Writing for the sake of writing

I've been busy with school work and getting out to promote RDRR (Dec. 3 at The Regal Beagle with Sachiko Murakami, Myna Wallin and Allan Briesmaster). I've studied a lot on the history of heavy metal magazines and have done a lot of work on this. Fun times.

It's about bloody time I wrote something on this blog. What I'm about to say next is controversial, but I'm not too sure anyone reads this blog.

I was at the Toronto Poetry Slam last night to see the return of Electric Jon as the feature. I'm just going to come out and speak my mind and say TPS has lost a step or three. In the last few months it's become overrun with aspiring rappers delivering the same thing over and over. I can't believe I'm saying this. A year and a half ago I got into a nasty online debate (I wasn't alone) with local poet Paul Vermeersch over the value of spoken word to poetry. He argued slam was full of failed rappers with big egos pretending to be poets. I told him to write about what he knew about; otherwise, shut up. At the time I don't believe he knew what he was talking about. Lately the major slam here in Toronto has become more like his description. It's probably because there is an influx of new people into the scene who have the idea it's nothing more than an a cappella rap off. I'm not putting down everyone who wants to rap their poetry. I thought a few of the more rap style poets (Relevant, in particular) were very good. But just rapping off the same cliches over and over gets tiresome after awhile. There's been a lack of originality in recent months.

Don't get me wrong. I'll continue to attend slams and support the scene. I'm not griping that I didn't make it to the second round last night. This isn't a case of sour grapes. I just feel the shows are starting to become stale. Last night some of the old guard I was hoping to see were eliminated before the show (eliminated by the draw), which was disappointing, though it's good to know nothing is fixed in the slam.

Poetry and Stuff

Over the pervious three nights I was fortunate to see three great poetry shows. All of them featured Randy Jacobs, AKA RC Weslowski. I'd never seen him perform until Tuesday at the Art Bar, along with Tara-Michelle Ziniuk and Rob Gee. His poetry has with and much depth to it, but he also is funny and entertaining. I also saw him at a really fun event called the Toronto Story Slam on Wednesday at the Boat. The slam portion was won by Kevin Fortnum. I was honoured and pleased the best show (only in my opinion) of his tour of Toronto happened at my Rochdale Rhymes and Readings show at the Regal Beagle. The show also featured Joe Dewar and Robin Richardson in a couple of great other readings. I'd booked Joe once before when I guest hosted for the now defunct Cryptic Chatter series. I'd never seen Robin feature before and had wanted to and decided booking her to read at my series was a way to solve the problem.

So I didn't make it to the CNE this year. I haven't made it in a couple of years. It's popularity seems to be coming back, if not to where it once was. I went to it about three years ago on a day when a borderline tropical storm hit Toronto. It was a mess. The rides shut down early, though most people had given up and gone home before then. In 2007 I went and realized it wasn't as big or fun as I remembered. Maybe I should check it out again. I think I'm running out of time for this year and may have to wait for next year. Maybe I should put it on my to do list now.

More updates

So we are in the stretch run of the last few weeks before I am officially a student again, at least for another eight or nine months. Yes, I am nervous.

Last weekend I saw an amazing concert in the Progression Nation Tour. The show was headlined by Dream Theater. I saw Dream Theater about two years ago and their setlist and performance was a little weak. Dream Theater plays a different setlist every time they play. I was also distracted by a couple of rowdy drunks in front of me which hurt the experience. This show was phenomenal. The setlist was amazing and there were many moments of "holy fuck," with their musical performance. I was also impressed with Dweezil Zappa's band, Zappa Plays Zappa. He's an amazing guitar player and has an incredibly talented band with him. His keyboard and saxophone player, Scheila Gonzalez is mind blowing.

This week I will attend a going away party for a friend named Miriam who's leaving Canada for the homeland of Ireland. Will be sad to see her go.

Rochdale Rhymes and Readings is back September 3 with RC Weslowski, Joe Dewar and Robin Richardson. The day before that is Toronto Poetry Slam's Story Slam at the Boat, also featuring RC Weslowski. Rochdale Rhymes and Readings, as always, happens at the Regal Beagle at 335 Bloor St. W., 8 p.m. with pass the hat admission and an open mic.

It's Been So Long Since I've Posted Here

So I've been really busy. I'm starting grad school in the fall in a Book and Magazine Publishing program at Centennial College. I'm looking for some new digs. I thought I found an interesting spot today that was cheap and close to campus, but the landlord had a zero alcohol on premises clause, which I thought was too strict and also told me what kind of landlord he would be.

I've still been working in retail at the position I've had since I was let go of my job in the travel industry over a year ago, which led me to the desire of going back to school. Speaking of blogs, there was a woman in the store today trying to take advantage of our 50 per cent off Nike sale. the stipulations were that it was 50 per cent off the original price of non-new arrivals, accessories and basics. She became irate as the original price was $200 and we were offering the shoes for $100. Yet the shoes had been previously discounted to $175 and she was irate we wouldn't give her 50 per cent off $175. She stormed out yelling she'd have something to blog about tonight. I honestly can't wait to go back to do something truly productive for a living. It's well overdue.

I'm planning on holding a Rochdale Rhymes and Readings show on Sept. 3. So far I've booked RC Weslowski from Vancouver. Other features remain to be booked. I'm truly not sure how long the series will continue with how much I have on my plate. I'm planning at least an October show.

Update on Tuesday's Ramble

First of all, the Art Bar feature was a blast. It was one of my best features ever and I had so much fun doing it.

The Rust Belt Slam, an event I sadly will not be able to make it to, at least the finals, is a four day event taking place in Toronto (It started tonight with a slam for two spots on the "Wildcard Team" with Tomy Bewick and Dwayne Morgan). It continues tomorrow night with the preliminaries at the Poor Alex Theatre (Dundas/Bathurst) and Saturday at noon at the Trane Studio (Dupont and Bathurst) and the Finals at Bloor Cinema, which I predict will be a great venue, on Saturday night. There will be a free showcase in Kensington Market on Sunday.

The Rust Belt Slam is an annual poetry slam in its tenth year. Previously, it has taken place only in the mid-western United States and is venturing into Canada for the first time ever. Other than the Canadian Festival of Spoken Word, which took place in 2006, this will be the biggest spoken word event the city has likely ever seen.

One other thing I want to make note of, Rochdale Rhymes and Readings is back next Thursday at the Regal Beagle. There will be a spoken word extravaganza featuring Gypsy Eyes and Truth Is.. from Toronto and Nolan Guiffre from New York State.

Wild times

I don't have much time to write as I am off to do perhaps the biggest feature I've ever done at the Art Bar at Clinton's tonight. The Art Bar, still the flagship poetry series in T.O. (and possibly Canada) was my introduction into the scene when I came here in March of '06. I am so bloody busy in the next two weeks. Two slams this past weekend (Toronto Poetry Slam and $100 Slam) which were fantastic to see, Art Bar tonight, trying to make it to see at least the prelims for the massive Rust Belt Slam in Toronto this weekend (I'll explain all the jargon at another time), my cousin's Jack and Jill on Saturday, Rochdale Rhymes and Readings' huge spoken word extravaganza next Thursday and then my birthday next Saturday. I apologize I haven't edited this for spelling or grammar, but I have to run. I'll give a bigger plug and share details to the appropriate events later, I promise.

Rochdale Rhymes and Readings

A quick note for Rochdale Rhymes and Readings. We'll be having a spoken word extravaganza on June 4th. Featuring will be Toronto's Gypsy Eyes, Truth Is..., and New York State's Nolan Guiffre. Admission is pass the hat, as always, and there is an open mic. 8 pm, Regal Beagle, 335 Bloor St. W.

I also want to plug May 26th, because I'm reading at the Art Bar with Matthew Tierney and Kate Braid. The Art Bar is Canada's longest running weekly poetry-only literary series. It is quite a prestigious honour to be offered a reading there. It's at Clinton's, 693 Bloor St. W., at the corner of Bloor and Clinton.

The Slam was a blast

So I did not make the finals for the Toronto Poetry Slam season. I care very little as I had a blast just being there. It was great to just be heard by such a massive crowd (people were turned away at the door from the Drake Underground). I was also hugely impressed with the feature poet, New Jersey's Jamal St. John. He was a master at using puns and his wit in general. He entertainingly addresses very serious issues with great intelligence.

I am excited about Rochdale Rhymes and Readings this week with That Brown Bastard, White Noise Machine and the Awfulest of National Poetry Month competition. The worst poem wins.

On another note, I've been following NCAA basketball over the last while. It's dawned on me, I cannot stand teams from the Big Ten. They play a brand of basketball that is so boringly defensive as they aim to hold the total score within 100. Normally I like Tom Izzo and Michigan State, but Big Ten b-ball of the last couple of years is uninteresting. I wouldn't mind North Carolina if Dean Smith or Bill Guthridge were still coaching, but I cannot stand the way Roy Williams will dangerously run up the score in tournament games. I am cheering for Villanova, and the way they've played, they cannot be counted out. They're as good as anyone in the tournament at this moment.

Exciting Announcement about Rochdale Rhymes and Readings

Rochdale Rhymes and Readings will return on April 2 at the Regal Beagle, 8 pm., 335 Bloor St. West. Features will be two fine spoken word artists in Rahul Gupta, aka, That Brown Bastard and Mike Smith, aka White Noise Machine. There is the usual pass the hat admission, but the open mic has a twist. We will have the second annual Awfulest of National Poetry Month contest. The worst poem will win a prize. So many poets have told me they can win this one. Come try to prove them wrong.

Poetry and Stuff

I am really excited about tomorrow night (Monday). I am part of an event called Bye Bye Bush. The event features sets hosted by four different hosts (James Dewar, Edward Nixon, Dave Silverberg and Yehuda Fisher with an open mic set hosted by Jeff Cottrill). I am reading on Nixon's set. It takes place at Cervejaria at College and Ossington Streets. I was originally reluctant to get involved as a) Bush is/was not my president and b) there isn't much worth celebrating. However, I am happy an opportunity for change and thus hope for better days ahead in North America is coming.

Also Rochdale Rhymes and Readings takes place on Jan. 29th as we move to the first Thursday of the month (though obviously this is not the first Thursday). Lara Bozabalian, one of the first features at RDRR, as well one of my favourite writers anywhere, Edward Nixon (yes, him again) and Dayle Furlong will feature. It goes down at the Regal Beagle, beside the Bata Shoe Museum on Bloor St.

Hey, I'm updating!

I know I've been completely lazy updating the blog.

Tomorrow night (or now tonight) Rochdale Rhymes and Readings happens at the Regal Beagle, 335 Bloor St. W. with THREE poets, Mike Schram, Michael Fraser and Cathy Petch as well as an open mic. Cover is pass the hat.

I'll update a couple of other events I'm involved with. I'm guest hosting Cryptic Chatter on Nov. 7 with features Joe Dewar and Kate Marshall-Flaherty. It happens at the Renaissance Cafe, one-and-a-half blocks west of Woodbine Station at 8 p.m. There is an open mic as well. Cover is $5.

As well, I am reading (I'm not totally sure of who else) at Oral Stage Nov. 10. It happens at Paddy's Playhouse, at 161 Gerrard St. E. in the gaybourhood.

Upcoming Rochdale Rhymes and Readings

On Oct. 5 Phoebe Tsang and Valentino Assenza will feature at Rochdale Rhymes and Readings at the Regal Beagle, 335 Bloor St. W. I'm excited as both are fantastic writers. Phoebe Tsang is a page poet, but often commits herself to reading her poetry from memory. Her work is quite impressive and worth listening to live. Valentino Assenza is often considered a spoken word poet, but has published three chapbooks, and in my opinion, is more of a page poet than a performance poet when in comparison to many of the spoken word poets in Toronto. He's performed very well on the spoken word/slam scene. Personally, I think it's because the poetry he brings is so good. He needs not to yell, speak fast, etc. Audiences just connect with him and his honesty.

Not so Fast

That new job I was telling you about crashed and completely fell apart. I won't go into details. For now I've found a job at a clothing/sporting goods store.

So I was at Toronto Poetry Slam last night. Valentino Assenza won and was thrilled. I was thrilled for him. He's a great guy and good things sometimes do happen to good people. I was pulling for him in the finals because he was that good. He'll be featuring at some point at RDRR. He will be featuring with me at the Plasticine Poetry Series on Tuesday (Aug. 19th) as well. Rochdale Rhymes and Readings will be on Sept. 7 and will feature Tomy Bewick and Phlip Arima.

RDRR is tomorrow night!

Though technically seeing as it is after midnight, RDRR is tonight. Tonight we will be featuring Molle Dorst and Amanda Hiebert, two amazing spoken-word artists. Generally at Rochdale Rhymes and Readings we only have one spoken-word artist and a page poet. But I'd already booked Amanda and decided I really wanted Molle to have a spot before she went back to Kingston to finish her grad school work and seeing as RDRR is taking a break until September, now was the time. So if anyone does read this blog and is into spoken word, performance poetry or "slam," RDRR goes down July 20, 8 p.m. at the Regal Beagle, 335 Bloor St. W. That's in the old Rochdale College building beside the Bata Shoe Museum, by St. George subway station. There's an open mic and admission is whatever you throw into my fedora. Hosted by yours truly, Mike Lipsius. And if anyone who reads this was at the Toronto Poetry Slam on Friday, please tell me who won. I had to leave part way through the second round.

Rochdale Rhymes and Readings

So on Sunday the latest edition of Rochdale Rhymes and Readings took place. The room was quite ful and a big hand goes out to the open micers, the crowd and features Jeff Cottrill and David Silverberg. They were incredible. I especially did get a kick out of Jeff Cottrill's tongue-in-cheek piece about writing a slam poem. I was especially glad to have David Silverberg there as the guy hosts a lot, but you don't hear him read enough.

Next month's RDRR will feature Jogindra Siewattran (Yogi) and Carey Toane. It will happen June 22 at the Regal Beagle, beside the Bata Shoe Museum.

I am excited about the slam this weekend. It's the Anything Goes Slam. My first piece will be more comedic parody satire than poetry, but it is the Anything Goes Slam.