Montreal is ranked at number three as one of the best cities for nightlife fun in Canada. Since the 1920s, Montreal has been a top destination for nightlife fun and the home of some of many iconic music venues and clubs within the country. Listed below are some of those venues and clubs to check out.
Club Soda is a versatile music venue that’s been around since 1982 and is a Montreal icon. The original location was on Park Avenue before closing down in 1999 and reopening at its current location on Saint Laurent Boulevard in 2000. While spectators can expect to see performances from local artists from all walks of life, international artists like Oasis and Melissa Ethridge have graced the stage at Club Soda.
La Sala Rossa is a hotspot music venue within the city’s indie scene. The building, constructed in 1932, served as a Jewish activist centre before becoming a Spanish social club. Today, it stands as a music venue. While the venue typically hosts underground talent, acts like Arcade Fire and Charli XCX have also graced the stage of La Sala Rossa.
Les Foufounes Électriques is one of the top underground venues in Montreal since opening in 1983. The venue operates as a multifunctional complex and is an essential in the city’s alt-rock and punk scene. This venue also presents music from other genres such as punk, emo, ska, new wave, and metal. A highlight of this venue is their upper floor, which has an enormous dance floor with one of the best mosh pit scenes.
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This multifunctional complex is one of the first within The Village, Montreal’s LGBTQ+ community. Although the complex’s main features are its music and sound system, ongoing renovations continue to attract people. The complex, opened in 1994, has undergone renovations over the years. The ground floor of the complex operates as a bar, which is opened seven days a week. A bar, mini restaurant, spa, and summer swimming pool make the complex’s terrace a hotspot at the venue.
New Gas City is an expansive multipurpose venue housed in an 1859 industrial space. The iconic site is mostly known for hosting international DJs like Steve Aoki, Bob Sinclair, Sultan + Shepard, and for glittering light shows. Inside the venue are to distinct spaces, a main hall and two exclusive outdoor terraces.
Le Belmont is a club that likes to offer something to everyone. The club likes to mix things up every weekend with original and diverse evenings with themed nights dedicated to a specific genre, which can either be afrobeats, hip-hop, reggae, salsa, dubstep, rock, disco, soul, pop, funk and reggaeton. Le Belmont has also hosted many artists on their Belmont stage like Havoc of Mobb Deep, DJ Quik, Wunderhouse and Tesqui and Spinelli.
Salsathèque is Montreal’s oldest salsa club. Since opening in the early 1980s, the club has attracted both young and older crowds who enjoy the best of salsa, merengue and bachata. The club’s inside décor is a tribute to Montreal’s disco nights in the 1970s, with neon lights and mirror balls.
Fun Fact: In 2013, the club received greater recognition when Arcade Fire performed a surprise live performance to promote their 2013 album, Reflektor.
This hidden underground gem, located under the Auberge Saint-Gabriel restaurant, may be an intimate club, but the vibes are energetic with techno, house, electro and pop music from a roster of local and international DJs. Velvet Speakeasy played a pioneering role as one of the best speakeasies to take over the local Montreal scene.
Fun Fact: The club has hosted some of the biggest Grand Prix parties and after parties for the Igloofest during the winter.
Club Unity is one of Montreal’s biggest nightclubs with two dance floors, a VIP lounge, and a famed rooftop terrace open during the summer months. Open from day until night, the club strives to be an inclusive environment that brings people from all communities together to listen and dance to the diverse range of music being played by local and international DJs.
