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.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
- Update frequency
- every 7 days
- Average duration
- 43 minutes
- Episodes
- 120
- Years Active
- 2022 - 2025
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.…
Is Everybody Here? - Field Trip & A Trip to Quebec
“The Pensionne du Quebec was lit up like a party ship”
Sam is apprehensive about Dave signing up to escort the school field trip to the art gallery. You’ll understand why. On this week’s episode, lau…
Mother's Day - The House Next Door & The Pot
"Coming into Dave and Morley’s house is, quite frankly, a bit of a feat. You have to really want to get in.”
In time for Mother’s Day, this week’s episode is all about Morley – the beating heart of th…
I Know an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly - The Fly & Code Yellow
“What are flies attracted to?”
We’re talking hypochondria on the podcast this week with two stories revealing Dave’s undeniably hypochondriacal tendencies. Jess lets us into the secret of how Stuart …
Hero Dave - The Yoga Retreat & Dave's Truck
“Dave chose Happy Hour: Three honey-mint-refresh-colonic cocktails.”
The Yoga Retreat: a place of well-being, calm and reflection. Usually. But not always; or not for Dave and Stephanie, at least. Th…
Sam and Murphy - The Science Experiment & Macaulay’s Mountain
“I found my father’s old chemistry set…”
This week’s episode is about good friends and friendship: two stories about Sam and his best friend Murphy. In the early days of their friendship they get the…
Connection - The Laundry Chute & London
“It’s time for Stephanie to see more of the world.”
Stuart McLean talks about connection – to place, to each other and to history – with the stories London and Springhill (aka The Laundry Chute). And…
Let’s celebrate! – The Birthday Cake & Morley’s 40th Birthday Bash
“Surely Mary wouldn’t miss one of those little buttercream shrubs…”
Today’s Backstage at the Vinyl Cafe is all about birthdays. Jess shares some behind the scenes stories of ways she and Stuart celebr…
Faith – Morley’s Hairdresser & The Lottery Ticket
"Imagine. A million dollars. What would you do with a million dollars?”
A couple of favourite Vinyl Cafe stories this week. Stories about faith. When Tommy’s grandpa dies the conversation turns to his…
New Beginnings – Spring in the Narrows & Opera
“We stumble upon the great loves of our lives in the oddest ways”
On this week’s episode of Backstage at the Vinyl Cafe, two funny stories about Dave’s mother, Margaret and the new beginnings, loves a…
Everyone Needs a Hobby – Morley’s Book Club & Dave the Dogwalker
“He wanted to be alone so he could try the beef-flavoured toothpaste”
Jess shares a special memory from a concert at the Place des Arts in Montreal – a memory about Stuart and his mom. And we have two…
All’s Well That Ends Well – Car Wash & Murphy’s Bar Mitzvah
"Thank God, he thought, help has arrived.”
Dave tries to be helpful by offering to take Mary Turlington’s car to the car wash — but things don’t go exactly as planned. No stranger to car wash shenanig…
Quiz Time! - Arthur the Dog & Gifted
“Is Your Dog Your Boss?”
Who doesn’t love a quiz? On this week’s episode of Backstage at the Vinyl Cafe, Jess introduces two favourite Stuart McLean stories from way back. In Arthur the Dog, Dave trie…
Chomp Chomp - Dave Goes to the Dentist & Teeth
“It has been many long years since he sunk his teeth into anything.”
It’s gnashers all the way on the Vinyl Cafe this week! Freezing optional. Things go awry when Dave’s neighbour Eugene struggles wit…
Dave's Buddies - The Turlingtons' Dog & Curse of the Crayfish
“The fragrance of dead crayfish. Mmm-mm.”
Two stories about Dave’s buddies. Bert Turlington gets a dog – but not exactly the kind he was hoping for; and Carl, Kenny, Bert and Dave enter a fishing cont…
Meet the Neighbours! - Kenny Wong's Practical Jokes & Dorothy
“Big Bucks Polka. Bring your records Monday morning to Dave’s Polka Palace (formerly the Vinyl Cafe)”
Welcome to the neighbourhood! Jess introduces two laugh-out-loud funny Dave and Morley stories abo…
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…
There's No Place Like Home - Tree of Heaven & Burd
“She was a woodland bird, in the middle of the city, way off course, and she had landed at his feeder.”
Stuart McLean tells two Dave and Morley stories that explore the idea of home in its various for…
Fitness Gone Wrong - Dave on the Bike & Attack of the Treadmill
"He looked like a kid on a roller coaster. But not one of the happy ones.”
Vinyl Cafe producer Jess Milton lets us into some secrets about life on the road with Stuart McLean and we’ll hear Stuart re…