One of the world’s best and most anticipated electronic music festivals, Mutek challenges and surprises festival goers while consistently entertaining with musicians, producers and multimedia artists from around the world, specializing in both big and upcoming names in edgier electronic music.

At Mutek this year, the A/Visions evening shows and Nocturnes late-night events herald close to a hundred artists. Multifaceted producer Matthew Herbert comes back to Montreal after an eight year absence to perform three projects – One Pig, a musical improv set centred on a war photojournalist’s audio, and a DJ set as Wishmountain – throughout the festival, the UK’s undefinable and deeply cool Jamie Lidell returns, as does Catalan house beatmaker John Talabot, Detroit techno minimalist Robert Hood, Germany pianist Nils Frahm, Japanese audiovisual artist Ryoichi Kurokawa, and Montrealer Ghislain Poirier unveils his new synthy, cinematic, minimalist project, Boundary. There’s even a special performance by Pantha du Prince and The Bell Laboratory at the Maison Symphonique de Montréal, the city’s recently built and acoustically impressive symphony hall in the heart of downtown at Place des Arts.

Those in the know never underestimate the greatness of Mutek’s opening event: this year, that night  celebrates the 20th anniversary of German label Kompakt, with performances from American producer Michael Mayer, Saschienne and Swedish producer Alex Willner, a.k.a. The Field. The festival program rambles on in the best way possible with the return of British producer John Hopkins, German trio Brandt Brauer Frick, Raster-Noton duo Emptyset’s minimal noise and beats, and after years away, the jazz-infused sound of Frivolous. Also hear Mutek first-timers like young American techno experimenter Laurel Halo, prolific American producer John Tejada, and deep house makers Berlin-based Efdemin and John Roberts.

The Redbull Music Academy puts on a series of shows at high-tech, long-time Mutek venue the Society for Art and Technology, with the likes of Andy Stott, Martyn and Onra, Montreal fave Deadbeat, Space Dimension Controller, L.A.’s Nosaj Thing, and new Ninja Tune players Emika and Letherette. And on the last night of the festival, get right into Borderland, a new dub-meets-loops project from Juan Atkins and Moritz von Oswald, and a long, analogue-rich set by Juju & Jordash. Unbelievably, there are even more artists on the roster, and more still to be announced, meaning that, as always, Mutek’s a guaranteed good time.

THE DETAILS

Mutek, May 29-June 2, 2013

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After celebrating its 10th year last summer, the now-infamous Piknic Electronik returns on Sunday, May 19 and continues its inclusive, happy-times, electronic dance party tradition every Sunday to September 22 in Parc Jean-Drapeau, located on an (easily accessible by public transit) island in the middle of the St-Laurent river, where there’s always a breeze and a view of downtown Montreal and the Mountain.

Piknic creates a new kind of dance club every week, always with a friendly, welcoming vibe, bringing in DJs from around the world and boosting up some of the best producers in Montreal and across Canada. Last year’s DJs included Major Lazer, Squarepusher, Nicolas Jaar and many, many more – we’ll hear in a couple of weeks what this year’s line-up has in store. What better way to hear the latest electronic dance sounds of all kinds, on a sound system built to match, than outside on a sunny day, surrounded by fellow dance music lovers?

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THE DETAILS
Piknic Electronik, Every Sunday, May 19-September 22, at Parc Jean-Drapeau

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A full day of snowfall did not deter thousands of Montrealers and tourists alike from showing up for the kickoff of Igloofest, which continues until January 28. People showed up in their best winter wear, explored the fest’s many fun and frosty features, and, of course, danced the night away to Montreal expat A-Trak. There’s plenty more to come, so make sure that this is the year you figure out what all the fuss is about.

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What’s nice about Igloofest is that it brings together thousands of people in one place (at the Quays of the Old Port) over three weekends (January 12–14, 19–21 and 26–28 – yes, Thursday is part of the weekend now), in a month that isn’t exactly known for being party central (except on my birthday, which happens fall between the last two Igloofest weekends, meaning double the festivities!). It’s truly a phenomenon; get excited.

Igloofest is the wintery answer to Piknic Electronik, which takes place every summer Sunday over in picturesque Parc Jean-Drapeau, and whereas Piknic challenges us to wear as few clothes as possible, Igloofest encourages the flashiest, puffiest, ski-bunny-est winter outerwear possible. Neon 80s one-piece racing suit? Check. Rainbow-striped pom-pom’d toque? Check. Furry knee-high boots? Why not. Go for festive gold or just dress in your usual winter fare (maybe add a sparkly scarf or stick a glow-stick in your hat as an ode to rave days gone by), anything goes.

Okay, okay, so Igloofest is a great party populated by fun-loving people, but what about the music?? Well, the music is truly what ties this whole thing together, with some of the best DJs and VJs in the world willing to take the stage, even if they have to do it wearing wooly mittens. This year’s line-up, as in past years, appeals to all sorts of tastes, from eclectic melodic techno to steady four-on-the-floor beats to keep us solidly warm. With two stages of music – the main Sapporo stage and the local-talent Virgin Mobile stage – to wander (read: dance) between and food and beverages throughout the site, as well as warm-up stations, each night can truly be a unique experience.

During each night of Igloofest, the music starts nice and early, at 6:30 p.m. On January 12, Montrealer (now ex-pat) A-Trak, who recently blew up online with his bizarre and hilarious Barbra Streisand video, returns with a joyous set, along with the dubstep of UK’s Mala (DMZ). The next night, it’s electro funk with Tanner Ross and house with Tiefschwarz, while on January 14, Osheaga organizers bring Bambounou, Buraka Som Sistema and more. On January, Urbania mag brings us Tiga and Terence Fixmer, on January 20, it’s the Mutek party, with German artist D-Diggler just added, and on January 21, it’s Max Cooper and Sébastien Léger. On January 26, hold onto your fuzzy hats because M.I.A. collaborator and Major Lazer man Diplo is back – this night will be off the hook – with a weekend full of awesome (Green Velvet, Ostrich, Marcel Dettmann & Ben Klock) to follow.

And, lastly, a few Igloofest tips gleaned over the years:

• If you’re a serious electronic music lover and plan on being in town for more than one weekend, the $60 Igloofest pass is likely the best bang for your buck. If you’re just in town for the weekend and/or aren’t “into” electronic music, peruse the schedule, choose the nights that sound right for you and, if possible, buy tickets ahead of time or get to the site early enough (before 9 p.m.) that you won’t have to wait in line to buy tickets ($15). Though, to be honest, standing in line can be pretty great for making new friends.

• Each weekend is not like the other; check the temperature and dress accordingly. Sometimes it’s warm enough to warrant unzipping the coat and taking off the hat and sometimes it’s so cold that even the staunchest of non-dancers becomes a dancing machine. Indoor spaces and outdoor warm-up stations make for a pleasant break, of course.

• As for dancing, Igloofest is a low-key dancer’s paradise – when you’re wearing winter boots and a puffy parka, side-to-side shuffle action is your friend. Certainly, there’s plenty of flamboyant dancing going on but best believe lifting those Sorels all night means hamstring pain the next morning. Kinda worth it though.

• You can’t bring alcohol on site but there’s plenty to buy, from hot drinks to big cans of beer. On colder nights beer has a tendency to freeze, so (as if I really need to advise this?), drink it in a timely manner.

• Igloofest crowds are among the smiley-est around, so brush your teeth and ready your face for a good time.

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THE DETAILS

Igloofest, January 12-28, 2012

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(snow globe party) Igloofest is arguably the party of the winter – or parties plural, since the electronic music and dancing extravaganza happens over three weekends. Igloofest brings together thousands of people in one place (the Quay of the Old Port over the weekends of January 12–14, 19–21 and 26–28 – yes, Thursday is part of the weekend now), featuring some of the best in electronic music (like Diplo!). Put on your best parka or dig up that one-piece neon ski suit from the ‘80s and get ready to get down with crowds of Montrealers, young, old and in between. Being outside in winter shouldn’t be this fun, but it is, and I thank Igloofest for it.

(snow city) There’s something fabulous about returning to the luxurious confines of a hotel room after a wintry day wandering a wonderful city. Montreal takes that indulgence a step further with this city’s first Snow Village, located on the shores of the St-Laurent river at Parc Jean-Drapeau. The Snow Village combines an igloo-like hotel with a restaurant, bar, conference centre, maze, ice slide and, for the marriage-minded and God-alert, a chapel. Whatever you go for a drink or for a night, Snow Village Canada seems to be nothing short of a one-of-a-kind Canadian experience.

(arty warm up) Art galleries around town open their doors again in January with new exhibitions – check out galleries on every floor of the Belgo Building (372 Ste-Catherine W.), including Galerie Push, Galerie Pangée, Pierre François Ouellette, SAS, Skol and several other prominent, top-knotch galleries. Meanwhile, over at The Montreal Museum of Fine Arts, the fun and fabulous and free (yes, free) Big Bang exhibition continues until January 22 – with a room of floor-to-ceiling graffiti art by En Masse collective, a video installation from Denys Arcand and Adad Hannah, photos and furniture inspired by Group of Seven artists, a wall of plush toys and much more.

(park hopping) For extreme and not-so-extreme outdoor winter activity just a hop, skip and a jump away from town (not to mention accessible via the metro), Parc Jean-Drapeau is the place to be this January. Not only is the park home to the new Snow Village Canada, but the Fête des Neiges winter festival offers fun for the whole family, with a tube slide, zip-line, hockey and skating along the river during the weekends of January 21–22, 28–29 and February 4-5. For more outdoor fun, January 7 marks the last night of the Telus Fire on Ice events at the Quays of the Old Port, featuring a fire works show with a Little Mermaid Theme (true!), fire dancing shows starting at 7:10 and 7:40 p.m. and a fab outdoor skating rink.

(take a chance on) Musical lovers and disco divas unite for Broadway hit Mamma Mia!, January 3–8 at Place des Arts. Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus’ musical, performed around the world for years and still going strong, sets the songs of ‘70s Swedish pop band ABBA to a tale of family, friendship and love on an idyllic Greek island. You’ll laugh, you’ll cry, you’ll sing along.

(strange stage) Walk on the wilder side of theatre at the 15th annual Wildside Festival, January 3–14 at Centaur Theatre in Old Montreal. The notorious fest features independent, affordably priced shows that push the boundaries of traditional theatre: see Montreal theatre star Kirsten Rasmussen’s motivational-speaker-inspired Blink Blink Blink, the bilingual comedy Bifurcate Me, award-winning Countries Shaped Like Stars, A Thousand Paper Cranes and more. Elsewhere in indie theatre, Guy Sprung directs Infinithéâtre’s Ars Poetica, a story of publishing, poetry and cell phones, January 17 to February 12, at Bain St-Michel (5300 St-Dominique).

(dancetastic January) Montreal dance promotion organization Danse Danse does an amazing job this month with sure-to-satisfy shows: internationally acclaimed dancer and choreographer Akram Khan’s Gnosis, January 24 – 25, and his Vertical Road, January 26 – 28, both at Place des Arts; and always-engaging Montreal choreographer and dancer José Navas’ Personae, January 11–28 at Cinquième Salle. Dancer-choreographers Martin Messier and Caroline Laurin-Beaucage bring evocative new creation Soak, presented at the 2011 Festival Transameriques, to the Monument National, January 26–29. And for something even more different, Ted Tafel’s Janvier takes us to an old railway building where memories and dreams intertwine in dance, at 661 Rose-de-Lima, January 13–15 and 20–22, 6 p.m. and 9 p.m.

(whole hog) I’m not going to say that I totally understand this event, but I can say that mega-spectacle Show Harley looks awesome. Not only does Alice Cooper perform (!), along with other rock acts, but fifty custom Harley-Davidson motorcycles rev their engines and generally look cool while a sound and light show goes on in the background. Fans can get up close and personal with the bikes and talk shop with professionals and fellow fans. VIP access to Show Harley includes a back-stage preview starting at 3 p.m. on January 28, while the main show goes down at 8:30 p.m.

(get in the game) I hardly ever talk about hockey in this column, but that’s not because I don’t like it. I mean, as a Montrealer I have to at least watch five Habs games (minimum) a season or I get kicked out of town, and as a person who likes to hang out with friends and drink beer, hockey offers ample opportunity. Tickets for January games at the Bell Centre can still be had (nosebleeds or otherwise), or if the sports bar scene is more your speed, there are plenty of places to partake of our national, competitive winter pastime.

(pop sounds) Pop Montreal may happen in the fall, but the music fest’s programming wends its way throughout the year: on January 6, Pop Montreal presents La Route Chante: A Community Show for Lhasa, much-loved Montreal singer who passed away in early January 2010. The show features the amazing Montreal talents of Plants & Animals, Arthur H, Patrick Watson, Katie Moore, Ariane Moffatt, The Barr Brothers, Socalled and many more who played with Lhasa over the years – at the Rialto Theatre (5723 Parc), 8 p.m. On January 14, keep the Igloofest party rocking at the official after party (starting at 10 p.m.) at SAT with Rich Aucoin (love him!), Lunice, DJ Mini and Francis Oak – yaay! On January 18, indie rockers Real Estate come to La Sala Rossa, on January 19, Swedish metal band Ghost are joined by Blood Ceremony and Ancient Vvisdom at Theatre Corona, and on January 23, krautrock-inspired British band Fujiya & Miyagi play La Sala Rossa. Machine Head , Suicide Silence and more bring the metal to Metropolis on January 28. And British singer Charlie Winston, who won fans at Osheaga in 2010, woos the crowd again on January 28 at the Corona Theatre.

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What follows is your key to a terrifyingly fun Halloween, commencing with the family-friendly stuff first…

World-class Montreal amusement park La Ronde is frightening at the best of times, but turns up the terror with its annual Fear By Day/Fright By Night Halloween festivities. On the busy all-day itinerary of things to do on both October 22 and 29 is pumpkin carving, scary face painting, a Halloween-themed parade, “freaky Monster” performances as well as newly created thrills like The Cemetery, The Last Ride, The Carnival of Terror, The Vampire Lair and Death Row. And loads more – as most Montrealers know, La Ronde takes its Halloweening seriously.

For those inclined towards a no-less-entertaining, and possibly even educational, Halloween experience, the city of Montreal is again offering 90-minute Ghost Walks (a narrator leads tour participants on an exploration of Old Montreal haunted hotspots) and Ghost Hunts (an interactive tour whereby hunters track down the ghosties and ghoulies at various sites and speak with the spectres themselves). The hunts and walks are conducted in both French at English, and tickets can be purchased at 360 St-François-Xavier. For pricing and other info, please call (514) 868-0303.

The superb Pointe-à-Callière historical museum in Old Montreal is offering kids a “whimsical look (with some thrills and chills, naturally) at the cultural origins of Halloween and associated beliefs”, courtesy of Irish tour guide Jack O’Lantern and his carved-turnip-puppet lantern. The 45-minute march around the museum gets weirder with the addition of a superstitious witch, a druid magician and a couple of spooky twins (like twins aren’t spooky enough already). English tours are offered on October 22-23, 29-30 at 12:50 pm and 3 pm. For more info, check out the full schedule.

The Montreal Insectarium is totally bugging out this Halloween with a number of activities tailored towards the creepiest of creepy crawlers: spiders. The “We Are the Insects” exhibit pays tribute to this natural acrobat, whose life often “hangs by a single thread.” Assorted “spiders” will also be dressed up as superheroes as part of this exhibit, and attendees are warned to be careful if they feel a tugging at their leg. If jumping spiders are your thing, there will also be a display dedicated to these lively little guys, and the “pop capsules” series will see costumed museum staff “popping” up in various scenarios. This happens every day up until October 31. For times and other info, check out the full schedule.

Right next door to the insectarium, the Montreal Botanical Garden is going whole Halloween hog again this year with their month-long Great Pumpkin Ball (which closes after October 31). There are a scary range of events and activities for everyone’s enjoyment and amusement, including, but not limited to, an house of plants, a Little Monsters courtyard for kids, Halloween origami and The Great Pumpkin Ball itself – a ginormous display of crazy carved pumpkins that overwhelms the Main Exhibition Greenhouse. Plus lots and lots more.

For those looking for more grown-up oriented, predominantly night-time frights, there are the following for your consideration on Halloween weekend…

Popular live music venue Il Motore is going loveably left-field with their “Hallow-Meme” themed Halloween party, whereby participants are invited to dress up as their favourite cyber meme or internet celebrity. They suggest folks like Double Rainbow Guy, LOL-cat and the Bed Intruder Song Guy. There will be prizes for best costumes in the form of concert tickets from independent music promoters Blue Skies Turn Black. Dancing comes courtesy of DJs Mitz, Seez, Tess & Danielle and Schwarzy. And best of all? Admission is free.

Tipping the scary-fun scale is Theatre Ste-Catherine’s annual haunted house show, which this year invites participants to “A ghostly tour that will transform your ideas of what is wrong… and what is possible. This experience is not for the light-hearted or morally weak… Invite your friends and enemies!” The house is open for only four nights, October 28-31, with tours starting hourly at 8 pm (the last goes at midnight). It will cost you $15 to get out.

Internationally renowned punk and metal concert venue/dance club Foufounes Électriques – famous as much for its, let’s say, colourful clientele as the heavily Halloween-themed bands that play there all year ’round (cases in point: upcoming performances by Exhumed, Cephalic Carnage and Beneath The Massacre) – will host its annual Halloween party on October 29. The challenge will be to see if you can tell the difference from any other night of the week.

A definite Hallowin could be found when popular roots party band Lake of Stew presents their Halloween Hootenanny with musical guests Irreverend James and the Critical Mass Choir and The Unseen Strangers at Mainline Theatre on October 28 starting at 10 pm. Costumes are strongly encouraged, but not mandatory.

Those looking for Sexyween, should definitely check out Cirque De Boudoir on October 29 at L’Auberge St-Gabriel. This year’s silverscreen theme touches on frightfully wonderful classics like the Bride of Frankenstein and Dracula and features two rooms, tons of DJs, body painting, coffin photo booth and “rope suspensions by Dunter”. Fans of costumed dancery might also want to investigate the The Goods’ Halloween Masquerade at Sala Rossa and Casaweeeeen at Casa del Popolo across the street, also on October 29.

It couldn’t officially be considered Halloween if cult film classic The Rocky Horror Picture Show wasn’t screening somewhere. Well, this year that somewhere will be the Imperial Cinema, from October 29-31, with projections at 8 pm and 11 pm, and with a live cast accompanying the film onstage. If you’ve never been before, you should know that for the full experience you might want to come equipped with rice, a water pistol (loaded), confetti, toast, rubber gloves, a party hat, a newspaper and playing cards. You’ll find out why quickly enough. The screenings, which will also feature a “wild” costume contest, are to be hosted by inimitable Montreal drag queen, DJ and rock star Plastik Patrik.

And finally, and funly, if you’re having trouble getting into the ghostly spirit of Halloween, or are just super-excited and want to get an early start, the Montreal Zombie Walk on October 22 might be just what the coroner ordered. Starting at the Mont-Royal metro station, a lopsided mob of undead folks will stumble, zombie-style, through the Plateau and Latin Quarter on their way to Club Soda where classic zombie movies will be screened. The Montreal Zombie Walk is free (including admission to the films at Club Soda) and open to everyone, so get your dead on!

Guest blogger Jamie O’Meara is a Montreal editor and journalist who covers arts, culture and, er, Halloween. Formerly the editor in chief of Hour Magazine, he is now an editor at Roverarts.com.

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The oyster shucker at the latter, the always-energized-and-super-friendly Daniel Notkin, is the man behind the one-day festival, which will gather chefs, shuckers, wine importers, DJs and revellers in a parking lot in Old Montreal (at the corner of St. Jean and Notre Dame West streets), starting at 2 P.M. Basic entry tickets cost $35 each.

Restaurants like Joe Beef, Méchant Boeuf, Kaizen and DNA will set up tents and serve small dishes (not just oysters), in exchange for food tickets ($5 each). One food ticket, alternatively, can be exchanged for two oysters (or two tickets for five oysters). Big discounts are given to those who purchase tickets in advance, either at L’Orignal or the Burgundy Lion pub.

Judging by the last two editions, the happening is a cheery blend between a communal picnic and outdoor party, with booze flowing freely and a great-looking crowd. Or, as Notkin puts it, the Oysterfest is “a humble little gathering of great friends, great food, two bands, great beverage producers and the best shuckers in the country – nay, the world! – all to celebrate a little something called ‘The Oyster’ and Montreal’s passion for all things wonderful.”

THE DETAILS

Montreal Oysterfest, September 11, 2011, 2-9pm, The Pigeon Hole Parking Lot (Rue St Jean & Notre Dame West)

Advance Tickets:
Restaurant L’Orignal (ask for Monika, Michael – or Daniel)
Burgundy Lion Pub (Evenings only – ask for Steve or Toby)

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The 12th edition of Mutek has just finished and, before we catch up on some much-needed sleep, we’ve got a pretty cool video to show you…

In the leadup to Mutek, Montreal’s amazing digital music, sound and audio-visual art festival, we poured over the program and chatted with Richie Hawtin. We here at the Montreal Buzz LOVE MUTEK. What’s amazing about Mutek is that, every year, it manages to further push the notion of what this area of the arts is capable of. Mutek is small, experimental and intellectual shows, but it’s also massive, dance-all-night parties, as the video above shows. Oh, and one final thing: THE AMON TOBIN SHOW WAS ONE OF THE MOST AMAZING THINGS THIS CITY HAS EVER SEEN.

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“This will be the return of the Plastikman Live project that was first premiered at Mutek in 2004,” says Hawtin, who lives (and works) in his hometown of Windsor, Canada and has offices for his labels Plus 8 and m-nus in Berlin, Germany. “Although the show we will present this time is more advanced, they are linked together like brother and sister. Plastikman Live has always explored the connection of man and machine, and how at the hands of a single performer, cutting-edge technologies can combine to create a powerful multimedia concert type experience.”

Hawtin and his collaborators, Jarrett Smith of Canadian visual architects Derivative and visual designer Ali Demirel, just completed the first twenty shows of the audio-visual Plastikman Live tour. Plastikman’s whole deal is the perfect fit for MUTEK. Now in its 12th year, this exciting festival isn’t just for geeks. While you’ll find laptops, bleeps and tech speak galore, there’s also dancing, parties, and electronic music and art for everyone. As digital culture has influenced the mainstream, so has the avant-garde become more accessible, and more fun.

Other artists booked so far include Amon Tobin, Modeselektor, Four Tet and many more, with Hawtin and his Plastikman alter-ego hitting the stage on June 3. Hawtin, gearing up for the forthcoming release of the 16-disc Plastikman Arkives retrospective collection, is excited to return to Montreal, party city.

“Montreal has been supportive of my career since the very beginning. As early as 1991 we were invited by [CBC radio show] Brave New Waves to come and record a special Plus 8 label spotlight and play at an early rave thrown by a then young promoter named Tiga! That connection has remained strong over the years with dozens of return visits, late night sessions at nearly all the clubs, and New Years Eve celebrations. The foundation of our music has always been strong in Montreal, and it’s a pleasure to not only see it develop, but in my own way, help that development being part of so many of these events over so many years.”

Guest Blogger Simona Rabinovitch is a Montreal native who lives Brooklyn, New York. She covers arts, culture, travel and entertainment-type stuff for the Huffington Post, Globe & Mail, ELLE Canada, Lonely Planet, Zink, DazedDigital and more.

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On Thursdays, as on other nights, Cavalli on Peel Street churns out pretty decent dishes that can be best described as Mediterranean-meets-Asian. There are oysters with wasabi and lime or yuzu-spiced tuna and avocado tartare for the girls on a diet, but also hearty fare like pine-crusted filet mignon on a bed of mushroom-spelt risotto or rack of lamb with peppers, feta and olives.

But often the real attraction is the place itself: alive, vibrant, flirty and loud, with a lit-up fuschia bar and… did we mention the hot waitresses? It’s a restaurant with a distinctly nightclubby vibe…

The party vibe is kicked up ten notches on Thursday nights, when it actually does become an impromptu nightclub, drawing hordes of local beauties in sexy get-ups and the men-in-suits that like to hang around them. At around nine, the lights start to dim and the music – already pretty loud by default – reaches dance-floor levels, as a DJ spins in a temporary booth.

By midnight, the place is filled shoulder-to-shoulder with a mostly local clientele (age average in the low thirties) and the flirting level gets sky-high. Pretty girls have a better chance at getting by the doorman at this point, as a line-up inevitably forms.

“They all arrive at once, do the rounds and scope out the attractive guys,” says a regular. Clearly this is not your usual pasta joint…

THE DETAILS

Cavalli, 2040 Peel Street, (514) 843-5100

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