Backstage at the Vinyl Cafe
Backstage at the Vinyl Cafe welcomes listeners into the warm and comforting world of the Vinyl Cafe. Each episode features stories about Canada’s favourite fictional family: Dave, Morley and the kids, narrated by the late Stuart McLean and recorded live in concert. For the first time ever, long-time producer Jess Milton shares rare, behind-the-scenes stories from her 15 years touring, travelling, laughing, and recording with her close friend Stuart.
This is a world that is rooted in kindness, connection, and the laughter of recognition. A world that brings people together to rejoice in our ridiculousness. A world where we celebrate the small triumphs over the adversities of the everyday: like trying to find the perfect gift for someone you love, or the first Christmas without your sister; like trying to stage manage the school Christmas pageant, or trying to defrost a turkey with a hairdryer (we’ve all done that, right?).
Join us. New episodes every Friday.
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- Update frequency
- every 7 days
- Average duration
- 43 minutes
- Episodes
- 120
- Years Active
- 2022 - 2025
September - School Days
“Every year on the first day of school, to the great amazement of the kids in kindergarten…Miss MacNeal would burp the alphabet from A to Z.”
Welcome back to Backstage at the Vinyl Cafe! Our first ep…
Season 6 - Starting September 5th
We Regret to Inform You: Rejecting Monty Python
This week, more from our Apostrophe Podcast Network family! We think you will enjoy, "We Regret to Inform You: The Rejection Podcast." Sidney O’Reilly shares the stories of successful people who have…
REWIND WEDNESDAY: Bloopers
REWIND WEDNESDAY: Summertime – Mexican Climbing Mint & Summer of Stars
“There is nothing like a neighbour throwing money about their garden to make you feel bad about yours.”
It's summer all the way on this week’s episode. In our first story, Mary Turlington unwittingly…
REWIND WEDNESDAY: Road Trip! – Cat in the Car
“Whenever the cat is around, things seem to go wrong.”
This week, Dave discovers a stowaway on the family road trip, with hilarious consequences. And Jess shares two more of Stuart McLean’s Postcards…
The Beatlology Interviews: Actor Mark Hamill
Something a little different this week that we think you’ll enjoy. From our friends at the Apostrophe Podcast Network: Terry O’Reilly’s “The Beatlology Interviews”.
You may not know that Stuart McLean…
REWIND WEDNESDAY: The Mistakes We Make – Petit Lac Noir & Dog Pills
Bonjour,” he said. “Je m’appelle Dave.”
Yup, sometimes things go wrong. It happens to the best of us. Especially on the Vinyl Cafe, as you’ll hear in Stuart McLean’s Dave and Morley stories Dog Pills …
REWIND WEDNESDAY: Summer – A Letter from Camp & The Waterslide
"This waterslide was the waterslide to end all waterslides”
We are taking a break over the summer, so in honour of our final episode of Season 1 we’ve got two Vinyl Cafe stories for you about summer.…
Bonus Episode: Meet Greg!
Summer Trips - Canoe Trip & The Summer Cottage
“There is nothing like a 20th wedding anniversary to drive home the point that you are no longer 20 years old”
For our final episode of this season, two entertaining stories about summer vacations. A…
Childhood - The One and Only Murphy Kruger & The Great Train Adventure
“When are you supposed to let your children march off alone? When are you supposed to let them learn from their mistakes”
On today’s episode, two stories about childhood. And Jess talks about how one…
Summer Things - Dave and Morley, Dancing
“Dave said, you’re thinking about dancing, aren’t you?”
We’re looking towards summer on today’s episode. We have a script Stuart wrote about a magical evening spent in pursuit of fireflies. And a sto…
Toys - Rhoda’s Revenge & Planet Stuart
“When Dave was a boy, dolls terrified him”
Something a little different on today’s episode: two stories about kids' toys -- the good, the bad and the ugly! One is a story about Dave's childhood, the o…
Out and About - Cousin Dorothy & Have Snake, Will Travel
“Murphy was terrified of snakes”
Today’s episode features two stories that take place out and about, further afield. Dave’s Cousin Dorothy visits from England and has an exciting side adventure on th…
Birthdays! - Sam’s Birthday & Morley’s 40th Birthday Bash
“I don’t want a birthday party, said Morley. I hate birthday parties”
Some vintage Stuart McLean this week, as Morley celebrates a milestone birthday. And we have an older story for you, one you may …
Old Friends - The Wedding Dress & Jimmy Walker of Foggy Bottom Bay
“Dave was still a kid the night he and Jimmy met.”
Stuart loved to write about old friends. This week we’ve chosen two of our favourite friendship stories – one will make you laugh, one might also ma…
Car Trouble – Driving Lessons & Car Wash
"Thank God, he thought, help has arrived.”
Today on the show, Jess shares a back story about a Vinyl Cafe tour bus adventure. Plus two Dave and Morley stories about more car trouble.“
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Stories from Way Back - Walking Man & Why I Buy 8-tracks
“Dave was going to see Morley. He was trying to find the courage to ask her to marry him.”
Some vintage Stuart McLean this week with two stories from way, way back.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/pr…
Obsession - Blood Pressure Chair & Dave’s Truck
“It was not as if they *needed* a 1948 red panel truck…”
On today’s episode, two hilarious Vinyl Cafe stories that highlight Dave’s tendency to, let’s say, really commit to the things in his life. In …