The Rickshaw Theatre

What The Rickshaw Theatre does

The Rickshaw Theatre is a privately held live music and event venue located in Vancouver, British Columbia, hosting touring and local artists across more than 40 genres including metal, punk, indie, jazz, soul, folk, and electronic music. The venue operates a main theatre space alongside an adjacent performance space called The Cobalt, and has established a programming partnership with the Wise Hall to extend its effective footprint within Greater Vancouver. It employs 14 people and runs as an independent, single-location operator with no disclosed parent company, institutional investor, or external funding. The company has scheduled a continuous pipeline of shows extending into 2026, with visible programming density averaging multiple events per week, supplemented by free outdoor community shows at MacLean Park.

The business generates revenue across four streams. The primary stream is ticket sales, distributed through Ticketmaster, Eventbrite, Ticketweb, and Orangetickets, with supplementary in-store ticket sales at Vancouver record stores Red Cat Records, Matterhorn Records, and Neptoon Records. Tickets are priced from $15 (Underground Pride) to $80 (Blasphemy sold out), with most shows concentrated in the $20-$50 band; festival passes run higher, such as the COVENANT FESTIVAL XI 3-night pass at $280. A secondary revenue stream is a turnkey livestream production service, packaged with multi-camera broadcast capture, multi-track recording, and post-production, starting at $1,250 per engagement. Additional revenue comes from venue rental for private events and an online merchandise store selling branded apparel and accessories. Programming is curated through co-presentations with multiple established promoters including MODO-LIVE, Timbre Concerts, The Plant, The Invisible Orange, Infidels Jazz, Covenant Festival, MRG Live, and Live Nation.

The Rickshaw maintains in-house broadcast-grade audio/video infrastructure that supports both its own event capture and the standalone livestream service. Marketing is driven by organic social media activity across six platforms (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter/X, YouTube, TikTok, Bluesky), an email newsletter for early show announcements, and ticketing platform listings. Distribution is diversified across global online ticketing platforms, a regional platform (Orangetickets) for metal and hardcore programming, and physical retail through independent record stores. No revenue, funding events, acquisitions, regulatory actions, patents, or AI/ML capabilities are disclosed in available data.

Name

The Rickshaw Theatre

Legal name

The Rickshaw Theatre

Website

https://rickshawtheatre.com

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Rickshaw Theatre is a privately held Vancouver, BC live music venue hosting touring and local acts across metal, punk, indie, jazz, and rock. It earns revenue from ticket sales, livestream production services ($1,250+), merchandise, and venue rental, distributed across multiple ticketing platforms and promoter partners.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Live Music Venue

NAICS

Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation (71), Musical Groups and Artists (711130)

SIC

Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990), Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Live Music Clubs & Venues (MPAGAIAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Event Operations & Venue Services (Box Office, FOH/BOH, Concessions) (MPAIAFAL), Touring & Production Services (Staging, Lighting, Sound, Video) (MPAIAFAF), Touring & Event Logistics (Trucking, Freight, Backline, Crew) (MPAGAAAH)

Keywords

• Live music venue
• Concert ticketing
• Event rental
• Livestream production
• Music merchandise

Headquarters

HQ city

Vancouver

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Ticket Sales: The venue generates primary revenue through ticket sales for live music events. Tickets are sold through multiple platforms including Ticketmaster, Eventbrite, Ticketweb, and Orangetickets, as well as in-store at local record shops.
2. Livestream Services: Turnkey video and audio capture solutions for artists and events, with complete packages costing $1,250 or more depending on needs and budget.
3. Merchandise Sales: The venue operates an online merchandise store selling shirts, hoodies, sweatpants, and accessories branded with the venue.
4. Venue Rental: The venue is available for private rentals and events, with dedicated spaces including the main theatre and The Cobalt stage.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

The Rickshaw Theatre is a live music and event venue in Vancouver, BC that operates a main theatre and an adjacent stage (The Cobalt), hosting ticketed concerts across genres including metal, punk, rock, jazz, folk, and electronic. Beyond show hosting, the venue offers private event rentals, turnkey livestream production services with multi-camera broadcast and audio/video capture starting at $1,250, and an online merchandise store selling branded apparel and accessories.

Product overview

The Rickshaw Theatre is a live music and event venue in Vancouver, BC, offering a diverse range of services centered around live entertainment. The core offering is live music events featuring touring and local acts across multiple genres. Additional services include livestream event production with multi-camera broadcast capabilities, venue rental for private events, and a merchandise store. The venue maintains technical specifications for performers and offers booking information for event organizers.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Live Music Events Ticketed live music performances at the Rickshaw Theatre's main stage and The Cobalt, featuring touring international acts and local Vancouver artists across metal, punk, rock, jazz, folk, indie, and electronic genres. The product is for individual concert-goers and the general music fan base.
• Venue Rental and Booking Private venue rental of the main Rickshaw Theatre and The Cobalt stage for corporate events, private functions, and special occasions, with configurable spaces and on-site technical capabilities. Targeted at event organizers and corporate clients.
• Livestream Event Production Turnkey live streaming and video production service for artists and events, including multi-camera broadcast shooting, professionally mixed audio with multi-track capture, in-house video streaming gear, sound/lighting package with technicians, and post-production editing (color grading, transitions, title cards). Broadcast options can be delivered with or without a paywall. Complete packages start at $1,250. Targeted at musicians, bands, and event organizers needing professional live capture.
• Branded Merchandise Store Online store selling Rickshaw Theatre-branded apparel and accessories including shirts, hoodies, sweatpants, and accessories. Available both online and in-store at Red Cat Records and Matterhorn Records. Targeted at fans, concert-goers, and brand supporters.

Named customers10 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Red Cat RecordsminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorVancouver-based independent record store that serves as a physical ticket outlet for Rickshaw Theatre shows. Customers can purchase tickets in-store at the record shop.
• Matterhorn RecordsminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorVancouver record store providing in-store ticket sales for Rickshaw Theatre events.
• Neptoon RecordsminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorVancouver record store offering in-store ticket purchasing for select Rickshaw shows.
• Timbre ConcertscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorConcert promoter co-presenting shows including Jon Spencer and Southern Culture On The Skids at the Rickshaw Theatre.
• MODO-LIVEcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorConcert promotion company co-presenting multiple shows including Truck Violence, Holy Wave, Dune Rats, Militarie Gun, and The Greyboy Allstars.
• The PlantcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorConcert promoter co-presenting shows at the Rickshaw including Holy Wave, Militarie Gun, and The Greyboy Allstars.
• The Invisible OrangecoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorConcert promoter co-presenting Metal Church and Armored Saint, Fabio Frizzi, and Revocation shows.
• Covenant FestivalcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAnnual extreme music festival presenting three-night event (COVENANT FESTIVAL XI) at the Rickshaw Theatre featuring international black/death metal acts.
• Nucular War NowcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorRecord label and promotion company presenting Blasphemy 'Live Ritual - Friday the 13th' show at the Rickshaw.
• Show No MercycoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorConcert promoter presenting Sabbat (Japan) Western Canadian debut at the Rickshaw.
• Infidels JazzcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorJazz-focused promotion company presenting three-night jazz series including Beles Band, Amy Winehouse Tribute, and Dawn Pemberton & The Brown Sugar.
• C.I.A. ConcertsminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorConcert promoter co-presenting Dune Rats show in partnership with Garfinkels and The Rickshaw (in Whistler).
• MRG LivecoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorConcert promotion company presenting Bear McCreary 'The Singularity: Ekleipsis Tour' at the venue.
• Live NationcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMajor live entertainment company presenting The Rasmus at the Rickshaw Theatre.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Regional players

• Maison symphonique / L'Astral (Montreal): Major Canadian live performance venues in Montreal hosting touring acts in rock, metal, jazz, indie. Similar ticketing-platform distribution and genre diversity to Rickshaw but operate in a different regional market (Quebec) so they are geographic peers rather than direct competitors.
• The Pearl Company: Independent music venue focused on folk, blues, jazz, and roots programming in a different geographic market. Comparable independent operator model and mid-size venue scale, though region-specific scope limits direct head-to-head competition.

Direct peers

• The Wise Hall: Vancouver live music and event venue actively partnered with Rickshaw (Rickshaw partners on certain shows at Wise Hall). Comparable capacity and independent operator model, making it both a peer and a routing partner.
• Horseshoe Tavern: Long-established independent Toronto live music venue with comparable capacity and genre programming spanning indie, rock, metal, and punk. Same independent venue business model with multi-platform ticketing.
• Commodore Ballroom: Iconic Vancouver live music venue of comparable capacity hosting touring acts across rock, indie, metal, and electronic genres. Directly competes for the same touring artist bookings and fan attendance in the Vancouver market.
• Biltmore Cabaret: Smaller Vancouver live music venue operating on a similar ticketing, promoter partnership, and multi-genre programming model. Comparable scale and target audience in the same local market.
• Vogue Theatre: Vancouver mid-size live music and event venue with similar capacity and genre breadth. Competes head-to-head for touring act routing and ticket sales in the same metro area.
• The Cobalt: Vancouver live music venue operated in conjunction with the Rickshaw Theatre as an adjacent stage. Same operator footprint, comparable capacity, and identical programming model, making it the closest operational peer.
• Lee's Palace: Toronto independent live music venue with comparable capacity and a strong reputation for indie, alternative, and underground rock bookings. Direct comparable in scale, programming approach, and independent operator model.

Broad incumbents

• Brooklyn Bowl: Larger US-based music venue and bowling concept operated by Bowery Presents. Compares as a broader entertainment venue with live music programming; demonstrates a scaled, multi-revenue-stream live music venue model (food, beverage, events).

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/rickshawtheatre
• YouTubeyoutube.com/RickshawTheatreOfficial
• Facebookfacebook.com/RickshawTheatre
• Instagraminstagram.com/rickshawtheatre
• TikToktiktok.com/@rickshawtheatre
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-rickshaw-theatre

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about The Rickshaw Theatre