Sabotage, the sequel

By JACK OATMON

On Tuesday, Sept. 1, last week, a lot of expectant clubbers, curious industry people, ambitious DJs and ecstatic organizers awoke to the frustrating news that, two days before its scheduled grand reopening, the nightclub Stereo was the target of a second arson attack, following the one last summer that forced its closure. It being press day and the extent of the damage still unclear, the Mirror’s coverage of the reopening was necessarily yanked last week pending more information.

I want to take a little bit of space this week to discuss the implications of this unfortunate event. I can’t say who’s responsible, though it seems reasonably clear that the intent was to attach a negative stigma to the place just as it reopened. Putting suspicions about the assailant to the side, there’s a larger issue here. Club owners in Montreal—and to boot, often the ones who run some of the best clubs—are struggling to keep their spots alive for a variety of reasons. Cherry got edged out under legislative pressure and aggressive Old Port business politics, summertime favourite Panthère Noire’s about to go for financial reasons, and now this bullshit at Stereo, whose owners actually seemed to be making a serious effort to revitalize Montreal’s international reputation. The amount of investment and vision displayed by the management at Stereo, their commitment to providing a mid-size live venue with a dope sound system and their willingness to move on and evolve are all things people around town should thank them for.

Stereo’s back up and running despite the setback, and I wish them luck, because without ambitious people like them, this town will continue sliding away from its international musical reputation, and future investors will think twice about setting up shop here.

%$@#!... jack.oatmon@gmail.com