Vancouver's Red Cat Records missed out on celebrating its 20th anniversary due to the pandemic, but the record store is now making up for it by throwing a 22nd anniversary celebration called Buddyfest this month.
On Saturday, September 14, Red Cat will host a show at the nearby venue Hero's Welcome. The bill consists of Frog Eyes, Carolyn Mark & Her New Best Friends, and Theremin Man (a.k.a. local scene vet Stephen Hamm). That day only, everything in the store will be 20 percent off.
The next day (Sunday, September 15), Buddyfest will host a lineup of bands on a free stage on Main Street, just outside of the store. The lineup once again includes Carolyn Mark & Her New Best Friends, plus Energy Slime, the Roosters, the Drink Tickets, the Circus in Flames and the Great Outdoors.
Red Cat was founded in 2002, taking its name from a feline named Buddy. The namesake sadly died in 2007 — the same year the store was bought by Dave Gowans and Lasse Lutick of local alt-country band the Buttless Chaps. There was a second location for a few years, but it didn't survive the pandemic.