Stepping Out: The Golden Age of Montreal Night Clubs

Rockhead’s Paradise, the Normandie Roof, the Johnny Holmes Orchestra, Lili St. Cyr, Oscar Peterson, le Lion d’Or: all these names evoke an era of glittering gowns, smoke-filled rooms, cocktails, and jazz – both cool and hot.

From the 1920s to the 1950s Montreal had a wide-open, glamorous night club scene. Marrelli documents these vibrant decades with photographs and memorabilia from the Concordia University Archives and Music Department, some originally included in an exhibition at Concordia’s Leonard and Bina Allen Art Gallery in 2004.

Concordia was fortunate in receiving donations from musicians and night club owners of the era of everything from swizzle sticks, menus and programs, to oral history recordings and correspondence. Marrelli has written short texts that amplify the evocative illustrations. This is a richly illustrated social history of one of the glorious eras of Montreal. mRb