MTELUS
MTELUS is a major live-music venue and former cinema in Montreal's Quartier des Spectacles.
Last updated August 24, 2026
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Overview
MTELUS is a live-performance venue on Saint Catherine Street East in central Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The building stands in the Quartier des Spectacles and is within walking distance of Place-des-Arts and Saint-Laurent metro stations. It can accommodate up to approximately 2,350 people and is principally associated with rock, pop, alternative, francophone and other contemporary music performances. It also hosts events connected with major Montreal festivals, including the Montreal International Jazz Festival and the FrancoFolies de Montréal. The site has a long and unusually varied entertainment history. It opened in 1884 as a skating rink and became a summer theatre the following year under the name Théâtre Français. After a fire near the end of the nineteenth century, the property changed hands and was acquired in 1920 by the American Loew's chain. Loew's converted it into a theatre known as Loew's Court and then into a cinema in 1923. The Théâtre Français name returned the following year, but the building suffered another fire in 1930. United Amusement subsequently commissioned a substantial renovation by theatre designer Emmanuel Briffa. After operating again as a theatre, the building became an adult cinema known as Eros during the 1970s, continuing in that form until its closure in 1981. It reopened six years later as a dance club under the name Metropolis. In 1997, L'Équipe Spectra acquired the building, and Metropolis developed into a prominent live-performance hall. Its programming over the following decades included international and Canadian artists such as David Bowie, Beck, Alice in Chains, Green Day, the White Stripes, Björk, Ben Harper, Nickelback, Prince, Radiohead, Coldplay, City and Colour, Les Cowboys Fringants and Jean Leloup. Jean Leloup has been identified as the artist who performed most often at the venue. The television program La Fureur also used the location for several recordings. The venue's commercial identity changed through a naming-rights arrangement with Telus. Telus acquired the naming rights in 2016 and announced a plan to invest C$5 million in improvements over the following decade as part of its corporate rebranding and partnership strategy. The name MTELUS became official in May 2017 through a partnership with Telus Mobility. The venue therefore combines a historic building identity, the established Métropolis concert-hall legacy and the MTELUS sponsor brand. In 2011, it was reported as the world's ninth most popular club venue by ticket sales, a distinction reflecting its role in Montreal's live-music circuit rather than a separate corporate ranking.
History
The building now known as MTELUS opened in 1884 in Montreal. Its first use was as a skating rink, but it was converted into a summer theatre the next year and operated under the name Théâtre Français. A major fire at the end of the nineteenth century damaged the property. In 1920, an American company associated with the Loew's chain purchased the building and adapted it for theatrical use as Loew's Court. The site was converted into a movie theatre in 1923, and the Théâtre Français name was restored in 1924. Another fire partially damaged the theatre in 1930. United Amusement later acquired the property and undertook a complete renovation. The work was designed by Emmanuel Briffa, a theatre designer also associated with Montreal's Outremont Theatre. The renewed building returned to theatrical use before taking on a very different role as the Eros adult cinema during the 1970s. Eros closed in 1981. In 1987, the building reopened as a dance club called Metropolis. A decade later, L'Équipe Spectra acquired the property, helping shift the venue toward its modern identity as a major live-performance hall. Metropolis became an important stop for touring artists and a recurring location for Montreal's cultural festivals. Its reported performers included David Bowie, Beck, Alice in Chains, Les Rita Mitsouko, Green Day, the White Stripes, Björk, Bran Van 3000, Ben Harper, Nickelback, Prince, Radiohead, Coldplay, Corneille, City and Colour, Les Cowboys Fringants and Jean Leloup. The venue also hosted recordings of the popular Quebec television program La Fureur. Jean Leloup has been identified as the performer with the greatest number of appearances there. The hall is situated on Saint Catherine Street East between Saint-Dominique and De Bullion Streets, in the central Quartier des Spectacles. Its capacity is approximately 2,350 people, and its programming has particularly emphasized rock and related contemporary music. It has also been used for events associated with the Montreal International Jazz Festival and the FrancoFolies de Montréal. In 2011, the venue was reported to rank ninth worldwide among club venues by ticket sales. Telus acquired the venue's naming rights in 2016 and announced an intended C$5 million investment in improvements over the subsequent ten years. The arrangement connected the historic concert venue to Telus's corporate branding and mobility business. In May 2017, the name Métropolis was officially replaced by MTELUS. The present brand consequently represents both a telecommunications naming-rights partnership and the continuing operation of a historic Montreal entertainment venue. The building was also the site of a serious act of violence on September 5, 2012. During a Parti Québécois election-night victory rally, an armed man entered the venue while Pauline Marois was speaking. The attacker killed a stagehand and wounded another person before being apprehended by police. The incident is part of the site's documented history but is not a product or brand activity.
- 2017
Renamed MTELUS
[1]The venue officially changes its name from Métropolis to MTELUS in May.
- 2016
Telus naming-rights agreement
[1]Telus acquires naming rights and announces planned investment in improvements to the venue.
- 2012
Election-rally shooting
[1]A shooting occurs during a Parti Québécois victory rally, killing one stagehand and injuring another person.
- 2011
International club-venue ranking
[1]The venue is reported as ninth worldwide among club venues by ticket sales.
- 1997
L'Équipe Spectra acquisition
[1]L'Équipe Spectra acquires the building, after which Metropolis develops as a live-performance venue.
- 1987
Reopens as Metropolis
[1]The building reopens as a dance club under the name Metropolis.
- 1981
Eros cinema closes
[1]The adult cinema operating as Eros closes after its period of use during the 1970s and early 1980s.
- 1930
Second major fire
[1]The building is partially damaged by another fire.
- 1923
Conversion to cinema
[1]The theatre is converted into a movie theatre.
- 1920
Loew's acquisition
[1]Following earlier fire damage, the property is acquired by an American company associated with the Loew's chain and adapted as Loew's Court.
Products and positioning
A centrally located Montreal concert hall positioned around high-capacity live music, festival participation and the heritage of the former Métropolis venue.
Concert venue · 1987
MTELUS live performances
The venue's principal offering is admission to live music performances in a room with capacity of up to approximately 2,350 people. Its programming has historically centered on rock and adjacent contemporary genres, while also including major Canadian and international touring acts, francophone performers and festival events.
Cultural events
Festival and cultural events
MTELUS serves as a venue for events associated with Montreal's festival ecosystem, including programming connected with the Montreal International Jazz Festival and the FrancoFolies de Montréal. The site has also been used for television recordings and other entertainment presentations.
Brand decisions
2017
Official transition from Métropolis to MTELUSStrategyBackground
The naming-rights arrangement required the historic Métropolis concert venue to adopt a new commercial identity.
Action taken
The venue formally changed its name to MTELUS in May 2017 through its partnership with Telus Mobility.
Aftermath
MTELUS became the public-facing brand while the venue retained its role as a Montreal live-performance hall.
2016
Telus naming-rights and improvement partnershipStrategyBackground
The established Métropolis venue entered a naming-rights partnership with Telus as the telecommunications company pursued a broader corporate branding strategy.
Action taken
Telus acquired the naming rights and announced an intended investment of C$5 million in venue improvements over the following decade.
Aftermath
The partnership led to the venue's official renaming as MTELUS in May 2017.
Planned venue-improvement investment. C$5 million planned (Announced in 2016 for the following decade)
Sources2 sources
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