The fundraiser was at the Opus Hotel, across the street from the Just For Laughs Museum where the festival will be happening. The performers were all fabulous, and performed a variety of different types of numbers, including some comedic stylings from Peter Radomski and a female duo whose names escape me. Even “Esther,” the girl who was cleaning up all the costumes after the ladies stripped down, was hilarious. There was a surprise out-of-town performer from Vancouver who went by the name of Bon Bon Bombay, and she really riled the audience up with her take on the Dresden Dolls’ “Missed Me,” plucking an unsuspecting man from the audience and tying him up with her scarves as she did her doll dance around him. It was definitely one of the highlights of the evening, along with the final performance of the evening by festival founder Scarlett James, who was a vision in white feathers and thousands of crystals!

If you’re hungry for more of Scarlett before September, you can see her perform at the Bal Érotique on August 14 at Club Opera, another sexy event that’s sure to whet your whistle for more! In the meantime, stay tuned for more news on the first-ever Montreal Burlesque Festival by checking their website at montrealburlesquefestival.ca.

Stevie Wonder (photo courtesy of Montreal Jazz Fest)

In case you miraculously haven’t heard about it by now, Stevie Wonder is coming to the Montreal Jazz Fest this year! His free concert, tonight at 9:30 at the GM stage (corner of St-Catherine and Jeanne-Mance), kicks off the festivities, and approximately 100,000 people are expected to attend.

As the Gazette reports, despite the fact that only 8,700 people attended his Bell Centre performance back in 2007, tonight’s concert is on everyone’s to-do list. If you’re planning on going, I’d advise you to get there early to grab a seat or a section of land to stand on. Otherwise, you may be hearing Lil’ Stevie from several blocks away.

For more Jazz Fest programming, check out their website at montrealjazzfest.com, and for a quick hit of Stevie Wonder, check out this YouTube video of “For Once in My Life.”

Performers include a variety of acts from burlesque, circus, comedy, music, sketch and stand-up genres, and the line-up changes every night. Hosts and hostesses include Eric Amber, Christophe Davidson, Seska Lee & Miss Sugarpuss. Performers tonight include Amanda Connell, The Dan D Lyons, Scarlett James, Lola Lamb, Seska Lee, Michael Lifshitz and Miss Sugarpuss. Check the show’s website for upcoming line-ups!

Wondering what to do with your bad self? Never fear! The Montreal Mirror’s Hot Summer Guide is online with plenty of festivals to check out. The Fringe Festival is just beginning this evening with their free opening night party, and shows get started in earnest on Friday. Also happening in June:

• Suoni per il Popolo Festival (through June 30)
• Nuit Blanche sur Tableau Noir (11-14)
• Festival Présence Autochtone (11-21)
• Eureka! Festival (12-14)
• Fringe Pop (13 & 18–21)
• L’Off Festival de Jazz (18–27)
• Virgin Music Festival (19–20)
• National Environmental Exhibition (19-21)
• Dimanches Salsafolie (’til Sept. 20)
• Loto-Québec Fireworks (June 13-Aug. 15)
• Montreal Baroque Music Festival (25-28)
• Montreal International Reggae Festival (26-28)
• Folk Festival on the Canal (27)

So what the heck are you waiting for? Get out there and get festive!

Fringe 2009 logo (via montrealfringe.ca)

The annual St-Ambroise Montreal Fringe Festival kicks off tomorrow night with an opening night party featuring the United Steel Workers of Montreal and Lake of Stew. Entry to the event is free, and the location is out in the open at Parc des Amériques. The party starts at 7 PM, so be there or be square!

“What the heck is a Fringe Festival?” you may be asking. As per their website, these are the four founding principles of all Canadian Fringe events:

1) No Artistic Direction. Artists are selected by lottery.
2) No Censorship. Artists have complete freedom to present ANYTHING.
3) Accessibility to artists. Anyone can apply to the lottery.
4) Accessibility to audience. Ticket prices are kept low and 100% of the ticket price is returned to the artists you see on stage.

Additionally, many of the Fringe shows are, as implied by the festival’s name, really out on the fringes of society—whether in terms of performance material or good taste. Fringe shows often push the boundaries of what we conceive of as typical theatrical performances, and can range from dance to musical performances to lectures to stand-up comedy to drama to audience participatory events and more. There are, truly, no limits on Fringe events beyond a performer’s imagination.

For more information on all of the Fringe shows (which run from June 11-21), be sure to check their website at montrealfringe.ca, or head on down to the beer tent and check out the action!

The show starts at 8 PM, and according to their Facebook page, 33,000 people attended last year! You’ll definitely want to get there early to snag the primo spaces, especially as there’s construction going on in the area that could tie you up.

For more information on Lucia di Lammermoor, composer Donizetti, or to buy tickets to other performances, check out the Opéra de Montréal’s website (bilingual), or join their Facebook group (only available in French).

Admission to over 30 local museums and public transit are both free.

For more info on the rally, check out the Club Sin website, read Louis Rastelli’s article in the Montreal Mirror, or join the Red Alert! group on Facebook.

Where: 1 Westmount Square, in the lobby (metro Atwater)
When: Thursday, May 28, 5:30pm – 9:00pm *
Complimentary food & drink: yes!

Check out the Facebook invite.

* The vernissage is this evening, but the projects will be left up for the public to see all day on Friday and Saturday.

The STM's new OPUS smartcards (photo via STM.info)

Of course, this is all a part of the promotion of the STM’s new OPUS card, since May 2009 is the last month that the old monthly passes are being sold, and the June 30 deadline for purchasing a reduced-price card for only $3.50 (the cards themselves will cost $7 a piece thereafter) fast approaches. Everybody eventually needs to switch over to the new smartcard service that OPUS provides, which allows for rechargable cards that can be used as daily, weekly or monthly unlimited service passes, or on a pay-per-ride basis. Paper tickets will no longer be accepted in the system after September 30, 2009, so it’s important for citizens to start the transition to the new reusable plastic cards.

On a final note, if you’re into Cirque du Soleil, they’re also offering free tickets to the “OVO” show, along with free monthly passes to get you there. Pretty sweet deals from our much-maligned public transportation system. Perhaps this will help bring the STM back into people’s good graces after their perpetual rate hikes and worker strikes.