Bend Poetry Slam

Bend's First Slam Team Is Set

2006-05-23T13:59:00.000-07:00

Last Wednesday's gig was an intimate and impressive display of local spoken word talent.
Scores were tight but a clear preference emerged from the audience.
Taking positions on the team are:

Rook
KP
Jonathan
Robert

Skye and C. Vance will share the "alternate" position.
hmmmmm.

So what's next?
A Lot of possibilities but nothing solid yet.

Nationals are a big zero for Oregon teams. (yeah, PSI finally mailed me my "poetic liscence. Uh, thanks, but I really was just hoping to bring a team to Nationals...maybe next year.)
However, since none of us made it through the arcane system of PSI...
Us Oregon Slam Masters are thinking maybe we'll just have an all Oregon Slam. Stay tuned, we're working on it.
Also, I'm in contact with the Chico Youth Slam team...and a group of high school age kids nearby...so we might host a little "Bend verses" session in June.
There is also the mysterious West Coast Championship that has vanished into cyber space but threatens to re-emerge? We are ready.

So keep in touch it could heat up fast.

The Final Showdown!

2006-05-02T11:01:00.000-07:00

Press, Poets, and VIPs!!!!

I know that my email and phone lists are not complete, so help me out and pass this on to those who need to know!

Have you looked at the moon lately? Its starting to fill out...

Here it comes: The Final Showdown.

This is the Slam that will determine the Bend Poetry Slam Team.
This is the performance poetry event of the year for Bend, the Slam we have building toward for almost six months. This is the Slam that will launch Bend into the big world of performance poetry regionally and nationally. So come out and show your support for local artists dreaming of the big time! Its Spring time people, let's get serious and have a party! Poetry IS the language of LOVE!

Wednesday, May 17th
8pm
The Grove
$3

The following poets have qualified and we hope to see them there:
So here is who will be in the Final Showdown:Johnathan, KP, RW, Rook, Dust Might (Robert), Mr. E, Sky, Dan, and C. Vance.

Last month we had some great One Hit Wonders, and there is plenty of room for some more at the Finals. So, if you've been holding back, this is your chance! Get up and take the mic!

info and contact @:

www.myspace/jayhooray.com

jayhooray@gmail.com

WOO HOO!

JayhooRay!

Final Qualifier Results!!

2006-04-18T14:22:00.000-07:00

Alright this is what you need to know about who is qualified for what and why!

But first, a brief comment. Last Wednesday was excellent. The quality of performance was amazing as was the variety. Big thanks to the poets. Spoken Word is alive and well in Bend.

And here is what came of it.

Final Results:

1st Robert (Dust Might)
2nd Jen (and it was close)
3rd Johnathan (never wants to sign up, always goes home with $$$)
4th C. Vance (his best night yet)

but all second round points count toward qualifying.

So here is who will be in the Final Showdown:

143 Johnathan
110 KP
88 RW
82 Rook
79 Dust Might (Robert)
67 Mr. E
61 Sky
58 Dan
57 C. Vance

That's nine, and for those of you who care about such things, it is also very much a who's who of Bend Poetry Slam. I guess that is what you would expect from a process like thus huh? For those of you who wonder how this list was put together...well, everyone else who could be on the list only performed once...and thus has significantly lower points totals. So the natural break occured at the level of more than one round performed. Ta da. I will contemplate opening a few slots up in final for folks who could only make one round...maybe.

What this means is that the Final Showdown is going to be hot. And hopefully will have some onehitwonders.

peace,

J

The Final Qualifier!

2006-04-12T08:26:00.000-07:00

Here it is kids, your last chance to the big dance!

Tonight is the final qualifier round. Looking at the little math I have in front of me, it is going to be interesting. A lot of folks have a good opporutnity to nail down their ticket to the finals.

It's gonna be good stuff.

See you there!

Round Three Results

2006-03-17T15:12:00.000-08:00

Woo HOO!

Round Three was excellent...kinda like the old days...

Big Props to the Poets
Big Thanks to the People who came out.

Here are the Results:

1st Place: RW (again!) 43
2nd: Rook (again!) 42
3rd: Galadriel (yeah girl!) 39
4th: DustMight (say what!?!?) 37

I got a fussy kid in my lap so the long term results and opinions will be commin'

The Slam Master Blogs

2006-03-14T14:41:00.002-08:00

Don't worry, I'm not going to do very much of this. But it is Tuesday and I'm excited. So I go to this page. I don't know why, just becuase I made it...and it is kinda cool...and I'm curious to see if anyone will ever post anything.
Maybe it seems like I do this for my own ego. I mean I do get to be Jayhooray. And this is my only current claim to fame. But I became Jayhooray before I started the MC thang and I can feed my own ego just fine. superstar in my own private movie
No, I do this for the...the...the art. I want to make something and the thing I like making the most is things that get other people to make things...get it? I make the Slam happen, poets make the poetry, that makes people happy, that inspires other poets, they perform...its sweet. And Bend gets a little more art --which it needs. So the main thing that matters to me is if it matters to you. If there even is a you? Are you out there?
Because poets reading poetry for other poets is good...but it is masturbation. Of course poets are gonna listen to other poets, especially if they are your friends, or peers...of course you turn your self on and know all the great tricks... But poets reading for poets is the paradigm I want to break-- it is why I quit poetry even though it put me through college.
So what I want to know is if anyone actually visits this blog. And I'm not going to pay for a counter and I'm not smart enough to install one!
So post.
All you have to do is leave a little nameless "I read this."
I just want to know

And Now a Word from the Slam Master

2006-03-09T10:47:00.000-08:00

Actually, this will be a number of words...

Hey kids, here is the crazy lowdown for what's up with the Slam Series. As you may have heard me bitching about...no matter what I plan, the Slam is and organic expereince that requires flexability, yada yada yada. So the points series may require some "adjustment" later but currently looks like this:

I have taken the finalists from the two rounds and added their scores (from final rounds only) together. Now some wierd things happen because some poets have been in both rounds and other just did R1 or R2. And that is ok. There are two rounds to go and so far it looks like the top 16 points earners will qualify.

Winners from Round 2 were:

1st RW (45)
2nd Rook (40)
3rd Johnathan (36)
4th KP (34)

So, Going into R3 here are the standings

Johnathan 78
KP 74
RW 45
Rook 40
Mandie 40
Ted 36
Scott 35
Sky 28
Esteban 24
Dan 23
Trella C 22

Round 3 could change a lot and still leaves openings for the finals for any newcomers who make it to the last round. Also worth noting, scoring during the last round, last month, was brutal so if you are wondering what's up with some of those low numbers...yeah people got upper 30's in the first heat and 20's in the second...ouch. Buth with two months to go there is a lot of shakin' to be goin' on!

And finally a micro rant: I know last month we were competing with the olympics and all but sign up was kinda thin...and the audience showed up pretty late. ok, it is what it is, and it is still one of the best art events in Bend...BUT if I get fewer than 8 poets, I'm really going to have to seriously question if this is gonna fly. And we are going to have to raise some $$$ to compete at Nationals. So if you are into Slam you got to help me get people into the Slam! The buzz must BUZZ and the Words must be spoken! See ya there!

Round Two Results Coming Soon

2006-03-07T09:14:00.000-08:00

Round Three: March 15th

2006-03-07T09:07:00.000-08:00

Press Release 3/6/06 :
jayhooray presents
Bend Poetry Slam Qualifier #3!

The Third Qualifier Round for selection of the Bend Poetry Slam Team is Wednesday the 15th! Sign UP starts at 7:30 for the Slam. Open Mic for "one hit wonders" starts just before 8pm, the Slam starts just after 8.
12-16 poets will compete in 3 rounds of elimination with judges selected somewhat at random from the audience. All material must be three minutes or less, written by the performer, and performed without props, costumes, or instruments. Memorization is strongly encouraged and will be essential for anyone hoping to "make the team." Ca$h prizes for finalists!!!
Cover is $3 at the door.

Qualifier #2 was filled with solid performance and a great night of performance poetry. A good picture of the what the finals will look like is starting to take shape but there is plenty of room for surprises.
Round three will be a big night and the last chance for new poets to win a secure chance at the finals. Don't wait—compete!

March 15th
Bend Poetry Slam Qualifier #3
The Grove $3 at the door
7:30 sign up and open mic, 8pm Slam start time.
Questions and Info: http://bendpoetryslam.blogspot.com/
jayhooray@gmail.com
541.390.8800

Round three will be a big night and the last chance for new poets to win a secure chance at the finals. Don't wait—compete!

March 15th
Bend Poetry Slam
Qualifier #3
The Grove
$3 at the door
7:30 sign up and open mic, 8pm Slam start time.
Questions and Info: http://bendpoetryslam.blogspot.com/
jayhooray@gmail.com
541.390.8800

Round Two!

2006-02-06T13:40:00.000-08:00

Bend Poetry Slam Qualifier #2!

The Second Qualifier Round for selection of the Bend Poetry Slam Team is Wednesday the 15th! Sign UP starts at 7:30 for the Slam. Open Mic for “one hit wonders” starts just before 8pm, the Slam starts just after 8.
12-16 poets will compete in 3 rounds of elimination with judges selected somewhat at random from the audience. All material must be three minutes or less, written by the performer, and performed without props, costumes, or instruments. Memorization is strongly encouraged and will be essential for anyone hoping to “make the team.” Ca$h prizes for finalists!!!
Cover is $3 at the door.

Qualifier #1 had familiar faces and some impressive surprises. Expect the competition to heat up now that the word is out. Last month’s audience was pretty close to a full house so arriving fashionably late may mean fashionably standing in the back—show up early for dinner. Hope to see you there!

February 15th
Bend Poetry Slam
Qualifier #2
The Grove
$3 at the door
7:30 sign up and open mic, 8pm Slam start time.
Questions and Info: http://bendpoetryslam.blogspot.com/
jayhooray@gmail.com
541.390.8800

First Qualifier Brings Slam Back

2006-01-25T12:34:00.000-08:00

The first Qualifying round layed it down last week to a full house. There were familiar faces and some fully entertaining surprises. Only ten poets showed up, so big props to those of you who got of the couch and came in! Those of you waiting to see if this if the Bend Poetry Slam will rip like the old days...well it did. Highlights? The venerable Ted, opening it up with some Cowboy style, Michalla and Jessie representing preteen(?) style and impressing, and a showdown between KP and Mandie for 2nd/3rd place.
Finalists:
1st: Jonathan 42pts
2nd: Mandie 40pts
3rd: KP 40pts

Ted(36pts) and Scott(35pts) also made the final round and earned points toward qualifying for the Final Rounds!

Not sure about competing? Well, neither were Jonathan and Mandie and they went home with $$$$!!!
The crowd was large and into it, so you better sign up next month!

Jayhoo

Posters UP!

2006-01-10T12:52:00.000-08:00

Chris Lohrey at the Grove, my poster guru...

The Press Release is OUT!

2006-01-06T10:18:00.000-08:00

Press Release 1/6/06:
jayhooray presents
Bend Poetry Slam Season Begins!

Poetry Slam in Bend has been completely retooled and we are going Big Time! The focus for the Winter/Spring season is selecting a Bend Poetry Slam Team to compete at the West Coast Regionals and then Nationals in August.

Here is the Big Picture: We will have four Qualifying Rounds in which Poets will earn points based on how they finish. The top points finishers will then compete in two Final Rounds to select the Bend Poetry Slam Team—and a few alternates. The Team will have several competitions and appearances in Oregon, the West Coast, and Nationally throughout the summer. Big Time.

Here is what the Slams will look like:
All Slams will be at the Grove with a $3 cover—even poets. Starting at 7:30 will be the sign-up. Shortly thereafter we will have an open mic for “one hit wonders,” folks who just want to get their feet wet, etc… About 8pm the slam will start. 12-16 poets will compete in 3 rounds of elimination with judges selected somewhat at random from the audience. All material must be three minutes or less, written by the performer, and performed without props, costumes, or instruments. Memorization is strongly encouraged and will be essential for anyone hoping to “make the team.” Ca$h prizes for finalists!!! You can also expect special guest feature performances, and other mayhem to keep things lively.

The Dates, Times, and Dope:

All Slams at the Grove $3 at the door
7:30 sign up and open mic, 8pm Slam start time.
Questions and Info: http://bendpoetryslam.blogspot.com/
jayhooray@gmail.com
541.390.8800
January 18th, Qualifying Round 1
February 15th, Qualifying Round 2
March 15th, Qualifying Round 3
April 12th, Qualifying Round 4
May 17th, Semi Final
June 17th, Final Team Selection

Other key dates: West Coast Regionals in June, Country Fair in July, and Nationals in August. There will be a number of performances and fundraisers to be announced once the team is selected.

Bend Poetry Slam Begins

2006-01-04T13:05:00.000-08:00

Here it is kids. The Bend Poetry Slam is back underway and better than ever (hopefully). If you can't seem to read the Source, keep up with word on the street, or are a total geek, then this blog is for you. Keep checking in for up to date info on upcomming Slams, and news about past Slams.

What is Poetry Slam?
Origional spoken word performed by the artist live, on stage, in competition against other poets for prizes and glory. Poetry should be less than three minutes and memorized.

Here is what to expect in 06. We will have four qualifying rounds in Jan., Feb., March, and April, and two final rounds in May and June to select the Bend Slam team. The Team will compete at the West Coast Regionals and Nationals. Poets will qualify by earning points over the first four rounds, then be selected by elimination in the final two rounds.

So, if you've got the desire to strut your stuff on stage or you want to witness some of the best live entertainment in town...stay tuned for dates and times!