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.

just some updates for the week

Hi, I'm just updating how my week was and plans for the next week.

Saturday, I made my first ever trip to Taste of the Danforth, the big yearly Greek festival happening in Toronto on Danforth Avenue. There was cheap food, I imagine not as many people as expected due to the rain, yet nonetheless, it was a struggle making my way through all the crowds of people, especially with umbrellas clashing.

Sunday, I ended my hibernation from the Toronto Poetry scene, when I attended WordJam at the Free Times Cafe. Yes, people could see in my hibernation, I'd grown a beard.

Events I'm excited for this week are Dream Theater on Friday at the amphitheatre, as well as Next Tuesday's Poetry Hoedown, as part of the Art Bar series. It's an event where country lyrics are read as poetry. I know what I want to read on the open mic portion, if I get a chance to do so. I have not decided if I will attend either the Toronto Poetry Slam or Bam! the Toronto Youth Slam.

Down to the Underwire

So tonight I went and saw Ariel Platt's Down to the Underwire show at Helen Gardiner Phelan Playhouse. Every year, the Toronto Fringe Festival, which I'm a great supporter of, tends to have a few spoken word shows. A spoken word show at the Fringe is an incredible feat to put on as most sets at poetry/spoken word shows are about 20 minutes. At about 30 minutes, one is likely to say, "fuck this shit, I'm getting a beer." In Fringe festivals, etc., the average show is 45 minutes and up. This creates a serious challenge to a spoken word performer in engaging their audience for the whole set and Ariel manages to use seriousness as well as her great comedic ability and stage presence to leave the audience entertained and not looking at their watch in the shade under 45 minutes.

A recently weekly entertainment magazine reviewer gave this show a poor rating suggesting her poetry lacks emotion and substance, apart from her heart wrenching poem dealing with domestic violence. I have to disagree. I would not want to sit through 40-50 minutes of depressing stories. I want to be entertained, and Ariel does this quite successfully. I encourage spoken word fans to see see the show Thursday at 1:45, Friday at noon or Saturday at 7:30 (after the show you can come to the slam).

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.

Toronto Poetry Slam

So tomorrow night is the semi-final of the Toronto Poetry Slam season. I am proud to say I am in the semi-finals. The top 12 poets in the Toronto Poetry slam season go to the semis. I have to be honest and say I finished 13th, but slid in because another poet dropped out. I am excited and honoured nonetheless to be competing. The top eight make the finals and the top five make the Toronto Poetry Slam team for 2009. They compete at "the nationals" in West Palm Beach, Florida for the American championship (or North American championship). They would also compete at the Canadian Festival of Spoken Word in Victoria, BC. In reality, there are some really great poets at the top and my whole goal is to just do my thing and let whatever happen, even if it means I do not move on. I am excited about tomorrow, regardless of the result.

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.

Haven't written here in awhile

I haven't written here in awhile.

I went and saw Juno last night. It was alright and kind of funny, though I found it bizarre they managed to make a comedy out of teenage pregnancy. I just don't understand what was so great about this movie to the point where it would be movie of the year and where one would think Ellen Page had an absolutely standout performance. I didn't think any of the performances or the story or the direction stood out with greatness.

Probably the highlight of my week this week was me launching my own poetry series in Toronto called Rich Dog Rhymes and Readings (RDRR). Probably 12-15 people showed up to see Krystle Mullin and Lara Bozabalian. I was happy with the turnout considering the miserably cold weather. This weekend seems to work as follows for poetry in Toronto: Toronto Poetry Slam on Saturday, $100 Slam on Sunday. Live Words on Monday and the Art Bar as well as the Plasticine Series. I figure I'll have to sit out one of these days. I have other things to do besides just poetry. The date for the next RDRR has not been set, but it will be on a Sunday at the Regal Beagle on Bloor St. W.