Jay's List (What's Goin' On?) — June '26
What's happening in the Montreal lit scene this month?
It’s summer now, right? That’s how this works? Whatever it is, this tends to be the last month before the humidity sets in, so if you’ve been jonesing to go catch a reading at like, Rocket Science Room, do it now while that’s still a survivable prospect. Not too much on the mag launch front this month (that we know of, anyway) but there are events a-plenty as usual. We update this list throughout the month, so check back in from time to time.
As always, if we’re missing something, or you want your event included, please message @discordia.review on Instagram to propose an inclusion. Doing so in advance if you already know what’s up next month is even better.
1 JUNE (MON)
MOMENTS & MIRACLES
What: Apparently aligned with the long running Lawnchair Soirée reading series, this is a poetry/music open mic taking place amid an ongoing photography and line-drawing exhibition.
Where: Galerie Espace (4840 Boul. St-Laurent).
When: 7pm.
Who: Whoever has the balls.
How Much: Free. (Link)
2 JUNE (TUES)
JRG LITERARY OPEN MIC
What: Rollicking monthly open mic with an absurdist edge, this time featuring poet and visual artist Ev Ricky (who should be familiar to long time Discordia readers) and writer M. Gnanasihamany.
Where: L’hémisphère gauche (221 Rue Beaubien E).
When: 8:30pm.
Who: Whoever has the balls, plus Ev Ricky and M. Gnanasihamany.
How Much: PWYC. (Link)
ROLLIE PEMBERTON: WAYS OF LISTENING LAUNCH
What: Pemberton (AKA Albertan rapper Cadence Weapon) drops by Montreal to launch his new book on “building a deeper relationship with music in the streaming era.”
Where: Librarie Drawn & Quarterly (176 rue Bernard O).
When: 7pm.
Who: Rollie Pemberton, in conversation with Peggy Hogan.
How much: Free. (Link)
4 JUNE (THURS)
LISA RICHTER: SUBLUNARY LAUNCH
What: The suspects don’t get much more usual than the trio of extremely busy local poets backing up visiting Toronto writer Lisa Richter, launching her third collection.
Where: Librarie Pulp Books & Cafe.
When: 7pm.
Who: Lisa Richter, Jessica Bebenek, Misha Solomon, and Gillian Sze. Hosted by James Hawes.
How much: Free. (Link)
5 JUNE (FRI)
THE OPEN BOOK MIC
What: A new one to me, though it seems they’ve been running this weekly show at Café Eevee for a while now. It’s not a lit specific open mic (music and comedy are also permitted) so I’m not going to repeat this listing four times here, but know that it repeats every Friday till the stars grow cold.
Where: Café Eevee (1251 Rue St-Zotique E).
When: 7 to 9pm.
Who: Whoever has the balls.
How Much: Free. (Link)
6 JUNE (SAT)
SLAMPROVISE THIS! SLAM POETRY MEETS IMPROV COMEDY
What: It is difficult to imagine a less appealing combination than this. Le Basement should be sealed in a concrete sarcophagus like Chernobyl. (Before or during the event, I don’t care.)
Where: La Basement (3716 rue Notre-Dame O.)
When: 7:30pm doors, 8pm show.
Who: “Dave,” “Christian,” “Dzuy,” “Katia,” and “Charity.”
How Much: $12, or $5 for QWF members, the lucky dogs. (Link)
7 JUNE (SUN)
META MOOD: IN THE MOOD x METATRON PRESS
What: Some of the usual Metatron Press suspects link up with Toronto-based movie writing mag In The Mood to help launch Kawai Shen’s new book. Seems to happening in the midst of one of Parquette’s 24hr raves, so this is presumably part of the chillout section. Also a fundraiser for Mouvement Transfeministe.
Where: Parquette (1345 Rue de Bellechasse).
When: 2 to 5pm.
Who: Kawai Shen, Sennah Yee, Kate Brooks, Alex Manley, Katie Lo Innes, Marcela Huerta, Gabrielle Marceau, Ryan Akler-Bishop, and Eli Tareq El Bechelany-Lynch.
How much: $17.31 (Link)
ACCENT OPEN MIC
What: Popular twice monthly bilingual open mic—millions of believers around the globe have been watching for the plume of smoke above the organizers’ palace that announces that this week’s theme has been confirmed, but as yet there has been no sign. (Computer, play “Building a Mystery” by Sarah McLachlan.)
Where: Bar le Record (7622 rue Saint-Hubert).
When: 8 to 10pm.
Who: Whoever has the balls, plus I dunno some features probably.
How Much: Free. (Link TK)
9 JUNE (TUES)
DANIEL ALLEN COX: I FELT THE END BEFORE IT CAME LAUNCH
What: Montrealer Cox launches his “memoirs of a queer ex-Jehovah’s Witness.” Or relaunches it, really: the hardcover came out in 2023, so this is an event in support of the paperback edition.
Where: Librarie Pulp Books & Cafe.
When: 7pm.
Who: David Allen Cox, Tamara Jong, Ellen Orme Adams. Hosted by James Hawes.
How much: Free. (Link)
10 JUNE (WEDS)
ALECSANDRA KAKON: THIS IS WHY I NEED YOU LAUNCH
What: Concordia/Dawson prof launches her new novel. Argo’s fairly snug, so come early if coming.
Where: Argo (1841-A Rue Sainte-Catherine O).
When: 7pm.
Who: Alecsandra Kakon.
How much: Free, but RSVP recommended. (Link)
11 JUNE (THURS)
CHIMERA OPEN MIC
What: Another mic that’s been going on for some time now that I’ve never gotten on the list before (yeah yeah fuck me), this bilingual night operates out of NDG’s Librairie Phoenix.
Where: Librairie Phoenix (5928 rue Sherbrooke O).
When: Signups open at 6, show is from 7 to 9pm.
Who: Whoever has the balls.
How Much: Free. (Link)
12 JUNE (FRI)
TWO READERS (& MUSIC?)
What: Unclear whether the yolk mag-affiliated apartment reading series has dropped the & Music from this month’s agenda, but in any case the first act announced for this month is American author Jen Beagin (Big Swiss). Beagin’s other Montreal engagement (see next entry) is already sold out, so if you’ve a yearning to see her move quick.
Where: Address provided upon RSVP.
When: 7pm.
Who: Jen Beagin.
How Much: Free. Looks like they’ve set up a somewhat complicated arrangement for RSVPs—fill out the Google form on this site and you’ll get an email when signups are open.
13 JUNE (SAT)
AN EVENING WITH JEN BEAGIN
What: The aforementioned American author drops by LSH for a talk.
Where: Librairie St-Henri Bookstore (4622 rue Notre-Dame Ouest).
When: 7pm.
Who: Jen Beagin.
How Much: Free, RSVP recommended. (Link) SOLD OUT!
15 JUNE (MON)
KEVIN JAGERNAUTH: THE LONGEST DEATH LAUNCH
What: Launching a new noir-inflected novel upstairs at Sparrow (I didn’t even know Sparrow had an upstairs), reading + chat type thing.
Where: Sparrow (5322 Boul. St-Laurent).
When: 6 to 8pm.
Who: Kevin Jagernauth, in conversation with John Casey.
How much: Free. (Link)
17 JUNE (WEDS)
BILL GASTON: SPYING ON AMERICA LAUNCH
What: Veteran writer (and, per his bio, Vietnam draft dodger!) Bill Gaston launches his new travelogue memoir. He’ll be joined by his son Vaughn.
Where: Argo (1841-A Rue Sainte-Catherine O).
When: 7pm.
Who: Bill Gaston, with Vaughn Gaston.
How much: Free, but RSVP recommended. (Link)
19 JUNE (FRI)
BOOK BAZAAR / FUNDRAISER
What: Not officially announced yet, but word is the small bookstore co-op L’Euguélionne is doing an instore fundraiser on the 19th and 20th—deep discounts (up to 70%) on selected stock, plus a mini-thrift sort of situation.
Where: L’Euguélionne (1426 Rue Beaudry).
When: 10:30am to 6:30pm, June 19 and 20.
Who: The staffers I guess?
How much: Free. (Link TK, keep an eye on their socials)
20 JUNE (SAT)
FOIRE DES LIVRES DE GAUCHE
What: Mostly franco left wing books popup, but I see some more anglo reps on the exhibitor list, so on the list it goes.
Where: La Courtepointe (220 rue Villeray).
When: No time listed, but presumably during the day?
Who: Various exhibitors.
How Much: Free. (Link)
ANTIDOTE
What: Stub entry here—I’m told this is a “big” poetry reading event, but in what respect it is “big” I don’t yet know as no details have been released. Await with baited breath further reports on this Patagonian moment for literature to come.
Where: Librairie Phoenix (5928 rue Sherbrooke O).
When: TBD
Who: TBD
How Much: TBD
21 JUNE (SUN)
ACCENT OPEN MIC
What: Popular twice monthly bilingual open mic—as with the first one this month, no theme or guests have been announced at press time. (Computer, play “Finding Out True Love is Blind” by Louis XIV.)
Where: Bar le Record (7622 rue Saint-Hubert).
When: 8 to 10pm.
Who: Whoever has the balls, plus I dunno some features probably.
How Much: Free. (Link TK)
And looking ahead to July…
We’ll get there when we get there.
In memory of Jay Gobuty, who was Outrageous.
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