After 19 months of absence, the musicians are back, to their delight – and that of the users – in the Montreal metro to strum the guitar, blow the trombone and warm up their vocal cords.
9 a.m., Monday morning. Berri-UQAM station. Near the platforms, the melody of an accordion mingles with the murmur of the metro. Hurried workers and ill-awake students strain their ears to Anya, too focused on a traditional Irish refrain to notice.
It was difficult, a year without music. For me, music adds color to life. It is something central and universal.
Anya, accordionist
Since Monday, the musicians have resumed their place under the lyres (which identify the locations authorized to play) of the Berri-UQAM, Jean-Talon and Guy-Concordia stations, to which other stations will gradually be added if the return goes well. . Press went to meet these old (and new) instrumentalists who wanted to be the first to animate the belly of the city.
Among them, Anya, whose slender fingers run nimbly over her instrument. A passerby slips a $ 5 bill into the case at her feet. The harvest is good, but not as much as outside.
“It’s easier on the street. When you wear a mask, it’s more difficult to bond with people. I can’t give them a smile. Other than that, it was very nice to come back, ”says Anya, sitting on her small stool.
This was the condition for the musicians to be able to return safely to the metro. All performers, even singers, must wear a face covering, except for wind instrumentalists.
PHOTO DAVID BOILY, THE PRESS
Violinist Jiam Feng at Guy-Concordia station
But you can always smile with your eyes, Jiam Feng points out. At Guy-Concordia station, the violinist begins his half-hour in front of an audience intrigued by his two-string instrument. “I was a little nervous this morning, but I feel more rested now,” says Jiam Feng, between two songs.
A few steps from him, a charmed passer-by films him on her cell phone. “I really missed the music. I am very happy that it is starting again. It gives me energy for my day, ”says Azadeh Moghaddam. With a little luck, she will see him again this week: Jiam Feng has reserved 10 time slots by Friday.
Return “successful”
With more than 70% of authorized locations reserved this week, the Société de transport de Montréal (STM) is delighted with this “successful” return.
“It was a very good first day. There were a lot of smiles from both clients and musicians, ”said public relations officer Philippe Déry, who recognized several familiar faces on the pitch.
We wanted to bring a certain normality back to the routine that people knew before the pandemic. It bodes well for the future.
Philippe Déry, from the STM
Daniel Lalonde, president of the Regroupement des musicians du métro de Montréal, is a staple in the industry. You may have seen him, his blonde hair and his inseparable guitar. Monday morning, he would have been nowhere else than at the Berri-UQAM station, with his contagious enthusiasm and a refreshed repertoire.
PHOTO DAVID BOILY, THE PRESS
Daniel Lalonde, President of the Montreal Metro Musicians’ Regroup
“I never stopped during the pandemic. I took the opportunity to release my own songs and to fill two binders with songs that I had wanted to learn for a long time ”, he says, after an energetic interpretation of Dream women by Claude Dubois.
New reservation system
Why wait 19 months before allowing the musicians to return? First, we needed the green light from Public Health, explains Philippe Déry, and an interesting level of traffic for the artists (what’s the point of playing in a deserted metro?). There was also a need to develop an improved reservation system.
Before the pandemic, musicians indicated on a small piece of paper the date and time they wanted to reserve. However, the method was far from practical. “You had to get up at 4 am to arrive at 5:30 am and reserve your place. Otherwise, it would fill up in an hour and a half and there was no more room to play, ”recalls Daniel Lalonde.
Recently, the STM launched a new online platform to facilitate the reservation of lyres. About sixty musicians have already created a profile, including José Lamartine. At the Berri-UQAM station, the guitarist strummed rumba and flamenco tunes. “I used to play outside, but now, with the online reservation, everything seems more organized. It’s much better, ”he says.
At this off-peak hour of the day, between the morning rush and dinner time, passers-by are fewer. And the coins, even less. ” It does not matter. I live in a small apartment, and I have to respect my neighbors who don’t like noise. I come here to train. And if on top of that I can make people smile, I’m happy. ”