Vancouver Popup Session
The next Vancouver Popup is
April 7-12, 2026
The Henhouse Popup Sessions began in 2024, when Nashville-based Juno Award-winning producer/guitarist Steve Dawson rented a studio in Vancouver during a few days off while on tour. He brought in some of his talented friends and invited artists and songwriters to book a time slot to record with his band. This allowed artists who may not have had the opportunity to get into a real studio with experienced musicians a chance to do that, and in a very short amount of time, walk away with a unique, professional recording, and have an incredible experience while they’re doing it.
They worked at a fast clip - 6 songs a day - but the results were outstanding. Every artist walked away with a fully recorded and mixed song, plus individual tracks from the session.
Since then, The Henhouse Popup has made several appearances throughout the year in different cities.
This is an excellent opportunity to get into an amazing studio with world-class musicians and walk out with professional-quality music.
These events tend to always sell out fast, so grab a spot while you can at the link below!
“The seven songs I have recorded so far at the Henhouse Pop-ups are the seven best decisions I’ve ever made to support my music. I’m so grateful that I took the step and booked that first song. Currently booking song #8!”
- Taysey (2024/2025 Participant)
“Working with Steve and the gang at the HenHouse Popup sessions has been a truly fantastic and memorable experience! They helped my songs come to life in the most beautiful way, were incredibly supportive and made the whole experience a total blast! I cannot recommend this enough to any musicians out there - a definitive 10/10, 5 star experience!!”
- Lisa (2025 Participant)
The Details
Cost:
$750 CDN per song + GST
No hidden charges or fees. You get a single. Or record more than one - we have many repeat customers! We all get high 5’s. You can release it, only play it for your Mom, or license it to Tom Cruise for Mission Impossible 18 - it’s all yours.A $100 deposit secures your spot.
Maximum six songs per day.
What You Need:
A song. Most people bring in an original song, but you can record a cover song if you’d like
A rough demo (so we can prepare an arrangement and be ready). This should be a very simple iPhone voice-memo style recording. It doesn’t need to be perfect, just show me the song in the key and at the tempo you want to record at. This will need to be done about 6 weeks before the session.
What You Get:
An hour-long session with incredible musicians and engineer in a world-class recording studio
A full mix (completed right there at the session)
A mix without vocals (for re-singing later if you really need to)
All individual tracks
The Studio:
We’ll be working at The Warehouse Studio again. The Warehouse is one of the most unique recording spaces in the world. It features a gorgeous tracking room, several isolation booths, and an impressive collection of gear.
The Players:
Steve Dawson - guitars, pedal steel, and other stringed things
Darryl Havers - keyboards
Jeremy Holmes - bass (upright & electric)
Liam MacDonald, Geoff Hicks - drums & percussion (The drummer depends on the day)
Sheldon Zaharko engineering.
A world-class team with decades of experience - what could possibly go wrong?
How It Works:
We move quickly, but efficiently. Before the session, I’ll create charts for your song. When you arrive, we’ll listen to your demo (a simple iPhone recording is fine) and then play through your song together while you sing.
We’ll usually record 2-3 full takes. You’ll be isolated, so you can re-sing while we overdub if you like - but the goal is to capture a great live energy in the moment.
Next, we’ll do any necessary overdubs, including vocal re-takes if you wish. Then Sheldon and I will mix the song - all within an hour. It’s fast, fun, and spontaneous - the essence of making music together in real time!
I know the time restraints can feel intense, but they’re part of the excitement. And remember: if you ever want to re-sing your part later, you’ll have the tracks to do that with. That said, I hope you love your vocals and want to keep them! (Plus, I’m betting you won’t have that $30,000 microphone at home that we’ll get on you at the studio!)
Dates & Times:
April 7-12, 2026
Choose your preferred day and time and I will do my best to accommodate you.
Daily time slots:
11AM -12PM
12:15 - 1:15
1:30 - 2:30
(break)
3:30 - 4:30
4:45 - 5:45
6 - 7PM
Booking & Payment
A $100 CDN deposit per song holds your spot.
6 weeks before the session, I will contact everyone to get their balance paid in full. This is also a good date to get me your demos (voice memo recordings are all we need!). Final payments are non-refundable - We aren’t in a position to be able to deal with cancellations due to all of our expenses.
Payments can also be made via Interac and in CDN dollars, so just email me here if you’d rather do it that way.
Any questions? Feel free to reach out to Steve here - he’s happy to help.
For more info on Steve Dawson, please visit: www.stevedawson.ca
“What you can accomplish in an hour with these guys is very impressive, they are pro’s. The atmosphere of a world class studio and the people that come with it doesn’t hurt either.
Don't hesitate and you won't regret it. Good times!"
- Eddy (2024 Participant)
“I've never recorded live off the floor before, and certainly have never tried to lay down an entire finished song in only an hour, so I wasn't sure what to expect. I can tell you, though, the experience was amazing from start to finish! If you're looking for an incredible recording experience, do a Henhouse Pop-Up session. These guys are phenomenally skilled players, with great musical instincts that will definitely improve your song!”
- Michael (2024 Participant)
Here’s a few fantastic songs recorded at Popup sessions over the last year.
Dante Hadden - High Pressure
Nathan Turner - Sunday Morning
Norine Braun - Just One Night
We hope to see you in Vancouver - Let’s make some music!
"These guys are top of their game for sure, it was such a joy to watch them work and be part of the process!! The song sounds super dreamy, so lovely and truly amazing it was all done in an hour!"
- Norine (2024/2025 Participant)