SLAM
I went to a slam poetry performance last night, and it was unlike anything I'd experienced before. I wasn't sure if I was going to like it, because I didn't even really know what slam poetry was, but it was really amazing, and by the time it was over I could hardly believe I'd been there for FOUR HOURS.
The reason I went is that a former Borders (592) coworker of mine, Jamie, was performing. In fact, it was the Urbana Slam Finals, to see which four poets will represent Urbana at the national competition in Austin, TX (so deliciously ironic, since many of the poems featured Bush-bashing). The finals featured eight poets which would be narrowed down to four over the course of the evening, and the one with the highest score would win a barbecue grill in the shape of a keg from Magic Hat, the event's sponsor.
The evening began with a "showcase" of seasoned slam poets, which at first I thought was the competition itself. There was a pair of poets called "The O'Debra Twins" who were absolutely hysterical. Everyone else in the showcase was also impressive.
I won't go in to the contestants themselves, but they were all really amazing. Most of the poems dealt with gender and sexuality issues, and a few about race, but I think all of them had the same theme of respect. Jamie's first poem was an angry diatribe (I suppose it's redundant to call a slam poem an angry diatribe) called "Can the Gays Get Married Yet?" It was really really really great. And so were his other two.
In between acts, there was a "sacrificial poet" by the name of Shappy who did the most ridiculously funny poem. It was basically mocking the recent trend of ultra-patriotism by likening it to an erotic obsession with America. "Show me your tits, America!" Hysterical. I thought of Dan.
Jamie ended up not only winning a spot in the top four, but also winning the grill and the competition! We were so proud of our Jamie. And now he gets to take his talents to Irony, TX!
---- - -
One of the performers in the showcase was promoting a poetry event called "Halfway Home: a Literary Benefit for Covenant House NY." She passed around leaflets about it and I glanced briefly at mine. One name jumped out at me: Jeannette Walls. I tapped her on the shoulder as she was passing out more leaflets and asked her if this was the same Jeannette Walls who wrote The Glass Castle. She replied that it is, and that Nick Flynn, also on the program, is the same Nick Flynn that wrote Another Bullshit Night in Suck City. She told me that all the people on the program have been homeless at least once in their lives.
So now I really want to go to that. It's next Tuesday at 7pm in the LES. Anyone want to come with me? I'll buy you a drink or something.
The reason I went is that a former Borders (592) coworker of mine, Jamie, was performing. In fact, it was the Urbana Slam Finals, to see which four poets will represent Urbana at the national competition in Austin, TX (so deliciously ironic, since many of the poems featured Bush-bashing). The finals featured eight poets which would be narrowed down to four over the course of the evening, and the one with the highest score would win a barbecue grill in the shape of a keg from Magic Hat, the event's sponsor.
The evening began with a "showcase" of seasoned slam poets, which at first I thought was the competition itself. There was a pair of poets called "The O'Debra Twins" who were absolutely hysterical. Everyone else in the showcase was also impressive.
I won't go in to the contestants themselves, but they were all really amazing. Most of the poems dealt with gender and sexuality issues, and a few about race, but I think all of them had the same theme of respect. Jamie's first poem was an angry diatribe (I suppose it's redundant to call a slam poem an angry diatribe) called "Can the Gays Get Married Yet?" It was really really really great. And so were his other two.
In between acts, there was a "sacrificial poet" by the name of Shappy who did the most ridiculously funny poem. It was basically mocking the recent trend of ultra-patriotism by likening it to an erotic obsession with America. "Show me your tits, America!" Hysterical. I thought of Dan.
Jamie ended up not only winning a spot in the top four, but also winning the grill and the competition! We were so proud of our Jamie. And now he gets to take his talents to Irony, TX!
---- - -
One of the performers in the showcase was promoting a poetry event called "Halfway Home: a Literary Benefit for Covenant House NY." She passed around leaflets about it and I glanced briefly at mine. One name jumped out at me: Jeannette Walls. I tapped her on the shoulder as she was passing out more leaflets and asked her if this was the same Jeannette Walls who wrote The Glass Castle. She replied that it is, and that Nick Flynn, also on the program, is the same Nick Flynn that wrote Another Bullshit Night in Suck City. She told me that all the people on the program have been homeless at least once in their lives.
So now I really want to go to that. It's next Tuesday at 7pm in the LES. Anyone want to come with me? I'll buy you a drink or something.