The Main

Montreal's Cultural Directory

Help us improve! Share your thoughts on how we can make your experience better.

Leave feedback

For partnerships and collaborations:

partnerships@themain.com

Explore

  • About us
  • Shop
  • Advertise
  • Pitch us

Connect

  • Instagram
  • Twitter
  • Tiktok
  • Linkedin

Resources

  • RSS Feed
  • Subscribe

Legal

  • Terms of service
  • Membership Terms
  • Privacy Policy

The Main Media Inc. 2026

✦ Built By Field Office
    The Main

    Montreal's Cultural Directory

    Help us improve! Share your thoughts on how we can make your experience better.

    Leave feedback

    For partnerships and collaborations:

    partnerships@themain.com

    Explore

    • About us
    • Shop
    • Advertise
    • Pitch us

    Connect

    • Instagram
    • Twitter
    • Tiktok
    • Linkedin

    Resources

    • RSS Feed
    • Subscribe

    Legal

    • Terms of service
    • Membership Terms
    • Privacy Policy

    The Main Media Inc. 2026

    ✦ Built By Field Office
      --°C|Saturday, March 7, 2026|
      Subscribe today to get 3 free articles per month.ROYALMOUNT Wants to Be Your Dining Destination for a Whole MonthGet 50% off your first 5 rides with Lyft
      InstagramTwitterTiktokLinkedin
      |
      Advertise
      The Main Logo
      Magazine
      Categories
      • Arts & Culture

        Creativity, heritage, and expression.

      • Beyond Montreal

        Travel, adventure, and global perspectives.

      • Design

        The best of Montreal design.

      • Food & Drink

        La bonne bouffe.

      • History

        Stories, lessons, and context.

      • Newsletter

        Our weekly newsletter.

      • See all original stories
      Explore Montreal
      Popular Guides
      • The Best Restaurants in Montreal
      • Best new Restaurants
      • Best Cafés
      • Unique Boutiques
      • Romantic Restaurants
      • Best Bookstores
      • See all Guides
      Neighbourhood
      • Downtown
      • Le Plateau-Mont-Royal
      • Mile End
      • Mile-Ex
      • Saint-Henri
      • See All
      Business Type
      • Restaurant
      • Café
      • Boutique / Store
      • Bar
      • Bakery
      • See All
      Near the Metro
      • Peel
      • Mont-Royal
      • Place-Saint-Henri
      • Place-d'Armes
      • Jarry
      • View all
      Shop
      Subscribe
      Subscribe
      --°C|Saturday, March 7, 2026|
      Subscribe today to get 3 free articles per month.ROYALMOUNT Wants to Be Your Dining Destination for a Whole MonthGet 50% off your first 5 rides with Lyft
      InstagramTwitterTiktokLinkedin
      |
      Advertise
      The Main Logo
      Magazine
      Categories
      • Arts & Culture

        Creativity, heritage, and expression.

      • Beyond Montreal

        Travel, adventure, and global perspectives.

      • Design

        The best of Montreal design.

      • Food & Drink

        La bonne bouffe.

      • History

        Stories, lessons, and context.

      • Newsletter

        Our weekly newsletter.

      • See all original stories
      Explore Montreal
      Popular Guides
      • The Best Restaurants in Montreal
      • Best new Restaurants
      • Best Cafés
      • Unique Boutiques
      • Romantic Restaurants
      • Best Bookstores
      • See all Guides
      Neighbourhood
      • Downtown
      • Le Plateau-Mont-Royal
      • Mile End
      • Mile-Ex
      • Saint-Henri
      • See All
      Business Type
      • Restaurant
      • Café
      • Boutique / Store
      • Bar
      • Bakery
      • See All
      Near the Metro
      • Peel
      • Mont-Royal
      • Place-Saint-Henri
      • Place-d'Armes
      • Jarry
      • View all
      Shop
      Subscribe
      Subscribe

      Related articles

      Red Bull Heavy Metal's Final Stop Was Its Best One
      Arts & Culture

      Red Bull Heavy Metal's Final Stop Was Its Best One

      The Olympic Stadium hosted the snowboard spectacle's Canadian debut—thousands showing up to prove Montreal is as serious a winter city as ever.

      A (Mostly) Spoken History of Casa del Popolo, the Venue That Launched a Thousand Weird Bands
      Arts & Culture
      Kaitlyn DiBartolo

      A (Mostly) Spoken History of Casa Del Popolo, the Venue That Launched a Thousand Weird Bands

      Godspeed You! Black Emperor bassist Mauro Pezzente on 25 years of cheap rent, weirdo music, and keeping the lights on in Mile End.

      Montreal's St. Patrick's Day Parade: A 2026 Guide to the Oldest in Canada
      Arts & Culture
      The Main

      Montreal's St. Patrick's Day Parade: A 2026 Guide to the Oldest in Canada

      The 201st edition runs Sunday, March 22 along De Maisonneuve. Here's the route, the honourees, and the history behind it.

      Red Bull Heavy Metal Took Us From La Bateau Mouche to Afters in the Mile End
      Arts & Culture
      Joe Kanzangu

      Red Bull Heavy Metal Took Us From La Bateau Mouche to Afters in the Mile End

      A private dinner on the water followed by billiards and natty wine: Montreal doing what Montreal does best.

      What to do this weekend (03.05–03.08)
      Arts & Culture
      The Main

      What to Do This Weekend (03.05–03.08)

      From last-chance Montréal en Lumière dinners to 'Cigarette Mom Karaoke' and a 99-cent thrift sale: March 5 to 8, 2026.

      How to Make a Killing Wants to Eat the Rich. It Just Forgets to Bite.
      Arts & Culture
      Gianni Fiasche

      How to Make a Killing Wants to Eat the Rich. It Just Forgets to Bite.

      A stylish, entertaining dark comedy that flirts with big ideas and opts for the quicker laugh.

      Related articles

      Red Bull Heavy Metal's Final Stop Was Its Best One
      Arts & Culture

      Red Bull Heavy Metal's Final Stop Was Its Best One

      The Olympic Stadium hosted the snowboard spectacle's Canadian debut—thousands showing up to prove Montreal is as serious a winter city as ever.

      A (Mostly) Spoken History of Casa del Popolo, the Venue That Launched a Thousand Weird Bands
      Arts & Culture
      Kaitlyn DiBartolo

      A (Mostly) Spoken History of Casa Del Popolo, the Venue That Launched a Thousand Weird Bands

      Godspeed You! Black Emperor bassist Mauro Pezzente on 25 years of cheap rent, weirdo music, and keeping the lights on in Mile End.

      Montreal's St. Patrick's Day Parade: A 2026 Guide to the Oldest in Canada
      Arts & Culture
      The Main

      Montreal's St. Patrick's Day Parade: A 2026 Guide to the Oldest in Canada

      The 201st edition runs Sunday, March 22 along De Maisonneuve. Here's the route, the honourees, and the history behind it.

      Red Bull Heavy Metal Took Us From La Bateau Mouche to Afters in the Mile End
      Arts & Culture
      Joe Kanzangu

      Red Bull Heavy Metal Took Us From La Bateau Mouche to Afters in the Mile End

      A private dinner on the water followed by billiards and natty wine: Montreal doing what Montreal does best.

      What to do this weekend (03.05–03.08)
      Arts & Culture
      The Main

      What to Do This Weekend (03.05–03.08)

      From last-chance Montréal en Lumière dinners to 'Cigarette Mom Karaoke' and a 99-cent thrift sale: March 5 to 8, 2026.

      How to Make a Killing Wants to Eat the Rich. It Just Forgets to Bite.
      Arts & Culture
      Gianni Fiasche

      How to Make a Killing Wants to Eat the Rich. It Just Forgets to Bite.

      A stylish, entertaining dark comedy that flirts with big ideas and opts for the quicker laugh.

      1. Articles
      2. Arts & Culture

      Mile End Icon Martha Wainwright on Ursa and Coming up a Songwriter in Montreal

      The singer-songwriter speaks Montreal's scenes through the decades, writing a memoir, building up her Mile End music venue—and a game of 20-ish questions, of course.

      By Daniel BrombergDecember 12, 2023 - Read time: 6 min
      Mile End icon Martha Wainwright on Ursa and coming up a songwriter in Montreal
      Martha Wainwright takes to the stage of her Mile End music venue, Ursa. | Photograph: Daniel Bromberg
      1. Articles
      2. Arts & Culture

      Mile End Icon Martha Wainwright on Ursa and Coming up a Songwriter in Montreal

      The singer-songwriter speaks Montreal's scenes through the decades, writing a memoir, building up her Mile End music venue—and a game of 20-ish questions, of course.

      By Daniel BrombergDecember 12, 2023 - Read time: 6 min
      Mile End icon Martha Wainwright on Ursa and coming up a songwriter in Montreal
      Martha Wainwright takes to the stage of her Mile End music venue, Ursa. | Photograph: Daniel Bromberg

      “My sons are 10 and 14 now… so really, I don’t think they really give a fuck about what mom is singing about.”

      The audience around Martha Wainwright at Ursa erupts into laughter, and as they do, there’s a palpable sense that she has them in the palm of her hand. 

      In the span of just twenty minutes, she reveals anecdotes of her personal life that ranges from becoming a mother to getting divorced, and finally, to falling in love again in her 40s.

      “Falling in love again when you’re older is just…” she says, trailing off into a long pause before simply stating, “better.”

      More laughter.

      That uncanny ability to stand before a crowd and speak so openly, so genuinely about how she felt and how they reacted to it is the kinds of undeniable presence this Montreal singer and songwriter can have in a room.

      Free account required

      For readers who care about Montreal

      Create a free account to read this story and access 3 articles per month, plus our weekly Bulletin.

      Independent. Local. Reader-supported. Join 10,000+ Montrealers today.

      or

      Already a member? Sign in

      Advertisement

      Advertisement

      Advertisement

      “My sons are 10 and 14 now… so really, I don’t think they really give a fuck about what mom is singing about.”

      The audience around Martha Wainwright at Ursa erupts into laughter, and as they do, there’s a palpable sense that she has them in the palm of her hand. 

      In the span of just twenty minutes, she reveals anecdotes of her personal life that ranges from becoming a mother to getting divorced, and finally, to falling in love again in her 40s.

      “Falling in love again when you’re older is just…” she says, trailing off into a long pause before simply stating, “better.”

      More laughter.

      That uncanny ability to stand before a crowd and speak so openly, so genuinely about how she felt and how they reacted to it is the kinds of undeniable presence this Montreal singer and songwriter can have in a room.

      Free account required

      For readers who care about Montreal

      Create a free account to read this story and access 3 articles per month, plus our weekly Bulletin.

      Independent. Local. Reader-supported. Join 10,000+ Montrealers today.

      or

      Already a member? Sign in

      Advertisement

      Advertisement

      Advertisement

      Advertisement

      Advertisement

      Le Dépanneur

      Shop The Main's Dépanneur. Open 24/7.

      Beau Type Vol. 1

      Beau Type Vol. 1

      $16.00

      Beau Type Vol. 2

      Beau Type Vol. 2

      $16.00

      The Reeds: A Novel [Stamped by Author]

      The Reeds: A Novel [Stamped by Author]

      $24.95

      Shop our Dép!

      See more

      Latest Stories

      History Lesson

      What Happened to Montreal's Red Light District?

      MAR 6
      What Happened to Montreal's Red Light District?
      Arts & Culture

      Red Bull Heavy Metal's Final Stop Was Its Best One

      MAR 5
      Red Bull Heavy Metal's Final Stop Was Its Best One
      Montreal, Inc.

      La Ronde Has a New Owner. Whether It Gets New Investment Is Another Question.

      MAR 5
      La Ronde Has a New Owner. Whether It Gets New Investment Is Another Question.
      Arts & Culture

      A (Mostly) Spoken History of Casa Del Popolo, the Venue That Launched a Thousand Weird Bands

      MAR 5
      A (Mostly) Spoken History of Casa del Popolo, the Venue That Launched a Thousand Weird Bands
      Newsletter

      The Bulletin: Cigarette Mom Karaoke, Hochelaga Whippets, and Michelin-Starred Dinners [Issue #171]

      MAR 5
      The Bulletin: Cigarette Mom Karaoke, Hochelaga Whippets, and Michelin-Starred Dinners [Issue #171]
      Le Dépanneur

      Shop The Main's Dépanneur. Open 24/7.

      Beau Type Vol. 1

      Beau Type Vol. 1

      $16.00

      Beau Type Vol. 2

      Beau Type Vol. 2

      $16.00

      The Reeds: A Novel [Stamped by Author]

      The Reeds: A Novel [Stamped by Author]

      $24.95

      Shop our Dép!

      See more

      Latest Stories

      History Lesson

      What Happened to Montreal's Red Light District?

      MAR 6
      What Happened to Montreal's Red Light District?
      Arts & Culture

      Red Bull Heavy Metal's Final Stop Was Its Best One

      MAR 5
      Red Bull Heavy Metal's Final Stop Was Its Best One
      Montreal, Inc.

      La Ronde Has a New Owner. Whether It Gets New Investment Is Another Question.

      MAR 5
      La Ronde Has a New Owner. Whether It Gets New Investment Is Another Question.
      Arts & Culture

      A (Mostly) Spoken History of Casa Del Popolo, the Venue That Launched a Thousand Weird Bands

      MAR 5
      A (Mostly) Spoken History of Casa del Popolo, the Venue That Launched a Thousand Weird Bands
      Newsletter

      The Bulletin: Cigarette Mom Karaoke, Hochelaga Whippets, and Michelin-Starred Dinners [Issue #171]

      MAR 5
      The Bulletin: Cigarette Mom Karaoke, Hochelaga Whippets, and Michelin-Starred Dinners [Issue #171]
      Into the Uapishka mountains: Taking trips outside with a worldwide winter film tour

      Previous

      Into the Uapishka Mountains: Taking Trips Outside with a Worldwide Winter Film Tour

      Next

      Inside the Walk-ins of Three Montreal Restaurants

      Inside the walk-ins of three Montreal restaurants
      Into the Uapishka mountains: Taking trips outside with a worldwide winter film tour

      Previous

      Into the Uapishka Mountains: Taking Trips Outside with a Worldwide Winter Film Tour

      Next

      Inside the Walk-ins of Three Montreal Restaurants

      Inside the walk-ins of three Montreal restaurants