Things to do in Vancouver this week: October 18–24

This week splits clean in two: the sunny corridor from Tuesday through Friday is prime time to move outdoors and catch live music in good light, while Saturday's heavy drizzle sends you indoors. Sunday's overcast but dry—perfect for a jazz set. Plan accordingly.

Start with Herb Alpert & The Tijuana Brass on Friday night at the Chan Centre. Herbert Alpert led the band to iconic status in the 1960s and co-founded A&M Records, one of the era's most influential labels. This is a rare chance to hear a foundational sound that shaped decades of pop and film score work. The show lands on a clear evening, so arrive early and walk the campus.

UB40 closes the weekend at the Commodore on Sunday at 7 p.m. The English reggae band, formed in Birmingham in 1978, has logged over 50 UK singles chart entries and sustained international reach for nearly five decades. Their catalog spans roots reggae to smooth pop-reggae crossovers that defined the sound of the 1980s and beyond. Sunday's overcast but rain-free weather suits an indoor ballroom set perfectly.

Mid-week, Theo Katzman takes the Hollywood Theatre on Wednesday at 8 p.m. Katzman is a founding multi-instrumentalist of Vulfpeck, the Brooklyn funk collective that reshaped modern soul and funk production for a generation of musicians. His solo work carries that same precision and groove sensibility. Wednesday sits in the middle of a clear-to-overcast stretch, so this is an easy mid-week pivot.

For jazz with substance, Van Jazz 2026 presents Dos Santos with Los Duendes at The American on Sunday at 7:30 p.m. (tickets from $32). Los Duendes, the Mexican band founded in 1954, brings deep roots and sophisticated arranging. This is the kind of cross-border collaboration that makes the festival matter.

Beyond the stages, the dining calendar is firing. Monday night, hit Torafuku on Main Street where Le Tigre and Toki Doki—two of the city's most respected food trucks—collaborate on a single Japanese yatai-style pop-up. Grilled cheese mochi skewers, wagyu croquettes, okonomiyaki: this is the kind of one-night-only moment that fills up fast. Pair it with a walk through Mount Pleasant's quieter reaches afterward.

The Moon, Felix Maristany's new martini bar and restaurant, opens in Gastown on Powell Street with Spanish-Cuban cooking and a 38-seat footprint. Maristany, formerly de cuisine at Kissa Tanto, is betting on fermentation, seasonal technique, and classic cocktails. It's the kind of neighborhood anchor that shifts how a block feels. Gastown's perpetually damp—a cozy, cocktail-focused room is exactly what the weather demands.

If you want to eat without the opening-week churn, Jeju in Mount Pleasant—Vancouver's first Michelin-recommended Korean restaurant, opened less than a year ago—has proven itself. The menu bridges traditional and modern Korean technique with confidence. Thursday's forecast sits just above rain, so a warm bowl and concentrated flavors make sense.

Saturday brings heavy drizzle, which rules out everything but the covered. We Are Scientists, the New York rock band, play Rickshaw Theatre at 7 p.m. (19+ show). Formed in Berkeley in 1999, they've built a catalog of sharp, guitar-driven rock that stands up to close listening. A Saturday night in a packed room beats fighting the weather.

If forced to choose one night this week: Friday at the Chan Centre. Herb Alpert in clear weather, the city calm, a musical landmark you may never see live again—that's the week's single strongest call.