and John Sponarski) finally had their very own venue to host the best in folk, americana, and Country music. The calendar was quickly booking up through the summer with local and international touring acts.

As most of you by now know, in the early hours of Wednesday morning, that all changed. A fire that is believed to have ignited in The Indian Kitchen next door to the venue quickly spread to the old historic timber Dayton building. Vancouver's heroic fire department responded win full force working tirelessly to salvage what they could of the buildings pumping 5000 gallons a minute over the period of 6 hours. despite their efforts The fire decimated the building with fire and smoke damage. The venue, being in the basement was under 6 feet of water. Everything was destroyed.

We don't know what the future holds for Elliot and for The North Country Club. We do know that this beautiful space will not be back. The building has been condemned.

Our hope is that through this fundraiser we can help Elliot recoup the monies lovingly poured into every gorgeous detail of the club as well as pay for the loss of various instruments and sound gear of friends of the community that were being held in the venue.

Our secondary hope is that if we should exceed our goal, a fund will be set aside in the hopes that we might find a new home for The North Country Club.

In those four short days that the club was open, there was a magic in the air. East Vancouver had a place to call home, a place to hang out with friends, and a place to take in live music in an incredible space like no other. The club filled a much felt void in the city with its 150 person capacity boasting a beautiful dance floor to grow a two stepping dance culture, timber walls soaking up weekly honky tonk music and an atmosphere that encouraged pin drop listening crowds.

This go fund me is for The North Country Club.

So many other wonderful folks also lost their studios, businesses and dreams.

Our hearts are with Wohlford & Company (Previously Dayton Boots), Bootleg Barbers, Snotty Nose Rez Kids, Tyler Toews, RBRTH Official, Juicy Cherry Vintage, Woven, Corrine (Rio Theater), Windsor Meats & The Indian Kitchen.

Please help spread the word. And we hope to see you down the road in another magical iteration of the North Country Club.