The September edition of The Beautiful and The Damned filled the house once again. Great features, great open stagers, DM Moore was a sublime host with great trivia questions, what more could one ask for? I was happy to take up my spot as beverage handler to greet people as they came panting (not pantless) up into the Glad Day third floor space

The first feature was the 2008 Governor General’s Award winner Jacob Sheier. he read from his book, some from his next book & some new pieces. Much of his work has a warm family rambling story telling sensibility, much like Allen Ginsberg. Amusing, tender and insightful. ‘… you just can’t want to die/ you have to live it …’ ‘… the way age comes on like autumn/overnight …’ His occupy wall street pieces were sharp and comic – ‘I took cover under a Starbucks…

I have to say, I’ve really been diggin’ all the poetry/spoken word events I’ve attended over the past year – thanks to my good friend Lizzie Violet. There is so much talent in this city – and you can see and experience so much for little to no $.

Coming up this week: The Beautiful and the Damned music and poetry cabaret at Glad Day Bookshop (598A Yonge St., Toronto) on Thurs, Sept 13 from  7 – 10 p.m., hosted by DM Moore. This month’s hounoured dead celeb is Gore Vidal, and the featured line-up includes David Bateman, Jacob Scheier and Jessica Speziale. There are open mic slots available too – get there early to sign up.

Kirk DeMatas (who read at Smash Words at The Press Club last month) will be launching his collection of poems Conversations with Skeletons at Glad Day on Sat, Sept 15 from 6-8 p.m.

Hanging at the Free Times Café is always an enjoyable experience. The atmosphere is laid back, the beer is cold and the food is amazing. I highly recommend the latkes. And it was an even greater pleasure hanging out there last night to see the Best of Open Stage, with Free Times owner Judy Perly hosting an evening featuring three performers, each delighting the audience in his/her own way. Victoria Carr was unable to perform due to a medical issue – and we were told she’s doing well – and was substituted by blues singer Joshua Lopez.

Joshua Lopez served up some classic blues, accompanying himself on acoustic guitar, voice and strings wailin’ with the hurt – from NOLA blues song “St. James Infirmary Blues” to a couple of his own, less hurtin’ and more devotional songs. You can find Josh here: http://www.facebook.com/jlattelopez  and give him a listen on…

As I start to think about changing gears from a lovely long weekend to the upcoming week, I’m thinkin: Busy fun times coming up kids, with a whole lotta music, spoken word/poetry, comedy and art happening this week. Please check the respective websites for location and other info:

Best of Open Stage @ Free Times Café– Tues, Sept 4 @ 8 p.m. $6 cover. Featuring Victoria Carr, Amar Ghelani & Lizzie Violet http://www.freetimescafe.com/

Blair Sharpe: Recent Paintings @ Fran Hill Gallery (285 Rushton Rd, Toronto) – opens Thurs, Sept 6 @ 6 p.m. (until Sept 30) http://www.blairsharpe.com/Blair_Sharpe/Home.html

Little Creatures for Little Creatures (fundraiser for PAWS) @ El Mocambo – Sat, Sept 8 @ 9 p.m.sharp $10 cover. Featuring Tom Wilson, Noah’s Arkweld, Angela Saini, Sarahbelle & Little Creatures. http://littlecreatures.deezproduction.com/

Come out and support indie artists and PAWS.

Enjoy the rest of the long weekend, all!

FLOOD FLOTSAM: This is a poem I found in the flooded basement debris.  I wrote it in high school.  I like it because it’s about finding love but not necessarily romantic love.  I’ve always found incredibly deep love in friendship.

Someone Special

Someone special in your life
is what every somebody needs,
even if they’re kept deep inside your heart
and only come out in your dreams.

When all the others shake their heads,
turn their backs and walk away,
there should always be somebody standing,
someone special left to stay.

Through all unhappiness,
for all the times you cry,
someone special is there with a smile,
to dry your tears, to be on your side.

I’ve found this someone special in you.
Who else could there possible be?
You’re the only one in this whole wide world
Who makes me see someone special in me.

Wishing someone special for all…

Hey all – a bit late on this one today as I needed to sleep in and get to the early matinée of Moonrise Kingdom – more on that in tomorrow’s post.

Last night I had not only the pleasure of dropping by The Central (http://thecentralbar.ca/) to hear Meghan Morrison play, and in the company of some good pals like Lizzie Violet, Kat Leonard & Laurie, but I got there early enough to be the first to sample one of Meghan’s lemon poppy-seed strawberry-topped cupcakes. And it was delicious!

Morrison was the first set of the evening downstairs (opening for The Alter Kakers, which I wasn’t able to catch – next time), with bass player Stuart Everitt and Morrison’s bro Evan LeBlanc on guitar, with Morrison switching up between keys, bass and even guitar as they played tunes from her We Are All Born Naked CD – including…

Out again with my lovely friend Lizzie Violet last night, this time for the PÖtea & Jam poetry/spoken word readings at Harvest Noon Café. Upstairs from the GSU pub at UofT (16 Bancroft Ave.), Cassandra Witteman greeted us as we arrived, offering freshly brewed mint tea, among others, and croissants right out of the oven, smelling so good and giving a homey vibe to the place. Harvest Noon is a co-op café – a cozy space with a laid back atmosphere, nestled among some gorgeous old university buildings; you can see the red brick and ivy from a set of large windows facing south.

Lizzie read some of my favourites: two of her zombie pieces (one on being attacked & the other a transformation piece) and two inspired by her mom (including the tongue in cheek one where her mom tells a friend she thought Lizzie was a serial killer…