This longstanding Montreal, Canada afterhours outpost does its country proud
with an infamous sound system that pays homage to its name…

“Music is the answer!” announces the website for Stereo nightclub.

Not only do we agree, but it appears DJ Mag readers agree that this Montreal gem is the answer for music –
house and techno, to be precise – voting it the north’s Best Venue.

Founded as an afterhours club in 1998 by DJ-producer Angel Moraes, and now owned by Tommy Piscardeli,
the venue has long been revered for that which it is built on and named for: its sound.

Any raver who has had the good fortune to dance on the Stereo floor
can attest to an experience of aural immersion that’s hard to find elsewhere.

For that reason, the club has maintained a staunchly loyal following, both throughout its city and beyond.

Nearly 20 years running, Stereo has seen the scene shift and grow, and it has adapted along the way –
overcoming intense fires in 2008 and 2009 which temporarily shut it down,
and more recently, taking action against the widespread and dangerous use of GHB.

Last year, in a move that made the party scene sit up and take notice,
owner Piscardeli announced the club’s new zero-tolerance policy for GHB:
anyone caught with it will be banned from Stereo, forever.

“GHB is killing the club scene the world over,”
the club stated in a Facebook post.

It’s a bold but likely wise move, not far removed from Stereo’s other longstanding practices:
working with local law enforcement to monitor drug use inside the club,
asking partiers caught with substances to either place them in a locked “drug box” (accessible only by Montreal police)
or turn around and leave the venue.

Of course, it’s not all rules and rigor at Stereo.

The talent they bring in to move their legendary dancefloor –
modeled after NYC’s famed Paradise Garage – is nothing short of top-tier.

From house music legends like Danny Tenaglia, Kerri Chandler, and John Digweed,
to techno greats like Nicole Moudaber, Alan Fitzpatrick, and Pan-Pot,
Stereo’s consistently stacked lineups keep its floor buzzing.

Combine that with a crystal-clear analog sound system
that impresses even the most demanding audiophiles,
and you have the makings of a club truly deserving of awards.