15 August at The Phoenix

BAD!SLAM!NOBISCUIT! warrants some words, it always warrants words after it happens, but tonight I am taking time to write them.

Shakespeare, a skull, and a pint glass - by Adam Thomas

Above is Shakespeare; it was grand to have him help run the night and play a bigger part in Bad!Slam!. He had previously performed for us as a feature act during You Are Here 2012.

Shakespeare and BAD!SLAM!NO!BISCUIT! - by Adam Thomas

The place was packed with people.

Aaron #1 - by Adam Thomas

It is always heartening to see people sign up to perform and judge, 

Aaron #2 - by Adam Thomas

for many reasons. We had fifteen poets perform. Including two who had not previously done so at Bad!Slam!. We have not had a night without a first time performer. This is important.

Rosanna - by Adam Thomas

We also had a mix of age groups and almost fifty-fifty gender split; these two are not issues I have worried much about. BAD!SLAM!NO!BISCUIT! has always concentrated on providing a stage that anyone can stand on

Amelia - by Adam Thomas

and let the rest take care of itself.

Nate - by Adam Thomas

We also had a diversity of poems. This is positive. And I don’t see anyone at Bad!Slam! looking to other cities or countries to mirror the poetry written and performed there.

Ellie - by Adam Thomas

Below is Florny, Florny yawps real good. I really like the passion that comes out of people at the Phoenix Pub for Bad!Slam!.

Florence - by Adam Thomas

Judging by what I saw our feature acts blew people away. We had Finnigan and Brother as our first feature act, and Fred Smith as our second.

Finniganand Brother have just returned from a residency in Columbia where they composed nineteen pieces, including putting together works for this BAD!SLAM!NO!BISCUIT! gig.

Finnigan and Brother #1 - by Adam Thomas

Their time in Columbia included playing gigs. The last piece they performed, a stated favourite in Columbia, reminded me of a Chilean poet who lives here in Canberra.

Finnigan and Brother #2 - by Adam Thomas

It also made me want to go to Columbia for poetry.

And Fred Smith, amongst his songs for the night, played Dust of Uruzgan. A song I have wanted to hear live since I read its title.

Fred Smith - by Adam Thomas

With his song writing Fred Smith draws on extensive experience working in war torn countries, most recently Afghanistan. He not only conveys ideas to me, but also empathy. The ability to empathise and convey that to me is something I find worth concentrating on.

Another perspective,

Unknown - by Adam Thomas

BAD!SLAM!NO!BISCUIT! always wants another perspective.

Luke - by Adam Thomas

That is a small portion of BAD!SLAM!NO!BISCUIT! from 15 August 2012.

Teddy Truman

Thanks to Adam Thomas for all the photos he takes of BAD!SLAM!NO!BISCUIT!.