It's a few days out from when a new series of morning pop-up DJ sets called Croissound is about to take over Cass Café. Since posting about it, co-organizer Lisa Rey and her partner Bassil Sawaya have seen 100,000 views with upwards of 100 people texting and DMing them for details.

"We found out that people in LA were doing events in coffee shops. Then our algorithm started pushing events in Toronto. Then you see someone did it in Dubai. So we were like, OK, if that works somewhere else, it should work also in Montreal," Lisa says.

But beyond being an imported trend, Croissound is tapping into something bigger—Montrealers, like so many others, are shifting the way they socialize. A night out is now weighed against rising rents, shrinking budgets, and a shifting sense of what’s worth the money. A $5 Americano and a DJ set? That’s an easy yes. A $20 cocktail and cover charge? Not so much.

At 27, Lisa and her partner aren’t drawn to nightlife anymore, but they still needed a way to channel their passion for house music.

"I don't want to go to nightclubs. I wouldn’t be able to tell you where I’d go if I had to. I don't want to stand outside when it's minus 20 outside, and even when party starts at 11, we're normally in bed by then," she admits.

"When I talk to my friends, they’re not into nightlife anymore either. Most of them are getting married or focusing more on sports. It's about mental and physical health, and newer generations aren't really about alcohol anymore."

Lisa’s experience is reflective of something happening across the city, and bars are seeing the effects of that recalibration. While places like Piknic Électronik and Igloofest still draw crowds, late-night spots are turning into pre-drink destinations rather than the main event.

It's a few days out from when a new series of morning pop-up DJ sets called Croissound is about to take over Cass Café. Since posting about it, co-organizer Lisa Rey and her partner Bassil Sawaya have seen 100,000 views with upwards of 100 people texting and DMing them for details.

"We found out that people in LA were doing events in coffee shops. Then our algorithm started pushing events in Toronto. Then you see someone did it in Dubai. So we were like, OK, if that works somewhere else, it should work also in Montreal," Lisa says.

But beyond being an imported trend, Croissound is tapping into something bigger—Montrealers, like so many others, are shifting the way they socialize. A night out is now weighed against rising rents, shrinking budgets, and a shifting sense of what’s worth the money. A $5 Americano and a DJ set? That’s an easy yes. A $20 cocktail and cover charge? Not so much.

At 27, Lisa and her partner aren’t drawn to nightlife anymore, but they still needed a way to channel their passion for house music.

"I don't want to go to nightclubs. I wouldn’t be able to tell you where I’d go if I had to. I don't want to stand outside when it's minus 20 outside, and even when party starts at 11, we're normally in bed by then," she admits.

"When I talk to my friends, they’re not into nightlife anymore either. Most of them are getting married or focusing more on sports. It's about mental and physical health, and newer generations aren't really about alcohol anymore."

Lisa’s experience is reflective of something happening across the city, and bars are seeing the effects of that recalibration. While places like Piknic Électronik and Igloofest still draw crowds, late-night spots are turning into pre-drink destinations rather than the main event.