Rihanna stole the show at this Montreal bar's Super Bowl Party
Montrealers gathered at the Champs Sports Bar to watch Rihanna's live concert — and some football.
Fans of the Barbados-born star packed the bar on St-Laurent Boulevard, which advertised its event as the "gayest Super Bowl party in town."
The football game took a backseat to the performance as the Kansas City Chiefs and Philadelphia Eagles were eclipsed by the pop star.
"It's Rihanna vs. everybody today," said Cyncia Sanon, who came out just for the halftime show with her friends.
It was Rihanna's first performance in seven years after she declined to perform the halftime show in 2019, citing differences with the NFL over the treatment of Colin Kaepernick, among other things.
Fans were eager to see what the pop star had up her sleeve.
"I'm here to hang around other queer people and to watch Rihanna," said Dex Thompson, another attendee.
"I do care about football somewhat, I enjoy tackling."
The bar erupted in cheers when Rihanna appeared on-screen in her red monochromatic outfit showing off a baby bump.
She jumped into the show with B---h Better Have My Money, as attendees sang out every word. The energy was high for the full 13-minute performance, with fans cheering as if they were watching in the stadium.
Sarah Fobes, one of Champs's owners, described her bar as "our lesbian mecca."
A big football enthusiast who says "it's illegal not to be" a Rihanna fan, Fobes says she knows many lesbians avidly watch sports.
"Who isn't here!" she said. "We have sports fans! We have lesbians!"
Fobes and her co-owners took over Champs Sports Bar just under two years ago, and since then she says it's become an unofficial gay bar. In fact, her first purchase for the bar was a big red neon sign that reads "Lesbians."
"We have a diverse, inclusive staff. We've had so many people tell us this is the only bar they've ever felt safe in. That's such a great atmosphere to help create and be a part of," she said.
"I think part of what we wanted to do is build bridges and break stereotypes and not operate on the assumption that it's the Super Bowl so none of the queer crowd are gonna come out," said the bar's general manager, Rob Jennings.
"Also, not all sports fans are homophobic. There's bridges to be built there and our part is to make sure that — if there are different crowds coming in — that everybody is respectful. And the vast majority of the time, it's been a big success."
Though Champs's core clientele was definitely there for Rihanna's performance, many came out for the game.
"It's actually a tradition with my friend, every year we watch the Super Bowl. It's half-and-half, I am here for the game and the show," said Rodrigue Abdallah.
Emily Beekman said there were a few bars she was thinking of going to to watch the game, but because she heard Champs was known as a lesbian bar she chose to go there.
"I'm here mostly for the football," she said.
Kansas City won its second NFL title in four years when they defeated the Philadelphia Eagles 38-35.
