Armed at the animal farm

Heat-packin' pigs, two-headed ducks, mutants and the like are Richard Suicide's weapons of choice these days. Briefly trading pen for brush, the artist (whose illustrations often appear in these pages) opens his Cinquante cinq raisons pour poser des bombes on Monday, Nov. 17, with an explosive 5 à 7 at the Cheval Blanc (809 Ontario E.).

Suicide's cheerfully cheeky style speaks to the four year old in us with a special grown-up twist. "I like to hook people with humour," he says, "but I'm constantly revolting against things that are going on. I didn't want to draw Charlton Heston, you know, so I drew Porky Pig with a gun. They're the same image to me."

The 55 acrylic paintings in Suicide's series, which will be displayed in comic-panel style, take on themes of war, power, chemicals in our food and other things that bug him. Ducks figure prominently. "I have a two-year-old daughter and there are little rubber duckies all over my house," he explains.

Cinquante cinq raisons shows until Dec. 14. In the meantime, Suicide is going back to comics and working on a book for French publisher Les Requins Marteaux. » Matthew Woodley

A round of shots, please

After nine years as a Bifteck barmaid, Susan Moss is perhaps better known for her beer-slingin', sailor-shamin' ways than her parallel career as a photographer. This month, however, a collection of her made-in-Montreal music memories will adorn the watering hole's stuccoed walls.

"A lot of musicians have come through here over the years," she muses, "so it was inevitable that I'd show my band photos at the bar."

Titled This Ain't No Disco (a variation of jeers shouted by staff after last call), the collection of 18 large-format portraits and stage shots range from the Beastie Boys to Bob Dylan, Nashville Pussy to Emimen, along with locals like Tricky Woo and UVBC. "My style is very rock 'n' roll," Moss explains. "It's old school, I use available light, no flash, no digital shit - so the results are grainy and raw."

With the exception of its poorly attended Rothko Retrospective, tonight, Nov. 13, at 8 p.m., marks Bifteck's first official hi-culture vernissage. All are welcome to "come and get loaded!" at 3702 St-Laurent. » Sarah Musgrave

Shit stories

One of Montreal's veteran punk performers, Norman Nawrocki, is hooking up with DOA frontman Joey Shithead for a night of fiddle, acoustic guitar and fond memories. "I helped put on the first DOA show here in Montreal in 1983," says Nawrocki. "Five DOA members sleeping on the floor - the whole apartment shook when they snored!" Shithead will read from I, Shithead, a memoir of endless tours, sharing the stage with bands like The Clash, The Dead Kennedys, Nirvana and B.T.O. Nawrocki will read from his own book of road stories, The Anarchist & The Devil Do Cabaret. Nov. 20, 9 p.m., at Casa del Popolo (4873 St-Laurent).

Likewise noteworthy, on November 14, the Perpetual Motion Roadshow with indie writers from Toronto, Chicago and Montreal, hits Zeke's Gallery (3955 St-Laurent) at 7:30 p.m. » Vincent Tinguely

Electro-emotions and skin hooks

Elektra is back and bringing together top practitioners from what seems like every art form - and beyond. Nov 13–14, Granular Synthesis, the duo composed of Kurt Hentschläger and Ulf Langheinrich, presents 360 at Usine C (1345 Lalonde). They refer to their installations as "electronic emotion machines" designed to "overwhelm the human sensory apparatus." In 360, modulations of light, colour and sound converge in a 360-degree virtual theatre that envelops the audience within a circle of 16 screens.

On Saturday, at the same venue, locals Simon Laroche and Étienne Grenier, part of the Automates Surlaplage collective, present Spamspasmes. The shiver-inducing setup involves pulling a person using a robotic structure that attaches to their skin via hooks. This performance ends an unbelievably diverse evening showcasing five videos that includes the work of Marie Chouinard (dance), Brothers Quay (film) and Gmunk (Web). See all the goodies at www.elektrafestival.ca. » Christine Redfern

Is it Art?

EATING THE MOULD: While there are still those who wouldn't dare deviate from Play Doh as their modeling product of choice, scores of people have switched to a different dough in the past decade. Tutti Frutti, a Canadian upstart in 1993, is now celebrating its 10th birthday on shelves in 40 countries around the world. The moulding substance triumphs over its big-name competition in several ways: it's softer, less crumbly, and when you forget to put the cap on the container, a little water and kneading will restore the stuff to its original state. It also comes in 30 colours and scents, such as orange juice, cookie and raisin bread, which, assuming a good deal of Tutti Frutti gets eaten, could be the true recipe for its success. Available in toy stores.

ArtsHole

ACCORDION AND THE ABSURD: One part psychodrama, one part comedy, Marie Pascale Bélanger's quirky choreography, Un 2 sur le dos, featuring dancers Elinor Fueter and Anne-Marie Jourdenais and an accordion-heavy soundscape by Rodrigo Rojas, is at Tangente (840 Cherrier) Nov 13–16, $10–$12, 525-5584. • HEY THESPIANS: When Halle Berry snagged Best Actress at the 2002 Oscars, she thanked her acting coach Ivana Chubbuck. Benson Simmonds, one of three teachers in Canada authorized to pass on Chubbuck's technique, will be in Montreal to give workshops from Nov. 23–27, 771-0432 for more info.

ARTISTAT: Number of things that artist Gwen MacGregor owns as reflected through a meticulous snapshot documentation of her worldly possessions, part of her photo/video exhibition, My Place, Around, 7pm, Nov. 14–Dec. 13 at La Centrale (460 Ste-Catherine W., #506): 1,200

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