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
- 121
- Years Active
- 2022 - 2025
Kindness - Wally
“Not everyone in the world is cut out to be a school janitor.”
We’re full of the milk of human kindness on this week’s podcast. We play Stuart’s heartwarming interview with one of our favourite Arthu…
The Promise of Summer - The Man Who Punched Trees & Rosemary Honey
“A hive of bees is like a harvest kitchen. They gather up the summer: the heat of the sun, the warmth of the rain…”
This week on the podcast, two Stuart McLean stories to whet your appetite for summe…
Bucking Bronco (aka Mother’s Day) - Sam’s Underwear & Harrison Ford’s Toes
“It started like a sprint. One moment you were standing still, and the next you were running as fast as you could.”
Hold on tight! On today’s show, in time for Mother’s Day, two Vinyl Cafe stories ab…
Food Glorious Food - No Tax on Truffles
“It says it’s one of the most wonderful tastes in the world.”
It’s a gastronomical episode of the podcast today. Stuart loved writing about his favourite foods – both in fiction and non-fiction – and…
The Cricket - The Cricket & I Need to Pee
“He’s not well, Stuart.”
We’re going way back today with two pieces from pre-Vinyl Cafe days! One is a favourite you’ve been requesting, back from Stuart McLean’s regular appearances on Peter Gzowski…
The Alchemy of Audience - Dad is Dying & Odd Jobs
“There are only so many holes a man can cut in his own house before he is told to stop.”
Today on the show, two classic Stuart McLean stories, including Odd Jobs. That’s the one where Dave tries his …
Spring – The Fish Head
“I guess I figured having a fish head could come in handy.”
On this week’s episode Stuart celebrates the joys of birding and the Spring bird migration. And we have two springy stories, including a fa…
Marriage - Dave and the Duck & Margaret Gets Married
“There is nothing like a wedding to addle people’s minds.”
Today on the pod we have two hilarious stories about marriage and proposal. In the first, Dave loses his wedding ring and fears it may have …
Seeds of Hope - The Fig Tree & Morley’s Garden
“Eugene’s fig tree is the best-known tree in the neighbourhood.”
We’re all about gardening on the podcast this week, with two Dave and Morley stories about the act of faith and hope that goes into cr…
What’s in a Name? - Skunks
“It was 4:30 in the morning and Dave was having a nightmare about something that smelled bad.”
On today’s episode we have a fragrant story from way back. And Jess chats in studio with Stuart’s old fr…
Sap’s Running! - Dave Makes Maple Syrup
“It is the best maple syrup I have ever had, said Sam.”
We’re celebrating one of the wonders of spring on the pod this week: Stuart waxes lyrical about his favourite tipple, maple syrup, then tells a …
The Wisdom of Children - Annie’s Turn & Dave and the Roller Coaster
“The kids were always up to something in the Narrows.”
This week’s episode is all about kids and what we can learn from them. The first story relates an adventure from when Dave was a boy. In the sec…
Literary Structures - Dave’s Inferno & Labour Pains
“By the end of the first trimester, Dave had put on 12lbs.”
A surprising theme links our two stories this week. In the first, Dave has a hellish trip to the grocery store—and Jess has a backstory abo…
Trapped - Rat-a-tat-tat & Dave Buys a Coffin
"He was about to climb in—just for a second, just to see…"
Poor Dave gets himself into some tight situations in both this week’s stories. And Jess explores the snapshots of detail that enrich them.
H…
The Glide - The Greatest Hockey Game Ever Played
“'They tried to stop us,' says the old man. 'But we kept playing.'”
More about the joy of winter sports on this week’s pod. Including Stuart’s ode to skating from Jasper, Alberta. And a beautiful Big…
Valentine’s Day - Holland
“It was the greatest skate of her life.”
Love is in the air today on the pod, with a Dave and Morley origin story—the one about how they first met. For our second story, we’re bringing back the Vinyl…
Occupational Hazards - Kenny Wong and the Tank of Tranquility & Tree Planting
“The secret to planting more trees, is to plant more trees.”
We have two hilarious Vinyl Cafe stories for you on today’s pod. Stories of things that happen at work. In the first, Kenny helps Dave out …
Stories Ahead of Their Time - Toilet Training the Cat & Dave Versus the Flu
"Galway began flushing the toilet again in the autumn…"
This week, two Dave and Morley stories that, in hindsight, seem strangely prescient. In the first, a fan favourite, Dave decides to teach Galway…
Analog Dave - The Phone Message & The Razor’s Edge
"It began simply enough. It began with a phone call."
On today’s episode, two stories about technical difficulties. In our first story, Dave attempts an inventive solution to an ill-considered phone …
I Resolve To…
I resolve to organize upstairs.
Welcome back for Season 3 of Backstage at the Vinyl Cafe! We’re embracing the spirit of the New Year with a show all about resolutions and lists and getting things don…