In praise of New City Gas
/Earlier this month I was finally able to visit the venue that has become a major stop for many major acts in EDM in Montreal, New City Gas. The new venue is set in an old industrial venue that might seem like you're entering a rave set in the 1990s but in reality the New City Gas is a well organized, safe venue that is very modern and chic.
From the time you enter the New City Gas complex it's clear that every little detail has been well thought out. From the moment you walk in I found the the security are firm but courteous and non obtrusive. The coat check area was huge with plenty of staff that allowed for a quick turnaround from entering the venue to actually being in the main room enjoying the music. The bar area takes one side of the main room but it's situated below the VIP area that makes it unobtrusive yet accessible at the same time. It's the small details that add to the whole experience and these guys have it nailed.
The main room is huge and looks to have the capacity of several thousand fans. The stage where DJs perform is raised which guarantees that you will get a good view of the acts playing no matter where you are situated in the room. Although I don't know exactly what kind of sound system the New City Gas uses I can assure you that it more than sufficient to fill the huge main room with excellent sound. When Boys Noize visited the venue he made good use of the system as the walls literally shook from the bass during parts of his performance.
The VIP area is elevated so the bottle service crowd gets a great view of the stage while being able to check out the floor with ease. I'm not at all the type of person that goes for the table bottle service but the way the New City Gas is laid out I think you are getting the best of both worlds as the VIP area is not in your face while the rest are left with plenty of space to dance and a great view.
The staff were always present to pick up any glasses on the floor while the security made routine rounds around the room. But it must be said that all of the staff on the main room floor treaded lightly and as a result were almost invisible to the party-goers unless you were paying specific attention.
The bathrooms at the New City Gas resemble a Turkish bath with a communal water fountain to wash your hands and fill up your water bottles. Bathrooms are a make or break for any club or venue because let's face it, if you go into a filthy bathroom to do your business it will have an impact on your night.
If all of this seems like an overly enthusiastic post about a club venue let me confess something: you are absolutely correct. When someone conceives of a big idea like the New City Gas and actually pulls it off flawlessly then they deserve my praise and respect. The New City Gas was created in a city already in love with EDM that is already home to many fantastic venues such as Stereo and Circus afterhours. But it managed to find their proper place in the scene that caters to the biggest acts in the business. Actually the New City Gas has become so successful as a venue that the year end Lumen Festival events was listed as one of the reasons why the annual Resolution all night event in Montreal was cancelled this year.
The New City Gas has quickly established itself as one of the best venues in Montreal and perhaps in all of Canada. If you ever get a chance to check it out for yourself then I highly encourage you to do so. Montreal has a lot to be proud of in terms of music events and venues, and the New City Gas has taken the city up another notch as a major stop for some of the biggest acts in EDM.
The Lumen festival will be taking place at the New City Gas from Dec 27th - 29th that will feature the likes of Skrillex, Sebastian Ingrosso, Borgore, Porter Robinson, and Hard Rock Sofa: