Slamming at the library
By Contributor
Words designed to taunt, tease or tempt you and challenge authority. The authority of the critics that is. Competitive poetry is slam poetry – raucous and raw. This week slam poetry is descending on the Boundary with two dynamic slam poets leading the shows.
Barbara Adler and Brendan McLeod are two of the best spoken word performers in the country. They are members of the Canadian Folk Music Awards nominated band The Fugitives and have been special invited guests on CBC. Barbara Adler is the creator of the B.C. Memory Game, has criss-crossed the country performing at major music and fringe theatre festivals. Her engaging stage presence with accordion in arms is bound to bring the walls down. Brendan McLeod has been Vancouver’s SLAM poetry champion, the Canadian SLAM poetry champion and finished second in the 2005 World SLAM championship held in Holland. Author of “The Convictions of Leonard McKinley,” he has performed all over the world.
Slam poetry is growing in popularity around the world. The competitive events see poets square off against each other judged by audience members. Highest scores win a chance to perform again and be judged.
One of the goals of a poetry slam is to challenge the authority of anyone who claims absolute authority over literary value. No poet is beyond critique, as everyone is dependent upon the goodwill of the audience. Since only the poets with the best cumulative scores advance to the final round of the night, the structure assures that the audience gets to choose from whom they will hear more poetry. Audience members become part of each poem’s presence, thus breaking down the barriers between poet/performer, critic, and audience. (Wikipedia)
Besides their duo performance the artists will offer up an open mic to local spoken word performers. Events are to be held at the Midway Library on Wednesday, Nov. 18 at 7:00 PM and at the Grand Forks Public Library, Thursday, Nov. 19 at 7:00 PM.
The events are FREE and sponsored by the Columbia Basin Alliance for Literacy, the Midway and Grand Forks Public Libraries and the Friends of the Library. For further information contact Lizanne Eastwood at 250-442-2533 or leastwood@thehub.literacy.bc.ca
Refreshments will be served at intermission time. Seating is limited and early arrival is recommended.
Check out more information on Barbara at www.badler.ca or read more about Brendan at www.brendanmcleod.ca.
