A case for new work in slam

[scottwoods]

(Preface: I’m not using this article in my regular “Poetry is Doomed” column space on GotPoetry.com because it’s too Slam-centric. Sure, I’ve talked about poetry slams a couple of times there in the last few years, but rarely. The audience for my column tends to have a broad appreciation for poetry, and I try to cater to that by addressing issues

Comments

[revsaintmichael]

Lucy Anderton made me cry a lot.

Regie Gibson dropped my jaw.

Patricia Smith and Jack McCarthy made me want to throw my poem backpack in a river.

There's not a dud on that list.

[scottwoods]

Right??

[sirenoftitan1]

And if you have five poems, but they're really just five versions of the same poem, the audience knows that, too.

[scottwoods]

RIGHT.

[whoisthespirit]

Without being too specific, I slam in a scene with a high audience over-turn and have watched "fivers" wreck shop week after with little deviance in their performances. While I am not trying to say that new work doesn't do well - as I have managed to do just fine with new work, often instead being my own bane by ignoring time or deliberately disqualifying myself, - it seems that if a large enough portion of the audience is new each week this burnout has no effect, much to the detriment of newer entrants to the scene or poets with new work who become discouraged by being unable to overcome the ranks of performers who do the same five poems week after week and rarely falter.

[scottwoods]

Sure, you'll have that in a reading that's not very static.
I would be inclined to not do it because I don't want to find out what the magic number is the hard way, when it counts.

[wonderdave]

Funny thing Regie Cabico decided to go to a slam and compete for the first time in quite a while recently and he did win.

I'm trying to think if based on our encounters if I'd fall into the Fivers category. While I'm sure you've seen one poem from me at least two or three times I'd have to say the rest of the stuff I've done in tournaments we were at from year to year has changed. Also I'm sure we've been at multiple Slam Events where you and I have both been performing and managed to not see each other at all. I will say that in my home venue I purposely try to avoid over using any one piece because I want them to stay fresh. Of course some other slammers in my scene know I'm saving those pieces.

I'd never heard of DJ Renegade. Where did he slam? His website says he is from New Jersey. Thanks for the link.

[radioactiveart]

DJ is usually most closely associated with Washington, DC. Still out there and kicking. Still amazing. I had to compete against him in the very first round of my very first ever NPS competition. He took the 1.

I took the 2. ;-) (Sorry, I need the ego boost tonight.)

[scottwoods]

I wouldn't say you were a Fiver to me because I don't think I've heard five of your poems the whole time I've known you, for all the reasons you state.

Tony got you on the DJ Renegade query.

[eclectic_soul]

Query: i know this analysis is based mostly upon competing..but does it run the same for features? because one of the things i think about is while it may be an old poem/burned poem to me... there may be people in the audience who haven't heard it... what say you?

[scottwoods]

Features are different. They have a different goal and you have a lot of latitude, as well as more chances to make up any missteps, like an overdone poem. Of course, features are usually booked on the strength of their known (read, "older") work, and when people book you it's usually because they want to expose their audience to work they can attest to. So I try to stay open to requests, so long as it's a poem I can still stand by. At the same time, I get booked a lot because my work changes a lot. If you let two years slide between my features you won't hear any repeats. You may never hear that old work again.

Hey, buy the book or the CD ext time.