Musically, Montréal en Lumière spans genres and the globe, from classic American rock band The Zombies (yes!) to crowd favourite Diana Krall to a whole series of shows inspired by this year’s guest city, Buenos Aires, Argentina, including tango grandmaster Daniel Piazzolla and his sextet Escalandrum and award-winning tango dancers and musicians at the La Pista Tango show at Place des Arts.

Acclaimed pianist Alain Lefèvre returns to Montreal to play his own compositions, soprano Marie-Josée Lord sings a selection of Spanish, Latin and Portuguese songs, blues, folk and gospel is in store with Eric Bibb and Habib Koité, and on February 22, it’s time to party with Montreal ska-funk band The Planet Smashers. Meanwhile, on the more eclectic rock-folk end of things, there’s Pierre Lapointe, -M-, Karim Ouellet, Colin Moore, Thus: Owls, and more, as well as classical, jazz and gospel shows lighting up evenings throughout the festival.

For drama, intrigue and wonder look to Montréal en Lumière’s theatre, dance and circus shows: Trad follows the story of an Irish centenarian and his father as they traverse the Irish countryside in search of their remaining family; The Humanity Project’s 50-person-strong Pigeons International poetically blends theatre and dance; multimedia performance-installation The Speaking Tent tells stories of urban life and traditional ways.

Agora de la Danse joins in with new contemporary dance performances from Harold Rhéaume and José Navas; the Festival Mondial du Cirque de Demain flies high with some of the best acrobats and circus artists in the world; Magnitude6, full_range blows electronic-music-loving minds with arrangements by Brandt Brauer Frick; and a series of old-school cabaret dinner-and-dancing shows unwinds at Le Balcon.

Along with all that music and on-stage spectacle is plenty of free entertainment. The festival’s family-friendly outdoor site at Quartiers des Spectacles around Place des Arts will feature a disco-inspired ice slide (totally worth the wait in line), interactive projections on the area’s buildings, music,  and much more. All this activity culminates in Nuit Blanche on March 2, a thousands-strong public event that spans the city’s galleries, theatres, underground corridors and outdoor stages – and goes on late, late into the night.

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THE DETAILS

Montréal en Lumière, February 21 to March 3, 2013

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Festival Mondial du Cirque de Demain draws its talent from a prestigious yearly competition in Paris, where this January Montrealers from circus troupes Cirque du Soleil, Cirque Éloize, Cirkopolis, 7 Doigts de la Main and more found themselves taking home medals. Each festival show in Montreal combines acts that have garnered equal amounts of acclaim, all finding a temporary home February 19-March 2 at Montreal’s own fully equipped, professional and educational circus centre Tohu.

Each night of this year’s Festival Mondial du Cirque de Demain is bound to keep audience members on the edge of their seats with performances by acclaimed Belgian trapeze artists Bert & Fred, German trapeze artist Lisa Rinne, Swiss clowns Starbugs, German hand-to-hand duo Chris & Iris, French juggler Morgan, American baton twirler Nathalie Enterline, China’s acrobatic troupe BA Jianguo, French balancing act Le Boustrophédon, contortion duo Robert & Abillahi from Tanzania, and a few surprises to keep audiences on their toes.

As part of the Montreal en Lumiere Festival, Festival Mondial du Cirque de Demain is without question kid friendly and family approved, but if you’re into making a real night of it (kids or not) indulge in the fest’s VIP nights on February 27 or 28 – be treated to a guided tour behind the scenes of Tohu (so many ropes and lights!), the best seats in the house, drinks and appetizers, and more.

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Festival Mondial du Cirque de Demain, February 19 to March 2, 2013

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Iceberg isn’t all snow and ice though; it’s a three-part, open-sided metal tunnel (with additional alcove-like structures in front of Place des Arts) that responds to people’s movements – it creaks and drones, evoking the sounds of a real-life iceberg as it turns upside down in northern waters, while multi-coloured lights flash and fade along the way.

Located outside along the Place des Festivals (Jeanne-Mance between de Maisonneuve and Ste-Catherine Street), Iceberg is a piece of art created by Félix Dagenais and Louis-Xavier Gagnon-Lebrun – and it’s meant to be played with: standing in one spot or running right through will produce different results, from cacophonous noise to almost symphonic sounds.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OimJf5dZvp0 Meanwhile, an interactive installation of a different sort lights up the facades of eight buildings throughout the Quartier: Le jour des 8 soleils has us pull out our iPhones or play an mp3 soundtrack as we follow a character from building to building. Artist Pascal Grandmaison uses video projections matched to the architecture of each building’s facade, joined by music and narration that lead the way, from Berri-UQAM metro station to Place des Festivals and points in between.

Even if you don’t have an iPhone or mp3 player, the installation is fantastic to simply look at on the outside walls of La Grande Bibliothèque, the Centre de design de l’UQAM, the Cégep du Vieux Montreal, Place de la Paix, Place Émilie-Gamelin, UQAM’s President Kennedy pavilion, Berri-UQAM metro station and Saint-Laurent metro station.

Along the way, also see the stunning arctic-focused photography of Daniel Beltrá’s Polar Drift – images of icebergs, frozen sea and naturally illuminated winter sky, all taken from high in the air – displayed in large format prints along the Promenade des Artistes (on de Maisonneuve between St-Urbain and Jeanne-Mance.) Iceberg and Polar Drift stick around until February 3 and the video projections of Le jour des 8 soleils are on display until March 2.

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THE DETAILS

Luminothérapie, Until February 3, 2013

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In 1992, Cirque du Soleil premiered Saltimbanco in Montreal. It would go on to be their first and longest touring show: 20 years and 6000 performances for more than 200 cities in 48 countries. From December 19 to 30, Cirque du Soleil will stage Saltimbanco at the Bell Centre for one last grande finale before retiring it to the history books…

Saltimbanco is the only Cirque du Soleil show to dazzle on five continents. Over 14 million spectators have been moved by Saltimbanco’s statement, and met the eclectic cast of 51 as they tour the audience through a wacky urban metropolis filled with colourful (and talented) inhabitants. Tickets come in three versions: Regular, Premium with Backstage Access, and a Family 4-Pack (2 Adult, 2 Children). The premium tickets gets you a rare peek into the chaotic and spectacular world of the Saltimbanco cast and crew, while the Family Pack is an affordable option to take the little ones to see something special for the holidays.

Saltimbanco is a tight two-hour show that features 10 jaw-dropping acts. From Chinese Poles, Juggling or the Russian Swing, you’ll be on the edge of your seat the whole time. My favourite act is the “Hand to Hand” (pictured above). Simple in concept, but mind boggling in execution. The costumes that the performers wear are also nothing short of amazing. They’re made right here in Montreal at the Cirque du Soleil International Headquarters, and the entire show has over 2,500 costumes items (including 250 pairs of shoes) that travel in 50 road cases. The costumes would be futile without stunning make-up, so each artists takes 90-minutes to apply their own makeup before each show. In other words, to be in Cirque du Soleil you not only have to be a world-class circus performer but also a trained make-up artist.

The title “Saltimbanco” comes from the Italian phrase “saltare in banco,” which means “to jump on a bench.” The word itself is an expression of culture, clash, and lots of colourful characters. Let the Baron be your tour guide to a journey and meet the acquaintance of people like The Dreamer, The Ringmaster, The Child, The Baroques and the decidedly creepy masked worms (pictured above.)

It’s an iconic show that’s had an unprecedented run casting a spell on millions. Don’t miss them take a final bow in the city it was born in, and salut the great things Cirque du Soleil has done for Montreal. You might even leave with a sneaking desire to run away and join the circus… Foot walking is a balancing act, right?

THE DETAILS

Saltimbanco, December 19-30, 2012

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(light up the town) The Telus Fire on Ice fireworks go off with a bang on Saturday night in the Old Port, while Noël sur l’avenue makes shopping and dining along Mont Royal Avenue all the more festive with concerts, family friendly activities and more all weekend. Downtown at the Quartier des Spectacles, play with outdoor interactive musical installation Iceberg, part of Luminothérapie exhibition. And the Olympic Parc celebrates the grand opening of their winter site on December 15: from 11:30-8 p.m., help decorate their 15-metre Christmas tree, visit with Santa, and partake of gourmet treats from some of the city’s best food trucks.

(circus lights) Cirque du Soleil’s colourful, musical Saltimbanco fits right in with the festive season and delights with all kinds of acrobatics, juggling, feats of strength and stamina, and, of course, tension-diffusing clowns. Cirque returns home this month to mark the final run for the company’s longest-running show – 20 years! – see it December 19-30 at the Bell Centre, with behind-the-scenes packages available for some shows. On another musical circus note, Cirque Alphonse’s Timber! takes place in a forest full of lumberjack acrobats, clowns and family-friendly comedy – December 18-31 at Montreal’s one-and-only circus centre, Tohu.

(gift giving) Sometimes it’s just easier to shop in a town that isn’t your own. Take some of the pressure off gift buying by stopping in at some of Montreal’s hot, variety-packed craft and artisanal fairs. The Pop Montreal music festival puts on hip and super cute Puces Pop DIY & Craft Fair December 14-16 with an opening party on Friday evening, at Église Saint-Enfant-Jésus (5035 St-Dominique). The biggest fair of its kind in Canada, Salon des métiers d’art continues to December 22 with over 400 Quebec artists and artisans selling clothing, toys, food and much more at Place Bonaventure – see Santa every Saturday afternoon. And the smaller Old Skool Crafts Holiday Fair sees local craftspeople bringing their quality handmade goods to L’Église St-Michel (105 St-Viateur W.) on Saturday and Sunday.

(sounds of Christmas) Classical music and traditional Christmas songs fill December’s days and nights. Notre-Dame Basilica hosts the Montreal Symphony Orchestra performing Hector Berlioz’s L’Enfance du Christ with Kent Nagano conducting, December 19-20, and on December 14-15 at 2 p.m. and 8 p.m., eight Quebecois singers sing traditional Christmas songs for the Les Stars chantent Noël. On December 16 at the Gesù hear the French 18th century organ music of Les douze Noëls pour orgue de Louis-Claude Daquin. Québec writer Bryan Perro tells a magical, Christmassy tale of two villages as the Montreal Symphony Orchestra accompanies, December 14-15 at Maison symphonique de Montréal. And at the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts Bourgie Hall, soprano Suzie LeBlanc sings a traditional concert of Advent music, with violinist, organist and conductor on December 16 at 3 p.m.

(sights on stage) The traditional December run of Les Grands Ballets’ The Nutcracker continues to December 30 at Place des Arts, while there are only a few days left to catch Robin Hood, as staged by children’s theatre experts Geordie Productions, at the Centaur Theatre in Old Montreal (453 St-Francois-Xavier). If you’ve been waiting years for Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol to be turned into a 14-song musical, well, that dream is now a reality, at Theatre Rialto on December 14. And critically lauded play Red , about the life and art of Mark Rothko, continues at the Segal Centre to December 16.

(sports on ice) Get your hockey fix at CWHL fundraiser game Les Boys (NHL alumni and stars of the Les Boys television series) vs. Les Girls (Montreal’s national championship team The Stars, featuring Olympic players) on Saturday, December 15, 1 p.m. at Etienne Desmarteau arena (3430 Bellechasse). Canada’s other official sport takes over the Bell Centre this Saturday: National Lacrosse League teams Toronto Rock and Rochester Knighthawks face off. And ski and snowboard freestylers literally take to the street for Amnesia Shack Attack on December 15 starting at 7 p.m. – see tricks, jumps and more on St-Denis between Sherbrooke and Ontario.

(more music) Montreal’s live music scene is feeling the holiday party vibe this weekend. Get along with the locals on Friday night with Mac Demarco, Each Other, Freelove Fenner and DJ Cadence Weapon At Il Motore (179 Jean-Talon W.). On Saturday night, Swiss folk-metal band Eluveitie loudly zooms into town with Wintersun and Varg at Club Soda,  and rock-dance it up with Mark Sultan and Lunar Exile, at Casa Del Popolo (4873 St-Laurent). On December 16, get closer with indie-pop cool kids Tegan & Sara at Metropolis, while American hip hop artist Machine Gun Kelly brings his rapid-fire vocal ways to Club Soda. Artist centre Easter Bloc brings together international sound artists and experimental musicians to perform, record and discuss their work in Object Inusité, December 19-22, with opening night performances December 19 at 7 p.m. And on December 20, get into a little American country music with Drew Womack and his band Sons of the Desert at Sala Rossa.

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(outdoor sparkle) While the Old Port lights up to musical accompaniment every Saturday night at 8 p.m. for December’s Telus Fire on Ice fireworks show, the Noël sur l’avenue Mont-Royal brightens up a long stretch of shop-and-restaurant-rich Mont-Royal Avenue, beginning with a joyful, candle-lit parade on December 8, starting at Mont-Royal Metro at 7 p.m. and ending at Parc Lafontaine with choirs singing, music playing and fireworks too! And throughout the month, kids and adults alike can take part in all kinds of activities, including a tree decoration workshop, December 9 at Place Gérald-Godin. And over at the beautiful Montreal Botanical Gardens, the main greenhouse is decked out for the holiday season with lights, new plant life, choir performances on weekend afternoons, and a craft fair December 7-9.

(glimmering gifts) Find professionally handmade and unique gifts at Montreal’s craft and artisanal fairs this weekend. Over 400 Quebec artists and artisans offer clothing, toys, food and much more at Salon des métiers d’art, downtown at Place Bonaventure to December 22 – Santa even drops by every Saturday afternoon. Find more creative gifts at the festive Le Marché Casse Noisette, co-organized by Les Grands Ballets Canadiens, on until December 9 at the Palais des congrès de Montréal. Designers, artists and other creative types set up mini-boutiques at the hip, cool Smart Design Mart, December 7-9 at 5505 Casgrain, in Mile End. Also in the neighbourhood is the Old Skool Crafts Holiday Fair, at L’Église St-Michel (105 St-Viateur W.) – it continues next weekend too, rivalling the new-skool at Puces Pop DIY & Craft Fair. And head east to Haut & Fort Noël Market at Marché St-Jacques (2nd floor, 1125 Ontario East).

(fancy food & drink) December is a time to indulge in social delights and delicious things – both are plentiful at FoodLab this month as the restaurant, located in cutting-edge multimedia centre le SAT, offers a “Grandes tablées” menu of Québécois terroir: December 10-13 try the Terrine De Gibier & Pot-Au-Feu, plus appetizers and desserts, all for $45 a person. Or warm up in nearby Chinatown with a steaming bowl of cheap and cheerful pho soup. Later, get cozy with friends and friendly Montrealers at any one of the city’s neighbourhood brew pubs.

(art & sound) Family friendly activities abound in December, including entertaining, interactive art around the city: downtown at the Quartier des Spectacles, walk through and play with musical installation Iceberg and see several large-scale projections on buildings along Sainte-Catherine and de Maisonneuve, all part of Luminothérapie. It’s also worth the trip to Maison de la Culture Maisonneuve to make your own music inside The Improbable Igloo, an igloo-shaped dome made of speakers by artist Alexis O’Hara, on until December 20. And fans of the band Sigur Ros won’t want to miss a screening of Sigur Ros: Valtari Film Experiment at the Phi Centre on December 9.

(comedy & theatre) Comedian Jeff Dunham’s show on December 9 at the Bell Centre is sure to be funny and strange and puppet-filled, just like Christmas, right? Later in the week, check out the hilarious DeAnne Smith headlining and Al Lafrance hosting “giftalicious” stand-up comedy show Let’s Do This! – it costs a mere $5 or a wrapped present if you want to be a part of a wacky gift exchange – at Mainline Theatre, December 13. Children’s theatre experts Geordie Productions add entertaining new twists to the classic tale of Robin Hood, December 7-16 at the Centaur Theatre. And for more traditional holiday theatre there’s Les Grands Ballets The Nutcracker, December 13-30 at Place des Arts.

(classical tunes) The sounds of Christmas are writ large when The Montreal Symphony Orchestra teams up with the Montreal Bach Festival to present Bach’s Christmas Oratorio performed by internationally renowned Collegium Vocale Gent, December 12-13. On December 8, The Orchestre Métropolitain performs Bruckner’s Symphony No. 6, while on Saturday and Sunday afternoon, Les Choralies Christmas concerts find harmony at Chapelle Notre-Dame-de-Bon-Secours in Old Montreal. Le Choeur Gospel Célébration sings its Noël Divin program of Christmas and holiday-themed music at The Gesù on December 9. And at the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts on December 9, the Cantivo Vocal Ensemble gives a performance free of charge and on December 12, soprano Hélène Guilmette sing cantatas and traditional songs.

(rock n’ roll) Friday night brings much-loved Australian multi-instrumentalist Xavier Rudd to Metropolis and Loreena McKennitt to Place des Arts, while the skyrocketing love for the indie-rock of Half Moon Run peaks at Le National, Alaclair Ensemble adds hip hop to modern art at the MACM, and Keys N Krates’ electro-hip-hop fills the dancefloor at Le Belmont. More dancing is in store with electronic music producer Jacques Greene, Doldrums and more live on Saturday night at the SAT. Sunday, December 9 sees The Faint playing their album Danse Macabre, with Trust opening, at Club Soda. Since Monday is the new Friday, why not make a night of it with NYC’s St. Lucia at Divan Orange on December 10. On Tuesday, Rock and swoon to the electro-orchestral-tinged sound of The Breezes, with Montreal’s CFCF at Sala Rossa.

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Take a break in Montreal this week with days dedicated to amazingly affordable fine food, high-flying and inspiring on-stage entertainment, international film and art, family-friendly sounds of science, and lots of great live music…

(fantastic food) The food-centric week begins on Friday with an array of gourmet food trucks – from tacos to crepes to hamburgers – set up for your culinary pleasure at Montreal’s Olympic Park. For sit-down meals, check out Montreal’s TASTE MTL Restaurant Week, ongoing to November 11, with gourmet prix-fixe menus – from $19 to $39 – at some of Montreal’s best fine-dining restaurants. Choose by cuisine or discover new parts of the city by choosing by neighbourhood: spend an evening in Old Montreal, the next one at a restaurant downtown, in the Plateau or Mile End, Outremont, the Village or Griffintown.

(life on film) Film festival season continues in Montreal with the French-language – English subtitles usually included – Cinémania, to November 11, with features, shorts, retrospectives (including an extensive one on Sandrine Bonnaire’s films), presentations and Q&A sessions, and more. Among the many films, see Cinémania’s opener, an official Cannes competitor, Jacques Audiard’s Rust and Bone, starring Marion Cotillard and Matthias Schoenaerts in a story of a former boxer, his son and a woman coming to terms with a life-altering disability. And on November 7, doc film fest RIDM begins its reign of real life representations, with films from around the world, including Peter Mettler’s The End of Time, Apichatpong Weerasethakul’s Mekong Hotel, a series of 15 favourite docs chosen by 15 members of the film community, and much more.

(circus & theatre) Circus shows in Montreal are always an adventure of some kind, but that adventure is guaranteed to be thrilling and heartfelt with inventive and talented Montreal-based international circus troupe 7 Doigts de la Main – their latest show, Séquence 8, is chock full of stunning acrobatics and ensemble work, big laughs, great music and a love of circus arts and audience connection, at La Tohu circus centre to November 17. In theatre, Black Theatre Workshop extends its successful run of Harlem Duet, an award-winning play that spans Shakespeare’s Othello and the sentiments of Martin Luther King in a story of the struggle to gain true equality in North America. And Persephone Productions presents Shakespeare’s classic of classics Hamlet at the Calixa Lavallée Théâtre in Parc Lafontaine, November 1-10.

(beautiful bodies) International rock star choreographer Hofesh Shechter’s Political Mother is powerful, beautiful and moving – for dance fans or simply for anyone looking for a great show. With 10 extremely talented dancers and 7 musicians live on stage, Political Mother tells a story of hope in the face of tyranny – at Théâtre Maisonneuve at Place des Arts, November 1-3. In the same performative vein of dance-meets-music-meets-storytelling, Montreal choreographer Frédérick Gravel debuts his Usually Beauty Fails, November 7-10 and 14-17 at Cinquième Salle.

(east & west) The 13th Arab World Festival of Montreal entertains and informs, highlighting links between Arabic and Western cultures through music, performance, film, art and talks, to November 10. On Friday November 3, hear famed pianist Abdel Rahman El Bacha play works from Bach to Prokofiev and more, at Cinquième Salle. On November 4, hear the music of Algeria’s Hamdi Benani, at the Corona Theatre, while Zohreh Jooya and her Afghan dance ensemble captivate in a North American premier at Cinquième Salle at Place Des Arts, and up in the neighbourhood of Mile End at the beautiful Rialto Theatre, spend the evening at Goodbye To The Duels, Hello To The Duets, a concert for peace, featuring Moroccan singers Abderahim Souiri and Laila Gouchi. See the festival’s program online for full details and more.

(educational entertainment) The Montreal Science Centre gets kids and adults really listening with new exhibition Musik: From Sound to Emotion, a zone where science, creativity and entertainment meet. Learn how music affects different parts of the brain, how we experience music physically and emotionally, and get a chance to make music of your very own in the exhibition’s high-tech music lab. The exhibition is based on input from numerous scientists at Montreal universities as well as from musicians, including  Montreal-based pop-punk band Simple Plan.

(joys of music) Friday night begins a week of great music with Montreal’s Esmerine, celebrating 15 years of Constellation Records, at the Musee d’art contemporain. On the other end of the show spectrum is the laser-light-show spectacular The Australian Pink Floyd Show at the Bell Centre, while Designer Drugs and Beat Market electro-rock the SAT. Saturday night cranks the decibel level with Sonar Festival on Tour, featuring Die Antwoord, Azari & III, Seth Troxler, and  more dance-worthy acts, at Metropolis. Monday night sees Martha Wainwright pouring her heart out at the Corona Theatre, the sweet west-coast pop-rock sounds of Grass Widow at Il Motore, and a late night of dancing to the great Richie Hawtin, Loco Dice and more at the SAT. The week turns rock retro with Journey on November 5 and ZZ Top November 7, both at the Bell Centre. And Thursday night rules as Howl! Arts brings the great D’bi Young and Kalmunity Vibe Collective to Sala Rossa and NYC’s Yeasayer rocks Cabaret du Mile End.

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David Byrne and St. Vincent: Pop Montreal is always good at recognizing the more offbeat side of  classic rock, and this year they bring us David Byrne, whose Talking Heads irrefutably changed the weird-rock landscape. Byrne also takes the stage with St. Vincent to play songs from their collaborative new album. September 21 at Église St-Jean Baptiste.

Antibalas and K’Naan with Nomadic Massive: This show, on the fest’s opening night, truly gets the party started with the high-energy Afrobeat sound of NYC’s Antibalas, “Ethio-jazz” hip hop of Toronto’s K’Naan and Montreal’s own, always-fun, community-minded Nomadic Massive. September 19 at Corona Theatre.

Grizzly Bear and Unknown Mortal Orchestra: Grizzly Bear has been getting nothing but hype this year with their new album, Shields, just out and getting rave reviews. Unknown Mortal Orchestra opens with an intriguing, spacey sound all their own. September 23 at Olympia.

Laetitia Sadier: More sounds that from the turn of the millennium become new again as former Stereolab member Laetitia Sadier plays pretty, thoughtful songs from her recent repertoire. September 19 at the Ukrainian Culture Centre.

Dirty Three: Long-time makers of melodic noise-pop and violin-drenched drone, Australia’s Dirty Three return in full form to this year’s festival. September 20 at the Ukrainian Cultural Centre.

Tim Hecker: A visceral experience for ears, mind and body, a show from Montreal’s Tim Hecker is perfectly suited to a church setting, organ music (suitably warped) and all, with openers Julia Holter and Solar Year. September 21 at Church of St-John the Evangelist.

Chilly Gonzales: Take the rock down a few notches with Chilly Gonzales, who plays what’s sure to be a lovely, musically impressive show entitled Piano Vision, with talented multi-instrumentalist and singer Kyrie Kristmanson opening. September 22 at L’Olympia.

Yamantaka // Sonic Titan: Montreal’s rock rising stars Yamantaka // Sonic Titan turn their operatic ways with noise-rock into a full-on show called Opera 33, sure to be a dramatic sonic adventure. September 21 at the Rialto Theatre.

Label showcases: Cheap and packed with as much tried-and-true as up-and-coming talent, record label showcases are always a good bet when it comes to show hopping. Check out Fixture Records, Arbutus (also home to Grimes, who plays a sold-out show on Thursday), Arts & Crafts, Passovah Productions, and dance the night away at The Sofa King Raw Pop showcase, featuring Ango, Black Atlass and more.

Free shows: Pop Montreal likes to give good stuff away sometimes, and we love them for it. Last year it was Arcade Fire and this year it’s Stars and Diamond Rings on September 19, along with free shows (and BBQs!) in the afternoon and early evening in Parc de la Petite-Italie, featuring Mozart’s Sister and many more on September 20 and 21, at store Citizen Vintage and at Mission Santa Cruz (60 Rachel W.) September 19-21.

My bonus pick isn’t a show but the conglomeration of activities that make up the non-music parts of Pop: Film Pop, the Pop Symposium, Art Pop, craft fair Puces Pop, the Record Fair and Kids Pop.

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THE DETAILS

Pop Montreal, September 19-23, 2012

Photo Credit: Bryan Murray- David Byrne & St. Vincent at rehearsal.

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We’ve singled out several for your attention in our annual Fall Music Guide, which will also highlight a number of the city’s most interesting autumn music festivals. Cool is, indeed, in the air…

For a city that’s excited about indie music all year ’round, Pop Montreal represents the apex of that enthusiasm, turning Montreal into a citywide candy store not just for the indie rock connoisseur, but for music fans of every peccadillo and persuasion. It’s a place to explore… without having to take out a line of credit or borrow against your home. Or your parents’ home.

There are a phenomenal number of top-quality free events and showcases, like the everyday Art Pop exhibitions, Pop Symposium panels and discussions, Kids Pop in the Park, the Montreal Record Fair, as well as the many, many free concerts by the likes of Stars, Diamond Rings, Dinosaur Bones and more (go here for a complete list of free stuff to do). And for pass holders and ticket buyers, the night sky’s the limit in terms of concert options this year, including performances by the likes of Arthur H, Peaches, Chilly Gonzales, Gotye, Talking Heads’ David Byrne and St. Vincent, Grimes, Zoobombs, Liars and many dozens and dozens more. Pop Montreal runs from September 19-23 at venues across Montreal’s downtown, Plateau and Mile End neighbourhoods.

What began, 13 years ago, as a labour of love for Montreal jazz and avant-jazz musicians – many of whom weren’t feeling very much love at all from the city’s better known music festivals – has evolved into an annual celebration of creative musical expression in the form of the OFF Jazz Festival of Montreal, which this year runs from October 4-14 at an expanded nine venues across downtown. Initiated by a “tightnight group of Montreal jazzmen” who “wished to create an event in their own image”, the event has grown to include several top-calibre national and international invitees every year, all easily accessible through the insistently low ticket prices.

He’s known to his Pittsburgh parents as Cameron Thomaz, but to the rest of the planet as Wiz Khalifa, a 24-year-old hip-hop phenomenon who broke big in 2011 with the release of his third album, Rolling Papers, featuring the triple-platinum hit single Black and Yellow, adopted by his hometown Pittsburgh Steelers as their unofficial anthem and which peaked at number one on the Billboard Hot 100. The cherry on top of all that success would be either his two Grammy Award noms – for Best Rap Song and Best Rap Performance – or his upcoming performance, October 20, at Uniprix Stadium. You decide.

If you have any ’80s hair left to let down, then you’re invited to the Bell Centre on November 5 to bear witness to what will no doubt be the fulfillment of a life’s dream for many a nostalgic FM radio rock fan: the gender-balanced trifecta of Diamond-certified über-dudes Journey (who clearly have no plans to stop believin’ anytime soon), ageless rock goddess Pat Benatar (here accompanied by long-loyal lead guitarist Neil Giraldo, who has played on all of Benatar’s albums) and still-red-leather-pants-wearing, Can-rock mascots for life Loverboy (who, 10-million albums sold later, continue to fall somewhere in the middle of the male/female equation) . The fun – and joking aside, this will be fun – begins at 7 pm.

Because what Montreal was missing was yet another festival, the Société des Arts technologiques (SAT) will play host for the very first time in Montreal to the OohLaLA! Festival. It’s a one-day party that originated in L.A. and celebrates music from France. In Canada. It’s just wacky enough to work. Featuring performances by Tomorrow’s World (the new project from long-serving Versaille electro duo AIR), Housse de Racket, Citizens! and Lescop, OohLaLA!’s stated aim is to “present the best and most interesting talent emerging from France, exposing enthusiastic attendees to breakout performances.” Let your inner Francophile do a little breaking out of its own at the SAT on October 16.

Did you misplace your soul-map and get Lost in Love? Is your emotional gas tank All Out of Love and you find yourself stranded along life’s highway Making Love Out of Nothing At All? Well, have no fear, the ’80s are here! Promising “the most romantic night of your life” – so be careful who you bring – unapologetic Australian hit makers Air Supply will get the sap dripping out of season when they play all their many love songs for one night only at Metropolis on October 25. For the weak-of-knee – and there are likely to be many on this eve – there are 1,000 reserved seats being offered in advance.

Following a campy and captivating free outdoor concert kicking off the Montreal International Jazz Festival this past June, favourite Montreal songwriting son Rufus Wainwright will return to the city of his birth for his first show as a married man (Wainwright recently exchanged vows with long-time partner Jorn Weisbrodt). And while he didn’t tie the knot in a church, he’ll be performing in one when he brings songs from his latest album, 2012’s Out of the Game, to the massive and majestic St-Jean-Baptiste Church on Oct. 26.

In the spirit of pumpkin smashing season, the well-seasoned Smashing Pumpkins roll into the Bell Centre for a pre-Halloween gig on October 28. That the flagship ’90s alt-rock band are less pumpkins than pumpkin – singer, songwriter and serial instigator Billy Corgan is the sole remaining original member – seems not to have deterred the band’s faithful, who’ve been turning out in droves to hear songs from the band’s seventh and latest LP, Oceania. The Great Pumpkin is calling it “an album within an album,” part of a larger 44-song test of his fans’ resolve. Smashing Pumpkins will play the entirety of the 13-track Oceania during the first half of their Bell Centre spectacle, and then rip through the hits over the remainder.

Indefatigable Kansas-born blues/folk rocker Melissa Etheridge has not suffered for lack of acknowledgement – she counts an Oscar and two Grammys in her trophy case – but the latest tribute to her many achievements is of a different space and shape. Etheridge is being honoured by the National Women’s Museum of Art in Washington, DC as part of the “Women Who Rock: Vision, Passion, Power” exhibit organized by the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and which recognizes the contributions of some of the most influential women in rock. Those closer to Montreal than DC in that time frame can opt to see Etheridge in person when she plays songs from her latest, 4^th Street Feeling, at Théâtre Maisonneuve in Place des Arts on November 6.

Trivia question (who doesn’t love a trivia question?): According to the RIAA, who is the number one best-selling female recording artist in history, and the only woman to make the Top 10 all-time best-selling artists list? Is it Madonna? That Celine Dion guy? Toni Basil? (With all due respect to Mickey, just kidding.) Nope, none of the above. That honour would belong to the incomparable Brooklyn-born Babs, as her many fabulous fans like to call her. Her being, of course, Barbra Streisand. Streisand will make an exceedingly rare Montreal appearance at the Bell Centre on October 17 with some special guests: top-selling pop-jazz instrumentalist Chris Botti, and world-renowned Italian tenor trio Il Volo. Bring your bank card.

Montreal Symphony Orchestra director Kent Nagano once again pops the top on expectations with the intriguingly titled two-day series “Military Marches: Classical or Electronic?” Nagano, in the role of conductor, will attempt to answer – or more likely expand – that question with the assistance of internationally acclaimed Israeli-American classical pianist Yefim Bronfman and much-loved Montreal electronic music maker DJ Champion. On the menu are Haydn’s Military Symphony No. 100, which will open the program, and Beethoven’s Fifth Concerto (which was composed during Napoleon’s bombardment of Vienna). “What better way to push back the limits of a genre than to partner it in the same concert with a work for turntables and orchestra by DJ Champion composed jointly with Maxime McKinley?” asks the orchestra. Find out on November 14 and 15 at the Maison symphonique de Montréal.

If Montreal artists could be said to have their very own embassy, it would be M for Montreal. As unofficial ambassadors for emerging talent in the city, for the past seven years M for Montreal have opened up international doors for many of la belle ville’s best, staging showcases featuring Montreal musicians in places as varied as Paris, Reykjavik and Brighton, as well as all the requisite festivals (Canadian Music Week in Toronto, South by Southwest in Austin, North by Northeast in Toronto and CMJ Music Marathon in New York, among others).

In addition to having their passports stamped abroad, M for Montreal host an ever-more-expansive industry event here in Montreal every November, and this year is no exception. From November 14-17, many carefully juried, and above all proven, Montreal artists will provide the entertainment portion of M for Montreal, which will also feature powerful industry panels, networking sessions, VIP cocktails and dinners and much more. The lineups for the showcases will be announced in October.

Part of being a successful solo artist is harnessing opportunity when it presents itself, and with the world set to expire on December 21, Montreal-based alt-pop songwriter David Usher appears to have grabbed doomsday by the reins with his latest album, Songs from the Last Day on Earth.

“This is really my first album with a central theme,” explains Usher.  “It’s premised on a group of friends sharing their last day together and some thoughts on what, in the final reckoning, might stand out as the things that have stayed with them over a lifetime.” So a day at the fair it ain’t, but when it’s released on October 2, it will no doubt find a popular place alongside the four-time Juno Award hoarder’s eight other solo albums. How one stays motivated with the end verging on nigh is anybody’s guess, but for his part Usher will be touring Songs from the Last Day on Earth with a Montreal stop at Club Soda on Nov. 15.

On September 11, folk-rock legend Bob Dylan reached yet another milestone, along a career path scattered with the dang things, with the launch of his 35^th studio album, Tempest, the release of which coincides with the 50^th anniversary of Dylan’s self-titled, 1962 debut record. Dylan and band will take the ten-song Tempest on a North American tour this fall with a very special guest: Dire Straits main man Mark Knopfler. The tour stops in Montreal, at the Bell Centre, on November 16.

Montreal just can’t seem to get enough of Toronto indie rockers Metric, who from humble but memorable beginnings gigging at small venues like Sala Rossa have now made the big leap to arenas, playing Montreal’s Bell Centre on November 21 in support of their latest full-length, Synthetica. And this only four short months after playing the main stage at Montreal’s massive (and sold out) Osheaga Festival. Joining Metric at the Bell Centre is Montreal/Toronto orchestral indie-pop outfit Stars, an outstandingly rational choice for accompaniment, and the musical yin to Metric’s yang (or perhaps the other way around, depending on which way the wind is blowing that day). Stars are pushing an even newer album, The North, released just last week and their sixth studio album in just over a decade.

And finally, Justin Bieber and Carly Rae Jepsen play the Bell Centre on November 26. Tickets were, of course, sold out within seconds of being on sale, but if you’re of the Biebs/Call Me Maybe demographic, you’ve already got yours or have been diligently saving money for your friendly neigbourhood scalper.

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(hot wheels) World champion cyclists wend their way to Montreal this weekend for the Grand Prix Cycliste de Montreal , like a (very) mini Tour de France at and around Mont Royal Park on Sunday, September 9. The Grand Prix Cycliste sees 18 UCI ProTeams of 168 riders from across Europe, Canada, the USA, the UK and Australia, come to Montreal to race over 200 kilometres – 17 times up, down and around the 12.1 kilometre course. It all begins at 11 a.m. at Parc Jeanne-Mance, where spectators can see the teams check in, peruse hot cycling merchandise (not entirely a euphemism!), and watch top athletes do what they do best: race!

(world-wide photos) News of the world has never looked so stunning, in all senses of the word, as it does at the annual World Press Photo exhibition, installed at Montreal’s Marché Bonsecours September 7-30. The World Press Photo show gathers juried work by 54 international photographers whose images tell recent news stories in emotional, captivating ways, from the devastation of the Japanese tsunami to protests in Cairo, war zones to wild animals, fashion in Senegal to feminism in Ukraine, and much more.

(port performance) Montreal’s Old Port teems with art and performance this week as the annual public festival Escales Improbables unveils new and exciting works from Montreal artists. During the day September 7-9, see performances of public dance piece Trajets de ville, marionette show la Famille Sombre, urban bee hives and honey tasting, music by The Unsettlers, and much more, including the relaxing afternoon Siestes Musicales. And over at the Quartier des Spectacles see parkour-inspired dance work Intersection and Forêt, an installation by Montreal artist Phil Allard and architect Justin Duchesneau.

(dance city) Dance festival Quartiers Danses, September 12-23, opening its 10th year on September 12 with performances by Dominique Porte, Manuel Roque, Tentacle Tribe and more, at the Monument National, followed the next night my an Emerging Artist showcase. During the day on September 13, see the six acrobatic dancers and two musicians of Atypique-Le Collectif perform free at the Promenade des Artistes du Quartier des Spectacles (just north of Place des Arts in downtown Montreal), at noon and at 5 p.m. And Agora de la Danse opens its season with Cas Public’s new creation, Duels, choreographed by  Hélène Blackburn and Pierre Lecours, September 12-14.

(farm fresh fun) This weekend sees farms across Quebec opening their gates to the public for the annual Portes Ouvertes sur les Fermes du Québec, now in its 10th year. But you don’t have to leave the city to partake in the agricultural bounty: just hop on the metro or drive or bike over to Parc Jean-Drapeau, where a family-friendly rural-themed party goes on Sunday, September 9, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Farmers and other producers will set up an active agricultural village, complete with animals, a corn roast, farm machinery, fruit and vegetable stands, regional products, a photo exhibition, and plenty of activities for kids.

(early ski season) Ski and snowboard season starts a little early with iF3, the International Free Ski Film Festival, September 12-16 at the Monument National on St-Laurent Boulevard in downtown Montreal. See all manner of ski and outdoor-sport films , meet pro athletes, dance the night away at parties, and check out the iF3 Outdoor Village at at la Place de la Paix, next to the SAT, with a free outdoor film screening September 13, an après ski bar, ski gear and more. Later at the SAT, get down and dancey at the iF3 Alpine Initiative Fundraiser and Launch Party party with A-Rock, DJ Blaster, DJ Johnlee. Also this weekend at the SAT, see surround-sound film Six mil Antennas at the immersive Satosphere dome, to September 14.

(finding fashion) This fall’s Montreal Fashion Week comes to a close on September 7, at Griffontown’s Galerie Arsenal, where Quebec-based and internationally known designers show their high-style, cutting-edge wares, with Hinda A, Rachel Sin and Anomal Couture on Friday. What’s old is new again at Pop Montreal’s Vintage Pop, a pop-up shopping event happening until September 9 at 19 Prince-Arthur W., with a constantly overturning variety of vintage clothes and accessories for men and women, as selected by local vintage hunters – doors open at noon and cash and credit are accepted.

(art of music) The music week starts off on an arty tone with Jazz Amnesty Sound System and Mark Morgenstern exploring the vivid audio-visual world of jazz in a live show at the Musée d’art contemporain de Montréal, September 7, 7 p.m. Also that night, see Sub Pop indie-rock stars Jaill, with Fergus & Geronimo and Reversing Falls, at Il Motore (179 Jean Talon W.), and sound artist/composer Kyle Bobby Dunn and guests at Casa del Popolo. Montreal fave Julie Doiron & The Wrong Guys bring sweet yet rockin’ tunes to Il Motore (179 Jean Talon W.) on September 8, while summer-long outdoor dance party Piknic Electronik celebrates its 10th year with a night show from DJs Sébastien Léger, Riva Starr and Forrest at Parc Jean-Drapeau, while on Sunday, the party goes on with Mosa, Eloi Brunelle and more.

Later on September 9, great musicians Matthew Shipp and Darius Jones play as a duo at La Sala Rossa (4848 St-Laurent). Amazing Nigeria guitarist and singer-songwriter Bombino, who has been called the Jimi Hendrix of Niger, plays Club Ballatou (4372 St-Laurent) on September 10. On September 11, the Sao Paulo Underground comes to Casa del Popolo and on September 12, Mount Eerie is at Sala Rossa, while popular millennial punk band Rise Against rolls into town with openers The Gaslight Anthem, at the Bell Centre. On September 13, Jacques Lacombe conducts the Montreal Symphony Orchestra with Berstein and Debussy tunes, while over at Le Belmont (4483 St-Laurent), British sensation Lianne La Havas sings her heart and soul out.

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