monkeypuddingpeople

Why has it taken so long
for me to discover Death Cab For Cutie? I've been listening to their new album this afternoon and it's quite the enjoyable emo-stravaganza.

And how does one spell "indubitably?" Is that correct?

I want to write an entire series of haiku and have them all end with indubitably. 5 syllables baby.

In case I don't harass you via email or facebook
New Music West is co hosting a Spoken Word Showcase this Saturday at Cafe Deux Soleils.

The show will feature performances by members of the brand new 2008 Vancouver Poetry Slam Team (RadaR,

faust_mckenzie, Zaccheus Jackson, Scruffmouth and the Minimalist Jug Band.)

Also performing are Julie Parrell, Sean McGarragle, The Svelte Ms. Spelt, CJ Leon, RC Weslowski (me), Barbara Adler and from Halifax, Ardath Whynacht.

It should be a pretty sweet night as I have asked all of them to try and re think, re envision their work and present it in a new or fresh way than they usually do. Hopefully it'll work. Barbara will be playing accordion, Faust will be using some pre recorded stuff, Scruff will be accompanied by Djembe and Zacch will be adding a beatboxer to his rhymes. So we're partly there. Plus Al has his juband and Julie will be presenting some Shaman work.

And this just in, Matthew Glick will also be performing his iconic vampire poem to kick the night off with the appropriate goth glam than only a young man from Shaughnessy can bring.

It's only $10 and the show starts around 8pm at Cafe Deux Soleils: 5th and Commercial Drive.

Van Slam Finals are done
I took the day off work yesterday because I knew Monday night was going to be exhausting and chances of staying up late were high. Good call on my part.

We had our Van Slam Finals on Monday night. We have 2 returning members and 2 new team members who are Van Slam rookie team members but who have been performing elsewhere and in different disciplines. ( Read more... )

Last Night
Was grand. A going away party and show at Hoko's Karaoke Lounge in the downtown eastside. Cool venue. One of those wonderful places that you hope won't be demolished and or closed down by the city leading up to the Olympics.

It reminds me of Miss T's Cabaret before it burned down (obviously. it would suck if it reminded me of Miss T's AFTER it burned down.)

The music was fun, the poets were on their game and I learned that Ghana is the best place in Africa to get a hand job. No evidence was provided for this outlandish claim but for now I will take their word for it. Every country needs to have something.

Oh...they have $3 pints. Nothing like drinking in the downtown eastside.

AND 1 other thing

faust_mckenzie's new poem about oil is fantastic.

Current Music: 38 Special

Getting in Print
Good news, I suppose. Three of my poems will be seeing print. I found out today that I'll be in the Spring issue of One Cool Word magazine. And a Canadian anthology called "Mic Check" is going to be out soon. I'm told it's the first collection of Canadian only "spoken word" artists. From Vancouver, myself, Barbara Adler and

magpieulysses are all in it.

I've know about it for a while but I was asked to keep it hush-hush. However I've seen the editor post about it online elsewhere so I feel I can actually talk about it. I'm excited about the anthology. yay. I think they are doing a launch in Toronto in May.

Here's a link to the book publisher, Quattro http://quattrobooks.ca/

For you Springsteen fans
You may have caught this already but here's the Boss' eulogy for his buddy and orignial E Street Band member, Danny Federici...

FAREWELL TO DANNY
Let me start with the stories.

Back in the days of miracles, the frontier days when "Mad Dog" Lopez and his temper struck fear into the band, small club owners, innocent civilians and all women, children and small animals.

Back in the days when you could still sign your life away on the hood of a parked car in New York City. ( Read more... )

Youth Slam is happening tonight
It's open to all poets aged 13-22. Our feature is all the way from Ottawa, Ontario: Ritallin the Cerebral Stimulant! He'll be lowering the Boom Clap on us for sure.

Doors and sign up at 7pm. Show starts around 8.

I don't know how many people 13-22 read this journal but there you go. Even if you're older you can come out and support the kids.

Yay it's Spring
To quote

ragingvalkyrie and her Vagina "Finally!"

Good night at the slam last night
We had a full house 135+ in attendance. I really enjoyed Logan's feature. It was funny, heartfelt and political without being overbearing. I liked his stage presence and how he incorporated local tidbits into his poems and banter. He was paying attention.

The poets in the slam did a wonderful job as well. I think only a point and a half of thereabouts separated them all going into the second round. And you could tell they all new it and wanted to make it as the second round was bristling with what I thought was an added intensity. Time penalties played a factor. A couple poets had to pull out some signature pieces to move on. And a poet or two came with their strongest performances in a while. It was excellent to see.

Moving on to the slam finals on May 5th at the WISE Hall are Spillious the Ridiculous One, RadaR, Sean McGarragle and Al Mader.

Congrats to everyone all around.

David Morgan RIP
A local Vancouver poet, David Morgan passed away recently. I don't think many in the local slam community will necessarily recognize his name. He didn't attend the slams very often and I can only recall him reading a few times there. However he was an integral part of the Poets Against War reading series that started up after 9/11 and prior to the impending invasions of Afghanistan and Iraq. He was a generous soul and an often tireless worker for peace. He travelled extensively and new of what he spoke when reading his poems. His obituary and details around his death are attached. He will be missed...

David Rees Morgan, born Jan 16, 1930, passed away peacefully April 13, 2008 at St. James Cottage Hospice after a four year fight with Brain Cancer. ( Read more... )

Van Slam Semi Final #2 is tonight
It should be another rockem sockem night of Vancouver poetry slammin.

Our feature is Logan Phillips from Flagstaff. http://dirtyverbs.com/

And our competing poets this evening are...
THE SVELTE MS. SPELT, SEAN McGARRAGLE, MARY-ALICE, RADAR, AL MADER, JULIAN BENTLEY, SPILLIOUS THE RIDICULOUS ONE AND CLINT "FATHER GOOSE" WILSON.

A lot of variety in styles tonight. It's a wide open bout. It should be fun.
The show gets going around 8:45 with the open mic at Cafe Deux Soleils.

RC ya there.

Poets' Hockey Pool
8 o'clock this evening at the Brickhouse. You are welcome to participate. $20 gets you in. 12 rounds. Winner take all.

Be there or don't.

Van Slam Semi Final #1 is tonight
Featuring

theklute

Also performing are

ragingvalkyrie, Scruffmouth, Zaccheus Jackson,

faust_mckenzie,

shannons_words, Richard Lett, Lady Jessica and CJ.

It should be a top notch night as 3 members from last year's team are in this bout.

Doors are at 8pm. Slam starts at 9pm. All the action is at Cafe Deux Soleils.

The Canucks are out of the playoffs
The Canucks are out of the playoffs
you don't know what to do.
So you stay up late eating
canned salmon and mushroom soup,
you sell your bathrobe on e-bay,
you finish that online course
on organic hemp lipstick,
you start losing weight and eating right
because pubs have become like old lovers,
you see one on every corner
but you are too scared to enter.
All because the Canucks missing the playoffs
is like a group of arhythmic meat eating hippies
something that just shouldn't happen.
It makes your brain explode.

My last month as co slammaster
Starting on Saturday it will be one month and counting until I step down as co slammaster for the Vancouver Poetry Slam. I've essentially been looking after all the details for the local scene since Graham departed following the 2006 Finals.

Fortunately I had been running co pilot with him, helping out with most of the publicity and the booking of features. ( Read more... )

Current Mood: thankful
Current Music: Counting Crows doing a H. Stern acoustic thing

In Your Rock Star Death Year
For K.C. (on her birthday)

In your rock star death year
In your rock star death year
In your rock star death year

You were my nundulating cheese beaver
my sauerkraut truncheon
my shyster epidermal ( Read more... )

So far today
I won an Irish Jig contest at work and won a paid day off from said work.

I finalized the Van Slam poet's contract.

I bought a clock radio.

My new word salad
I think I've edited it now for clarity...at least to me and it feels much better when reading it aloud....which is a lot of what I am concerned with...plus it's not too long so I can take my time with it when performing...yay and yay.

If language is a virus
Then let me be sick with words

brickitickatickbaaaaa ( Read more... )

Current Music: Band of Horsies

Colour blind at your window
I stare colour blind through your window

Chameleon shunned and
mocked
by roses

I wish I had your eyes.

The ability to see the pinwheels
scattering prisms
upon ho wah canvas

But for me
the kaleidoscopes in your fingers
are pigskin moths in a drunk-tank
covered in lacklustre jackets

The sunset
in your paintbrush
is an umbrella drained of blood

I am colour blind at your window

Eating butterflies for breakfast,
devouring peacocks every lunch,
attempting to taste a world that’s
billiard brilliant

But I get
ash grey indigestion
pushing
muted cancer
through my bowels
until
I am left
shitting
still born zebras
their joyless placenta
covering
a pale by comparison
world

I am colour blind at your window

A skittle pariah banished
by day glo

I wish I could see what you see.

Portland's A WEATHER playing tomorrow
Here's a video of the band that's headlining tomorrow at the Capri Hall on Fraser Street (between 24th and 25th). Myself and young poetry slam upstart, Julien Bentley will be doing some poems, there will be art on the walls, it will be young and emo. Except for me that is.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QVPtMpJaIgo

tix $12 at the door. It's at the Capri Hall 3925 Fraser Street. Apparently that's between 24th and 25th avenues. It's an early gig 7pm until 11pm.