Bowery Poetry Club
Wow! why do all these great poetry spots have to be sooooo small. I guess the intimacy creates a better connection with the poet and a better understanding of the messages.
Anyway, when I got to Bowery I was able to participate in a workshop with Will Evans! Love him.. I get to his work in a little. He gave us tips on the do’s and don’ts of touring for a spoken word artist. After that there was an open mic. The poets were pretty cool; not as blown away as I was last night at Nuyorican but a lot had potential.
Finally came Will Evans feature! He is fiyah! I don’t care what anyone says! He really showed how to become different voices in different pieces. I was going to get his book at the end of the night but I had to leave early so I didn’t have time to chat with him. Sure enough I will be emailing him though.
Lastly was the urbana slam. The artists definitely had something to say and each in their very own way. I only got to stay for the first round. I love the new poem rule for the first round; it really changes the game. However I didn’t understand why the best poets got eliminated (If I like you and want to hear more from you, I have to score you lower?!). But it does give others more chance to prove themselves at the mercy of the stage.
Each room is definitely different. While each room (Nuyorican and Bowery) gave me a poem to write, the vibe is definitely different. My sets have to be separate even though I will be going there on different nights. In order to get a crowd to feel you, you MUST shape your set list to that night. Fitting a poem that doesn’t flow with the vibe of the room can turn people off from your work — POETIC SUICIDE!
On a good note I will be back to Bowery at some point.
Wanting more,
SN