t's happening again. Another long weekend is upon us and disloyal urbanites are skipping town like they're in Independence Day. The weekend in question is the most bittersweet of them all: Labour Day. I implore you not to eschew your dear city for the temporary allures of sylvan sitting and staring. Leave the woods to the trees, you live in a bustling metropolis for a reason: a wealth of cultural attractions palpitate, calling you like a proverbial siren. Musicians, artists, fellow revelers, and Lisa Loeb -- albeit for a different reason -- all want you to stay. The city holds a special charm of a summer long weekend. Paradoxically, a conversely halcyon and frenetic air settles over the bars, shops, and buildings. It's like the entire town is a speakeasy of urban joy. It's your last weekend to wear white; get out there and sully your clothes. Here's what's going on.

I wanted to re-imagine Shakespearean plays with robots, ideally staging them under the stars: Robot Hamlet in the Park; Titus Roboticus; and Romeo and Juliet Electronic Boo-ga-loo. Naturally, some plot points would need alteration (i.e. Ophelia couldn’t drown, but she could rust or get electrocuted; hmmm?). Unfortunately, due to lack of interest, my dream is not going to become a reality. Though I can’t do robot plays in the park, I can do the robot while electronic music plays in the park. No, it’s not the same thing, but it is mildly compensatory. For a Labour Day Weekend special treat, Toronto's ubiquitous turntabalists, MSTRKRFT play the Monday night set at Piknic Electronik in Parc Jean Drapeau.

Like John Williams' crew, but without the fake shark tunes - well, perhaps they're not all that much like John Williams et al. UK outfit, Cinematic Orchestra brings together blips, strings, and horns to set the mood, porn music style - well, not so much like that either. They take over Club Soda on Saturday night.

I know you'll think this is a strange recommendation, but you should go to the Bran Van 3000 gig at Brasserie St. Ambroise on Saturday night. Why? I'm glad you asked; because Labour Day Weekend is a time for reflection, nostalgia, and reminiscence. I can name three Bran Van 3000 songs that you like but haven't heard for a long time (and probably won't admit to liking): "Drinking in LA," "Astounded," and "Everywhere." They're worth a revisit. Also, there was a pre-Arcade Fire/Wolf Parade Time when Bran Van was pretty much all you had for internationally recognized Montreal bands (okay, you had Godspeed You! Black Emperor, but other than them…). You owe them.

I know, summer's almost over and you're mad. You want to take a chainsaw to people, but that lacks propriety. Instead, take in the classic Texas Chainsaw Massacre at the world's finest rep cinema, Cinema Du Parc. Let Tobe Hooper's horror masterpiece get out all of your aggression for you. It screens Friday and Saturday night, both at 9:30pm.

Quebec clothing line Djab is venturing out into multi-media land. In conjunction with the limited edition Djab Escape Artist streetwear collection, the company is releasing a CD called I See The Light, a compilation full of electronic heavy hitters (Chromeo, Crystal Castles, MSTRKRFT et al). To coincide with the release, both Montreal locations of The Maison Simons will be featuring in-store performances from top local DJs A-Rock, Hatchmatic, and DJ Ezekiel from noon to 4 pm on Saturday. Special windows will be installed on the outside of the stores, allowing passerby with headphones to plug in and listen to the compilation. It's like we're living in the future.

You can only charge at windmills for so long (unless, of course, you're wind). Ad hoc knight, Don Quixote has been doing it in print for over 400 years. Also, he has been doing it on stage, via this production of Quixote, since August 21st. This staging of the classic tale of the peripatetic lost soul plays Canis Tempus until Sunday.