Jay's List (What's Goin' On?) — June '25

What's happening in the Montreal lit scene this month?

Schooldays are over, and the city’s poetrygoing population has been decimated by the exodus of treeplanters. And yet we carry on, documenting all of the literary goings on in soon-to-be-sunbaked Montreal (Inshallah). We at Discordia have quite a few events coming up, including a guest spot on Puberty Well’s EP release gig on June 13; a trip to Ottawa for the Small Press Book Fair on June 21; and the Truth Seeker’s Ball on July 1.

Is it rude of us to self-promo at the top of our one community service activity? As Black Sabbath once so eloquently sang, “God knows as your dog nose / Bogblast all of you!”

As always, if we’re missing something, or you want your event included, please message @discordia.review on Instagram to propose an inclusion.

And if you’re on desktop, you can click the bar on the left to see all the dates and navigate around said dates. This list will expand as items are added.

---

1 JUNE (SUN)

ACCENT OPEN MIC
What: Popular biweekly bilingual open mic, this time on the theme of “Ekphrasis.” (Computer, play “Mona Lisa” by Slick Rick.)
Where: La Marche à côté.
When: 8pm until 10pm.
Who: Whoever has the balls, along with Olive Andrews, JM Francheteau, and Nathalie Guilbeault.
How Much: Free. (Event link)

HEADLIGHT #26 LAUNCH
What: Concordia anthology Headlight has soldiered through another year and their annual issue launch (on the theme of “Edge”) is at hand.
Where: La Courtepointe (220 rue Villeray)
When: 6:30pm doors, 7pm show.
Who: An unknown number of contributors, plus whoever has the balls (to fill out this Google form).
How Much: Free. (Event link)

3 JUN (TUES)

JRG “NO UKULELES” OPEN MIC
What: The city has many lit open mics. This is probably the one that most resembles a gang of crows cackling at each other.
Where: Bar L'hémisphère gauche (221 Beaubien Est).
When: 8:30pm.
Who: Whoever has any balls left, plus Bianca Bernstein and Amilcar John Nogueira
How Much: Free (Event link / IG).

READING NATURE: AN EVENING OF QUEER ECOPOETRY
What: another day volunteering at the queering nature studies collective. everyone keeps asking me if they can fuck the wise old elm. buddy, they wont even let me fuck it.
Where: Pulp Books. (3952 Rue Wellington.)
When: 7pm.
Who: River Halen, Kama La Mackerel, and Gage Michael Wheatley, hosted by Misha Solomon.
How Much: Free (Event link).

5 JUN (THURS)

THE WASTE LAND: A RITUAL IN FIVE ACTS
What: Unclear if this will actually be as balls-tripping weird as its billing aims to suggest, but this Fringe-fest “ritual” take on Eliot’s magnum opus promises poetry, music, and visual art.
Where: La Grande chapelle, Cité-des-hospitalières. (209 ave Pins.)
When: Six shows between June 5 and 14, various times (see website).
Who: Gavin W. Sewell.
How Much: $19. (Event link)

6 JUN (FRI)

ZINE SHOW #6
What: In the cozy confines of the Thrashcan (the former Traxide space) we’ve got a “zine show” where all the performers definitely sound like they’re DJs/bands. This is possibly on the theme of harm reduction; possibly with funds going towards harm reduction services; possibly both?¹
Where: Thrashcan (ask a punk).
When: 9pm doors, 9:30pm show.
Who: 007Nice1, Tofu Juice, Les Sarcastiques, Bonefrag. Hosted by Ria Riachi & Victoria Smith.
How Much: $10. (Link)

TWO READERS AND MUSIC VIII
What: No announcements yet, but the recent birth of a two-headed calf suggests yolk’s monthly apartment reading and sounds series will take place on this day.
Where: RSVP for location.
When: Doors 7pm, show 8pm.
Who: TBD
How Much: Free (but RSVP will be required).

THROW! POETRY'S BEST POETS 2024-25 @ MONTREAL FRINGE
What: Local slam Throw! crowns champs each year who get to perform at Montreal’s Fringe fest—their portraits will be painted onstage while they perform, and then the portraits are auctioned off. My suggestion would be to do the portrait thing for audience members instead, so I can add them to my gallery of People Having the Worst Experience Of Their Lives.
Where: O Patro Výš (356 Mont-Royal Ave E)
When: Six shows between June 6 and 15, various times (see website).
Who: Octavie Doherty-Haigh, Kym Dominique-Ferguson, Rusty Rob, Sébastien Bruneau, Angie Warhol.
How Much: $16. (Ticket link)

7 JUNE (SAT)

VIOLET HOUR BOOK CLUB
What: This month’s edition of this LGBTQ book club considers Danielle Daniel’s Daughters of the Deer (and “she sells seashells on the seashore” while we’re at it).
Where: Espaces des possibles Petite-Patrie (6450 Rue Christophe-Colomb)
When: 3pm.
Who: Hosted by Chris DiRaddo.
How Much: Free. (Event link.)

CACTUS PRESS BOOK LAUNCH
What: No BYOB. Cactus launches Jerome Ramchritar’s debut collection The Riddle of Three Crimson Doors. Don’t BYOB. Several guests will feature as well. BYOcashforthecashbar.
Where: Rocket Science Room (170 Rue Jean-Talon nO byob)
When: 7pm, predrink at your place 4:30pm.
Who: Jerome Ramchritar, Willow Loveday Little, Matthew Retino, beers you bought at the cashbar, Samara Garfinkle.
How Much: Free (cashbar).

9 JUNE (MON)

BOOK*HUG PRESENTS…
What: …a reading with Jessica Bebenek and Shannon Webb-Campbell!
Where: L’Euguélionne, féministe (1426 rue Beaudry)
When: 5 to 7pm.
Who: It’s like you skipped the WHAT: Jessica Bebenek and Shannon Webb-Campbell!
How Much: Free. (Event link.)

12 JUNE (THURS)

CHIMERA OPEN MIC
What: Facebook event as of this writing has 86 interested—that suggests we’re looking at an older crowd,² vibes seem friendly, ensconced in the cozy confines of NDG’s Phoenix Books (which is apparently changing owners this month, for those who track such things).
Where: Phoenix Books (5928 Sherbrooke O)
When: 7pm.
Who: Whoever has the balls.
How Much: Free (Event).

13 JUNE (FRI)

EP artwork by our old pal Haus of Decline

PUBERTY WELL EP RELEASE (feat. DISCORDIA REVIEW)
What: Shit, that’s us. Discordia alum Mona Gendron’s band Puberty Well drops their debut EP The Nature of Love and a new music vid, with a hot musical lineup, a mechanical bull (!), and some of our DR bullshit opening things up. We’ll have a reader TBA shortly, and will sling some zines.
Where: Bâtiment 7 (1900 rue le Ber)
When: Doors at 8pm.
Who: Puberty Well, Moth’s Frog, Gleba, Tachyon, Girl with Armor, and Discordia Review.
How Much: $10. (Event link.)

14 JUNE (SAT)

THE PAGE GARDEN PARTY GALA
What: The “last launch in Montreal for some time”³ of the popular one-sheet aims to be the social event of the season for the huge pant / tube top / bucket hat set. Summer formal wear encouraged.
Where: Osmo x Murasan. (51 Rue Sherbrooke O)
When: 8pm until 10pm.
Who: Many contributors listed, but based on previous launches this is a mixer.
How Much: $17.86. (Ticket link.)

15 JUNE (SUN)

ACCENT OPEN MIC
What: Popular biweekly bilingual open mic, this time on the theme of “Scolion.” (Computer, play “Scoliosis” by Young Thug.)
Where: La Marche à côté.
When: 8pm until 10pm.
Who: Whoever has the balls, along with H. Nigel Thomas.
How Much: Free.

---

---

18 JUNE (WEDS)

WRITER’S BLOCK NO. 7
What: Subtitled “OPEN SOMETHING IN YOU WHICH IS CLOSED,” this session encourages public writing (so bring a notebook to sop up whatever drips out of that thing you opened).
Where: Casa Obscura. (4381 Papineau)
When: 7pm doors, 8pm show.
Who: RODAISUN (reading “street literature”), recent Fellow Traveller No Cosmos with Experimental Kindness (music), Poets Workout Soundsystem by Andrew Whiteman (neither of the previous).
How Much: PWYC, $10-15 suggested. (Event link.)

19 JUNE (THURS)

SUONI PER IL POPOLO PRESENTS…
What: Suoni fest makes time for a poetry/soundscape collab by Cat Kidd and Jack Beets, with an opening set by Kim Zombik, described as a “poet/vocalist,” which I assume means it will mostly sound like recitative? Anyway, expect a lot of loud scarves at this one.
Where: La Sotterenea. (4848 Boul. St-Laurent.)
When: 7:30pm until 8pm.
Who: Cat Kidd & Jack Beets, Kim Zombik & ami.e.s.
How Much: $15 online / $20 door. (Event link)

ALICE NOTLEY MEMORIAL READING
What: The late, lamented Alice Notley was a great loss to the world of letters—if ye’d like to mourn and to celebrate, some Concordia folks will be reading from her 1992 epic The Descent of Alette.
Where: Molson Building 2.130 Floating Box. (Corner Guy & De Maisonneuve.)
When: 5pm.
Who: Unknown (but if we had to guess it’ll probably involve Andrew Whiteman).
How Much: Free. (Event link)

21 JUNE (SAT)

POETRY & CELLO
What: A lunchtime poetry and music collab in a petite music-focused bookstore.
Where: Librarie Résonance. (40 Beaubien Est.)
When: 12pm.
Who: Deanna Radford (poet), Ariadna Ortega (cellist).
How Much: Free, donations accepted. (Event link)

22 JUNE (SUN)

10 YEARS OF METONYMY: A CABARET
What: Metonymy, which self-identifies as a “small gay publisher in Tiohtià:ke” (unclear whether they only publish small gays or are themselves diminutive) celebrates a decade in business. Part of this year’s Suoni Per Il Popolo fest.
Where: Casa del Popolo (4873 Boul. Saint-Laurent)
When: 7:30pm (doors), 8pm (show).
Who: H. Felix Chau Bradley, Shanice Nicole, Kama La Mackerel, Trish Salah, Eli Tareq El Bechelany-Lynch, Kai Cheng Thom, Jiaqing Wilson-Yang.
How Much: $15 online, $20 at the door, NOTAFLOF. (Event link)

25 JUN (WEDS)

I REMEMBER LIGHTS BOOK LAUNCH
What: Ottawa’s Ben Ladouceur, already known as a very fine poet, drops by Montreal to launch his first novel, which continues his exploration of contemporary gay life and also Expo 67 and also the Truxx raid in ‘77 (he’s really leaning into the local content eh?).⁴
Where: Pulp Books. (3952 Rue Wellington.)
When: 7pm.
Who:

Ben Ladouceur

, in conversation with Chris DiRaddo.
How Much: Free. (Event link.)

TRANSLATION BOOK CLUB
What: Argo’s Translation Book Club takes on Sadeq Hedayat’s Blind Owl, a seminal Iranian modernist novel that reads like r/incels discovering opium. Recommended!⁵
Where: Argo Bookshop (1841 Rue Ste-Catherine O)
When: 7pm.
Who: Whoever!
How Much: Free. (Event link.)

I AM LOOKING FOR YOU IN THE NO-PLACE GRID LAUNCH
What: Coach House Books launch featuring three (count ‘em, three) Montreal writers.
Where: Produit Rien (6909 Rue Marconi)
When: 6 to 8pm.
Who: Adam Haiun, Discordia alumnus Emilie Lafleur, Jay Winston Ritchie.
How Much: Free. (Event link.)

JUNE 26 (THURS)

BOOK BAR
What: Back in my day, if you wanted to pick up an artsy type you didn’t use apps! You planted yourself somewhere public and ostentatiously read a BOOK that made you LOOK DEEP, like Norman Spinrad’s The Iron Dream or Esperanto smut or something. Well, now you too can mack like a Luddite at this “reading at a bar” expo from Librairie Saint-Henri.
Where: Le Plongeoir (5350 St Laurent Blvd)
When: 6 to 9pm. (Nice.)
Who: Whoever has the books.
How Much: Free, some books for sale. (Event link.)

JUNE 28 (SAT)

THE PIT ONE-YEAR ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION
What: The Pit, a periodical so steadfastly committed to being offline that nowhere on its IG account or Linktree is there any indication of what they look like, what they feature, or where they’re sold, are throwing a party. The poster says there will be CARNIVAL GAMES, but my poor broken heart doesn’t know if I can trust that.
Where: Maison de l'amitié (120 Ave Duluth E)
When: 5pm.
Who: Metatron Press (selling books), County Law (band).
How Much: $20! (Event link.)

NO ONE LISTENS TO POETRY
What: If you come to this reading, you’re officially “NO ONE.” Doesn’t sound so bad, really, but feel free to bring earplugs if you want to maintain your selfhood.
Where: Rocket Science Room (170 Rue Jean-Talon O)
When: 6 to 9pm.
Who: Carlos Lara, Jules Galbraith, colin russell, Emilie Lafleur, and Marie Ségolène.
How Much: $5—and for the love of God, no BYOB! (Event link.)

MIC’D UP: DEDICATED TO THOSE WHO MADE US
What: No, not your parents, dorks, much more important than that: your influences. Come cover a piece by someone you like.
Where: Afro Musee (533 Rue Ontario E)
When: 7:30pm.
Who: Whoever has the balls.
How Much: $20 (Event link.)

---

And looking ahead to July…

The Truth Seekers Ball (July 1 at Hemi G), Montreal Review of Books Summer Launch (July 3 at Casa), St Henri Books Bookclub (July 9), JRG Open Mic w/ Jacob Wren and Chris Lloyd (July 10 at Hemi G), Discordia Review Fellow Travellers Launch (July 11 at The Crumper), Nouveau Poeme (July 11)

In memory of Jay Gobuty, who was Outrageous.

---

NEED MORE GUIDANCE ON YOUR IMMEDIATE FUTURE?

1. I honestly have no idea if this is even a lit event per se, but I feel like I probably support everything about this.

2. Or a very Queb one.

3. In the small/micropress magazine world, this traditionally means one more comeback issue launch in six to eleven months before complete oblivion. Only time will tell!

4. A Stonewall-esque event here in Montreal.

5. I once gifted a copy of Blind Owl to a coworker at my very normal remote office job’s Secret Santa without having read it, assuming based on the recommendation I’d heard that suggested it was a sort of lush, literary mystery. I’d bought a copy for myself at the same time, and started reading it after her gift was already in the mail, and by the time I’d finished I figured I’d better just never talk to her again.