Dubbed “Mr. Montreal” by CBC Arts, Richard “Bugs” Burnett is an arts and culture journalist and columnist. He is also a pop culture pundit on radio and television. His pioneering column Three Dollar Bill is the only syndicated LGBTQ column in Canadian publishing history, and is now conserved in The ArQuives, the largest independent LGBTQ archive in the world, and he received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Chambre de Commerce LGBT du Québec at their 2019 Prix Phénicia Gala. Bugs has interviewed everybody from Cher to Justin Trudeau, got the last-ever sit-down interview with the late James Brown, and knows his hometown like a drag queen knows a cosmetics counter. Tourisme Montréal says, “As Michael Musto is to New York City, Richard Burnett is to Montreal.”
Arts and Entertainment featured

Must-See Montreal Events in October 2018

Here are my choice Montreal arts and culture highlights for October 2018: MUSIC Many top touring acts are headlining various Montreal concert venues this month. Highlights include pop icon Elton John (Oct. 4), Montreal favourite Phil Collins (Oct. 16) and classical-crossover legend Andrea Bocelli (Oct. 21), all at the Bell Centre. Other legends in town this […]

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Must-See Montreal Events in September 2018

Here are my choice Montreal arts and culture highlights for September 2018: MUSIC Many top touring acts are headlining various Montreal concert venues this month. Highlights include hip hop superstar Drake (Sept. 4 and 5), Rock and Roll Hall of Famers Chicago (Sept. 13) and pop icon Paul McCartney (Sept. 20) – who launches his 22-date […]

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Must-See Montreal Events in August 2018

Here are my choice Montreal arts and culture highlights for August 2018: MUSIC Many top touring acts are headlining various Montreal concert venues this month. Highlights include The Smashing Pumpkins (August 7), Colombian pop icon Shakira (August 8) and the massive Deep Purple and Judas Priest double-header (August 29) at the Bell centre, while ZZ Top […]

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Cast and music shine in Motown The Musical

Some years ago when Motown Records’ in-house Funk Brothers band visited Montreal, I got to interview the coolest Funk Brother of all, the great Jack Ashford, who played tambourine at Motown. Percussionist Ashford’s tambourine playing helped define the Motown sound. The music was recorded in Motown’s basement Studio A –  affectionately dubbed the “Snakepit” by the […]

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Must-See Montreal Events in May 2018

Here are my choice Montreal arts and culture highlights for May 2018: MUSIC Many top touring acts are headlining various concert venues this month, notably Viking metal rockers TYR (May 7 at the Corona Theatre), Petula Clark (May 10 at Théâtre Maisonneuve) and Kiefer Sutherland (May 11 at Club Soda). Other headliners include Melvins (May 14 at the Corona) – whose sound was a strong […]

Arts and Entertainment featured Music

Max Raabe & Palast Orchester: Life is a Cabaret, Old Chum!

Berlin crooner Max Raabe is a dandy throwback to Noel Coward and Cole Porter. His 12-piece orchestra Max Raabe & Palast Orchester found fame performing songs popular during the Weimar Republic (1919 to 1933). Founded in 1986 by Raabe and a group of fellow music students, Palast Orchester first climbed the German charts with their hit […]