Okay, so right off the top, I have to admit a certain amount of bias – okay, a whole lot of bias – when it comes to Lizzie Violet. She’s super smart, funny and has an incredible way with words – and is brave enough to get up in front of a room full of strangers to read them – and she’s a really good friend. She’s also the reason I’ve been getting out to see so many amazingly talented poets and spoken word artists over the past year.

Last night, I had the pleasure of dropping by open mic night at Free Times Café to hear Lizzie read some of her work. Pretty sure this was her first time reading there – and, despite TTC challenges causing her to be running a bit late, she arrived looking fabulous, checked in with host Jeff Kahl, then hung out with Brandon…

Had a good night at Plasticine Poetry Sunday. Sizable house, sold some chap books, signed a couple of them, got cash in hand (which I always declare), had my set recorded by Myke Mazzei for a future cd. Charlie Petch always the perfect host (except when they aren’t there & I end up as the imperfect host).

Heather Wood had the first feature spot. She read a story that will be in ‘The Anthology of Modern Fables’ – a fun piece about a cell-phone with telepathic abilities (I wish I had one with pre-call warning). She then did a stroll through ‘Roll With It’ – following one specific plot thread to it resolution in an Olympic figure skating routine. A well structured set.

I was up next with my raunch attack. Pacing is key for me to keep flow of a set natural and to take, I hope, listeners with…

I don’t know if you noticed, but the days have started to get a bit cooler, less humid. The sun is setting just a bit earlier every day. The festival season is starting to wind down. And the poetry in Toronto is really starting to heat up! It’s a great week for spoken word and poetry slam in the GTA. Here’s what coming up over the next seven days:

Monday

The Mississauga Arts Council invites local youth to the Youth Writers’ Guild August Meeting in the Reader’s Den on the ground floor of the Mississauga Central Library (301 Burnhamthorpe Rd. W.) at 5pm. There will be a workshop led by Cheryl Antao-Xavier. Contact MAC to reserve a space at 905-615-4278.

R.I.S.E Poetry Movement is back in business at the Scarborough Youth Resource Centre (Scarborough Town Centre, second floor) for an evening of youth singers, rappers and poets expounding on the…

Last night, I had the pleasure of attending Smash Words at the Press Club (http://www.thepressclub.ca/) for an evening of queer poetry and cabaret, with a great group of friends. The evening included poetry, spoken word, music and dance, featuring readings and performances by David Bateman, Philip Cairns (who was also our hostess with the mostess), Kirk DeMatas, Brock Hessel, Frank Hull, Kat Leonard, DM Moore and Lizzie Violet. An incredible evening of friends and art. Here are some impressions and photos from the evening, in alphabetical order.

David Bateman – travels and travails with mother, beautiful imagery, with extremely funny and moving moments.

Philip Cairns – a connoisseur of beautiful young men, we’re invited along on his flights of fancy and moments of joy, as well as the darker corners of life as a gay artist/performer.

Kirk DeMatas – poetry of a young man of colour’s struggle, anger…

Back at the lovely Celebration Square in Mississauga last night, this time at the Amphitheatre, located near a really cool – and gorgeous – fountain/wading pool. When I was there about two weeks ago, I trekked with my pal Kat Leonard and her aunts picked us up at Kipling Station. This time, I travelled with pals Lizzie Violet and Janis Tipping – and we made the trip on MiWay transit from Islington Station. It was quite the bus trip – a bit of a schlep – and we had a really nice, and funny, driver helping us out with which stop to get off. Downtown Mississauga loops and mazes around, and you gotta watch where you’re going if you’re a newbie like us gals. And thanks to Janis’s friend Paolo for the drive to the subway at the end of the night.

This evening’s festivities was the concert portion of…

In the world of spoken word and poetry slam in the Greater Toronto Area, there are a lot of things bubbling below (and above) the surface. Many new initiatives are underway, including several fundraising campaigns. Slam teams from York Region and Burlington are utilizing the crowdsourcing site Indiegogo. The Up From The Roots, Toronto Poetry Slam and Mississauga Poetry Slam teams have been holding fundraiser events. And this week, the BSP and TPS teams will be in Charlotte, North Carolina for the National Poetry Slam, the largest team slam competition in the world. Good luck!

But for the rest of us here at home, here is what’s coming up over the next seven days in the GTA:

Monday

Due to the Civic Holiday, there will be no Loose Leaf Poets & Writers this week. But look out for the event to be held next week. Join their…

Heather Hill is touring her new album, Leuty Station, this summer– with the happy-vibe spreading Lily C!

Heather Hill launched Leuty Station May 2012.  Warning: it causes ear worms, that entertaining condition whereby a catchy tune boogies in your head throughout the day even when no tangible music is playing.

Heather Hill’s voice is like liquid love, with robust rumbling lows, ethereal highs and a plethora of delicious tones in between.  She’s one of those singers who can convey a story and/or emotion with the sound of her vocalizations without lyrics– and then she’s got good lyrics too!  The amazing thing about Heather’s lyrical stories is that they are very specific and often very literal with a truth that can give you shivers.

The vocal and instrumental play weaving together throughout this album is inspired and fun.  I’ll leave the instrumental critique to someone more instrumentally adept…