Hit up the Motley tonight to do some poetry for FAMILY, the queer/straight alliance of my college. Today was National Coming Out Day, so that was the theme-ish.
It was delightful. I had a lot of friends promise to come, and come they did! It was unfortunate that I was put up early--some of them missed the first half of my performance because I started almost ten minutes early due to lack of sign-ups. But it was delightful to have a lot fo people there cheering and congratulating me afterwards---leaving the security blanket of my creative writing friends was terrifying! Especially going into a more sophisticated venue. But everyone seemed to like it. It was also intimidating going in with much more personal poems about sexuality and gender constructs--but we hung afterwards like always.
So, it was lovely, and all the talent was amazing. Another poet, some musicians, an Indigo Girls cover, reading from a lesbian sex book. General craziness. It's why we love our independant coffee shop.

Missed being in the scene. Thanks for everything, lovelies. I'm back and better then ever.

Tip: for much better slam then I can ever hope to write or perform, Google/Youtube/Myspace Music search Andrea Gibson.

All currently writtan and recorded poetry is going onto a CD titled "Three Steps Forward, Two Steps Back". It's NOT for sale--if you want one, feel free to ask, and you shall have one. You've all heard all of this, so the ego boost of you asking is payment enough.

Track Titles here:
"Bleach"
"Unfortunate Timing"
"Something Green"
"Placer Art Kids"
"Witness"
"Good Morning!"
"IV"
"The Quiet Poem"


The next project is a CD called "Heading Homeward", which will probably be the same length or a bit longer and be full of mostly personal poems relating to people I know and this strange process of growing up. Most of my creative writing friends can be assured of getting a copy of this. <3 About three poems for this are half-writtan.

After/During that, I'll be starting on more generic, crowd-friendly, pissed off and political performance-based poems. =D When these get out, performances will increase!

This all means that I have a lot of WRITING to do--which means less performance (haha, could there be less? Sorry kids, life got busy) and less recording. Especially because when I get the next two out, I want there to be poems that have never made it onto Myspace or been recited in public. I feel bad for my friends who see me perform and there's nothing new for them! So it may be a bit until there are new poems up for listening, and there might only be one or two new poems put up in the next six months. Who knows?

I leave to Los Angeles (actually, Claremont!) on the 23rd of August---so after that, any performances are likely to be at the college. Sorry!

That's the update. Thanks for all the love, kids.

Tonight I went down with Baron and Marcky to the True Love Coffeehouse for their Tuesday Night Open Mike Plus. I was hoping to perform, as I thought it was a first come, first serve show, and we got there early! However, this is not the case--they have a really awesome raffle ticket system, where each potential performer gets a ticket, then tickets are pulled. You get to choose your time slot (10-15 minutes each) form what is left when you get called. There are however, only 10 spots each night, and there were 14 of us tonight, and I never got pulled. A little disappointing, but it's okay. I'm just glad a ton of people didn't show up to see me perform when I didn't get to! So, the show tonight never really happened--I'm sorry! I plan on trying several times this summer, so keep at least one Tuesday this summer open for me, loves!

Yes, show blogs. Boring and egotistical, I know. But really, it is good to preserve memories, and to shout-out to the people who have supported me and given me opportunities. So really, to those loves, this is to honor you.

So, tonight was Clarity of Madness. Well, rather, last night was Clarity of Madness.
Clarity of Madness being a lovely Music/Poetry/Short Film student works show put together by my dear friend April at her high school. I had planned on attending the function anyways in hopes of meeting some of April's amazing friends, indulging in some spectacular performance art, and generally supporting the lovely girl we call April. This lovely girl, however, had other plans-she called me up in the afternoon to let me know that I could perform, if I wanted to (not being a student at the school technically disqualified me, but April is a sweetheart and made me an honorary student). So I dragged the lovely Ashlynn along, who then brought the lovelies known as Tasha, Sara, and Tiffany. So much love from me for the support, darlings, and I know April appreciated the faces as well!
It was held in the Black Box, this little performance space by the parking lot, and I thought it was absolutely wonderful. Lighting was incrediable--I loved how the spotlight moved around the space. Wonderful, wonderful, wonderful art, and even more wonderful people. Just--I cannot express how I loved all the poetry and music and film. To my fellow performers: I am honored to have shared a stage with you. Thank you so.
I performed right after intermission, and April was nice enough to let me do three poems--Something Green, Witness, and Good Morning. Something Green went well! I forgot an entire section of Witness, but I hope it wasn't too awkward? Sorry Ashlynn, I know that was your request! I'll recite it just to you in public sometime. Good Morning had to be read for the second half, but I was so happy when the audience responded to my Good Mornings!! It was a blast to be up there without a microphone--so much more freedom.

All in all, a GREAT experience. Even with driving an hour to get there because we took the wrong 80. Tasha, thank you for not making fun of my anxious driving habits.

April--Thank you for the sacrifice of time and sanity that was necessary for this show. Thank you for thinking of me, for going out on a limb for me, and for getting me last minute lighting. I appreciate both the opportunity and the experience more then you know. You are spectacular and I hope you know how much I love you.

Laura-Thank you for the awesome tech work! And for lending your sanity to April through this whole process.

Ashlynn, Sara, Tiffany, and my woman Tasha--Thank you for coming out and supporting me, especially since it was so last minute. Really. Really. I love you all (but Tasha the most!)

And, again, my fellow performers--thank you for sharing your light.

Thank you everyone, for such a spectacular night!

Because, if I write this all out where you can all see it, I am infinately more accountable for it then if it simply sits on my harddrive or (worse!) in my head.

So this is the vision!

ONE: Guest Slammers on this page. And now, a progression: Mayhaps, even, (if I ever learn to share artistic vision!) changing Spoken Word is Love into a group of permanent slam poets who perform together. Or, further into the future, changing that group of performers into some sort of institution, something with T-shirts and membership fees and scholarships and weekly meetings! Oh lord, not an institution!

TWO: Multi-part poems. Poems that echo, poems that overlap, poems that converse. Slam with me!

THREE: Guerilla Slam! Poems that begin as normal conversations (scripted, naturally, or at least at first), and then become all out slam duets. But, here's the trick: NOT ON STAGE. Oh, no. In everyday life. Waiting to cross the street. In a cafe. In line at the DMV. We will sneak spoken word into everyone's lives!

FOUR: Spoken Word is Love on tour. Oh yes, from Oregon to LA, there shall be a tour in a few years, unless college converts me to the sciences. So, naturally, that requires local gigs.

In a little less abstract: Once I get about four more poems writtan, I plan on making some very clean recordings and making a CD, asking Somers if I can visit/guest slam at next years Creative Writing Slam (or, hopefully, a Senior Project Slam!), and try to put together some sort of Poetry Slam Scholarship for like, $200 to give out at Del Oro next year.

How YOU (yes, you, reading this right now!) can help:
1) Write poetry! Perform! Record! Send it to me!
2) Do the above regularly so maybe we can be a real group or something
3) Convince others to do the above two
4) If you have an idea for a duet, send it to me. We will write together
5) If you're up for performing with me, even without writing, let me know (Marissa, love, I have you down. ;) )
6) When we have some of these beasts writtan, memorize. Then let's go to coffee.
7) If you know of local places that would let me go talk on stage, let me know!
8) If I get a gig, bring your friends! This only works if I can draw kids <3

So. Yeah.
(Yes, I'm pretending I'm a real musician/poet/performer/whatever)
And this is crazy because I am tired.
So good night!
(good morning!)