DOWNTOWN WINDSOR NEWS

UPCOMING EVENTS

April 9, 2009 - Spotlight On... Phog Lounge

Canada has spoken: Downtown Windsor's Phog Lounge voted nation's best live music venue

By:Karen Ashford, Communications Intern

Music and the arts have always been important components of what makes downtown Windsor a unique and lively place to live, shop, and work.

Phog Lounge, located on University Avenue West, won the CBC Radio 3 contest in February, beating more than 100 other Canadian venues for the title of the nation's best live music venue and proving that downtown Windsor is a strong cultural force in Canada.

"We know our music and our art," said Tom Lucier, co-owner of Phog Lounge. "Winning this contest was a portal - an awareness builder for people to know what we are doing here."

Phog not only provides local musicians with a venue to perform in but also provides the creative class with a forum to discuss what is going on in the Canadian arts industry.  The historical building, once home to a salon, law office, retail store, and numerous bars, is now decorated with murals, photos of live performances, and a mosaic-style floor.
 
"We give people a reason to explore something that isn't so overdone," Lucier said. "We do something unique here and the country has recognized it."

For those of us who work and live in downtown Windsor, it is no secret that downtown is home to a vibrant music and arts scene.  However, many Canadians define Windsor solely by its "blue-collared" image and as a result, people are deprived of Windsor's cultural relevance, argued Lucier.

The CBC award showcases a sense of unity and pride among the supporters of Windsor's music and arts scene, and also pays tribute to one of the many business owners in downtown Windsor who believe in the potential of the downtown.

"The bulk of the creative class live in the downtown," said Lucier, referring to the reason for the number of theatres, music venues, and art galleries in downtown Windsor.  "The downtown should be the vibrant part of the city."

http://www.phoglounge.com/