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| Thursday, July 24th, 2008 | | 12:26 pm |
FREE SHOW TONIGHT - reminder  It's crunch time for the teams, the individual poets have tweaked and tightened their already phenomenal work and have also formed together like Voltron to create new SUPER poems called "team" or "group" or "multi-voice" poems. Have you heard of Proletariat Bronze? How about The Suicide Kings? These are just two (DOPE!) performance collectives that got their spark from creating this type of work. Something special happens when poetic people creatively combine their efforts. The funny turns hilarious, the touching becomes heart-wrenching, the passionate becomes invigorating and electrifying. All that to say - this show is extra-special! The regular slam will be replaced by a multi-voice competition featuring the local teams in various different configurations. We don't know who'll be on stage together but we do know that no one'll be there alone! We'll still have a short open-mic as always so YOU can step to the stage if you like. See you at the slam! The Oakland "Multi-Voice" Poetry Slam Next Show: Thurs. July 24th - Multi-voice slam KTOP Studios (250 Frank H. Ogawa Plaza - in The Dalziel Bldg.) Hosted by Nazelah & Dahled Show Starts @ 8:00 sharp! ALL AGES!!!! FREE!!! (DONATIONS ENCOURAGED) All proceeds go toward getting the team to Nationals | | Tuesday, July 22nd, 2008 | | 10:58 am |
the draw is out...
here's what's up with the Bay:
Tuesday Early (First bout for 3 of 4)-
Bout #3 is- Fort Worth, Austin AP, Detroit EC & Berkeley
Bout #4 is - Lincoln, Mesa, Sac & Columbus BP
Bout #6 is - SF, Richmond SR, Buffalo & Dallas DP
(Day 1 - the Bay's all spread out, Oakland's the only team not bouting at the same time)
Wednesday Early-
Bout #17 is OKC, Oakland, Houston HP & Killeen
(Day 2 - I'm hoping we'll have a healthy cheering section and feel the Bay love at our first bout!)
Wednesday Late (last bout for 2 of 4)-
Bout #21 is Boston CT, Boise, Berkeley & Paris
Bout #24 is Phenix, Austin AP, Sac & Chicago GM
Thursday Late (2nd bout for other 2)-
Bout #32 is SF, Amarillo, Madison & Oakland | | Tuesday, July 15th, 2008 | | 10:53 pm |
SF B.o.B. Report... the Oaklandish view
So Sunday's massive six team BoB was the first time where we had the entire Oakland squad together in the heat of battle and it felt damn good. In Berkeley we didn't have Jaylee (and we did some super dumb nonsense in the first round) and in San Jo we were missing Mesej. Not having one of those guys hurts extra because they have a few pieces together, more than one of which is a natural opener. On Sunday we introduced one of these in the first round - "Working Class Anthem". It received a 29.7, a score only surpassed once, much later in the bout, by an equally superb team piece, from the home team. We were very happy with the read, they stumbled a bit but all the practice, literally right up until they were called to the stage, paid off. They have great chemistry together and both are super easy to work with. Yes, we got a good draw "d" (in a SIX team bout) but you still don't expect to be up by 2 full points after one rotation with this kind of competition. (Christian's breaking character in the first round didn't help Berkeley either.)
In the second round we were second up, decided to go with the old "stanislau gambit" and put one of the Proletariat (Bronze that is) up again - they were obviously well received. Since the first piece was a true team piece we could have used either one. If we'd known this was the only bout (we thought there were two at this point) it would've been Mesej with "Out of Nowhere". We wanted to keep that though so Jaylee went up with a score killer - "Mother May I". I haven't really heard that poem in a while and damn... he's fucking dope - tears yo, tears. It did exactly what it was supposed to strategically too - the other teams scores stayed pretty low, only coming back up at the end of the round with Berkeley's 3 man "Activist Love Poem". We finished a close 2nd for the round and still had a comfortable lead.
In the third round SF was up first and they brought the HEAT! Steve & Matt just straight killed it with "Bromoerotic" and got the evenings sole perfect 30 (4 10s outta 5). There are a couple of segues in there that could be tweaked but this piece is sheer genius as is and their chemistry together is terrific - it's gonna kill at Nat's. If they don't make the big stage I expect to see this showcased prominently. Berkeley followed a couple of slots later with a duo of their own but Jason & Abe's piece on imperialism couldn't match the hometown folks' intensity and energy on their own stage. Berkeley scored a very respectable 29.1. Since it seemed the crowd was feeling the funny nerCity strode to the stage and dropped "She Interrupts This" his funny/sexy/cool ode to feminine freakiness. We matched B-towns score and still held a 1.4 point lead over them and they were the closest.
At this point we knew exactly what we needed - to get our rookie D.dra on stage. It was a packed house with great energy and she needs the experience. She's a very good writer with a quiet intensity on the mic and a great perspective in her work. She explained why we have to remember that "Obama is Half White" and came within one tenth of mathing out the only competition left - Berkeley. The Poet "I" made a valiant attempt to take it to overtime with "Hush Little Baby" but came up short in the end.
Both of the evening's features, interspersed throughout, fit the show's intensity. Christa Bell had us all literally singing the praises of the feminine and Andre/Paradox gave an impassioned set starting in pressed dress blues and changing mid-poem into something a little more comfortable to finish the set. His work is as intense as ever but he seems happier these days.
Don't forget - There're more BoBs to come! Sac is next - this Friday the 18th and then we have TWO SHOWS IN TWO WEEKS!! The first is FREE & ALL AGES! too - and extra special for other reasons as well. on Thursday July 24th we'll be hosting the 2nd Annual Oakland Multi-Voice Slam. That means the only pieces in the slam will be pieces performed together by more than one poet. You do not have to be on a team to enter - but you do have to be more than one person... and no, multiple personalities don't count.
Then, on Thursday July 31st, just days before heading off to Madison to face the rest of the nation the Bay Area squads will face off one more time at The Oakland Poetry Slam Battle of The Bay @ The Oasis. We're crazy excited to be moving the show to this great venue and you should be too. There aren't many reasons we'd make the show 21+, landing The Oasis is one of them.
The Oakland Multi-Voice Slam
Thursday July 24th - 8:00 Sharp!
KTOP Studios
2505 Frank H. Ogawa Plaza
(in the Dalziel/City of Oakland bldg)
Downtown by 14th & Broadway
FREE!!! - ALL AGES!!
and:
The Oakland Battle of the Bay
Thursday July 31st - 8:00 Sharp!
The Oasis Nightclub & Restaurant
135 12th St. (@ Madison)
just a few blocks from BART
$10 to $20 - This is a FUNDRAISER all proceeds go to team travel
21+ w/ I.D. | | Friday, July 11th, 2008 | | 2:41 pm |
Oakland Multi-Voice Slam Thursday July 24th
It's crunch time for the teams, the individual poets have tweaked and tightened their already phenomenal work and have also formed together like Voltron to create new SUPER poems called "team" or "group" or "multi-voice" poems.
Have you heard of The Suicide Kings? How about Proletariat Bronze? These are just two (DOPE!) performance collectives that got their spark from creating this type of work. Something special happens when poetic people creatively combine their efforts. The funny turns hilarious, the touching becomes heart-wrenching, the passionate becomes invigorating and electrifying. All that to say - this show is extra-special! The regular Slam will be replaced by a multi-voice Slam featuring the local teams in various different configurations. We don't know who'll be on stage together(?) but we do know that no one'll be up there alone!
We'll still have a short open-mic as always so YOU can step to the stage if you like.
All that - AND - it's FREE!! Now what's your excuse??
See you at the slam!
The Oakland "Multi-Voice" Poetry Slam
Next Show: Thurs. July 24th - Multi-voice slam
KTOP Studios
(250 Frank H. Ogawa Plaza - in The Dalziel Bldg.)
Hosted by Nazelah & Dahled
Show Starts @ 8:00 sharp!
ALL AGES!!!!
FREE!!! (DONATIONS ENCOURAGED)
All proceeds go toward getting the team to Nationals | | Thursday, July 10th, 2008 | | 11:46 am |
let's try this again.... doh! it seems i may have forgotten something last time... (like the button!) you see it growing right :-) 
 | | Tuesday, July 8th, 2008 | | 4:01 pm |
NATHAN!!
we love you!! | | Monday, July 7th, 2008 | | 3:00 pm |
Oakland BoB Thursday July 31st Okay, the dust from finals has settled, all of the team members are getting to know each other, writing new pieces and joining together like Voltron to create super, multi-voice or "group" pieces. What, you've never heard of such a thing? You've never seen it when 2 or more poets come to the stage at the same time and deliver a poem together? Well, you have no idea what you're missing. Group pieces are always some of the most exciting and dynamic poems to grace the stage at Nationals, so much so that PSI added a separate Group Piece Finals to this years tournament. But first things first- before we go to Madison to test ourselves against the rest of the nation we have to battle each other head to head for local poetic supremacy! The Battle of The Bay series, or "BoB" is where the Bay Area slam teams hone their competitive edge by competing in "bouts" that mirror what they'll be seeing in August at Nationals. This year the Bay is sending four teams to the big dance; Oakland, Berkeley, San Francisco and Sacramento. You owe it to yourself to come witness the poetic carnage they inflict on each other first hand. The Oakland BoB is the last in the series this year. It's also a first - this is the very first slam at our new home The Oasis Restaurant & Nightclub! We're excited to announce we'll be back slamming the LAST THURSDAY of each month. Roll through, it's gonna be a dope show! The Oakland Poetry Slam Battle of the Bay (BoB)! The Oasis Restaurant & Nightclub 135 12th st. (@ Madison) Oakland 94607 $10 - this is a fundraiser, all funds go to team travel expenses. This event is 21+ and if you can't make it but still want to help...
| | 2:52 pm |
Finally!
Some GOOD venue news -
it looks like we now have both of our homes for the '09 season booked.
we'll be at Cafe Van Kleef on the 2nd Thurs monthly (CVK beginning in Aug date tbd and 2nd thurs starting in Sept)
we'll be at The Oasis on the LAST thursday monthly - starting with our BoB on 7/31!
dopeness | | Tuesday, June 24th, 2008 | | 3:04 pm |
I wonder if he had lumpia?
From huffingPost.com (I know, I know but i can't help myself)
Bush To Filipino President: "I Am Reminded Of The Great Talent Of The -- Of Our Philippine-Americans When I Eat Dinner At The White House"
President Bush met with Filipino President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo today at the White House. Arroyo was in Washington while her country tries to recover from a typhoon that devastated coastal areas and flipped a ferry carrying over 800 passengers last week. Before discussing aide for the Philippines, Bush couldn't resist beginning the sober meeting with a quip about a Filipino member of his kitchen staff. Read part of the transcript from the meeting and click here to read more about one of the "Philippine-Americans" Bush is referring to. See the excerpt below:
PRESIDENT BUSH: Madam President, it is a pleasure to welcome you back to the Oval Office. We have just had a very constructive dialogue. First, I want to tell you how proud I am to be the President of a nation that -- in which there's a lot of Philippine-Americans. They love America and they love their heritage. And I reminded the President that I am reminded of the great talent of the -- of our Philippine-Americans when I eat dinner at the White House. (Laughter.)
President George W. Bush welcomes President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo of the Republic of the Philippines to the Oval Office Tuesday, June 24, 2008, at the White House. The President expressed deep condolences for those affected by Typhoon Fengshen saying, "We, the American people, care about the human suffering that's taking place, and we send our prayers."
PRESIDENT ARROYO: Yes.
PRESIDENT BUSH: And the chef is a great person and a really good cook, by the way, Madam President.
PRESIDENT ARROYO: Thank you. | | 2:00 pm |
frustrated... so i've been bopping around on facebook all morning (you probably just got a friend request from me) but I can't figure out how to add the graphic/button below... can you help? | | Monday, June 23rd, 2008 | | 12:59 pm |
RIP George Carlin Okay, now there's one that hurts more than Tim Russert... damn George Carlin mourned as counterculture hero (AP) AP - Seven Words You Can Never Say on Television. Some People Are Stupid. Stuff. People I Can Do Without. George Carlin, who died of heart failure Sunday at 71, leaves behind not only a series of memorable routines, but a legal legacy: His most celebrated monologue, a frantic, informed riff on those infamous seven words, led to a Supreme Court decision on broadcasting offensive language. Current Mood:  sad | | Saturday, June 21st, 2008 | | 2:06 pm |
| | 12:23 pm |
okay... let's see if this thing works 
 | | Friday, June 20th, 2008 | | 11:46 am |
it's that time again... time to put the money together for NPS... The Oakland Poetry Slam & Open MicHey Fam! I know you're wondering " How can I help MY team (Oakland!) rep The Town at The National Poetry Slam this summer?" Well, there are a couple of ways... First - bring yourself to a show! Next, check back here because soon you'll be able to buy the new team Book, CD and DVD which will be for sale soon. OR, if you're the generous type and want only the karma that comes with supporting a good cause we accept donations to the team. All proceeds go towards team travel and lodging expenses during the journey to "Nat's". If you're planning on donating $100.00 or more and want the tax deduction we are affiliated with a 501c3 and can provide the necessary information to make that a reality. | | Thursday, June 19th, 2008 | | 2:17 pm |
I Like It... mostly because it's a syllepsis...  Syllepsis: When a single word that governs or modifies two or more others must be understood differently with respect to each of those words. A combination of grammatical parallelism and semantic incongruity, often with a witty or comical effect. Not to be confused with zeugma. | | Tuesday, June 17th, 2008 | | 4:57 pm |
TOMORROW Come Support YOUR Team! Okay, the team has been chosen ( nerCity, Jason, Jaylee, Dahled, Mesej 1) so now it's time for us to start crushing the competition! Sure we haven't had much time to figure out how to go from individual lions to VOLTRON but that doesn't me we won't be shredding fools poetically. Tomorrow our prey will consist of teams representing Berkeley, San Francisco and Sacramento. Roll through and cheer your team ( Oakland!) on to victory in this first B.o.B. (Battle of The Bay) The "B.o.B." is a series of competitions between the local Slam teams to help hone their skills and with fundraising as they prepare for The National Poetry Slam this August in Madison WI.
Please come out and support your team! You know you were wondering what the dealio was with a poetry team!? Well here's your chance to come and see all of The Bay's TOP POETS ON ONE STAGE AT ONE TIME!
This is guaranteed to be a DOPE show!
The Berkeley Battle of The Bay
Hosted by: Jamie DeWolf
At: The Starry Plough
3101 Shattuck @ Prince
(2 Blocks east of Ashby BART)
$10 admission
8:30-11pm.
ALL AGES before 9pm
http://www.myspace.com/berkeleypoetryslam
http://www.berkeleypoetryslam.com
Contact: voluptuary@hotmail.com | | Monday, June 16th, 2008 | | 4:42 pm |
Finals Recap
If you throw shows then you know the worst part of the night is right before you're scheduled to begin. Stress-city! Especially in Oakland it seems there's a history of lateness (do you remember ten o'clock starts at Mambo-Mambo?). We've been working to change this since we took over the show a few years ago but we not quite there yet. If we were the hard asses in reality that we play on TV a few finalists would have been cut before we ever did the draw (you know who you are). When it looked like this was going to happen we opted to include a poet who'd just barely missed the cut but was there on time in the line-up (Jen G.). As soon as we made this decision (of course) the late arrivals showed up. After some confusion, we included everyone, altered the elimination format (11 to 9 to 7) to accommodate this change, did the draw and the show was on. (Don't ask me why but we try to make folks happy, if we didn't it'd make life so much easier for us - you're welcome.)
Up first was Paradox (no, not that Paradox) who brought heat but suffered from the cold judges even after Nazelah and Jason Bayani sacrificed to open the show. Dahled went next delivering a piece about the complexities of being biracial which bumped the score up by more than 3 points and ensured a spot in the 2nd round. Baraka followed with a discussion of "black cock" but missed the cut. Dusty Rose brought gay marriage to the mic and it brought her through to round two. She was followed by Jen G. and her thoughts on date-rape and horror flicks which ensured her advancment. By this time the judges were fully warm - and the round had gotten to the heavy hitters. Mesej 1 sprinkled some "Magic Dust" on the judges, Jaylee followed with "Chemo" for a monster 29.2 - the high score so far and Jason (who we met and who qualified at the last-chance slam @ Dorsey's) dropped some conscious rhymes for a more than respectable 3rd in the round. Up next was nerCity, last year's Grand Slam Champ (for a reason) who bumped the high score to 29.6 with "Bloodlines". Aaron (also from last years squad) gave a teachers perspective of "No Child Left Behind" and managed to survive a big time penalty. Finishing off the round was D.dra with a poetic plea to "Baby Daddies" everywhere. She also managed to survive her first of two costly time penalties.
In the 2nd round the order changes and the poets go from high score to low. That sent nerCity up first and he took a chance by combining two poems into one, effectively supercharging "Batteries" - it worked, earning him his second highest score of the night so far - second only to himself. Jaylee followed with a love poem inspiring coos and awws for the audience and a 29 from the judges. Jason brought some more dope rhymes to the mic and earned a score to match. Mesej 1 came "Out of Nowhere" and made more than a few eyes tear up with his personal story about dealing with a scary diagnosis. Dahled went next bringing up the politics behind "The Pound Heard Round The World" followed by Aaron with a hilarious and thoughtful poem abut his students and "Balls". D.dra wowed the crowd and judges again with her ernest work but suffered from her second (costly!) time penalty. Jen G. and Dusty Rose rounded out the field in the round but neither could make up ground on the folks ahead of them.
The last round mirrors the second in order - we go high to low. This kept nerCity first. He read a new love poem off the page (risky) but by this time the judges knew what they wanted and he was it. Jaylee followed suit but added war to the love mix and got judge love for it. Jason went next and rhymed his way to a solid 3rd round score. Dahled brought more politics to the mic with "Checks & Balances" tying the high score for the evening and locking up a spot on the team. Mesej 1 suggested we "Raise Our Glasses" and the judges seemed to agree. Aaron followed and told us how "Dangerous" love is. Rounding out the slam was D.dra, who also tied the high score of the evening with a reminder that "Barak Obama is Half White".
All that to say; Oakland, your 2008 Slam Team is- nerCity, Jason, Jaylee Alde, Dahled & Mesej 1. Yup, that's five. Yup, that's a DOPE five. (Yup, if not for time penalties the results would have been different.)
Extra special thanks to tall of the poets that performed and especially to Mark States for keeping time/score!
if you're into the actual #'s here they are:
nerCity ------ (29.6 + 29.5 + 29.1 = 88.2)
Jason --------(28.3 + 29.4 + 29 = 86.7)
Jaylee ------- (29.2 + 29 + 28.2 = 86.4)
Dahled------- (27.7 + 28.9 + 29.6 = 86.2)
Mesej 1------ (27.8 + 28.8 + 28.1 = 84.7)
D.dra--------(26.7 + 28.3 + 29.6 = 84.6 -1 total time penalty)
Aaron--------(27.7 + 28.1 + 28.5 = 84.3 -1 total time penalty)
Jen G.--------(25.5, 28.9)
Dusty Rose----(25.4, 27)
Paradox------ (24.2)
Baraka------- (24.2) | | Saturday, June 14th, 2008 | | 12:20 pm |
ask a black person...
that's all.
if I call myself black and you correct me telling me I'm african american I swear I'll punch you in the fucking face.
if I get sent to diversity training again by a white boss I'm gonna scream. (not that I can't learn from it, just being the only person of color there makes me feel stabbish - especially if the training is led by a white person)
the HRC voters that are switching to McCain - yeah, you're not a flaming racist... right - explain that one to me again, he's anti-reproductive rights, anti-gender equality initiatives, called Cindy a cunt in public - after upgrading to her from an older, broken down first wife who'd stuck by him with him through his stay in the Hanoi Hilton. What was it that Obama (or Cinthya McKinney the Green Party candidate) did that would make you vote for the straight, white guy... yet again? | | Friday, June 13th, 2008 | | 10:37 am |
Sweet! so i made it... again that makes 5 in a row '04, '05, '06, '07, '08 still ain't won one yet and it's not what I'd thought to expect - here's the dealio -nerCity won (again - 2 time grand slam champ, 3 time team member) -Jason got 2nd (new cat, won Dorsey's Locker Slam to qualify- mad conscious rhymes) -Jaylee Alde (yup, that Jaylee) -the poet "me" honorable mention to D.dra, Mesej 1 and Aaron Gardner. I'm sure you'll see all of them at BoBs and whatnot as we need folks to fill in. Special thanks to Mark States who score kept for us and to DJ I Mountagious for spinning the dope wax. so in the 2nd round I did this off the paper: ( tell me what you think... ) | | Tuesday, June 10th, 2008 | | 1:14 pm |
The Poetry of Barack Obama From: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/18/us/politics/18poems.html?_r=1&adxnnl=1&oref=slogin&adxnnlx=1213128661-5hsKRLe6mdtC8I4eTCVoxgFollowing are two poems by Barack Obama that were published in the Spring 1981 issue of “Feast,” a 51-page student literary journal that described itself as "a semi-annual journal of short poetry and fiction collected from the Occidental College community.” The journal is no longer published, according to a college spokesman. Sitting in his seat, a seat broad and broken In, sprinkled with ashes Pop switches channels, takes another Shot of Seagrams, neat, and asks What to do with me, a green young man Who fails to consider the Flim and flam of the world, since Things have been easy for me; I stare hard at his face, a stare That deflects off his brow; I’m sure he’s unaware of his Dark, watery eyes, that Glance in different directions, And his slow, unwelcome twitches, Fail to pass. I listen, nod, Listen, open, till I cling to his pale, Beige T-shirt, yelling, Yelling in his ears, that hang With heavy lobes, but he’s still telling His joke, so I ask why He’s so unhappy, to which he replies... But I don’t care anymore, cause He took too damn long, and from Under my seat, I pull out the Mirror I’ve been saving; I’m laughing, Laughing loud, the blood rushing from his face To mine, as he grows small, A spot in my brain, something That may be squeezed out, like a Watermelon seed between Two fingers. Pop takes another shot, neat, Points out the same amber Stain on his shorts that I’ve got on mine, and Makes me smell his smell, coming From me; he switches channels, recites an old poem He wrote before his mother died, Stands, shouts, and asks For a hug, as I shrink, my Arms barely reaching around His thick, oily neck, and his broad back; ’cause I see my face, framed within Pop’s black-framed glasses And know he’s laughing too. UNDERGROUND Under water grottos, caverns Filled with apes That eat figs. Stepping on the figs That the apes Eat, they crunch. The apes howl, bare Their fangs, dance, Tumble in the Rushing water, Musty, wet pelts Glistening in the blue. |
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dahled's journal
