McSweeney’s List (1 July 2026)
We love to sort people into boxes. You have your party friend, your movie buddy, the astrology girl, the friend who can help you move; we don't do it on purpose. It seems natural that when a potluck comes up, we know to invite the foodies, the social butterflies who will keep the party flowing, and the quiet observant one who will watch everything and commiserate with you later about what she picked up on. All these people connect to an aspect of us, and like any good superhero team, each person is best at a certain task. The problem arises when we try to sort ourselves.
While it seems less so now, there was a time when the Internet was populated with personality quizzes. “Which Disney Princess Are You?”, or “What Classic Sitcom Character Are You?”. They're more subtle these days, and run much deeper: “Discover what colour you need to wear this summer to unlock your goals,” kinda things. It's all the same, packaging an easy, one note answer to the grandest question of our lives: who are we?
Every show growing up had a balanced ensemble of characters, each representing very specific, well framed characteristics. Alvin was the charismatic one, Simon was the nerd, and Theodore the softy. Sure, they were chipmunks, but they were talking, singing chipmunks, and that's entirely different. They even had female counterparts with matching vibes (Brittany, Jeannette, and Eleanor, respectively). Watching, I often wondered which one I was, but didn't relate to any of them fully.
The same can be said of The Muppets, The Facts of Life, The Golden Girls, and Friends -- the popularity of the latter is what brought the phenomenon into the lexicon. Omg, she's such a Phoebe, or a dude was being a Joey. It paved the way for friend groups knowing who was a Miranda and who was a Carrie once Sex and the City rolled around.
Shows do it as a form of character shorthand; it clarifies your good guys from your bad guys, the funny one from the smart one, the married from the promiscuous. They emphasize those dichotomies, and the contrast created therein makes it easier to cover multiple popular bases. Dialogue clarifies itself as it becomes clear that only one person in the group could say such a thing. Plus, there's someone for everyone, or at least someone you’ll recognize.
Slowly, however, we adopted those distinctions as displays of what people are really like. Brands, advertisers, and the algorithm thrive on things and people who can be distilled down to one distinct flavor. There's no room for ambiguity or evolution; just this, exactly this way, not forever, but until it becomes passé… and then comes the reinvention, the cycle starts again. If we take this as normal, then reality appears strange: in real life, our edges are less defined. We are multifaceted with changing tastes, and even the changes happen as an imperceptible slow boil, as opposed to the dramatic scenes of hair cutting and full wardrobe revamp that the media prefers.
If those clear cut boxes are what we're used to, the weird, floaty truth of ourselves as nebulous collections of preferences, experience, and the moment at hand can make us feel truly untethered. Consider the way fashion trends package looks as goth, or grunge, corporate, or whimsical: if we were dressing honestly (and I think a lot of us do), we’d mix and match like mofos. We’d bring touches of childlike wonder to our office outfits, and pops of punk to our femme summer chic. Because in real life, we’re incapable of being just one thing, especially not one thing consistently. We are meat bags of mood and movement, making a million minor adjustments over the course of a day to maintain our balance.
When either my daughter or sister hear me take a work call, they giggle at my customer service voice. It's not the voice I use with them, but rather the smooth, vaguely upbeat tone I take when opening a professional interaction. Even that can easily change over the course of a call. Sometimes people need less of a professional response, and more human-to-human support. They just want to know that someone hears them, understands them, and my voice slips into a kind, personal lilt as I assure them that I too am human, the system sucks, and we will try to get through together. With this voice, I talk people down from panic, from frustration, sometimes from tears. A different turn in the conversational tangle, and my voice hardens; I stop explaining answers, and start using definitives -- yeses and nos without any extraneous words. My boundaries stiffen, my intonation stays steady. I call this my Adult Voice, and while I hate having to use it (it puts all my fluffy dandelion vibes on the back burner, and it takes me a little while to get them going again), I'm glad I have it.
It’s part of who I am: a Bubbles who’s often a Buttercup, a Raphael who wants to be Splinter, a Pinky Pie with a Fluttershy streak, and a Starfire with a sizable dose of Raven. I'm growing into Bea Arthur's Dorothy (and loving it), though Betty White’s Rose surfaces more often than I like to admit. I'm none of the Friends, never did relate to that one, but I do think it's super cool that Lisa Kudrow had a biology degree before she started acting, and co-authored a published research paper the same year Friends started.
She's a great example of the multitudes we contain: an intellectual who changed her career trajectory, and made millions playing a ditz. She never stopped being an intellectual, she simply expanded the parameters of all she could be at once. And that's the lesson.
When we allow ourselves to be all that we are -- embracing the contradictions, and the odd bits that don't seem to fit -- we are being our fullest, most authentic selves. We’re all too old to stop listening to a band we like because it doesn't suit our overall style, and frankly, everything is like that. Stop chastising yourself for liking monster trucks and butterflies. Stop trying to fit your whole, expansive self into the tiny boxes created by situational comedies designed to allow our brains to check out. We are unique compilations of all that we’ve experienced, thought, and felt. We are alchemical creations, ever evolving, and no two people will ever be exactly the same -- thank heavens for that!
The more permission you give yourself to like what you like, and act how you feel most natural, the bigger your character grows, until there's no question of who you are, but rather the embodied statement of this is me.
GROW WITH US: Call for Writers
If you are obsessed with Montreal's music, dance, or visual art scenes, we want to give you the platform, and the tools, to write about it. 🎨✨
Forget The Box(.ca) is Montreal's most devoted online arts magazine, covering and amplifying ground level, underground, and marginalized art. We are the main project of Forget The Box Media, a federally incorporated not-for-profit organization. 🏛️
We are looking for people who are passionate about Montreal's arts community! Whether you're a seasoned journalist, an aspiring critic, or an artist who wants to pivot to writing, we provide the support to help you shape your ideas, alongside a dedicated platform to get your work published and read by the local community. 🫂
As we expand our coverage, we're looking to recruit writers interested in three vital sectors: music 🎸 everything from DIY loft shows and underground releases to local indie labels pushing boundaries; dance 💃 everything from street and contemporary, to experimental movement that defines Montreal's physical spaces; and visual art 🖼️ highlighting the indie galleries, street art, and artist-run centres that make up our city's creative ecosystem.
Forget The Box(.ca) offers writers:
💰 Honorariums
🧠 Writing Workshops
👥 One-on-one mentorship
🎟️ Access to local art events
📣 A Platform
🤝 Community
🚀 Open doors to larger publications
You don't need a big portfolio to start. If you have thoughts on local music, dance, or visual art, and want to spotlight some of the great work of local artists, reach out to us! 👋
📷 First photo: Provided by @growvemtl at @turbo_haus
📷 Second photo: Provided by @wafdcreations, taken by @susanmossphotography, featuring performers Rémy Saminadin, Nindy Banks, and Marie-Reine Kabasha
📷 Third photo: Provided by @wip.works, featuring work by @alexis1million
How to Apply: 📬
To get started, send an email to our Editor-in-Chief, Candice Ann, at candice@forgetthebox.ca. Tell us a bit about yourself, why you want to cover the scene, and any relevant experience you might have (experience is not required). 📩
GLOW STICKS OPTIONAL
This is the only true open mic night for electronic music in Montreal. Our motto says it all: Show up. Set up. Play!
If you want to perform, arrive between 7 PM - 8 PM so we can set you up before showtime!
(Latecomers are OK - but you will be inserted at the end of the other sets.)
Coming to watch? We have a community of regulars who play a wide range of styles from ambient to techno to harsh noise – so there will always be a full night of great music to enjoy.
No cover!
Arrive early for the best seats, and enjoy our menu of delicious Asian dumplings, pizzas, and nachos.
You'll also love playing our vintage pinball machines, pool table (free), and 80s arcade games!
FREE PARKING at the rear of the building (access via Benny Crescent).
WHAT: EMOM - Electronic Music Open Mic
WHERE: The Wheel Club, 3373 Cavendish Blvd., Montreal, H4B 1N2
WHEN: Thursday, July 2, Doors @ 7 PM, Show @ 8 PM
METRO: Vendôme (Orange)
DETAILS: Facebook
IMPERFECTIONS ARE BEAUTIFUL
We are very proud to have BBAM! Gallery host the first Montreal exhibition of the Imperfectionism movement as curated by the movement’s founder, Alaïa Parhizi, the Los Angeles based artist and co-founder of Wonzimer Gallery.
Alaïa Parhizi is the founder of Imperfectionism, an art movement and creative philosophy he established in 2014 as a direct counterpoint to perfectionism. Rather than treating perfection as an attainable goal, Parhizi defines it as a hypothetical construct and an illusion.
His movement actively challenges the contemporary obsession with flawless outcomes — especially in an era dominated by artificial intelligence, robotics, and digital automation.
Setting aside premeditation; presenting the collected artworks of artists who are free from old paradigms and limitations; giving themselves the space for a creative art practice that is focused and deeply liberated.
We are excited to support the expansion of AlaÏa’s curational vision - giving us the opportunity to introduce the artists and the artwork of the Imperfectionism Movement to Montreal!
The Montreal edition of Drawing From Imperfectionism has been carefully assembled and is an exciting showcase of artists from Montreal, Hawaii, Los Angeles, London (UK), and San Francisco.
WHAT: Vernissage - Drawing From Imperfections
WHERE: BBAM! Gallery, 808 Atwater Ave., Montreal, H4C 2G9
WHEN: Friday, July 3, 5 PM - 9 PM
METRO: Lionel-Groulx (Green & Orange)
DETAILS: Facebook
LIBERTY SPIKES OPTIONAL
Do you like getting drunk in a park? Does the thought of ingesting veggie dogs and hot PBR while attempting hand-eye coordination fill you with glee?
Come one, come all, to Parc Lalancette to engage in a time honored tradition passed down from our late friend Steve.
The afternoon of debauchery will include, for those brave enough to engage, a kickball match where we will pit two rivaling neighborhoods against each other: HOCHELAGA vs MILE END.
Followed by an evening of merriment at Foufs with a selection of local minstrels.
Feast: 1 PM
Games: 3 PM
Show @ Foufs: 8 PM
Get off yer ass!
Up the Punx, Tabarnak!
WHAT: Punx Picnic!
WHERE: Parc Lalancette, 2315 Rue Nicolet, Montréal, QC H1W 3P3
WHEN: Saturday, July 4, Shenanigans start @ 1 PM
METRO: Joliette (Green)
DETAILS: AskAPunk
CONCERTS ROCK
Fraser Wayne & The Desert Eagles’ new record Follow The Darkness Into The Light is out June 13th via Good Gourd Records, and we have a mighty fine line up to celebrate the release in Montreal with Spank Williams & The Bottle Depot Boys + Martin Saint (full band).
FRASER WAYNE & THE DESERT EAGLES
Born and raised in rural Ontario, bandleader and songwriter, Fraser Wayne, cut their teeth in the music world after moving to Montreal in 2014 and forming seminal garage rock band, The Fuzzy Undertones. Wayne was an integral part of the underground music scene in Montreal for the past 10 years before making the move back to Ontario to work on a farm and form a backing band of Toronto city rock n roll legends dubbed “The Desert Eagles.” The resulting project breaks into some diverse influences, ranging from Canadiana, folk-rock, spaghetti western sound- tracks and more. The group, including members of ROY, Darryl Hannah, Easy Rider, and other local acts, will be releasing their first full length album in the summer of 2026 via Good Gourd Records. Fraser has also collaborated with Kyle Popovich on a video series for the album, with the latest instalment, ‘Autumn Song,’ out now.
A cowpoke of many hats – you can catch Fraser playing an intimate solo set at your local dive bar, or headlining festivals with a full backing band – always blending their country / rock n roll influences with honest-to-the-bone lyricism. Wayne’s dedication to emotional authenticity from a queer perspective, has made them a mainstay in the burgeoning Toronto country music scene. With years of performing and touring experience behind them, including supporting slots for Zachary Lucky, Bobby Dove, Li’l Andy, Spindrift and The Sadies, Fraser Wayne’s haunting, gothic take on country and western is set to take no prisoners.
SPANK WILLIAMS & THE BOTTLE DEPOT BOYS
Currently based in Montreal, Spank Williams is a five piece country band from Vancouver, British Columbia which takes as much from Hank Williams as they do from Tom Waits. The band has been cutting their teeth playing the bar and underground circuit of Vancouver for the last few years, before packing up and heading to Montreal for a good time. Growing up in between the streets of Merritt BC and the streets of east Vancouver, Spank Williams takes influence from a multitude of genres and artists. Bringing high energy and an undying work ethic to everything they do, the band is currently recording new singles and looking to tour more of Canada. "The only artist to ever win country music rookie of the year twice in a row"
MARTIN SAINT (FULL BAND)
Canadian singer‑songwriter and guitarist Martin Saint has long been a familiar presence in Montreal's alternative scene, yet his creative path in recent years has taken a marked turn. After years spent contributing to other projects, he stepped into his own artistic space, carving out a distinctive solo identity. His music moves through dark indie rock with post‑punk undertones, carried by introspective, quietly cinematic songwriting. With several albums and EPs now behind him, Saint continues to evolve — restless, reflective, and always in search of the next idea worth exploring. In this conversation, he speaks about the creative drive that leads him across multiple artistic fields, the importance of lyrics in his songwriting, his recently published poetry collection, and more.
$15 in advance
$20 at the door
WHAT: Fraser Wayne + Spank Williams + Martin Saint
WHERE: L’Escogriffe, 4461 St. Denis St., Montreal, H2J 2L2
WHEN: Saturday, July 4, Doors @ 8 PM, Show @ 830 PM
METRO: Mont-Royal (Orange)
TICKETS: Tixert
CULTURAL EXPERIENCE / DEVOTION IN THE PARK
An incredible cultural experience, with a parade, music, and delicious food! A feast for the eyes, a carnival for the spirit!
Namaste!
Welcome to the 46th annual Ratha Yatra Chariot Festival!
This is a must attend free event for all ages! Experience the beautiful, vibrant, welcoming, fun and mystical ambiance of traditional and exotic India. This is a Quebec production and collaboration of two Québec non-profit organizations: ISKCON Montreal and Festivals of India.
On Saturday, July 4th, join us for the launch of Ratha-Yatra with a grand parade, dancing and singing, accompanied by kirtan (mantra combined with melody) all the way to the park destination, where over 10 000 free delicious vegan plates await the public!
This is a sensational weekend of joyful community vibes, creating opportunities for an inclusive and multi-sensory experience for all to participate in Ratha-Yatra cultural activities:
main stage cultural entertainment, with Québec and international artists featuring traditional classical Indian music, singing styles and dance
free vegan feast
musical mantra-meditation (kirtan)
spiritual book fair and philosophical presentations
vendors village
cultural exhibits
henna art and face-painting
kids corner and much more!!!
The festival is an opportunity to build bridges by showcasing the uniqueness of traditional Indian cultural heritage stemming from the ancient civilization that continues to stand the test of time through many disciplines and many communities around the world.
The parade begins on Saturday, July 4 @ 12 PM, corner of St Laurent and Milton.
Then it's off to a weekend of free activities and entertainment at the park!
Hare Krishna!
WHAT: Ratha-Yatra
WHERE: Jeanna Mance Park, 4422 Esplanade Ave., Montreal, H2W 1T2
WHEN: Saturday, July 4, 12 PM - 730 PM, Sunday, July 5, 12 PM - 6 PM
METRO: Mont-Royal (Orange)
DETAILS: Facebook
World’s Smallest Comedy Night has so many cool things happening, so here are their events this week in order!
What Do You Know? Like, Seriously…
Tonight! Come to Hurley's for Trivia Night, and get bonus laughter! Enjoy delicious pub fare, and get ready to show off your trivia skills. Grab your team, and enjoy this night of comedy, friendly competition, and great company!
This edition is hosted by Vance Michel.
WHAT: Trivia Night at Hurley's
WHERE: Hurley's Irish Pub, 1225 Crescent St., Montreal, H3G 2B1
WHEN: Every Wednesday @ 8 PM
METRO: Lucien l'Allier (Orange) & Guy-Concordia (Green)
RSVP: Eventbrite
Classic Coke
Beat the Monday Blues with WSC’s OG offering, The World's Smallest Comedy Night!
Enjoy a showcase of the best comedians in the city, hot up-and-comers, national and international touring comics, and surprises!
This edition is hosted by Walter Lyng.
WHAT: World's Smallest Comedy Night
WHERE: Hurley's Irish Pub, 1225 Crescent St., Montreal, H3G 2B1
WHEN: Every Monday, Doors @ 7 PM, Show @ 8 PM
METRO: Lucien l'Allier (Orange) & Guy-Concordia (Green)
TICKETS: Eventbrite
Dirty Monday
The Monday Night Dirty Mic is the place to be! Hosted by Vance Michel, every show is an unpredictable and unique experience as a hilarious collection of comedians from newbs to pros take the stage. See the best before anyone else, and catch seasoned locals doing their freshest funnies!
Comics: show-up, sign-up
WHAT: Monday Night Dirty Mic
WHERE: Hurley's Irish Pub, 1225 Crescent St., Montreal, H3G 2B1
WHEN: Every Monday, Sign-up @ 10 PM, Show @ 1030 PM
METRO: Lucien l'Allier (Orange) & Guy-Concordia (Green)
DETAILS: Facebook
