Thursday, Oct. 26

Zadie Smith. Photo by Dominique Nabokov

Anyone interested in a career in music — specifically the heavy lifting behind the scenes, in recording, production, mixing and mastering — should check out the open house at Musitechnic, on all day today. 888 de Maisonneuve E., 10 a.m.–6 p.m., free

Give yourself a fright by checking out tonight’s vernissage at Station 16 for the exhibition Sweet Dreams featuring miniature murder scene “die-o-rama” sculptures by Washington-based crime scene investigator and journalist-turned-artist Abigail Goldman. 3523 St-Laurent, 6–9 p.m., free

Celebrated novelist and essayist Zadie Smith will be in town this evening at the Rialto to talk about her most recent novel Swing Time, in conversation with Brooklyn-based writer Jenny Zhang. 5723 Parc, 7 p.m., $15/$33.95 includes book

Check out Chico, Artists Bresilien (Portugese with French subtitles), the closing film of the Brazilian Film Festival, a documentary about Chico Buarque. Cinéma du Parc (3575 Parc), 9 p.m., $12.50/$11 seniors and students/$9 under 13

Now calling Montreal home after a recent move from Toronto, electronic artist Petra Glynt launches her highly anticipated debut album This Trip — released on Björk collaborator Damian Taylor’s Vibe Over Method record label — with a show featuring support from an all-femme line-up, including Hua Li 化力 and Bobbypin. Bar le Ritz PDB (179 Jean-Talon W.), 9 p.m., $10/no one turned away for lack of funds

Barfly is the place to see — and participate in, if you’re musically inclined — an acoustic tribute to the Tragically Hip’s Gord Downie. See the details of the Acoustic Farewell event here. Barfly (4062 St-Laurent), 10 p.m., free

Hawk XO and Henny XO get the weekend started with a Halloween edition of Ecole Privée’s Please Don’t Sit, with music by Toddy Flores and Rue de Bois. 1 Milton, 10 p.m., price unlisted

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