Call it a night of veteran poets. August’s slam brought out the legends of the scene: Tomy Bewick, Made Wade, White Noise Machine, Valentino Assenza, and recent regulars Eytan, and Relevant. Throw in a Cathy Petch for some hilarity and Mandeep the rookie to set the night off and you got one of the most entertaining TPS’s of the season (Wade’s words, not mine).

After the six-deep open mic, it was time for the hot first round. The audience heard the range of spoken word talent in the city, from Eytan’s take on why he raps to White Noise’s classic Advertising piece reworked, to Relevant mixing in some beatboxing with his potent message.

The feature was in fine form. Geoff Trenchard slayed the stage with his gritty poetry. He gave us a taste of New York edge, while also offering us a peek into his work with inmates. Come back soon, Geoff!

The second and third rounds were more fire from some of the city’s best. Made Wade told us about the competition we all know as poetry slam, and Brita B learned us good on promiscuity’s unhealthy promise. TPS welcome Brita, Wade and Tomy to 3rd round stage, and when Tomy got the anchor, a lot of us knew what power poem he was gonna drop: the one about his child being born. Definitely won over the crowd (I saw some tears) and Tomy took home 1st place and a bye into the Semis.

Props to all the poets who came out, to the judges, to the energetic audience, to TPP for running things. We’ll see you next month on a Sunday this time, on SUNDAY SEPT 26 featuring The Recipe from Ottawa!

Geoff Trenchard will be gracing the Toronto Poetry Slam stage on Aug. 21, makin his Toronto debut. He’s a writer, spoken word poet, slam team coach, husband and soon-to-be-father. He spoke to TPS to give us a peek into his poetic psyche.

TPS: Do you remember the first poem you wrote (spoken word, page, etc)?

Geoff: I never really wrote much until just after high school. I was a veracious reader and hallway comic,
but never really tried to do anything formal. When I was 19 I saw my first Slam at the one
cool coffee shop in my town and was hooked. It was everything I loved about stand up, theater and hip hop mashed into one accessibly delicious bite. Cass King from Vancouver was actually one of the features that night. I started writing something for the next slam the next day.

My process was pretty unpolished at the time, and I drank like a fish. The Columbine shootings had just happened, so I’m guessing that poem had something to do with that.

TPS: What slices from life inspire you? What motivates you to write?

Geoff: It’s more the way different slices rub up against each other, rather than any particular slices. I like writing
about conflict and contradiction. How our best intentions both sustain and betray us.

TPS: Tell us a bit about the New York spoken word scene. We know there are many venues (Nuyorican, Bowery, etc) but what about the type of poetry performed on stages? Does that vary from scene to scene?

Geoff: I’d say the variations between the venues is reflected more in how the poem is performed then in the content. Most all of the poets in NYC read at Bowery, Nuyo and louder Arts, but the rooms them selves are quite different. The Nuyorican is a huge space with a line down the block and 300+ people in the house when it gets packed. Bar 13 (where louder Arts is held) is a much more intimate space with a max capacity of around 75. The same poet doing the same poem at different venues will have a totally different feel. As to the type of poems that get done, it’s really all over the map.

TPS: What can the Toronto Poetry Slam audience expect from your performance on Aug. 21?

Geoff: Postmodern gender theory covered in underground hip hop sauce. I like to think of myself as some where between Foucault and MF DOOM.

TPS: What’s next for Geoff Trenchard, in poetryland or otherwise?

Geoff: I’m in the process of applying to law school, having a baby, and finishing my first full manuscript of poetry. You know, just chillin.

It was hot and sticky outside, but cool and crackin in the Drake Underground. The signup was kinda light, only six slammers, but the open mic featured five poets who delighted the crowd with timely G20 protest poems and a cover poem about Elvis stealing from Italian culture (yes, read by Valentino Assenza).

The slam gave us a few newbies, such as Shantelle and Lyrics Banton, both owning the stage with powerful pieces. Electric Jon rocked a classic we know as “When the escalator stops” and Eytan Crouton told us about his hate-on for cellphones. M@tt dropped the funny with a fast-paced poem about a day in the life of a pothead clubber.

Everyone moved on the second round and we got more power raps from EJ and Eytan, and some love poetry from Shantelle. M@tt wrote about poetry, which he admitted was an exercise in laziness, and Darya gave us some screamcore poetry that ended with her raising her arms up in the air like a rock star.

The third round saw Shantelle, Lyrics and Eytan battling for $80 and a bye into the semifinals. It was Eytan who ended up with the highest score in the 3rd round (remember, we moved to clean-slate scoring for this year) with a potent poem about his dad’s alcoholism. Congrats, Crouton!

The feature was a rollercoaster of sexual innuendo, one-liners and heavy themes. Regie Cabico from Washington rocked the stage and made instant friends as soon as intermission hit. Come back soon, Regie!

The next slam is AUGUST 21 featuring Geoff Trenchard for NYC…circle it on your calendar now!

Poetry fans, come to the air-conditioned Drake Hotel Underground on SATURDAY JULY 17 for the first Toronto Poetry Slam of the 2010/2011 season.

Featuring Regie Cabico from Washington
Signup 730pm, slam 8pm

$5 cover

Hosted by Dave Silverberg

See ya Saturday!

What you doin on Wed July 14? Going to the Bam! Youth Poetry Slam of course!

Our monthly youth slam continues with another spoken word competition featuring youth poets between 12 and 19. All ages welcome for open mic.

Featuring Emily Kwissa from Lanark County (she’s 16 and slays it!)

The Central, 603 Markham St., Doors 7pm, signup 730pm

$5 cover

Hosted by PAN

See you on Wed, slam fans!

Want to geek out with some spoken word poets? Then make sure you book off the night of TUESDAY JULY 6 to enjoy some nerdilicious poetry and rhymes.

All goes down at The Boat, 158 Augusta
Doors 7pm. Signup 730pm.
$5

2-round slam. all slam rules apply

Hosted by Amanda Hiebert

Featuring the always funny Rob Gee from the UK

See you Tuesday, word nerds!

Let’s just say yesterday’s Toronto Poetry Slam was a welcome respite from the chaos that descended on Toronto. As protesters made their voice heard on city streets, poets voiced their opinions in delicious verse at the Drake Hotel, with content ranging to anti-capitalism poems to raps about the ugliness of Clubland.

Eight poets signed up to slam, lower than usual, which makes sense considering transit was scaled back bigtime due to the G20 protests. The audience got a taste of Electric Jon’s acid-rap style, Yusra’s fun rant against baggy pants, Tanya’s ode to her friend who “become the change you want to see in the world”, among others.

After the first round, feature poet John Akpata from Ottawa kept the protest-friendly night going with material on combatting the industrial complex, and his classic Coffee Bean. The crowd seemed to lap up John’s poetry, and let’s be honest, who wouldn’t?

The second round gave us some more artistic hotness from the likes of Eytan, Eletric Jon, Yusra, Tanya, Lishai and Kevin Fortnum. Strong poetry all around, and Kevin and Lishai looked to get the most love, propelling them into the third round along with Eytan. But when the dust settled, Eytan took the top spot with a rarely-performed poem about news overload (how appropos). Congrats Eytan Crouton, a well-deserved win!

Look out for TPP’s next event, the GEEK SLAM going down Tuesday July 6 at The Boat on Augusta. The next Toronto Poetry Slam is the season opener on July 17 featuring Regie Cabico.

When the G20 summit descends on Toronto, the poets won’t be afraid to venture into the downtown chaos. Why? Cuz Toronto Poetry Slam will be rocking the stage once again with another spoken word concert!

Head to the Drake Hotel (1150 Queen St W.) on SATURDAY JUNE 26 for Toronto Poetry Slam’s G20 summitSlam. It’s a regular three-round slam but poets are encouraged to bring their political poems, in light of the G20/G8.

Doors 7pm, signup 730pm, slam 8pm.

Featuring John Akpata from Ottawa (John is a writer, musician, radio show host and political activist. As a Spoken Word artist, John has appeared on CBC radio and CBC television. He has performed coast to coast across Canada, has dipped into the U.S. and has toured across the United Kingdom.)

Hosted by Dave “bigdeal” Silverberg
$5 cover
REMEMBER: the G20 will be causing traffic and transit chaos. We recomend you give yourself lots of time to get to the Drake, especially if plan on performing. Queen streetcars may be diverted so it’s best to go to Dufferin Station and take a bus south.

Spread the word…see ya on the 26th!

The season continues with another kickass youth slam!

It all goes down Wed June 9 @ The Central (603 Markham St)

Sign up is at 7:00pm for both the open stage (all ages) and the slam (12-19).

We start the open stage right at 7:30 so arrive early!

Featuring this month is Jamaal “Vs” May from Detroit!! If you haven’t heard him, make sure to come out. If you have heard him, we know you’ll be there.

All this and only $5??

Hosted by PAN.

See you Wednesday, poetry fans!

It was that time o’ the month (more on that euphemism later) - Toronto Poetry Slam @ the Drake, but this time TPS hosted the Anything Goes Slam, where poets are encouraged to break those rules!

We weren’t disappointed. Hosts Gypsy Eyes and Jill Christmas got the crowd energized right from the start, setting the stage for a guitar duet in slot one. The poets continued to get creative - Eytan Crouton dropped a beat with his cellphone-hating piece, Lishai took advance of some djembe drum accompaniment, Skummilk read a raunchy piece by John Cooper Clarke, Duffman did his best Young MC impersonation, Dave Silverberg used many a prop in his time capsule poem and Alex of Bam! game rocked out a Nike poem bringing up a bunch of Nike shoes and flinging them around the stage.

The second round saw several rappers slay it on stage - Eytan, Wali - and also Dave covering Christian Drake’s Bloodbath with some fake blood dripping from his hands and tongue. Three 10s? That’s a first for Dave! Also, Lishai got us all a lil hot-blooded with her sexually energetic piece, and Skummilk freestyled a performance art piece as his friends stripped topless and threw grapes at his face as he read a poem.

Third round gave us a battle between Dave, Eytan and Lishai. Eytan began with a new poem about marketing himself as a poet, acting almost as an introduction to the performer. Then Dave performed his classic ode to egg nog poem, actually bringing on stage a flattered egg nog carton (thanks Sealtest!). Lishai ended the night with a powerful poignant poem on rape in the Congo, earning herself a first place win. Dave took second, and Eytan came in third.

The feature deserves mad kudos. Playwright/poet Trey Anthony slayed it on stage with excellent poems on love, lust and soul-searching, accompanied by the super-talented flautist Jeff Hearns. Wow. A set we won’t soon forget.

Remember, next slam is Saturday June 26 @ the Drake Hotel, featuring Danielle Gregoire. It’s during the G20 Sumit, so be aware of the transit/traffic rerouting occurring during that weekend. See ya next month!