Montreal - May 2014

[brettnyc]

Just back from Montreal – maybe Friday the 13th isn’t the best day for traveling, as I was met with heavy showers upon my arrival. Fortunately the weather improved both Saturday & Sunday – and neither rain, nor snow, nor sleet could keep a good dancing boy down.

 

Whereas in the past Campus had bigger built buff guys dancing the after 9 pm, this time around the afternoon and evening dancers were almost uniformly the same - medium to athletic builds, without any buff muscle built guys to speak of. The biggest guy I saw was Matthew who had more a football player build. Marcus was a close second and very sexy guy on stage. There were a number of newcomers and some veterans like the compact built Davey. Campus has started charging $3 admission after 9 pm.

 

Among the dancers I recall were: Davey, Chris, Kovie, Marcus, Matthew, Dimitri (playful and very good at engaging engaging the audience from on stage), Santiago, Niko, Gabriel, Jessee and Bobby

 

Stock Bar seems to be back in form, at least the dancers were mostly well built and many put a lot effort into their stage performance. There were a few duos and trio as well, including shower shows, which always gets the audience’s attention. Little did I know that I’d discover a philosophy for life while watching the dancers at Stock Bar; and it wasn’t from reading Socrates in between the dancers’ sets, but rather from reading the tattoos emblazoned across the torsos of three of the dancers… Those tattoos included : Believe / Play Hard / Don’t fear death – Fear a life of mediocrity

Taken together, they seem to embody a philosophy that would be hard to dismiss. Who knew that a strip club could be so enlightening?

 

Among the dancers that stood out at Stock, was Ben, a dancer who could have been the brother of actor Michael J. Fox. He had a slender build, and clean-cut mild mannered look about him, until he jumped onto the stripper pole in the nude and wrapped his feet around while twirling around upside, in a way that defied gravity like a professional acrobat from Cirque du Soleil professional acrobat. It brought a huge round of applause from the audience.

 

There was another dance who looked like Keanu Reeve – he had a very sexy and playful stage presence and knew how to engage the audience with his handsome looks and toned body.

 

Also in the line-ups were Alfie, Andre, Charles, Chico, Dale (sexy muscular blond – one of my favorites this weekend), Denzel (very smooth moves on stage – good boy goes bad looks), Eric (model good looks with buff build), Gunner, JP (hairy muscle bod & crowd pleaser), Marc, Maxime, Jamie, Sebastian (did a sexy number with a lean blond guy wearing Clark Kent glasses, whose name escapes me – both of them have a hot frat boys gone wild look about them), Randy, Robert. Neither Campus nor Stock filled up either Friday or Saturday nights – and at both places, the dancers were more aggressive about persuing privates than I’ve experienced before – which may be an indicator of the business in general at the clubs.

 

Since my last visit to Montreal, the impression I got was that Ste. Catherine Street in the Village is struggling. There were many more empty storefronts than I’ve ever seen before…including the major gay mixed-use complex that housed several bars and restaurants, including a hotel and Le Drugstore. Also out of business is the breakfast spot Cora, Five Napkins Burgers, Restaurant Nuvo and its replacement…and Le Belle Province. There were few new businesses, with the exception of a Whole Foods style grocery store. What was worse than the empty storefronts, was the number of drug addicts…their presence seems more noticeable and pernicious than even a year ago. I saw multiple police confrontations along St. Catherine & Place Dupois which seems to have become an encampment for drug addicts. Just walking down Ste.Catherine from the village to Place des Arts, there was a guy on a bike verbally berating passersby and who proceeded to lob a glass bottle into the middle of the street. A few blocks away the police had someone else under arrest. Fortunately, the police presence made it possible to walk without feeling completely under siege. I’m not sure how this situation is being addressed, but there’s a limit to the city’s laissez faire attitude to drugs and putting the safety of residents and tourists alike at risk

[MontrealSucks]

OMG ! ! ! no more Chez Cora???

[+ newatthis]

Just back from Montreal – ...

 

Since my last visit to Montreal, the impression I got was that Ste. Catherine Street in the Village is struggling. There were many more empty storefronts than I’ve ever seen before…including the major gay mixed-use complex that housed several bars and restaurants, including a hotel and Le Drugstore. Also out of business is the breakfast spot Cora, Five Napkins Burgers, Restaurant Nuvo and its replacement…and Le Belle Province. ...

Thanks for the detailed report. Coupled with a recent very positive report from Jake on Taboo, it sounds like things are great inside the clubs, if not outside...and there's plenty else to do in Montreal off Ste. Catherine.

[EZEtoGRU]

Another great report by Brett. I was in MTL the last week of may and I concur that St. Catherine's seemed quieter and had more empty storefronts. Chez Cora was indeed closed although their other locations are still operationg(I ate at the one on Drummond).

 

I'm curious if Thierry was working at Stock this past weekend? He was looking particularly big when I saw him in May. Also, he does a very good lap dance in back. The shower shows at Stock can be great fun if there is a compatible duo up there. JP with Thierry is not to be missed.

 

Glad you had fun....and thanks for the report!

[brettnyc]

Another great report by Brett. I was in MTL the last week of may and I concur that St. Catherine's seemed quieter and had more empty storefronts. Chez Cora was indeed closed although their other locations are still operationg(I ate at the one on Drummond).

 

I'm curious if Thierry was working at Stock this past weekend? He was looking particularly big when I saw him in May. Also, he does a very good lap dance in back. The shower shows at Stock can be great fun if there is a compatible duo up there. JP with Thierry is not to be missed.

 

Glad you had fun....and thanks for the report!

 

EZE,

There were a couple sexy shower shows -- one on Saturday night featured Charles and a bigger built guy with shaved head with a tattoo in Arabic below his neckline. Both guys were quite good at turning up the heat - only thing missing was a bar of soap and shampoo for props. JP was there...and seeing his furry muscle body and solid butt is always a sight to behold.

[EZEtoGRU]

EZE,

There were a couple sexy shower shows -- one on Saturday night featured Charles and a bigger built guy with shaved head with a tattoo in Arabic below his neckline. Both guys were quite good at turning up the heat - only thing missing was a bar of soap and shampoo for props. JP was there...and seeing his furry muscle body and solid butt is always a sight to behold.

 

Thanks Brett. Charles is a hot one with very impressive assets from the front and from behind. Also, he is growing his hair quite long.....at least that was the case when I saw him in May. Some of the other dancers refer to him as "Tarzan".

[EZEtoGRU]

Since my last visit to Montreal, the impression I got was that Ste. Catherine Street in the Village is struggling. There were many more empty storefronts than I’ve ever seen before…including the major gay mixed-use complex that housed several bars and restaurants, including a hotel and Le Drugstore. Also out of business is the breakfast spot Cora, Five Napkins Burgers, Restaurant Nuvo and its replacement…and Le Belle Province. There were few new businesses, with the exception of a Whole Foods style grocery store. What was worse than the empty storefronts, was the number of drug addicts…their presence seems more noticeable and pernicious than even a year ago. I saw multiple police confrontations along St. Catherine & Place Dupois which seems to have become an encampment for drug addicts. Just walking down Ste.Catherine from the village to Place des Arts, there was a guy on a bike verbally berating passersby and who proceeded to lob a glass bottle into the middle of the street. A few blocks away the police had someone else under arrest. Fortunately, the police presence made it possible to walk without feeling completely under siege. I’m not sure how this situation is being addressed, but there’s a limit to the city’s laissez faire attitude to drugs and putting the safety of residents and tourists alike at risk

 

Since my last visit to Montreal, the impression I got was that Ste. Catherine Street in the Village is struggling. There were many more empty storefronts than I’ve ever seen before…including the major gay mixed-use complex that housed several bars and restaurants, including a hotel and Le Drugstore. Also out of business is the breakfast spot Cora, Five Napkins Burgers, Restaurant Nuvo and its replacement…and Le Belle Province. There were few new businesses, with the exception of a Whole Foods style grocery store. What was worse than the empty storefronts, was the number of drug addicts…their presence seems more noticeable and pernicious than even a year ago. I saw multiple police confrontations along St. Catherine & Place Dupois which seems to have become an encampment for drug addicts. Just walking down Ste.Catherine from the village to Place des Arts, there was a guy on a bike verbally berating passersby and who proceeded to lob a glass bottle into the middle of the street. A few blocks away the police had someone else under arrest. Fortunately, the police presence made it possible to walk without feeling completely under siege. I’m not sure how this situation is being addressed, but there’s a limit to the city’s laissez faire attitude to drugs and putting the safety of residents and tourists alike at risk

 

I thought I'd add an update. I'm in Montreal and spent the last few hours walking from my hotel downtown all the way down Sainte Catherine past the Place-des-Arts (where the Jazz Festival is currently on) and through the whole Village area all the way to the Metro Papineau. As Brett commented in his original post, the number of empty businesses in the Village is quite attention getting. There are empty spaces all through the Village but it is worse in the final 4-5 blocks from Alexandre de Seve St to Rue Dorion. several of the large complexes are closed which results in a nearly two whole blocks being totally empty on one side of the street. Also, I hadn't previously realized that Le Club Sandwich had closed. Goodness.....that place has been there forever. It's really noticeable this summer that places are struggling. I wonder if the Gay Village Association should try and concentrate the businesses in a smaller 4-5 block area?

 

What all these closures are due to? The economy? The general on-going reduction in gay bars/clubs that we are seeing everywhere (many gay bars in Houston have closed in the last 3-4 years......and I understand this is happening in a lot of places). Is there a reduction in gay tourism to gay meccas generally?

 

Obviously being summertime, lots of people were out and about today along Sainte Catherine, but one couldn't help but notice that it was not as vibrant as in the past.

 

I'll do another update on the dancers later in the week

[firecat]

Still waiting???

[fedssocr1]

Even when I was there two summers ago there was plenty of aggression around Ste Catharine. Saw several loud confrontations and general crazy behaviour. But there was certainly a large police presence then as well. Do they still close the road to vehicles in summer? Even when I first visited a decade ago I was struck by the number of homeless. And that certainly wasn't improved on my most recent time there.

 

It seemed like there were a lot of condo conversions going on a couple of years ago.

 

Le Club Sandwich probably needed to go out of business. When I ate there the food and service were pretty poor.

 

I think it is certainly true that gay bars are dying out in a lot of places. Here in DC there aren't that many anymore. What used to be the gayborhood isn't really so gay anymore either. Things are a lot more integrated now. And people meet like-minded folks in a lot of other ways and in a lot of other venues these days. Not saying that's necessarily good or bad. Things change.

[endorphinfun]

Any info on the rentboy scene in montreal / what the best way to find rentboys there is? (e.g. do they use rentboy.com / men4rentnow.com or other sites I don't know about.)

[Diverdan]

Try Canadianmale...

[brettnyc]

end of summer...

 

Wondering if anyone has been to the clubs in Montreal recently? With the end of the summer season approaching, it'll be nice to hear how others have fared.

[JR-Mtl]

Wondering if anyone has been to the clubs in Montreal recently? With the end of the summer season approaching, it'll be nice to hear how others have fared.

 

I headed to the Village a number of times during the recent Fireworks Festival to watch from the water front.

 

4 times or 5, I stopped at Taboo (which, by the way, now has a Facebook page) for a drink to let the Metro thin out (the one time I didn't was a real mistake - *far too packed because of all the festivals ending about the same time).

 

It seems Wednesday night Taboo was having an erotic couples competition. *It's hosted by a drag person (even with practice s/he's never going to be a queen). *The competition is fun, but the long explanations from the host(ess) drag on, and on, and on - repeated in both languages. *

 

The six dancers (three couples) each dance on their own, and then after a break (filled by other dancers) the three couples do their acts. *The crowd picks the winners who get a bottle of champagne (and there's a draw for door prizes - stuff from Wega, Budweiser, etc.). *So far, all couples have been fun to watch and have clearly worked on their routines. Some of the memorable dancers were Ryder & Derek, Frankie & David, and Noah & James.

 

James and Noah are the two I noticed first. *

 

I talked to was Noah first - a CEGEP business student. *Bright and bubbly, rudimentary English, but genuinely GQ body and looks.*

 

James is about 6’2”, cute, and brimming with stage personality. *I have never seen him do a slow because every time his name is called he's still in the back with a client. *

 

When I finally talked to James,*he and Noah had won two of the three comps at that point.

 

During their one of their erotic performances was the first time I'd seen either of them completely in the buff. *God was not generous, but clearly my libido doesn't think it's a deal breaker.

 

I've been impressed by the crowd. * I'd say Taboo is doing well. On one Wednesday, there were 25 to thirty people (all ages), and fifteen or so dancers (most of whom I thought were really cute). *My last stop was Aug. 02, a Saturday, after the final fireworks. There was an average crowd, and fewer dancers - but still all cute.

[DanseurMTL]

Arson in the gay village

 

It's not the first time that criminal arsonists have targeted commerces in the Montreal gay village, but it's gang-related (drugs), not because it's gay. This winter they firebombed the "Pure" nightclub (formerly known as I-nightclub) on 1003 Ste-Catherine St. The whole building was heavily damaged and since then, neither the PizzaPizza, the PeepShow, nor the Cora restaurant have reopened.

 

http://zone911.fm93.com/actualites/incendies/item/18097-montreal-incendie-majeur

[jerryskater]

Hi DanseurMTL

 

Nice to see your post. I've missed your news from Montreal and I hope you keep posting.

 

My partner and I were in Montreal over the 4th of July weekend and had our usual good time. Glad to see that Taboo seems to be making a comeback. Decent crowds and a fair number of cute dancers.

 

The gay complex closing does worry me a little bit. I'm thinking that some developer may have bought the property to build condos or rentals. Any rumors about this?

 

What's you take on Montreal? Would love to hear from you about the clubs, dancers, etc. Please feel free to PM me.

 

Jerry

[zzed]

I was in Montreal Labour Day weekend and made it to Campus and Taboo. I'm pleased to report both were packed with lots of customers and HOT dancers.

 

Campus is my favourite late afternoon/early evening spot and it didn't dissapoint. I found myself in the back room within the first 45 minutes and even though there were no curtains... let's just say it didn't matter.

 

I was pleased to see some improvements at Taboo. A shower has been added beside the stage where the DJ booth used to be (it was moved to the back of the club adjacent to the bar and entrance to the private dance area) and there are more coloured lights on the walls. There also seems to be more seating available around the stage with some tables removed. There were lots of cute twinks on stage but they still don't circulate enough.. having said that, it's not difficult to get their attention for more one-on-one activity.

 

I didn't make it to Stock Bar but heard reports its' still quite busy with the big buff boyz, nor did I stop in at Lux which wasn't very busy the last time I was there and there weren't many people going in or out as I walked by on several occasions.

 

The gay village was full of people on the last weekend of the summer-long street closure. Sitting at the street level patio of Sky Pub or Club Date one can see many past, present and future porn stars walk by. The closure of the Bourbon complex leaves an entire block empty and the closure of Cora as a breakfast spot was a loss, but a sign posted says it is only temporary due to the fire at Pure nightclub in the adjacent building.

 

All in all another fun weekend in Montreal with lots to see and do !