Confirming the closure with "huge regret and profound sadness" in a recent statement shared last week, venue staff explained how "B.C. is in the second wave of the virus with no clear path forward without a vaccine. Add in the potential threat of more regulations/closures due to the rising cases and the live music venue model becomes no longer viable.
"We have hung on unopened as long as we could, trying to cover our overheads in hopes this would all change," the statement from Logan's reads. "We looked at potentially re-opening as a pub without live music but found with the costly overheads, costly COVID-19 regulation renovations, a closed kitchen, the fact we couldn't have a street side patio like many bars downtown, distancing & seating rules and last call at 10pm… it simply wasn't going to work."
Musicians who have memorialized their time at Logan's following news of the closure include Japandroids' Dave Prowse. In a tribute shared through social media, the drummer/vocalist wrote of when the establishment was known as Thursday's, and how he was captivated by locals Atlas Strategic — featuring a young Dan Boeckner.
"I saw so many great shows at that place over the two and a half years I lived in Victoria," Prowse wrote. "Run Chico Run (my other favourite band at the time), Hot Hot Heat, Broken Social Scene, Stars, the Gossip, Pedro the Lion, Frog Eyes, the Vue, Dismemberment Plan. I'm sure I'm forgetting a ton here but those are the ones that come to mind."
Boeckner shared his own memories of Logan's in a series of respective posts, recalling how it was there where he met future Wolf Parade bandmates Spencer Krug and Arlen Thompson.
"I got to know [Spencer] and [Arlen] hanging out at Logan's and in a lot of ways, that space is responsible for a whole wave of music to come out of Vancouver Island," he wrote. "There's a Logan's in every town but maybe there won't be for long. These spaces need to be supported and protected by the community. They're incubators of art and a source of income for working musicians."
B.A. Johnston called Logan's "my home in Victoria since 2003," writing, "Thanks for the good times, the beef dips, gonna miss shooting the shit with Scott pre show and all the staff, who always went above and beyond. Hell gonna even miss lugging my gear out hungover the next day. This sucks."
In 2018, Peach Pyramid named Logan's one of her Eight Favourite Places in Victoria for Exclaim!'s My City feature, writing that the venue was "well known for their Tuesday night combo karaoke/wing night," and an "actually...unreal hangover brunch spot."
This feels especially bad today after hearing the news about Logan's shutting down in Victoria, BC. Logan's was where I really got my start playing music and where I learned how to put on a show on a "real stage"https://t.co/frcvw7jSpV
— Jabroni And The Air-rifle (@DanBoeckner) October 28, 2020
In the late 90s/early 00s, Logan's provided a space where Island promoters who came up in the hardcore scene could book "bigger" bands from out of town. You could play a packed house opening for Murder City Devils and get paid enough to not worry about taking the day off work
— Jabroni And The Air-rifle (@DanBoeckner) October 28, 2020
At a certain point, the local acts started outselling or matching all but the most popular out of towners. Saw amazing shows by Frog Eyes, Daddy's Hands, Jerk With A Bomb (a proto-Black Mountain band) and so many others
— Jabroni And The Air-rifle (@DanBoeckner) October 28, 2020
I got to know @KrugSpencer and @le_petit_trek hanging out at Logan's and in a lot of ways, that space is responsible for a whole wave of music to come out of Vancouver Island
— Jabroni And The Air-rifle (@DanBoeckner) October 28, 2020
There's a Logan's in every town but maybe there won't be for long. These spaces need to be supported and protected by the community. They're incubators of art and a source of income for working musicians. The monopolization of venues by vultures like Geiger needs to be resisted
— Jabroni And The Air-rifle (@DanBoeckner) October 28, 2020
RIP Logans Pub. My home in Victoria since 2003. Thanks for the good times, the beef dips, gonna miss shooting the shit with Scott pre show and all the staff, who always went above and beyond. Hell gonna even miss lugging my gear out hungover the next day. This sucks
— BA Johnston (@BAJohnston) October 27, 2020