Were have all the fun places gone?

[wetnose]

I would like to know. Mtl's nightlife is not what it once was. Until the beginning of the year 2000, there were still places to go every night of the week. This is still the case, but there are half as many people at the beginning of the week. The tightening of the law on drunk driving (zero tolerance for a new driver) combined with the inflation of the last few years has certainly not helped the new generation who seem to me more inclined to watch/create TikTok videos than to gather in gangs at the Peel Pub.

A big part of it is just the cost of everything. Wages for that age group haven't increased by a lot but prices have exploded.

$20 used to go very far 15-20 years ago, but now it barely gets a meal at McDonalds.

Also, back in those days, going out was one of the best ways to meet women. Now they can do it from their right palm.

Which is also pretty bad, because 99% of mens messages on dating apps are ignored. Guess what that does to their self-esteem.

And for a segment of young guys, they've just kinda quietly QUIT. Why even bother to go out and stand in line in the cold, only to pay for expensive drinks and get ignored? What's even the point of a relationship leading to marriage - when divorce is so easy, and so ruinous for the man. This new generation has experienced the carnage of families splitting up, and they know the game is stacked against them.

 

[neverbored]

Sorry, but I'm not convinced. I'm seeing a lot of unfounded assumtions. Nightlife not like it once was... its different, but its far from dead. If where you're going is dead... its because you're going to the wrong place. The kids don't want to go where we go out... cause we're there lol and I don't blame them. To be fair, I don't even want to go where they go either. I have no interest in being the old creep at a kids bar. The same way I have no interest in going to the shit bar with no teeth Josee yelling at the poker machine. And there are plenty of places in between.

Also, they don't have to drive to find a bar to go to with the number of venues that have exploded in all the small neighbourhoods especially in the suburbs. And uber is a thing too. They especially don't need to come downtown on 3 streets anymore which can contribute to how many places seem empty (there are too many) seek out the smaller bars, and you'll find most to have customers. Hit up the Plateau, Mile-End, Rosemont, Villeray, Verdun, etc... sooo many spots.

Seems like many of you guys are generalizing or comparing with your own habits. 99% of guys ignored on dating apps? c'mon, that math doesn't even make sense. Everytime a girl is hooking up is gonna be a girl/guy or whatever pronoun on the other side of that connection. Pretty sure its about the same % of guys not closing on apps that wern't closing in real life either. But ya, you're going to hear all the sad stories of guys that can't make it happen... why? Cause they have nothing better to do than moan about it. You know who isn't complaining... those that got their shit together and living life. Don't fall for all the buzz kill.

Dunno man, I've been reading a lot more hopelessness on this board, I just don't agree with it. I get the feeling a lot of guys are letting life go by and aren't willing to make the necessary changes and just chose to yell at the cloud and blame everyone , Tudeau but themselves.

You only die once, so live every day.

 

[Mandouke]

What's even the point of a relationship leading to marriage - when divorce is so easy, and so ruinous for the man. This new generation has experienced the carnage of families splitting up, and they know the game is stacked against them.

Very well said, it puts a damper on the prospects of marriage, family and relationships in general. It is a game that a man will never win. It was not always so, but it is a reality in all Western societies and definitely in Canada.

When a woman decides that she is not going to give you any more sex, the game is over, she has that power and she knows it. If you as the male think otherwise you are naive.

Marriage, if not successful, is financially devastating for men.

 

[bodick7]

Marriage, if not successful, is financially devastating for men.

Unless your wife earns more than yourself...

 

[Cap'tain Fantastic]

To be fair, I don't even want to go where they go either.

Exactly! I don’t like feeling like a grandpa babysitting

 

[Fradi]

Very well said, it puts a damper on the prospects of marriage, family and relationships in general. It is a game that a man will never win. It was not always so, but it is a reality in all Western societies and definitely in Canada.

When a woman decides that she is not going to give you any more sex, the game is over, she has that power and she knows it. If you as the male think otherwise you are naive.

Marriage, if not successful, is financially devastating for men.

That is just it marriage is not a game.
Marriage can be the most amazing thing that will ever happen to you and it is worth taking a chance on.
There are women who want to be loved and will return that and nothing in the world compares to a family with children and grandchildren.

Seeing SP when you find one that you connect with even become friends with doesn’t come close to a life partner that you share everything with.
Seeing SP is not love, it is not sharing your life, your dreams, it is sex and for a short period of time and in most cases without any emotional attachment especially on the side of the SP.

 

[Julia Sky]

What's even the point of a relationship leading to marriage - when divorce is so easy, and so ruinous for the man.

Marriage, if not successful, is financially devastating for men.

This is 2024, women have jobs too, sometimes they even make more $$ than their husbands do. Divorce can be financially devastating but not exclusively for men

 

[Mandouke]

Marriage can be the most amazing thing that will ever happen to you and it is worth taking a chance on.

I agree, but only with children, anything else, for me is not going to happen.

I don't see other animals tying the knot in the animal kingdom. It is a social construct for the benefit of the family, without children, it is meaningless to me.

I agree that with SPs it is only about sex, not about a relationship, that is why I am willing to pay for the sex. After the hour, I leave and return to my life a free man, not to a wife who may or may not decide to give it to me.

This is a decision I made long ago, I did not arrive at this belief overnight.

 

[Fradi]

I agree, but only with children, anything else, for me is not going to happen.

I don't see other animals tying the knot in the animal kingdom. It is a social construct for the benefit of the family, without children, it is meaningless to me.

I agree that with SPs it is only about sex, not about a relationship, that is why I am willing to pay for the sex. After the hour, I leave and return to my life a free man, not to a wife who may or may not decide to give it to me.

This is a decision I made long ago, I did not arrive at this belief overnight.

We are not animals lol.
Human beings are capable of loving each other and sharing their life and dreams.
Life is all about taking chances and making your own luck.

 

[Mandouke]

We are not animals lol.
Human beings are capable of loving each other and sharing their life and dreams.
Life is all about taking chances and making your own luck.

Human beings are animals.

 

[urquell]

Sorry, but I'm not convinced. I'm seeing a lot of unfounded assumtions. Nightlife not like it once was... its different, but its far from dead. If where you're going is dead... its because you're going to the wrong place. The kids don't want to go where we go out... cause we're there lol and I don't blame them. To be fair, I don't even want to go where they go either. I have no interest in being the old creep at a kids bar. The same way I have no interest in going to the shit bar with no teeth Josee yelling at the poker machine. And there are plenty of places in between.

Also, they don't have to drive to find a bar to go to with the number of venues that have exploded in all the small neighbourhoods especially in the suburbs. And uber is a thing too. They especially don't need to come downtown on 3 streets anymore which can contribute to how many places seem empty (there are too many) seek out the smaller bars, and you'll find most to have customers. Hit up the Plateau, Mile-End, Rosemont, Villeray, Verdun, etc... sooo many spots.

Seems like many of you guys are generalizing or comparing with your own habits. 99% of guys ignored on dating apps? c'mon, that math doesn't even make sense. Everytime a girl is hooking up is gonna be a girl/guy or whatever pronoun on the other side of that connection. Pretty sure its about the same % of guys not closing on apps that wern't closing in real life either. But ya, you're going to hear all the sad stories of guys that can't make it happen... why? Cause they have nothing better to do than moan about it. You know who isn't complaining... those that got their shit together and living life. Don't fall for all the buzz kill.

Dunno man, I've been reading a lot more hopelessness on this board, I just don't agree with it. I get the feeling a lot of guys are letting life go by and aren't willing to make the necessary changes and just chose to yell at the cloud and blame everyone , Tudeau but themselves.

You only die once, so live every day.

There are lots of little places scattered around everywhere, but there have always been lots of little places scattered around. There's less of them now. Downtown just in the English section the entirety of Crescent, Bishop and Mckay between Maisonneuve and Rene Levesque was all bars. Mountain street had two sections of bars, there were bars above De Maisonneuve on Drummond and there were pubs scattered all over downtown. St Laurent above Sherbrooke was a going concern, as was Prince Arthur, and a good couple of blocks along St. Denis. Stanley had a few big discos and alternative bars, and scattered bars could be found from Alexis Nihon Plaza as far as St Denis along Ste Catherine street. You named a dozen or so bars in your list. There were hundreds of popular bars if you go back to the 80's. In the west Island there were a half dozen good sized night clubs amd lots of pubs and bars. Laval had a good number too. I have good friends who own bars. They are all scratching to stay open because even though there's a tiny fraction of the bars there once was there still aren't enough people to fill them. Prices are high and people developed new habits during covid and felt no need to go back to the bars once it was over. Even before covid the bars were dying though. The biggest difference in past and modern bars was the death of dancing and also live music. Bars used to be full of people dancing and it gave men an excuse to approach women in order to partake and not much social awkwardness if she said no. Great social lubricant if she said yes. Universities literally had beer bashes with dancing every week, and some of the Cegeps too. Now there's relatively little dancing and live music, and men's reasons to approach women are often obviously phony and contrived, and often awkward. Most men aren't socially skilled enough or good looking enough to regularly pull women from bars now, and it's harder. I'll also add that because of both costs and stiffer penalties for getting drunk people go out less and drink less when they do. It be fortunate or unfortunate depending on how you look at it, but drunkeness was also a great social icebreaker! lol.

Now, there's a myriad of ways that have changed with the advent of online dating and social networks, and I'm not going to touch that here, but if we're trying to compare then and now as far as nightclubs go, and to say that it hasn't really changed that much, it's either because you never saw it as it was or you're not really looking.

 

[neverbored]

Now, there's a myriad of ways that have changed with the advent of online dating and social networks, and I'm not going to touch that here, but if we're trying to compare then and now as far as nightclubs go, and to say that it hasn't really changed that much, it's either because you never saw it as it was or you're not really looking.

The only reason why Crescent , St-Laurent, St-Denis, were so busy is simply because that's where 99% of venues were located. People from north and south shores didn't have that many options. But they do now. So no reason for them to spend 100$ on a cab ride. But those streets were dying way long before covid. And covid didn't kill the party scene at all (remember all the underground parties they were having). There are still plenty left (Muzique, Stereo, NCG, Porte Rouge, Santos, Daome, etc.). Style changed, kids are more into house music, hiphop, supper clubs, cocktail bars. The good old age of disco and 80s rock has been dead and burried a long time ago. Less than a handfull cater to that clientele if even that much.

Even in the past, you had all these places, but even 10 years ago, for every 10 venue only 1 was actually worth anything. So those 80% died off and 20% remained. Also, the point of the list I gave wasn't supposed to be the full list of venues, just an example of where I was told the younger crowd go to, and there are hundreds more to answer to those that were saying that the city is dead and kids no longer go out, that they don't have money to spend... which isn't true.

As for having dance moves to hit on a girl, go to any nightclub, just different moves. Montreal losing its nightlife, I will say there was a great advantage of having that downtown especially for tourists. If Covid did anything is give the illusoion that the venues will make the same amount of money by closing earlier... even escorts close early. Sadly in the long run that will kill off the the public nightlife for sure. We do have to accept that Montreal isn't the metropolis it once was... its now turning into a large village.... but under its skin, people are still getting drunk and partying hard... just not the way we used to do it. And without having to waste time in stupid lineups... so again, just to answer what others were saying about montreal being dead... its not, it just looks like it.

 

[Cap'tain Fantastic]

that they don't have money to spend... which isn't true.

Agree, not true at all, any of these with a minimal college or university degree are making more than decent salaries. If a construction trade worker can make over 100k with some will and a bit of overtime imagine how much the young techies are making.

 

[themonk83]

Bars used to be full of people dancing and it gave men an excuse to approach women in order to partake and not much social awkwardness if she said no. Great social lubricant if she said yes. Universities literally had beer bashes with dancing every week, and some of the Cegeps too. Now there's relatively little dancing and live music, and men's reasons to approach women are often obviously phony and contrived, and often awkward. Most men aren't socially skilled enough or good looking enough to regularly pull women from bars now, and it's harder.

You know, things change. The party scene is still very present. The dancing is still very there. The flirting is different. That's the only thing that really change. Nostalgia is one hell of a drug. Sometimes it's good, other times, well, it hides problematic things. I'm an older millennial and what we thought was good for us, well, the kids, they don't like it one bit. As we age, we go out less and the kids having different taste, go somewhere else so the places we grew up on look empty and will closed and be replace by another which will cater to said crowd. Such is the cycle of life

 

[urquell]

The only reason why Crescent , St-Laurent, St-Denis, were so busy is simply because that's where 99% of venues were located. People from north and south shores didn't have that many options. But they do now. So no reason for them to spend 100$ on a cab ride. But those streets were dying way long before covid. And covid didn't kill the party scene at all (remember all the underground parties they were having). There are still plenty left (Muzique, Stereo, NCG, Porte Rouge, Santos, Daome, etc.). Style changed, kids are more into house music, hiphop, supper clubs, cocktail bars. The good old age of disco and 80s rock has been dead and burried a long time ago. Less than a handfull cater to that clientele if even that much.

Even in the past, you had all these places, but even 10 years ago, for every 10 venue only 1 was actually worth anything. So those 80% died off and 20% remained. Also, the point of the list I gave wasn't supposed to be the full list of venues, just an example of where I was told the younger crowd go to, and there are hundreds more to answer to those that were saying that the city is dead and kids no longer go out, that they don't have money to spend... which isn't true.

As for having dance moves to hit on a girl, go to any nightclub, just different moves. Montreal losing its nightlife, I will say there was a great advantage of having that downtown especially for tourists. If Covid did anything is give the illusoion that the venues will make the same amount of money by closing earlier... even escorts close early. Sadly in the long run that will kill off the the public nightlife for sure. We do have to accept that Montreal isn't the metropolis it once was... its now turning into a large village.... but under its skin, people are still getting drunk and partying hard... just not the way we used to do it. And without having to waste time in stupid lineups... so again, just to answer what others were saying about montreal being dead... its not, it just looks like it.

I'm not going to get into an extended argument with you about this, but what you're saying simply isn't true. At all. You're basically saying that all the nightlife was centralized downtown and that now it has moved and spread out into the suburbs instead. That's total BS. There were WAY more bars out in the burbs before than there are now. By a significant factor. Go back to my post and you'll see that I said that things were already dying before covid, so no argument there, and I didn't say anything about musical styles at all, because those have always changed and so it's irrelevant. I also hate to tell you this, but supper clubs, cocktail lounges, corner bars (as well as comedy clubs, specialty wine clubs, tiki clubs etc etc etc) have been around for a long time and aren't exactly a new invention. The entire St. Jacques motel/hotel strip was dedicated to cocktail lounges, for example. Just one example. Downtown had the largest concentration of places, but the sum total of downtown bars didn't even begin to touch what was available outside of the core. It was simply the most convenient way to barhop. The single thing you said that I agree with is that Montreal isn't the city it once was. It doesn't just look like it's dead. It's a festering corpse. Again, this is relative to what it used to be. That doesn't mean that you can't have fun here, because you can, and there's great reasons for not going into the core to do it, but let's not try to pretend that there's some great rejuvenated new energy moving into the burbs, but it simply ain't so. There's less there than ever. Ask any bar owner, especially the ones who pay attention to the competition. I do, all the time, because they're my friends.

You know, things change. The party scene is still very present. The dancing is still very there. The flirting is different. That's the only thing that really change. Nostalgia is one hell of a drug. Sometimes it's good, other times, well, it hides problematic things. I'm an older millennial and what we thought was good for us, well, the kids, they don't like it one bit. As we age, we go out less and the kids having different taste, go somewhere else so the places we grew up on look empty and will closed and be replace by another which will cater to said crowd. Such is the cycle of life

I'm simply going to say this, with all respect, that if you're a millenial of any age, even an older one, that you're too young to have seen the scene as it was at its peak. Of course things change as we age. In fact, they change while we're in the midst of it. The fact of the matter is, however, that the places we looked at when we were younger are closing, but they're not being filled with younger versions of themselves. They're being replaced by other types of businesses instead of being replaced, or paved over and supplanted by the dreaded condo. lol.

 

[Mandouke]

The entire St. Jacques motel/hotel strip was dedicated to cocktail lounges, for example.

Yes indeed. They lined the strip from Cavendish over to West Broadway.

That strip was loaded with bars that were seedy and treacherous at times. Nittolo's Garden, O'Leary's, the Bon Voyage, the Ark and numerous others come to mind. Many a West End Gang member hung out and drank there and there were several settling of accounts as I recall.

 

[urquell]

Yes indeed. They lined the strip from Cavendish over to West Broadway.

That strip was loaded with bars that were seedy and treacherous at times. Nittolo's Garden, O'Leary's, the Bon Voyage, the Ark and numerous others come to mind. Many a West End Gang member hung out and drank there and there were several settling of accounts as I recall.

Past Cavendish. They went all the way to Upper Lachine and around both sides of the bend. You left out the Capri, the Belvedere, The Colibri, The Alsacienne, The Beaujolais, The Raphael, PJs, Ye Olde Pub, and a few other hotels I don't remember, along with the names of those little downstairs italian bars. The ganbangers you're talking about hung out at Pegs, which later became the Motel St. Jacques, which later became a western bar before they tore it down. One of the few hotels left though. Most of them are gone now, and most of the bars with them. Ye Olde pub is Goldies now. Not many people know this, but the Amazones started its life as a piano bar, since we were talking about lounges and such. Semed a-propos for this forum. lol

 

[Rebaynia]

Well. Since about 10 years ago my favorite clubs to go to were swingers clubs. Thankfully since then it seems there are more than there used to be. And the age that attends isn't just 18-25, but all ages. Last time I went I saw a 4some of people in their 60-70, amongst other things. I thought it enchanting.
Guess it matters what your style of music, and crowd your looking to be part of is. There are still corner bars, sports bars, clubs, pubs, and all sorts, they just each attract a different clientele. Then again if it is to drink, I often have my choice alcohol at home that bars don't carry. When I go out (like 2 times a year) it is for the party, not so much the drinks.

But admit most of my old haunts have closed down and disappeared. When you don't go out much, it becomes disheartening to find out where you were looking to go out isn't available any more.

 

[Mandouke]

Past Cavendish. They went all the way to Upper Lachine and around both sides of the bend. You left out the Capri, the Belvedere, The Colibri, The Alsacienne, The Beaujolais, The Raphael, PJs, Ye Olde Pub, and a few other hotels I don't remember, along with the names of those little downstairs italian bars. The ganbangers you're talking about hung out at Pegs, which later became the Motel St. Jacques, which later became a western bar before they tore it down. One of the few hotels left though. Most of them are gone now, and most of the bars with them. Ye Olde pub is Goldies now. Not many people know this, but the Amazones started its life as a piano bar, since we were talking about lounges and such. Semed a-propos for this forum. lol

Yes, there were many others as well. I recall being in the Alsacienne just before it closed. PJs was the Ark in an earlier time and was where live music could be heard weekly. Pegs was also O'Leary's and then another name. The Ye Olde Pub was also known as Loonies for a while when the Loonie came into circulation. The strip was also home to K-Tel Records another blast from the past.

 

[neverbored]

I'm not going to get into an extended argument with you about this, but what you're saying simply isn't true. At all. You're basically saying that all the nightlife was centralized downtown and that now it has moved and spread out into the suburbs instead. That's total BS. There were WAY more bars out in the burbs before than there are now. By a significant factor.

out of curiosity... how far back are you thinking ? what era ?