Jay's List (What's Goin' On?) — May '26
What's happening in the Montreal lit scene this month?
Well, we missed doing this list for April. Thankfully absolutely nothing happened to celebrate the month that specifically celebrates the art form called Poetry, so you didn’t miss anything! May on the other hand is looking busy as hell. Scroll, click, RSVP, stay home with a stummy ache, rinse, repeat, then have a sudden attack of anxiety about your squandered life and go to like six things in a row. What could go wrong?
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 MAY (FRI)
WE READ/NOUS LISONS BILINGUAL LITERARY PANEL
What: As we enter month four of the Blue Metropolis literary festival, LSHB and the popular francophone shop Librairie Un livre à soi collaborate for this panel feat. “reps from the Montreal literary world.”
Where: Librairie St-Henri Bookstore (4622 rue Notre-Dame Ouest).
When: 7 to 8:30pm.
Who: Reps unnamed, but tell Greg and Curtis we said hi.
How Much: Free, RSVP recommended. (Link)
SQUID #3 LAUNCH
What: This magazine? It’s being launched. For extra fun, try humming the theme song from the musical Fame but substitute the word “Squid” for “Fame.” Is that fun? Idk, I’m writing this at 12:32 a.m. on April 30.
Where: Cafe Montiran (near metro Mont-Royal)
When: 7pm.
Who: Sierra Duffey, Tamara Nazywalskyj, Samara O’Gorman, and more readers, music by Alysa Touati and Justin Miszaniec.
How Much: Free, RSVP recommended. (Link)
2 MAY (SAT)
POETRY SLAM DOUBLE FEATURE
What: The event description says. “If you’ve never been to a spoken word show, THIS is the one to see.” We can’t speak for that, but if you have been to one, you know what to expect. Go with God.
Where: La Basement (3716 rue Notre-Dame O.)
When: 8pm.
When: Tahina Rajwani and Lisa Shen, plus whoever has the balls to perform.
How Much: $15/PWYC. (Link)
3 MAY (SUN)
ACCENT OPEN MIC
What: Popular twice monthly bilingual open mic—Episode 136 is on the theme of “Spelling” which probably means someone will start spelling out B-A-N-A-N-A-S and you will be well within your rights to stand up and start screaming about Dole and Chiquita until you are physically removed. (Computer, play “Method Man” by Wu-Tang Clan.)
Where: Bar le Record (7622 rue Saint-Hubert).
When: 8 to 10pm.
Who: Whoever has the balls, plus Tahira Rajwani and Lisa Shen. (Same lineup as the Throw Slam the night before, I didn’t fuck this up!)
How Much: Free. (Link)
5 MAY (TUES)
JRG LITERARY OPEN MIC
What: Rollicking monthly open mic with an absurdist edge, this time featuring local weirdos Sherwin Tjia and River Charette. Don’t be alarmed if there’s a brass band when you get there, they roll out eventually.
Where: L’hémisphère gauche (221 Rue Beaubien E).
When: 8:30pm.
Who: Whoever has the balls, plus Sherwin Tjia and River Charette.
How Much: PWYC. (Link)
7 MAY (THURS)
BENJAMIN MARRA: WHAT WE MEAN BY YESTERDAY, VOL. 2 LAUNCH
What: Marra’s probably best known for designing visuals for Lil B mixtapes, and what we’ve got here is a new collection (via Fantagraphics) of similarly skewed, purposefully crude adventure comics.
Where: Librarie Drawn & Quarterly (176 rue Bernard O).
When: 7pm.
Who: Benjamin Marra, presumably.
How much: Free. (Link)
8 MAY (FRI)
CHOUETTE #5 LAUNCH
What: chouette was not one of the 34 anglo lit magazines we covered in our recent piece, which really tells you how deep this thing goes. So we can’t tell you much about them. But it’s here, almost certainly queer, and ready to mingle.
Where: Co-Op Bar Milton Parc (3714 Ave du Parc).
When: 7 to 9pm.
Who: Belen Blizzard, Jeremy Zelken, and more TBA.
How Much: PWYC, $5 suggested. (Link)
10 MAY (SUN)
SSSSSSERIES 9
What: AKA, Susanna & Scott’s Badassssss Series, this one’s new to me: an experimental music and dance night, kind of a la the long-running Mardi Spaghetti series over at Casa maybe. It’s been around for a little bit now, but makes its first appearance here as the first half of the show features a recitation of Gloria Gervitz’s poem “Migrations” accompanied by dance.
Where: La Poêle (307-5333 Ave Casgrain).
When: 5pm.
Who: Susanna Hood, Annie Lafleur, Nour Symon, Michel Bonneau, Sam Shalabi.
How Much: $15 “or so.” (Link)
INSIDE MADPOETIX STUDIO
What: Some music, some spoken word poetry, plus an interview with the feature artist, that kinda situation. This one’s for ~the mamas.~
Where: Maison France-Montreal (429 ave Viger).
When: 6:30pm doors, 7:30pm show.
Who: Interview with Fatima Wilson, Brianna K. Ramírez, Barbedwire, and Chance Tshimanga, plus whoever has the balls.
How Much: $25 (Link)
11 MAY (MON)
LECTURES LOGOS READINGS
What: The long-running poetry series marks its eleventh anniversary this month with the usual packed bill and open mic.
Where: U.N.I.A. (2741 rue Notre-Dame O).
When: 7-9:30pm.
Who: H. Nigel Thomas, Jan J. Dominique, Kym Dominique-Ferguson, Marie-Célie Agnant, Oumou Diakité, Sylvia Goldfarb, and whoever has the balls.
How Much: Free. (Event link)
12 MAY (TUES)
ARIZONA O’NEILL: OPIOIDS & ORGANS LAUNCH
What: Arizona O’Neill, of the Montreal O’Neills, launches her solo debut graphic novel.
Where: Librarie Drawn & Quarterly (176 rue Bernard O).
When: 7pm.
Who: Arizona O’Neill, presumably.
How much: Free. (Link)
ON OCCASION: POEMS FOR THE PEOPLE LAUNCH
What: Hey, nothing says “for the people” like a Sina Queyras joint. A sizable collection of occasional poetry featuring some starry names like Michael Ondaatje, bpNichol, and CAConrad, the Montreal launch will be a sampling of local talents.
Where: De Stiil Booksellers (351 Duluth Ave E).
When: 7pm.
Who: Misha Solomon, Shelagh Rowan-Legg, Chanel Sutherland, Lena Palacios, Valerie Free, Constantina Gicopoulous, Ethel Meilleur, and Paisley Conrad.
How much: Free. (Link)
SLAM LA SOMPTUEUSE
What: A bilingual slam with, at press-time anyway, open slots for readers. Sign up in advance to get your moment.
Where: La Cale—Pub zéro déchet (6839 Rue St-Hubert).
When: Doors 7pm.
Who: Whoever has the balls, plus features TBA.
How Much: PWYC (Link).
16 MAY (SAT)
LIRE QUEER READER FEST
What: Running from May 16 to 23, this one’s sort of a novel idea: a festival oriented around readers rather than writers, it’s essentially seven days of queer book club events held at various shops and spaces around town. That seems like asking local queers to do a lot of reading, but bless ‘em.
Where: Various
When: May 16 to 23.
Who: Various readers and organizers.
How Much: Free, though check the site for RSVP links to the various circles/clubs. (Link)
17 MAY (SUN)
ACCENT OPEN MIC
What: Popular twice monthly bilingual open mic—Episode 137 is on a theme to be named probably two hours after this post drops, forcing me to make the first of 53 edits over the next month. (Computer, play “Perennial Quest” by Death.)
Where: Bar le Record (7622 rue Saint-Hubert).
When: 8 to 10pm.
Who: Whoever has the balls, plus features TBA.
How Much: Free. (Link TK)
19 MAY (TUES)
HEADLIGHT ANTHOLOGY LAUNCH
What: What’s that coming toward us on this dark road? Egads, it’s the Headlight Anthology, which must mean another year has passed. Don’t inhale any of that white powder—it might be another of your old friends who has just turned to dust!
Where: Club DD’s (3958 Boul. St-Laurent).
When: Doors 8pm, readings 8:30pm.
Who: Readers TBA, plus some bartenders doing the whole Coyote Ugly thing.
How Much: Free? (Link)
22 MAY (FRI)
YIARA #14 LAUNCH
What: A vernissage for the latest from the venerable feminist arts mag. Celebrating that which “spills over”—which is to say, consider wearing a bib or smock-type situation to this one.
Where: Articule (6282 Rue St-Hubert).
When: 6 to 9pm.
Who: Sounds like more of a mixer situation.
How Much: The show is free, but the mag costs money. (Link)
COLE DEGENSTEIN: DEAR KENNETH LAUNCH
What: There will be comics, drinks, and, I’m given to understand, cake. The popular illustrator and tattoo artist launches his latest from Conundrum Press.
Where: Librarie Drawn & Quarterly (176 rue Bernard O).
When: 7pm.
Who: Cole Degenstein, presumably.
How much: Free. (Link)
23 MAY (SAT)
ENCORE POETRY PROJECT OPEN MIC
What: The Encore Poetry Project hosts an open mic which is not at Encore Books & Records but rather a different place that sounds like a Viking toast.
Where: SKOL (444-372 Rue St-Catherine O).
When: 6pm.
Who: Jessica Bebenek, Dustin Ariel Segura-Suarez, and whoever has the balls.
How much: Free. (Link)
26 MAY (TUES)
AYLA VEJDANI: YOU x ME LAUNCH
What: A reading and conversation to celebrate the launch of Vejdani’s new collection of short stories.
Where: L’Euguélionne (1426 Rue Beaudry).
When: 6pm.
Who: Ayla Vejdani, in conversation with francesca ekwuyasi.
How much: Free. (Link)
27 MAY (WEDS)
FESTIVAL DE LA POÉSIE DE MONTRÉAL: ÉPIQUES VOICES
What: This is generally an anglo events calendar, and this festival (running May 21 to May 30) is predominantly franco. Eyes out for May 27’s bilingual Épiques voices1 reading though, featuring an English cohort and a French brigade.
Where: Café Cléopâtre (1230 Boul. St-Laurent).
When: Doors 8pm.
Who: Hoda Adra, Jessica Bebenek, Louise Dupré, Alexandru Fechet, Liz Howard, Kama La Mackerel, Domenica Martinello, Misha Solomon et des performances de Fortner Anderson, Kaie Kellough et Catherine Paquet & Dolce Saint-Arnold.
How Much: Free, though symbolic donations are welcome. (Link)
29 MAY (FRI)
LISA ROBERTSON & SHANZHAI LYRIC: RIVERWORK / ENDLESS GARMENT DOUBLE LAUNCH
What: Rave spot Parquette has been hosting an increasing number of literary events of late—which means it’s finally time to do a bunch of molly in the bathroom during a reading and tell Lisa Robertson how important her work really is or is not to you. It’ll go great! And if it doesn’t, we’ll get to watch the distinguished poet whip your ass in front of a sizable audience. That’s a win-win.
Where: Parquette (1345 Rue de Bellechasse).
When: 7pm.
Who: Lisa Robertson and Shanzai Lyric, hosted by Michael Nardone.
How much: Free? (Link)
And looking ahead to May…
We’ll get there when we get there.
In memory of Jay Gobuty, who was Outrageous.
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