Kibitzing with members of Montreal media at the crudité table was a great way to get a heads-up on my first Fringe-for-All. Fringe organizers welcomed the media at Petit Campus for a pre-show cocktail, and as a Fringe ‘virgin’, I appreciated sage advice from seasoned veterans as to what was about to be an all-out assault on my brain.
What went on for almost three hours upstairs at Café Campus was a riot of 2 minute acts performed by local fringe participants with one goal in mind; to quirkily peddle their shows.
I heard through the fringe-vine that it’s truly hit-and-miss. And the Fringe-for-All proved that in spades. Many of the groups who used dialogue were drowned by the beer-swilling, chatty crowd, despite pleas from audience members to “shhhhhh”.
Burlesque acts did a better job at grabbing attention, and given the studly-do-right nature of the stripper who let ‘er rip for Holy Tranity—this genre is a no-brainer.
There are as many downright bizarre moments as there are must-sees, such as; J’men Tamponne, Belzébrute, Holy Tranity, the energetic acrobatics of Sarah Peterson in Arti-chaut, 2 for Tea, Fire in the Meth Lab, Verbal Diarrhoea or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Bomb at Love, Jess Salomon’s Obsession and Johanna Nutter’s brilliant Mon Frère est enceinte/My Pregnant Brother.
The Skinny Bros will inaugurate the beer tent Thursday evening at 8pm with their eclectic mélange of inspirations and musical influences. This Montreal-based band of musician/songwriter brothers Paul and Christopher Cargnello will rock the tent-poles with their pioneering fusion of punk, hip-hop, rock, jazz, reggae and so much more. Special guests include DJ Shash’U, The Frontline, Jai Nitai Lotus, Karma Atchyka, Jonathan Emile, & live art created on-site by brother Julian Cargnello.
For a complete list of acts, shows and activities as well as ticket sales and dates; http://montrealfringe.ca/en/fringe-2013
