Night Shift at Casa

in the age of exhaustion
there are still a few night owls on the prowl
stop by to hear some of Quebec’s finest poets
spin their magic with the best of Montreal’s musicians
and if you want to show us what you’re made of
Mr. Tony will hand you the open mic

The FVA’s Famous Open Mics

The meeting place for night owls is the Night Shift beginning at 11pm. Every evening there will be three invited poets and a fabulous house band as well as the open mic. All poets, known and unknown, can present their work, poems and songs, in French, English or other languages. But attention: you have to perform your own texts (go ahead, be brave). You will have three minutes. The musicians won’t let you down. Open mic registrations begin at 10pm at the Casa del Popolo with host Tony Tremblay. Come early, places are limited.

This is where the night shift is happening! Six late-night events that show their spirits like a fine whisky and go down easy as a nightcap! Hosted in imperturbable style by outspoken, provocative poet Tony Tremblay.

Montreal’s top improv musicians have been recruited to form a fearless and subversive house band. In a Casa specially set up for the shows, they will accompany the guest poets and performers, followed by anyone who dares take up the challenge and pick up the mic. Expect the unexpected as the night winds up, not down. It’s the night shift that just keeps on going!

From 11:00 to 11:30 pm: Poets, your papers please!

To get each Night Shift off on the right foot, three guest poets will deliver their texts backed by their comrades-in-music.

Veteran poets and performers, including Karloff Galovski, Marie-Claude Lamoureux, Kathy Kennedy, Stéphane Despatie, and Jean-François Poupart, along with their younger counterparts, such as Danny Plourde, Shawn Cotton (only 18!) and Tania Langlais, will show us what they’re made of.

The musicians: Michel F. Côté (connected with any number of musical and theatrical adventures) in a duo with Luc Bonin (alias Urbain Desbois); Philippe Brault (Tomàs Jensen, Pierre Lapointe) twinned with Guido del Fabbro (Rouge Ciel, Fanfare Pourpour); and Nicolas Letarte (musical improv league) sparring with spinmaster (and record wrecker) Martin Tétreault.

Starting at 11:30 pm: The FVA’s legendary Open Mics

Who wants three minutes on stage, going once…? Any author—known, unknown, or soon-to-be-known—is invited to come and perform a text, poem or song in English, French or any other language. But on one condition: it has to be their own words—no hiding behind Rimbaud, Nelligan, or Ginsberg. Each participant has three minutes to do their thing, with the friendly backing of musicians who never let anyone down. Sign up the same day with the host, starting at 10:00 pm at the Casa del Popolo. Come early—places are limited!