THURSDAY
One of our favourite local Montreal indie pop/dream pop groups, Young Galaxy, will be hosting a very intimate show as part of the POP Montreal Festival this evening. The concert will take place at the Breakglass Studio and, due to capacity, tickets are very limited. We saw this talented group of individuals perform at Osheaga, and if that performance is a prelude to tonight, trust us, you’re in for a treat. Tickets are here.
Iconic shoe brand Dr. Martens is hosting its Montreal St. Catherine Street West store Grand Opening. This is a great place to get your first glimpse at all the new styles and bright colours that will be available this season. The soiree will have food, drinks and a very special DJ, not to mention every hour there will be Dr. Martens footwear being given away. This is a private event, so an RSVP is required. Information can be found here.
Want to combine professional networking with a cultural evening? The young associates of the Montreal Opera and arts scene created a very special evening tonight at Salle Wilfrid-Pelletier – Place des Arts. The program consists of a pre-opera cocktail and appetizers at the Green Room; there will be a backstage tour at 18:15 (limited capacity), a welcome for the Director General of the Montreal Opera, musicologist remarks on La traviata by Verdi, wine, exclusive access to the Bar Pellan at intermission, and a post-operative meeting with artists and leaders of the Opera. Classy! Tickets available here.
FRIDAY
Charity season is here and in full effect – do we ever love the creative ways these are organized. Casino Against Cancer is an exclusive fundraising evening hosted at the Place d’Armes Hotel & Suites in Old Montreal. Starting at 9pm, there will be fancy cocktails, a casino setup where you can be a pseudo-gambler, a renowned DJ, and a big surprise being unveiled at the party. Your ticket also grants you a pass to the all-night open bar. The fundraising evening is organized by the Young Ambassadors Circle of the Montreal Cancer Institute for the benefit of the Diane Asselin Funds for cancer immunotherapy research. Dress code is on the fancier side, with black tie optional.
On the complete opposite side of the spectrum, the Techno Terrasse Party is taking place from 5pm until 3am. Representing a different side of the thriving EDM community in Montreal, Espace Griffingtown erupts with a full evening filled with deep bass booming bombs and dark seductive sounds with gorgeous views, delicious BBQ & yummy drinks. EDMTL gathers the latest of Montreal’s electronic dance music producers and DJs to come together under one festive roof. The weather hasn’t been too cheery this week, but if it won’t rain, the Terrasse will be open all night.
SATURDAY
Take a stroll in Old Montreal during the day and make sure you check out the amazing World Press Photo exhibit. For the past 55 years, the World Press Photo exhibition is an opportunity for all to contemplate and better understand, through images, the main events and the major issues that marked international news of the previous year. The showcase is grouped into 10 categories, including sports, nature and world events. It includes the work of talented photographers whose images were selected by a panel of experts from over 100,000 photographs submitted. Presented in over 100 cities worldwide, attracting millions of visitors, it finally touched down in our fair city.
The evening also takes on another wonderful charity. CONTACT, brought to you by the Young Leaders of BJM, is offering a unique opportunity to celebrate with The Ballet Jazz de Montreal and talented creators over for an evening of crazy and daring. Profits from the evening will go to the establishment of a fund dedicated to training the next generation of dancers. The program will provide advanced training and a perfectionnement to young dancers from Montreal and Quebec. In addition to the dancers, contributions from many artists, including Mekele, DJ Arock, and creator Andrew Ly (TRUSST), will be present. A truly magnificent night is on order, don’t miss it.
SUNDAY
Spend the day touring POP Montreal today. There are so many great artists and exhibits that you can easily pop from place to place from the morning until night. The full schedule can be found on the POP Montreal website so you can make a spreadsheet of events. One notable mention goes to Ben Howard. In support of his debut album, Every Kingdom, breakout British musician Ben Howard has embarked on a nationwide tour and is playing as part of the POP Montreal Festival tonight. Every Kingdom debuted Top 10 on the U.K. charts and is now certified gold. The young acoustic singer-songwriter has been selling out venues everywhere and his most recent performances included SXSW, Sasquatch! Music Festival, Bonnaroo, and sold-out shows in New York City, Los Angeles, San Diego, and San Francisco. For some beautiful live music, check out tickets here.