SpeedPoets on 1 September

I will be featuring at Brisbane’s SpeedPoets alongside poet Trudie Murrell.

SpeedPoets is a long-running Brisbane poetry gig with a large open mic section. The event is hosted by Graham Nunn (who has five books and a CD of poetry published). So I am looking forward to hearing lots of words.

filamentous bacteriophage M13

I have not read Trudie Murrell’s poems before, but I found one published in Cordite 39: Jackpot! and there is an interview of her at Another Lost Shark, along with a second poem; read all those words then travel to Brisbane in a vehicle powered by the M13 bacteriophage so you can listen to the poets at SpeedPoets on 1 September 2012.

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!.

BAD!SLAM!NO!BISCUIT! at The Phoenix on 15 August 2012

BAD!SLAM!NO!BISCUIT! launches into August The Month of Mystery.

The August poster

With two microphones, a stage, an audience, judges, The Score Adder, Shakespeare, Prizes and your choice of beer, cider, spirits or water and cordial or water without cordial. This is BAD!SLAM!NO!BISCUIT! and this is August the month of Mystery.

And BAD!SLAM!NO!BISCUIT! will be featuring the mysterious:

That Guy Named After an Apple

This is our first mystery feature act. Not much is known about That Guy Named After an Apple, he is after all a man of mystery. But his name tells you that “That Guy” could = Dude and that “Named After an Apple” could = Pink Lady. Yes, BAD!SLAM!NO!BISCUIT! could be bringing you Dude, Pink Lady. It will be...mysterious.

And BAD!SLAM!NO!BISCUIT! will bring you our second act feature act of mystery, straight from The Columbia:

Finnigan and Brother

Finnigan and Brother is the duo of siblings Chris (guitar/FX) and David Finnigan (words/radio/visuals). Finnigan and Brother first performed live at the 2009 Multicultural Fringe Festival in the Canberra. Their work featured in the launch edition of digital zine Goofbang, and their music has been featured on Sydney’s FBI Radio by New Weird Australia and Sunday Night at the Movies. They are currently in Medellin, Colombia, to work at the Campos de Gutierrez artist residency space on a series of new compositions. Then they will be in The Phoenix

So bring your words ‘cause we want them on stage because BAD!SLAM!NO!BISCUIT! is a poetry slam full of mystery.

And remember, no props, original material, no music, your words, on stage, 2 minutes, at The Phoenix Pub.

Mystery!

BAD!SLAM!NO!BISCUIT!