Entertainment Notebook: Live Aid 40 Montreal; Ian Ziering Montreal-bound; McGill

Forty years ago – July 13, 1985 – the world stopped as the biggest names in music gathered at Wembley Stadium in London, England and JFK Stadium in Philadelphia to fight famine in Africa. Many of the performances, notably by Queen, U2,The Who, Elton John, Dire Straits, The Pretenders, Tom Petty & The Heart- breakers, Black Sabbath and Phil Collins were unforgettable.

On Thursday October 30 ( doors open at 6 pm, showtime 7 pm) in the historic La Grand Salle at Le 9e ( 1500 rue Robert Bourassa),  Billy Bob Productions and Le 9e will present Live Aid 40 Montreal to benefit MotherFood International, a Montreal based non-profit organization dedicated to combating child and maternal malnutrition worldwide. “While incredible progress has been made in the global fight against hunger and famine, the crisis is far from over,” says MotherFood International co-founder Jeff Baikowitz. “Malnutrition is still responsible for half of all deaths in children under five, claiming the lives of over 3 million children each year, far more than wars, climate change, malaria and AIDS combined. Live Aid 40 Montreal is more than a concert. It’s a chance to act and be part of a global movement that affects real change, once again. Because the fight isn’t over. But neither is the hope.”

Juno award winner Dawn Tyler Watson, guitar slingers Shane Murphy and Steve Hill, Jake Clemons of The E Street Band, dynamic rock frontman Jonas, the  return of the legendary Frank Marino (joined by  his former Mahogany Rush drummer Josh Trager),  East Coast rocker Adam Baldwin, and The Alternative All Stars featuring Howard Bilerman, Dan Boeckner (Wolf Parade), Tim Kingsbury (Arcade Fire) and Patrick Stickles (Titus Andronicus) are among two dozen artists who will take the stage at Le 9e to perform some of the most iconic songs from the original Live Aid concert. More musicians will be announced shortly.

Tickets are $85 via Feverup.com and much more information is available at liveaid40montreal.com, including VIP Experience (first three rows) with an open bar. In order to keep the concert experience intimate and unique, ticket sales are limited to 300 seats.

SMASH OUT SKIN CANCER: The second annual Smash Out Skin Cancer Celebrity Pickleball Tournament presented by Eucerin Sun Protection returns to Montreal, offering another exciting and memorable experience. This unique event raises essential funds for Melanoma Canada’s melanoma and skin cancer patient community and initiatives, such as the Sun Guardians Grant Program, which promotes sun safety and equips future generations with the tools they need to stay safe in the sun.

This event will take place on Sat. Oct. 25 at The Royal Westcourt Social Club in Dollard des Ormeaux and the tournament will feature competitive pickleball, a high-energy celebration, and fundraising in support of melanoma and skin cancer education, prevention, and patient care. This year, Hollywood stars Andrew Keegan (10 Things I Hate About You, Party of Five) and Ian Ziering (Beverly Hills 90210, Sharknado) will swap the spotlight for the pickleball court, lending their talents and voices to help raise awareness about the importance of sun safety. Players of all skill levels are invited to form a team of two and join the tournament by raising a minimum of $1,000. The top fundraising teams will earn the once-in-a-lifetime chance to face Keegan and Ziering in an exclusive Celebrity Showdown exhibition match.

Throughout the day, participants and spectators alike can enjoy not only the thrill of the tournament but also a vibrant “Pickle Party,” featuring cocktails, gourmet bites, live entertainment, auctions, prizes, and more. Fans will have the chance to cheer on the athletes, meet celebrity guests, and support Melanoma Canada’s Sun Guardians Grant Program, which equips children and families with essential sun-safety items, including sunscreen, UPF clothing, hats, and shade tents. The tournament runs from 11 am to 7 pm, with pickleball enthusiasts, families, and community members encouraged to attend, watch the action, and participate in the festivities. Whether competing, cheering from the sidelines, or celebrating at the Pickle Party, every paddle, rally, and donation helps Melanoma Canada rally for a sun-safe future.

Melanoma Canada advocates for and supports Canadians living with melanoma and skin cancer by providing helpful resources, education, psychosocial support services, and more. Pickleball is often played during peak UV hours with little to no shade, making this tournament the perfect way to educate pickleball enthusiasts and raise funds while having fun on the court.Skin cancer is the most common cancer in Canada. Each year, over 91,000 people in Canada are diagnosed with melanoma and skin cancer, and every day, 3 to 4 people lose their lives to melanoma. Just one blistering sunburn in childhood can double a person’s lifetime risk of developing melanoma, highlighting the urgent need for prevention and education.

Funds raised will provide resources, education, and support for important initiatives at Melanoma Canada, such as the Sun Guardians Grant Program, which provides sun safety tools and education to kids and youth across the country. Learn more at www.sunguardians.ca.

For more information and to register go to https://melanomanetwork.akaraisin.com/ui/Smashout25

McGILL SYMPOSIUM: The McGill Trottier Public Science Symposium will focus on The Genesis of the COVID Vaccine: The Path to the Nobel Prize on Tuesday, Oct. 21 (7 pm) at the Leacock Building (Room 132, 855 rue Sherbrooke Ouest).This year’s guest is Nobel Laureate and co-creator of the COVID vaccine Dr. Drew Weissman. He’ll be giving his talk, “Serendipity, Rejection, Grit and Determination—The Genesis of the Covid Vaccine and the Path to the Nobel.” The event is free and open to the public. It will not be live-streamed; a recording will be made available and posted on the McGill Office for Science and Society website (mcgill.ca/oss) after the event. Registration required. Please check out the event page for a summary of Dr. Weissman’s talk! Details: https://www.mcgill.ca/oss/events/trottier-symposium/genesis-covid-vaccine.

BOOK TALK:Richard Dagenais will be at Indigo Pointe-Claire Sun. Nov. 2 ( 11am to 3pm) for an author event. His holiday book, The Christmas Cab, will once again be available in stores after Halloween.

Meanwhile, here is a look at  How People See by Terry Ades – 

Set in Montreal during the early to mid-1990s, the novel follows Oscar Horvath, a middle-aged Hungarian-Canadian cab driver whose finances, marriage, and sense of dignity are falling apart. His wife Louise, a younger French-Canadian woman, is loving but naïve and often driven by shallow dreams—new furniture, a bigger house, and later, a doomed attempt to sell Tupperware. Their teenage son Steve is quiet, creative, and increasingly detached from his parents’ failures.

The book opens on New Year’s Eve, 1994, when Oscar—working long hours to pay mounting debts—is robbed and beaten by three young passengers. Left injured and half-frozen in Mount Royal Park, he barely survives. His long convalescence at home exposes class tensions, linguistic divisions, and gender roles within Quebec’s working class. His in-laws, the Dumonts, meddle constantly; Louise tries to help by getting a cab licence and selling household goods, but her efforts only deepen Oscar’s resentment and humiliation.

As the story moves toward the 1995 Quebec referendum, the couple’s personal struggles mirror the province’s identity crisis: English vs. French, dependence vs. independence, pride vs. survival. Oscar’s failing car, chronic pain, and bitterness symbolize a man—and a society—stuck between eras.

Later sections broaden the lens to other characters in Montreal’s immigrant and Francophone communities, revealing intersecting stories of poverty, loneliness, and hope. Through spare, realistic scenes and dark humor, Ades shows how people misjudge one another—how they see only what they need to see.

By the final chapters, Oscar’s life has contracted to small, routine gestures. His marriage is worn but endures in habit and dependence. The title, How People See, refers both to literal perception and to empathy—how perception is shaped by class, culture, and fatigue.

For more details go here.

IMAGO THEATRE’S NEW SHOW:  Imago Theatre will present the world premiere of Cult Play  from October 22 to November 2 at the Segal Centre for Performing Arts. This production intertwines live performance with digital archives. The audience plays an active role throughout the show, leaving a lasting impact on them. “It began with heartbreak,” says playwright Scout Rexe. “In some dark months of the pandemic, I witnessed a wave of cult documentaries being consumed. What was driving this voracious consumption? Titillation? Self-soothing? A sense of superiority? I wanted to flip the lens: what would it take to lure me in?

“Cults often exploit or suppress sex as a means of control,” they continue. “In Cult Play a fictional group co-opts kink and queerness to commodify and subjugate queer women. Its erotic power structure distorts real-world BDSM norms into something far more insidious. That tension—the line between consensual kink and coercive manipulation — sits at the very heart of this play.”

Rexe’s other works explore cancel culture, trans identity and the legacy of cultural icons. Their works also discuss frictions between generations, fame and the blurring of public and private selves. Themes of queerness play a central part in Rexe’s works as they offer their personal lens throughout their writing.

Over the last two years, Imago Theatre’s Creators Circle Play Development Program has been a part of Cult Play’s evolution. With a cornerstone of Imago’s mission being to prioritize the development of new plays, and queer artists whose voices are underrepresented in theatre, they are looking forward to bringing Cult Play to the stage for the first time.

“Our shows this season are set in Montreal and defy western dramatic theatrical form,” says Krista Jackson, Imago Theatre’s Artistic Director. “In the current climate, queer people continue to be silenced, dehumanized and erased.”

Info: https://www.imagotheatre.ca/

ROYALMOUNT IN FASHION: On Thursday, Oct. 23 (7 pm) Royalmount will be hosting a complimentary winter fashion show in their urban park to give Montrealers a sneak preview into the winter collections of some of the lifestyle destination’s most coveted brands. Seven standout brands, Boss, Mackage, Moose Knuckles, Rudsak, Quartz Co., Michael Kors and Sports Experts, will unveil their Fall–Winter collections, set to a live performance by Milk & Bone. Visitors are invited to watch the from three different spots: elevated – from the Fou Fou terrace (2nd floor), with seated views overlooking the runway; immersive – in the Parc urbain, standing room only, where fashion and music meet up close; and front row , guests can book a table on Balam’s terrace, directly alongside the runway.  Get your tickets here.

VAMPIRE BALL: Le Fou Fou, the fabulous Royalmount Food Hall,  is bringing back the Vampire Ball again this October 31. Prepare for an evening of thrilling entertainment, from live music and burlesque performances to tarot readings, transformative face painting, and other mysterious surprises. Celebrate Halloween this Fall like never before – if you dare. This is already considered one of Montréal’s most exciting Halloween events, with tickets at $35 including a complimentary drink. This event is 18+ (ID required). Doors open at 8:00 PM on October 31. Ticket info here.  

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