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Divers/Cité
>> The Pride festival’s
10th anniversary offers
by MARK SLUTSKY There’s no denying that the annual Divers/Cité parade ranks for many as one of the summer’s highlights. As parades go, it’s certainly the most fun, last year attracting somewhere in the neighbourhood of 750,000 participants, onlookers and well-wishers. But while the parade might be its most high-profile event, Divers/Cité itself-celebrating its 10th anniversary this year-has swollen into a cultural festival of mammoth proportions. This year’s festivities include concerts, film screenings, dance shows, a community fair, and, of course, tons of parties. Below you’ll find a thorough guide to the 11-day carnival of Pride that is Divers/Cité.
The festival kicks off in grand style on Monday, July 29, with the perennially popular event Mado au Casino. Hosted by Montreal’s beloved queen of drag, Mado Lamotte, the event promises, as always, bingo, bitchiness and koo-koo cabaret. Be warned: this one usually sells out, so don’t forget to pick up your tix early. The mostly-French fun begins at the Cabaret du Casino at 8 p.m., and it’ll cost you $29.99. That same night also features a festival first-a film screening. On the bill is French director Christian Faure’s Juste une question d’amour, a movie originally made for TV about two boys in love that’s since become a bit of a cult phenomenon across the pond. The movie starts at 9 p.m. at Parc Émilie-Gamelin, aka Berri Square. Incidentally, Émilie-Gamelin plays host to most of Divers/Cité’s outdoor events, and while they’re largely free, a $2 donation to support the festival is suggested. The following evening, Tuesday, July 30, sees the outdoor mega-concert 1, Boulevard des rêves, a grand affair with a list of Quebec performers as long as your arm. Hosted by Marleen Ménard and Joe Bocan, the line-up includes Louise Forestier, Sylvie Desgroseillers, Charles Biddles, Jr., Mario Simard, Nancy Martinez and a bunch of other stars. Again, it’s at Parc Émilie-Gamelin, 8 p.m., and you know the deal with the donation. More high culture is in store at Divers/Cité’s annual dance event, Flexx, the next night, Wednesday, July 31. This year’s show is high on prestige, with Les Ballets jazz de Montréal, Les Grands Ballets Canadiens and the Jeune Ballet du Québec participating, as well as T.O. “techno-ballet” fave, electric violinist Dr. Draw and Montreal artists Dave St-Pierre and Fabio Dórea. Les Ballets jazz will be performing a couple of short works, Les Grands Ballets will be showing off Minus 1, their recent tribute to Israeli choreographer Ohad Naharin, and the Jeune Ballet will be busting it to French composer Erik Satie’s “Gnossienes.” Can you guess where it is? Parc Émilie-Gamelin, at 8 p.m., that’s right! Diversing the cité While the fest features its share of DJs and musicians in the technological vein (more on that below), its other musical selections really put the “diverse” in Divers/Cité. Cachondo: La Noche latina promises a sizzlin’ night of Latin selections, with musicians Paolo Ramos, Trabuco Havanero, Monica Freire, Nico Beki, DJ Viktor Zaa, and Barbara Yousi playing everything from Cuban tunes to Latin House. Wear your dancing shoes to Parc Émilie-Gamelin on Thursday, Aug. 1, 8 p.m. The next night, Friday, Aug. 2, at the same place, features the crazy New Society, an event mixing couture, electronic music and-bicycles? If you say so. There’ll be a fashion show, music from Swede trancers Dynamic, and 170 Toronto cyclists from the Friends for Life Bike Rally. The multidisciplinary madness kicks off at 5 p.m. and continues on till 11 p.m. The first Saturday of the fest, Aug. 3, sees Divers/Cité’s Community Day, an afternoon event jam-packed with info booths from community organizations and other interested parties. There’s also entertainment mixed in with the kiosks: performances from choirs Le Choeur Ouvert and Extravanganza, dance (choreographed by Pierre-Paul Savoie) by Séro-Zéro’s Re-pairs, a flag-twirling demonstration, and Duo d’Enfer, a dog/owner look-alike competition. Just like in those commercials! Along Berri between Ste-Catherine and René-Lévesque, 11 a.m.–5 p.m. Things get even wilder that night with Mascara, la nuit des drags, a crazily huge drag show bound to attract an audience in the thousands. The event’s hosted by none other than the above-mentioned Mado Lamotte. Expect dozens of drag queens from all over doin’ what they do best. Mascara’s another outdoor show, taking place at the corner of Berri and Ontario, again for a suggested donation of $2. The show starts at 8 p.m. but you can show up as early as 6 p.m. if you want a good spot.
Let the dancing begin! Friday night, Aug. 2, features Homorama, a fetish-friendly shindig at Parking (1296 Amherst). Music will be provided by DJ Mat Ste-Marie and MC Faucon. The fun begins at 10 p.m., and at a suggested donation of $5 or more it’s definitely, as the party is billed, “cheap, in every sense of the word.” Tix aren’t being sold in advance; you can get ’em at the door.
The next day, of course, is the parade, capped off by even more parties. But before we get around to those, a couple words about the parade itself. Once again it’ll travel along René-Lévesque, starting at Guy and ending up at St-Denis. The festivities begin at noon, and there’ll be a minute of silence at 1:30 p.m. Make sure you bring lots of water and high-SPF sunblock, and try your hardest not to overdo it, ’cause lots more craziness awaits you at the end of the procession.
Around the corner on Berri between Ontario and de Maisonneuve, an all-star Divers/Cité T-Dance will be in effect. From 1–11 p.m., Alain Vinet, Mark Anthony and Abel will all do their best to make you move your tired bodies. Plus there’ll be a dance piece by Patrick Guay (with singing by Dawn Tyler Watson) and a super closing spectacular show featuring Barbara Araya, Dr. Draw, Naliça Bunny, Madame Simone, Nikola Torriero, Rafaele Artiglieri, M. Girard and Louis Veillette. Whew!
Further complicating your schedule on that busy Sunday will be another pair of parties to meet your diverse musical tastes. Discoville, on Ste-Catherine between Berri and St-Denis, will feature the DJ talents of Bobzilla, Mario Bross, Mario Leonard and Mado, dropping some crazy retro steez, as the title of the event suggests. Discoville go-gos from 1:30–11 p.m. One street over, on de Maisonneuve between Berri and St-Denis, and occupying the same block of time, SexGarage holds sway. DJs Zïlon, Ave Mario and Joffrey will lay down all the electro, new wave and “alternative” you can handle. If your muscles haven’t already locked up in exhaustion by then, you might want to swing by a couple of parties later that night. The always popular Meow Mix event, “for bent girls and their buddies,” kicks it uptown at La Sala Rossa (4848 St-Laurent). DJ Mim spins, and the fun begins at 10 p.m., $7. Finally, Aria hosts Pride Ball, the fest’s closing event with DJs Rob Di Stefano, J-Cue, Lydia Prim and David Knapp, Sylvain Roy, Serge Duchesne, Stéfane Lippé, Norm Roberts and Gilles Massicotte. This one runs all night, 11 p.m.–8 a.m., and costs $30–35. In addition to the above, Divers/Cité will also see a plethora of affiliated events, from productions of Mambo Italiano (in French) and Cabaret (in English), to the Rainbow Awards Gala. : For more information on all things Divers/Cité, check www.diverscite.org or call 285-4011 |
Make
sure you stretch properly Saturday morning; a jam-packed dance-a-thon
awaits partygoers all weekend. The annual T-Dance in the Park starts
at 5 p.m. in Parc Émilie-Gamelin, with American DJ David Knapp
and Montreal T-Dance vet DJ Norm Roberts spinning. That ends at 11 p.m.,
and from there you have two options, depending on your tastes: Pride
Ritual or Lesbomonde. Pride Ritual, at Aria (1280 St-Denis) starts at
11 p.m. and doesn’t let up till 8 a.m. the next morning. Mark
Anthony will be spinning, as will Miami’s DJ Abel. Plus, there’ll
be a special performance by Sheena Hershey, who’ll sing “Spirits
of Pride.” That’ll cost you $30–35. Over at Lesbomonde,
at the Just for Laughs Museum (2111 St-Laurent), an all-star team of
DJs will be on hand, with DJ Maryse and Sylvie G. spinning in one room
and DJs Kani and Pascale rocking one salle over. Touria hosts, and tix
will set you back $15–20.
The
homo stretch