The Show is on!

Thursday from noon until 9 pm
Friday from noon until 9 pm
Saturday from noon until 9 pm
Sunday from noon until 9 pm

Free admission

At the Complexe Desjardins
150 Ste. Catherine Street West

More activities in
the SIMM-GM Tent
see “2008 Workshops and activities” for more details.

The SIMM is now heading into its 4th year! Not yet four years old, but already mature! The Montreal Musical Instrument Show, presented by General Motors of Canada, is devoted more passionately than ever to promoting music making as it pursues its quest to bring music within everyone’s reach! Still free of charge and open to all, the SIMM is a unique event that brings together the many people whose lives are involved in music, be they musicians, instrument manufacturers, music aficionados, artisans, novice musicians or big names in the music world, in other words, all those who love music and musical instruments.

In real terms, the SIMM means a full four days of discovering and trying out the best musical instruments and accessories showcased by exhibitors of the top brands, at Complexe Desjardins. What better way to indulge your senses than wandering about and feasting your eyes on these musical marvels against the backdrop of the Festival International de Jazz de Montréal, or than seeing, touching and listening to the best offerings of the music world, and attending workshops and get-togethers with renowned artists or free concerts, in short, diving right into the heart of music!

And the thrill just keeps growing, thanks mainly to the even greater involvement of General Motors of Canada! With the number of interactive activities soaring from 70 to nearly 150, with an expanded schedule allowing certain activities to run the full length of the Festival, with the extremely popular SIMM GM Tent located right on the Festival site and encouraging little and big folk alike to actively try out instruments, never before has the discovery of music and music making been such fun! Learn how to play the guitar in just one hour! Or perhaps the saxophone? Or the harmonica? Not only is all this possible, but it’s a blast! Not to mention the much sought-after jam sessions where emerging musicians let loose to their heart’s content! Or the free shows featured on a daily basis, the intimate get-togethers in the Meet the Artist series and workshops with the greats of the music world, the famous Blues Camp offered free of charge to lucky teens, the auction that helps fund the SIMM, a non-profit organization, in order to ensure the future and development of its youth activities—and offer the public some incredible finds!—and the latest brainchild, the Montreal Guitar Show, a totally separate show devoted entirely to the most popular of all instruments and to the expert craftsmen who design them.

In this spirit, the SIMM considers it important to recognize not only the talent of musicians, but also that of the artisans who make musical instruments their art, with a passion that at times revolutionizes the world of music. The SIMM, with the Festival’s help, therefore created the Tribute Award in recognition of the exceptional contribution made by certain individuals to the advancement of music making. The first edition paid homage to the famous creator Jim Marshall, whose amplifiers are world-famous. Last year, it was the turn of Robert Godin, creator of the famous guitars that bear his name. This year, we were awed by the amazing Ikutaro Kakehashi, founder of Roland Corporation and BOSS and one of the main players in the creation of the MIDI.

The SIMM is proud to be able to count on the great generosity of the MIAC (Music Industries Association of Canada/Association Canadienne des Industries de la Musique), which supports the SIMM in its mission of promoting music making. Special thanks go to Al Kowalenko, Executive Director of the MIAC, and to Gerry Labelle, his Quebec representative, for their confidence and sound advice!

The SIMM offers its sincere thanks to its sponsors: General Motors of Canada, Godin Guitars, Archambault, Marshall, Steve's Music Store, Roland Canada and XM Radio Satellite. Thanks are also due to our public partners (the Government of Canada, specifically, Economic Development Canada, and the Gouvernement du Québec, in particular, the Ministère des Affaires municipales et des Régions) and to the media (Couleur Jazz 91.9, MusiquePlus, MusiMax, CIBL 101.5 FM, CKUT 90.3 FM, the Voir and Hour, and of course, to Complexe Desjardins and the Hyatt Regency Montréal for hosting us. Lastly, our thanks go to all our partners and exhibitors.

So be sure to mark your calendars: the next edition of the SIMM will run from Thursday, July 3, to Sunday, July 6, 2008.

If you want to be the first to hear about everything at the SIMM, join our newsletter.