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

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

Look, let’s make this a simple transaction. You want to know What’s Goin’ On. We, well, let’s just say we know What’s Goin’ On. This here list? Well, I think you’ll find there’s a lot of Goin’ On going on in it. All we ask in exchange? Your undying fealty. Anyway, is this enough copy for the intro this month? It’ll have to do!

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.

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1 MAY (THURS)

LABOUR JUSTICE DAY DUAL BOOK LAUNCH
What: After you finish getting teargassed at the annual May Day march, you can go lick your wounds¹ at this double book launch brought to you by Arsenal Pulp Press.
Where: Pulp Books. (3952 Rue Wellington.)
When: 7pm.
Who: Amber Dawn and Jaye Simpson.
How Much: Free. (Event link)

NDQ POETRY NIGHT
What: Spoken wordy-looking night at a peaceable little queer bar.
Where: NDQ, stupid! (32 Rue Beaubien E)
When: 9pm.
Who: Mellowdramma, Apple, Viola Chen, T, Hunter Athena Maze, Ali Ibrahimi.
How Much: PWYC. (Event link)

A LITERARY HARVEST LAUNCH
What: Seven thousand contributors to this anthology on wine and writing will apparently be descending on Paragraphe. The launch better come with drinks!
Where: Paragraphe Bookstore. (2200 Av. McGill College).
When: 5pm to 7pm.
Who: Hosted by Liana Cusmano.
How Much: Free. (Event link)

2 MAY (FRI)

TWO READERS AND MUSIC VII
What: yolk’s monthly apartment reading and sounds series grinds inexorably onward.
Where: RSVP for location.
When: Doors 7pm, show 8pm.
Who: Haley Mlotek, Daniel Allen Cox, and a surprise musical guest.
How Much: Free (but RSVP required).

3 MAY (SAT)

THROW! POETRY SLAM
What: Poetry slam, first Saturday of every month. Catch!
Where: Le basement. (3716 Notre Dame O.)
When: 9pm.
Who: Five finalists for a chance to perform at Montreal Fringe, plus feature Tawhida Tanya Evanson.
How Much: $10. (Link)

yolk POP-UP @ TIME OUT MARKET
What: yolk magazine staffers will be typing out poems on demand on a typewriter, free of charge. If you’ve ever wanted to bully local literature people, do not miss this chance.
Where: Time Out Market.
When: 12pm to 7pm.
Who: Various yolkels.
How Much: Nuffin’.

4 MAY (SUN)

ACCENT OPEN MIC
What: Popular biweekly bilingual open mic, this time on the theme of “Diatribes.” (Computer, play “American TTerrorist” by RXK Nephew.)
Where: La Marche à côté.
When: 7pm until 10pm.
Who: Whoever has the balls, along with Jen Colclough and Erin Stanley.
How Much: Free. (Event link)

6 MAY (TUES)

WRITERS OUT LOUD: A NIGHT OF TRANS JOY
What: Three Quebec-based trans writers talk (presumably out loud) about their experiences of trans joy (at night).
Where: Pulp Books. (3952 Rue Wellington.)
When: 7pm.
Who: Gabrielle Boulianne-Tremblay, Blxck Cxsper, Lenore Claire Herrem, moderated by Chris Bergeron.
How Much: Free. (Event link)

7 MAY (WEDS)

A ZINE WORKSHOP
What: Someday we at Discordia will discover how to make a zine—perhaps even this evening at a workshop in the cozy confines of club Systeme?
Where: Systeme. (7119 rue St-Hubert.)
When: 6pm to 10pm.
Who: Facilitated by myra.
How Much: Free. (Event link)

8 MAY (THURS)

AMAL EL-MOHTAR BOOK LAUNCH
What: Fantasy book launch from NYT bestselling author Amal El-Mohtar.
Where: Argo Bookshop. (1841A rue Ste-Catherine O.)
When: 7pm.
Who: Amal El-Mohtar (I think I already said this twice).
How Much: Free, but Argo being tiny they suggest getting a ticket. (Link.)

TERESE MASON PIERRE BOOK LAUNCH
What: Two launches in the same night, what is this, “every night in Montreal? Choose one, stay home, or wrap your car around a pole trying to hit both. The choice is yours!
Where: Pulp Books. (3952 Rue Wellington.)
When: 7pm.
Who: Terese Mason Pierre, Misha Solomon, Faith Paré.
How Much: Free. (Event link)

12 MAY (MON)

LECTURES LOGOS READINGS: 10th ANNIVERSARY
What: Lectures LOGOS celebrates ten years of shows I’ve never heard of—which is fair, since I’m sure they’ve never heard of us either. Four features and 16 open mic slots, so consider packing sandwiches (there are allegedly refreshments).
Where: 2741 Notre-Dame West.
When: 7 to 9pm.
Who: Whoever has the balls, plus Deanna Smith, Alice Zorn, Fabrice Vil , and Magalie Lefebvre Jean.
How Much: Free. (Event link)

13 MAY (TUES)

LUNCH & LEARN WITH MONTREAL REVIEW OF BOOKS
What: Hang out on Zoom for an hour with MRB EiC Malcolm Fraser to learn how to review a book with his journal, or how to get your book reviewed. (We will stick with our strategy of hiding outside his house and throwing our zines at him whenever he dares to emerge.)
Where: THE INTERNET
When: 12pm to 1pm.
Who: Malcolm Fraser.
How Much: Free, but RSVP required. (Event link)

15 MAY (THURS)

CONSTELLATION ANARCHIST FESTIVAL
What: It’s the most wonderful time of year for the anarchist set! Go get a little sun on your mask as part of a group bike ride to SKETCHY BEACH! Pick up some rad books at the fair and then throw some coffee on a grifter! That’s only the beginning of what you can get up to during the six sweet days of Constellation.
Where: Various locations, but main fair is at CÉDA (2515 Rue Delisle).
When: May 15 to 21 (main fair May 17-18).
Who: Dozens of people on hundreds of watchlists.
How Much: Free. (Festival link)

AL HAYYA #4 ISSUE LAUNCH
What: Self-described as “A bilingual platform for radical publishing and transregional feminism,” Al Hayya launches their latest issue, which features an interview with Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) member Leila Khaled.
Where: 8280 St Laurent Blvd.
When: 7pm to late.
Who: No featured performers, but I’m sure somebody will be on the aux.
How Much: Free. (Event link)

QUIETLY, LOVING EVERYONE BOOK LAUNCH
What: Publicly, launching a short story collection is Curtis McRae (perhaps best known as the editor of yolk).
Where: Cardinal Tea Room. (5326 Blvd St Laurent)
When: 7pm.
Who: Curtis McRae, in conversation with Dimitri Nasrallah.
How Much: Free. (Event link)

17 MAY (SAT)

SQUAT THE CITY LAUNCH
What: Part of the Constellation fest, author/activist Norman Nawrocki launches a new collection of essays, poetry, &tc. on the subject of arts and housing.
Where: Bar Milton. (3714 Av. du Parc)
When: 5 to 7pm.
Who: Norman Nawrocki.
How Much: Free. (Event link)

MAKE FUZZ NOT WAR: FRACAS POUR GAZA !
What: Also part of the Constellation fest, this benefit for Teachers Creativity Centre (Gaza/West Bank) features short film screenings, performances by writers/poets and a number of experimental music sets.
Where: Espace Transmission. (5435 Ave des Érables)
When: 5pm to late.
Who: Leila Almawy, Razan Al-Salah, Elissa Kayal, Renato Rodriguez-Lefebvre, Miriam Sbih, Jacob Wren and a bunch of musical acts.
How Much: $20 suggested. (Event link)

18 MAY (SUN)

CARTOONISTS FOR PALESTINE BOOK LAUNCH
What: A new anthology of over 60 comics by cartoonists from around the world, funds raised go to aid for Palestinians (MAP, ANERA, PCRF, GASCF).
Where: Centre culturel Georges-Vanier. (2450 Rue Workman, Room 2.115)
When: 5pm.
Who: Editor Yazan Al-saadi.
How Much: Free. (Event link)

ACCENT OPEN MIC
What: Popular biweekly bilingual open mic, this time launching new chapbooks from Cactus Press. (Computer, play “Game of Pricks” by Guided By Voices.)
Where: La Marche à côté.
When: 7pm until 10pm.
Who: Whoever has the balls, along with Hilary Langford Taylor, Carolyne Van Der Meer, and Carlos A. Pittella.
How Much: Free. (Event link)

22 MAY (THURS)

NO ONE KNOWS US THERE x FAMILIAL HUNGERS BOOK LAUNCH
What: Discordia pal Jess Bebenek returns from her East Coast tour to launch her new poetry collection, No One Knows Us There, along with fellow poet Christine Wu and special guest Liz Howard.
Where: mai/son (iykyk)
When: 7pm to 9:30pm.
Who: Jessica Bebenek, Christine Wu, Liz Howard.
How Much: Free.

WHY FISH PISS MATTERS BOOK LAUNCH
What: Talk about an answer to a question that is self-evident (for aquarium pervs). Fish Piss was a long-running ‘90s and ‘00s zine you can find info on here with quite a starry list of past contributors (Genevieve Castrée, for one). Now zinester and Conundrum Press founder Andy Brown launches a book reflecting on the zine and its times.
Where: Librairie Drawn & Quarterly. (176 rue Bernard O)
When: 7pm.
Who: Andy Brown, Heather O’Neill, Billy Mavreas, Louis Rastelli, moderated by Howard Chackowicz.
How Much: Free. (Event link.)

SOLILOQUIES 29.2 LAUNCH
What: Soliloquies, the Concordia undergrad lit journal and final boss for dyslexics, launches its latest issue with two features.
Where: Cardinal Tea Room. (5326 Blvd St. Laurent)
When: 7pm to late.
Who: Morgan Gordon, Jade Palmer.
How Much: Free. (Event link.)

LOOK MA, NO HANDS BOOK LAUNCH
What: Cartoonist Gabrielle Drolet (pieces in The New Yorker, among others) launches a new collection.
Where: De Stiil (351 ave Duluth E)
When: 6pm to 8pm.
Who: Gabrielle Drolet, Nour Abi-Nakhoul (moderator).
How Much: Free (but RSVP required).

THE SUSTAINABILITY CLASS BOOK LAUNCH
What: Not a “lit” event per se, but this book on how “how ‘lifestyle environmentalism’ has made cities more unsustainable and inaccessible to the working class” sounds right up our alley.
Where: Pulp Books. (3952 Rue Wellington.)
When: 7pm.
Who: Vijay Kolinjivadi, Aaron Vansintjan, moderated by Alejandra Zaga Mendez.
How Much: Free. (Event link.)

23 MAY (FRI)

ONE LONG ONE
What: A very irregular series started back in 2023, I’m not sure whether OLO has a specific conceit beyond “writers doing a reading,” but it’s happening Friday. (The organizers of Thursday’s events heave a sigh of relief.)
Where: Celine Bureau (exact address unknown, but it seems to be accessible via the alley off Bernard between St. Urbain and Waverly—backyard show maybe?
When: 7 to 9pm.
Who: Hugo Dufour, Francesca Ekwuyasi, T. Liem, Tricia Middleton, Olivia Whittick, performance by Loeres.
How Much: Free. (Event link.)

27 MAY (TUES)

GLOBAL BOOK CLUB
What: Librairie Saint-Henri’s international book club checks out Claudia Piñeiro’s Elena Knows.
Where: Librairie Saint-Henri (4622 Rue Notre-Dame Ouest).
When: 6:30pm.
Who: idk, some people
How Much: Free (but RSVP required).

29 MAY (THURS)

POETRY CONSULTATIONS WITH TAWHIDA TANYA EVANSON
What: The League of Canadian Poets continues to put Ambassador Evanson to work. Her Excellency will be providing 15-minute one-on-one poetry consultations on a first come, first served basis.
Where: Café Aunja (1448 rue Sherbrooke Ouest).
When: 12 to 2pm.
Who: Tawhida Tanya Evanson.
How Much: Free, no RSVP required (Event link).

FUGUE BODY LAUNCH
What: Bridget Huh launches a new poetry collection. Show starts distressingly early.
Where: Librairie Paragraphe (2200 Av. McGill College).
When: 6pm.
Who: Bridget Huh, Sarah Burgoyne, Domenica Martinello.
How Much: Free (Event link).

FRIEND/SHAPES FRIEND/SCAPES LAUNCH
What: Poetry/photography… “publication” it says here from Laura Mota-Juang and Hannah Polinski. Poems will be read and dancers will respond in movement to the pieces. Then there will be a DJ set and people will respond in movement to that, either by dancing or leaving.
Where: Osmo x Marusan (51 Rue Sherbrooke Ouest).
When: 7pm doors, show 8pm.
Who: Laura Mota-Juang, Hannah Polinski.
How Much: PWYC (Event link).

30 MAY (FRI)

WIP (WORK IN PROGRESS)
What: Our pals at the lovely Crumper DIY space are putting together a night where artists in various forms will have the chance to show their Wet Ass Progress (or rather Works in Progress, sorry) to an audience, followed by 20 minutes of discussion and feedback.
Where: The Crumper (address to be sent to participants).
When: Evening.
Who: Whoever has the balls, facilitated by Christina Bell.
How Much: $10 (RSVP required).

31 MAY (SAT)

ORAL METHOD
What: Toronto-based “experimental writing series” has the unmitigated gall to run a reading in VILLE-MARIE? Well, good for them. Buncha readers, starts early.
Where: Star Bar (4671 Blvd St-Laurent).
When: 5pm doors, 5:30pm reading.
Who: H. Felix Chau Bradley, Eva Crocker, Marcela Huerta, Faith Paré, Sina Queyras, Jacob Wren.
How Much: Free, I think (Event link).

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And looking ahead to June…

Headlight #26 Launch (June 1 at La Courtepointe), Accent Open Mic (June 1 at La Marche à côté), JRG Open Mic (June 3 at Hemi G), Harm Reduction Zine Show (June 6 at Thrashcan), Puberty Well EP Launch feat. Discordia Review (June 13 at Batiment-7), The Truthseekers Ball (June 24 at Hemi G)…

In memory of Jay Gobuty, who was Outrageous.

NEED MORE GUIDANCE ON YOUR IMMEDIATE FUTURE?

1. Well, I don’t recommend licking anything with teargas on it…