History lesions

"We come in peace…" Histories of the Americas brings together art exploring disparate "historical" moments that range from the early contact of European and indigenous cultures to Ozzy Osbourne pissing on the wall at the Alamo. Unfortunately, even the slick gallery setting and glossy publication filled with explanatory art texts (nothing but a chore to read, as usual), can't disguise the fact that many of these pieces are downright lame.

An artist copying a bunch of images from 1950s history textbooks, Daniel Boone being sodomized in a gaudy oil painting or Marguerite Bourgeoys' writings being made illegible by covering them in paint are in no way shocking, original or liberating in this day and age. Thankfully, there are some interesting works that actually speak louder without using such obvious means to get our attention. Take Manuel Pina's photographs of public squares in Havana that are missing their central monuments, Christian Silva's "Conversation Piece" maquette of Santiago's National Stadium in Chile - which over time went from soccer field to torture chamber and back again - and Rosângela Rennó's scratchy blank film containing only the sound of wind and sea. All three successfully give a voice to those missing from history by reminding us of their absence. The show runs at the Musée d'art contemporain until Sept. 5. » Christine Redfern

Theatre and the Woolf

It's a last call for dance at Studio 303 (372 Ste-Catherine W.) before they close shop for summer. In their 116th edition of the Vernissage Danse series, this Saturday, June 5, be prepared for a night of variety.

First up, Geneviève Lechasseur takes us through a metaphorical voyage in Naissance d'une nymph, taking us on her journey from nymph to chrysalis. In another more out-of this-world trip, Nina Galea performs her solo piece, Excerpts From Heaven and Earth, a celebration of life and love.

Taking a somewhat heavier direction, Brennan Gerard and Ryan Kelly of Moving Theater take a close look at the life of Virginia Woolf, focusing on illness and art in their piece, babble. Then it's back to fun and games with UQÀM dance graduate Marie Béland, who guides us through a playful romp without a plot that she calls L'enchâssement. » Marites Carino

Class clowns

More than 60 flipping, flying, contorting and clowning students of the National Circus School strut their stuff at their annual show, 3, the first one at their new space in St-Michel (8181 2nd Avenue) - right next to the Cirque du Soleil's head office. The only school in North America to offer a recognized circus diploma, NCS opened the Cité des arts du cirque last December as a centre for both training and performance of circus arts. Its largest studio doubles as a 400-seat performance space, wherein this dazzling shebang goes down from June 3–13, $18–$22, 982-0859 or www.admission.com. » Matthew Woodley

Free play

Poet and chronicler Byron Coley has been covering alternative culture for the past 25 years in magazines like New York Rocker, Spin, Forced Exposure and The Wire. "The stuff that I have always liked is high-energy improvisation," Coley says. "I've been collecting it heavily since the early '80s, when I worked in a record store out in L.A." Not surprisingly, he's sharing the Casa del Popolo stage (4873 St-Laurent) this Sunday with astoundingly hot improv musicians like drummer Chris Corsano, legendary sax man Paul Flaherty and guitarist Christina Carter of Charalambides. "Enthusiastic, youthful people are a joy to be around," Coley enthuses. The poetry he'll be reading springs from a similarly subterranean source. "Thurston Moore and me were collecting vast amounts of '60s poetry," he explains, "and when these guys started dying, the only way to respond to it was to start writing." Presented by L'Oie de Cravan, June 6, $8–$10. » Vincent Tinguely

Is it Art?

BITCHIN' BREWS: Beer is an integral part of festival season and - still unbeknownst to some - the imminent season has its own festival of beer. The Mondiale de la bière is much more palate-pleaser than piss-up, of course, with a selection of hundreds of lagers, ales and stouts and people who know a lot about the differences between them - taken with a grain of hops of course, 'cause how serious can beer tasting get? Of the 155 new flavours at this festival, a local making its debut is MonKriek, brewed by Mile-End watering hole Dieu du Ciel! especially for the festival. It runs until June 6, noon–11 p.m., at Windsor Station and Courtyard (1160 de la Gauchetière W, corner Peel). Admission is free and 3- to 4-ounce tastings range from one to five coupons, which are a buck each.

ArtsHole

DRAGS DELIVER: The annual Drag en Direct night gets a little dirtier this year with Sex Drags & Rock 'n' Roll, which kicks of on Wednesday, June 9 at 8 p.m., with live painting by artists and drag queens, followed by an auction hosted by Mado at 10 before the party kicks into full chorus at 11:30 with Plastik Patrik on the decks. It's at Cabaret Mado (1115 Ste-Catherine E.). • IMPERIAL ROLES: Karen Tam puts Chinese identity perception on a platter with her deconstruction and re-creation of an Asian eatery, Gold Mountain Restaurant, inside the MAI (3680 Jeanne-Mance) until June 19.

ARTISTAT: Number of new members reading from and launching their books as part of the League of Canadian Poets' Annual General Meeting, this Friday, June 4, 7–9 p.m., at the Holiday Inn (420 Sherbrooke W.), free: 26

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