Dionysios Roussianos and Tony Marcello have both seen their lives impacted by cancer. Bandmates and close friends for the past 35 years, they formed the duo The Far Removed. Tony lost his mother to brain cancer; Dionysious lost his sister to bone cancer. Then, only two years ago, he was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer.

“We’ve always had music in our lives, and we’ve used music to help us in these difficult moments to help us heal,” Dionysios shared with me. “ Two of my own children have gone through the children’s hospital with severe medical issues and my sister was a nurse at the Montreal Children’s Hospital, so we decide to do a fund raiser for the Montreal Children’s Hospital Foundation. We want to share a night of music to celebrate how music helps the body, and the mind heal and share the music we’ve written in that period.”

It was Elizabeth, Dionysious’ close friend, who tipped me off for the story. “During all of this hardship, he continued to do music shows, sometimes even the same day after a chemo treatment,” she said. “He refused to let himself die. We need these kinds of stories to remind ourselves that there’s still good in the crazy world we’re living in.”

The show will be at Macallan’s Pub in Dorval on Saturday night, June 14, with West Island band Nola’s opening up. All proceeds will go to the Montreal Children’s Hospital Foundation for Hematology/Oncology Research. For ticket information click here. 

LAFLEUR DEBUTS IN LAVAL : After much anticipation, Lafleur Restaurants has opened its first location in Laval at 2520 Curé-Labelle Blvd. It seats 50 and spans 2,390 square feet. A major new feature is two order kiosks that allows customers to place their orders quickly without going through the traditional cash registers. This is a first for Lafleur restaurants and will be found in all future locations. I can’t wait to check out this new spot.

“We are proud to finally open our very first location in Laval, a project that has been eagerly awaited and requested by our Laval customers,” said George Papagiannis, co-owner of Lafleur Restaurants. “This opening marks an important milestone for Lafleur, with the integration of new technologies such as self-service kiosks, which modernize our customer experience and make our service even faster and more user-friendly. Innovation is very important to us. Following the introduction of the hamburger grill in our most recent openings, we are proud to announce the launch of our new self-service kiosks.”

This new location marks a key milestone in Lafleur’s ambitious plan to double its number of restaurants from 17 to 32 in five years. To achieve this, Lafleur is focusing on expansion through franchising. The next opening is planned for Longueuil. To celebrate in style, Lucie, the iconic spokesperson for Lafleur Restaurants, was on hand at the opening of the new location on May 21 to warmly welcome new customers.

Lucie is a 65-year-old employee who has become a true icon of the brand. With over 50,000 followers on TikTok, she embodies the authenticity and friendliness that Lafleur is known for. She will also be attending the third edition of the Gala Influence Création, to be held on May 31, 2025, at Place Bell, to present the Sport and Fitness award.

THE DOWNTOWN HILLBILLIES: I Can Dream Theatre a group which has as its primary purpose to provide the development for neurodiverse adults in the performing arts, specifically the areas of acting, singing, dancing and playing musical instruments. Its next production is entitled Downtown Hillbillies will take place on Fri. June 6 and Sat. June 7 at the Eric J. Maclean Centre for the Arts of Loyola High School in NDG (2477 West Broadway). “It’s a mashup of Downtown Abbey and The Beverly Hillbillies,” says producer Merrill Matthews. “It’s a musical comedy hitting all the right notes.”

The production crew notes that as strange as it may sound, there is actually a connection between the two. Did you know The Clampetts (the “Hillbillies” in question) are related to the Crawleys (from the renowned London estate itself)? The Crawleys are in debt. They need financial help, and don’t know where to turn. As a last resort, they turn to the family members they least expected! Enter the Beverly Hillbillies from California. Patriarch Jed Clampett and his family travel to England to help their relatives out of this bind. Absolute hysteria and laughter ensue when the Lords and Ladies mingle with the Southern kinfolk. And when you throw in a little moonshine, who knows what will happen as all try to navigate their many differences. As they say: family isn’t a word, it’s a sentence. Will these very different family tribes come together or fall part?

For ticket info go to www.icandreamtheatre.com

SILVER ANNIVERSARY FOR CONFERENCE CENTRE: Centre Mont-Royal is marking its 25th anniversary hosting Montreal’s most prestigious conferences, meetings, and special events. Since opening its doors in 2000, the Centre has established itself as a cornerstone of Montreal’s business and cultural landscape, providing a unique mid-sized venue that perfectly fills a crucial niche in the city’s event hosting capabilities. Located in the heart of the Golden Square Mile district of downtown Montreal surrounded by hotels, museums and fine dining, the Centre has hosted thousands of significant local and international gatherings over its 25-year history.

With 17 fully equipped meeting rooms spanning more than 50,000 square feet of multipurpose spaces, including stunning foyer areas with high ceilings and an abundance of natural lighting, Centre Mont-Royal has become the premier destination for events accommodating between 10 and 700 guests. “There’s a lot that can be said about the versatile 700-person capacity Symposia Theatre, where many dignitaries – Presidents, Prime Ministers, business tycoons and celebrities – have been welcomed over the years” noted Luis Ribeiro, General Manager of Centre Mont-Royal since 2020 and Sales Director from 2001. “But most importantly we value the great loyalty we continuously receive from the event planning community. From seminars to graduation ceremonies, religious services to performances, Symposia Theatre has seen and done it all.

“We’re incredibly proud of what we’ve accomplished over the past 25 years,” he added. “Success is a testament to Montreal’s vibrant business community and our dedicated team’s commitment to excellence. We focus not only on the event but also on the backdrop that makes meetings successful – ergonomics, non-reflective conference tables and the highest air quality. The benchmark was set by our first General Manager, Shyam Harnal who was the steward of the Centre for 20 years until his retirement.”

Added Yves Lalumière, President and CEO of Tourisme Montréal: “Centre Mont-Royal plays an essential role in Montreal’s event ecosystem by filling a very specific need: providing a venue suitable for medium-sized conventions and conferences,” said “ As a truly trusted partner, Centre Mont-Royal allows us to submit strong applications to host large-scale events. The Centre and its dynamic teams thus contribute to maintaining our position as the best destination for international association events in North America according to the prestigious ranking of the International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA). Congratulations on these 25 years; it’s always a pleasure to collaborate.”

KNIGHTS EXHIBITION: A press conference was held last week for Pointe-à-Callière’s new exhibition, Knights, which brings together nearly 250 pieces showcasing the influence and legacy of knights through the centuries and continues through mid-October. It highlights the prestigious collection of weaponry and armour from the Stibbert Museum (Italy), providing unique insight into the significance of the knighthood during the Middle Ages and the Renaissance period, in addition to showcasing the exceptional expertise of the artisans of these eras.

“This foray into the societies of this era will provide a better understanding of the origin of the titles of nobility bestowed upon certain Montrealers who have left their mark on the city’s history,” said Anne Élisabeth Thibault, executive director of Pointe-à-Callière, Montréal Archaeology and History Complex

You can find more details here 

I hope to go see the exhibition this summer.

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