Terminal Bar-Spectacle (Montreal)

1. Overview

The Terminal Bar-Spectacle opened on Wednesday, December 12, 1990, on the second floor of 1635 Sainte-Catherine Street West. The project was developed by Casey Faria and Larry Vitas, two figures already involved in Montreal's bar and live-music scene.

With an announced capacity of 250 people, an enlarged stage, a substantially upgraded sound and lighting system, and approximately $75,000 invested in renovations, the Terminal was conceived as a genuine performance venue rather than simply a bar that occasionally hosted bands.

Its existence would be brief but remarkably eventful. Over approximately 18 months, the Terminal hosted emerging Montreal bands, Canadian artists and international touring acts representing widely different musical scenes.

The Terminal closed on June 1, 1992. Its disappearance left the western side of downtown without one of its principal small venues devoted to original bands.

2. Montreal rock at the dawn of the 1990s

The Terminal opened at a time when Montreal's music scene was flourishing, yet operating a venue devoted to rock bands remained economically precarious. In his November 1990 report announcing the Terminal, journalist Mark Lepage recalled the difficulties encountered by several establishments that had previously attempted to sustain regular rock programming.

He cited LE STEPPE, SECRETS, THE MUSTACHE, CLUB MONTREAL and POODLE'S. Their presence in this account is significant: the Terminal belonged to an already long history of small Montreal venues attempting to create a viable space for local bands and original music.

East of downtown, LES FOUFOUNES ÉLECTRIQUES was already an important centre of alternative culture, while CLUB SODA had become an established venue. To the west, STATION 10 had for several years played an essential role for local and still little-known bands.

3. Casey Faria and Larry Vitas

The history of the Terminal is inseparable from Casey Faria and Larry Vitas. The report published by The Gazette on November 29, 1990 explicitly identifies Vitas as Faria's partner in the venture and photographs the two men together inside their new venue a few days before it opened.

Casey Faria (left) and Larry Vitas inside the new Terminal in 1990. Photo: Tedd Church, The Gazette.

Faria already had considerable experience. At the time the Terminal opened, he had spent approximately nine years at Station 10, at 2071 Sainte-Catherine Street West. There he acted both as a bar owner and an ardent promoter of the local rock scene. Mark Lepage described Station 10 as one of the few serious outlets west of Saint-Laurent Boulevard for bands without record contracts.

Larry Vitas, however, played a much more important role in the creation of the Terminal than that of an occasional associate. He was Faria's partner in the project, participated in setting up the new venue and was also identified as a manager in contemporary documents.

The renovations undertaken by Faria and Vitas represented approximately $75,000. This substantial investment reflected their intention to create a venue technically suited to live performances.

4. The successive lives of 1631–1635 Sainte-Catherine West

Research in the Lovell directories now provides a clearer understanding of the building in which the Terminal would eventually open. 1631 Sainte-Catherine West corresponds to the ground floor, while 1635 Sainte-Catherine West designates the upper floor. This distinction explains why CHALET LUCERNE appears at 1631 in the directories while Mark Lepage, in 1990, describes the future Terminal as being “above” the former restaurant. The two references therefore describe the two levels of the same building.

The documented history of the upper floor reaches back to the beginning of the twentieth century, before the number 1635 was even adopted. Lovell directories show that before the street renumbering around 1927–1928, the corresponding premises carried the address 803 Sainte-Catherine West. Occupants included ROYAL DYE WORKS in 1910–1911, BRUN EXCHANGE LIBRARY in 1912–1913 and STAR ELECTRIC CO. beginning in 1913–1914. Star Electric remained associated with 803 during the 1920s and subsequently appears at 1635 after the renumbering, confirming the continuity of the address.

By the late 1930s and early 1940s, 1635 had become a branch of MARY LEE CANDY SHOP. One company advertisement explicitly lists 1635 St. Catherine West among its Montreal addresses. Several news reports also mention this branch, particularly in connection with armed robberies. These articles provide independent confirmation of Mary Lee's presence upstairs.

The history of Mary Lee also reveals a later commercial transition. The company operated a subsidiary called BARTON'S BONBONS LTD., but a court ruling prohibited it from using the “Barton's” trademark following a challenge by an American company. Nevertheless, the directories list BARTONS BONBONS at 1635 in 1949, adding another chapter to the commercial history of the premises.

Later, ATLANTIC DELICATESSEN LTD is documented at 1635 Sainte-Catherine West, notably in 1980 and again in 1986–1987. A column by Nick Auf der Maur provides a rare glimpse into the everyday life of the business: he recounts stopping there to buy Swiss sausages and chat with Felix, the owner. This source gives the place a much more tangible presence than a directory listing alone.

At the same time, CHALET LUCERNE occupied 1631 Sainte-Catherine West on the ground floor. Chalet Lucerne should therefore no longer be presented as a former occupant of 1635. When Lepage describes the future Terminal as being above what had been Chalet Lucerne, he is accurately describing the building's vertical arrangement.

By the late 1980s, the upper floor entered a period of rapid transformation. Lepage wrote in November 1990 that the second-floor bar had undergone several “identity crises.” He traced the following sequence: GILLHOOLEY'S PUB, then an establishment whose name he remembered as meaning “snail” in Spanish, followed by RPM CLUB, then OSKAR'S.

Since the Spanish word for “snail” is caracol, the establishment Lepage referred to may therefore have been called CARACOL. This identification remains probable rather than confirmed until an advertisement, directory or other document explicitly bearing that name at 1635 is found.

This succession places the Terminal within a history far longer than its 18 months of existence. 1635 is not merely the address of a vanished concert venue: it is a commercial upper floor whose uses can be traced across several generations, from early twentieth-century businesses to the bars and performance venues of the late twentieth century.

5. RPM and Oskar's: 1989–1990

Recent research now makes it possible to document the final months before the Terminal opened with much greater precision.

An advertisement dated August 31, 1989 places RPM BAR at 1635 Sainte-Catherine West. Another advertisement dated January 2, 1990 lists RPM PUB at the same address, with EAST SIDE PLAYERS and the telephone number 933-6900.

A few weeks later, the venue changed identity again. OSKAR'S is documented at 1635 as early as March 24, 1990, with BARD and a jam session. An advertisement on April 14, 1990 then proclaimed Oskar's “Grand opening,” again with BARD.

On May 25, 1990, Mark Lepage described Oskar's as a new addition to Montreal's club scene and announced BACKBONE and PLAYHOUSE there. Oskar's was therefore clearly a venue presenting live music, not simply a pub.

One detail is particularly revealing: Oskar's used 933-6900, the same telephone number as RPM. This telephone continuity is consistent with a change of identity by the same establishment, although it is not sufficient on its own to establish legal or ownership continuity between the two clubs.

6. The transformation into the Terminal

Faria and Vitas did not simply change Oskar's name. They undertook a substantial transformation of the premises before opening the Terminal. The renovations cost approximately $75,000.

At the front was an oak-panelled room containing a pool table and retaining a pub atmosphere. New doors separated this area from the actual show bar.

The main room measured approximately 45 metres long by 8 metres wide. The stage was raised and enlarged, while elevated booths lined both walls.

To the left of the stage was another enclosed room containing a pool table and a video screen. Among other things, it allowed patrons to follow the performance at a distance from the sound level in the main room.

The sound system and lighting were substantially upgraded to meet the needs of a roughly 250-capacity bar. A dressing room was also created for performers, complete with a star on the door.

7. The opening on December 12, 1990

The Terminal Showbar officially opened on Wednesday, December 12, 1990. Two weeks earlier, Mark Lepage had already presented the project as a new 250-capacity venue capable of altering the geography of Montreal rock.

Faria said the Terminal intended to compete with CLUB SODA and LES FOUFOUNES ÉLECTRIQUES, not necessarily in musical style but in the calibre of artists presented.

By December 16, 1990, Vancouver's BOB'S YOUR UNCLE was advertised at the new venue. The holiday period also featured 39 STEPS, DISASTER AREA, SENSE OF DOUBT and THE SHERLOCKS.

8. Station 10 and the Terminal: two complementary venues

The Terminal did not replace STATION 10. The two establishments operated simultaneously and fulfilled different functions within Faria and Vitas's musical ecosystem.

Station 10 remained the small venue where young bands could gain their first experience performing before an audience. Faria described the Terminal as the next step: a larger, better-equipped venue where bands that had already acquired some experience could perform under more professional conditions.

Faria also sought to avoid excessive duplication of bands and audiences between the two establishments. Station 10 was to retain its immediate, raw character as a small venue, while the Terminal offered a more elaborate stage, sound system and lighting.

9. An exceptionally broad program

The Terminal's programming went far beyond a narrow definition of “rock.” In only 18 months, the venue hosted punk, hardcore, metal, ska, blues, reggae, dub, alternative rock, hip-hop and various forms of independent music.

Artists documented or listed as having performed at the Terminal include RUN-DMC, BARENAKED LADIES, CRASH TEST DUMMIES, AGENT ORANGE, MURPHY'S LAW, THE MIGHTY MIGHTY BOSSTONES, THE TOASTERS, BAD MANNERS, UK SUBS, GOVERNMENT ISSUE, GORGUTS, KATAKLYSM, THE ASEXUALS, RHEOSTATICS, RIPCORDZ, RAY CONDO, JOHN WESLEY HARDING, LONNIE BROOKS, SONNY SHARROCK, THE MIGHTY DIAMONDS, BUCKWHEAT ZYDECO, INFAMOUS BASTURDS, HAZY AZURE, AMERICAN DEVICES, BARF, LES BONS À RIEN, LEPROCY and many others.

On April 13, the Terminal also hosted Amnesty International Group 16's second annual benefit concert, with RIPCORDZ, DYSFUNCTIONS, PUSH-PULL and THE OUTSKIRTS.

Blues also occupied an important place. A Black Blues series featured TINSLEY ELLIS, JIMMY ROGERS and EDDIE SHAW & THE WOLF GANG.

On October 11, 1991, The Gazette announced a notable reggae bill bringing together 809 BAND, Jamaican dub poet MUTABARUKA and THE MIGHTY DIAMONDS.

External sources also document shows not necessarily represented in the preserved newspaper coverage. For example, BOIZE and ANXIETY are documented at the Terminal on April 15, 1991, while setlist.fm data list several concerts in late May 1992, including IMMOLATION and STONE VALLEY.

10. Beyond rock: theatre and performance art

One of the Terminal's most interesting characteristics was that its programming was not limited to music. Faria and Vitas also attempted to introduce their audience to various forms of theatre and alternative performance.

Director STEWART GLEN presented DRINKING IN AMERICA, inspired by Eric Bogosian's stage work. Painter and performer PETER PEREIRA, meanwhile, presented PARADOX BOX, combining live painting, dance, poetry and musical improvisation.

At times, the Terminal thus became a hybrid space where rock concerts, alternative theatre and performance art could coexist. This openness distinguished the venue from a simple rock bar.

11. The June 1992 closure

On June 1, 1992, the Terminal closed after approximately 18 months of operation. Three days later, Mark Lepage announced its demise in The Gazette.

According to the explanation Casey Faria gave the journalist, a previous owner of the premises had allegedly failed to obtain the municipal permit required to allow amplified music at high volume. Neighbourhood residents had reportedly filed several noise complaints, ultimately leading to police intervention and the closure.

This explanation should be presented as Faria's account at the time. An article in the Westmount Examiner published a few months later also referred to the Terminal's closure following noise complaints, corroborating at least that part of the account.

Regulation was not the only problem, however. Faria also acknowledged that the Terminal was consistently operating at a loss. Losses from the larger venue began affecting Station 10, which was smaller but more profitable. The recession of the early 1990s further increased the financial vulnerability of the enterprise.

12. The July 1992 seizure and auction

A municipal document makes it possible to follow the Terminal's history beyond its closure. On July 25, 1992, a notice announced the auction of property belonging to 2523-9252 Québec Inc. — Bar Spectacle Terminal.

The property, described as bar equipment, had been seized for non-payment of special taxes for 1991. The sale was scheduled for July 28, 1992 at 2 p.m., directly at 1635 Sainte-Catherine West, second floor.

This seizure was an event subsequent to the closure. It should therefore not be confused with the reason performances ceased at the beginning of June.

13. After the Terminal

The Terminal's closure did not end Casey Faria's activities. He continued operating Station 10, which was renovated and expanded in early 1993.

In September 1992, the Westmount Examiner also announced that Faria was reopening BAR LE LEGEND, at 27 Route 132 in Delson, with a greater emphasis on Top 40 bands and comedy.

Station 10 continued operating until September 1994. Faria subsequently became, among other things, manager and booker at PJ'S PUB, at 6910 Saint-Jacques West, and continued his career in Montreal's bar scene.

Larry Vitas, for his part, remained connected to Montreal's music culture. A musician himself, he would notably become known as the bassist for THREE O'CLOCK TRAIN. A photograph published by The Gazette during the band's 2013 reunion identifies him on bass.

As for 1635 Sainte-Catherine West, the Lovell directories document BILLARD FATS at that address in 1993, the year after the Terminal disappeared.

14. Memory and legacy

The Terminal's lifespan was short, but its activity was exceptionally dense. The venue occupied an essential niche between the very small bars where bands got their start and the larger downtown venues.

More than twenty years after it closed, its memory remained alive among musicians. In 2013, Mack MacKenzie of THREE O'CLOCK TRAIN enthusiastically recalled a memorable three-night run by the band at the Terminal on Sainte-Catherine.

Posters, calendars, newspaper advertisements, Lovell directories and personal recollections now make it possible to gradually reconstruct this history. They show that between December 1990 and June 1992, the Terminal was much more than a simple bar: it became a temporary but particularly active crossroads of Montreal's independent music culture.

15. Timeline