Halifax's Marquee Club Closing

Halifax's Marquee Club, where many Canadian bands got their start and which was immortalized in Sloan's "Marquee And The Moon," will close its doors for a second and final time in January.

Owner Victor Syperek (the father of Trews bassist Jack Syperek) told CBC News that the club will close because it's too expensive to bring touring acts to the city. Although the venue shut down a few years ago before reopening, Syperek says this time the closure is permanent, and 40 staff members will be laid off.

"We have tried to bolster the music scene," said Syperek. "We love it — my son's band started out with the Marquee.

"Wintersleep, Joel Plaskett, Matt Mays — you can name many, many bands that have had their start at the Marquee, and I'm quite proud of that fact. But it has been just vastly unprofitable and we've lost well over $1 million in trying to keep the live scene happening. Finally, it comes to the point where we can't afford it."

Syperek hopes to open an arts centre at the site sometime in the future.

The Marquee Club also houses Hell's Kitchen, a smaller club located downstairs. The Marquee has hosted 54-40, Blue Rodo, Sum 41, Broken Social Scene, Constantines, Bloc Party, Sarah Harmer, Peaches, The Weakerthans, Matthew Good, D.O.A., The Dears and countless other acts. It's also been used as a filming location for 2006's Trailer Park Boys: The Movie, 2005's 3 Needles, 2001's A Town Without Christmas television movie and other productions.