A double CD highlighting the best performances from last year’s Canadian Festival of Spoken Word is now available. Check out the forum post for more, including a quick way to help promote it.

Want on the 2008 TPS team? The future comes soon.

Are you excited? I’m excited. Are you? Of course you are. Of course you’re excited - three hours from my writing this, 200 people will be packing Hugh’s Room to hear the 8 top slammers from the season vie for spots on the 2nd Toronto team for the nationals - and, of course, Shane “Maybe My Eye-Melting Poetry Ate Your Baby” Koyczan.

I’m still lobbying officials to have staple guns given exemptions as props. Not sure how that’ll turn out - I think the rep from Riverdale can be bought out, but the rest are tough - but expect lacerations nonetheless, even if only of the metaphorical nature.

Hugh’s Room (Bloor and Dundas)
8pm (come early for a seat)
$10

Believe it.

• Joe Fiorito covered the story slam in one of his recent columns for the Star.

  What was I doing there? I have told narrative tales before, sometimes in this space; my ear is always bent. I was asked to be a judge.

  Judging is subjective, but if I were a publisher on the lookout for the Next Big Bright Young Thing, I’d troll the story slams for talent.

• We now have an online event listings submission thing, which people apparently like, since three new events have been posted in the two days since it went live (there is no reason for you to not experience some spoken word in the coming week). Use it to tell us about your events.

Hey all - slam-master Dave “Big Deal” Silverberg has finalized the rules and regs for those itchin’ to rep Toronto in Halifax for 2007’s Canadian Festival of Spoken Word. Get to know them intimately here; discuss them in the forum here.

And for the skull scratchers, here’s a taste of what you missed this year - video from a documentary following Calgary’s slam team and their trip to the the 2006 CFSW, hosted proudly right here in Toronto:

Part 1
Part 2
Part 3

Lovers of words, it’s been a sweet month for poetry. The Canadian Festival of Spoken Word in Toronto blew many a mind, and gave the city some fresh perspectives on the art form of spoken word. Poets from across the country dropped some serious science on our cerebrals. When all was said and done, Vancouver took home their third championship in a row, with the Toronto2 team coming in second. Most importantly, poets guerilla-stormed the Indigo on John Street, we packed the St. Lawrence Centre on the finals night, and the community strengthened to the point where many of us were sad to see each other go back to our respective hometowns.

But onto this month’s real significance — the one-year anniversary of Toronto Poetry Slam. This funky spoken word competition began a year ago in the back room of the old Oasis Cafe on College (now The Savannah Room). Since that packed-wall-to-wall night, the Slam has taken off beyond my expectations: We’ve filled the El Mocambo on a Sunday night, crammed the Drake with hot poetry courtesy of New York’s Rives, and turned amateur poets into stars on any given night. I think it’s appropriate to big-up the winners of the past Toronto Poetry Slams, but note that every competitor deserves applause. A special congrats to: Spencer (3-time champ), Gypsy Eyes, Mic Smith, Tomy Bewick, DaneJahRas, Amanda Hiebert, and Leviathan.

The 2007 season of Toronto Poetry Slam is going to be a rockin’ good time, and I look forward to another 12 months of enthusiastic and supportive audiences. Watch out for themed slams, guest appearances by slam superstars Mike McGee and Barbara Adler, and an organized season of slammery that will determine the next Toronto Slam Team that will compete in both the U.S. National Slam Championship and the 2007 Canadian Festival of Spoken Word.

See you at the anniversary show on Nov. 25 at Cervejaria! Until then.

• We have a forum! Share your words. Comment on slams, post poetry, use it as you like.
• Hogtown hipster newspiles Torontoist and BlogTO take notice, while Valentino moves closer to securing a position as official unofficial TPS cheerleader.
• July guest feature Rives reflects on a day in Toronto before attending the underground sensation known as the “Toronto Poerty Slam” (note to Rives: we spell it that way to confuse the squares).
• And some atmospheric pictures of the ever-emotive Rives’ set, courtesy of Selina:

…and this is what they’re saying.

Toronto Poetry Slam helps keep Toronto bumpin’. June winner Leviathan has a knack for rhyme. And slam regular Spencer, spotted at the Pedestrian Sunday Kensington gig (which also featured Cynthia Gould, Dave Silverberg, Electric Jon, Leviathan, Mic. Smith, Ziy, and a surprise appearance by Gypsy Eyes), is just plain hot.

And on the topic of that street show, I think we can look forward to another set of bombastic ballads on Baldwin at the next PSK… am I right, O He of the Hosty goodness?