Jay's List (What's Goin' On?) — October '25
What's happening in the Montreal lit scene this month?
“The problem with evil Halloween decorations is that they are real, they summon real monsters, they bring forth real beings. It’s not a game. Festivities matter.” So says a “Heritage American” Christian with a Christmas tree emoji in his bio, and who are we to argue? Perhaps this month’s slate of Montreal poetry events will rise to the same level of brimstone-stinking Evil and return Duncan Campbell Scott to our collective bosom. We can live in hate.
As always, if we’re missing something, or you want your event included, please message @discordia.review on Instagram to propose an inclusion.
30 SEPT (TUES) — 5 OCT (SUN)
VOLUME 8: MONTREAL INTERNATIONAL ART PUBLISHING FESTIVAL
What: Somewhat on the fringe of our mandate, but this year’s (mostly) free edition of Volume offers an intriguing mix of symposiums, performances, screenings, and workshops on fine art and literary publishing, including a performance of sound/word artist Kathy Kennedy’s new Vowel Jams project on the 3rd.
Where: Various (see link below).
When: 30 September to 5 October.
Who: Various.
How Much: Free, some events ticketed. (Event link)
2 OCT (THURS)
JRG “NO UKULELES” OPEN MIC
What: Freewheeling literary and anti-literary open mic with an (almost) anything goes mandate. Named in honour of Discordia’s dear departed mensch Jay Ryan Gobuty, this month’s show functions as a thematic tribute, with his friends Jessica Bebenek and Miles Forrester featuring alongside the usual free-for-all revels. Recurs monthly, floating date.
Where: Bar L’hémisphère gauche (221 Rue Beaubien Est).
When: 8:30 to 11pm.
Who: Whoever has the balls, along with features Jessica Bebenek and Miles Forrester.
How Much: Free. (Event link)
4 OCT (SAT)
THROW! SLAM
What: Throw your words like Tyler Robinson or catch them like Charlie Kirk.
Where: Le Basement (3716 Rue Notre Dame).
When: 9pm.
Who: Whoever has the balls, along with feature MayaSpoken.
How Much: $10. (Event link)
5 OCT (SUN)
ACCENT OPEN MIC
What: Popular twice monthly bilingual open mic. With a half-dozen The Last Male Poets, we could build a whole new scene. What it would look like, well, that’s very debatable. (Computer, play Tom Waits beatboxing like Jonathan Davis.)
Where: La Marche à côté (5043 rue Saint-Denis).
When: 8 to 10pm.
Who: Whoever has the balls, along with features Yvonne Blomer, Cynthia Woodman Kerkham, and The Last Male Poet.
How Much: Free. (Event link)
FLUX FESTIVAL
What: Another festival that’s probably been around for 26 years and employed 91 of my friends that I’ve never heard of—keep an eye out for the morning panel discussion on poetry and its place in politics, details on that below.
Where: Centre d’art daphne (5425 ave Casgrain).
When: 11am to 1pm.
Who: Deanna Smith, Kaie Kellough and Marilou Craft, moderated by Amber Rose Johnson.
How Much: Free? (Event link)
6 OCT (MON)
WRITERS READ: BILLY-RAY BELCOURT
What: One of Canada’s best-known contemporary poets drops by Concordia to help kick-off the school’s busy slate of fall events. Kick your feet up and pretend you’re in an era where there are many orgs that still have enough funding to cover artists’ travel expenses!
Where: 9th Floor John Molson Building (1600 Blvd Maisonneuve O).
When: 7:30pm.
Who: Billy-Ray Belcourt.
How Much: Free, but RSVP recommended. (Event link)
8 OCT (WEDS)
A SMILE SPLIT BY THE STARS: AN EXPERIMENT
What: An exhibition based on a nourbeSe philip1 poem through “different audio-visual-textual moments of revolutionary intent, wherein black girlhood and black femininity are, a priori, re-coding the aesthetic promises of modernity.” You uh got all that? Anyway this part’s a lecture by the curator.
Where: J.W. McConnell Building: 4TH SPACE (1600 Blvd Maisonneuve O).
When: 2pm to 4pm.
Who: Katherine McKittrick and Nasrin Himada.
How Much: Free. (Event link)
9 OCT (THURS)
SOLILOQUIES OPEN MIC
What: Explosive pay-for-access scandal: Local mag offers mic time in exchange for donations to fund its upcoming issue. Go tell them how mad you are, or just read a poem.
Where: Mes pants de queer (2025 Rue Parthenais, Suite 241).
When: 7pm.
Who: Whoever has the balls.
How Much: $5. (Event link)
CHIMERA OPEN MIC
What: Don’t wanna do the other open mic? Do this one instead. It’s spooooky themed!
Where: Phoenix Books (5924 Rue Sherbrooke O).
When: 7pm.
Who: Whoever has the balls.
How Much: $5. (Event link)
10 OCT (FRI)
BLACK QUEER & TRANS OPEN MIC
What: Come out ye black-queer-and-trans to the Black Healing Centre for what I presume will be a very gentle and supportive open mic experience. Recurs every second Friday through next May.
Where: Black Healing Centre (2100 Av. de Marlowe, suite 449).
When: 7pm to 10pm.
Who: Whoever has the balls, facilitated by JU!CE.
How Much: PWYC NOTAFLOF. (Event link)
12 OCT (SUN)
PALESTINE FUNDRAISER (READING + MINI MARKET)
What: Raising money for a variety of good causes related to Palestine and South Sudan, you can buy some stuff and then watch a group reading in the early evening.
Where: Star Bar (4671 Blvd. St-Laurent).
When: 12 to 5pm (market), 6 to 10pm (reading).
Who: Mina Minou, Léa Murat Ingles, Bent Ness, Laura Doyle Péan, Lyrael Dauphin, Yara Coussa, Hoda Adra, and more.
How Much: Market free, reading PWYC ($5 to $15). (Event link)
INKWELL WRITERS SOCIETY: OPEN MIC VOL. III
What: A spoooky themed open mic (not to be confused with the earlier spoooky Chimera open mic, or any open mic where they still play Jason Mraz songs). I ain’t afraid a’ no poets.
Where: Hurley’s Irish Pub (1225 rue Crescent).
When: 6 to 9pm.
Who: Whoever has the balls.
How Much: Free. (Event link)
14 OCT (TUES)
JAAP BLONK + OANA AVASILICHIOAEI + LORI FREEDMAN
What: A pretty big deal reading for those in the experimental set, Dutchman Blonk is one of the few real keepers of the flame of sound/concrete poetry in an era where these arts feel a bit like the forgotten dance of the Shakers. Avasilichioaei has been one of the most prominent experimentalists in recent Canadian letters, while Freedman is a highly respected clarinetist and composer. Worth a look.
Where: Rocket Science Room (204-170 Jean Talon O [Atlas Building]).
When: 8pm doors, 8:30pm show.
Who: Don’t make me type Avasilichioaei again ah fu—
How Much: $20 suggested. (Event link)
18 OCT (SAT)
NMLCT: PAUL VERMEERSCH LAUNCH
What: The esteemed Paul Vermeersch rolls into Montreal to launch his latest collection, backed up by some local talents.
Where: Rocket Science Room (204-170 Jean Talon O [Atlas Building]).
When: 6:30pm doors.
Who: Paul Vermeersch, Liz Howard, and Jessi MacEachern, moderated by Jay Ritchie.
How Much: Free. (Event link)
19 OCT (SUN)
THE GARBAGE POEMS: ANNA SWANSON & APRIL WHITE LAUNCH
What: Hosted by Eva Crocker in the same cozy space she does her occasional Lamp Lit series, Swanson and White show off their new poetry collection, with support from Calypso André, Nes Penney, and Veronique Synnott.
Where: The Atlas Building (170 rue Jean-Talon O).
When: 7pm doors.
Who: Anna Swanson, April White, Calypso André, Nes Penney, and Veronique Synnott, hosted by Eva Crocker.
How Much: Free. (Event link)
INSIDE MADPOETIX STUDIO
What: Per the event description this is “NOT your average open mic.” Only one way to find out I suppose.
Where: Maison France-Montreal (429 rue Viger).
When: 6:30pm doors, 7:30pm show.
Who: Whoever has the balls, plus an interview with Huguette Cynthia Irankunda.
How Much: $20. (Event link)
ACCENT OPEN MIC
What: Popular twice monthly bilingual open mic, this time launching new publications from Turret House. (Computer, play “Turret” by Weed.)
Where: La Marche à côté (5043 rue Saint-Denis).
When: 8 to 10pm.
Who: Cora Siré, Susan Gillis, and James Hawes.
How Much: Free. (Event link)
20 OCT (MON)
LECTURES LOGOS
What: H. Nigel Thomas’s long-running series soldiers on with six featured readers, and a short open mic (eight spots, get there early to signup, etc.).
Where: 2741 rue Notre-Dame O).
When: 7 to 9pm.
Who: Béatrice Maurose, Kathleen Charles, Éric Lafalaise, Rae Marie Taylor, Devon Gallant and Stanley Péan, plus whoever has the balls.
How Much: Free. (Event link)
22 OCT (WEDS)
WOMEN ON THE RUN BOOK CLUB: THE PRINCESS OF 72ND STREET
What: The book club takes on Elaine Kraf’s cult classic.
Where: Saint-Henri Books. (4622 Notre-Dame W.)
When: 6:30pm.
Who: Hosted by Iva.
How Much: Free, but RSVP required. (Event link)
23 OCT (THURS)
WRITERS READ: RACHEL KUSHNER
What: More from Concordia’s signature reading series, this time with star novelist Rachel Kushner.
Where: Engineering, Computer Science and Visual Arts Integrated Complex [lol] (1515 Rue Ste-Catherine O).
When: 7 to 8:30pm.
Who: Rachel Kushner.
How Much: Free, but RSVP recommended. (Event link)
PASTICHE IV
What: The Pastichers shall be disseminating their latest ish at this house show reading, featuring a lineup of performers TBD.
Where: MAI/SON (Address will be sent to ticketholders).
Who: TBD
How Much: $10, admission includes new issue. (Event link)
MIA KANG + CAM SCOTT BOOK LAUNCH
What: Some prairie-ites drop by rocksci for a double launch, with support from local Deanna Radford.
Where: Rocket Science Room (204-170 Jean Talon O [Atlas Building]).
Who: Mia Kang, Cam Scott, Deanna Radford.
How Much: Free, donations accepted. (Event link)
LA SOMPTUEUSE BILINGUAL SLAM
What: It’s a slam!2
Where: Bar Milton Parc (3714 ave du Parc).
When: 730pm.
Who: Rachel Kushner. Wait no, this is a whoever has the balls one.
How Much: $5 to $10. (Event link)
24 OCT (FRI)
LITERARY OKTOBERFEST
What: We’re tabling at this thing and I still don’t really know what the deal is: some readings, sausages possibly, some “talks from industry experts” and networking—all we know is, it’ll be a real nice time till somebody tries to connect with us on LinkedIn. (Stop by the table we’re splitting with Maybe mag.)
Where: L’Ambroisie et L’Espace Canal. (4020 rue St Ambroise.)
When: 7 to 11pm.
Who: Tara McGowan-Ross, Christopher DiRaddo, Pamela Mulloy, Paige Sisley, Mikhail Iossel.
How Much: $10. (Event link)
MOTHER OF GOD: SARA PETERS LAUNCH
What: Novelist Sara Peters releases her latest.
Where: Saint-Henri Books. (4622 Notre-Dame W.)
When: 7pm.
Who: Sara Peters, in conversation with Nour Abi-Nakhoul.
How Much: Free, but RSVP recommended. (Event link)
25 OCT (SAT)
NO CREDIT RIVER: ZOE WHITTALL LAUNCH
What: Whittall drops by town to launch her latest poetry collection, already a Lambda nominee, with backup from Eva Crocker and Francesca Ekwuyasi.
Where: Saint-Henri Books. (4622 Notre-Dame W.)
When: 7pm.
Who: Zoe Whittall, Eva Crocker, Francesca Ekwuyasi.
How Much: Free, but RSVP recommended. (Event link)
26 OCT (SUN)
INKWELL WRITERS SOCIETY: OPEN MIC VOL. IV
What: The newest open mic series in town (there will probably already be a newer one by the time this is published) has its second entry of the month at O’McHoolighan’s.
Where: Hurley’s Irish Pub (1225 rue Crescent).
When: 6 to 9pm.
Who: Whoever has the balls.
How Much: Free. (Link TK)
27 OCT (MON)
CROHNIC: JASON PURCELL BOOK LAUNCH
What: Crohn’s, coyotes, and copious medication: Jason Purcell drops by Pulp to launch their latest collection with a reading and a chat.
Where: Pulp Books (3952 Rue Wellington).
When: 7pm.
Who: Jason Purcell, in conversation with Jame Resendes.
How Much: Free. (Event link)
28 OCT (TUES)
PICK A COLOUR: SOUVANKHAM THAMMAVONGSA LAUNCH
What: Ekwuyasi has a busy week, this time interviewing Thammavongsa about her latest novel. Thammavongsa has enough prizes at this point to walk around like Ultimo Dragon, so expect fairly close quarters at D&Q for this one.
Where: Librairie Drawn & Quarterly (176 rue Bernard O).
When: 7pm.
Who: Souvankham Thammavongsa.
How Much: Free. (Event link)
carte blanche #52 LAUNCH
What: carte blanche continues to be a misnomer, as this 52nd issue yet again will feature words on nearly every page. Some of the culprits will be reading.
Where: L’Union Française (429 avenue Viger E).
When: 7pm.
Who: Sunny Doyle, Leah Mosier-Farquharson, Aris Keshav, Foster Gareau, Anthony Portulese, and more.
How Much: Free. (Event link)
29 OCT (WEDS)
PIXIE LITERARY: VERSES & VISIONS
What: It’s lit launch season, which always feels like that scene in Anchorman when more and more local news teams keep showing up to brawl, except in this case it’s undergraduate mags. This one is Pixie Literary, and they will be killing a man not with a trident but tarot cards.
Where: Secret address in Mile End (DM their IG for info)
When: 7 to 10pm.
Who: No one announced, sounds like maybe an open mic + tarot readings?
How Much: $5/PWYC. (Event link)
ONE LONG ONE
What: Emily Zuberec and Rosemary Flutur’s extremely occasional reading series rears its head once more with readings and a “performance.”
Where: Galerie Eli Kerr (4647 Blvd St-Laurent)
When: 7 to 9pm.
Who: Leo Cocar, Calla McInnes, Malcolm Sanger, Prathna Lor, and Helena Deland.
How Much: Free? (Event link)
30 OCT (THURS)
WRITERS READ: LYNN KOZAK
What: Writers read? Better than readers writing I suppose. Lynn Kozak performs a new translation of the ancient Homeric ode Demeter.
Where: J.W. McConnell Building (1400 De Maisonneuve Blvd. W).
When: 1 to 2pm.
Who: Lynn Kozak.
How Much: Free, but RSVP recommended. (Event link)
MONTREAL REVIEW OF BOOKS LAUNCH
What: The latest issue of MRB brings along three readers with recent collections to share the spotlight.
Where: P’tit Ours (5585 Ave du Parc).
When: 6:30pm doors, 7pm readings.
Who: Stephanie Bolster, Veena Gokhale, Andreas Kessaris.
How Much: Free. (Event link)
LBRNTH #5 LAUNCH
What: An occasional queer art & lit mag (as an alternative to all the straight ones in town of course) from the Mes Pants de Queer bookshop’s in-house press.
Where: Mes pants de queer (2025 Rue Parthenais, Suite 241).
When: 6pm.
Who: Readers TBD, hosted by Misha Solomon.
How Much: Free. (Event link)
And looking ahead to November…
Discordia Review Presents: Fellow Travellers Vol. 2 w/ Phil Hall, Jack Daniel Christie, and More (November 2, La Sotterenea), Gillian Sze Book Launch (November 2, Paragraphe), Writers’ Room #4 (November 7, Cafe le Depanneur), Violet Hour w/ John Barton (November 11, Rocket Science Room), JRG Open Mic w/ dangertaped & Jonathan (November 20, L’hémisphère gauche)
In memory of Jay Gobuty, who was Outrageous.
IN OTHER LOCAL ARTS NEWS
Sorry I waited till the last minute to make the calendar this month and I’m fuckin dying.