So I'll be up there for work during that time but I'll have my evenings free pretty much.

Tell me about your fine town and what are the hot spots I should hit?


If anyone would like to meet up for a drink or 8 I'll be around.

I saw that Phoenix is playing some club up there this weekend. Anyone going to that?

Your first order of business needs to be finding an establishment that serves refreshments and has the Dogs on.

You don't think this issue was addressed already?

You don't even know me anymore.

I think I might be the sole MTL representative. So you'll hafta deal with slim pickings. Fortunately for you, I know how to get loose.

Sat - 09.09 French Kicks, Sound Team, The Coast @ Main Hall
Sun - 09.10 Rogue Wave, The Grates, Foreign Born @ La Sala Rossa ($10/$12)
Sun - 09.10 Dan Bern, Craig Cardiff @ Main Hall ($15)
Sun - 09.10 Phoenix, La Rocca @ Club Soda ($16)
Sun - 09.10 Mastodon, Converge, The Bronx @ Spectrum ($18/$20)
Mon - 09.11 São Paulo Underground, Torngat @ La Sala Rossa
Mon - 09.11 Massive Attack @ Metropolis
Tue - 09.12 M.Ward, Oakley Hall @ La Sala Rossa ($10/$12)
Tue - 09.12 Serena Maneesh, Evangelicals, Many Mental Mistakes @ Main Hall ($10/$12)

Not too much of that excites me, but you should definitely check out Casa del Popolo/La Sala Rossa one night. The club where Phoenix is playing is not nearly my favourite, in the seediest part of downtown, peeler spots you don't want to mess with, I'd assume.

Oh, these kids are throwing a weekend long electronic music and media festival uptown, with Hrvatski, Greg Davis, Deadbeat, Amps for Christ, Panacea, Subtitle, Temple of Bon Matin, and on. Friends of mine are playing. It might be worth checking out.

What kind of jams are you looking for?

I can recommend several good restaurants.

I know, I am just pissed that I have been served with a cease and desist order by Femgar and her mama on this issue.

It shoulda been you Gordy.

Derris, make sure you get some Labatt's 50.

Me thinks there will be some strippers on maternity leave nine months after.

Thanks Ish! Montreal Represent!

I'm leaving Tuesday night. I don't really have to see any bands (but would). I'm just looking for some cool places to hang. I'll be working all day Sunday. Monday, and most of Tuesday and don't know how up for a long night of boozing I'll be but I'm not scared to catch a buzz.

Any good bars, restaurants, record stores, tourist trap recommendations are appreciated. Aren't there world class strip clubs up there? (my knowledge of this comes from Bon Jovi's Behind the Music)


Dump, Labatt's 50 will be my first drink ordered.


<-------Never been to the Great White North.


Do I need to get my money changed over in Montreal or do they take American dollars?

I would probably change it over. I think it would just be easier for navigating around.

Where are you staying?

- definitely check out the Plateau - my great neighbourhood and definitely where most of importance goes down

Restaurants/Bars:

- Casa del Popolo (4873 St-Laurent & St-Joseph) - small, friendly veggie cafe where most shows and retarded nights go down
- Pharmacie Esperanza (St-Laurent & St-Viateur) - small, friendly, quaint, artsy, veggie cafe
- Jardin du Cari (St-Laurent & St-Viateur) - best fucking Roti I've ever had
- walk around St-Viateur street and grab some Montreal bagels
- Le P'tit Plateau (Marie-Anne & St-Denis) - awesome neighbourhood bring your own wine French restaurant: the best
- Schwartz's (St-Laurent & Duluth) - best fucking smoked meat

Tourist shit:

- go up the mountain for the view, it's an easy hike
- go down to Old Montreal, cobblestone straights and old architecture, very European
- St-Laurent and St-Denis for shopping and looking at tushies shaped like apples

Record stores:

- Beatnik and Primitive, both on St-Denis
- Soundcentral (not sure where exactly)
- Mont-Royal Avenue has a bunch of used shops

Thanks Ish!

Here's where I'm staying:

Novotel Montréal Centre
1180 rue de la Montagne
Montreal, QC H3G 1Z1


Is that anywhere near any of the stuff you mentioned or am I in Convention-town with the rest of the tourists?

You're pretty much in the heart of downtown. I'd be very happy to make you a little map of where to walk from there. From there to the Plateau is a very nice (and easy) walk... (a well-worn path for me).

That would kick ass P6! I'm a pretty resourceful guy and could find a local watering hole if I had to but I'd rather take you guys' advice. Being able to walk to the Plateau sounds cool and dangerous if there are good bars there.

Thanks Obs for the help!

Jayzus man, stay away from all Labatt's and Molson's products. It's all beer-flavored chemical water. I'm sure there'll be some fine micro-brews in Montreal - and if there isn't, remember to blame it on the French.

fer sho-wah.

50 is fool's gold!

Yeah, Rick, I know the hotel. You are indeed downtown. There are a couple good pubs near there:

- Cock n' Bull on Ste-Catherine, west of Guy and east of Atwater
- Brutopia on Crescent, south of Ste-Catherine (good brewed-on-site choices)
- lotta strip joints on and around Ste-Catherine

It's about a 30 to 40 minute walk up the Plateau, and probably the same distance to the Old Port. If you want the dirt style tour of St-Henri and along the Lachine Canal, you're a short walk south and west to it.

Hey, Derris...while you're there be sure to pick up a 2-4 of Elsinore for me. Tell them you found a mouse in the bottle, and you won't even have to pay!

Blasphemy.

Ignore him, Derris; he actually doesn't live in Canada.

I'm sure you can find yourself a cute one named Pierre in there, Derris.

Have fun and wrap it up--those Franks'll give you shit that don't come off with soap and water.

More like a dirty old man bar... and student hang-out.

Senor Six sporting a t-shirt... (his uncle design the logo for it)

***Map to follow... maybe after work....

Thanks Polly. No worries. I don't leave until Saturday morning.


Pretty cool t-shirt. Are there any other places that would warrant owning a t-shirt from said establishment?

I may try to pick up a memento.


Rads, I don't discriminate. I welcome all beers. What's the deal with the Labatt 50? Is it like the equivalent of a 40 of Olde English here?

Nah, it's only 5%, it's just a very tasty ale. It's just always been my favourite and I've tried most of all of the major (and minor) CDN beers. (In Ontario, the gov't owns all the liquor retails and there are Beer Stores where one generally has a choice from about 100-300 different brands, depending on the size of the store). 50 is an eastern Canadian beer as well, you can't get it out west, much to my horror. Sample it if you can, try Molson Export as well, the Molson equivalent to 50. And yeah, try all the microbrews you can, but what the hell am I telling you for, I think you'll know what to do .

You probably won't find 50 in most bars, unless you end up at a Lotérie Vidéo bar. You'll be able to find 50 in most depanneurs (Quebecois for corner store), though.

You should grab a t-shirt from St-Viateur Bagel.

Um, and about 2 dozen bagels (freeze half of 'em when you get home)/