Answering The Call
Le Club DD’s Reclaims the Dancefloor for Montreal's Queer Community
This feature is part of Forget The Box’s MTL Venue Series.
Sandwiched between a candle-making cafe and a dancing bar at the intersection of Saint-Laurent and Duluth is Le Club DD’s—the latest and hottest fixture in Montreal’s queer nightlife scene. Even on the coldest of winter nights, club goers are greeted by a lively and welcoming crowd hanging out in front of the venue, having a smoke or catching some air before heading back inside. Behind the maroon-painted exterior lies an assortment of couches and tables, ideal for those taking a break from dancing. Right past the lounge area is the bar, featuring a simple yet varied drink menu displayed on a stylish, marquee-style sign. The dancefloor, which never fails to fill up quickly, is located at the back of the bar, complete with a stage that holds both a DJ booth and extra space to dance. Under ambient strobe lighting and a gleaming disco ball, Montreal’s queer community can comfortably drink, dance, and celebrate everything that makes queerness special.
Photo of Le Club DD’s staff by Mindy Stamper
During the eighties, often considered the “golden age” of lesbianism in Montreal, the city was home to a total of eight active lesbian bars, many of which were located next to lesbian bookstores and community organizations. In the absence of lesbian spaces following this era, many lesbian-centred collectives have popped up, oftentimes hosting club nights, performances, and even lesbian oil wrestling at different venues across the city. Although such organizations draw large crowds and provide key opportunities for local lesbians to be amongst their community, they were still waiting with impatience for a permanent, safe space to congregate. Thankfully, the queer community’s prayers were finally answered last September with the opening of Le Club DD’s. Their goal was to create something “unabashedly gay,” says Mint Simon, one of the venue’s co-owners. After learning about the closing of long-time bar and barbershop Blue Dog Motel, Sarah Fobes, a local lesbian filmmaker and co-owner of upstairs bar Champs, assembled a team of lesbians, musicians, and nightlife workers to transform the venue into the safe haven it is now.
In addition to Mint and Sarah, other co-owners of the club include Mindy Stamper, a photographer and Sarah’s wife, musician Laura Lloyd, and long-time Champs manager Kat Anderson. With most of the team spending the early 2000s going out to the once-iconic but now closed lesbian bar Le Drugstore, the co-owners hoped to create something reminiscent of what they grew up with—a welcoming and inclusive place where everyone across the queer and trans spectrum can gather under the same roof. Although Montreal’s Gay Village has no shortage of bars and clubs, none are overtly sapphic-leaning, nor do they seem to create any sort of mingling between the diverse communities falling under the LGBTQ+ umbrella. Faced with this lack of inter-community interaction, Le Club DD’s has strived from the beginning to make it clear that there’s room for everyone.
Photo of a wild night at Le Club DD’s by Mindy Stamper
With upstairs bar Champs operating as a chill spot to chat, play pool, and have a couple of beers, and downstairs DD’s being the perfect place to dance the night away, the two sister venues have created what Mint jokingly refers to as a “micro-village” nestled in the heart of the Plateau. The space was officially inaugurated with a bustling opening party this past September, boasting a line all the way up Saint Laurent and around the corner. The call for more inclusive queer spaces in Montreal had finally been answered, and the people were ready to celebrate!
Since that night, the club has continued to solidify itself as a staple in Montreal’s queer community. Whether you love drag kings and queens, “evil femmes,” Bad Bunny, or early 2000s pop, DD’s has it all. A weekly event calendar can be found on the club’s Instagram each Monday, always promising an exciting variety of regular programming with one-off events occasionally sprinkled in. If it wasn’t clear from the neon “Gay Bar” sign greeting patrons upon entering the venue, every aspect of the club is unapologetically queer. The programming is certainly no exception, with a resume that includes Transmasc Tuesdays, a queer prom, Dolls Night, and Butch-Femme mingling. For those who prefer a more relaxed ambiance, the club has just begun hosting “Quiet Riots” on the first and third Mondays of the month, a “neurodivergent hang & mingle” where patrons are invited to play board games, socialize, and craft, all at their own leisure. DD’s also has “Before Dark” 30+ mingles on the first Wednesday of each month, giving members of the LGBTQ+ community over the age of 30 the chance to meet friends, lovers, and potential hookups in a welcoming environment.
Photo of Augusta Wind by Mindy Stamper
With a carefully curated selection of DJs and an ever-expanding roster of drag kings and queens, local talent can always be found at the venue. Depending on the night, club goers can expect to be serenaded by music ranging from early 2000s pop, Afro Latin beats, techno, high-energy dance pop, and dancehall. Other attractions in the past include a live performance by rapper Fraud Perry, as well as a monthly musical theatre variety show inspired by Cabaret, hosted by local drag queen Augusta Wind. Montreal’s queer community is ripe with talent, and DD’s is eager to show it. In addition to opening its space up to the community, the venue also stands strongly on its own as a reliable place to have a great time. Weekend or not, an energetic crowd can always be found bringing life to the dancefloor.
Having quickly become a go-to spot in the nine or so months they’ve been open, DD’s has an exciting future on its horizon. Once summer finally arrives, the club will begin opening its front doors, creating more of an indoor-outdoor vibe, especially with the stretch of Saint Laurent on which the club is located being pedestrianized for part of June. And, of course, with Pride coming up, Montreal’s LGBTQ+ community can look forward to DD’s first-ever Pride party. Queer spaces are able to stay open when they have the support of their community on their side, so show up in large numbers to ensure that DD’s can continue to flourish—and don’t forget to tip your bartenders!
