Backstage at the Vinyl Cafe

Backstage at the Vinyl Cafe

Apostrophe Podcast Network

Episodes 159
Avg. Duration 45m
Activity Highly Active
Apple Rating 4.9 (216)
Since Dec 2022
Latest Episode Jun 2026

Publishing Details

Schedule
Weekly
Format
Episodic
Consistency
100%
Hosting
feeds.acast.com

Contact & Outreach

About This Podcast

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.


www.vinylcafe.com


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Recent Episodes

S7E23 Summer Adventures - MacCaulay’s Mountain & Letter from Camp

Jun 12, 2026 48m

"This is the first summer Sam has been in Big Narrows without Dave and Morley..."We are so ready for summer here! Are you? So on today’s podcast we’re talking summer adventures, start to finish, with…

S7E22 Dads - Field Trip & Dave and the Rollercoaster

Jun 05, 2026 51m

We're a few weeks early, I know, but this week on the podcast we’re celebrating Dads! We’ve got two hilarious stories about Dave’s parenting adventures.Ad-free listening is here! Listen to the pod…

S7E21 My Dying Wish - Dave Buys a Coffin & Dad is Dying

May 29, 2026 53m

What song would you want played at your funeral? Dave starts thinking about that in our first story and ends by taking funeral preparation to a whole new level! Our second story is also about death.…

S7E20 Eugene Double Bill - Rendi & Eugene's Teeth

May 22, 2026 52m

“It has been many long years since he sunk his teeth into anything.”On this week’s episode, two stories about everyone’s favourite Vinyl Cafe neighbour: Eugene! And Jess notices some similarities…

S7E19 Gone Fishing - Curse of the Crayfish & Mabou

May 15, 2026 34m

“I swear I smelled his breath.”We’ve got another Postcard from Canada for you today. It’s about the town of Mabou, Cape Breton, but it’s also about the art of fly fishing. And we’ve got a Dave &…

S7E18 Where We Gather - Fire at the Old Town Hall

May 08, 2026 34m

“Everyone in town heard the lightning hit.”We’re talking about gathering places on this week’s episode; those vital places that serve our communities in so many ways. We start with a piece Stuart…

S7E17 Grandparents are the Best Parents -The Mermaid and Other Mysteries & Summer of Stars

May 01, 2026 50m

“And then one night … there were shooting stars.”  Today on the pod, two stories set in Dave’s hometown of Big Narrows, Nova Scotia, stories where the grandparents step in to help, and to work their…

S7E16 Community – Defibrillator

Apr 24, 2026 42m

“It’s not clear who thought up the defibrillator”On today’s episode, we’re talking about community. We’ll play one of Stuart’s opening scripts, about an inspiring community project that we learned…

S7E15 Cat show - Jim and Molly the Cat

Apr 17, 2026 49m

"Galway began flushing the toilet again in the autumn…"For all you cat lovers out there, today is your day. Today on the show we’re all about our feline friends, with two hilarious stories about the…

S7E14 Feedback Episode - Odd Jobs & The Turlingtons’ Dog

Apr 10, 2026 40m

“It would work so much better if we could plug the toaster in at the table”Two of your most-requested Vinyl Cafe stories on this week’s show. Some vintage Stuart McLean, at your service! Ad-free…

S7E13 More Postcards from Canada – Tofino & Halifax

Apr 03, 2026 33m

You asked, we listened! So, this week on the pod, we’ve got two more of Stuart’s love letters to this country, what we call his Postcards from Canada.Ad-free listening is here! Listen to the pod…

S7E12 Fun on Wheels - Cat in the Car & Dave and the Bike

Mar 27, 2026 35m

"He looked like a kid on a roller coaster. But not one of the happy ones.”On today’s episode, two stories about transportation—and what happens when it takes on a life of its own (with a little help…

S7E11 Je Ne Sais Quoi - Petit Lac Noir & Montreal

Mar 20, 2026 43m

“Bonjour,” he said. “Je m’appelle Dave.”Stuart loved Quebec and was proud to have grown up there. That influence is apparent in so many of his stories. We’ll play one of them today. Plus one of his…

S7E10 In the Woods - The Man Who Punched Trees

Mar 13, 2026 42m

“It was a magnificent tree.”We’re thinking about our connection to the natural world on this week’s pod. We’ve got an essay from Stuart McLean about a Winnipeg tree that galvanized a community, and a…

S7E9 The World of Work - Boy Wanted & Carl’s Retirement

Mar 06, 2026 49m

“It was Sam’s first year in high school. And it was not going well.”On today’s episode: two of Stuart McLean's hilarious Dave & Morley stories about the wonderful world of work. And Jess talks…

S7E8 Border Crossings - Dave Crosses the Border

Feb 27, 2026 47m

“That afternoon, in his first true act of citizenship, Dave wore five lacy bras across the border.”This week is all about the relationship between Canada and the U.S. We’ve got a Dave & Morley…

S7E7 Hardware Stores – Fireworks & Margaret Gets Married

Feb 20, 2026 47m

“There is nothing like a wedding to addle people’s minds.”Today on the pod we’re celebrating one of Stuart’s favourite stores: The good old hardware store. We’ve got two Dave & Morley stories to…

S7E6 Man and Beast - Arthur the Dog & Dave the Dog Walker

Feb 13, 2026 42m

“He wanted to be alone so he could try the beef-flavoured toothpaste”On this week’s episode: two fan favourites: stories about some of the sweetest characters in the Vinyl Cafe universe – the…

S7E5 Hold the Phone - The Phone Message

Feb 06, 2026 40m

"It began simply enough. It began with a phone call."Stuart loved talking on the phone: much of his work revolved around phone calls. Jess talks about some of the memorable phone calls you may have…

S7E4 Leacock - The Roundabout & Keswick

Jan 30, 2026 42m

“What’s in a name? When it’s yours – a lot, apparently.”We’re talking about Canadian humour today on the podcast. We're following a thread back to Stephen Leacock and the ways in which he influenced…

Frequently Asked Questions

How many episodes does Backstage at the Vinyl Cafe have?

Backstage at the Vinyl Cafe has published 159 episodes since December 2022.

Is Backstage at the Vinyl Cafe still active?

Backstage at the Vinyl Cafe is currently highly active with new episodes weekly. Average episode length is 45m.

How do I contact Backstage at the Vinyl Cafe for sponsorship or guest appearances?

Sign up on Grep.FM to access contact details for Backstage at the Vinyl Cafe, including email and social media links.

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