Friday, June 9

Ron English

Canada’s Formula 1 will be raising the checkered flag for the big race at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve on Sunday, as well as Crescent Street and St-Laurent Blvd., parts of which will be closed to cars for Grand Prix celebrations all weekend, beginning today. Alongside the official parties and events will be tons of unofficial and even “off” events, which paradoxically counter racing and car culture and benefit from the Grand Prix simultaneously.

Feminist art gallery la Centrale hosts a vernissage for the off-Mural exhibition Soft Sprays featuring works by local and international women and gender non-conforming graffiti artists including Starchild Stela, Shalak Attack, Ms Teri and MRS. 4296 St-Laurent, 5–7 p.m., free

Art Star Ron English is in town as part of this year’s Mural Fest program, and you’ll be able to say hello at tonight’s vernissage for his Popaganda Pop-Up featuring prints, toys, t-shirts, books and other pop art ephemera. 3845 St-Laurent, 6–9 p.m., free

Also as part of Mural Fest, a stack of cool local acts will be playing the main stage on St-Laurent, namely Duchess Says (synth-punk), No Joy (shoegaze), We Are Wolves (electro/rock), Husser (rap), Ragers (trap) and Nino Brown (rap). 3527 St-Laurent, 6–11 p.m., free

Dance à la Afro-house at Mile End nightclub Datcha, Poirier and Mr. Touré (Qualité de Luxe) are spinning all night. 98 Laurier W., 10 p.m.

The queen of pop (Madonna, natch) is getting her own dance party at le Ritz, care of Glitter Bomb’s DJ Jeffany. 179 Jean-Talon W., 11 p.m., free

For more concert recommendations, see this week’s edition of Hammer of the Mods.

For more music events, see our Event Listings. Art Listings can be found here.