The Sounds and the Fury

Situated in a heritage theatre from 1913, the Montreal performance hall La Tulipe has been dogged by noise complaints since an investor bought an adjacent building in 2016 and converted it into residential units. In September 2024, Quebec’s Court of Appeal ruled that La Tulipe must not emit any noise audible to its neighbours. Under the continual threat of fines and a mounting pile of legal fees, the venue decided to cease activities “for the time being.” It’s now been shuttered for over a year.

The Diving Bell Social Club closed its doors in December 2023 after receiving noise complaints. The multidisciplinary entertainment space was located on Boulevard Saint-Laurent — where much of Montreal’s nightlife scene is concentrated — in a four-storey building. It was just above Champs Sports Bar, a dive beloved for catering to its largely queer clientele with parties and drag shows. Champs is still open, but this past winter, it had to put a pause on karaoke and dancing...