Venue Stories and Pictures - les Pas Sages

Les Pas Sages on Rachel street - Potentially the best Indyish Monthly Mess venue so far, not because it had a big stage (pretty small) or because the projector equipment was positioned perfectly (cool, but not perfect for us) but really, because it met a set of other, more personal criteria. When we begin to stretch the Indyish show’s wings beyond Montreal, I’ll be hoping to find more places like this with kind people and a strong creative culture nurtured in the decor and relationships around it.

50605012499350515030504850035027
Pictures by Marilis Cardinal of the Indyish Halloween Mess… ahh the Memories..

The owners of les Pas Sages - the one I met over the phone and the one I met in person - are truly chill, funny and sweet. The venue is tucked away behind an unassuming white facade, so many people didn’t know it yet, but it’s easy to find once you’re looking, and quite beautiful inside with lovely bronze and wood art objects. Beautiful lush French taste, far from the black box rooms where we’ve also had a grand old Mess time, Les Pas Sages made us feel swanky and encouraged us to think of ways to have the show all over the room, rather then trying to keep us out of the way of other customers. A real bohemian, celebratory experience.

It’s within walking distance of Indyish homebase, but through a park and across some major fun streets - St Laurent and St Denis - into another neighborhood, more predominantly French then our Greek/Hassidic/Artists-from-out-West corner of the world. Also, it’s across the street from one of the most famous greasy joints in the city, la Banquise, serving up renowned Poutine which is our national latenight sustenance.

Les Pas Sages is long, and kind of narrowish. As you walk in, you are behind the main stage area and facing the soundboard area, and you walk onwards towards where the crowd builds up facing the stage, along the bar. In the back the room opens up a bit and there’s a projector pointing at the back wall. If you’re doing something with any sound cues, bring your own soundman and the space is free. If I remember correctly, we got 2 drink tickets per person in the show, which was quite a lot, and they could be used on wine as well as beer. There are windows along the side of the wall facing the bar and stage and these stay open, it’s part of Les Pas Sages policy to be an open space in lots of ways, and trust me, this is a good thing.

Bar de Quartier Culturel Les Pas Sages
951 Rachel Est
Not sure the best contact, as the gent I spoke with was leaving the bar to his friends when we worked with him… but here’s a number: (514) 522-9773