Well, it is official. I first heard about it back in October (here's the post on the old blog) and I mentioned it on the Sunset Rubdown live review... but today Exclaim confirms Richard's on Richards is closing its doors.

I have seen some great shows and artists there -- come to think of it, I have never seen a bad show...
The Stills, Ben Lee (thrice), Matt Mays, Final Fantasy & Basia Bulat, Cary Brothers, Chad VanGaalen, Jason Collett, ...And You Will Know Us By The Trail Of Dead, Sebastien Grainger, Jets Overhead, Black Diamond Bay, Sunset Rubdown... and two of my favourite shows of all times have occurred there:
The Dears, from about a months back, and
A secret, invite-only Canada Day show featuring Matthew Good a couple years ago.

It's not all bad news, though.

The club’s liquor licence has been transferred from the current 1036 Richards location to 556 Seymour Street (the former home of A&B Sound), where a new club is expected to open in mid-October. According to the Georgia Straight, the new establishment will have four lounges, a 5,000-square-foot dance floor, two art galleries and will feature dance nights on weekends, with live music Sunday through Thursday.

There is no way that this Richard's on Seymour will be quite the same as before... but at least we're coming out even, not losing a venue.

As a tribute, here is a video I found on the YouTubes from the recent Dears show there.