TUESDAY MAY 1 TO SUNDAY MAY 6

Elektra 13 @ several locations citywide. Montreal’s International Digital Arts Festival, Elektra 13, begins this week with a great program of digital/avant-garde performances of the electronic, audio-visual and artistic variety. Ticket information is available here.

THURSDAY MAY 3

7pm. Learning from Hong Kong Lecture @ Canadian Centre for Architecture, 1920 Baile. Architect Rufina Wu and photographer Stefan Canham will give a lecture at the CCA this week about informal rooftop communities that have peppered the roofs of Hong Kong’s high-rise buildings for decades. Oral histories of individuals living in these conditions, and photographs/measured drawings of the structures themselves will be presented. Free admission.

8pm. Maisonneuve Magazine’s Tenth Birthday Bash @ Eastern Bloc, 7240 Clarke. Montreal’s very own and very dear Maisonneuve Magazine turns the big 1-0; come celebrate with an evening of performances by some very fine Montreal writers and musicians! Entry is $7, which includes a tote bag and a copy of their tenth anniversary issue.

8pm. Sugar Sammy @ L’Olympia de Montreal, 1004 St-Catherine East. The continually hilarious franglais comic Sugar Sammy presents “You’re Gonne Rire” this week at L’Olympia (one of our favourite Montreal venues!) This guy, if you are not familiar with his work, is insanely hilarious. Fin. Tickets range from $35 to $55 and can be purchased online here.

FRIDAY MAY 4

9pm. Royal Canoe + NASH + Michael Mooney @ Le Divan Orange, 4234 St-Laurent. Winnipeg indie-pop group and critically acclaimed Royal Canoe headline an evening of solid tunes at Le Divan Orange, accompanied by Montreal’s NASH and singer-songwriter Michael Mooney. $8 in advance, or $10 at the door.

SATURDAY MAY 5

10pm. Cinco de Mayo: Fringe Volunteer Party @ MainLine Theatre, 3997 St-Laurent. Have you considered doing some volunteer work this summer? The 22nd St-Ambroise Montreal Fringe Festival takes place from June 4 to 22 this year, and to kick off festivities, a celebration/meet-n-greet for festival volunteers will be hosted at the MainLine Theatre this weekend. Games, drinks and a dance-party await all guests!

SATURDAY MAY 5 AND SUNDAY MAY 6

11am. Brunch @ The Royal Phoenix, 5788 St-Laurent. Okay, so the Royal Phoenix actually serves brunch every weekend, but it’s something new and something you should definitely know about! Smoothies, bacon, eggs, mimosas and more await all guests who can drag themselves out of bed before 4pm. Prices are reasonable and the service is fab – and if you can’t make it before 4pm, their kitchens are usually open until the very wee hours.

~ Tyler Yank