Wednesday, August 21

This afternoon at 4 p.m., NDG Arts Week launches its pop-up Biergarten in NDG Park (fka Parc Girouard), which will remain on site through Saturday night at 10 p.m., while at 7 p.m. they co-present a performance of The Barber of Seville (sung in the original Italian with texts in English and French) with Opéra dans le parc. Girouard & Sherbrooke, 7 p.m., free

Kickdrum Records’ Backyard Sessions showcases Montreal dreamfolk band Aquarius Dreams, local psych folk act Belle Tower and Montreal-based NYC singer-songwriter Stefani Bondari. 248 Villeneuve W., doors 5:30 p.m., show 6 p.m., $5–$10 suggested donation

The fourth edition of Witty Wednesday at the Diving Bell Social Club features half a dozen sharp local comics including Amanda McQueen, Daniel Carin and Kate Hammer. 3956 St-Laurent (3rd floor), 7:30 p.m., $10

Tonight at the MUTEK festival, producer Tim Hecker and the Konoyo Ensemble play a blend of contemporary electronic music and ancient imperial Japanese gagaku court music at Théâtre Maisonneuve with opener Kazuya Nagaya (260 de Maisonneuve W., 8 p.m., $38), while performance art theatre Studio les 7 Doigts hosts a new performance by American experimental electronic duo Matmos as well as Cree sound artist Chloe Alexandra Thompson with Portland-based multidisciplinary artist Matt Henderson, Montreal electronic musician and digital artist Lucas Paris and YONA, an AI avatar performance by Ash Koosha (2111 St-Laurent, 10 p.m., $35).

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