12 things to do in Montréal this week: June 1–7
A$AP Rocky and Napalm Death ignite Monday; midweek warms into the high 20s for patios and rooftop terrasses; 5 Seconds of Summer and Arkells round out a strong week.
Monday hits cool and partly cloudy, but it's the week's defining night — A$AP Rocky plays Centre Bell at 7:30 p.m., and Napalm Death, the English grindcore pioneers formed in 1981, tear into Théâtre Fairmount at 7:00 p.m. If you're torn, Rocky wins: the Harlem rapper and ASAP Mob founding member brings the broader crowd and the energy to match. Baby Keem, Kendrick Lamar's cousin and a fixture on major soundtracks, plays MTELUS at 8:30 p.m. the same night. It's a stacked evening, but weather-wise you'll want indoors anyway — Monday tops out at 20 degrees and carries a chill.
Tuesday and Wednesday stay overcast but warm into the low-to-mid 20s, and here's where the week shifts: Wednesday night, 5 Seconds of Summer, the Australian pop-rock outfit that's been a streaming mainstay since 2011, plays Centre Bell at 8:00 p.m. It's solid mid-week timing and a chance to catch a genuinely tight live band. If the weather holds dry, this is the moment to claim a table at one of the rooftop terrasses in Old Montreal — Terrasse Nelligan and Terrasse Place d'Armes both opened this season with Mediterranean plates and golden-hour views that justify the trip.
Thursday climbs to 25 degrees with barely a drop of rain, and it's your clearest day of the week. Lebanese stand-up John Achkar plays L'Olympia at 8:00 p.m., mining themes of diaspora and cultural identity with sharp Arabic-language comedy; if comedy is your thing, this is the pick. Richardson Zéphir, the Montreal-based comedian and Big Brother Célébrités regular, also plays at 8:00 p.m. at Le Club DIX30. Neither pulls the same gravity as Monday's rap shows, but both are genuinely worth catching in a tight comedy scene.
Friday turns drizzly — 16 percent rain and a damp 23-degree high — but the week's strongest rock booking lands anyway: Arkells, the Hamilton rock band and Dine Alone Records stalwarts, play Beanfield Theatre at 8:00 p.m. It's an indoor venue and a solid mid-card show if you're building a week. Before then, hit Café Maman in Griffintown for coffee and pastries; this boho spot caught Netflix's eye and doubled as an LA café in a holiday rom-com — it's the kind of place that photographs well and tastes even better, especially on a drizzly morning.
The weekend deteriorates: Saturday brings light drizzle and 26 percent rain, Sunday climbs to 19 percent. For wet-weather eating, Escondite Union, the Mexican spot, offers the kind of comfort-forward cooking that pairs with a covered table and a strong drink. For a more formal dinner as the week winds down, Jacopo's Italian menu is built for lingering — the kind of place where a rainy evening becomes an excuse to stay put.
Skip the school performances at Théâtre Manuvie on Monday and Tuesday; they're community recitals, not worth the trip. Your move this week is Monday night — pick your lane between Rocky and Napalm Death, lock it in, then ride the warm midweek stretch into a rooftop terrasse before the rain settles in. That's a full week well spent.