The Velvet Moon Happy Hour

Elegant, funny, nostalgic, and relational, The Velvet Moon Happy Hour celebrates the unforgettable connections that shape our lives through music. Join Liz Cass and Graham Yates for an intimate evening of cabaret featuring music by Graham Yates, William Bolcom and Édith Piaf, woven together with stories of friendship, adventure and the winding journey from Austin, Texas to Vancouver, BC.

Blending art song, cabaret, and storytelling, The Velvet Moon Happy Hour features music by Canadian composer Graham Yates, celebrated American composer William Bolcom, and the timeless songs of Édith Piaf, culminating in the iconic La Vie en rose. Throughout the evening, Cass and Yates weave personal stories of friendship, artistic collaboration, and the winding journey that connects Austin, Texas, with Vancouver and Nanaimo, BC.

The program includes Yates' Five Youthful Songs and Always Here, works that reflect his distinctive compositional voice—lyrical, deeply human, and infused with the intimacy of storytelling. Bolcom's beloved cabaret songs and Piaf's enduring classics provide both musical inspiration and emotional touchstones, highlighting the traditions that shaped Yates' own musical language.

Cass and Yates first met in Austin in 2014 after Yates relocated from British Columbia to Texas and then back to Canada’s west coast. During this time, they became close friends and collaborators through music education, arts administration, and performance, navigating together the personal and cultural milestones of a transformative era. Cass became one of the earliest champions of Yates' compositions, premiering many of his songs throughout Texas and helping introduce his music to new audiences.

Now reunited, the pair celebrates a friendship that has crossed borders, endured changing times, and remained rooted in a shared belief in the power of music to bring people together.

"The Velvet Moon Happy Hour is really about connection," says Cass. "It's about the people who shape us, the places we call home, and the music that carries us through every chapter of life.”

“Plus we have created a cocktail named Velvet Moon,” adds Yates. “It just makes sense to create a cabaret show based on a cocktail..or is the cocktail based on the cabaret show?"

Audiences are encouraged to arrive early, enjoy a signature Velvet Moon cocktail, and settle in for an evening where conversation, storytelling, and music unfold as naturally as a gathering among old friends.

Elegant, romantic, humorous, and full of heart, The Velvet Moon Happy Hour offers an intimate concert experience that celebrates collaboration, creativity, and the enduring bonds that transcend geography.

Thanks to our Austin performance sponsors, Heather and Reed Arnos, Kristin Farwell, and Jef Hahl of Allure Real Estate