The Stereo Family (with Lancaster centre top) photo: The Stereo Family

Stereo's management has remained mum on details regarding the fire and subsequent closing of the main room and bar, the spiritual home of house music in Montreal. Onetime co-owner and resident DJ David Morales did allege that the fire was "proven to be an act of arson" through a MySpace bulletin in late summer, typical of the limited communications issued by the club in recent months.

Though there are many opposing theories about the club's demise being floated by detractors and supporters alike, it is this writer's opinion that Stereo's inability to keep their head above water is as much an indication of their unwillingness to submerge themselves into the stinking filth of capitalism as it is of changing demographics within the electronic music industry.

"If you are intrigued by the idea that you are fucked no matter what you do, and that the bad guy has to win sometimes, then you are going to enjoy this one!" Stereo's Lancaster said with reference to No Country for Old Men upon its release, perhaps the best indication publicly of his recent state of mind.

It should be noted that Stereo has been no stranger to difficulties. Opened in 1998, the club's sound system was originally built by NYC club DJ Angel Moraes, who left amidst much strife to open his own club, the ill-fated Gravity afterhours (in the space now occupied by Les Saints) in 2003. David Morales stepped in shortly thereafter and, with Lancaster and Soundman Shorty's aid, resuscitated the club's hallowed sound system and damaged reputation through the final years of operation.

In a farewell note announcing the closing of Stereobar, Scott did state that "the bar has had a run of over eight years now, which is at least five more than most make it, and it's time for something different," leaving a glimmer of hope that elements of the current Stereo team might resurface somewhere or another. What fate awaits the club's sound system - apparently undamaged by fire - and the cavernous, darkened main room remains to be seen.

"It's high time for a walk on the real side/ Let's admit the bastards beat us/ I move to dissolve the corporation/ In a pool of margaritas/ So let's switch off all the lights/ And light up all the Luckies/ Cranking up the afterglow/ 'Cause we're going out of business/ Everything must go" - Fagen/Becker

Uniting against all things candy, Saturday night's Reign in Blood event promises to be one of this year's most attended raves, a telling sign of current trends in electronic music. Iszoloscope, Moebius, Mutante, Na, Fishead, Black Market and more unite at this violent condemnation of the "happy hardcore" genre and the spirit of blind optimism that it perpetrates (info: rave.ca).
 
 

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