Le Vacarme is a fiercely independent record shop on Plaza St-Hubert, built by and for music obsessives. Founded in 2017 by Jean-François Rioux—a lifer in the Montreal music scene with past ventures including the Emoragei fanzine, the label Where Are My Records, and the long-running CISM show Les Criquets Crinqués—Le Vacarme is a response to what was missing: a vinyl shop that spotlights modern rock, deep cuts, and curated classics without the dusty gatekeeping.
The storefront doubles as a pickup point for online orders, but the real magic happens during their Pop-Up Shop events, where staff are just as eager to talk records as they are to sell them. While their digital platform is slick and efficient, it’s not trying to replace the joy of crate-digging—it just makes it easier to get records you actually want, minus the corporate middlemen. Whether you’re chasing a new pressing or an obscure passion project, Le Vacarme’s noise is worth tuning into.
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