This is New Year’s resolutions time of the year, and if you’re like me, the only one you’ve made is a promise to make sure that in 2006 you drink more alcohol than you did in 2005. If you’ve also decided to be even lazier this year, and you live up in Mile End, then you may just be able to accomplish all three at once with the introduction of a new neighbourhood hangout, Boa bar.
The pretty poster boy for this valuable venture is none other than Gazette music journo, party-rocking DJ, and well over six feet o’ friendly T’Cha Dunlevy. Hour caught up with Pshaw (who was sporting some opening-week bags under the eyes) at the newly opened spot on 5301 St-Laurent, and we figure you should make a resolution to check it out.
Hour First off, why "Boa"?
T’Cha Dunlevy It’s a Portuguese word meaning nice, pretty, good.
Hour Oh, it’s not a phallic thing?
Dunlevy Only if you want it to be.
Hour Who, besides yourself, is involved in this bar?
Dunlevy My brother Joaquin, veteran bartender and manager who has poured his way through an array of Montreal landmarks, and Peter Pinheiro, owner of Blizzarts and the design wiz behind both bars.
Hour How did the idea come about?
Dunlevy About a year and a half ago, Joaquin and I started talking about opening a place. We grew up in Mile End, and watched the neighbourhood change from laid-back cultural melting pot to unassuming hipster haven. We still love it, and wanted to create a space that we would want to hang out in, that reflected the area. Peter’s a good friend and we’ve known him since Blizzarts opened in ’98. When we all sat down, we immediately began talking about making a pub – an unpretentious drinking spot, meeting point and hangout. We knew music would be key, but within the context of the pub.
Hour What’s the idea behind the "modern tavern"?
Dunlevy The simplicity and "rassembleur" aspect of a tavern with a modern aesthetic and DJs. It’s common in London where pub culture and DJ culture are both huge.
Hour This term won’t get abbreved into "mod-tav" will it?
Dunlevy Not if you shut up about it right now.
Hour Why have a rotation of DJs instead of a set of specific nights?
Dunlevy We don’t want a promoter-driven venue, with specific crowds on specific nights. We want it to be about coming out for a drink and "Hey, the music’s really good."
Hour Who is currently on Boa’s speed dial?
Dunlevy Veteran funk and soul guru Andy Williams, indie/ambient hip-hop producer Sixtoo, and MP3 fiend Dr. Octoboobies, who shamelessly mixes up everything from Prince to Aphex Twin, by way of Beyoncé. Oh, and the offer is open to a certain smart aleck Hour music columnist to come down and show his skills.
Hour Oh yeah? How about Wednesday?
Dunlevy Sounds good.
Hour Since I just used this column to promote myself, will I ever be seeing you writing in The Gazette about this hot new bar called Boa?
Dunlevy Front page news, baby.
Boldfaced: I’ve been hearing good things about Kamikaze Baby, a group launching their CD on Jan. 7 at the Kola Note, so perhaps you should go and hear their good things for yourself… How about The Besnard Lakes and Land Of Talk at Petit Café Campus on Jan. 12? What? Don’t like amazing local music? Shame on you.
7 comments
Well sounds like Boa is gonna be one of the hip, cool & funky places to be in the plateau area. And you know me…I love the Funk! Gotta get that Funk! Tee HEE!
On the real though, I love getting together with friends in the trendy plateau, or really anywhere downtown. Even though I live all the way out in the West Island, I try as often as I can to get into town, just so that I can hook up with some good times with some good friends. So, if this Boa place already holds the meaning of: Portuguese word meaning nice, then, I don’t know what could be nicer, than one day heading over to check it out.
Peace.
Since Montreal is such a multicultural city, I was expecting to find a place with the character traits of the pub/tavern in the UK, a place with a more european feel to it. I guess this is it and I expect to check it out pretty soon. I’ll even bring my portugues friends; that way they can feel proud in a bar bearing the nicest word in the portugues language for a name.
Boa sounds to be awesome, can’t wait to give it a try. Kind of sounds like a more funkified/DJ-ish “Brutopia” – which is a great thing in my eyes. Good drinks, great music and a laid back atmosphere – you know I’ll be there eventually.
Hopefully the prices aren’t out of wack.
“If you’re like me, the only one you’ve made is a promise to make sure that in 2006 you drink more alcohol than you did in 2005″.
Woah now Brendan, don’t assume that everyone’s life is as dull and traumatizing as yours that we need to drink the year away! I happen to get by just fine and dandy with a minimum amount of alcohol, but if you’re into the pub scene, Boa sounds like a really chill, cozy ambience. It’s well known that Montreal has a buzzing pub and club scene, so I’m sure there are going to be those that dread the idea of another new place like this opening up in the area. And especially in the Mile End area, there’s already lots of little pubs and venues similar to Boa’s style.
The fact that T’Cha works for The Gazette though, might help this new place thrive. I don’t know about everyone else, but as a frequent reader of The Gazette, T’Cha is a name that is very familiar to me as I often read his CD and concert reviews. Sure I often don’t agree with his standpoints, but he’s a credible writer. Therefore, if Boa is associated with a name that is known locally, it might spark a bit more interest than your average hangout.
And what strikes me as really sweet and comfy about the place, is that T’Cha and his brother really seem to have created this place for the natural love and thrill of having a few good drinks and listening to some good music. They seem to know enough about the scene to create a unique place incorporating all the little details they can’t find in other bars around the area. I also like that there’s a rotation of DJs and not set nights, so no particular night attracts a certain crowd. It’s all varied, all the time, which I find includes and brings together all kinds of people.
If Boa really is as good as it seems, I think it’ll become one of Montreal’s cool little hidden gems!
I like to live by my sister’s words of wisdom:
“The only thing worse than drinking to forget is forgetting to drink!”
Here’s to a great 2006!
Ah, the excitement of a new bar, with the fresh smell of leather covered cozy booths, new happy-faced staff, promotions abound with lots of goodies being given out, everyone wishing them well and hoping for a successful future. Such is the case for Boa, a place that not only our intrepid reporter Brendan writes about this week, but also a place he will undoubtedly hang out at, and spin a few tunes. That’s what the chic to cheek crowd does. Tell each other how great they are, pat each other on the back and treat each other to some yummy complimentary appetizers and freshly pulled pints. No problem with any of that. In fact, everyone in Mile End should visit this friendly sounding pub and size it up to see if it will replace their regular haunting ground.
Keep us posted Brendan on how things are going for Mr’s Dunlevy, Joaquin, and Peter Pinheiro, the design wiz behind both bars. I wish them the best of look to a place that from the color photo looks like a golden palace of perfectly poured pints.
Unfortunetly i live in Brazil and haven’t been to Boa yet. But i got to know and spent time with T’Cha Dunlevy (the pretty poster boy) while he was in Brazil planing about the venture, and i’m preety sure he got influenced by the best of brazilian music and culture and brought our vibe into the bar. Can’t wait to have an excuse to go montreal and check this out. From the meaning to the bar, BOA rocks!