Montreal New Years Eve 2010 :: the Blog

Alright, the year is pretty much over; in less than 48 hours there will be no more of 2006. I finally know where I will be spending the new years eve night: at “Club Iron Curtain”, which simply where some friends of mine live. They throw hugely insane parties, and NYE will probably be even crazier. Sorry, I removed the address from the flyer, as it is by invitation only.

Hopefully the NYE party guide de-constructed part 1 and part 2 have helped you.

Have a happy, festive and safe NYE night. I wish you all the best for 2007. Thank you and until next year.

I just got my boxing-day shopped Christmas gift (the self titled debut of RATM, damn I missed that CD since some punk stole it from my car) and it took me one entire CD listen to finish-up the de-construction of the Mirror’s NYE party guide. Mine is soooo much better, it’s not even funny.

Mile End Bar
5322 St-Laurent, 279-0200
Mile-End is always good, and their NYE is usually a lot a lot of fun. To me Mile End is equal to a mostly local and young professionals crowd and good electronic music; I was there 3 years ago (already) and I had an amazing night. Dj Yovan will be spinning.

Newtown
1476 Crescent, 284-6555
Don’t expect to meet Jacques Villeneuve there.

Plan B
327 Mont-Royal E., 845-6060
I have been there only one, so the only thing I can say about Plan B is that it has very good interior design.

rockette
4479 St-Denis, 845-9010
For 12$ only you get lots of Rock, maybe some Roll (if you’re lucky) and access to show place Quai des Brumes where you’ll get to see The Psycho Riders http://www.psychoriders.com/ , a band I have never heard of before, but judging from their site, must be pretty good.

La Sala Rossa
4848 St-Laurent, 284-3804
Again,, 12$ only, and a guarantee for a no-plastic-covered NYE party. http://www.casadelpopolo.com/salaconcert/home.htm

Sir Winston Churchill Complex
1459 Crescent, 288-3814
Recipe for a Winnies night: drunk American girls and sober/groping Montreal boys thrown in the same pot and stirred. Not sure what the NYE variation or secret ingredient will be.

St-Sulpice
1680 St-Denis, 844-9458
Stopped going there when it’s not summer, and that won’t change this NYE. This place is not what it used to be.

Tokyo
3709 St-Laurent, 842-6838
Believe it or not this place is still open!!!!!

La Tulipe
4530 Papineau, 529-5000
Highly recommended by sources close to MTLNYE.ca, so I assume it will be a very good party. Mostly locals so expect to discover the true Montreal if you don’t get lost on you way to there.

Brutopia
1219 Crescent, 393-9277
Home-brewed beer (try the Nut-Brown or the now legendary Raspberry Blonde), live music, three flors and only 20$. Definitely the best party on Crescent. This bar shouldn’t even be on that street, it’s way too cool for Crescent.

Café Chaos
2031 St-Denis, 844-1301
The Ripcordz (legendary Montreal punk band, or at least as legendary as punk can get) and an open bar for 30$ ONLY. Now that’s an open bar like I enjoy them. If you’re into Top 40 only, how about hitting th place, getting trashed, discovering punk, and then hitting one of your favorite clubs somewhere else (if you leave Café Chaos unscarred that is)

Casino de Montreal
1 Casino (ÃŽle Notre-Dame), 392-2746, Admission: 790-1245
Loose your money, your house, your family and your life, and make the government very very VERY happy.

Jello Bar
Ontario, 285-2621, www.jellobar.com
Don’t know the musicians playing there, but you usually can’t go wrong with Jello.

Zoobizarre
6388 St-Hubert, http://www.myspace.com/zoobizarre
If you are brave and exploratory, the ZOO is perfect for you. Honestly, I looked at it for 15 seconds and I still can’t understand what that is.

As promised yesterday, here is my improved version of the Mirror’s NYE Party Guide.

Le Bal des Boys
Stereo 858 Ste-Catherine E., 286-0325, www.bbcm.org, Ticketpro: 908-9090

Not much to say there: it promises to be big like every year. If Queer as Folk is your favorite show, then you’ll like Le Bal des Boys. Good thing is that, like every year, the event is organized by the BBCM Foundation which raises money for people living with AIDS. So you’ll be getting smashed while helping someone.

Barhop 2007

The Mirror says: ” the Barhop shuttle will deliver drunken revellers to 20″ and I don’t think I can ever say it with better words. If you are American and don’t know the city and want to get trashed with a peacefull mind without having to think baout where you’re going, then the Barhop is perfect for you. If you are Montrealer and want to hook up with drunken Americans, then the Barhop is your gold mine.

Celebration Théâtre Olympia, 1004 Ste-Catherine E. http://www.514productions.com/celebration/

AH HA, even with all their money, the Mirror couldn’t find the website for Celebration. Who’s better now?
And who would have thought that 514 Productions were still around? Not me, that’s for sure. Regardless, the venue, Le Theatre Olimpia, is a good choice, there will be food prepared by staff from Buonnanote, Globe and Rosalie and somekind of depression-era themed show with Gotsoul behind the music. It definitely sounds to me like a welll thought-of party, good theme, good music, good food; probably half thee crowd of the Main will be there, and if I wasn’t dirt poor I would have been there too.

Countdown
Le Medley, 1170 St-Denis, 842-6557, Info: www.montrealparty.com

I don’t know about this… Le Medley is pretty much only good for riot-inducing Punk shows and Cegep parties. Countdown seems like a big machine of a party: if you have a gang of 10 friends and no house to trash, Countdown seems like the place to bring down. Otherwise, I am not feeling it too much.

Fluid
Club Soda, 1225 St-Laurent, Ticketpro: 908-9090, www.fluidnewyears.com

If you’re rich, this is perfect for you. If you’re not, then you’ll definitely drink more at home for 95$ than what you’ll get at the open bar at Fluid. They call it the “leave your wallet at home” event, but I don’t want to see how slow the waiters will serve you if you don’t tip and how slow the taxi will drive you back home if you don’t have a wallet to pay with. I know only a few guys of Polish origin that can monetize the cost of this party properly. Others will have trouble recouping their costs.

I Love Neon
SAT, 1195 St-Laurent, 844-2033, www.iloveneon.ca

A night at the SAT, with a guy named Tommie Sunshine (http://www.myspace.com/mainpagetommiesunshine) from NYC and Boys Noize straight from Berlin (http://www.myspace.com/boysnoizemusic) sounds to me like a winning combination. Probably will be one of the best parties this year, visit these guy’s myspace pages, and you’ll see why it will be a totally insane rocking night.

Meet Me at the Museum Musée d’art contemporain, 185 Ste-Catherine W., Info/ ticket delivery: 816-1MIX, www.lymetyme.com

Still into hip-hop? Bumping and grinding does it for you? 50 Cents is the man? This is the party for you.

Montreal Ball Opera 32 Ste-Catherine W., 842-2836

I can’t find their website, but Opera is the old Dome, except I’ve heard it’s much much better. And I am willing to believe it because today I found a flyer for their NYE party, the Montreal Ball Opera, and it looked real good. Being a big fan of graphic art, I trust anyone that has a nice flyer; they must be serious. But what really got me excited is the lineup that Opera is promising: an opera singer, an electronic violinist, acrobats and other pretty unusual acts for a NYE party. Seems to me like a very promising night.

Les Planetes Tournent Toujours Bain Mathieu, 2915 Ontario E., 954-1714, Admission: 790-1245

All you need to say is Eloi Brunelle (http://www.eloibrunelle.com) spinning and I can tell you that it is going to be real real good. That guy is just amazing.

Resolution 2007 Bell Centre, 1260 de la Gauchetière W., Admission: 790-1245

We’ve already discussed these guys enough. No more coverage for you.

Soma 2007 7205 St-Jacques W. Info: 844-8998, www.psychonaut.ca

Never heard of the crew behind this party (a psychedelic boutique!!!!) but this looks like another possible NYE gem, at least judging from the internationality of the music performers.

737 Altitude 1 Place Ville-Marie, PH2, 397-0737

Forget about it.

Balroom Bar 3643 St-Laurent, 282-7665

This place (the old Swimming) somehow build a hyper strong following of trendy young profesisonals, always partying it up to next level with style and class. NYE will probably be the same, so expect a realy really good night.

Bily Kun 354 Mont-Royal E. 845-5392

Always been one of my favorite places, just because of the ostriges on the walls. They are hosting a “Bal Masque” which is a relly cool idea. This will be another NYE gem in my opinion.

Café Campus 57 Prince Arthur E., 844-1010

Yet another black and white ball…. Not much imagination there, but will probably be packed because this place somehow always manages to have a following.

Casa del Popolo 4873 St-Laurent, 284-3804

Vegan style, alternative NYE. If you are tired of all the plastic protected mains-tream NYE parties, this is the place for you for sure.

Café de Lima 6409 St-Hubert

DJs Maüs (http://www.djmaus.com) on St-Hubert street: can’t go wrong with this.

Edgar Hypertaverne 1562 Mont-Royal E., 521-4661

You won’t find anyone that isn’t from Montreal there, so if you’re from not around but want to blend in and integrate, this is the place.

Foufounes Électriques. 87 Ste-Catherine E., 844-5539, Admission: 790-1245,

PUNK, METAL, CHEAP DRINKS…. VIVE LES FOUFS

gogo lounge 3682 St-Laurent, 286-0882

This place is out-of-favors with me now. If you want to do the countdown packed like a sardine, with half your friends stuck outside not being able to go in, then Gogo is for you.

Hard Rock Café 1458 Crescent, 987-1420, Info/ticket delivery: 962-YEAR

Open bar only from 9 to midnight, sounds like a rip-off to me. That’s just enough to get a few drinks, get you started and rowdy for 90$ and then have you spend another 90$ to get properly drunk. Unless you’re rich and want to steal a guitar signed by Jimi, forget about it. I hope they change their theme next year, cause it’s usually a chill-rockin place

Madhatter’s 1220 Crescent, 987-9988

“Rock out with your hat out….” a dirty pub just like we like it

Ok, I am tired now, and it’s Christmas, enough work for today. Will continue tomorrow.

The dudes at Montreal Mirror, crumbling under piles of money, actually have the resources to do what I was trying to do. They published in this week’s issue a complete guide to the events happening during and for the New Years in Montreal. You can read it all online here.

Regardless, I have many comments and clarifications to make about that list. Being totally free and independent to speak my mind, I will go though their guide and give you the MTLNYE.ca edited version. I am not saying that the dudes and dudetes at the Mirror don’t know what they are talking about. I am just saying that they are too afraid to say which party will definitely suck and which definitely wont. And being the acknowledged authority in everything NYE related, I define what will definitely suck and what definitely wont.

Now just let me finish my last minute Christmas shopping because I am feeling a heavy breath on my neck, and if I don’t provide gifts I am scared to know what’s going to happen to me. After I am done with the shopping craze, I am sticking a massive turkey in the oven; I just can’t wait to demolish it. So tomorrow only will I finally have time to constructively  demolish the Mirror’s guide just for you.

My first discovery is the Brazilian NYE Party at Les Bobards. It’s only 20$ entrance, the music promises to be hot and the atmosphere probably very tropical. It is suggested to wear white for the event; I guess the Brazilian national costume is plain white clothes!

Les Bobards is a medium sized bar on St-Laurent, between Rachel and Mont-Royal (4328 St-Laurent, Coin Marie-Anne), usually pumping amazing live music and world sounds rest of the time. It’s a fun place on a regular night, so New Years Eve, Brazilian style, promises to shake you.

It’s late at night but I can’t go to sleep. No one is posting here; it is making me feel inadequate.

Regardless, I’ve had yet another revelation about New Years. It’s not only a night to party. It’s actually the real actual end of yet another entire year.

By now you are probably thinking “good going there idiot, you’ve finally woken up”, but that doesn’t matter.

A lot of things shook our little peaceful town of Montreal in 2006. There is no need really to ponder over everything that happened in the news. And the Hour has already done it this week, much better than I would ever be able to do it: read their Montreal 2006 year in review here. What I find more interesting is how this year went by for the regular people like you and me. Was 2006 special in any particularly weird way? Are you happy the new years is coming or would you rather stay in 2006 forever?

Deep questions, aren’t they?

On a New Years Eve note, check this out, there is a Chinese NYE event, I am sure that is going to be cool

Today, there are exactly three weeks left until New Years Eve and I will step up the game. But I’ve realized that I need everyone’s help, and here is how:

I just came up with a new term, “grass root entertainment”, which I define as entertainment for the people by the people. Thanks, thanks, I know. It is very poetically socialist.

You are the people; you are the “grass roots”. So it is you that I need.

You can help by contributing you party ideas to this blog. Post anything that is of interest: tips for house parties, info about a bar organizing something special for NYE, info about underground parties in some old folks garage, anything that you have heard of, have seen, or are organizing yourself.

Don’t be shy: even posting your new years plans is enough and is badly needed. SO POST.

I also came up with another idea. I want to organize some kind of a photography competition, with the new years eve in Montreal as theme (obviously). For now, I think the price will be only to get your pictures posted on this blog, it’s all I really have to offer. But I’ll try to work something out, like maybe getting a pair of tickets for some NYE event for next year to the winner.

POST! POST! POST NOW