EdMabrey's Black Pearl Poetry

Send Ed Mabrey to the 2010 Individual World Poetry Slam

2010-10-18T20:23:00.000-07:00

Sending someone cross country for 4 days of poetry competition sounds great, right?

Getting postcards, books, cd's, downloads, personal shows, free performances, workshops, and even poems dedicated to you is pretty sweet too, right?

Doing all this for only ONE DOLLAR sounds crazy!! But it's true.

You help send Ed Mabrey to the 2010 Individual World Poetry Slam in Charlotte, NC Dec 8-11 and in return get REALLY cool items!

Just check this link for more details and please be sure to spread the word!

Black Pearl Poetry Tempe Thursday ONE YEAR ANNIVERSARY

2010-09-16T01:45:00.000-07:00

This show is overflowing with great artists from all over the valley and abroad!

It's our ONE YEAR ANNIVERSARY

for our TEMPE THURSDAY show!

Held at MADCAP THEATER 730 S. Mill Ave

(at intersection of S. Mill Ave and Seventh St)

Doors open at 8pm SHARP

(I would try and be there on time if I were you)

Show starts promptly at 8:30pm ! We go until 11pm
You can sign up for the OPEN MIC!

Then we have special performances by:

MYSTIC BLU

NIKKI GATES

ISSIM

FLIPSIDE

LEAH MARCHE

KAOS

KEVIN DAILY

THE KLUTE

MOHEEB

QUEEN

IAM JONES

WISDOM SOUL

H.B.

ALONZO

STEVEN HERNANDEZ

KATE SAUNDERS

DISHA

ELLY

MIOUO

From NYC for one night only- TAI ALLEN

From Brooklyn, NY for one night only- IAM ISIS

From Minneapolis for one night only- WONDERDAVE

Your DJ for the evening is DJ CATALYST!

And the ARIZONA INFORMANT is giving away tickets to a ARIZONA DIAMONDBACK GAME plus TARGET GIFT CARD, and other great surprises!

Questions about where to park?
www.madcaptheaters.com has a full listing of areas free and otherwise.

Questions about the show?
blackpearlpoetry@gmail.com or 614-623-0687

There will be complimentary food when the show kicks off!

And there will also be beverages for purchase for the grown folks ;)

$5.00 for Students and Teens

$7.00 for Adults*

*(gets you your first "in theater" beverage for only ONE DOLLAR!)

Bring ID, Bring CASH (if possible), Bring FRIENDS, Bring FAMILY, Pass the word!

We have done over 100 shows in the valley in the past 12 months and over 50 of those shows have been our Black Pearl Poetry Tempe Thursday event!

July 29- Black Pearl Poetry Tempe Thursday- Ed Mabrey Bday Jam!

2010-07-29T07:42:00.000-07:00

BLACK PEARL POETRY

TEMPE THURSDAY/ THRUSTDAY

ED MABREY BIRTHDAY JAM

MADCAP Theater
730 S. Mill Ave
(S. Mill & Seventh St. former huge Harkins theater)
Tempe, AZ
www.madcaptheaters.com
www.blackpearlpoetry.net

Here's your lineup for JULY 29!
We invite you to blow off some steam and hang with us at P.F. Chang's in Tempe at S. Mill & University from 5:30-7pm while we eat, drink, and make merry wishing Black Pearl's host and founder, Ed Mabrey a happy birthday.

Then at 8pm the doors open for BLACK PEARL POETRY tonite!
Come on in, bring your friends, sign up for the OPEN MIC to share you jokes, your poems, your songs, your rhymes, whatever you like!

We kick the show off at 8:30 (if not sooner tonight hint hint) and we plan on stopping things a bit early tonight to have some fun for Ed's birthday (bring your dollars and gifts!) and for YOU!

The one and only DJ CATALYST will be spinning live on the wheels of steel tonight and we will offer our first ever POETRY and RHYME CIPHER! A true pass the mic over beats show your stuff or have some fun being silly type moment tonight. This happens AFTER the OPEN MIC.
Then Ed Mabrey is going to teach everyone a new dance (????)
And we will let DJ CATALYST groove the night away while YOU get a chance to hit the stage, dance, mix, mingle, get to know someone, wish Ed a happy birthday, and have a great time!

The cost? As always, only FIVE DOLLARS.
Parking? Plenty of FREE PARKING around, check the Madcap website for maps and more!

We hope to see you at P.F. Chang's....and then at BLACK PEARL POETRY TEMPE THURSDAY!

Also, for those who have been waiting to get Ed Mabrey's published book, "Waiting for the Mail Train", there will be copies available tonight!

FRIDAY APRIL 2nd- Youth Team Poetry Finals AND TAALAM ACEY!

2010-03-31T10:49:00.000-07:00

This is the second day of our biggest week of the year!

Friday April 2nd, at the FAIR TRADE CAFE 1020 N 1st Ave:
- the doors open at 7:30
-LIVE MUSIC courtesy of DJ CATALYST all night long
- brief featured mic from some incredible poets
- one of the most popular, most amazing, talented poets you will ever meet...TAALAM ACEY will be live and in concert!
--- AND---

Preparing to make history, youth ages 14-19 will compete against one another this Friday evening for a shot at making the 2010 Phoenix BRAVE NEW VOICES POETRY TEAM!
This youth team will represent the valley metro area at the 2010 Brave New Voices Poetry Competition, in Los Angeles, California!
This evening is special because our goal and expectation for the show is to raise the $1000.00 registration fee the youth must pay IN APRIL in order to go to the event. That dollar amount will house them, feed them, cover their registration, enroll them in all the events competitions, workshops, and seminars for the week. Then we hope to surpass that goal in order to cover the travel expenses for the kids.

Public speaking is one of the biggest fears of all humans, and in teens it has been shown that increased confidence in public speaking and expression via poetry raises grades, self esteem, decreases violence, drug use...and alot more.

So pick your reason to come- DJ CATALYST, TAALAM ACEY, or The Brave New Voices Finals- ALL PROCEEDS from the door will go towards the youth team!

The cost for this show on this night is
$10.00 regular admission
$5.00 students

Our challenge to you is - don't come alone. BRING FRIENDS. FRIENDS WITH MONEY.
Cash or plastic to get in this week only!
But bring cash for TAALAM ACEY's merchandise!
Also checks and cash for the donation bucket we will have for the kids!

Our magic number is 100 people. We want 100 folks to pack the place to standing room only. Please be sure to come out and hear how amazing these kids are!

There will be special prizes for top donors!

THURSDAY APRIL 1st!! National Team Selection Finals, TAALAM ACEY, DJ CATALYST and more!

2010-03-31T10:26:00.000-07:00

Doors open at 7:30!
We are turning the time back for one night so you can get in and get a seat and be ready to blast off at 8!

8pm- The show starts!
WARM THE MIC- Special performances by some special poets to get you pumped up!

BLACK PEARL POETRY GRAND SLAM-
For months now poets have competed in our poetry slams for the chance to compete in the GRAND SLAM. This event only happens once a year and will determine who gets to represent the Metro Valley Area as part of Team Black Pearl Poetry at the 2010 National Poetry Slam!!!

Open Mics are very cool, poetry slams are even better, and grand slams the best of them all! If you've never seen one, come out and watch your cities best battle it out for a slot on the team! Bring your loud voices and be ready to have some fun!

TAALAM ACEY-

His bio reads like a who's who of poets. He is and has been one of the most sought after poets in the world for over ten years. He is the hardest working man in poetry and averages 150-200 shows a year!
He has been featured on BET, German television, and is a International Poetry Slam Champion.
He is the reason alot of poets around the globe got into poetry in the first place.
Your featured poet for Thursday, April 1st is none other than TAALAM ACEY!!
This will not be a short feature, he will perform a full concert after the slam!

SPECIAL NEEDS-
The price of admission for this event is higher than our usual, but well worth it.
Regular admission is $10.00
Student admission is $5.00

All the proceeds from the night go towards-
ASU SunDevil Poetry Slam Team (they leave for Boston to compete at collegiate nationals the following week)
and
Black Pearl Poetry National Slam Team
(gets determined this same evening)

STORE-

There will be a merch table to purchase TAALAM ACEY's merchandise, as well as other merchandise that evening, so plastic is nice but be sure to bring some cash or hit one of the nearby atm's!

SHAKE YOUR BODYPARTS- with DJ CATALYST

It's Black Pearl Poetry's six month anniversary! We're still in diapers but we know how to shake it, so after everything is done, hang around with us and enjoy the music for a bit.

Last but not least, we are asking that if you only make it out once this year to a BlackPearlPoetry event, make this event the one you get out to!
It's a special night for us, and we want to make it a special night for you.

Don't come alone, bring friends, and start blasting the show on your pages and media outlets NOW! Taalam is only performing at BlackPearlPoetry and the grand slam is a once a year event, so come check it out!

BlackPearlPoetry hosts TREETOP POETRY FESTIVAL Thursday and Friday!

2010-02-04T13:59:00.000-08:00

Every year cities all over the country send teams to the National Poetry Slam.
In order to do so, they have to compete against other teams in their area beforehand.
Every year this happens in Flagstaff, AZ.
NOT THIS YEAR.

This year Black Pearl Poetry serves as the host for the 2010 Treetop Poetry Festival!

This is a multiple day event which starts on Weds and runs on until Saturday!

THURSDAY is the first day of competition like you've never seen here before. This is the first multiple team bout of its' kind to happen in the metro valley area so come and be a part of history!

THURSDAY'S bout will be held at BlackPearlPoetryTempeThursday at the MADCAP Theaters, from 7:30-10:30.
MADCAP THEATERS
730 S. Mill Ave
Tempe, AZ

There will be music and an OPEN MIC, but come out on time if you want to sign up and read!

Then you get to watch three teams, that's TWELVE POETS battle on behalf of their cities!

BlackPearlPoetry (Phoenix/Tempe)
Mesa
Flagstaff

In this mix you have former World Poetry Slam Champions, National Poetry Slam Semi-Finalists and Finalists, Southwest Shootout Champions, Great Plains Poetry Slam Champions, HBO Def Poets and more!

If you've been wondering what a poetry slam looks like, feels like, sounds like, then this is your chance to witness it all!

Admission for this event is ONLY FIVE DOLLARS!

(think of it as having 12 featured poets in one night from all over just to please you)

We only ask you a few things-

bring cash for the poets merchandise
bring friends, lots of friends
be ready to cheer, scream, and act a fool
be ready to never look at poetry the same again!

See you this Thursday night!

MLK Day Celebration featuring Gil Scott Heron LIVE IN CONCERT!

2010-01-07T09:54:00.000-08:00

Black Pearl Poetry Presents:
Gil Scott-Heron Live

on Martin Luther King Jr. Day Jan 18, 2010 in Tempe

The legendary Gil Scott-Heron will perform in Tempe, Arizona on Martin Luther King Jr. Day for Black Pearl Poetry's second offering in the concert series, “Again for the First Time.” This world renowned poet and musician will be featuring along with members of his original band in two evening performances for this one landmark evening at the MADCAP Theaters in Tempe (730 S. Mill Ave- intersection of Seventh & Mill Ave.). Ticket prices range from $10-25 for the 6:30 and 9pm shows. VIP package specials range from $50-$75.
You can purchase tickets in advance from this site. Just look over to the right
Also performing that evening will be grammy nominated artist
Kevin Sandbloom &
10 piece soul/funk band Hot Birds and the Chili Sauce.
For more information on ticket sales, please call 614.623.0687
or visit www.madcaptheaters.com
or www.blackpearlpoetry.net/gilscott
www.GilScott-Heron.info

Tempe, Arizona – December 1, 2009 – Black Pearl Poetry, in association with MADCAP Theaters, presents its second major concert of the “Again for the First Time” series on January 18th, 2010. Gil Scott-Heron will perform selections spanning a lifetime of music on the Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday, with showtimes at 6:30 and 9pm. The concert demonstrates Black Pearl's continued commitment to bring a new standard of major performance poetry events to Arizona.
Gil Scott-Heron is a legendary spoken word poet and musician, with a pioneering body of work that gave rise to all of today's major African American genres, including neo-soul, R&B, and Hip-Hop. Many also consider him to be the Godfather of Rap. Scott-Heron proved to be a dominant voice during the 1960's and 70's, with an unrelentingly fierce political consciousness that pressed his artistry to the forefront of the Civil Rights and Black Power movements. This cultural icon boasts an extensive discography spanning the last five decades. Countless contemporary artists and activists look to Scott-Heron as their inspiration, and look forward to new infusions of his perspective—he will release his first album in over thirteen years in 2010.

Winners of Black Pearl's “MLK Day: What It Means to Me” Youth Art & Poetry Contest will be announced, and local art dealers and area vendors will showcase African-American wares for this unforgettable evening. Proceeds from the concert will fund college scholarships for high school members of South Mountain VOICE, and also help send the Phoenix winner of the Women of the World Poetry Slam on to the world poetry slam competition in Ohio.

The official hotel for the MLK Day Celebration

is the ALOFT Tempe.

For information contact
Ed Mabrey
blackpearlpoetry@gmail.com
614-623-0687

New Shows on Thursdays and Fridays Starting September 10th!

2009-09-03T14:14:00.000-07:00

THURSDAY SEPT 10th-
The show you've heard about and been waiting for! This show will include- Open Mic for anyone to sign up, a feature by 9th ranked National Slam Team Phoenix, a Women only Poetry Slam, and a exclusive feature by HBO Def Poet ALVIN LAU!
It all goes down from 7:30-10p.m. at MADCAP Theater- 730 S. Mill Ave. next to Uno's in TEMPE.

ABOUT BOTH BLACK PEARL POETRY SHOWS & SCHEDULES

BLACK PEARL POETRY- TEMPE
This event will happen every Thursday from 7:30-10p.m. at the MADCAP Theaters and will consist of-
Open Mic Poetry (anyone in attendance can sign up to read, it is all ages and uncensored)
Poetry Slams for those interested in:
- competing at any Poetry Slam Inc. (PSI) events*
-competing at any Association of College Unions International (ACUI)
events representing ASU*
Featured Poets from around the country
For more info on parking or to buy tickets in advance go to www.madcaptheaters.com
$5 reg admission/ $4 Students
* Schedule permitting these slams will be on separate Thursdays from each other.

FRIDAY SEPT. 11th-
BLACK PEARL POETRY DOWNTOWN
The only weekly downtown open mic and slam in Phoenix! Black Pearl Poetry's downtown location is at the brand new Civic Space Park's Fair Trade Cafe, 424 N. Central Ave. This spot is in the courtyard of the renovated AE England building in the middle of the park. (Just follow the larger than life glowing artwork to our steps.)

This show will happen every Friday from 7:30-10p.m. and will include:

- an all ages Open Mic (but keep in mind we do not censor anyone)
- Nationally Featured Artists
- Poetry Slams for adults wishing to compete in Poetry Slam Inc. (PSI) events*
- ASU students wishing to compete in Association of College Unions International (ACUI) events*
- Teens ages 14-19 who wish to compete in Brave New Voices events.*

*These slams for each of the 3 categories will happen on their own individual Fridays.

Questions, Press, and comments may be directed to-
blackpearlpoetry@gmail.com

All the shows you want

2009-08-26T00:21:00.000-07:00

This weekend starts the official countdown until Black Pearl Poetry becomes a part of Arizona in a big way. Press releases are going out now. More to come.

2009-07-10T12:05:00.000-07:00

Hi!
I am the Coach for the 2009 Phoenix, Arizona national poetry slam team as well as a member on the team.
This years team consist of:
Ed Mabrey
Myrlin Hepworth
Aaron Johnson
The Klute

The National Poetry Slam is August 3-9 this year in West Palm Beach, Florida.

The team is excited about going and could really use your help to get there. Simply click on the DONATION button on this site and the proceeds go directly towards the team budgeted needs, currently slated at $1200.00
Or you can click on the purchase button and buy one of Ed Mabrey's poetry cds.

Don't think any amount is too small. In fact for donations, all we are asking for is that people donate ONE DOLLAR and FIFTY CENTS. That's it. Chump change. You can handle that, right?

I knew you could. So click on that donate button and help us share poetry with the Nation.

2009-07-08T00:58:00.000-07:00

Hello.
If you would like to support Ed Mabrey and enjoy some poetry, buy a cd on this site! It's secure through PayPal, it's encrypted, and it doesn't cost you anything to do it.

If you want to make a donation to the 2009 Phoenix, Arizona National Poetry Slam Team, then be sure to click the DONATE button. You can specify if it is a donation for just Ed Mabrey or if it is one for the entire team!

This Tuesday night

2006-10-23T09:47:00.000-07:00

Weather for Tuesday- High almost 50, Sunny

Means? Show your style with a flashy scarf and some quality poems!

Black Pearl Poetry

Every Tuesday 8-11'ish

Poetry starts AT 8:30

held at-

The Brownstone On Main

122 E. Main St.

Columbus,Oh 43215

www.myspace.com/blackpearlpoetry

www.myspace.com/edmabrey

Last Week-

If you missed it, you missed the best poetry night in Ohio that week. Over 20 people on the open mic, a winner in the slam, and our feature Andrea Gibson simply had the crowd going crazy after every poem! You might want to come out for this one. Why?

This Week In order-

MUSIC from 8-8:30

This is your time to get your seat, talk to friends, make new ones, order some food, meet the feature, buy his merch, and sign up on the open mic list.

New Poem Feature 8:30- 8:45

Your host Ed Mabrey will give his regular New Poem feature. A combination of his work and covers of other poets work that you don't want to miss. As soon as this is done, Ed will cover all your info needs for the night and then-

OPEN MIC PART ONE-

You are the most vital part of the show! So bring your poems and sign up early to get a chance to read your great work. After some of you read we will go from this right to-

OUR FEATURE-

J.W. Baz

Armed with his confessional style,Baz won the 2006 Rustbelt Regional Slam and finished in the Top Ten at the 2006 National Poetry Slam as a member of Team Chicago.

You don't want to miss this cat.

Don't forget we have free passes to the night to give away this week and

ERIC ROBERSON concert tickets too!

Then you got more open mic, more poems, more fun, bring more of your friends and let's have a good time at the spot where YOU are the show!

I can't wait to see you this Tuesday!

Ed Mabrey

Let the Words Speak for Themselves

Tuesday Sept. 5 Ladies night with VERSIZ

2006-09-05T08:54:00.000-07:00

Weather for Tuesday- High in the 70's overcast
Means? Ladies Night is back and better than ever!

Black Pearl Poetry
Every Tuesday 8-11'ish
(first poem gets read at 8:30)
held at:
The Brownstone On Main
122 E. Main St.
Columbus, Ohio 43215
614-222-3005 (venue number)
www.blackpearlpoetry.com
www.myspace.com/blackpearlpoetry

OPEN MIC IN EFFECT

OPEN MIC poetry where YOU are the show! Come on out and sign up early since the list always fills up. Then be sure to grab your poems or someone else's and let us hear awesome poetry from your mouth. We're waiting for you to do your thing this Tuesday on the open mic.

LADIES NIGHT IN EFFECT

Tuesday, September 5 is the date.
This show will be like none other with-
YOU Ladies!
Yes- Ladies get $1.00 off their already low cover!
(does not apply to students or under 20)

FEATURE IN EFFECT

Your feature this Tuesday is none other than
VERSIZ!!
Versiz is an Emcee, producer, poet and recording engineer. He's made three Detroit poetry slam teams, been named Detroit Grand Slam Champion and took 2nd place in the Individual World Poetry Slam. Versiz has shared stages with KRS-One, Proof, The Last Poets, Kathleen Battle, Amp Fiddler, Black Bottom Collective, and many other artists. Versiz has also shared the stage with speakers Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick, and Rev. Al Shapton. Versiz is the only hip hop artist to ever be featured by The Detroit Symphony Orchestra in it's 91 year history. Production/Engineering credits include The Last Poets, Keith Washington, The Four Tops, Purple Gang, Professor Grif of Public Enemy and M-1 of Dead Prez.
For more info on this incredible poet, go to our features page on this site.
He will blow you away with his words this Tuesday night.

NOTES:

To everyone who came out to the Acoustic Soul Concert and made it such a great night-
THANK YOU VERY MUCH

ed.will.speak
coming to you soon
the September edition
at MidMonthMixer
www.MidMonthMixer.com

I can't wait to see you this Tuesday night!

Ed Mabrey
Black Pearl Poetry
Let the Words Speak for Themselves

Acoustic Soul tonight and poetry and more!

2006-08-29T12:26:00.000-07:00

Keep in mind now that this site will only cover basics.
for everything Black Pearl Poetry-
go to our other sites-
www.blackpearlpoetry.com
www.myspace.com/blackpearlpoetry

Tonight-

Black Pearl Poetry
Every Tuesday 8-11'ish
(first poem gets read at 8:30)
held at:
The Brownstone On Main
122 E. Main St.
Columbus, Ohio 43215
614-222-3005 (venue number)
www.blackpearlpoetry.com
www.myspace.com/blackpearlpoetry

OPEN MIC IN EFFECT

OPEN MIC poetry where YOU are the show! Come on out and sign up early as the list will be limited due to the concert. Then be sure to grab your poems or someone else's and let us hear awesome poetry from your mouth. We're waiting for you to do your thing this Tuesday on the open mic.

ACOUSTIC SOUL CONCERT IN EFFECT

Tuesday, August 29 is the date.
This show will be like none other with-
Professional Sound System
courtesy of
Razorback Sounds
Your acts for the evening-

RESE

SOULFULL

KIMBERLY JOYCE

CYRUS BATY

MIDDLE CHILD

with
(some surprises)
and
RON HOPE
(on African Percussion)
and

DJ KRATE DIGGA
(one of the best damn dj's in the land)

THIS SHOW WILL SELL OUT!!
WHY?
Because tickets are only
$7.00
General Admission for the entire show and party!

You can purchase tickets at the door.

NOTES:

Make sure to check out ColumbusBlack.com for all your entertainment needs.
ed.will.speak.
the next installment coming to you at the next MidMonthMixer in September.

The air is fixed and will be operational this Tuesday.
Drink specials will be available.

I can't wait to see you this Tuesday night!

Ed Mabrey
Black Pearl Poetry
Let the Words Speak for Themselves

July 4th Cookout-Black Pearl Style

2006-06-30T09:49:00.000-07:00

Tuesday July 4, 2006

Weather for Tuesday- High in the 70's

Every Tuesday 8-11'ish
Held at:
The Brownstone On Main
122 E. Main St.
Columbus, Ohio 43215
614-222-3005 restaurant number
www.blackpearlpoetry.com
www.myspace.com/blackpearlpoetry

TUESDAY JULY 4th
Black Pearl Poetry Cookout and Conversation

Outdoor cookout on the Brownstone Patio

(burgers, hot dogs, more-all for a VERY low price
brought to you by Black Pearl Poetry-NOT the Brownstone)

This will be an old fashioned chill out BBQ
Bring your kids if you like

NO COVER but BRING CASH FOR FOOD AND DRINK!

*this is a weather permitting event*

*feel free to bring lawn chairs due to limited seating*

*Hartman Building Covered Lot will be rain area*

Please, if you think you will come to this event, RSVP by simply emailing us at blackpearl@blackpearlpoetry.com with a "yes" to better enable us to have enough food on hand

June 20 show info

2006-06-19T11:31:00.000-07:00

Tuesday June 20, 2006

Weather for Tuesday- High of 80, sunny

Doors open at 7:45
Music and mixing till 8:30
Poetry starts at 8:35
Every Tuesday 8-11'ish
Held at:
The Brownstone On Main
122 E. Main St.
Columbus, Ohio 43215
614-222-3005 restaurant number
www.blackpearlpoetry.com
www.myspace.com/blackpearlpoetry

FUN TIMES IN EFFECT

The team just got back from the 2006 Rust Belt Regional Poetry Slam, and had a blast! Columbus represented with two teams this year and each team did their thing. Black Pearl came in 2nd place in each of their bouts, but did not get into finals. But no worries! The team had a great time and took a big step towards being ready for the National Poetry Slam in August. Thanks to all those who sent well wishes to the team.

Oh, by the way, Black Pearl Poetry will be the host for the 2007 Rust Belt Regional Poetry Slam!

OPEN MIC IN EFFECT

Each week, people from all over town (and the state for that matter) rush out on Tuesday's to hear some great work. Make sure YOU are one of those people this week! The list fills up fast so get out on time to sign up and be a part of a fun night where YOU are what's most important. We'll be waiting to hear you this Tuesday night so bring your poems, bring someone else's poem, and bring a friend and a smile.

FEATURE IN EFFECT

Black Pearl Poetry is proud to present the one and only Ms. Traci Currie as our featured poet this week.
Traci has Completed BA in Communication Studies at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill; Completed MFA in Film at Ohio University; PhD in the School of Telecommunications at Ohio University; Area of interest is African American Oral Tradition and Cultural & Media Studies.In addition to this, Traci tours, performs, has released an awesome album with spoken word, and was a member of the first ever National Poetry Slam team to come out of Columbus.Make sure to come out and hear this incredible woman do her thing! SLAM IN EFFECT This one is different. And special. And easy. And stress free. Come out and see for yourself.

THIRST IN EFFECT

Want something to drink?
Then why not come on out for these incredible specials and get a poetry chaser!
Apple Martini, Chocolate Martini, Passion Martini, Cantaloupe Martini
All just $3.00 each!
Bottled water only $2.00 each
And all the fruit juice, coffee, tea, and soda you can handle
Be sure to get some food to go along with your drink too!

Of course this is not all that is going on this week, but you know the rules-you wanna know what goes down-you gotta come out and see. I can't wait to see you this TUESDAY night.

By the way, if you think of anything the night could use to make it more fun for you or a better experience, comment cards will be available foryou to share your thoughts and help make the most out of YOUR night!

Don't forget for all of your art and entertainment needs to go to www.Columbusblack.com
Join their forum and try your hand at the online poetry contest
It's fast, fun, and free!

Heading out to slam for the belt

2006-06-15T10:07:00.000-07:00

Well here it is. The teams first test so to speak. We will head out on the highway while most people are sleeping and not stop till we hit Milwaukee, Wisconsin for the 2006 Rust Belt Regional Poetry Slam.

This promises to be an historic and interesting journey for a few reasons.

1) this is the first slam team event from Black Pearl Poetry
2) this is my first trip to slam in a group setting since Nationals last August.
3) these cats have never seen anything like this.

One of the members (Tif) was on the squad I sent last year which won it all but that year was marred by low turnout of teams and some other things as well.

It's been two years since I did Rust Belt and then it was as player/coach and now I am doing that again. THAT feels strange. (like the old saying "the players may change but the game remains the same")

It has been refreshing to hear talk of slam and see it from the perspective of new minds and faces and voices. Reminds you why you do it to begin with.

This year is shaping up to be the biggest Rust Belt ever, due in no small part to the awesome Dasha Kelly of Milwaukee making it a great show! Bill Abbott would be, and probably is, very proud of how things have grown.

I plan on making a bid for Black Pearl Poetry to host the event here in Columbus in 2007. we have done it here a couple of times and each one was quite special, but now that I have a few years of know how under my belt, I feel we can put on an incredible show! Plus the central location of Columbus would increase interest of alot more teams from other areas.

Well I need to pack and pray. Not in that order.
Feel free to hit us up here and send some luck and well wishes!

If I can get around a computer I will be sure to give updates while we are there.

Let the Words Speak for Themselves

Tuesday June 13 Show

2006-06-07T07:39:00.000-07:00

First let me thank everyone who came out last week to the open mic or stopped by Max and Ermas Easton for a bite on Wednesday and helped the team out in the process.
We have been invited to do another one in the future but the next one will be quite a bit larger and alot more fun out there!

On to this Tuesday-

OPEN MIC IN EFFECT

If we don't have YOU we don't have a show, so come on out and have a blast at the place you love to call home- Black Pearl Poetry! We are keeping the distractions and side events to a minimum this week which means the focus is on YOU-so be ready to rip it on the open mic!

SURPRISE FEATURE IN EFFECT

This is one way of making sure you guys actually READ these things.
(in other words this was not in yesterdays email)
Your featured poet for tonight is none other than
SCOTT WOODS!!
Scott has been a member or a coach to every slam team to come out of Columbus, he has been on the finals stage at the National Poetry Slam, has competed at the Individual World Poetry Slam, released several cd's and books of poetry to critical acclaim,completed the only one man 24 hour poetry reading, is the only poet from Columbus to perform on NPR (multiple times I might add), has run the second longest poetry night here in town (only second to Larry's),runs the poetry for the Columbus Arts Festival, has won more slams than I can list here and on top of all that- he is the President of Poetry Slam Incorporated, which is the company that puts on the World and National level slams!
(didn't know Columbus was big like THAT now did you?)

This cat NEVER does local features so to have him coming in wil be a treat. Believe me when I say you have NEVER heard a poet like this one! Yes, he is just that good. In times past he has been a friend, a mentor, a role model, a fellow team member, but above all of that the cat is a bad ass poet. Miss tonight and you will regret it.

THIRSTY?

Apple Martini, Chocolate Martini, Passion Martini
all just $3.00
Bottle water
only $2.00
and there might be another special drink of the night for the ladies!

FEELING CHARITABLE?

We will pass the hat for Team Black Pearl Poetry this Tuesday, and there will be a plate to make donations at the bar and door from now until their trip to the National Poetry Slam. Don't forget another great way to donate is to purchase a Black Pearl Poetry Membership or any merchandise from Team Black Pearl Poetry. Checks and credit cards accepted.

WANNA KNOW ALL THE DIRT?

Have you joined the official Black Pearl Poetry Listserve? Hit that box over there that asks you to join.

Have you seen the official website? www.blackpearlpoetry.com

Have you made us your friend on MYSPACE? www.myspace.com/blackpearlpoetry

Make sure to keep in touch with us as we will be all over town and abroad and will post news and pics on our other sites.

THERE MIGHT BE SOME SURPRISES THIS TUESDAY-
but of course in usual fashion, you have got to come out to see what they are.

and congratulations to our winner of the raffle for a free hotel room at the Rust Belt Regional Poetry Slam- Bob Inkles!

See you this Tuesday at 8:00 sharp!

Tuesday June 6 Recap

2006-06-05T00:04:00.000-07:00

LADIES NIGHT WITH THEE FUTURE

Helluva show

LADIES NIGHT WITH DJ KRATE DIGGA

Had us dancing or wanting to dance all night. Just what a dj should be-professional and pure.

LADIES NIGHT WITH WILL EVANS LIVE RECORDING

Small sound problem postponed this one but that just means we will make it bigger and better!

Open mic was great with about 20 folks hitting and spitting on the mic. (by the way, the mew mics sound GREAT don't they?)

Make sure you come out this Tuesday for what promises to be a hot show!

May 30, 2006-So much to see and hear!

2006-05-30T08:12:00.000-07:00

This night was a blast.
Another full open mic list, a ton of new people, some old faces showed up and really did their thing, a few ticket giveaways and some new equipment to enhance the overall enjoyment of the night.

The haiku slam was funny. It always amazes me how, when given free reign, folks will often fall into a round of "the dozens" in the midst of what would appear to be a nice reading of some haiku.

The team feature was well received and while almost everyone in attendance enjoyed the new and revamped poems, I want to thank those who took the time out to listen and give constructive feedback and a thorough critique.

This Tuesday's show

2006-05-22T11:58:00.000-07:00

OPEN MIC IN EFFECT

A pure blast. Everyone was energetic and ready to read, and with so many people signed up for the open mic list and therefore each person only getting a shot to read one poem, folks gave it their very best.
Much thanks to John for coming out after a seven year hiatus from the mic, and to Brother Is Said, for his incredible performance with Tone.
Also thanks to the wonderful people who drove down from Toledo, Dayton, and Cincy and all the new people who gave the regulars a run for their money!

MYSTERY SLAM IN EFFECT

So here it is. I picked out two people (Will Evans and Tiffani Smith of team Black Pearl Poetry) then two more folks (Tone and Elise) and had them slam- Battle of the Sexes style!
So it was the women vs. the men for fun and laughs. No prizes, no glory, no rules, no pressure.
These cats really brought their "a" game to the mic.
The winners were decided by audience applause, and it was so tight we had to test the noise level TWICE.
In the end, team "L" won out, but barely.
Congratulations Ladies.
Expect to see this bit of fun and silliness again soon.

FUNDRAISER IN EFFECT

Your local, regional, and national level slam team- Team Black Pearl Poetry-is having fundraiser to help with the costs of representing this fine town and its' residents at the summer slams they will attend. An approximate costs for these events is $3500.00 for the team.
Ouch.
How can you help? Glad you asked!

On June 7th, Black Pearl Poetry will hold an all day fundraiser at Max and Ermas at EASTON.
You have to have a flier in order to help and can get those online or at Black Pearl Poetry Night and The Brownstone On Main.
Here's what you do-
Get a flier
Make copies for you and ALL OF YOUR FRIENDS, COWORKERS,ETC.
Go to Max and Ermas at EASTON on JUNE 7th
Eat, drink, and be merry (eat in orders or carryout is fine)
Give them the flier to attach to your ticket.
20% of your bill goes towards Team Black Pearl Poetry!

That's it.
Just give them the flier and eat like you normally would.

Also, Black Pearl Poetry will be around all day at Max and Ermas passing out gifts, free passes to events, Boondocks merchandise, movie tickets, and alot more!

Tuesday May 16-Open Mic, Soul Slam

2006-05-12T10:14:00.000-07:00

OPEN MIC IN EFFECT

Come on out and share your work at the night where YOU are the show!
No matter what your poem is about or what you think your skill level is, this is the place and the chance for you to shine.
I look forward to hearing your work.

SOUL SLAM IN EFFECT

Our last installment in the Soul Series, this Soul Slam should be great. No, it WILL be great!
With cash and prizes totaling over $50.00 you don't want to miss your shot at taking home some loot.
The rules?
Easy-
Be prepared to read in two rounds.
Poems must be 3 minutes or less.
Poems will be judged on performance and content.
Poems cannot have obscene, foul,or profane language.
Poems do NOT have to deal strictly with a God, a religious belief, or a spiritual one.
No props of any kind.
You may sing during your poem, but you may not simply SING a SONG. You must actually have a poem to perform.
Poems DO NOT have to be memorized.

Poems need to be positive, uplifting, happy(in theme), celebratory, inspiring, or spiritual, or speak to the human nature of good will.

In other words, you could do a poem on how you love God, how your God loves you etc.
You could also just as easily do a poem on how you love cheese, video games, toy robots, your mom,etc.
You could do a "keep your chin up" type of poem.
An "Eye of the Tiger" type of poem.
etc. etc. etc.

So now that you know what the rules are, bring out your poems or write some new ones and come out and slam.

Tuesday May 9,2006

2006-05-09T00:36:00.000-07:00

a very nice evening.
started behind while folks for the auction and King Arts complex came in, but not by much.
People are really starting to move their arrival time back up in spite of the great weather and even later sunsets, which can affect your time if your crowd is more of a night crowd instead of the 9-5 variety.

The open mic was great. over 20 people signed up to read and are learning that if you wait too long, you won't get to read that week.

the birthday celebration was nice and everyone enjoyed the ice cream cake.

Thank you to everyone who signed the card for Bro. Is Said. It will lift his heart to see the folks show him love in his time of need.

The auction for the seats at the event was nice. More money is always a good thing, but all in all no complaints. Thanks to all who supported.

The Better Half

2006-05-08T21:53:00.000-07:00

For longer than anyone really knows, a man named Is Said has been doing his thing in this city in the name of poetry.
Plays, poems, novels, emcee,host, novelist, actor, activist, mentor, teacher; all these words and more come to mind.
For over thirty years, his darling wife has been there with him for support and stability.
Is Said just lost his wife to a battle with cancer.
This is a moment of peace and silence for her and love for him.
..................................................
You are in our prayers Is Said.
Thank you.

Tuesday May 2-recap

2006-05-01T12:06:00.000-07:00

What is there to say?

The new ladies night is a success and was alot of fun.

Drink specials, new VIP rentals for women groups and organizations, parties, etc.

The open mic list filled up quick and forced some people to go on standby.

No luck, though. They will have to wait until next week to read.

Dj Krate Digga was his usual incredible self. It is hard to explain how good he is. You just gotta come on out and experience it for yourself.

Mike McGee was our feature, but more importantly, he is a friend, a great poet and an awesome man.

I enjoyed every moment he was here and we laughed and joked and he shared of himself like no one else can. In the end he left a better friend of mine than when he came in town and that, to me, says alot.

For his feature he did no less than over an HOUR worth of work. We split it into two sets and he did no less than get better as time moved on.

Just a great show, really good energy, and more laughs than should be legal.

If you missed this one, you should be kicking yourself by now.

The Grand Slam and more!

2006-04-02T16:19:00.000-07:00

DEDICATION IN EFFECT
This went over very well, with a group of poets who have supported the night with regularity coming together and sharing some of their work with the crowd.
My thanks to all those who did what they had to do to be a part of this event.

MUSIC IN EFFECT

DJ KRATE DIGGA...I don't know what to say about the cat. He just rocks. One of the few people who really did not get a chance to ever truly stop, Krate kept the music up and seemed to know just what to play at every turn. A true professional and I am lucky to have him on board with Black Pearl and as a friend. If you did not buy one of his awesome cd's, shame on you. Make sure you get one this coming Tuesday.

FEATURE IN EFFECT

2005 LEAF Slam Champion, 2004 Individual National Poetry Slam Champion
SONYA RENEE (http://www.sonyareneeis.com came in and really rocked the house. Very sweet, kind, professional and just a good friend, Sonya walked in, said her hellos and proceded to really bring the house down with her poetry. A GREAT way to start off what would be a long and very tense night of slamming. If you did not get her cd, hit her webstie and get it there. Also send her big hugs from Columbus. This evening was her first and only time perofrming here, and it was great for that momentous occasion to happen at Black Pearl Poetry.

SLAM IN EFFECT

If you weren't there and would like a blow by blow description of everything that went down...don't expect that here. You had to (and should have) been there to experience it firsthand and nothing I will post here will make up for that. But I will give you the basics.

First off, let me say that a alam like this has never went down here before so it was a huge test of sorts for everyone involved, both audience and poets. The night started a little behind as far as teh poetry was concerned since there were 8 different positions that night filled by volunteers so that I would have no true hands on effect on the night. (though for the record the night was advertised as having a DJ start the night and we plugged opening the doors up early so that folks who came on time were rewarded with good seats, not poetry the moment they walked in the door.)

I am very glad to say the night ended on time (poetry wise) and the DJ did his thing for a while after that.

Now as for the slam, it was five round total, 7 poets competing. Two other poets had qualified to compete but one did not show up and the other, unfortunately, did not arrive before the draw.

The slam was started off by the sacrificial poet- Rose Smith, who did a great job. It was nice to have her back after recent surgeries. She had been in the house a few times prior but had just kind of chilled out in the back. Thanks, Rose.

With the layout of the slam, each score and round counted for alot and slip ups were costly. We added a random draw after every other round in a double blind fashion so things were as fair as a slam can get.

The order was as follows-

Round 1

Tiffani, Ursula, Rare, JG, Wali, Will, Edward

Round 2

Edward, Will, Wali, JG, Rare, Ursula, Tiffani

Scores were added together from both rounds and one poet was dropped. Order was drawn at random.

Round 3

Wali, Will, Edward, JG, Rare, Tiffani

Round 4

Tiffani, Rare, JG, Edward, Will, Wali

Scores were added together from both rounds and one poet was dropped. Order was drawn at random. (note- these two rounds were tight with .3 separating 3 of the poets in one round and .5 in another!)

Final round

Sudden death. top four scoring poets become the team.

Rare, Edward, JG, Tiffani, Will

And your 2006 Black Pearl Poetry National Slam Team is:

WILL, RARE, TIFFANI, ED

Make sure to congratulate them next time you see them. If you want to make next years team, you should start working now.

As in any and every slam, some crazy stuff happened. Judges flake out, people speak up, poets slip up, on and on. What speaks of the audiences character and poise as well as the poets and all staff that night is how everyone stepped up their game and involvement and really made it a special night. It was a very rich night, full of tension and surprise. I am glad to have been a part of it.

VIP IN EFFECT
No, this is NOT about the VIP area, though that was alot of fun to watch and see people enjoy themselves, so yes we will have that section again.

This is for the VERY IMPORTANT PEOPLE who made the night possible-
THE VOLUNTEER STAFF!!
I thank you and love you all for your help. You stepped up and made the night possible and without you it would have not been possible.
Gifts and rewards are forthcoming.
ANITA
TIFFANY
CAMILLE
AMANDA
FAGAN
ISH
KIM
DANIEL
ERICA
CHARMA
and of course the best bartender- PHAEDRA

Last Chance Slam Recap

2006-04-02T16:18:00.000-07:00

What a fun night. The open mic filled up quick and the poets were eager to share some very nice work. In fact, some folks didn't get there in time to get on the list, so make sure to come out on time from now on so your words can be heard.

The last chance slam ended up going to a sudden death round for all the chips.
The crowd was great and hanging on every word.
Earlier in the night I had made a comment about the importance of judges and scores, etc. and then, in the last sudden death round, the difference between the top two poets was .1!!!
That's right- ONE TENTH OF ONE POINT was the difference between the poet who got to go to this Tuesday's Grand Slam and not.
Whew.
All in all it was a nice night and has only helped to add suspense and tension to the events which will unfold this week.

That said, congrats to JG for a fantastic job and earning a slot in the Grand Slam!

April 4- RECAP

2006-04-02T15:18:00.000-07:00

Quite a night.
To those several people who came out early, thank you for your support and I hope it was all worth the wait.
For those who were a bit 'warm', the heat was off but set in the mid 70's, hence the nice tropical feel. But it wasn't stifling and is far better than the air being stuck on in December, trust me.

On to the show-
The open mic list was once again full of great people eager to share their work and it showed in the poems they delivered to the audience. A very nice night full of quality people reading quality poems. Just lovely.
A big shout out to the wonderful poets who came in from Cincy just for the show and drove back that same night! That's two weeks in a row that a different Cincy venue has packed up their poets and rolled into town just to share with us. The favor will be returned very soon guys and gals.
A big hello to all the ladies who came out and showed their love for their sorority! There was no bickering, hating, just love from one sorority to another. They even gave a quick class on the subtle variances between their "roll call" sound off. Can't wait for next weeks lesson.

The added drink specials were a blast and Phaedra was really moving. Upside to drink specials- people order more and feel love (in a 'oh i can get a redueced priced drink kind of way).
Downside- you got to work twice as hard for the same amount of cash, so a big shout out to Phaedra for moving like she was on rollerskates back there. If you are reading this and come out to the night, make sure to tip her well. She sure as hell deserves it.

The main event- Marc Bamuthi Joseph was alot of things last night; cool, quiet, professional, highly attentive, caring, supportive. Most of all though, he was just flat out amazing.
Alot of seasoned poets I know could learn alot from the way he carries himself, both while perofrming and while waiting his turn. He genuinely wanted to hear each poem from every poet and give them his undivided attention. Keep in mind the cat flew in from SanFrancisco and arrived in Columbus around 8pm last night, came straight to the spot, grabbed some water and a seat and then once it was his turn, morphed into this larger than life figure which spoke words that flew through the air, only to be matched by his own bodies movement through time and space.

He sold cd's and the staff of the King Arts Complex was on hand to sell discounted tickets for his one man show "When Words Become Flesh" which is being held this Saturday, April 8 at The King Arts Complex. There will be a special guest host and some other neat events going on as well. I strongly encourage you to check out his show.

For more on Marc check him at myspace.com/bamuthi

Much love to everyone who came thru and made the night so nice. The mix of old and new patrons was great to see. Alot more on the horizon, believe me.

GREAT FEATURES IN EFFECT

Black Pearl Poetry is proud to announce that we will be bringing you some of the best poets in the country bar none during this spring and summer season.
Here is just a sample of what is to come-
Sonya Renee- 2004 Individual National Poetry Slam Champion, 2005 LEAF Slam Champion.
Mike McGee- 2003 Individual National Poetry Slam Champion, 2006 Individual World Poetry Slam Champion
Thee Future- 2005 Way With Words Slam Finalist, 2005 Big Bang Poetry Slam Champion
Andrea Gibson, Rives, Roger Bonair Agard, Patricia Smith, and many many more are all coming to you via Black Pearl Poetry!

Open Mic, Slam-March 28

2006-04-02T15:11:00.000-07:00

A very nice night. The open mic list filled up quick and everyone was eager to share their work.
The rain had folks coming in a bit late but better late than never.
Now that the true 'slam season' has wrapped up for Black Pearl Poetry, it's time to look back at how it all went down and go thru everything with a fine toothed comb to figure out what stays and what goes for next season.

All that is left now is the last chance slam, and of course the Team Grand Slam, which promises to be a blast.

The folks whom frequent Black Pearl Poetry night have been kind, sweet, and very diligent in their efforts to do what they can to make night a rich and rewarding experience. I look forward to this growth as we push forward into the warm months and do our best to offer a safe haven for all those who are willing to put other things aside for one night a week and come chill out and enjoy some good poetry.

Open Mic, Slam, Special Guests

2006-03-20T07:36:00.000-08:00

Well this Tuesday might have some snow on it but we will melt all that with some hot poetry!

OPEN MIC IN EFFECT

Remember, YOU are the show, so come on out and let the world hear what you've been working on. No poems of your own but you still love poetry? No problem, bring your favorite book of poetry with you and share something from it with the crowd. A little Sandburg perhaps? More of the Neruda type? Paz? Henson? Cullen? Collins? Whatever it is, bring it with you and let us hear you bring those words to life once again.

But remember, the list is limited and once it is full, you go on standby. Why?

Because-

SLAM IN EFFECT

It's the 3rd Tuesday so you know what that means. SLAM! Got a handful of poems no longer than 3 minutes? Are they original? As in yours? As in written by YOU? Want to see how you'll fare in battle or maybe you would like a shot at making the 2006 Black Pearl Poetry National Poetry Slam Team?! Then come on out on time and sign up for the poetry slam. The list is limited and will fill up quickly, don't say you haven't been warned. This is one of three last chances to qualify for the Grand Slam in April. (keep in mind that some people who have acquired points to go to the slam might not make the cut if they don't have enough points, so things are getting tense)

SPECIALS IN EFFECT

Thirsty?
Then there's no better place for you than Black Pearl Poetry Night!
Just check the prices we offer exclusively-

Apple Martinis $3.00
Cosmos $3.00
Black Pearl $3.00 (Amaretto DiSarrono and Coke)
Bottled Water $2.00
and expect two more drink specials this Tuesday that you've got to be there to find out about!

Of course for those who do not wish to partake in spirits, we have fruit drinks and soda.

And be sure to go in on some chicken wings and fries with the folks at your table!

MORE IN EFFECT

Free Poetry Books, CD's for sale by local artists, giveaways, doorprizes, and more this week!

Black Pearl Memberships will be available-
8 week membership is only $20.00!

There is more going on this week but you've got to come out to see what it is.

Thanks to everyone who came out last week and made it such a success.

The March 14 show

2006-03-12T08:14:00.000-08:00

What a night.
You could feel things heating up early on this one as people were calling the hotline all day or sending out emails to confirm the place and time and see if they could get tickets in advance. The place and time were set and no tickets here, you had to get in where you could fit in and grab a seat early. And that is just what people did. It was great to once again start on time with the new rules set in place and the crowd is responding and breaking the bad habits I had began to allow to set in.

This was truly an incredibly diverse night, moreso than normal, with not only a huge variance in race, gender, and age represented, but a new crop of people in each of those categories coming in, making themselves at home and sharing their work! Young high school kids, teachers, professors, more mature cats, even a grandmother doing her thing-all in the name of poetry. It was great.

The open mic list filled up even quicker than normal and was full (20 poets) within about ten minutes time. Everyone was gracious and understanding and really with one chance to do their thing, came to the mic with a fury and left it all on the stage. (which is a catchphrase of a good friend and great poet-Dasha Kelly)

Krate Digga was in the house spinning between the poets and playing along with me and my banter. Having a DJ or band can be a great thing if you know what you're doing and the DJ/band is good enough to actually FEEL what needs to be done and when/how. Believe me, it is more than just hot beats or blasting some music, what these people can do is an artform and very poetic in its' own right, so much thanks to Krate for making it fun and keeping spirits high.
(in fact we came up with an idea and will soon bring to you a oldies but goodies night with the music to set it off right)

Now of course the open mic had its' highs and lows but what open mic does not? Some were great, some were good, some were funny, sexy, thought provoking, great story tellers, and some were, well, you had to be there.

But of course, everyone was waiting for the quiet man over in the corner surrounded by a stack of his recordings on a table in front of him.

I shared my personal testimony of what the man means to me and then got out of the way as Umar Bin Hassan took the mic, the stage, the minds, hearts, and souls of everyone within earshot. He was happy to be in the space and had come down as a favor to me and the general good vibes of the whole affair seemed to take his performance even higher.

When you get people of his status in, it is wise to leave a nice chunk of time for them and let them roll. His anecdotes and stories of his life growing up and the things he has seen, places he has been, sources for some of his life's greatest work were just as invaluable as the poems themselves. (ask anyone there is they weren't moved by his tales of Harlem, Chicago, Dick Gregory, or what Jimi Hendrix said to him to inspire his infamous poem about the man)

The people greeted him with a standing ovation and left his feature with one as well. I said then and will say now, if you are a poet and were there and after his show you did not have any inspiration to write anything, then put the pen and paper down; you're done writing.
His words never seem to not move me but he was in another mode altogether this past Tuesday and it resonated in the faces and the cheers, laughter, sighs, and tears of the crowd.

If you missed this for any reason beyond school, work, kids, then shame on you.

My thanks to all who came out and supported, to all those who listened from the stairs and rushed to get in when someone walk upstairs, to the courteous staff who really worked hard, to every poet who spoke and to those who came and listened, hell-just thanks to everybody!

It ain't hardly over, I ain't hardly tired, and it will only get better and stronger, critics and haters be damned and be warned.

Make sure to check out www.ColumbusBlack.com for all your artistic and entertainment needs in town. But don't just read what's what- join! It's fast, fun, and free! Become a member today! (hint-their new poetry contest is coming and in order to compete, you must join the forum)

Thanks this week go out to Soundchampz and the Soundchampion crew, DJ Krate Digga www.loungininthelab.blogspot.com , DJ JRawls at www.J-Rawls.com and the Columbus Dispatch.

March 7 recap

2006-03-05T21:23:00.000-08:00

This week in a nutshell and a bit more.

LADIES NIGHT was great as always. Plenty of people out and about on a nice weather evening. Much love to Carla for holding things down. Nice to see folks from other poetry inghts here in town come out and support. (Hi Prophetic Poetess!)

OPEN MIC IN EFFECT was its' usual blast of who knows what might happen. With the new and improved start time and rules set in place, people came on out and really did their thing in a warm and timely fashion. We cut the list off at just under 20 people reading and had more that wanted to. Hey, the new rules are real; come on out and get on the list as soon as you can.

Last but not least, make sure to check out our partner ColumbusBlack at-
www.ColumbusBlack.com
for any and everything going on in the arts and entertainment fields for Columbus, Ohio.

Feb 28 in review

2006-02-26T22:29:00.000-08:00

Some night. Everyone got served cheesecake just for rolling out. I figure the now and laters and pixie sticks are all fine and good most of the time but sometimes you gotta up the game a notch, you know, be classy.
Besides, the feature was classy and the dessert should match.

After an open mic that was just plain odd and sometimes dirty, we jumped into the feature portion of the night.
DASHA KELLY (www.dashakelly.com) did not disappoint. No, not one bit. She rocked poems both old and new (but all new to this crowd) and got more than ooh's, aah's and applause; she got respect. Dasha is a writers writer, which is to say she gives substance its' due over flash and style will forgo the fireworks in lieu of giving you a great poem, a great story, some great words.
Initially concerned with how things might go with her style of poetry compared to what she had heard up to that point, I reassured her that what she did would be just what the poetry doctor ordered. The results? A standing ovation from an enthusiastic crowd.

That's one thing I love about this crowd-they are mostly 'green', and new, and raw, BUT!-they know it and moreso, they know good work when they hear it and fully understand that that is what they will NEED to hear in order to expand beyond the horizon they can see and grow as writers.

After our break for the 'meet and greet the feature/ buy her stuff' we jumped right into the slam. Folks were chomping at the bit to get going and we blasted right thru it. When the dust settled, the crowd was quite pleased and everyone went home.

With 3 slams to go, there are now 9 different people with points towards going to the grand slam in April. This means that inevitably someone will get bumped out when it's over and not get to go. Can you say "pressure"? (that reminds me, I still need to get into this damn thing)

All in all a great night.

Thanks to all who come out and realize that you can tape "American Idol" and still survive. Or better yet, when you come out to a poetry show, are you not getting the ultimate reality TV show, combined with a soap opera? Hmm, an idea is brewing.

Anyone good with painting and design and making sets, stuff out of cardboard, get at me.

Special thanks goes out to JRawls of Polar Entertainment for assisting in producing this weeks episode of Black Pearl Poetry.
For more info on JRawls, check him out at www.polarentonline.com and www.j-rawls.com

Feb 21 Recap

2006-02-21T06:26:00.000-08:00

One incredible night.
Started off a little bit bad and a whole lotta surreal.(ask me and I will tell you. But for now let me say this-NEVER make reservations at a Knights Inn of any sort, especially the one on West Broad by I-70!)
So, anywho, after almost going to jail for almost strangling a hotel clerk who was treating the reservation like a scene from House of Sand and Fog, then tearing down a door at the venue since the key broke off in the lock and the sound system was on the other side of the door, the night began. Yeah!
Sometimes the night is just open mic, others, a feature, still others a slam. Lat night? All three.
No problem. Just cut down the number of people able to slam and read on the open mic list right? Sure! But you got to announce that and THEN put the list out for people to bum rush.
Me? I throw the list out, get things done, come back make the announcement, go away, come back, make another one, go away, come back to get the list...18 people signed up for just the open mic! Can't cancel them out, it is my fault-not theirs.
So we roll with it.

That said, the open mic was great and was followed by a explosive featured set by Taalam Acey! He really did not disappoint. the crowd ate it all up. Speaking of which, the place was packed to the gills! (as in people sitting on the floor in the vip section)
Then from the feature to the slam.
8 poets first round, 4 in the second round, only the top 3 get points.
(sidenote- I heard someone say the place "cleared out" due to the length of time and show, claiming that once Taalam was done folks up and left. Keep in mind about 50 or so people were there, just not the fire code breaking level we had earlier in that evening)

The slam was great and I will be posting the updates on it after she gets here next week. Who is this "she" of which I speak? Well none other than our feature for next week- Dasha Kelly!!!

Tuesday February 14-Valentine's Reading Special

2006-02-09T05:34:00.000-08:00

Ok, where to begin with this one...
Had to manhandle some folks to get into the loft on time and get set up.
No problem till you drag chairs two at a time on a slow elevator, or worse,up a few flights of stairs.
But thanks to some help from key people, my lungs did not give out.
Drink special snafus aside (and all other business stuff for that matter) the night was a blast from start to finish.
From the highly eroticized to the downright bitter (as in wearing t-shirts cussing out valentines day and any lovers of it) the poetry was, as can be expected on holidays, all over the place.
About 20 people signed up then the list was cut. (take note people who come out late on regular nights, this could one day happen to you)
Add to this candy I had passed out (sugar high)
Plus everyone had to wear a "hello my name is" nametag (your name is out there)
Plus everyone getting some very silly elementary school level Valentine's Day cards to address to anyone in the room and drop off in a bag for them to get later that evening, and you've got a recipe for laughs and downright hilarious situations.
Of course people sent one to the person they came with/are involved with, but then you had the "I liked his/her poem so I will tell them" or "He/She is cute I think I will tell them" or "I might be a stalker and wnt yo ubut what is so bad about that" type thing was going on.

I had to give out massages to any lady who signed up for one. Yes, it was nice. No, it was not anything freaky or sexual(though I was told one woman had some funny looks on her face while I was taking care of her). Yes I used a good sanitizer between shoulders.
Hell, I even had repeat customers(more than likely since it was free). Matter of fact, one cat SENT his woman to sign up, and when I checked with him to make sure everything was ok he said, "Hell yeah. One less thing I gotta do for her when I get home. I had to work all day and buy dinner and bring her here for this. Least you can do is start the romance for me"
Had me cracking up. Not what I would've said, but had me laughing all the same.

In fact, some of the more 'romantic' aspects of the night might get added to our regular Ladies Night (which in case you did not know is the first Tuesday of each month)

In the end, the place was so packed we had to turn people away. (sorry guys and gals, the loft is real sleek but does not hold as many folks as downstairs-which is where we will be back to next Tuesday)

Well, thanks to all whom came out and made it a fun night. See you next week!

February 7 recap

2006-02-09T05:10:00.000-08:00

The cold weather made for a slow start but as usual the place filled up nicely.
Another full list of poets doing their thing and aside from some sound snafus, a nice night. (gotta get another system)
People were eager to hear about Charlotte and wanted to know the next trip so they could prepare.
MixMaster Ice- of U.T.F.O fame came thru and showed some love.

The hip hop reading was great.
Basically, you could sign up and read a poem, or you could get up and read your favorite rap lyrics. And if you wanted to read one but did not know any off hand, I brought extras for people to try out.
It was both fun, nostalgic, and hilarious all at once.
For the first rap I did "Paul Revere" by the Beastie Boys. (they were just on Letterman last night after I rocked their piece-HA!)
One poet got up and did a little sample of LL Cool J's "I need love" but then moved on to her poem since she did not know all of it.
No worries! I just so happened to have HAD the entire rap with me and pulled it out to read after she was done.
Another gentleman did a crazy version of "Friends" by Whodini.
Another cat brought in an ancient copy of Rap Pages and read the Nas piece in the back of it.
there were more pieces done and I just cannot recall them all, but hip hop had a workout and alot of folks really enjoyed going down memory lane.

Next up for the theme readings- your favorite old school r&b song and rock song.

Black Pearl on the road

2006-02-09T04:59:00.000-08:00

Tiffani Smith went to Charlotte, North Carolina to compete as the Columbus rep for the 2006 IPWS- Individual World Poetry Slam.
She did a tremendous job in what will no doubt go down as one of the best shows EVER. The competition was fierce and true, with, in my opinion, all four finalists deserving the win. Each poem/poet just took you a bit higher than the one prior.

I would like to take a moment to say 'thank you' to all those involved in the event, be they a competing poet, host, volunteer, PSI affiliate, and of course the great city of Charlotte which opened its' doors for us and showed the poets alot of love.

Above and beyond that, I must give a shout out to all the people from Columbus and Black Pearl Poetry who rolled down with us or sent us emails and phonecalls wishing us a safe trip and giving Tiffani alot of love.

That said, alot of you good people wanted to know about future trips, not only to support someone here who might be competing but just to go and check out what the rest of the world has to offer in the name of poetry. That's great!
I will be listing dates and events from not only around town but more importantly heading out of town to some really hot spots with poets eager to please and share some great work with you.

When the link comes up I will let you know, or just join the Black Pearl yahoogroup and you'll be the first to know.

January 31 recap

2006-01-26T18:26:00.000-08:00

The night was incredible! Keep reading...

OPEN MIC IN EFFECT

Over 20 people all wantd to get up and speak their piece with even more coming later and asking if they could still get on. Something must have been in the water because everyone really brought their 'a' game to the mic.
SLAM IN EFFECT

Had a BIG schedule conflict with the slam, but was able to work it out with the competitors who signed up. Congrats to all of them.

FEATURE IN EFFECT
Blair was, well, Blair. Meaning he rocked the spot like I knew he would. I haven't seen e cat in a wile and when we usually do run into one another it is on the road with one of us doing a show somewhere. This ws the first time I was able to, for the most part, sit back and enjoy his show. He did not dissapoint one bit. His new work is great, his singing and guitar playing was lovely to hear and he even threw in some retired classics I had begged him to share with the crowd. Another incredible feature who raised the bar for the next one and opened the minds of the audience a bit more. THAT part I like alot.

Overall slam info

2006-01-26T18:17:00.000-08:00

If you are interested in trying out for the 2006 National Poetry Slam team from Black Pearl Poetry, then make sure to check the item listed under links on this site which says, "slam rules".
It will give you what you need to start your travels.

There are a total of 6 more slams to get in and go for yours.

Best of luck to you all.

I do not feel comfortable at this point listing some state of the union here about slamming or trying to make a team, but I will say a few things.

My wish is that if a team comes out of Black Pearl Poetry and goes on to slam anywhere outside of the venue, I hope that team is well informed, well prepared, confident, considerate, and willing to be competitive while still having a ton of fun. To force or expect friendships in the process is foolish and not the point of it anyway, but I do hope each person learns to respect, grow with, support, and genuinely show compassion for one another throughout the entire process. Doing slams on any level is a personal thing and that is fine. But you should come out on the far end a bit different than you came in.

enough.

January 24th-open mic was funny

2006-01-26T18:06:00.000-08:00

The night was quite nice even with some folks not coming out due to the wind. Only in Columbus would people let air stop them from coming out. But hey, the house filled up again so no complaints, no worries, and alot of love to those who came out.
The open mic list swelled to over 20 people. Long night but apparently needed since these folks all had something to say.
Had a nice mixture of virgins, fairly new cats, some Black Pearl regulars, and some vets from other scenes and cities showing how they get down.
The night has become a spot where folks who work together come down en masse to the place. I like that.
Business comment- new sound system forthcoming. I..need..surround.

I passed out kisses (as in Hersheys) some time ago and people thought it was cute. Then the holidays came and I grabbed some small peppermint candy canes and soon had people complaining if they did not get one. Cute. This past Tuesday-?-I passed out candy canes since it was cold..then once things settled down a bit I reached into my bag and tossed out a few Pixie Sticks (remember those?)
You would have thought I was passing out glass pipes at a Marion Barry family reunion!
Folks were asking for more (hey Ed I dropped my stick can I get another?), asking for seconds (you got any blue ones?).
It was hillarious.
It does not take much to please people was the lesson I took away from this.
Some warm spot to chill, nice atmosphere, good poetry, a chance to be heard and grow and share, and apparently-a slight sugar rush along the way.
:)
Now I am thinking of all the things I ate as a kid that I can't stand now. (anyone who knows me there is only one thing I eat and it can only be loosely considered candy)
Next week I am going to get medieval Willy Wonka on them!

comments and results from the night!

2006-01-17T08:05:00.000-08:00

What a night!
Huge crowd, late start (boo the soundboy), but a very attentive crowd, alot of "virgins" hit the mic hard, some regulars upped their game a notch, and we all sang some songs....really.

Much love to Phaedra (whom wasn't feeling well but kicked butt) and Raelisha (I am positive I just spelled it wrong but she really hustled last night so I had to mention her)...ditto for the two young men who help set things up-my night staff is sweet. Wouldn't trade them for anything.

The slam.
as expected, the interest is growing in slam, or, I should say now that the "slamming to be on a team" slams are in full throttle, interest has grown. I am looking forward to hearing all the people I expect to make an appearance and do their thing in the coming months.

It was a hotly contested slam with two rounds, and only the top 5 people getting into the second round. Of those, only 3 placed.
They were:
1st place- Will
2nd place- Tiffani
3rd place- RARE

Big shout out to BRANES and YVETTE, both of whom really showed tremendous poise and rocked some damn fine poems.

If you think you got what it takes to slam, or just want to have some fun and find out then you know what you gotta do-come on out and give it a shot!

January 10-open mic and SOUL SLAM

2006-01-06T07:13:00.000-08:00

A very nice night!
Started on time...good.
Initial crowd was slim...maybe 20 people. Good
Finished the night with another 90+ people in the house.
Not quite 20 on the open mic list and another 8 on the Soul slam list.
Everyone on the open mic portion was really feeling it...
The Slam was um, interesting. In themed events you always learn alot more about the person and this was no different.
Another great night packed with great people.
Another Soul Slam will happen. (and only one more)
Details to come.
Thanks to everyone who came out and made the night so much fun!

Tuesday Jan. 3, 2006!

2006-01-02T20:07:00.000-08:00

Nice night.
While I no longer believe in resolutions per se' (you will either do something or you won't) I had promised myself something and I did not do it. So for those who came out on time, I apologize. I said come hell or high water I would always start the night at 8:30. Well we did not start till 8:45. Had some last minute snafus (one speaker is possessed by gremlins and cuts out), and what at the time was a short open mic list. My fear of a short or sparse feeling night kicked in and I hesitated. I have got to give these wonderful people who come out each week more credit.

here is an emcee/host/business comment-thingy:
it is my opinion that a show should be tight, fun-(not necessarily funny mind you),and worth your price of admission. Plus the emcee should have his/her time minimized due to the restraints of serving the crowd. In other words, the more your emcee talks/laughs/screws around-the more space he/she is trying to fill in so you won't notice the lack of poets/entertainment or the small man behind the mirrors. Now this is not to be confused with covering the basics-announcements, plugs,introductions,jokes pertaining to an immediate situation-all those things are what make a good emcee invaluable if they know their crowd and their timing is on point. In fact, that is one element that will endear a crowd to a spot. But a wise audience will quickly know when you are "on fire" and when you are "shuckin-jivin-hoping to stall a bit".)

That said, the crowd quickly rose to nice numbers and after a couple of poets came up I went to grab the list and noticed it had been filled up and poets had started signing in on the back of it.

I will always admit when I slip up. This crowd is awesome. Damn the protocol, from now on the night starts right at 8:30 even if there is only one person in the house!

Moving right along, the night was great! I don't know if we broke 100 people again but we had to be very close since I had to send for more chairs to be brought down twice.
Over 20 people on the open mic list and it was great to see everyone come out for the first open mic night of the new year.
very glad I chose to not have a feature the first week. I figured with the grand slam and the concert closing out December, it would only be right to have the people back in the limelight for the first open mic night of 2006.

I look forward to seeing how the night goes as the weather changes.

There were so many things that happened I can't begin to list it all here...some good,some bad,some ugly...alot funny.

I fed everyone cheesecake for no charge...even went around and served it myself. The sugar rush for an entire room full of poets was something to see.

Got some really nice news and will tell more when it becomes official.

For those who like the blow by blow rundown-come out and see for yourself. If you really can't make it out then get at me personally and I will give you the scoop.

take care.

Dec. 27-Concert Aftermath

2006-01-02T19:58:00.000-08:00

This is where I say I won't tell you much and then I spill my guts...normally.
But this time? I am sticking to my guns.
The show was incredible. Everyone involved came in with an open mind, a pleasant attitude, and a desire to truly put on a show that would (and will) go down as one of the best concerts to hit Columbus in 2005. With over 130 people in attendance and some major glitches in the night fixed now, this show was fun, enjoyable and enlightening.
My thanks to everyone who performed: Intellect and Tarae(?), Rese, Epidemic,Middle Child, SPIRIT, Talisha Holmes (and her amazing band and singers) and most of all alot of love to DJ BHB; without whom none of this would have been as great as it was.

If you missed it you missed a concert full of surprises and thrills and I am not exaggerating..we went from 9'ish till about 2 and brought in the New Year early.

Expect these to happen from time to time. You'll know as soon as I do. Promise.

The Grand Slam-Results!

2005-12-21T12:21:00.000-08:00

What a night!
this could be a huge post, but I won't do that.
So here is the basic stuff.
Good, attentive crowd. Peaked somewhere over 100 people, I didn't get a final count!
Rose could not make it, Tone pulled out, John had scheduling conflicts, and Rare was out of town, so one person was bumped up and the slam was:
Wali, Demetrius, Will, Tiffani, and Ed.
5 poets..seven rounds..yes I said it-SEVEN.
The night actually moved extremely fast due to a few things: preparation by me for all the crap I figured would happen, and two INCREDIBLE emcees.
Talisha Holmes (yes the great singer who will be with her band at the concert next week) emceed the open mic. She is actually nervous in front of crowds when not singing so it gave a neat casual feel to the night. (note to self-get a female emcee sometimes)
PURE aka Anita was the emcee for the slam. She handled it like a pro.

The big trick to this is typing everything for everyone in advance to reinforce whatever conversations you've had. And dealing with mature people doesn't hurt either.

The open mic list was good..everyone pretty much ready to see this thing called slam.
As usual, all the poets competing were nervous and going thru poems and pacing and rehearsing. One big difference than the norm? I made it mandatory for all poets to sit in the same space. Some of this was to just make it easy to find them when they were called up. Another point was to keep us together and the attitudes to a minimum. Instead, everyone was laughing and joking and chilling, but still getting ready. ("no, you should read THAT poem to score better than me.")
That type of thing.

On to the slam. It was made to resemble IWPS (the competition these people were battling for the right to go to) so it had:
one 1-minute round
one 2-minute round
one 3 minute round
one 4 -minute round
then if you made it this far, two more 3 minute rounds, then one final 3 minute round where the last two poets would go head to head in a sudden death-winner take all bout.
Whew...
Oh, and every other round, a poet got eliminated.
Jeez!
So if you did bad in one round, you had a chance to redeem yourself in the next, BUT both scores were added together, so it was hard to do. You had to pick the right poem at teh right time and have another one just as good to go to.

Needless to say, alot was done and learned last night. The crowd really loved it and cheered like crazy when the poets were done. There were drinks spilled, tears flowing, cheering, yelling,screaming, all that.

But in the end there can be only one.

Here is you fullscale score listing-
(in the order they went in last night)
ONE MINUTE ROUND

Wali 23.3
ED 26
WILL 22
DEMETRIUS 24
TIFFANI 23.3

TWO MINUTE ROUND

TIFFANI 28.8 (total 52.1)
DEMETRIUS 21.8 (total 45.8)
WILL 26.2 (total 48.2)
ED 26.5 (total 52.5)
WALI 27.1 (total 50.4)

Great job Demetrius!

THREE MINUTE ROUND

WALI 29.4
TIFFANI 27.8
ED 28.1
WILL 28.6

FOUR MINUTE ROUND

WILL 28.5 (total 57.1)
ED 29.9 (total 58)
TIFFANI 30 (total 57.8)
WALI 26.6 (total 56)

Great job Wali!

FINALS
1st round (all poems 3 minutes)
ED 27
WILL 28
TIFFANI 29.6

2nd round
TIFFANI 28.5 (total 58.1)
WILL 28 (total 56)
ED 29.8 (total 56.8)

FINAL SUDDEN DEATH ROUND

TIFFANI 9.5/9/10/9.9/10= 29.4

ED 9.5/9.5/9.8/9.9/9.7= 29

TIFFANI WON BY .4 OF A POINT!

Tiffani Smith will represent Columbus at the 2006 Individual World Poetry Slam.

Congrats to her on a job well done.

If you missed it, you missed it.
BUT!!!

The Grand Slam DVD will be available soon, so come on down to Black Pearl Poetry night and buy your copy of history! Or leave a msg here or email me for one.

Also, if you purchase Tiffani's Cd or either of Ed's Cd's off of the site here or at the poetry night you will be helping Tiffani on her trip to go and compete!

If you would like to go and check it out, then post a message here for more info on how to get there! It will be in Charlotte, NC from Feb 2-4! Hotel discounts and travel packages are available thru Black Pearl Poetry.

Now if you want to get in on the slams, they kick back in next month and some of those people will get a chance to represent Columbus at the 2006 National Poetry Slam!

The December 27th "New Years Comes Early" Concert-Black Pearl Style

2005-12-11T18:42:00.000-08:00

DECEMBER 27th...are you busy? I don't think so. Let's see-You just had Xmas or whatever other holiday you get down with. You are all amped up for New Years Eve, whether you will be at a party or at your churches candlelight service.

Now you have some time off and nothing to do all week long, right?

Wrong.

Ed Mabrey, CEO of Black Pearl Poetry, is throwing a

Pre-New Years "New Years" bash!

FOR ONLY FIVE DOLLARS!!

As a holiday gift for all the incredible people who have supported Black Pearl Poetry thus far, I am using my magical powers to make the New Year come a few days early! This means the Black Pearl Poetry Concert Series New Years Eve Bash is DECEMBER 27th!

In case you wonder what type of concert it will be, let me sum it up for you in one word- HOT!

Performing LIVE and IN CONCERT DECEMBER 27th,

MIDDLE CHILD

TALISHA HOLMES (with a full band!)

S.P.I.R.I.T

BHB (on the 1's and 2's)

RESE

EPIDEMIC

INTELLECT

and MORE!!

Downstairs Lounge will open its' doors at 8:15 pm that night. The show will start right at 8:30.

This is not a "cameo appearance" type show or any misleading crap. Each Major act (Middle Child, Talisha Holmes, S.P.I.R.I.T) will be doing a full set and between them you will get smaller sets from the other incredible acts. Not to mention a new food menu, Black Pearl Poetry drink specials, party favors, door prizes, merchandise table, and much, much more!

this concert will sell out

This will be one of the hottest concerts to hit Columbus ALL YEAR, and will be even better than alot of those New Year concerts you're about to blow alot of money on! So make sure to come on out, dress however makes YOU happy, and be ready to have some damn fun!

Keep in mind, there will be NO POETRY on December 27th. This is my way of saying THANK YOU to all the lovely people who have been coming out and supporting me while I try to get this thing called a poetry night up and going. So come out and have fun with all your friends, make some new friends, or get a chance to hang with those you might not get to see on New Years Eve.

OVER SEVEN ACTS!!

ALL PERFORMING ON ONE NIGHT!!

FOR ONLY FIVE BUCKS!!

Nov 29-WOW is the only word

2005-11-28T09:57:00.000-08:00

I really don't know where to start.
I felt like crap this Tuesday. Still sick, nursing a bad back, November is not my best month anyway, and to top it off, I missed my bus. Damn.
Oh well, get on with it.
So one of the bands that coes thru the Brownstone has taken some of the mic cords..So I only have one and have a three person group coming down to feature. Sucks.
Working on compiling my own equipment, then I will need a car to cart it all in. (hey you, yeah you, if you got an extra car sitting around-holla at me)
Now the night wasn't bad. Slow start, light crowd. Very subdued energy. Phaedra thought it was due to my heavy drinkers not coming out, and you know what? She might have been right.
All that being said there were still over forty people there when we got started and the night peaked at around 60 so it was another one of those instances when I have to remind myself that 40-50 people out on a cold Tuesday evening for poetry is NOT a "bad" or "slow" night.

With that, the open mic list was almost full with over 14 people signed up to read. I like these nights since with all the slams and shows, some nights the poets only get to read one poem all night. So on nights like last night, they can go back to being the show and rip their two poems and feel good about coming out and sharing part of themselves with the people.

My new hipsters Andy and Corey were in the house. They are like 16/17 and brought their girlfriends with them..Cool..And at the bar trying to give them space? Their PARENTS! Very cool. How chill is it for a teenager to take his girlfriend to a poetry spot and his parents be at the bar taking it all in? (mom, are you out there? How come we didn't do this stuff? Oh, wait, I remember now-because there were no poetry spots in Dayton and most assuredly not in the ghetto-all is forgiven mom :] )

So my features for the evening were none other than the great group camouflage Finesse. Three ladies from Cleveland, Ohio who I had heard individually but never in their group format.

With the weather being what it can be in northern Ohio, they were running behind so instead of going up in the middle of the night like most of my features, they closed out the night.

This is where the night got interesting.

With about 2 poets left on the open mic, the ladies go get their game faces on. Q-Nice and L.S from Chief Rocka Entertainment had come down with them from Cleveland and I asked them to warm the mic up for the features. (a little backstory- Q-Nice and Chief Rocka have been doing their thing for years..Well before I even thought of poetry. They used to come down from time to time and hit mics here when the scene was more vibrant but that was years ago. Now they run several shows of their own and stay quite busy. One of their shows happens on Tuesdays so they actually SKIPPED their own show to come down and check out Black Pearl. That was a huge compliment to me and all of us who attend and support Black Pearl. Plus a lot of cats just don't support one another in any way so to get love from out of town was nice and makes up for some of it that lacks in town)

All that said, they ROCKED. Jeff, one of the owners of the Brownstone, came down and was smiling and clapping and telling people that "those boys are good". Jeff NEVER is impressed with anyone that reads. So that was big.

Now while they were getting the crowd prepped for the main event, a gentleman came in the door and said hello, looked around, and asked if I would like for him to do a piece.

This man was none other than Umar Bin Hassan of THE LAST POETS!

He was in town and stopped in to holla at me. Once the other cats were done I asked if the features would mind if I let him talk and do a piece. Of course once they picked their jaws off the floor they said they would be honored.

I went to introduce him and you would have thought you were at a rock concert! People screaming before I said his name, folks scrambling to get their phones out and call people, others rushing out to the nearest store to get a camera!

So Umar did a fantastic piece that moved the crowd. He also promised to come back soon and do a show proper! So be on the lookout for that announcement.

NOW, we finally got to the feature, and somehow they managed to take things UP another notch. These three ladies did some fantastic work. Pieces that combined performing, theater, and poetry into one seamless tapestry! It was a great feature and an educational one as well. When the night was done, no one wanted to leave, everyone was talking to our out of town guests or soaking up some time from the living legend-Umar Bin Hassan.

In the end, it was a great night. My bartender herself even claimed it to be probably the best night since we started to have so few people witness it was a crime in her words. I thought the same at first and then thought, no, the people who needed to see this and witness it were the ones who were there.

Thanks to everyone who came out from all over the city and state, and for those who did not make it out I hope to see you next week. You never know what you might be missing!

Other quick shout outs- Carl and Roots Records was in the house! Mix Master Ice was in the house! Donna Marbury! Some local theater big timers! Speakeasy this Friday from 11pm-1am at 2co's ! Jazz Slam this Friday from 8-11 at Columbus Music Hall! Studio 1014's own Robert Berry will have an exhibition at Norka Futon Dec. 3!

The Grand Slam

2005-11-28T09:45:00.000-08:00

So here are the people eligible for the Grand Slam:
R.A.R.E
Tone
Will
Rose
Ed
Tiffani
John
Demetrius

They have all been notified and given their required info.

The GRAND SLAM will be December 20, 2005 and will be a very unique slam. For starters, it is a closed slam, which means that only the people listed above can compete. Next, since the slam is for IWPS consideration, the rules and rounds will be different. They have been tweaked to fit the IWPS format a little better. What this means to you, the audience, is a very diverse and extrememly fun yet competitive show.

There will be some other surprises that night as well, including a musical guest, and a guest host!

The night and the Results

2005-11-16T09:01:00.000-08:00

Another great night and an even greater crowd!
Almost a good 70 people in the house doing their thing!
Menya aka FreeSoul had her book release and it was a blast. she sold a good amount of books before the night even kicked in.

Since I jumped into this, the last slam before the grand slam, I replaced myself with not one but two hosts-FreeSoul and none other than my cool and crazy son-Jordan Mabrey.
(funny and scary sidenote-My son is ten and is taller than FreeSoul)

So the two of them did emcee duties together and it was fun to watch. The open mic went by with its usual fanfare, then we moved into the feature. FreeSoul did a nice job and sold a few books during our now regular "six minutes"...if you come out then you know what that means.

On to the slam. Since we just had one last week, this was a big bonus for some of the audience members. Everyone was doing their thing, albeit to me it seemed that cats were holding back a little. Or maybe they had hit the mic hard last week and just wanted to pullback a bit.

Nonetheless, a few time penalties were tossed about and each of them really hurt the poet involved. This made for a tight race and no one was a lock in in the final round. After the dust settled, here is how it went down:
1) R.A.R.E
2) Tiffani
3) Rose Smith
4) Ed Mabrey

This was, to me, quite fitting. Rare really had the crowd in her hand, Tiffani was testing out some new work (more than likely prepping for the grand slam) and Rose and I both had time penalties. (mine was HUGE...like the 4 minute variety)

So all in all a great night. Got a few business end things that need to be tweaked, of course that's every week, but I had a blast. Especially since I had my son there to hang out with and laugh at.

More things to come, like a new vendor, a new night, a new concert, and some other neat stuff.

November 15-The night and results

2005-11-15T08:19:00.000-08:00

What a night. Didn't expect much due to the storms that came in but the weather broke midafternoon and stayed quite nice for the rest of the night. Usually in the fall/winter months, a crowd will come together earlier and leave earlier, but for whatever reason, the BPP crowd is coming later and sticking around. Not complaining one bit though. Had over 60-70 people in attendance so to that I say thank you folks. I will keep trying to put on a good show.

Open mic list was short but filled up quick and with nice quality people. Mikelle read, which was a pleasant surprise. I love her and her husband, Phillip, to death. Shaun Barber did his thing, the mic was barely able to extend high enough for him.(he is like 6'8")
Had some underage cats come in, which was sweet. I really want to get the college and high school kids involved in this, and have plans to make it even better for them.
One of them was Andy, a very cool young man whom was recently published . He had to be one of the nicest young people I have met in a while.

The slam was great. Long (due to a three way tie for second), but great.
It was two rounds, not including the tie breaking slam-off. Only like seven or eight people in this one, which was cool. So with only one more slam to go before the big slam-off in December the placings were:
1st Place- Rose
2nd Place- John
3rd Place-Tone
4th Place-Will

Each of them got points for the GRAND SLAM in December.

Sidenote(s):
If you slam, you must realize that it is a competition, but also it is for fun. This means don't walk away mad or hurt because someone gave you a score you don't think you should have received. the score did not make you and it should not break you. Nuff said.

I have been very happy with the judges and how firm they have been in each slam. They like what they like but remain open and listen to everything the poets say. I make it quite clear that at this night, a "5" is not bad, it is average. And a "10" should be damn near impossible. they have stuck to their guns in every slam thus far and I thank all of them for that.

My "Bar seat" idea worked out great. The crowd was very attentive and tame up thru the added round for tiebreaking.

And again I must say to all poets, if you say something to anyone in the crowd, you are fair game to them. Hell, I might even get on you a bit.

Quick shout out to Matt Barnes, who came out and slammed andbrought some fun back into it. I just worked with him on the Show Art Columbus night by bringing some poetry into the event and we had a blast.

More to come...always.

More concert stuff

2005-11-06T13:43:00.000-08:00

Now for the fun part-
the doors were not supposed to open until 7:30..I was actually going to let the line build up upstairs and open things downstairs about 7:45 just for the 'buzz factor'.
Well, someone from the venue opens the door and I get a call about 7:10. Kay Wiebell from Warmspirit, who is a true lifesaver, is downstairs trying to collect money and tickets from people. I ask how many? She says about 20. I call my doorperson and tell him to send everyone upstairs. Robert takes his phone and informs him that it is no way to do this because while I have been on the phone the number has swollen to about 50 folks.
I know, I should be happy right? But here's the thing. I hate when things seem to be not where I planned on them being. Doesn't matter to me if no one else will notice, I will notice. also I had a very specific plan for the night and the table and chair setup was not where it needed to be yet.
So I get there and people are looking at me telling me not to push and I can't cut the line. Funny.

So by 8:00 we are already pushing towards that 100 count. The show is a complete sellout once it hits 150. And the line ain't going down at all.

Krate Digga is doing his thing, I put a few people where I need them and a precious few people who sowed just how cool they are with me, stepped up without my asking and got into positions to help make sure the night ran smooth. Thanks Kay, Robert, Daniel, and Chastity and Sincere, and Phaedra.

The open mic and slam list filled up 20 seconds after I placed the paper down.
Now some people wondered why do this part, the open mic and slam. Well for one I did not think people would come on time, no matter how much I stressed it. So having something to get a core group of people out early was a wise thing to do. Next, it is a poetry night. I don't care who I have there, if it is on a Tuesday night, then poetry will be involved. If the biggest complaint is ;wow that was alot of poetry' then I ain't feeling so bad.

The slam was fun and got the crowds attention. By now the number of people was over 100 and the owners were peeking downstairs and wondering how in the hell did this happen. (they did not think it could be pulled off so thanks to all of you for making it happen)

Ursula came on about 30 minutes later than planned. The whole night was about 35 minutes off schedule, which to me is a manageable timeframe and is almost exactly the same time as how early people came in before they were supposed to be able to. So it balanced out.

She and Tim gave a great show. You have to hear her live to really feel her work, though I dig the CD's. Tim is just an incredible talent. Not to many cats on his level doing what he does. alot of people started to dip out and I had to explain to Ursula the reasons, or some of them, which were-
1- some cats heard the first part of her set then left to get home.
2- some people had the whole work in the morning thing to do
3-some people came on the strength of the radio and print ads and did not know what they were getting themselves into

This to me was actually a good thing. The crowd had at one point went over the 150 count and that did not include the 40 or so people upstairs who got there too late and couldn't fit in downstairs.
It also got rid of some of the people who were quite drunk by that point.
The set became more intimate and this is still with about 70 plus people there.

When it was done, Krate spun some records and I covered the merch table while people talked and got autographs and bought product.

Looking back at it, it was a great night. I learned alot while giving the city something it usually does not get. the next one will be even more on point.

If you came out, thank you.
If you meant to and could not, thank you.
If you helped me in any way, thank you.
If you did not come out, you missed a good show.

This is only the beginning.

LOGIC, Open Mic, a few twists and normalcy

2005-11-06T08:34:00.000-08:00

LOGIC LOOKING ALL SMOOTH
Well this one was a nice but odd night.
When you run something in any venue you are apt to get those nights with a person or two that is a bit...loud.
But when you do this in a bar type setting you up the odds for it dramatically. Doesn't mean you can't control it, just mean it is more work to do so.
This was one of those nights.
The bar has officially become "the cut"..let me explain.
In ANY venue, you have a section that some people will gravitate towards. These people will either be your loud group or ....your loud group. They want to come out and partake but darnit, they want to have their own good old time as well.
In Larry's it is the bar area and the rear (actually the front) of the spot.
At Skambo's it used to be the balcony.
At Victorian's it is the pit. (the raised spot where the couches are)
On and on.
Well for my spot it has become the bar.
No problemo batman.
That issue gets fixed this week. In a very Stewie Griffin kind of way.
Now on another note, I must say this-
I have a slight acceptance level of joking between poet and audience. You want some level of banter and a few quips ain't bad.
I have a zero tolerance policy on audience members messing with or heckling any poet. Period. You don't like them or their work, go upstairs or just be quiet till they are done and don't clap.
If you just can't help yourself and must be ignorant, you will find your self magically getting the four dollars you spent to get in back in your pocket and suddenly realize you are outside and for some reason, can't get back in. Really. This ain't for the money and it would not be the first time someone has been asked or told to leave. Hopefully it won't come to that. I don't think it will.

Now on the flip side, if a poet, (yes you reading this as a poet-poet) decides to take it upon themselves to say something to the audience, whether it be a joke, a question, an invite, swearing, threatening, something crass, calling someone out, whatever-if a poet does that then in my opinion that poet is FAIR GAME. Meaning, you asked for it you got it.

Comedians rarely mess with the heckler, they are smart enough to know that to ignore them is to kill them. Let the bouncers, owners, emcee, whomever, do their job and you do yours.
But if that comedian decides to take matters into their own hands and fails at it? Ugh. I have seen a cat walk off his own set because the heckler tore him up verbally.
So, all of that is to say, don't ask or invite trouble and then be surprised when it comes a calling.

On to the show.
LOGIC was great. Just one of the nicest guys you oculd want to be around. Damn near sold out of product. I love that part. I look forward to what happens over the course of time with these poets here as they are introduced to so many different voices.
The open mic was cool. Alot of folks.

Learned some valuable things that night. There is no cure all, no quick fix, you must keep tweaking and fine tuning until you reach the right mix. And then you must tweak some more.
My tool box overfloweth.

the concert and aftermath

2005-10-06T17:10:00.000-07:00

I really don't know where to begin and this could be one of those reallllly long posts so I will try to just cover some big points, though not in order.

Ursula and Tim got here safe and sound. She and I talk from time to time and it was good to just shoot the breeze for a while. Tim is funny. Period. And crazy. But so am I.
Magic word to learn boys and girls-CONTRACT RIDER. Respect the rider! (and get those damn green M&M's out of my friggin bowl!)

I was in and out of the Brownstone more times on this day then I have been all year.
Here is the business end of things:
Set up
make sure money is there
check supplies
go get supplies you forgot
set up sound equipments
find out you need more wires and cords
go get more supplies
check sound and wires
go get talent
call hotel
call airline
call venue
call hotel
call people who said they would help you
hand up on them as they explain how they are busy
get call from people you can count on
smile for one second
set up more stuff
get more supplies
talk to venue
field over 80 calls in about one hour
make your home and cell phone voicemail the official 'hotline' number
call radio station
drop off tickets
pick up money
go to bank
do sound check
get talent some medicine
get more wires
get more equipment
more phone calls
more sound check
wait for mic
get mic
another sound check
get into hotel
go home
forget about ten other things
get out of shower and realize you have twenty minutes to get ready
still got three stops to make
stop answering phone
discover shit has hit the fan
adjust adjust adjust.

there ya go!

Tuesday October 25-Black Pearl Poetry HALLOWEEN STYLE!

2005-10-06T16:41:00.000-07:00

A truly interesting evening.
Had the first potential schedule conflict with the venue, but I had known about it in advance so I was able to tweak things out a bit.
Moet/Hennessey was having a 'customer appreciation night' of sorts. All this means is they were inviting people who owned or ran bars and restaurants or for whatever reason, sold a lot of their product out on this evening to sample their entire line for free and eat and take home little gifts and be merry and make sure to go back and sell more of our stuff.
Ok.
Problem?
They rented out the entire spot that night from 6-10.
My night normally starts at 8.
Ouch.
No worries, this was our Halloween night anyway so I bumped the time back (in advance so people would know) to the properly ghoulish time of 10-midnight.
Add to that my "treat" for everyone who came out-free admission that night, and you would think the night would be cool, right?
Wrong, of course.
The band wanted to play LONGER than what they were getting paid for (very rare), so I had to shut them down personally. Not as ugly as it sounds.
My kick ass bartender Phaedra was sending the partygoers upstairs or out the door. (she rocks)
I made announcements every other minute for about fifteen minutes to let people know what was going on and to let them know that they were more than welcome to stay but would have to keep it down.
This part actually went quite well.
**Side note- I had told my regulars that they should come out early and stick around. Why? Because I had an understanding with the space that anyone who came early for poetry was not to be turned away and told to return but was to be allowed to come to the party, meaning they got vip treatment and free food and gifts and drinks all damn night too. This would later lead to some funny moments since some of them got quite tanked...mixing belvedere, navan, and moet is not for the squeamish.***End Sidenote

So we kicked off the poetry. In spite of the momentary chaos and late start, I am proud and humbled to say we had over 50 people there just for the word...probably more.

Now here comes the 'trick' part of the night. You would think that issues would have arose from the party right? Someone get too drunk and refuse to leave or listen to the poets right? Maybe a small fight or scuffle? Someone pass out or throw up? Some of the regulars complain about the whole thing?
Nope, none of that.

You know where my only problem came from?
Abercrombie and Fitch. (or as I like to call them-Abs on zombies and a bitch)
Yep.
Up on the 4th floor, Abercrombie was having a soiree for potential reps...as in models and mid level employees. Which meant there were about 15-20 white and black posing as white, perfectly built, androgynous little hermaphrodites with cute, scruffy hair, drunk to the hilt on apple martinis and cosmos, standing at the top of the stairs braying and wailing to the moon.

These little poster children came down from their party and decided to come downstairs and...TALK. Then when I welcomed them to the night but asked them to umm...shut the hell up, they left. Cool. No problem. But they decided to carry on the party at the TOP OF THE STAIRS.
Bad idea.
So now while it is fairly calm downstairs, I've got a small posse of drunk, lithe, blonde girls at the top of the stairs screaming about how they "don't give a shit about no stinkin' poetry"...well, that is, until I come up the stairs with a closed fist and a smile.
Suddenly and with no apparent reason as to why, they had the urge to take their party...elsewhere. Go figure.

Now to those people who came out at 8 and did not stay, I apologize. Please call the hotline or actually READ the emails I send out or check the blogspot here to know what is what at all times.

take care, and goodnight.

Tuesday October 18, 2005 SHOW

2005-10-06T16:27:00.000-07:00

This one will be big...as in BIG....no, more like BIG. (yeah, like that)

There will be a few things going on this night.

OPEN MIC. Of course. Where would the night be without YOU?

SLAM SLAM SLAM! Another chance for you to throw your hat in the ring and see where your work stands for one moment in one night!

VENDOR of the week-Miss Gina Blaurock! Come and get your jewels and baubles. Art posing as jewelry=very nice. Very nice indeed.

The Black Pearl Poetry Feature- JASON BAYANI!

Dan Vaughn and all that stuff

2005-10-06T15:50:00.000-07:00

Wow.
This night had it all. Suspense. Drama. No one there on time. Well, that's not entirely true. There were several, as in THREE, people there at around 7:00!
Other than that? The place was looking mighty dim Tex, that is, till the 8:30 mark passed us by. Then EVERYONE shot out. I was like, ok, was there a special episode of FRIENDS or MONIFAH or FRIENDS with special guest MONIFAH or what??!!

After my heart rate went back down I made note of a few things.
1) I should remind myself every week to be just giddy over the fact that even ONE person would choose to come out and share in the word and the fun each week.

2) That while a night is, can, and should be entertaining, there is a higher purpose being served, so ya best hit the mic right, people! (this is my shout out to Terry, my official guardian angel for at least the next 24 hours. I love you for what you said man. Most of us "poets" don't have the balls to be that honest in our work, much less with our lives. Thank you for coming out and I pray you come again soon)

3) That while start time IS important, what is more important is making sure that what show people DO get is a hot show. So thanks to all the poets for making it just that.

4) I will fight a lion fresh off a hunger strike in a titanium cage to keep PHAEDRA as my main bartender. Yes, she is just THAT good.

On to the night.
About 50 cats came thru. Stopped the open mic list at 12. Nice number for everyone to get their two poems and let the feature do his thang.
Cinnamon was a great vendor. I am sooo loving this idea of people helping one another out. The vendors treat the space they use like it is a mini store (which in essence it is). Very professional. Glad I took the risk to do it.

Had a table full of cats who drove 45 minutes from NEWARK, OHIO just to check out the night. Gave them the 3rd degree about if they enjoyed the night, etc.. They DID. Score! I will be in Newark next week in the name of poetry so it was a nice sign to see some people come down from there.

Getting a few teens each week. Know what this means right? Gotta get the colored wristbands jumping off. I would feel like poop if someone's child gets crunk at the open mic. The bar staff is good about not letting that happen, but again, I must remain proactive. As a matter of fact-new rule starting now. All people under the age of 20 will get in half price. There. I said it. It's official.

Last week I had some girl hand me her cell phone. On it was her mom. She just wanted to confirm that her daughter was in fact at a poetry reading. See, it was her first date with this boy and mom wasn't feeling it. When I told her that, yes, her daughter and the young man were at the Brownstone drinking Coke and listening to poetry, you could almost hear the gremlin in her brain screaming "Does Not Compute!".

So, what did mom do? She came down with her man to check out the night. They loved it so much she is working on a rotation; one week her daughter can come, another week mom rolls out, another week they do the mother/daughter thing and come together. Cool. Real cool.

So on to the feature. Dan came down and did a great job. Killed alot of the "i am a slam poet who tours" crap that alot of audience people expect or alot of poets deliver. His work was varied and he showed depth and imagination in his work and the pieces he chose to do. Even had Phaedra wanting to buy his stuff. (which for the record is now my new judge of good work...it doesn't make sense but I will keep track of that little stat just the same)

So all in all, a great night. I would list the other things that came up but they will get there own post above this one.

As you can see, I am posting things in advance now. Then as the event passes, I will go into the original, former 'advanced' release info, and simply edit it, turning it into the post of what went down. This will save me time and space and YOU don't have to figure out what is what.

Peace 2 Fingers!

Jazz Slam... skippeedobbeebeebop

2005-10-02T02:05:00.000-07:00

Let's start from the top and work our way down shall we?
Shaun Barber, a very nice and cool cat here in town who used to do a set at a ice cream parlor (very cool-pun intended and it is still cooler than the pun), decided to put on a show/slam.

The slam?
3 rounds, about ten poets, original work,etc.
Some slam rules (NPS style) in effect-some not.
The catch?
You HAD to do your poem with a jazz band playing behind you.
Yeah baby, dig that vibe. Can you feel me daddy-O?
(this is what most people picture when someone says this but this is NOT what ends up happening,thank God)

The place?
Columbus Music Hall. Very nice spot. alot of weddings and receptions happen there. Nice high ceilings, small round tables, dimmed lighting, plush rug and hardwood floor, you get the picture.

Sidenote- I used to live right across the street from this place and on the nights I was too tired to go over and dance on Afro-rican Ensemble night, I would open my windows and let the music drift in. And I helped some cats do some poetry stuff there a LONG time ago. Ah, that was back when Parsons Ave had a serious lineup of hot events-Jazz, salsa,poetry,African art,good food. Sigh.

The deal?
Shaun wanted to do something classy, yet fun. Different, yet accessible. He did this in great fashion. The band was one of the hottest trios you could've asked for in the city and the cats really took to the task at hand.
He threw in money to sweeten the deal and lure people out to slam. $100 for first, $25 for second and $25 for third place. Nice.

The spot offered alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks, pretzels (on the house), ice cream from Graeters, and...drum roll please....
FRESHLY BAKED CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES! Yes!
I got there just as these were coming out of the oven and about lost it.

huh? what's that you say? what about the slam?oh...yeah, that. (got to thinking about the cookies again)

Well, it was to be 3 rounds, all scores count the whole way thru-cumulative. Ten poets first round, then six the next, and four to close it out.

Judges were selected (a real fun thing to watch in and of itself), poets signed up, the band played.

They used a laptop with a program to keep score. Anyone who has ever spoke with Taylor Mali or been up to the Bowery Poetry club would know why I was waiting for him to jump out from behind some curtain.

The crowd kept growing thru the first part of the night and really filled up the space. Everyone was attentive and listening and HIGHLY opinionated about what poetry they did and did not like.

The order was drawn by the poets in random fashion. It was:
Tone
Ed
???(A young lady whose name escapes me)
Louise
Allison
Junior
Andy
Scott
Dan (the drummer in the band)
Joanna

nice breakdown if you're Jesse Jackson...Ten people-6 white,4 black,4 women,one war vet,couple college graduates,couple drop outs.

But seriously, a nice grouping. Some cats new to this (slam), mixed with some not so new and some downright very familiar with the whole beast that is slam.

Rules?
Well they moved around a bit. I loaned Shaun my stopwatch since he forgot his. (no biggie Shaun, and to those who would think me anal to have had one or keep one with me when going to slams...You're no daisy)
the time limit was 3 minutes with no grace period. No problem.
Shaun forgot to say no props beforehand and someone went up with a prop in hand ( a flower) so after that everyone agreed that props were cool. (though only used one other time I think)
There were some concerns about this but in the end, Shaun made a good point. It was HIS slam he was running and it was not going to make or break someone trying to be on a team or anything else like that. So everyone just chilled and moved on, which was both wise and cool.

Shaun served as the "sacrificial goat" poet and got a 23.8
(he did explain quite well to the judges how to score. then went right back and told them, "Hey, do what you FEEL like doing in terms of score." Nice.)

Now make no mistake, some things in slam can be predicted and this one was no different. Which is why it is important to check out your judges and try as best you can to figure THEM out. (depending on your overall objective/goal to begin with)
One judge was serving as the infamous French judge. This just means that this judge was scoring low, or low for a slam,or low for what everyone else was doing. For the record, the guy scored exactly as he FELT like scoring and for the most part, stayed true to himself thru the whole thing. You can't be mad about that.
Another judge was sitting with their hip and cool friends who seemed to be knowledgeable and into jazz(yes I am making BIG assumptions here).
Another kind of chilled with her girlfriends of perhaps family members.
Two others were either boyfriend/girlfriend or brother/sister. Most of the night their scores did not deviate more than .01 from EACH OTHER. So if you got one you got both, but if you lose one, ouch.
So there are your five judges.
the poetry was about as varied as you could ask for. People talking about their dead mom, President Bush, Sex, Love, despair, A breakup and subsequent demand for old Prince albums back, the inner thoughts of a blues singer while on stage, a woman crying for her kidnapped to America black man,jazz music,gas prices,Kenny g,night clubs,you name it and it was in there.

While I won't sit here and say I recall every poem each person did, I can point out some interesting moments:
-Tone almost NEVER writes a poem. He has mostly chosen to go by the moniker of the "Freestlye Poet". This can be good and it can blow up in your face. Catch? You never know when it will do one or the other. But you can bet that in a slam situation, the odds eventually will lean towards "explode". It's just math. that being said, he opened up in the tricky "1" spot with a freestyle subject he has covered many times before. Smart. Then he added to that some singing of a classic Bill Withers song. Can be gimmicky if overused, but smart all the same. It worked, as you will see when I post scores in a minute.

-The lady whose name I can't recall did a nice poem with some good imagery in it. Here's the problem-she used a prop, a flower, to what I am sure she thinks was great effect, but it distracted from the piece. And she did what alot of people do when performing with a band and not being used to it; she seemed to change her style. Now I don't really know her from Adam but I don't think she is that sing songy when doing those poems without a band. Not a knock on her at all though, YOU try to not sway or get caught up in a groove a damn good band is laying down.

-Louise looked nice and did some nice work. Period. Probably had some of the better poetry in the slam that night.

-Allison did quite well and fell into a nice 'loophole' of sorts with her style and what it would do for the judges. (all those little things you can't control but still affect your final score in their minds)
Now later she was feeling herself and possibly her drinks, which made things quite interesting. But she rocked and as always, it was a pleasure to hear her do her thing.

-Junior has been working on his poetry and has come a long way. He is one of those cats where you mention strategy and he'll tell you he is going to read poems x, y,z, because those are the three he wants to read, damn strategy. Cool.

-Andy was to me, the nights best part of the show. He did smart, intelligent, witty, funny work that seemed to truly come from him. I liked him alot and will be getting him out to the night soon. (he did a piece that was funny and gross-blood and amputated parts-but had the band start off by playing some sweet, melancholy music from the Christmas episode of Peanuts...you know, when snoopy is skating around? It was priceless.)

-Scott did a piece I think he had created with Shaun's Jazz Slam in mind. It was more of a funny rant directed at an ex-girlfriend in which the person he was playing is drunk or at least tipsy and is demanding Prince records back from his ex lover. Since the prop rule was gone he hopped up with a mouthful of pretzels and his drink in hand. (non-alcoholic for those who might have thought him a lush and not merely in 'persona' mode)
It was a nice idea and he really ran with it. Andy had just went up before him and kind of cracked the 'funnybone' of everyone so they were primed for Scott's work. Nice.

-Dan had promised Shaun that if not enough people signed up to slam, he would step from behind the drums and read a piece. Nice poem. I was hoping for him to read it WHILE playing. That would have been cool.

-Joanna came in full "jazz" themed mode. To get a picture of her, she is the one person who, if you tell them to come in costume-will. Period. She was rocking a double breasted black and white pin stripe suit complete with shoes and fedora! And did music type joints to boot! Very nice.

-I started off with a piece I wrote recently and still need to get out of hand written mode and into the computer and then my head. It is a piece where the poem is spoken from the interior voice of a female jazz and blues singer. I like what the piece does and where it goes. Once I get it in my head and can let that lady in that club READ the piece, instead of me reading it for her, I think it might be a decent joint to perform. I later switched up styles for a few reasons.

So first round scores (I think these are accurate as they had some scoring snafus):
Tone 28.5
Ed 26.7
Flower Lady? 19.1
Louise 21.1
Allison 27.8
Junior 26.1
Andy 23.1
Scott 27
Dan 21.8
Joanna 21.5

So in round two Shaun reversed the order of the poets from the first round after dropping those who did not make it:
Dan 20.6
Scott 23.3 (after a time penalty)
Andy 20.9 (after a time penalty)
Junior 25.3 (after a time penalty)
Allison 27.2
Ed 29.8
Tone 26.5

This round was interesting. Again, still a good mix of cats, though all the women were gone but one. (but she did represent for the femme fatales...yeah!)
The time thing KILLED some cats. I can relate to this since I used to be notorious for going over time. And still will if I think I need to or just haven't practiced enough. Shit happens.
Shaun had told everyone upfront that you can talk to the band and get them on the same page as you. Then you could turn around and get yourself settled. Then let them play for a moment to get into the groove and so you could get your timing, after all you just orchestrated this thing out of thin air. However, once you opened your mouth-the time kicked in.
So you had cats going to the band, all Quincy Jones or Duke Ellington-like and picking the song they wanted, then assigning tempo, selecting which instruments should play, then waiting for the band to get all that together and come back with something resembling what you asked for.
Now, read your poem. Sheesh! It ain't easy and everyone deserves credit for jumping in there and trying to do it.

Reading with a band, if you are not used to it, can throw your timing off significantly. I THINK this is what happened, at least in some of the cases, though I could be wrong. Maybe cats just read what they felt like reading, what do I know?

By this point everyone was getting a couple of 9's anyway. What killed you was either a time penalty or if you got hit by the tandem scoring judges and the infamous French judge. (who for those who did not read all of this and scrolled down-he is not really French so please don't email me telling me what a prejudiced bastard I am or anything ok)

Now around here another scoring snafu went down. But just in the nic of time it was discovered and Shaun decided that since there had been a tie, he would take an extra person into the final round.
After two rounds cumulative was:
Allison 55
Ed 56.5
Scott 50.3
Andy 44
Tone 55
Junior 51.4
Dan 42.4

Once again, the rotation was flipped so you had:
Tone 23 (time penalty)
Ed 28.9
Allison 27.1
Junior 26.5
Scott 27.7

The cumulative scores for the slammers after three rounds was:
Ed 84.4 (1st place)
Allison 82.1 (2nd place)
Tone 78 (tied 3rd)
Scott 78 (tied 3rd)
Junior 77.9 ( 4th place.damn just .1 away! Argh!)

All in all a VERY FUN night. and not because I won. Of course that is always nice when it can happen but it was sitting around some cats I am actually cool with and can enjoy their company, combined with watching some people who had never seen a poetry slam much less one like this one go down in front of their very eyes really enjoy themselves and for Shaun to have had a good turnout-those things made the night.
Alot of conversations were finished that had started the day before at another poetry venue. And some of us had been hanging out all afternoon since one of the people in attendance had just wrapped up a book reading and signing at a nearby university just minutes before that jazzslam kicked off.

Top two moments of the night? Andy and chocolate chip cookies. joanna's outfit and Allison letting it all hang out on her last poem are my second faves.

Now some of the cats at the table with me were mad at first with their scores or performance, or poem choice, lack thereof, how the judge wasn't fair etc. etc.

I asked them what they came there for. None of them said it was strictly the money. So if that is the case then you should be able to walk away with whatever lesson you got from the night, it was a good battle, you had plenty of laughs, now go home.

My take on this is simple and I came up with it when someone pointed out to me a long time ago that I was full of shit, which at that time was VERY true. (now I hope not as much) I was losing at that time because I did not deserve to win, I did not have the poems to do well in a slam, and I was not being honest to myself about my intentions back then.

So here now is an example of that thought process.

Ask yourself before you read:
Why am I reading this poem?
Why am I reading this poem now/here/etc.?
What do I expect to get from this situation?

Now here is the beauty of this. You can answer this in ANY way you wish, as long as you tell the TRUTH to YOURSELF!
Everyone is entitled to their beliefs, opinions, and morals. You don't have to live by someone else's anymore than they are obligated to live by yours.
So while someone might not AGREE with your motives is not important. At least not in this case. What IS important in this exercise is that you are honest with YOU.

So let's use a well used tale.

Poet goes to slam. Sees alot of women in crowd. Feeling horny, poet decides to use poetry slam to showcase his erotic work and hopefully get laid. Poet scores low and does not win slam. Poet DOES go home with foxy mama and gets laid big time. Next slam Poet walks around complaining that the crowd did not 'feel' him or 'get' him. Poet claims to have been robbed,etc..
Someone asks him did he get laid? Poet says yes. Person asks wasn't that your objective? Poet says yes. Person asks, then why are you complaining?
hmmmm.
Now you do not have to limit yourself to just ONE objective. But if you get what you went after, then you should have no complaints. Get it? If you lie to us and smile and say it is all in good fun and the spirit of the night or say you are slamming to impress your girl but really want the five minutes of fleeting fame or whatever lie you tell us-it's cool. We won't know the difference more than likely ever.
BUT- if you lie to YOURSELF, it will show every time.

Example- I slammed at this particular event for two reasons.
1-Shaun asked me to come out. And it sounded like fun
2-I figured any money I could win, if I were so lucky, could go towards my poetry night. Poetry paying for poetry. Cool. I have NO problem saying that.

Now did I have fun? Hell yes.
Did I get some money to do things for my open mic and slam? Hell yes.
Do I have ANY reason to gripe? Nope.
If I had not won or got any money, would I still be happy? Yep. Cuz the money/placement part is not solely up to me to control. All I can do is give it my best shot. But the FUN part? Oh, I have TOTAL control over that. It has taken me some time to realize that but I do now. So I gave it my best and had some fun and the rest took care of itself. Cool.

Once I explained that to the involved in that conversation, they took it to heart and said they will try and apply it in the future, not just in slams but open mics as well. (very smart)

Now in the first round I did a new joint I am working on that kind of fit the theme of the night as far as being musical in nature or style or composition was concerned. However, a few things made me change up a bit.
1- I only had one other new piece with me and couldn't read my scribble very well. That's what happens when you write on the bus.
2- I can't find a folder full of typed up poems on my way out the door to catch the bus..hoping I did not leave them in Milwaukee, or Madison, or Chicago.
3- My "old" work was only old to a handfull of those in the room and most of those were other poets in the slam. So for the judges and audience it was 'new' work. And in a slam you can slam the judges, the audience, the other poets, your friends, yourself, the list goes on and on. I picked what I thought would go well with music and not screw me up by inserting a rhythm, poems that would hopefully go over well with the judges, and poems that might do well for the audience too. (say what you will, applause will sway all but the most strong minded of judges and it is rare)
4- I was covering part one of my goal-to have fun, it was time to focus on giving it, the slam, my best shot, since my other goal was to put myself in a situation where winning was a possibility.

all in all a neat night and a GREAT starting point for Shaun to go forward from. I already told him that none of us that placed should be allowed in the next one at all. I would bet someone that was an audience member this time around will be chomping at the bit to get in it next time.

Why? because on the way home people were talking in their cars and I know someone said, "Hey, I used to write poetry. I bet I could do that."

And so it begins...

Tuesday-October 4th Show

2005-10-02T01:45:00.000-07:00

A few things about this coming Tuesday's show.

1) No features, no slam,no singers,no dj. Just OPEN MIC.

2) Consider it AUDIENCE APPRECIATION NIGHT! the upside to all the great things that have been going on has been some great shows. the down side? People only getting to read one poem on some nights due to everything else going on. So this week will be just open mic and will start earlier than normal so everyone can get on the mic and have their moment to shine, as they deserve to have.

3) Kay Wiebell from WARM SPIRIT will be our Vendor of the Week!

4) Music will be courtesy of 808 Productions.

5) Ladies night so ALL ladies get in Half Price.

6) The Black Pearl drink will be unleashed on an unsuspecting public. You've been warned.

7) The Black Pearl Poetry contest will officially open and applications will be available.

8) There will be giveaways and some other stuff.

9) If you are from out of town please tell me when you arrive so I can make sure you are well taken care of.

10) If you are getting the emails from my hotmail addy and would like to move over to the official Black Pearl Listserve, you can do so on this very blogspot! Just look to the right and see the icon button that offers you a chance to join Black Pearl Poetry. My goal is to have everyone moved over to it in time.

Last Tuesday's show and WORDWORKS

2005-10-02T01:05:00.000-07:00

It sounds corny but I don't know where to start. Last Tuesday was SWEET. You're 12 and mom is not around and you pour extra sugar into the cherry kool-aid and get a REAL good sugar ihgh from drinking half the pitcher-SWEET.

Another packed house..final count was somewhere over 60 folks! There will be a day when two people show up and I will discuss that soon.

I really felt my age this past week. The features for the night were some great kids (see, I said kids) from ANN ARBOR, Michigan who are in a Performance Poetry Troupe known as WORDWORKS.

There are like, 12 cats in this group, but only 5 came down. I am not complaining in the least. These cats were BAD. As in GOOD.

Jeff Kass had hipped me onto them and I figured they would be decent just from him and his word on it. But let me tell you, they were professional, courteous, nice, polite, caring, honest, sweet, cool, upfront, funny,and on top of all that? THEY HAD GREAT POEMS. Not just great performances. (i can hear the eyes rolling in their sockets of those who think all i am or care about is performance, but you'd be surprised. I am a little more than that. Really.)
These kids had damn nice poems and knew how to set up a "set"-ask any touring poet and they will tell you that THAT is one of the hardest things to do.

Adam, Coert,Paco,Mollyand Lauren? I hope I did not just screw up the names but I am guessing at this point-all rocked the spot.

Now here is the old man part. I have been really good about the start time for the night. It had been 8:30 on the nose and this past week was to move up to 8:15 (it will this week coming up).
BUT I did not want to cut my phone off or start the night until I knew...THE KIDS WERE IN TOWN AND SAFE!
Oh my GOD, I have become a father figure to kids that aren't even my own! Arrgh!
I was walking back and forth, looking at the door, checking my time, checking my phone to make sure it worked, then after I couldn't take it anymore, I broke down and called them to make sure they weren't wrapped around a pole, or had stopped to watch some girls wrap themselves around a pole.
the phone rings.
someone answers.
while i ask questions and try to sound all cool, I notice a young man has just walked thru the door with a huge backpack on...could it be?
"Turn around", I say into the phone.
and the kid turns around.
Yes! They are safe! Joy!

So after that I was able to go into host mode and get the night started. apologized to the crowd for waiting and they were cool with it.

The open mic filled up literally in the space of about 15 minutes. So much so that the 25 people signed up to read only got to do one poem each.

Ran thru about 16 poets. Then the Wordworks cats did their thing.
They opened up with a nice group piece that NO ONE was expecting. (not to mention most of this crowd has no clue about group/multi voiced pieces etc so it was extra cool for them to see), from there each one of them showcased a different point of view and different styles of poetry. It was simply fantastic! I was on my feet between tweaking the mics for them, guffawing and clapping louder than anyone else. It was a great night for Michigan poets as Matt Ernst was getting down at a spot in Dayton about the same time.

the crowd really felt them and I will get them backdown again. Plus now that I know there are another 7 or so of them I did not get to hear? Oh, we gonna have a BIG show boss!

They made me wish I had been doing this when I was their age. Then it hit me that I should quit saying that. What I SHOULD be doing is using that as mental energy and inspiration to get off my butt and do all I can do NOW to be the best I can be NOW. This whole zen lifestyle is hard but makes good sense.

And I can't say enough about the other special treat of the night- Talisha Holmes. the band I wanted was already booked but Talisha was a trooper and said she would come and sing anyway.
In the end, I am glad there was no band. They could not have hung with her that night, nor would the effect have been the same.
We had agreed for her to do bluesy type pieces. Beyond that it was whatever her little red wagon fancied.
She decided that on a couple of the songs she should sing some verses then I would come in and perform a piece.
I would say it worked but that would be incorrect.
It was...perfect. For anyone who has ever done something and in the middle of it you hear this giant CLICK, like the world just shifted and you are in the zone? That was what happened that night. (similar experience in jazz slam which we'll get to later)
The crowd was begging for her, eyes were moist and she even got some gigs out of the night!
Just a testament to one incredible jewel that resides here in Columbus.

When the night was done, no one seemed to want to leave, and this is with us going WAY over time! The last poet headed out after midnight, with people winking and waving their goodbyes in love and friendship to one another.

(sidenote-someone screwed up and booked my bartender to do a party upstairs..no problem. she digs the night so much she left the locked in money of the party and demanded to be put back downstairs with the poetry...exclaiming, "hey, it's my night and my bar and my people"...gotta love it.

If you want to book someone, get Wordworks. I know alot of "mature,seasoned,professional,touring-vets" who could learn alot from these cats. And only ONE of them that came was even old enough to drink! (boy can college kids eat wings and fries)
:)

Oh, and to top it all off, a part of the proceeds went to support the survivors of Hurricane Katrina that had been moved here to Columbus. The love and support for those who have been hit by hard times was great and it will come back to all of you. I will never wait again for other people to act on something. Never. Thank you all.

Next up?
next Tuesday, Jazz slam news, and more announcements.

This past Tuesday with Slam and Alex

2005-09-21T12:07:00.000-07:00

One wonderful evening. Yes it was.
Just did a week full of gigs (Chicago-Madison-Milwaukee-Chicago-home). Got back about almost 5 o'clock on Tuesday and had to be at the spot by 7 to set up.
yeah, right.
Traffic, plus an apartment that has been closed up for a week, add a dash of upset stomach (no more McDonald's), and you've got a sure fire mix for running late.
Alex C, my feature,was already in town and hanging out downtown, taking in the city. I arrived at the venue about 7:35 and we open the doors ten minutes after that. Run Forrest!

Lucky for me I have a great two person staff that simply rocks! The cats at the 'Stone had someone set up the sound ahead of time for me. My incredible bartender Phaedra was on her game early-had things set up, had lit the candles, and my doorperson, Daniel, was bright eyes and bushy tailed to help get things ready to go.
In the end we were ready and wired just as if I had been there on time. Thanks to those guys for bailing me out. (word to the wise- always surround yourself with people better than you.)

It has come to be the norm that the night officially kicks off at 8:30 on the nose. I do the countdown and open up the night. this gives cats time to talk, meet and greet, sign up, get food and drink,etc..
That time will be bumped up to 8:15 from now on.
This still gives all you great people time before the show starts but will give you a little more show.

Now on to last night.
Did the open mic list-cut it off at ten people.
Had some really neat added attractions. One gentlemen who was partially, or perhaps mostly deaf, got up and did a very deep piece. Another gentlemen said he has been writing for about 30 years but never shared came out and read for his wife. Very cool.

From here we moved on to the feature. Anyone who wants to get at Alex-should! He was an excellent example of how a feature should act. He was on time. Hell, he was early. He was ready to go. Had plenty of merch. Walked around and worked the romo, spoke to people. Genuinely wanted to get to know folks and sat and had conversations. Listened to the other poets on the mic. Then got up and kicked his foot in his feature! Really turned the heads of the people in attendance and brought them around to his view of the world via his poetry. Book him or catch him on tour. Catch him at www.spinsterofgab.com

Then the slam!
Ten poets. Two rounds this time. Cumulative. Dropped down to six poets for final round.
This was a surreal experiecne. Some very raw and fresh talent mixed with some polished cats and some people with more experience. None of the judges had seen a slam except one so that was great. They stuck to their guns and shot down anything they did not like. After all the screaming, wails, moans, and near suicide attempts, the dust settled, and there were four.

1st place- Tiffany Smith
2nd place- Dred I Am
3rd place- Demetrius
4th place-William

All in all a great night.

Another reason for the time being backed up to start even earlier?
Last night marked our second week going over the one hundred people in the freaking audience!
Yes!
What are we doing next week Brain?
Same as every week Pinky; Try and take over the world!
(now of course nature states that next week only 2 people will show up and one of them will be me.)
but that's cool too.
Thank you and I love you to every single person who came out and made this Tuesday's show a huge success!

SIDENOTE- If you are coming in from out of town, please let me know! I not only want to acknowledge you, but I want to make sure your first stop thru is everything I can make it be for you. So hit me here or on my email please!

More to come but right now I got to get cleaned up, get some food, get Alex some food (he's staying with me till his next gig), and get ready for another slam tonite. No time to memorize the new work, but I will figure something out.

Talk to you soon gang.

POETRY SLAMS-RULES/FYI/QUESTIONS,Etc

2005-09-15T10:33:00.000-07:00

Black Pearl Poetry will be having its' first slam as a Tuesday institution this coming Tuesday, September 20!

The rules have changed since the ones done on Sunday night Mahogany Soul.

Below you can find the rules.
If you have any questions, send them here or email me personally.

You can also learn a lot about slam from PSI-Poetry Slam Incorporated.
Their addy is www.poetryslam.com

Thanks!

Slam Rules:

What is a poetry slam?

A poetry slam is an event in which poets perform their work and are judged by members of the audience. Typically the host or other organizer select the judges, who are instructed to give numerical scores (on a zero to ten or one to ten scale) based on the poets content and performance.

Who gets to participate?

The vast series of poetry slams registered by Poetry Slam, Inc. Are open to everyone who wishes to sign up and can get into the venue. Though everyone who signs up has the opportunity to read in the first round, the lineup for subsequent rounds is determined by the judges' scores. In other words, the judges vote for which poets they want to see more work from.

What are the rules?

Though rules vary from slam to slam, the basic rules are:

-Each poem must be of the poets own construction.
- Each poet gets three minutes (plus a ten second grace period) to read one poem, if the poet goes over, points will be deducted from the total score.
-The poet may NOT use props, costumes, or musical instruments.
-Of the scores the poet received from the five judges, the highest and lowest score are dropped and the middle three are added together, giving the poet a total score of 0-30.

Are there any extra rules that pertain directly to BLACK PEARL POETRY SLAMS?

Yes.

The NO REPEAT rule.
No poet may REPEAT a POEM which has been performed in a slam, in another slam during the course of attempting to qualify for NPS (National Poetry Slam) contention. This rule is in effect for all slams with the exception of the NPS Grand slam-off. At that time a poet may use ANY poem he or she has performed in the past.
PUNISHMENT:
If a poet chooses to slam but has no interest in slamming for NPS, that poet may repeat a poem from slam to slam.
If a poet chooses to slam with intentions of trying to go to NPS and repeats a poem from a previous slam in that season, that poet will be disqualified for the season. They may continue to slam, but will not get any points toward NPS consideraton.

Points will be awarded for finishing in the top THREE places. (1st,2nd,3rd)
These points are non-negotiable and non-tranferrable.
If a poet places in the top three in a slam but DOS NOT wish to compete in the Grand Slam, the points for that persons finish are wiped away ad DO NOT trickle down to any other person whom finished beneath them.

BYE WEEK-
Any poet who finishes in the top three in one slam prior to the Grand Slam cannot slam in the slam which follows.
Example- Sally gets 1st place this week. Sally must skip the slam next week. After taking one slam off, Sally is free to slam again. If Sally were to finish in the top three again, this rule would be in effect again. This rule stays in effect up till the actual Grand Slam.

Last Chance Slam-
This will happen in April. One slot for the Grand slam will be reserved and set aside for a "Last Chance" slam. This slam will be a open slam where NONE of the poeple who are going to the grand slam can compete. whoever wins this slam will get a spot in the Grand Slam.

The schedule as it crrently stands for the 2006 National Poetry Slam Black Pearl Poetry season:
January 17
January 31
February 21
February 28
March 21
March 28
April 18-Last Chance Slam
April 25- Grand slam
===============================================

Items of note:
While slamming on a local level requires alot of work, patience, practice, and luck, doing so on the regional and national level is a bit more extreme.
Anyone thinking ofslamming with teh goal of being on a team from this night should look closely at their schedule, finances, and willingness to commit.
Don't get me wrong, it's not Navy Seal training but it does ask something of you.
Anyone making the team will be expected to make themselves available for:
Meetings
Rehersals
Shows/Fundraisers
Slams/Competitions

As it stands, the two mandatory items for the Black Pearl Poetry National Slam team will be- Rust Belt Regional Poetry slam and the National Poetry Slam.

Thank you and good luck.

This Past Tuesday

2005-09-15T09:21:00.000-07:00

Oh. My. God.
I don't know where to begin about the other night.
I will try to go in order.
I woke up.
got stuff together for show.
Ran errands.
Picked up Taalam from airport around 3:45. (airport security in the passenger pick up section are a group of assholes. yes I said it. Maybe not all of them, but the little skinny kid blowing his whistle at me and the cat who ran up on me in his SUV? Punks.)

Went home for Taalam to freshen up and so I could change. He is asking questions about how many people to expect, etc.
Apparently he has had some gigs recently where the person booking him would say "oh we get 80-90 people easy" or "last week was hot". Then he would get there and it would be like, 5 people and 3 of them work there. At one spot he went to the bartender to order a drink and asked if the crowd would be coming in later. The bartender told him that the 12 or so people there at the time WAS a GOOD crowd for that night. Sheesh.
First moral of that story- don't lie. Just tell the truth and let t poet decide to accept the gig or not.
Second moral of the story-As soon as you get somewhere, holla at someone who works in the space but not FOR the people bringing you in. You are more apt to get a real person view of what goes down.

Of course, I tell him my stats. smallest crowd to date-25. Largest-72. average-35-50.
Feel free to ask my bartender anything you want. That is how you should be.
He brings one backpack and one duffel bag-gym-bag size carry on with merch in it. Says he will leave the big one at my place. I am always paranoid about NOT having enough stuff so I tell him to bring it all, figuring he won't need it but he will have it.

We get to the spot EARLY. I say again-EARLY. Like 6'ish. (I have GOT to get a car-anyone got an extra one holla at me)
I take the time to get him a drink and some food. While it is not Baltimore level seafood, he seems pleased. (free food ALWAYS taste better ;] )
I go downstairs and set things up. Music, candles, incense, speakers, mic,etc.
Then blow all the candles out because it is too damn early and they will be liquid by the time the night starts. Duh.

We have talked for a minute but he is on the kick off of a multi-city tour and is doing something like 5 cities in four days or something to that effect. So he is on the phone setting things up. (his phone comes into play later)
I? I am bored out of my mind. So I write a little.
DJ Krate Digga shows up. He has offered me a solid on spinning vinyl for the first half of the show. Then he will pack up and go to work. Now THAT's a DJ!

So our doors open up at 7:45 with Krate spinning. The night kicks in at 8. What this means is you can come in, get your seats, hit the bathroom, call your friends and tell them where you will be tonite, order your food, get your drink, all that good stuff BEFORE the poetry kicks in.
I have made a rule that come hell or high water the night starts promptly at 8:30. It is working nice that way.

My door person is set (he is the bomb), my bartender is up and ready(she is a double bomb), my feature is in the house, only my vendor is late. (booo. Bad vendor. Just joking. She had a fund raiser to do first.)

problem? Only about 6 people in the house and it is 8:05. Argh!

So a few more minutes pass and Taalam is looking at me like, "Shit, ya got me. And I thought we was cool, man."

Then a few more minutes pass and I announce we will start in fifteen.

Some people come thru the door.

Ten.

few more people.

Five.

few more.

I start the night out with what is now my customary countdown from ten seconds to zero. The room gets quiet as I the count draws to an end. By zero it is silent and I start a poem.
When I finish I go right into the greeting, info,plugs,etc.. While doing so I look up and think to myself, "There are quite a few people here".
I go to the one mic list.
Already 15 people signed up. go to one poem round robin.
End up with over 25 people signed up TO READ A POEM. geesh.
Let 20 read then bring up Taalam. Everyone has been pretty hot so far. Maybe it is the fact they know they have only one poem to read so leave it on the stage(hi Milwaukee).
Krate spins between each poet till Taalam comes up then breaks down. Perfect timing. He enjoyed himself enough to be willing to come and do it again. (which says ALOT for a DJ to want to come and hang out)
Taalam takes the stage. I get a rough head count. About 80 people there. Wow. He goes into his first piece. At the end of it the crowd simply goes WILD! I mean, handclaps, footstomps, amens, shake your ashes in the ashcan- wild.
He looks over to me and in a sort of wide eyed surprise, winks, as if to say, hey it filled up and they seem to like this so how about I keep going.
And he does.
I learned a lot just sitting and watching him perform. Good things to take note of with my gigs coming up in the morning.
Another GREAT feeling was the looks on the faces of the collective audience. Surprise. Awe. Happy. All that.
AND- to see a lot of the poets who have been so supportive in coming out and sharing their, now sitting down and listening and taking notes and getting inspired to go and write right there on the spot? Priceless. While I know there will be some imitators, that is to be initially expected, I look forward to hearing these cats in the weeks to come as each new feature forces them to look at poetry from a different angle outside of their own selves.

When he is done, I inform everyone that we might not get back to everyone in the round robin since there are now 25 people signed up to read and I want everyone to get a chance to read if they have signed up. (might have to institute a cut-off in the future)
Next I informthe crowd that it is now time for our regular and infamous "6 minutes".
It serves as an intermission to hit the bathroom, get more drinks, order food, support the vendor, and buy merch from the feature.
This cat still had a line from the stage to the door when the night kicked back in. Good thing we brought that other bag. ;)
The vendor did not get much love but with some cajoling from me and Taalam, people responded.
The open mic moved on in full force now with folks asking Taalam for an encore to close out the night.
Someone screams out "we need more chairs".
I have two people do a headcount.
102.
One hundred and two people have come down here on a Tuesday night for poetry.
wow.
It sounds corny, and Andre Agassi just said it but, I did not win tonite, poetry did.
Over half of those people were new.
good mix of male/female/black/white/other.

One girl came up to me and apologized for not being dressed up. I was mad and ready to go and find whomever made her feel that way before she informed me that no one had, she just felt that way. I quickly showed her that I, the host, was wearing tattered jeans and slip on shoes and a t-shirt. I quickly said I don't give a shit HOW you dress but that you are HERE.
Once here, no matter who you are, you are family. That is how I run a night and how it should be done. Period.

To further make my point, I had everyone who had never been there before make it known by clapping their hands. Once that stopped I had all the regulars applaud them for coming out and joining us. The response was not only louder than what Taalam got (which is saying alot) but was louder than even I had hoped for. You come to Black Pearl, you are a guest only once. Then? You're family. So make yourself at home.

A few more announcements and we get to the encore. Taalam thought he was done. Therefore he had gotten quite intimate with the Scotch. Dry. Ahem.
Well, he was not as bad off as he thought and ripped it even better than his actual set, since in this one he was playing to the crowd to have fun moreso than do a set and earn your keep type thing. Feel me?

Another standing ovation and more cd sales and the night was done. Problem was, no one wanted to leave. I am breaking stuff down and everyone is sitting or standing around talking and laughing about the night. A really nice feeling that I hope carries over to next week and the feature then.

everything goes down without a hitch right up to the point we get to the car and Taalam drops his phone. It does not break, it shatters into so much wire. He has 300 numbers in it and some of them no where else. Ouch. Only has one number memorized. Ouch. Has to hit several cities before going home. Big OUCH.

I recall a sprint phone I had when on my first tour a couple of years ago. I got it so I could stay in touch with my wife (now ex) while on the road. I told him if I could find it he could have it. I go home and look and lo and behold I find it. I hit the power button and after about 2 years of non-use, it comes up with two bars on the phone! I figure it was meant to be and give it to him.

A great night for all.

My ugly mug from the Columbus Alive article

2005-09-04T15:53:00.000-07:00

Scary huh?

Tough cookies! Deal with it people!

Can anyone suggest a good place to buy eyebrows cheap?

And not that spot where Whoopi Goldberg got hers, cuz that shit backfired in a BIG way when they fell off!

OUR SEPTEMBER 20th FEATURE!!

2005-09-04T15:48:00.000-07:00

THE FEATURE FOR SEPTEMBER 20!!

ALEX CHARALAMBIDES!!

FEATURE FOR SEPTEMBER 13!

2005-09-04T15:38:00.000-07:00

http://www.taalamacey.com

SEPTEMBER 13

OUR FEATURE!!

PLUS DJ KRATE DIGGA WILL BE IN THE HOUSE PLAYING THE BEST MUSIC AROUND!!

Membership has its' privileges

2005-09-04T15:37:00.000-07:00

Membership cards, gift cards on their way soon!
More on this later...

Up and coming week

2005-09-04T15:28:00.000-07:00

This Tuesday at Black Pearl Poetry will mark our first month in the new digs so to speak.
I have been quite surprised and pleased with how things are going so far.
We will unveil a few things this week.

1) First TUESDAY of each month is LADIES NIGHT! All women get in 1/2 price.

2) From now on ALL students and faculty get in for 1/2 price. (proper current ID required-good for k-12 and collegiate levels)

3) One of our permanent vendors- Kay Wiebell of WARM SPIRIT! She will be our vendor every First Tuesday!

4) Cinnamon will also be a permanent vendor on a different week.

5) Taalam Acey will be our feature on the 13th of September! Prepare to be amzaed!

6) Alex from New England will be our feature for September 20th!

7) Our first SLAM in the new night will be this month!

8) Krate Digga will be in the house LIVE on the 13th to keep the party going before the poets, during the poets, and after the poets!

9) Our VIP list has been selected and those people will get their cards and a neat gift!

10) Phaedra, our hot and quick new bartender, will have weekly drink specials! (ask for the purple rain)

11) and more to come!

Next week

2005-08-24T14:18:00.000-07:00

Black Pearl Poetry will have its' open mic.
A possible surprise feature and I hope to hae a new piece or two to throw out there.

Next Weds here in Columbus is the first day of school for kids. Why does this matter? Because their MOMS come out and support!
So for those moms who have slaved all day trying to get all those last minute supplies I am doing something for them.

The vendor next week is Kay Wiebell of WARMSPIRIT.
She sells incredible items for the bath, body, and the soul.
She will be in the house offering every woman a complimentary hand pampering.
I've had one of these and they feel great. (and I am still a man dammit!)
Plus if she gets backed up, I might help her and do some of hte hand pampering myself! (only if requested by the ladies though. I ain't trying to get shot over some pumice scrub and a hand that belongs to some womans crazy ass loverman)

Plus- for the first 20 women in the door- A FREE GIFT from WARMSPIRIT courtesy of Black Pearl Poetry and Kay Wiebell.

If you want to see what she will have to offer in advance, go to
http://warmspirit.org/2servu

Alot more to come!

Last night

2005-08-24T13:38:00.000-07:00

Well last night was my official 'gut check' night.
That would be when something goes wrong and your buttcheeks tighten up. It is at those moments that you find out how you are at handling pressure and getting things done.

But...normally that means only one or two things go wrong.
Last night?
EVERYTHING went awry.
And you know what? It was still a very cool night.
THAT spoke volumes to me.
The crowd I am getting is a group of lovely, beautiful and understanding people. And they are learning and growing. You can hear it. Very cool.

So the wrong last night?
Got there later than I wanted.
A group was having an event on another floor. No problem, right? Wrong. They demand to be placed downstairs ON MY FLOOR. Ouch.
They are told to wrap up by 7:30. Okay, tight, but I can work with it.
But they don't WANT to leave. No problem.
I cut on the music to signal the switch in events. LOUD.
They just TALK LOUDER.
I mention they gotta pay to stay?
Out like OJ on the highway.
But now I got dirty tables, and leftover food buffet stuff everywhere and only one cat down there cleaning up. (bless his heart though since he was really doing it)
Add to that my door person is late. I call them and they say they will be there in15 minutes. It is 7:45 at the time. We START at 8. Geez.
And the sound equipment that should be set up? Not.
No problem, I'll just go get it and...what do you mean no one knows where everything is?
So the mics are on one floor, the speakers on another, the cords somwhere else, the stand is gone, etc.

And my crowd was thin for the first time.

But in the end, it all panned out.

Had 15 people read on the open mic list.
Had a GREAT feature in Mrs. Kim Brazwell
Had a GREAT vendor in Miss Gina Blaurock
Had a GREAT surprise feature in Deep Cobra. (this last one was cool. the brother came in from ENGLAND-THE COUNTRY, not the state of New England and got down for us Americans)

One of the groups upstairs for a private event was a group of students from Ohio Weslyan. I told their liason that if they wanted to they could come down for FREE and check out the night. And did they ever. Rolled in like 40 deep and suddenly the place was packed! they were heated when their leader told them they had to leave. Some had signed up on the mic and others wer busy scribbling away trying to write a poem real quick to read. I look forward to seeing them in the future.

So in the end it all worked out.
Someone covered the door for me till my person arrived.
The people who came got a real treat with all the features and vendor and free gifts.
The bar did decent.
People ate good food and laughed about good things.
I found all the sound equipment.
My feature got paid nicely and sold alot of product. Ditto my vendor and my special guest feature from England.
Almost everyone who wanted to read got to.
The crowd eventually came but still not the 50 deep i was hoping for.
The room go cleaned out and was set up nice by the time people showed up.
we only went over time by about 10 minutes.
I delayed the start time so as to have a tight, compact show.

all in all it was about as bad as it could have been to start off. but the people there and my features made it a wonderful night. and i learned ALOT.

1) have weekly meetings with people involved with night face to face if possible. (i hate those who live by email only. you can hide too much that way)

2) get there on HOUR early. 30 minutes to fix anything and put out fires, 30 minutes to make it look like nothing was wrong in the first place. (never let them see you sweat)

3) marketing is KEY. This means not just plugging what you do, but staying in tune with what ELSE is going on in your town. Can't just look at poetry scenes, but all events to better gauge your potential crowd and what else might be enticing them that week. (like when someone sends out an email telling girls to go to another spot because they have good happy hour drinks-need to work around that)

4) I am doing a good job and will only get better

5) keep my foot up my own ass (this way there is no room for anyone elses)

6) Do a final call for all vendor applications. Getting too many and want to set up a rotation schedule.

7) People will spend money if they feel the event and situation are worthy of their dollars. And that is exactly how we should look at it. Like we need to be worthy of their time and money.

well enough of that.

National Poetry Slam...damn. Day Two too

2005-08-22T12:08:00.000-07:00

Woke up. s/s/s.
hit club floor and grubbed. talked with lieutenant dan. (nickname for Dan Vaughn of team Milwaukee, who was in the same hotel..now THEy should post what happened with them. one could learn alot from their time a t nats alone. almost enough to rival the original slamnation tape)

the driver from Hotel blue picked me up and took me to hotel Blue. Was very nice since he was not supossed to do that. Extra cool points since the driver was the hotel MANAGER. even more brownie points because he pointed out spots, gave insight to the area, talked football (he used to work with my Bengals head coach back in the day at a gym) and even went as far as to give me his cell phone number and a code to put in when i needed him to come to the hotel he wasn't supossed to come to (though again, my hotel was kick ass, it had no shuttle..uppity folks).

Hit ground zero and met with cats from columbus. Had about a two to five minute talk about strategy for that nights bout. We had the late bout so I went to catch another bout. (was supporting the Milwaukee team this year and hung out with a few of the members)
Turns out their bout was literally next door to ours, so it was perfect.

Now I know this sounds strange. Shouldn't I be with my team and talk,chill, etc.?
Nope. Our coach had made our strategy pretty clear back at the hotel and it left little room for discussion. He was the coach and what he said would go. that is the coaches job and to trust him is paramount. So you nod, put in your ten cents where you feel it is needed and go from there.
To disagree at that point or try radical solutions, whatever, is not logical nor will it be implemented. Hell, at that point, it shouldn't be.

I get over to our venue and Scott has picked a campsite for us to chill. I ain't really feeling the whole sit down thing and the place is on its' way to being just stupid packed, so I stand by the table, withing earshot if needed.

This bout in my opinion, was one of the toughest bouts of the first two nights and definitely the toughest of the first night.
Everyone with semifinal experience (recent)
A couple with finals experiecne (very recent)
Several grand slam champs on the same damn teams (ouch)
Very poet heavy crowd (ouch for a later reason)

The judges were very low scoring but i will not complain about that. Most judges tend to be a little too high scoring in my opinion so it balances out.
Besides, if the parameters are 0-10 then 5 is average, 6 or 7 is above average and 8 or 9 is mindblowing. A 10 would be technically impossible unless the judge gave it out and never gave out another one and knew in advance in their heart of hearts that no matter what they heard, they wouldn't give another one out. But that is a philosophical debate.
Anywho, what is important is that they were rock solid consistant for the entire night.
One cat got a score a few points higher than everyone else (deservedly so considering what he read compared to what had happened up to that point in the night), and right after his poem the scores returned back to where they had been.
Now to people I heard walking around afterward saying, "Well normally that is a 29.8 poem. I don't know how I got a 25 with it" I say this; who told you that poem was a 29.8 to begin with?
Since when did poems come in with a locked in predetermined score? If that is the case, couldn't you just say, "Hey, I am going to read my poem called___ and it always gets about a___. So how about I skip reading it and you just give me the score I usually average out to get."
(now i use 29.8 as an example but you get the point)

We ALL are used to getting something in some typical range if we have used the poem a few times in the past. BUT, the moment we scream highway robbery when a random stranger disagrees with your past populist vote count? Take some time off of slam.
And I have been guilty of this myself, lest someone think this is the high and mighty route. But I shut up, got that 'i been robbed' shit out of my head, and redoubled my efforts for next time.

Now to address something I said further up-
And this goes out to no one in particular but everyone in general-
If you are a poet at a team type slam, whether you are on a team or not, you should show love to every goddmaned poet who reads in that slam, regardless of where they are from, or who they are. If the poem rocks, it rocks. If you honestly don't like it, that's one thing. Then don't clap or smile or show love as that would be hypocritical and make you out to be a liar. (enough of those in slam already)
But if you dig the poem, it should not matter if that person is from your hometown or not, your homestate or not, your venue or not, a friend or not, or if that persons great poem just knocked your team, teammates, or buddies out the fucking box.
Show respect for the craft and work that went into the piece if not the poet themselves.

I have been the first to hug, kiss, applaud, scream my freaking head off-for another teams poet even if they just whupped my teams ass-I could care less if I liked the piece.

The word 'bitch' has very few proper uses in modern english language.
However, if you "vacuum" a crowd, (the slang/slam term for taking the energy out of a room to affect a poets/teams score), that to me is exactly what you are and will foever be in my eyes.
A poem is forthcoming about you and your types, believe it.

For those not savvy on the slam-slang tip, let's say there are 5 teams in a bout. you are on one of those teams. Each of those teams brings along at least 5 people in tow on the team and another 5 as friends/supporters. Now when one team goes up, they whoop and holler like the Jesus is back for round three. They clap and stomp and scream for "10's" from the judges.
Now one of your poets go up. You notice they get each others attention. They shush each other up. Not a one claps. No screams. No comraderie in the way of "good luck". They drop their heads. They all begin clearing their throats, rolling their eyes, yawning.
You still read your poem.
You move the actual audience members.
But you're in hte lead by 1/10 or behind by just 1/2 a point.
So when you finish your poem and walkoff stage, only the actual audience applauds. The majority of the room is filled with competing poets and their friends and they are totally silent.
So the energy of the room changes.
The volume and quantity of the cheers and claps decreases dramatically, therefore making those few who do applaud quiet themselves faster than they otherwise would have.
Now to the judges who don't see all this but can HEAR the change, you must've slipped up.
That poem can't have really been all that good, otherwise they would have heard more of a ruckus.
Your score is lower than it should have been by no controlling factor of your own.
Others call this the 'entourage effect'

I call it being a bitch.

Again, if you don't like the piece, that's one thing. everyone is entitled to not like something.
But to intentionally tell or expect people to keep quiet devalues not only the poets score, but the morale and act of brotherhood that people have fought and literally died trying to instill in slam.

I say, if you want to do that, then make it known. You and your team, friends, entourages, etc., all of you get up and walk out while another team reads. Or turn your chairs around. Or turn your backs.

Or, I know, show love no matter what.

Or, maybe, write a better frickin' poem.

Agree with the masses and be just another body of mass.
Stand on your own and become an entity.

More soon on day one and two and three and so on...

(by the way, i am not saying it happened in our day one bout. hell, we pulled a two so if it did, then how great is that? But I am saying it happens far to frequent and I did see it at another teams bout and have seen it in years past in ones i have been a part of or just witnessed in others bouts)
that said, if i ain't calling you out, then don't be offended.
hmmm.

National Poetry Slam...day one and sun

2005-08-22T11:32:00.000-07:00

Well day one is cool since there is no slamming. Danny Solis and company really made nats a great one to remember before you even left. Free food and drink almost everywhere you went. Every business you go into greeting you with a 'Oh you're here for the slam? Where ya from? First time here? Got any questions feel free to ask' was great.

I stayed away from ground zero (nickname for the host hotel). I did this and do this for a few reasons.
1- my hotel was nicer (well the hotel was but the service couldn't TOUCH the Hotel Blue-their people ROCKED with friendliness)

2- my hotel was cheaper.

3-my hotel had more amenities i like and was closer to the mountains and a 45 second walk away from Old Town (historic part of ABQ)

4- to have a spot to rest.
this last one is big. with almost a thousand people running around screaming and reeking of slam, everyone being one big happy family and lounging around, chilling out, and talking about poetry and slam around the clock, you need, correction, I need a place to go and get away.
People will look for you, talk to you, hang out at your room, sleep, fart,shit and piss there, get high there, order pizza there,invite their buddies there,crash a night or two there, on and on and on...and then leave. Now your space doesn't feel like...your space.
Don't get me wrong, I socialize and love to hang out with cats and generally have a blast.
But when I want my downtime, I want my downtime. If you knock on my door it will be because you were invited. Now in the host hotel those would be unrealistic expectations and you'd be an ass for wanting it that way. But if you stay elsewhere? No problem. and so much happens at the ground zero hotel that you arthere alot anyway, so anyone you wanted to reach out to and anyone who really wanted to get hold to you can do so. Ready to party or shoot the shit? ground zero. Ready to sleep, sit on your balcony, swim, sit in the jacuzzi and watch the sunset while writing haiku? Go back to your spot.

If I make a team next year maybe I will pitch my tent at the host spot. But this year I needed to be able to get away.

Not to mention I saved money dammit.

So day one I looked around town, hit the pool and Old Town, made some calls to people I wanted to know where I was at, and chatted with the other people from Columbus.
I was tired since my flight was bumped and I ended up making THREE connections to get there. Then while in Houston, Texas I sat in a plane on the runway for almost three hours due to a sudden storm. ouch.
Sidenote- no offense to my friends out that way but i have always hated texas. i don't know why. but it has always been a deep down in my bones-my tombstone must be somewhere waiting for me in texas-type hate. this is always backed up anytime i have been in texas or traveled thru it. something always happens in the 'bad' department. If i make it to go to austin, i am hoping that will break the spell.
maybe it was all those years of watching DALLAS with my Nana.

sidenote 2- Much love to the LouderArts New York team who was on that same hellish wait period portion of my flight. Seeing them and all their genuine smiles and jokes made that part of the trip better. (See texas, for some reason me and new york get along just dandy. be more like New York...minus the pee-pee smell) ;) Just kidding. Kind of.

I had forgotten just how beautiful the west is. Alot of people don't know this but before my ten years in Columbus, Tucson, Arizona was home. In my soul and heart, it still is. It is alot like ABQ. A lovely valley with a decent arts scene.
ABQ has a better art scene but Tucson has more blacks (which ain't saying much folks belive me).

It does something to you in your heart, mind and soul to know that:
- the sunrise will be one of the best you've ever seen
-the sunset will be one of the best you've ever seen
-the mountains will be there
-you can see a storm coming in
-even in monsoon season(heavy rains) the weather will be nice and more than likely dry up by the time you come out of the movie or store
-art and peace are a part of the way of life
-you will see no damn snow or blizzards but will still need a coat sometimes
-if you miss any of these once in a lifetime type moments, don't worry. It will repeat all over again in the morning.

Nuff said on day one.
I'll drop pics once they get developed.

National Poetry Slam...damn 2

2005-08-22T10:48:00.000-07:00

PREP WORK-
This means what you do to get ready for a thing.
This case, the thing is the national poetry slam.
so prep work ( TO ME) means:[in no order]
1- write poems
2-edit poem for content and time
3- memorize poems
4-rehearse rehearse rehearse
5-read in front of crowds/slam/features
6-get writing and performance critiques
7-work/rehearse with team
8-gel as a unit
9-go and whup some buttocks

Now, each person has their own way of doing this and should not be hindered in any way to reach the peak they need to in their own way.
However, if they are doing something, or are going to do something that will potentially harm the TEAM in any way, then the team should speak up and address it, or be damned for allowing it to happen.

The trick to all this is to have a group of people with a common goal. Without that, you're dead before you go. Your first goal should be to have a good time WHILE giving it your all. Winning should not be in the picture as it is an automatic device of the event. In other words, it is a COMPETITION, therefore it should be a given that you would like to WIN and will do everything in your power to make that happen. (notice i say 'should be a given')

How do you 'gel' as a team?
Do you have to be friends? No.
Do you have to like each others work? No.
Do your styles have to match or be similiar or sound alike? No. I would hope not.
Do you have to hang out? No.
now,
Do you have to respect one another? YES.
Do you have to keep an open mind about each others opinion and work? YES.
Do you have to rehearse together? YES.
Do you have to discuss your poems before arriving? YES.

There is a reason it is called a 'team'. And in that there is a need for teamwork. No matter how polished, professional, big time you are; you can be better. Hell, the better you are, the more you need to do because the harder it is for you to notice things askew. The best teams repeatedly in National Level slams are the ones who work on it to death. Ask around.

I believe the secret to slams is to manage the little intangibles.
Follow me-
you've got your poems.
you're a pretty good poet.
you're ready to slam.

Now it is my belief that the blood, sweat and tears, to be cliche', that come out of discussions, arguments(if need be), rehearsals, etc., are one of the main things that separate good teams from poor ones, and great teams from good. Once you come out on the other side of practicing those poems with the people you will be on a team with, once you have went past the point of being sick of hearing their voice and your own and still sat and listened or stood and performed, once you know the inside and out of a body of work, THEN you will notice you walk a little diffferent, talk a little different. It is the internalization of the team's work that does that for you.

That great poem so and so has? You will discover it has some faults. That poem you weren't really feeling? You'll discover that it actually is pretty damn good. Your best performer? You'll note he or she does that thing with their hands and fingers that is a nervous tic and quite distracting.

Not to mention the bond that is formed. Our first year slamming at Nats, we had here what we thought was an kick ass team. We were VERY green about this thing called slam. We all weren't friends and our poetry couldn't have been more diverse if we had tried. But we did practice and rehearse and became this tightly wound unit. We went that year as a team, thick and thin. If we weren't together, it is my opinion that you could still feel the others as if we were all in the room or in front of you as one. It was the look in each of our eyes, to a man, that said I know I am not in this alone and I know this because I have already went thru these motions before I got here with my TEAM.

It was this attitude that got us love, sometimes moreso than our poems. It was this mindset that let us know when we 'stuck' the poem, when the crowd was digging us, when other poets were hating on us or just plain scared of this no one from nowhere team, and when we missed our mark and sucked.

This is one of the important 'intangibles' a team should have, in my opinion. It is also one of the things that was sadly absent from our team this year.

We had 3 very talented in their own rights-poets going to nationals from the same city to read poems and slam. We did not have a team. I would and have said this to anyone and stick by it. While it does not kill a team, and most certainly did not kill us, it, to me, does affect your team, and that it did.

In thinking of slamming on a national level, your personal preparation begins as soon as the last nationals ends. On a team level, your prep work begins NOT when a team is formed, but once you have gotten somewhat comfortable with your own work. Then you go to your open mics and slams and begin to look at the poets reading/slamming around you from the standpoint of a possible teammate. What would you tell them?
Hey, i love that poem about...
Hey, you know you touch your glasses or pick your nose alot when you slam?
Hey, I hear alot of stuff in that one poem you do that could be enhanced by adding a voice or if you did your hand like this to represent____.
Hey would you read this and tell mewhat you think?
When it is my turn will you take notes on what I do wrong?
Do me a favor and act like this is a slam and score me when I read.
Etc. Etc. Etc.

Anyone reading this that slams, no matter where you live-your prep time for next year begins-NOW.

Ditto fundraising.

Next Up- Day one of slam and sun.

The Nation Poetry Slam...damn

2005-08-22T10:21:00.000-07:00

What can I say that has not been said on about 1000 blogs and livejournals by now?
Nothing except tell you why I went, what I got and how it affected me this time around.
be prepared, this should be long.

Going-
Well getting there was some work. We had a slam off. I won. Means zilch since you are part of a 'team'. The team talked afterwards and that was that. Now you need the money. In years past a gig of some sort has sort of fallen into the teams lap. A couple of those times that gig has taken a BIG chunk of the pain of saving money out of the mix. Very cool when it happens. Last year alot of cats were doing shows on their own and I got a few gigs for either individuals or the team and that helped a little.
This year? Nats was in Albuquerque, New Mexico. As in FAR FAR AWAY. Add to this- no team gigs this year. Ouch. So Scott Woods came up with the idea to have an auction of some goods he had been holding onto and other items he got from poetry friends abroad.
I had been told a few months back while teaching at slam camp how to do the same thing.
So I planned on a couple of auctions at the event which I was emcee at the time.

I did not set up my auction until very late in the game. Originally I was just going to let Scott do his and that would be that. Then i looked at the crowd the night I hosted was bringing in and said hey, I need to do one here to take advantage of all these people. So I made some calls, got some poetry. Made some more calls, got some more poetry.
Then while sitting around I thought, why just poetry? Why not other stuff?
So I made some fliers, made a booklet type promotional asking for donations, hit up some companies that I liked or knew had tie-ins to either poetry or the space which held the event I was hosting.
Next thing I know, I am getting free hotel stays at 4 and 5 star hotels, theater tickets, bath and spa packages, dinners from top shelf restaurants, paintings, sculptures, carvings, prints, cd's, books by the case, and more!
By the time it was done, over twenty corporations had donated goods or services for the auction.
This did not include the books (poetry, novels, journals,advanced copies) I got. Nor the cats on the poetry slam circuit who are still sending stuff now (bless their hearts but poets either forget or get distracted).
In the end this helped ALOT.
Scott's auctions did quite well and mine almost doubled that. after a 3-way split the loot either covered each of their plane tickets or hotel rooms, with maybe a buck or two left over.
Lesson: Do auctions. Don't underestimate your power and connections. Prepare far in advance.

One of our team members could not go to nats, partly due to personal obligations (she runs a theater company) and partly due to funds to go so far for almost a week. had these events been in place sooner, maybe she could have gone.

This was the 5th year Columbus has sent a team. We, me included, have not taken the financial part serious and unselfish enough. It is inexcusable that in a town with so much art and money that a team should have to pay its' own way to try and put that city and its' art scene on the map nationally. So my fundraising efforts for next years team have already begun. Like, now. As well they should.

Next up?
Prep work.

This Tuesday and more work

2005-08-22T10:00:00.000-07:00

Ok, so this Tuesday should be really hot. Gina Blaurock will be the vendor for the week and she has really nice pieces of jewelery she makes herself. Not the hokey " I think I'll get some glue and beads and throw some shit together"type thing.
No. She has the " Women eat this shit up like crack mixed with a shoe sale-yes my stuff has been featured in some of the more popular art galleries here in Ohio" type thing.
grrr baby. very grr.

Then there is the feature. Kim Brazwell. New nickname- Kim BLASTwell. As in Blast the mic. Blast a poem. Blast that ass if you are the offending party. Not only is she a kickass poet and highly intelligent and witty writer, she is one of the few people on this scene I can and always will love and consider to be a true blue friend. Not the one that tells you what you want to hear but the one that tells you what you need to hear.
In this day of passive aggressive wimps and straight up punks, wussies, and oatmeal people, she is a breath of fresh air.

If you are reading this before this Tuesdays set, come out and have fun with one of the most original voices in poetry now.

If you are reading this after Tuesday and you made it out?
I told you so. Now I dare you to stop smiling while thinking of something she said. Try.

If you are reading this after Tuesday and you DID NOT come out for some odd reason? Stick your leg out in front of you as far as you can. Now with all your might, swing it backward and kick yourself in the ass. You missed a great show. I'm predicting that like Namath promised the superbowl.

THE WORK-

get to place on time
get lights set (use sharpie to mark settings)
get temp just right
get bartender that can handle crowd
get crowd :)
get little cashbox
get cash :)
hire permanent door person
seek sponsorship
seek prime advertising company and logo (in other words create bidding war)
prepare for slams next month
prepare for features
add one person to team to serve as back up person/right hand man/liason/someone else to smile when my jaws begin to ache
tweak seating
buy long lighter
a few candles (vanilla)
select official wardrobe for night
create poetry book discussion club (oh no i let a secret out! i want poets to grow and care about poetry! eeek!)
print up more gift certificates
up web presence and print media awareness (plug yourself to death)
get features locked in. (and boy are theysome doozies)
look for ideal webhost. (can't just blog forever)
and the list goes on and on.

Your face in pictures?

2005-08-18T09:44:00.000-07:00

Each week photos will be taken of the poets and crowd. A few lucky people will actually get posted HERE on the Black Pearl Poetry blog! Maybe it will be the bomb poem you shared. Maybe it will be how you got there on time and sat up front eagerly waiting for the words to drop. Who knows what it will take, but believe only a select few will get to see their mug in cyberspace. And one person will get to smile for the cameras with the host of Black Pearl Poetry-Ed Mabrey!

Last Tuesday's Black Pearl Poetry

2005-08-18T08:35:00.000-07:00

Hey gang! Sorry it took so long for this but here goes.
This past Tuesday was a big hit!
Over 50 people in attendance! (the week before we had about 70!)
And what fun! Stil trying to ocnvince people to show up ON TIME, but they soon realize the error of their ways when all the good seats are full. Have moved the door opening time to 7:45pm and might bump it back to 7:30 in the future for special events.
I would like to thank all the people who came out on the Tuesday I was gone and made it the biggest week in the state!
Much love to Ishmael for covering host duties and to Sincere for holding down the door.
Thanks to Tessie for checking on the crowd and taking pics!

This past week our vendor of the week was Cinnamon and she seemed really pleased with the response she got so we will have her back soon!

The poetry was hot and cool all night long with Land-O starting the night right, followed by a back and forth of women then men reading. Way to go guys! My goal is to get as many men reading and coming out as we have women. Over 15 people read and half of them were guys! Sweet!

Once again music was courtesy of Krate Digga of the Soundchampz!

This week coming up features a few things:
1) our Vendor Of The Week: GINA BLAUROCK (jewelry)

2) our Feature Of The Week: KIM BRAZWELL! (Columbus Haiku Slam Champ, Top FIVE finish in 2004 National Poetry Slam, Author of a book of poetry and a new CD!)

3) Venue Appreciation Night: To support the scene overall, no matter how hard people can make that, I have offered a few deals to folks who are onthe scene-
-VIP PASSES
-Gift Certificates
-Use your code word from going to OTHER VENUES and get 1/2 off your cover!

All this and more to come on this coming tuesday night!

Ed Mabrey

Going Going Gone

2005-08-08T08:49:00.000-07:00

Well it is that time. Time to pack a bag. Time to forget my toothbrush and cologne. time to pack the wrong swimtrunks or forget my goggles.
Oh, and time to grab a few poems.
Yes, it is time to go and compete at the National Poetry Slam.
I am somewhat excited about this one since it is in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
Kind of feels like going home.
Well, I was born in Cincy, Ohio and raised mostly back and forth between there and Dayton, Ohio.
But after the military I took a trip out there and what was originally a two week jaunt became a (at the time) permenant move. It was my 'becoming a man' phase and what a place to do it in.
For all the good that has come my way since living in Columbus, I would trade it all for the peace I had while living out there. Period. It is that much a home to me.

anywho, so I gotta get amped up for nats. I mean, I am ready for the most part but just not all warm and fuzzy about this one this year. I'm sure once I get there the emotions will come forth.

While you go to compete and to win, there are other reasons togo-
check out other peoples work you would otherwise never knew existed.
meet up with old friends.
meet and make new friends.
network.
see someplace you might have never been.
expand your mind on various issues.
side events.

the last one is the best one. there are alot of things that cannot be appreciated in the broad view of poetry that is Nats. So the side events give you a chance to catch something you otherwise might have missed.
Hip-hop, erotic, prop-slam,nerd slam,group piece showcase, gay and lesbian reading, black reading (sorry i can't say african american-it makes me itch), slammasters slam,rookie open mic, and the Haiku Slam.

This last one is the BOMB. The crowds it draws are better than some of the slams and it is treated with such a wonderful blend of fun and respect that to me it mirrors how slams in general should be viewed and conducted-with a callous free firm hand.

I have won this one multiple times and hope i am fortunate enough to get my name called so i can try and defend the title.
On top of that I have been asked to do a Haiku showcase which should prove to be fun.
On top of that I found out that my haiku made it into someone's book! very flattering.

all that aside, i gotta work tonite till 3 am then catch my flight at 6 am and i haven't even done laundry yet, much less packed anything.

Oh, I gotta send out my email for this weeks open mic at the brownstone on tuesday. I am hoping the turnout for my guest emcee will be nice.
Got a few hits from cats wanting to come thru. Very nice. Some real top shelf type poets.
Trick in this town is to not just preach to the converted (tell your regulars what is going on).
You have to reach new markets. And that is exactly what I plan to do upon my return.

Feeling soooo dumb

2005-08-05T12:04:00.000-07:00

there are about a billion things this blog can do and I am not computer savvy enough to even make them happen with the assistance of the damn help thingy on here.
ARGH!
Anyone know how to do some of the things listed here please get at me.
Add buttons
Add pics and crop them
Can you add sound?
virtual store?

things in running a night

2005-08-05T11:14:00.000-07:00

i keep getting told to add stuff here about me, my thoughts, my life,etc. and i will...one day. but for now let's just talk about basic goings' on, shall we?

Now, if you own something, you run it.
If you run a night, that's ALL you do-run a night.
The catch? If you run a night like it is just a night, it will at best, keep its' head above water and at worst, die.
You must run a night like you OWN THE PLACE. Period.
This is where most poetry spots that are not actual POETRY SPOTS have problems.
Why?
Well, see that person over there in the corner, crunching numbers, telling people what to do, keeping a smile on their face in spite of this being their third 20-plus hour workday just THIS WEEK? That person? That would be your owner, aka your boss, aka your silent partner.
Now you want to go up to them and tell them the ice cubes smell funny tonite?
Go right ahead.

See, somewhere along the way you have presented this great idea about having a poetry night and it sounds really cool. You might even have these noble ideals that include the moral code of art being available to the public, how it improves community relations, makes the world a little nicer, a little smaller, a dash sweeter.
Wow.

And them?
Well, before you cam around, they wouldn't have known a poet if one smacked them in the head with a haiku. Doesn't mean they don't LIKE poetry, just means they have other things to do. Like run a business. Now for some reason they have heard your idea and are willing to go for it.
Sounds great right?
Maybe, maybe not.

there are a TON a questions that should be asked before you even gt to this point but let's say you asked them all and they were all the right answers.
okay.
Do you know what will make you happy, in regards to body count (turnout), money spent (revenue), labor adherence (money outflow)?
Do you know what will make the owner happy in those same categories?
Do those numbers jive?
Almost never.

Things to say and do:
1-make sure they know that poetry nights are not a cash cow. unless you keep a hot crowd for about ten years or so, become a fixture of your city, AND get a little lucky, the night will make enough money to support itself, but not send the owners kid thru Princeton.

2-how long can you take a financial bath before the owner sees red? let them know that things like this take time so don't expect 100 people to walk thru the door and all spend 100 bucks. if it was that good, you wouldn't have been approaching them to begin with, now would you?

3-what their bottom line is. this just means what money must they see to be happy. make no mistake about it, unless you own the spot yourself, there is always a dollar amount that theywould like to see your event make. that nice old lady who sells day-old wedding cakes and lets you hold slams in her storefront window? Even she has a number in her head and if you don't match it after a while, you will find yourself trying to get in thru a locked door one night.

Things to ask yourself about doing it:
what is my budget?
how much do i charge?
how much are people willing to pay?
how long should the night be?
food? drink? alcohol?
is the lighting good?
is the sound good?
who will work my door?
who is my target audience?
why would they come here?
why wouldn't they?
is there good atmosphere?
open mic and/or slam?
features?
do i advertise? to whom? how?
how long should the night be able to last in this space?
what is my time commitment each week?
do i need help/employees?
who is my target audience?
etc etc etc

and for each question there, i can think of two more.

i need kool-aid right about now.

Standing in the shadow of Jesus

2005-08-04T09:29:00.000-07:00

Don't run, this is not where I reveal my real intention of this blog is to convert you.
Instead, I am just thinking that I turned 34 last week. The big guy got sold out at 33 if I am not mistaken.
I am thinking of HIS life.
I am thinking of mine.
I have REALLY wasted alot of time.
It's not a pity part nor midlife crisis. Just the truth.
I was supposed to be supreme ruler of earth by now. or at least Toledo.
I hope this post takes care of all those who wanted to read something that shows an inside look at 'me'. Remember, you asked for it.
Now back to all things Black Pearl and Poetry.
edmabrey

Things to Come...

2005-08-04T08:57:00.000-07:00

People keep wanting to know what is coming up for Black Pearl Poetry.
Well, here are a few things I hope to install during this year:
SHESLAM- A womans only night (men can come but can't read. i will be looking for the ideal female host for this night as well. hint hint ladies)

SLAM-yes at some point we will have slams. to what extent and what level i have yet to decide.

FEATURES- I will be booking features from around the globe. (no exaggeration there folks)
In house poets (RE: local features) will happen to some extent. More than likely they will serve as opening acts for out of town features. (this will up the crowd that comes out to hear YOU, dear in- town- but- still- great- feature- to- be)

VIP CONTEST! (Very Important Pearl) this is happening starting next week! Special gifts and prizes to whoever has the biggest bartab! (keeping it real y'all. if no one eats and/or drinks, the night fades quicker than an American Idols popularity)

Musical Guest!- We will, now and forever, remain a night focused on POETRY! When that stops, I walk. period. But I will from time to time ask for Friends to stop by and hang out while providing a nice vibe. (Yes, i am asking my left hand man JRawls to come thru one night and spin between poets...ditto Krate Digga..and alot more cats!)
this just gives you music while you wait for the night to start, music between poets, and music to escort you out the door once the night is done.

VENDORS and MERCH TABLES!- Each week a vendor will set up shop and offer their wares. (vendors hit me up directly-not here-to be considered). also poets can sell their own stuff OR kick it to the door person and they will keep track for you! (the fee for that is currently set at 10% of your total sales-this goes to the sweet person selling your stuff for you-OR-a copy of whatever you are selling donated to the night for giveaways,etc.-OR-you can do it yourself. this can and might change-the fee part that is)

SPECIAL CONCERTS- I won't speak on this much but just kow that while some poets that come thru can be considered 'features', others, due to their popularity or style would gie a out and out concert! When these happen, they will still be on Tuesday nights. There will still be an open mic, albeit a short one. and VIP members will get a special rate for those events.

This is only a portion of things to come. there will also be workshops, and more!

Is 'excited caution' a proper term?
edmabrey

Why Ed, Why?

2005-08-04T08:41:00.000-07:00

I have had a few people ask, "Why another Columbus venue?"
Well, let's see.
There are always some fly by night spots here in town. Someone checks out an open mic, thinks to themselves, 'hm, I could do this' and goes out and tries it.
Catch is, once they discover it is work, or there is no money in it, or they got a bad spot to do it in, or the two friends they got ain't enough to sustain a night, or this, or that,etc., they end up fading away.
Truth be told, there are only a handful of places to get poetry on a regular basis at this point. Each one has its' own unique flavor and characteristics as they all should. Feel free to hit columbuspoetry.com and check them out (no hating allowed here. i will always support others no matter what.)

Now with the events at the Brownstone and what is happening now, I noticed that about 90% of these people had never done a poetry venue before! Ever. So not only was this open mic their first, but it would be the one that would determine how they look at poetry in a performed setting from this point forward. A little responsibility there.

I have seen firsthand the effects of bad venue owners, bad emcees, and how a 'scene' can implode. It is ugly and not a way to grow.

So now, here is a chance to take this new set of people and show them not only what poetry in Columbus looks like, but what poetry OUTSIDE of Columbus is like. There is a whole world of cats out there doing great work, and now these people can see what that looks like. And during this phase, those who care about there work will develop the required writing,editing, and performance skills to find the discipline which suits them best and work it. Those who come out to be entertained will be, and those who don't really care will eventually stick out like sore thumbs and erradicate themselves. (they always do).

From a physical perspective, the other spots in town couldn't hold the crowds that had been coming out, so that was a factor as well.

So here we are, new and old poets alike, trying to find a niche of our own to carve and hoping that we do it well enough to not just be noticed, but to be proud of our own accomplishments, our own poetry, our own community and lifestyle.

That which you covet is always obvious by that which you have or that which you seek to gain.

edmabrey

The reason that we're here

2005-08-04T08:23:00.000-07:00

Well it ain't just an old Earth Wind and Fire song.
I served as emcee for a great event here in Columbus know as Mahogany Soul.
Very ambitious event that in my opinion, worked quite well.
Well, this event had poetry in it. My general job was to serve as emcee. My specific job was to:
a) get the poets to come
b) legitimize the event in poets eyes/minds
c) run it in a professional manner

To those above stated directives, the poetry portion was a success.
As fate would have it, the poetry grew beyond anyone's expectations. This is a GREAT thing, believe me.
As fate would also have it, the event came to an end, at least in the form which it was know for at that time.
At this point I looked around and realized that here were all these people (average 40-100 a week) that would have nowhere to go once this came to an end.
So I convinced the owners of the spot to give me a shot at doing just an open mic.

This was no arm twisting experience, mind you. They liked the poetry (as much as people about their business like things) and saw a chance to ad a night to their roster that went in synch with the image of the place. (It is a high quality, upscale, black owned restaurant with a soul food lean, if you will)

Having just the open mic in their lounge also would ADD to the night there-
1) no noise from other floors
2) a very nice atmosphere
3) people were used to the space-just had to switch days
4) they wouldn't pay for parts of a night they weren't using. (while some cats came to party, a good amount came for poetry and left thereafter)

My mother always said, in a relationship, give the person what they say they want. Then if they complain, you know they weren't being honest.

So, with that, I figured I would offer the people here what they claimed they wanted and see if they respond. If not, at least I know I tried and can walk away with that knowledge.
(yes I do view running a spot as forming a relationship, a very important one at that. we'll talk about that later.)

So far, so good. Though I hope more people come out.

The goal is for the people to take over the night. Make it a monster that can't be stopped, just steered. THAT is the job of the emcee, to navigate the tricky parts, no more-no less. brand the night as a place of joy, fun, entertainment, somewhere you can let your hair down and be you while enjoying or sharing some poetry.

Again, so far, so good. But it's EARLY.

until that day,
edmabrey

Last Tuesday's open Mic!

2005-08-04T08:11:00.000-07:00

Had my 2nd BLACK PEARL POETRY open mic at The Brownstone On Main this pastTuesday night. Wow. This thing can be scary when you are in charge of everything.
The night only goes from 8-11 (more like 10:45) so when it is 8:30 and you got like, 4 people there?! Ouch.
Then an hour goes by and you've got 30. a few more minutes and boom-51 people was the final count!
And that is STILL not enough. i want the place packed to the gills each week with poets and people out for a great time in the name of poetry.

We had some really nice poets come out and share themselves on the mic. Andy, a regular at another open mic came out and did a great job. Everyone was eager for their shot to read and get the crowd worked up.
Attention to all men reading this-WE NEED YOU!
The nights are like 80% women and we are taking a browbeating, albeit a poetic one.
If ya got poems, c'mon out and share them.
ditto for the rappers and slam poets and performance artists and all those other neat categories we find it necessary to confine ourselves to.

Next week will be really special since we will have three features and our first "Vendor Of the Week"!

Each week people can hit me up back channel and tell me what they sell, what business they run etc.
then if i think it is a good fit, they get to be "Vendor Of The Week". this gets them in the email I send out, a spot to sell their wares, plugs that night, and a guarantee of being the only person allowed to sell that night! (aside from poets slinging merch from their backpack of course). and they get in free along with 4 friends!

Well I got more to say but will do so in another post.
until that day,
ed mabrey

2005-08-02T13:17:00.000-07:00

testing out this send photo thing..don't be scared.

Houston, we have liftoff

2005-08-01T13:16:00.000-07:00

Okay, so this is how this feels...hmm.