Midnight in Montreal: A Historic Jazz Hot Spot
Jazz has never stopped resonating in the streets of Montreal.
Photo by Stephan Poulin. Courtesy of Tourism Montreal
The 1920s Prohibition era had many flocking to Montreal—a city where they could still buy alcohol legally—especially U.S. tourists. What was then dubbed “Sin City” even attracted celebrities such as Oscar Peterson, Frank Sinatra, Sammy Davis Jr., and Ella Fitzgerald in later years. Montreal also drew Americans because many of the lounges and bars welcomed African American jazz performers at a time when they were not always allowed to perform in U.S. establishments.
Montreal’s Little Burgundy neighbourhood was nicknamed “Harlem of the North” at the time for its dynamic jazz scene. Photographer Andrew Jackson’s current exhibition at Montreal’s McCord Museum titled Little Burgundy—Evolving Montreal explores this southwestern district of the city where Jackson documented important landmarks for the Black members of the community and those who frequented the neighbourhood.
Photo by Stephan Poulin. Courtesy of Tourism Montreal
During these years, Montreal was known for its festive spirit, but jazz has never stopped resonating in its streets. The Montreal International Jazz Festival, one of the largest jazz festivals in the world, attracts thousands of visitors each year, while local jazz clubs delight enthusiasts year-round.
Each year, the 10-day jazz festival books some of the biggest acts in the music business, showcasing some 3,000 musicians from 30 countries headlining 500 indoor and outdoor concerts on 20 stages.
And while many of the famous and infamous jazz nightclubs of the Sin City era have shut their doors, you can still catch a live jazz show in Montreal most evenings today. Notably, Le Balcon, a fusion of New York cabaret and Parisian dinner theatre at St. James United Church has performances from Wednesdays to Sundays.
Close to the major hotels downtown and popular with tourists, the intimate Upstairs Jazz Bar & Grill books local musicians and was ranked by Downbeat Magazine as one of the top jazz clubs in the world. The intimate Dièse Onze, in the hip Plateau district, looks and feels like a classic jazz club. Located in Old Montreal, Modavie is a French bistro that features live jazz and blues seven evenings a week, showcasing local performers.
Photo courtesy of Le Balcon.
In addition to jazz, there’s no shortage of cool underground bars in Montreal. If you’re lucky enough to stay at the historic, elegant Hotel William Gray, a luxury hotel in the heart of Old Montreal, a few steps away behind an unassuming black door hides a speakeasy-style cocktail bar: The Coldroom. Tucked inside a historic 1877 cold-storage building near Place Jacques-Cartier, its inviting interior featuring concrete, wood, and exposed brick reflects the building’s rich past. Celebrated for its creative cocktails, the menu offers a mix of timeless classics and inventive new creations.
The Cloakroom is a speakeasy-style bar with just 25 seats, known for its dim lighting, sleek ambiance, and expertly crafted specialty cocktails. Search for a hidden door—your gateway to a world of classic drinks and elegant charm.
In Old Montreal, Nhâu Bar offers a mysterious, almost surreal experience. This basement hideaway blends creative mixology with bold Asian flavours, delivering cocktails that are as imaginative as they are flavourful.
As midnight in Montreal strikes, one can’t help but wonder what it was like to be in Sin City in its heyday.
