Any poetry venues or competitions in California? Any upcoming competitions?

[schocolatea]

Please let me know if there are any upcoming competitions or venues in California
Thanks!

[jesster]

Please let me know if there are any upcoming competitions or venues in California
Thanks!

There are.

You're welcome!

-Jesster

[Dahled]

Please let me know if there are any upcoming competitions or venues in California
Thanks!

um... yeah, lots. dare i ask where in CA?

[Ransacked]

Please let me know if there are any upcoming competitions or venues in California
Thanks!

There are lots of readings. They can be pretty hard to find, though. I've lived in San Francisco for six months, and I've wasted a lot of time and cabfare heading to phantom events. One of the downsides to Facebook is that a lot of slams and readings that used to have Websites have now migrated to Facebook pages, and thus disappeared beyond the reach of Google/Yahoo/etc.

My advice is to get on Facebook and start searching/friending/fanning different poetry slams. Look for colleges/universities in your area and see if the Student Activities people and/or the English department host regular readings.

I am aware of no California poetry open mics or slams which continue to update their MySpace pages. The information on them is often years out of date, so steer clear.

PSI has a map of slams, but it's up to the different slammasters to keep it up-to-date, and there are plenty of great poetry readings which are not PSI-registered slams, so again I'd refer to you Facebook.

Mike McGee, David Perez, and Tatyana Brown host an AMAZING variety show and poetry slam six times per year in San Jose. Go to Mike McGee Town to learn more.

When you go to a reading (any kind of reading) make sure to mingle and network, because other poets are often your best source of knowledge about local slams in your community.

[Dahled]

There are lots of readings. They can be pretty hard to find, though. I've lived in San Francisco for six months, and I've wasted a lot of time and cabfare heading to phantom events. One of the downsides to Facebook is that a lot of slams and readings that used to have Websites have now migrated to Facebook pages, and thus disappeared beyond the reach of Google/Yahoo/etc.

Hey Ransacked - are you still in the Bay? Did you visit or contact ask any of the folks that run the various slams that have been going on for the last 10 years steady about other shows? We can definitely put you up on where to get on the mic. SF, Oakland & Berkeley have all been going strong that whole time.There's a weekly email list that includes 20 or so regular events that are all local/easily drivable.

Mike McGee, David Perez, and Tatyana Brown host an AMAZING variety show and poetry slam six times per year in San Jose. Go to Mike McGee Town to learn more.

LOVE these guys... but it's odd this the one show you specifically point to?? Berkeley happens each and every wednesday (again, in the same spot for  for the last 11 years), Tourettes gets 400+ folks out monthly (for a decade + now)... MoFo is once every two months with no set date for the next show??

When you go to a reading (any kind of reading) make sure to mingle and network, because other poets are often your best source of knowledge about local slams in your community.

Amen!

(mind you I don't think the OP is genuine, no one actually -in- CA would omit the city/region from a question like this)

[Ransacked]

Hey Ransacked - are you still in the Bay?

I sure am! You schooled me in the slam last night at the Starry Plough. Congratulations! I'd have said hello but I barely made it to the BART station on time as it was. Berkeley is a bit of a haul for me.

I don't write or perform much these days, though. Since I moved out here, most of my time has gone toward looking for a job, catching up with some college buddies, and rebuilding my Website. Once I get myself settled I'll probably take up poetry again. Anyway, since I'm new to the Bay Area myself, I'm no authority on the local scenes, let alone all the scenes in California. My point was that when it comes to seeking out an open mic, slam or otherwise, most newcomers won't have the right instincts. Facebook searches and face-to-face mingling are the ways to go.

Mike McGee, David Perez, and Tatyana Brown host an AMAZING variety show and poetry slam six times per year in San Jose. Go to Mike McGee Town to learn more.

LOVE these guys... but it's odd this the one show you specifically point to?? Berkeley happens each and every wednesday (again, in the same spot for  for the last 11 years), Tourettes gets 400+ folks out monthly (for a decade + now)... MoFo is once every two months with no set date for the next show??

I mentioned this show because San Jose is kinda/loosely in the "middle" of this admittedly gigantic state. Mike and I have been friends for a few years and I happen to love the offbeat format of this show (plastic green soldiers, door prizes, hosts getting haircuts on stage based on applause, tickle fights, jugglers, shenanigans). I also think it's a very good "gateway" show for people who aren't familiar with this whole slam poetry thing. Would I, personally, schedule/host/market a show the way they do? Nope. But they have a line wrapped around the block every time they put on this show, so I'm not going to tell them they're doing it wrong.

I'll be sure to say hello when I come over to Oakland for your shows!

[WonderDave]

Speaking of things being on facebook:

http://www.facebook.com/#!/group.php?gid=19392682964

Here's the link to the Bay Area Slam Update Group to stay posted on the goings on in the BayArea!

[jaz]

Offhand, the ones I know in the Bay:

WEEKLY
tuesday: Golden State Slam
wednesday: Berkeley Slam
thursday: Oakland Slam
friday: San Francisco Queer Open Mic

. . .  NOT WEEKLY?
first thursday: Tourettes Without Regrets
first friday of every other month: The Oversocial Mofo Revue (which I, too, will testify is an amazing show)
final saturday: Santa Cruz Indie Slam (which is also an amazing show! . . .  I run it.  I may be biased)
second sunday: San Francisco Slam

. . .  okay, so scratch "offhand," I guess.

[gogoactionfishy]

For those of you still interested, here is a list of poetry venues in Southern California.  From personal knowledge, there are not that many slams that happen except for Da Poetry Lounge, Brass Knuckles, Damn Slam (all LA) and Elevated! (San Diego) when they have their slam team selections during the beginnings of the regular slam season.  Da Poetry Lounge is the only one that has slams once a month just for the fun of it.  Also all 4 of the So Cal teams i just mentioned shall be competing this year in Boston, with Da Poetry Lounge back from a 3 year hiatus.

Any questions you may have feel free to email me at fissehamoges@gmail. com.  List was compiled by a friend of mine.

See yall in August.






Mondays


Every Monday

Brass Knuckles

@Kaos
4343 Leimert Park
Los Angeles, Ca 90008

8:30pm.

 

1st Monday

The Talking Stick Cafe

Venice Mozaic

1411 Lincoln Blvd

Venice CA

 

 

 

Tuesdays

 

Da Poetry Lounge

Every Tuesday Night

GreenWay Court Theater

544 N.  Fairfax Blvd

Los Angeles, Ca 90036

9:00PM - Midnight (two halves 9-10:30m and 10:45-midnight)

EARLY ARRIVAL IS A MUST

the early arrival thing is no joke. . .

 

every tuesday

Natural high

Industry Cafe and Jazz

6039 washington blvd

Culver City, CA

starts at 9

 

1&3 Tuesdays

Tuesday Night Cafe

Aratani Courtyard/Union Center for the Arts

120 Judge John Aiso St.

Los Angeles, CA

starts at 7:30

 

Wednesdays

 

1&3 wednesdays

lionlike mindstate

The DA gallery

252 S.  Main St

Pomona, CA

starts at 9

 

2nd and 4th Wednesdays

flowers of fire

corozon del pueblo

2003 1st street

Boyle Heights, Ca

starts at 8

 

Wednesday 4th

sankofas word

4308 Crenshaw Blvd.

Los Angeles, CA 90008

starts at 7

 

every wednesday

two idiots peddling poetry

ugly mug

261 N Glassell St,

Orange, CA 92866

starts at 8

 

Thursdays

 

Every thursday

A Mic and Dim Lights

300 W.  2nd Street

9:30PM - 11:30PM



Every other Wednesday

The Bakery Lounge

11020 Magnolia Blvd.

North Hollywood, CA 91601

 

1&3 Thursdays

Elevated!

Eveoke Dance Theater

2811 University ave

San Diego, CA

9pm

 

First Thursday

The Damn Slam

Adassa's Island Café,

4305 Degnan Blvd

Leimert Park, CA

starting at 8 PM.

 

last thursday

Break the silence

649 E Broadway Street

Long Beach, CA

6:30 -10:00


 

Fridays

 

1&3 Fridays

Freedom Fridays

Mercado La Paloma

3655 S.  Grand Ave.

Los Angeles, CA

 

3rd fridays

mozaic venice

talking stick cafe

1411 lincoln blvd

venice ca

starts at 7

 

last friday

still waters

901 W Victoria

Carson, CA

start at 830



every friday

Tia Chuchas

13197-A Gladstone Ave.

Sylmar ca

starts about 8 (i think)

 

Every Saturday (on hiatus)

Griots Cafe

1001 E 4th St

Long Beach, CA 90802

starts at 7

 

Sunday

 

3rd Sundays

Venice Mozaic

Talking stick cafe

1411 Lincoln Blvd

Venice CA