Posts Tagged ‘performance poetry’
Slam poetry is a genre. Or how to avoid slam clichés…
I saw someone share Canadian poet Chris Gilpin’s blog from last year arguing that we need to avoid “adopting the term ‘slam poet’”. Slam poetry, he says, is not a ‘genre’. It’s a way of running an open mic and it’s an international movement, emerging historically with the aim of freeing poetry from the “elite cultural gatekeepers”. It is excellent critique and I hope it is read far and wide by young poets who engage in live performance. Gilpin complains:
“Aspiring slam participants (and apparently even those who have no interest in participating) … copy the most obvious elements of performance cliché—yelling, speed, tones of distress, waving their arms—believing that they are correctly recreating a cool, new poetic style. In this way, the idea of slam poetry has crushed a great deal of artistic self-expression, encouraging poets to conform to something they can’t even define.”
The fact that he can describe a set of conventions in writing and delivery which are followed by its producers and recognised by its consumers suggests that ‘slam poetry’ has become a genre. And that genre is a bit wack. Can we turn back the tide? I’ve been running slams for ten years now in the UK, so I thought I’d give some tips for fellow poets to consider.
Chris Gilpin
Hammer & Tongue National Slam Final 2013 @ Wilton’s Music Hall, Sat 8th June. 2:30-10:30pm
This year’s slam final promises to be bigger and better than ever before. Winners and runners-up from across the Hammer & Tongue regions will be joined by slam winners from Cheltenham UK All Stars, Swindon Literature Festival and Bang Said the Gun in London and in Manchester to create as comprehensive as possible National Poetry Slam.
The venue is once again, Wilton’s Music Hall – the world’s oldest surviving music hall, home to cabaret, musicals and music hall and now slam poetry. Highlights from last year’s event, curtesy of Rob Blake:
Tickets are £15/12 in advance or £16.50 on the door. Last year it was sold out and people were turned away, so book them online asap! Tickets get you entry for the whole day so you can come and go as you please http://wiltons.org.uk/event.php?p=591 Read the rest of this entry »
The Death of Poetry greatly exaggerated
Two things strike me about Nathan Thompson’s online article in The Independent about “performance poetry slams” being “a further nail in the coffin” of poetry. Firstly, it says something about the media as it exists online today and secondly, it says something about the current view of poetry.
To summarise: Thompson’s article says: “Poetry is dead” and young people do not know any poets. Slams are part of modern “quick fix culture” and thus further destroy our ability to appreciate good poetry. Defenders of performance poetry have wrongly “politicised” the debate and are attacking an “ivory tower” that has never existed. Poetry is accessible, but only to people who have the patience to take it in slowly, “like sipping a fine wine”. See full text here if you want to read the full article. 
Read the rest of this entry »
Coughing Up
Poem written about a true story that happened on a London train. Happy moral embedded. Filmed by Rob Blake with help from Susannah Trevelyan. Published in ‘Life in Transit’ by Influx Press
Life in Transit Book Launch, Thursday 15th November 2012, Arcola Theatre Tent
To celebrate the launch of my new book, ‘Life in Transit’, I’ve invited some poetry friends to help me put on a poetry showcase at the Arcola Theatre Tent in Dalston: 2 Ashwin Street, E8 3DL. Doors are 7:15pm. Performing alongside me on the night will be: Read the rest of this entry »
Slam on the Water II, Regents Canal-side, Broadway Market Sat 3rd March 2012
On a sunny but cold day in mid January, we experimented with running a slam from the top of the bookshop barge at Broadway Market, which turned out to be a massive success. Due to popular demand – we’re going to do it again on March 3rd at 2pm. We’re looking for poets to take part and people to come and judge them or just watch and enjoy.
Kiss The Sky, Weds 11th Jan 2012, Hampstead
I’ll be performing at Kiss the Sky which is at Kiss the Sky Bar, Hampstead, 7-9 Pond St. NW3 2PN http://www.kisstheskybar.com/hampstead.html on Wednesday 11th Jan, hosted by Alan Wolfson and Mel Jones.
Slam at the Floating Bookshop, Broadway Market Sat 14th Jan 2pm
I’m hosting a slam from the top of a barge-bookshop that’s moored on the canal at Broadway Market during market day at 2pm Saturday 14th January. So that’s pop-up poetry at a pop-up bookshop on a pop-up market. Triple pop-up in your face. Poets come down and slam, passers by turn up and judge or watch and cheer while they eat their artisan breads and drink boho coffee-cider.
The Bus Driver’s Prayer, Hackney Picturehouse Thurs 5th Jan 2012
I’ll be doing a set here at the bar at the top of the new picturehouse on Mare Street. Check the facebook link for more details http://www.facebook.com/events/203036616454044/ Starts at 7.30pm. 
Hammer and Tongue, Monday December 5th 2011
December in Hackney is going to move temporarily back to a Monday with an all-star line-up that will be a challenge to improve on in 2012 (although we will try): Kate Tempest and Dizraeli at The Victoria, 451 Queensbridge Road, Dalston. E8 3AS with open mic slam.
angrysampoetry 