Oaklandish-list Mailing List: SLAM FINALS

[oaklandish-list (oaklandish-list]

Last Month:
Another great show, another hott feature and even more DOPE poetry!
In the slam we had two '05 Berkeley team members battle it out
for the $$. Berkeley grand-slam champ Jaylee Alde and his runner up
there, (youth poet) Dawn, both put the smack down on the other poets
in their rounds. Then Jaylee dragged Dawn down to his level in the in
Head-to-Head Haiku and edged out his teammate with an impromptu
seventeen syllables that are too risqué to go into here...

Our feature for the evening, Aya de Leon regaled us with a set of
mostly new, intimately personal work. It's great when
uber-talented folks keep on putting out the work that showcases their
talent and commitment to their craft. I only hope some of that drive
to grow and get better rubs off on me – and you too!

This Week ( Thursday June 9th )
This is the Bay Areas last qualifying slam for nationals. If
you're a poet and have been thinking about going out for a team
this year, or just want a free trip to Albuquerque – this is your
chance.. your last chance!

At this weeks show our feature will be Rupert Estanislao (Suicide
Kings (http://suicidekingsspokenword.com), Eskapo & Def Poetry)
who's like a velvet wrapped sledgehammer… without the velvet.
Since coming to America in 1993, from Quezon City, Philippines Rupert
has become a favorite on both the local and national performance
poetry scenes and the front-man for the multi-racial and bilingual
hardcore band ESKAPO (and as a result, screams a lot in Tagalog and
English). Rupert is an immigrant, a punk, a perpetual novice who
wishes to learn poetry from life on a day-to-day basis, he writes
from beauty and brutality - attempting to pen his experiences from
two cultures into the language of poetry.

We'll also have a group of Youth Poets from Y.E.S. High
(that's the Youth Empowerment School here in Oakland) taking over
the open-mic. We may still have an open slot or two but we'll be
giving preference to folks under 18 and students.

NEXT WEEK (6/16) / FINALS!:
The Bay Area's individual poetry slam season will reach its
thrilling climax on Thursday, June 16 with The Oakland(ish) Slam
Series Finals. The Bays 12 top wordsmiths, selected by you from the
winners of this year's Slams, will battle it out poetically for
spots on a team to represent Oakland at The National Poetry Slam this
August in Albuquerque, NM. At this final finals there will be 3
elimination rounds of competition (12-9-6), and the top 3 poets of
the evening will comprise Team Oakland `05. Among the poets
scheduled to compete are: Dahled, Tshaka, Messej 1, Jamie Kennedy,
Geoff Trenchard, Kat, Thadra Sherridan, Aaron Enskat, Elliot Harmon &
Milta Ortiz. Be there in person to witness the metaphorical carnage
first hand!
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and don't forget:
the nicety-nice underground erotic arts party "the 2nd Annual Spring 
Fling"
at Oaklandish this Saturday, get your name on the list now!  (rsvp 
mandatory)
more info:  http://www.sabrosita510.com/
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