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Sugar
Category: Arts & Entertainment Music Venues Nightlife Music Venues Music Venues [Edit]
858 Yates StVictoria, BC V8W 1L8
(250) 920-9950
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Music:
- Live
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Smoking:
- Outdoor Area/ Patio Only
- Coat Check:
- Yes
- Noise Level:
- Very Loud
- Good For Dancing:
- Yes
4 reviews for Sugar
4 reviews in English
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Review from Rheanna F.
Vancouver, BC
7/21/2011
As a venue, Sugar seems A-Ok! Not the best but not the worst place i've been to either! The staff were nice, the venue was clean, and i liked how it had a bit of character without having the dull look places get when an interior designer meticulously planned every detail of it.
The venue got bonus points for having the back of the main floor raised up from the area about 30 feet in front of the stage in front of stage. Shorties like me have a hard time seeing otherwise when they're in the back of the audience! The drinks were decent and average price, and at least they poured well since i got pretty tanked!
I always bring a jacket to music venues since i find them to be a bit chilly before the crowd gets bigger and i get more liquor in my system, but i could check my jacket immediately upon entering Sugar! It was a good thing for me, but the boys i was with were sweltering! I'm not sure if it's always like that, but just in case be sure to dress light if you come here. I've heard the sound in this place is hit or miss, and my boyfriend said the guitars should have been louder, but honestly, unless it sounds like a band is singing through a tin can, i don't really notice. If you're the kind of person who does pay attention to these kind of details, i suggest doing what my boyfriend did: three shots of Jager in under 30 minutes. He didn't seem to mind after that!Listed in: Make Mine Music!
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Review from Eric K.
Updated - 5/9/2010 1 Check-in Here
So I did end up going to the Delhi 2 Dublin concert here last night. I have to admit that if you aren't situated in the right spot this could be a pretty crappy venue. But we managed to get down right in front of the stage and the sound and energy were amazing.
Even though it was in the high 50s Fahrenheit outside it was pretty hot inside the venue. So do make sure to have plenty of water before going to the venue and I might avoid it if it was a warm summer day.
The pat down at the front also seemed a bit excessive considering it wasn't a rap or mosh pit show but hey I guess it doesn't hurt to be safe. The crowd of people seemed nice though and no one was bothering us at the concert even though it was really packed.
As usual I will give my disclaimer that I am 6'6" and pretty much never have trouble seeing the stage at a show. If you are short standing on the stairs might give you the right mix of height advantage and great sound.
I'll be back, just not on a hot summer night.Listed in: Victoria May 2010, Concert Venues
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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3/10/2010
OK so I had a fairly different experience at Sugar than the other two reviewers. First of all, I… Read more »
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Review from Matthew L.
Edmonton, AB
9/27/2009
I've been waiting to see Dinosaur Jr. in its original lineup since they reunited. And I'm ecstatic that they've decided to make Victoria a stop on their next tour. However, I'm tempted not to go as Sugar is easily the worst venue I've ever seen a show. And I've been to some pretty cruddy venues.
I should admit that I've never been so lucky as to make my way to the inner bowl of the venue, which may offer decent sightlines, but a live music venue should offer decent sightlines throughout.
But not only can you not see the performers at the venue all that well (if you're not in the inner bowl - the performers are at eye-level), the sound is always horribly tinny and distorted, and not in a good way. I don't know if this is due to a soundman who really does not know how to figure out the acoustics of the room, or if the room is just a disaster in itself. It's long, awkwardly shaped, and the sound of chatter in the back carries forward to the front.
Do not see a band whose vocals carry them here - they will be drowned out in fuzz.
There's also a barrier which separates the audience from the stage by about 5 feet.
Thankfully, unlike Element, they serve beer on tap, but the choices are restricted to some Granville Island beer (ok), Olde Style (no way!), and something else I don't like all that much for way too high of a price. -
Review from Monroe A.
11/15/2009
"Noooooooo .... Dude! Don't do it. You go into the vortex and you never get out. That place is HELL!!!!" That's what a young prophet on the streets of Victoria told me when I mentioned that I was going to see Dinosaur Jr. play at Sugar later that night.
Naturally, I thought the kid was on drugs or perhaps a schizophrenic. It turns out that he is a modern day Nostradamus. The only thing sweet about Sugar is its alluring name. Its like candy in a pedophile's hand and whatever you do, I beg you, don't get in that van. You're in for a rough ride.
As another reviewer mentioned, the sight lines suck. The stage is buried in a hole in what can only be described as an extremely narrow and confining space. Not only had we heard that the sound system is awful, but it was pretty clear that due to the low, cascading ceiling that the acoustics were going to suck as well. In an awful venue, your only hope is to get close to the stage, so we figured out best bet was to make our way to the front. After all, Dinosaur Jr. brought several stacks of Marshall amps. All our problems were theoretically solved.
With only minutes to go before Dinosaur was set to take the stage, we were ready to bask in the waves of crunching guitar. Unfortunately, to add to their claustrophobia-inducing layout, the venue has absolutely no circulation and it was so unbearably hot that each step closer to the stage was one step closer to the heart of hell. The band hadn't even started and I was growing faint.
Having never fainted before, I tried to fight it, but alas, it was a battle I was destined to lose. I blacked out before the show even started. Now I know what it was like to be a 14 year old girl at a Beatles concert. I was back on my feet in no time and my friend got me to the hallway that leads to the street and in a few minutes, I was seemingly fine. Unfortunately, each time we tried to make our way back into the crowd (i.e. the Vortex), I was overwhelmed by the heat and had to retreat. We eventually gave up and went back to our hotel without having heard a single note.
Thanks Sugar for the good times. Not only have I gotten a glimpse of hell, but I've also seen a preview of what it's like to die. In the scheme of life, this isn't exactly unwelcome knowledge to have ... but I really would have just liked to have seen Dinosaur Jr.
Specialties
Sugar is open every Thursday night with $3 drink specials and a mix of top 40, house, and hip hop played by DJ Roshan.
Friday-Wednesday Sugar is an event centre, featuring anything from rock bands to jazz shows, to some of the world's top electronic artists. A full listing of upcoming shows is available at the bar's website.
