Wednesday, September 25

* POP Montreal begins!
* VIVA! Art Action festival
* The Walrus Talks Energy
* Sean Michaels’ The Wagers book launch

The 18th edition of POP Montreal begins today and runs through Sunday, taking over local event spaces with loads of shows, art exhibitions, films, panels and more. Read our interview with Li’l Andy, check out our picks for tonight’s shows here and here, and see our Film POP highlights here. Opening party details are here.

The seventh annual VIVA! Art Action festival kicks off today, presenting nightly live performances, open studios, interventions in public spaces near the Atelier Jean Brillant headquarters as well as conferences and workshops. 661 Rose-de-Lima, dinner at 5:30 p.m., $7–$10, performances at 8 p.m., free

Phi Centre hosts The Walrus Talks Energy, a conversation about building a Canadian approach to energy transition. 407 St-Pierre, 7 p.m., $20/$12 students & seniors

If you’re due for some grocery shopping and down for a book launch, this is one fortuitous twofer: award-winning Montreal author Sean Michaels launches his new book The Wagers at Mile End’s Supermarché PA, with a reading at the store followed by a signing across the street at the Emerald. 5242 Parc, 8–11 p.m.

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