Tuesday, March 11, 2008

Blue Velvet Bar Reading


This Thursday night I'm performing at the Blue Velvet Bar in Collingwood.
The convenor of this event, the esteemed Geoff Lemon has written a wonderful little blurb about the whole event.
So I'll let him sell it for me....



Yes, after the dwarf month of February it's that time again. Velvet time! Which is much like Hammer time. But softer. And easier to upholster furniture with. This month we have:

Ben Pobjie
One of the literal and metaphorical giants of the Melbourne performance arena, Ben wavers between spoken word, stand-up, and storytelling, much like our revered Blue Velvet sensei, the honourable Crazy Elf. You will be half delighted, half horrified. In which case you may wish to block one ear.

Chenoah Ellis
is Canadian. Don't get that mixed up. Especially with that weird little country just south of there. Seriously, don't. It will be bad for your health. She is a deliciously fresh new voice in a choir of otherwise boring old cadavers who don't so much sing as make semi-tonal flatulent noises when build-ups of gas escape from holes in their carcasses.

Ben Ezra
has mercifully escaped from the awful, trashbag clutches of Sydney, NSW. With styles that range from tongue-twisting hip-hop wordplay to gravel-sung blues explosions, who knows what he will bring? And who cares? Just take what the man gives you and be grateful! When I were a boy...

Sean M. Whelan
The poet laureate of my mind. Known for his spoken word fusion project with rock band The Mime Set, Sean is one of the most distinctive and charming voices currently weaving tales in this country. His poems are stories - elegant, surreal, meticulously crafted, and always softly beautiful. When he's reading, there is nowhere else that you should be.

Come on down. You can't afford to miss it. As ever, bring your friends, as many as you can. If they hate it, I'll offer some obscenely biological forfeit in the adjoining alleyway. Now that's a guarantee. Forward this mail on to people who might be interested, send me names of people who want to be on the mailing list, and all the rest of that fine, fine jazz.

Friday, March 07, 2008

Poets Breakfast at the Shepparton Arts Festival



This Saturday morning at the unlikely time of 8:30 am I will be performing with my good friend Terry Jaensch at the Poets Breakfast as part of the Shepparton Arts Festival. If you happen to be in Shepparton at 8:30 Saturday morning, then please swing by the Spaghetti Hollow restaurant in Wyndham St and join me and Terry for a good stiff cup of coffee.

Sunday, March 02, 2008

Hey, Hey, Which Way?



The above illustration was created by an incredible Melbourne based artist by the name of Beck Wheeler. It was based on my poem, 'Dear Elliott, written on the death of American singer-songwriter Elliott Smith.
Beck has been doing works based on my poems for about a year now, after we randomly met each other through MySpace.
This Tuesday night, the 4th March, an exhibition of Beck's work will be opening at the Uber Gallery. The work above will be part of the exhibition, amongst many other wonderful pieces.
I've also been asked to read my poem Dear Elliott at the opening.

Uber Gallery is at 52 Fitzroy Street, St Kilda.
'Hey, Hey, Which Way?' opens on Tuesday the 4th March at 6:30pm.
The exhibition runs until the 30th March.