Three Rooms Press

Punky Poetry Party and Book Launch at Son of a Pony NYC Friday, Feb 10

2012-02-06T17:17:00.003-05:00

Three Rooms Press & Cornelia Street Café present Son of a Pony Poetry Reading Series

Featured reader: Michael T. Fournier; Spotlight poet: Lisa Panepinto

PLUS NYC's Sensational Open POETRY Mike; Hosted by Kat Georges

Friday, February 10, 6 pm

Three Rooms Press is pleased to present the New York City book launch for Michael T. Fournier's thrilling futuristic new cyberpunk work, Hidden Wheel (Three Rooms Press, 2012), along with his favorite emerging poet Lisa Panepinto. PLUS, our open reading will give you a chance to share your LOVE poems in honor of Valentine's Day! Poetry, punk and love: Join us for one hell of a romantic evening!

MICHAEL T. FOURNIER is a poet, novelist and essayist, who's new novel, Hidden Wheel (Three Rooms Press, 2012) explores the conflict and resolutions between art and technology from a wild cyberpunk futuristic perspective. His book-length discussion of the Minutemen’s 1984 album “Double Nickels On The Dime” is the 45th installment of Continuum Press’s “33 1/3” series. His writing has appeared in Pennsylvania English, Stolen Island Review, Pitchfork, Fluke, Chunklet and the Boston Phoenix. He has taught literature and punk rock history at Emerson College, Tufts University and University of Maine. He lives in Western Massachusetts with his wife Rebecca and their cat.

LISA PANEPINTO is the author of Island Dreams, a chapbook published by Cabildo Press. She lives in Orono, Maine with her partner Ryan, and publishes the website, whocanbemyemerson.blogspot.com.

The featured reading follows the renowned Son of a Pony open reading at the cafe, hosted and curated by the dynamic Kat Georges. Doors open at 5:45 p.m.; open reading begins at 6 p.m. Admission is $7, which includes a free drink.

Cornelia Street Cafe is at 29 Cornelia Street, between W. 4th Street & Bleecker, just around the corner from the W. 4th Street subway station. Phone: 212-989-9319. www.corneliastreetcafe.com

2012-02-02T11:51:00.000-05:00

Three Rooms Press & Cornelia Street Café present Son of a Pony Poetry Reading Series
Featured poet: Andy Clausen; Spotlight poet: Pamela Twining
PLUS NYC's Sensational Open POETRY Mike; Hosted by Kat Georges
Friday, February 3, 6 pm

Three Rooms Press is pleased to present one of our favorite poets: the incredible Andy Clausen, who will be sharing the spotlight with one of his favorite poets: the phenomenal Pamela Twining. Favorites in February? Check this out.

In 1968, ANDY CLAUSEN signalled the intensity of his energetic spoken word recital when he performed naked save for an American flag tie at the Conference Of Small Magazine Editors and Publishers in Berkeley. The following month, when Allen Ginsberg caught a glimpse of Clausen at the Rolling Renaissance readings in San Francisco, he thought he was seeing the young Neal Cassady. Allen Ginsberg not only called him the "Future of American Poetry" but in the introduction to Without Doubt, said he would take a chance on a "President Clausen." Clausen has taught at Naropa University and given readings and lectures at many universities, prisons, poetry conferences, and cafes at home and around the world. He has worked for poetry in the schools agencies in California, New Jersey, Colorado and New York. He is presently working on memoirs of his friendship and adventures with Allen Ginsberg, Gregory Corso and many others of the Beat Generation. "Andy, I may give your life structure, but you are the Miracle Worker of this team." ~ Janine Pommy Vega

PAMELA TWINING is the author of "i have been a river . . ." and is "a poet of the highest order," according to Donald Lev, poet, actor and publisher of Home Planet News. Chris Wood notes that her poetry "will leave you standing beside quiet waters, listening to the rustling of wind-tossed leaves, longing for her unique voice; poetry which beacons the spirit to wake, and draws us into the ever-present magic of the word."

The featured reading follows the renowned Son of a Pony open reading at the cafe, hosted and curated by the dynamic Kat Georges. Doors open at 5:45 p.m.; open reading begins at 6 p.m. Admission is $7, which includes a free drink.

Cornelia Street Cafe is at 29 Cornelia Street, between W. 4th Street & Bleecker, just around the corner from the W. 4th Street subway station. Phone: 212-989-9319. www.corneliastreetcafe.com

COMING UP:

Friday, Feb 10:
Son of a Pony Special Editions!!
Featured reader: Michael T. Fournier; Spotlight poet: Lisa Panepinto
PLUS NYC's Sensational Open POETRY Mike; Hosted by Kat Georges
(normally we don't run on the SECOND Friday, but the venue was kind enough to offer this rare opportunity, so come on down and let us justify their faith!

MICHAEL T. FOURNIER is a poet, novelist and essayist, who's new novel, Hidden Wheel explores the conflict and resolutions between art and technology. His book-length discussion of the Minutemen’s 1984 album “Double Nickels On The Dime” is the 45th installment of Continuum Press’s “33 1/3” series. His writing has appeared in Pennsylvania English, Stolen Island Review, Pitchfork, Fluke, Chunklet and the Boston Phoenix. He has taught literature and punk rock history at Emerson College, Tufts University and University of Maine. LISA PANEPINTO is tha author of Island Dreams, a chapbook (Cabildo Press). She lives in Orono, Maine, and is one of our fave poets!

VERY SPECIAL SHOW!!
Friday, February 17, 6 pm
Featured reader: Janet Hamill performing with Lost Ceilings
PLUS NYC's Sensational Open POETRY Mike; Hosted by Kat Georges
Neo-Surrealist JANET HAMILL has performed widely in NYC, across the country and in Europe at museums, venues and festivals such as St. Marks Church, The People’s Poetry Gathering, The Walt Whitman Cultural Center, the Andy Warhol Museum, The Rubin Museum, Cathedral of St. John the Divine, and Patti Smith’s Meltdown Festival in London. She has released two CD’s of spoken word and music in collaboration with the band Moving Star (Bob Torsello, Jay LoRubbio and Greg Feller, all members of the band Shrubs). Flying Nowhere (Yes No Maybe Records, 2000) was produced by Lenny Kaye and executive-produced by Bob Holman; the CD featured cameo performances by Lenny Kaye and Patti Smith. Genie of the Alphabet (Not Records 2005), produced by Janet Hamill and Bob Torsello, featured cameos by Lenny Kaye, Patti Smith, Bob Holman and beat legend David Amram. Moving Star, now reconfigured as Lost Ceilings with new guitarist Mark McNutt, is presently developing material for their first CD.

NYC Native Linda Lerner & Andrew Boston set to spark up Son of a Pony Friday Jan. 20

2012-01-11T19:40:00.002-05:00

Three Rooms Press & Cornelia Street Café present

SON OF A PONY Poetry Reading Series

FRIDAY, January 20, 6 pm

Featured poet: Linda Lerner

Spotlight poet: Andrew Boston

PLUS NYC's Sensational Open POETRY Mike

Hosted by Kat Georges

Following a raucous time to kickstart 2012 at the 4th Annual NYC Charles Bukowski Poetry Reading on January 6th, Son of a Pony shimmers again on Friday, January 20 with featured readings by NY native Linda Lerner, rock solid up and comer Andrew Boston, and NYC's best open reading, hosted by Three Room Press's stimulating Kat Georges.

LINDA LERNER's most recent poetry collection "Takes Guts & Years Sometimes" (NY Quarterly Books, 2011) is a heartfelt work that examines how to maintain a sense of beauty and humor in the face of adversity. Lerner has authored 12 other poetry collection; several were Small Press Reviews' picks. Her work has been published in numerous journals including New York Quarterly, Onthebus, Van Gog's Ear, Lips, and more. A native New Yorker, she has read widely throughout the U.S.

ANDREW BOSTON recently released his first chapbook "Elvis at 21." His work has been published in the Uphook press anthology "Gape seed" and he hosts a Sunday reading series at ABC No Rio on the Lower East Side. He is currently studying at NYU and serving as poetry editor for the upcoming issue of Tribes magazine.

Cornelia Street Cafe is at 29 Cornelia Street, between W. 4th Street & Bleecker, just around the corner from the W. 4th Street subway station. Phone: 212-989-9319. www.corneliastreetcafe.com

TRP poets talk about Bukowski on WBAI (Jan. 2 at 2pm EST)

2012-01-01T23:06:00.000-05:00

January 2 at 2 PM EST: Tune into KBAI 99.5 fm (available online at kbai.org!) and hear TRP's own Peter Carlaftes and Angelo Verga talking about Charles Bukowski on Janet Coleman's Cat Radio Cafe show. Call in with comments! And be sure to join us on Friday at 6pm at Cornelia Street Cafe for the 4th annual NYC Bukowski Poetry Tribute. Details in this week's New Yorker magazine (how cool is that?!).

Happy Holidays from Three Rooms Press

2011-12-23T08:06:00.002-05:00

Happy Holidays

and may all your dreams come true in 2012!

Best wishes,

The Editors

Three Rooms Press

Enjoy the holidays and get ready for 2012. Three Rooms Press has big plans for 2012, including the release of On and Off Bass, a photo-memoir by premier punk rock bassist Mike Watt, and new poetry books by Kat Georges, Hala Alyan, Robert Gibbons and the fifth edition of Maintenant, a journal of contemporary dada literature and art. Plus we’ll be releasing our first of many e-books, and developing a whole new genre of digital publications. So stay tuned and enjoy!

Poets Stephen Caratzas & Henrikje Stanze shine at Son of a Pony Friday 12/16

2011-12-07T19:07:00.003-05:00

Three Rooms Press
and Cornelia Street Cafe

present

SON OF A PONY
Poetry Reading Series

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 16, 2011, 6 pm

Featured poet: Stephen Caratzas

Spotlight poet: Henrikje Stanze

PLUS NYC's Sensational Open POETRY Mike

Hosted by Kat Georges

STEPHEN CARATZAS is a writer, visual artist and musician living in Hastings-on-Hudson, New York. His poetry has appeared in Terra Incognita, the tiny, Maintenant 5 and many other print and online journals. His band, Gert Fröbe, is currently working on an album tentatively entitled "I Will." He has worked as a legal proofreader, financial journalist and dot.com content strategist and spent 15 years playing guitar in a dozen or so New York-based rock bands. His poetry is inspired by the work of William S. Burroughs, Lou Reed, Bukowski and David Lynch.

HENRIKJE STANZE is a poet and performer based in Hanover, Germany. She is also an assistant professor of nursing science, and a leading figure for the Alzheimers Poetry Project in Germany. She is working on a thesis to prove that poetry can improve the quality of life for Alzheimers patients and reduce their need for medication. Her poetry is sharp and incisive, with a strong emotional current. This reading marks her U.S. debut.

The featured reading follows the renowned Son of a Pony open reading at the cafe, hosted and curated by Kat Georges. Doors open at 5:45 p.m.; open reading begins at 6 p.m. Admission is $7, which includes a free drink.

Cornelia Street Cafe is at 29 Cornelia Street, between W. 4th Street & Bleecker, just around the corner from the W. 4th Street subway station. Phone: 212-989-9319. www.corneliastreetcafe.com

Call for Submissions: Maintenant 6 Dada Poetry + Art + Film Journal

2011-11-26T18:21:00.000-05:00

Be a part of the 5th annual Three Rooms Press New York DaDa Poetry Salon, by submitting your DaDa-inspired poetry, art or video to Maintenant6, A Journal of Contemporary Dada Poetry & Art.

Our concept is inspired by DaDa instigator and Three Rooms Press spiritual advisor Arthur Cravan —who created the very first ‘zine in the world with his publication Maintenant and we’re proud to carry on the tradition.

We’re excited about this year’s new perfect bound format, and we’re looking for the best Neo-Dada work ever to publish.

In the past four annual issues, we received increasingly bolder work from Neo-Dadaists worldwide. We are now honored to be included in the Museum of Modern Art Archives.

DECLARE ART ON WAR!!!

Please submit short pieces—full of the intensity and madness
that reflect the age we live in. Poems should be no longer
than 20 lines.

As for art: We LOVE Dada-inspired poetic word art, collage and photography. All art must be submitted in jpeg format, high resolution (300 dpi, 4×5 in). Black & White only.

Also, This Year (for the first time) —We're looking for short
(1-5 minute max) Dada inspired videos which will be posted
on the upcoming Three Rooms Press Maintenant series website.

DEADLINE FOR SUBMISSIONS: JANUARY 31, 2012

Maintenant6 will be distributed at the Three Rooms Press
DaDa Poetry Salon on Friday, March 16th, 2012.

Send your submissions to editor@threeroomspress.com

Gary Indiana and Jeffrey Cyphers Wright at Son of a Pony NYC 12/2

2011-11-22T21:26:00.002-05:00

Three Rooms Press and
Cornelia Street Cafe

present

SON OF A PONY
Poetry Reading Series

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 2, 2011
6 pm

Featured poet: Gary Indiana

Spotlight poet: Jeffrey Cyphers Wright

PLUS NYC's Sensational Open POETRY Mike

Hosted by Kat Georges

GARY INDIANA is the author of several poetry books, plays and novels, the most recent of which is The Shanghai Gesture. His collaboration with Louise Bourgeois, To Whom It May Concern, was published in 2011 by Robert Violette Editions.

JEFFREY CYPHERS WRIGHT is best known as a poet and author of 11 books of verse. He is also the former publisher of Cover and is currently the editor of Live Mag! His artwork has been in numerous shows, most recently at Tribes Gallery. He writes criticism for Artnexus and The Brooklyn Rail. www.livemagnyc.com

Cornelia Street Cafe is at 29 Cornelia Street, between W. 4th Street & Bleecker, just around the corner from the W. 4th Street subway station. Phone: 212-989-9319. www.corneliastreetcafe.com

Hail To Fulfill

2011-11-07T01:04:00.000-05:00

Thank You, Br Lyon
Brant
Took it all the Way
Beyond
what else allows

No less than most

Ms Hala Alyan
who handled
speaking
spoken
words

then
Ms Jane Ormerod
reality the game
the thought
one step behind
her words

and
Kat Georges
breathing
fire
Past
the uninspired
no one
ever less
the wiser

Perfect

bonded
worth
transmitting
only

tomorrow
leaves us
lonely

what a night
absolving loss

You Are White Inside
oh My

Three Rooms Press

B.R. Lyon Book Launch at Bowery Poetry Club Sunday, 11/6 8pm

2011-11-05T11:00:00.001-05:00

Three Rooms Press presents

Occupy Book Launch

A Passionate Book Launch

for "You Are White Inside"
by B.R. Lyon

reading and signing
by B.R. Lyon

plus preview readings by
Three Rooms Press authors

Hala Alyan | Peter Carlaftes

Kat Georges | Jane Ormerod

with musical guests

The JDs featuring Bob Musial

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 6, 8 PM

BOWERY POETRY CLUB

Three Rooms Press launches its latest release with a thrilling book launch full of powerful multimedia readings and music on Sunday, November 6, 8 p.m. at the world-famous Bowery Poetry Club (308 Bowery, New York, NY, (212) 614-0505).

You Are White Inside by B.R. Lyon (Three Rooms Press, ISBN 978-0-9835813-2-1) is a fierce new poetry collection by a fine and fearless New York-based poet, featuring work largely inspired by his real-life, ongoing, intimate relationship with a Muslim man in Cairo, Egypt. Daring and innovative, Lyon seeks fresh angles and inspiring language with equal touches of awe, shock, and tenderness.

In addition, Hala Alyan, Peter Carlaftes, Kat Georges and Jane Ormerod will present phenomenal multimedia previews of their upcoming books.

PLUS: the event will feature a rare performance by downtown's great rockin' r&b band The J.D.s, headed by soulful crooner Bob Musial.

Doors open at 7:45. Show starts promptly at 8:00. Tickets $8 at the door. For details, including author interviews, review copies and media kits, email info@threeroomspress.com.

UK Poet Valerie Laws Lights Up Cornelia Street Cafe Friday, Nov. 4

2011-10-29T11:20:00.000-05:00

Three Rooms Press & Cornelia Street Cafe present

SON OF A PONY Poetry Reading Series

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 2011, 6 pm

Featured poet: Valerie Laws

PLUS NYC's Electrifying Open POETRY Mike

Hosted by Kat Georges

Valerie Laws (www.valerielaws.co.uk) is a UK poet and sci-art specialist. Her new book All That Lives arises from Residencies at a London Pathology Museum, and at Newcastle University's Institute for Ageing and Health, working with scientists to write poetry about the brain, its bizarre beauty and life cycle. Her ten books include poetry collections, crime fiction, and drama. She has written 12 commissioned plays for stage and BBC radio. Many prizes, including Wellcome Trust Arts Award, twice prize winner in National Poetry competition. Invents new forms of poetry and devises science-themed poetry installations and commissions including the infamous Quantum Sheep, an Arts Council funded project spray-painting random haiku onto live sheep. She featured in BBC2 TV's Why Poetry Matters, with Griff Rhys Jones. Poetry AV installations have featured in public exhibitions in London and Newcastle. Many residencies, including in Egypt.

The featured reading follows the renowned Son of a Pony open reading at the cafe, hosted and curated by the smashing Kat Georges. Doors open at 5:45 p.m.; open reading begins at 6 p.m. Admission is $7, which includes a free drink.

Cornelia Street Cafe is at 29 Cornelia Street, between W. 4th Street & Bleecker, just around the corner from the W. 4th Street subway station. Phone: 212-989-9319. www.corneliastreetcafe.com

Links:

Quantum Sheep

http://www.valerielaws.co.uk/science/sheep.html

Balls

http://edinburghfestival.list.co.uk/event/10005286-quantum-sheep-and-a-load-of-balls/

Poets James Richardson & Kelli Stevens Kane Light Up Son of a Pony

2011-10-14T11:17:00.001-05:00

Three Rooms Press
and Cornelia Street Cafe

present

SON OF A PONY Poetry Reading Series

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 21, 2011, 6 pm

Featured poet: James Richardson

Spotlight poet: Kelli Stevens Kane

PLUS NYC's Sensational Open POETRY Mike

Hosted by Kat Georges

JAMES RICHARDSON is the recipient of the 2011 Jackson Poetry Prize. His most recent books are By the Numbers: Poems and Aphorisms, which was a finalist for the National Book Award, Interglacial: New and Selected Poems and Aphorisms, a finalist for the National Book Critics Circle Award, and Vectors: Aphorisms and Ten-Second Essays. He teaches at Princeton University and his is regularly published in New Yorker.

KELLI STEVENS KANE's first poetry manuscript, Hallelujah Science, was selected as a finalist for the 2011 Four Way Books Levis Poetry Prize. She's a Cave Canem Fellow; a Flight School Fellow; and an alum of the Callaloo, VONA, and Hurston/Wright poetry workshops. She's also the recipient of a merit based scholarship to a playwrighting workshop at the Norman Mailer Center, and the author of an oral history manuscript about Pittsburgh's Hill District.

Cornelia Street Cafe is at 29 Cornelia Street, between W. 4th Street & Bleecker, just around the corner from the W. 4th Street subway station. Phone: 212-989-9319. www.corneliastreetcafe.com

Obsidian & Hobobob Deliver at Son of a Pony 10/7

2011-09-28T14:00:00.002-05:00

Three Rooms Press and Cornelia Street Cafe

present

SON OF A PONY Poetry Reading Series

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 7, 2011, 6 pm

Featured poet: "Obsidian!!!"

Spotlight poet: Hobobob

PLUS NYC's Sensational Open POETRY Mike

Hosted by Kat Georges

"OBSIDIAN!!!" is a mystical beat poet, who's been spreading hismystical vibrations for the past 21 years. . "OBSIDIAN!!!'" has been published in several journals, such as "Diner with the Muse", "The Brownstone Poets Anthology", "Nomads Choir", "Stained Sheets", and "Eroto", to name a few, and he has a poetry blogsite: "OBSIDIAN"!!! The Mystic PoetTakes New York".

HOBOBOB is from Brooklyn and has lived in the streets, and now a flophouse on Broadway. He writes homeless and unrequited love poems and is a published poet on several online sites and journals, such as OctoberBabies, Stained Sheets, the Nomad’s Choir, and Brownstone Poets. He has featured in many New York City poetry venues the likes of the Saturn Series, Deacon Blue, and STARK at the Payan Theater. He does readings at the Borough of Manhattan Community College, and was the Co-

Together, "OBSIDEAN" and HOBOBOB cohosted the famous 'Time Square Shout Out!', in Time Square, and the 'SHOUT OUT AT OTTOS!'-at Ottos Shrunken Head, in the lower East Side. They were also featured on the NPR radio show, This American Life.

The featured reading follows the wondrous Son of a Pony open reading at the cafe. Poet & amiable mistress of ceremonies Kat Georges curates and hosts. Doors open at 5:45 p.m.; open reading begins at 6 p.m. Admission is $7, which includes a free drink.

Cornelia Street Cafe is at 29 Cornelia Street, between W. 4th Street & Bleecker, just around the corner from the W. 4th Street subway station. Phone: 212-989-9319. www.corneliastreetcafe.com

Review: Lucky Tubb & The Modern Day Troubadours @ Hill Country NYC

2011-09-25T00:59:00.011-05:00

Damn the luck! A show which should have been packed to the gills with pure music purists seeking absolution was darn near empty and a sorry showing for NYC's golden wings of support when the living legend known as Lucky Tubb and the Modern Day Troubadours strutted into a stellar two-set show at Hill Country on W. 26th St.

Rolling into the big city with a 4-piece, no-percussion ensemble, the Luckster blew the lid off the BBQ-joint with hits from his neo-roots-country album "Damn the Luck" along with a spattering of old style country covers and soon-to-be classic tracks off the new CD "Del Gaucho".

The style is stripped down honky-tonk early Haggard-esque purity. Hank Williams rides again. Lucky's got a country voice to die for, inherited from his great uncle Ernest Tubb. That such a raw, rare talent should be playing for a BBQ-chomping crowd of born yesterdays is a tough road to hoe. When the kitchen closed, the tables emptied. But the 30-odd folks who stuck around got a real treat.

Lucky Tubb is the real deal as his 2 long sets proved repeatedly. As a punk rock enthusiast, we believe in purity, and LT provided such solid purity it was difficult to do anything but dance, dance, dance and give birth to the two-step in us all.

Lucky Tubb is well worth checking out on his new CD "Del Gaucho." Maybe if you give it a listen, you'll be with us dancing your ass off at the next NYC gig. We'll let you know when and where. Meanwhile check out the solid sounds at my personal fave, Bakersfield (and a song he did live at the Hill Country gig, singing the female part himself, per request, bless him.

Opening for Lucky Tubb was Ronnie Hymes, whose plaintive voice and singular guitar playing set the perfect honky tonk tone for night.

Poet George Spencer Launches new book at Cornelia Street Cafe 9/23 6pm

2011-09-07T15:17:00.008-05:00

Three Rooms Press & Cornelia Street Cafe

present

SON OF A PONY Poetry Reading Series

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 23, 2011, 6 pm

Featured poet: George Spencer (book launch for "Unpious Pilgrim")

Spotlight poet: Nicca Ray

PLUS NYC's Sensational Open POETRY Mike

Hosted by Kat Georges

ALL PROCEEDS FROM THE SALE OF UNPIOUS PILGRIM

GO TO SAVING TRIBES & STEVE CANNON’S HOME

George Spencer's brand new poetry collection, Unpious Pilgrim (Fly By Night Press, 2011), makes its debut at this Son of a Pony reading. According to Michael Graves, "Its movement from a lighthearted satire of Language Poetry and the School of Ashbery to a passionate concern for sexual honesty and political and social justice and freedom entails the exposure and ridicule of hypocrisy and is memorable." Spencer has two previous books: Screw the Muses and The Obscene Richness Of Our Times. He is the director of two cable shows, one about poetry and the other about multimedia artists. He is the founding editor of faroutfurthertoutoutofsight, an Internet and hard copy multimedia literary magazine. He is also a painter, sculptor and videographer. He lives in New York City and Quito, Ecuador. He has just returned from Prague where he read his work at PEN International

and at the National Gallery.

Opening for George is special guest poet, fiction writer, actor, producer/director and playwright Nicca Ray.

The featured reading follows the fabulous Son of a Pony open reading at the cafe. Poet & insightful mistress of ceremonies Kat Georges curates and hosts. Doors open at 5:45 p.m.; open reading begins at 6 p.m. Admission is $7, which includes a free drink.

Cornelia Street Cafe is at 29 Cornelia Street, between W. 4th Street & Bleecker, just around the corner from the W. 4th Street subway station. Phone: 212-989-9319. www.corneliastreetcafe.com

Poets Amber Atiya & Ngoma Electrify You 9/2 at Cornelia St. Cafe

2011-08-27T20:12:00.002-05:00

Three Rooms Press & Cornelia Street Cafe
present
SON OF A PONY Poetry Reading Series

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 2, 2011
Featured poets: Amber Atiya and Ngoma
PLUS NYC's Sensational Open POETRY Mike
Hosted & curated by Kat Georges

AMBER ATIYA is an electrifying presence in the New York poetry scene, with an intense body of work that slices fresh emotional grooves on stage and page. Her poetry has been published in Word Riot, Cartier Street Review, Drunken Poet and Tribes Magazine and she is co-founder of a weekly women's writing group, currently celebrating its nine-year anniversary.

NGOMA is a performance poet, multi-instrumentalist, singer/songwriter and paradigm shifter, who for over 40 years has used culture as a tool to raise sociopolitical and spiritual consciousness through work that encourages critical thought. A former member of the Spirit House Movers and Players with Amiri Baraka and the Contemporary Freedom Song Duo, Serious Bizness, Ngoma weaves poetry and song that raises contradictions and searches for a solution for a just and peaceful world. He has been published in African Voices Magazine, Long Shot Anthology, The Underwood Review, Signifyin' Harlem Review, Bum Rush the Page/Def Poetry Jam Anthology, and more. His new CD -- Ngoma/Poetry from a Smartphone — was recently released and will be available at the show, on PoetCD.com and iTunes.

The featured reading follows the fabulous Son of a Pony open reading at the cafe. Poet & insightful mistress of ceremonies Kat Georges curates and hosts. Doors open at 5:45 p.m.; open reading begins at 6 p.m. Admission is $7, which includes a free drink.

Cornelia Street Cafe is at 29 Cornelia Street, between W. 4th Street & Bleecker, just around the corner from the W. 4th Street subway station. Phone: 212-989-9319. www.corneliastreetcafe.com

Poets Bernard Block & Erik Richmond Blast Off this Friday at Cornelia St. Cafe, NYC

2011-08-15T16:57:00.003-05:00

Three Rooms Press & Cornelia Street Cafe

present

SON OF A PONY Poetry Reading Series

FRIDAY, AUGUST 19, 2011

Featured poet: Bernard Block

Spotlight poet: Erik Richmond

PLUS NYC's Sensational Open POETRY Mike

Hosted by Kat Georges

BERNARD BLOCK was born and raised in Bensonhurst, Brooklyn, where he began writing poetry as a teenager. After college, he hitch-hiked to the West Coast in the mid-60s in support of the anti-Vietnam War movement, then wound up in the heart of Haight-Ashbury during the 1967 Summer of Love, before returning to NYC in the late 60s. His poetry poetry is published in numerous university presses, as well as in several chapbooks including The Quest, Prometheus Returns, Portraits, and To Music. His artistic vision is inspired by jazz and the melting pot of cultures that make up the New York City poetry scene. He currently hosts monthly poetry readings at his Park Slope apartment, with musicians and poets combining to make new creations.

Chicago native ERIK RICHMOND is a writer and poet who currently lives in Queens. He has been reading his work in public since the early Nineties, and has performed at numerous open mikes in Chicago and New York, including the original Pink Pony series. He recently finished writing his first novel, and is starting work on a second.

The featured reading follows the fabulous Son of a Pony open reading at the cafe. Poet & delightful mistress of ceremonies Kat Georges hosts. Doors open at 5:45 p.m.; the open reading begins at 6 p.m. Admission is $7, which includes a free drink.

Cornelia Street Cafe is at 29 Cornelia Street, between W. 4th Street & Bleecker, just around the corner from the W. 4th Street subway station. Phone: 212-989-9319. www.corneliastreetcafe.com

Kat Georges & Jane Ormerod fire up poetry at Guns of August DDAY show on 8/10 at Bowery Poetry Club

2011-08-09T08:24:00.002-05:00

DDAY PRODUCTIONS PRESENTS GUNS OF AUGUST!
POETRY & PERFORMANCE!
Hosted by the one and only BIG MIKE, produced by BIG MIKE, PUMA PERL, and FAUX MAUX!

For our first show at the Bowery, we honor women who have held the doors open for other poets through the creation of venues, publications, small presses, and wild dancing! Our featured performers:

JANE ORMEROD - Jane is the author of the full-length poetry collection, Recreational Vehicles on Fire (Three Rooms Press, 2009), the chapbook 11 Films (Modern Metrics, 2008), and the spoken word CD Nashville Invades Manhattan. Look carefully and you may spot her in the ‘80’s cult horror movie classic Screamtime. Find out more at www.janeormerod.com.

KAT GEORGES - Kat's poetry collections include "Punk Rock Journal," and "Slow Dance at 120 Beats a Minute" (Three Rooms Press) and her first full-length collection, "Hunger Sinner" (due out in late 2011). She curates and hosts Son of a Pony, a bi-weekly poetry series at Cornelia Street Cafe in Greenwich Village, and is poetry editor of A Gathering of the Tribes magazine and Maintenant (annual contemporary dada poetry and art journal) and is also the founder & publisher of Three Rooms Press.

VIVIANA GRELL - She's the host of the Stark Reality Open Mic at Nola Studios in NYC is a writer/performer/dancer specializing in waking up the dead!! a wake up genie..through song, poetry and dance...published in numerous magazines and anthologies she has hosted Stark Reality since 2006 ....and continues to grow wings helping the young, the old, the numb, the mad ones in heaven and the angelic in hell...write write write!!!

And let us entertain you some more:

PUMA PERL – Poet/Writer/Performance Artist/Producer/Curator and co-creator of DDAY Productions and this event - author of the recently released book "knuckle tattoos," the award winning chapbook "Belinda and Her Friends," widely published in journals and anthologies, internationally!
http://pumaperl.blogspot.com/

FAUX MAUX - Lifetime performance artist/actress/ playwright and writer, she took her one-woman play, Lil' Red and few burlesque acts to Holland and Scotland. Now, she does the occasional stand-up and continues to create plays, perform outragous acts of art, and creative havoc here in New York City.

BIG MIKE - author of 2 books, 81 Pounds and Sibling Rivalry and appears in the anthology One Millimeter, all published by Pretty Pollution Press. Big Mike is known for his performance art and was awarded Best Neptune in the 2004 Mermaid Parade in Coney Island.

Join us at the historic Bowery Poetry Club!

OPEN MIC SIGN-UP 7:45!
$3 Admission, and for that price you can afford a drink!

http://www.bowerypoetry.com/

Check Out the Thrill that is Hans Condor!

2011-08-03T00:09:00.003-05:00

Nashville's own Hans Condor tore it up tonight at NYC's Mercury Lounge, with a blistering set that screamed intensity from start to finish. The trio, fronted by phenom guitar/vocalist Charles Kaster, kicked into high gear during the soundcheck and it was take no prisoners from then on. Bassist Erik and drummer Roger (The Brothers Holcombe) built the rock n' roll of Gilbralter from which Kaster plunged--literally--into a mad set of full throttle MC5/Husker Du-esque fury, with a touch of melodics via The Sweet.

They're opening for fellow Nashvillians The Ettes for at 27-city U.S. tour. Catch them 8/3 at The Knitting Factory in Brooklyn; 8/4 at the Escape to New York Festival in Southampton (w/Patti Smith, Best Coast, Chairlift, The Postelles and more) and for our West Coast fans--be sure to check them out at The Echo in Echo Park on 8/23.

Write it down, and see 'em now. Hans Condor. Oh, yeah.

Son of a Pony & Three Rooms Press rock the NY Poetry Festival This Saturday

2011-07-28T07:49:00.001-05:00

Join Son of a Pony and Three Rooms Press as poets take over Governor's Island for the FREE New York Poetry Festival Saturday & Sunday, July 30-31 from noon-5 each day.

The Son of a Pony Posse will read on SATURDAY, JULY 30 at 4:30 PM on the BRIGADIER stage. Featured poets include Hala Alyan, Peter Carlaftes, Kat Georges, Brant Lyon, and Jane Ormerod. During the reading, we'll have free giveaways including books, cds & more!

Meanwhile, Three Rooms Press will be there both days with a table showing our latest offerings for you to check out!

With over 30 reading series, 100 poets and tons of vendors on board, the festival connects disparate poetry communities by bringing poetry out of the dark bars and universities, to a place amongst elms, plein trees & sycamores on an island in the sun. Bring a picnic, blanket, sunscreen, and lots of water!

There will be a Pre-Fest Party and Fundraiser at the Bowery Poetry Club on Thursday, July 21st, 8pm-2am. Tickets are $10 and support this free festival. Hear curators of the series to be presented at NYPF read their work, and dance to live jazz from Shawn Randall and tracks from DJ Eliel Lucero, among others.

NYPF's sponsors include City Winery, Sixpoint Brewery, and Bowery Poetry Club.

Details available here: http://tpsny.org/

Amy Winehouse is Dead -- A Memorial Poem

2011-07-24T08:34:00.006-05:00

by Kat Georges

Amy Winehouse is dead.

She joined the 27 club with fellow members

Joplin, Hendrix, Morrison & Cobain.

I didn't think the young rebel stars

still died these days. That way.

It's a game these days.

You watch them self-destruct online

then they are cured and their careers

go down the drain.

But not this time.

Amy Winehouse is dead.

Her jazzy throaty swirl bent the rules

and brought her fame. It was her

who bent my ears and made me

pay attention, sway. Those words,

so today, swimming in a stream of

olden beats and minor riffs.

She sang about rehab and vodka and love

and cheating and heartache and pills and

scoring and pubs and baths and bed and

sex and life and lust and hurt and fear

and yes it was pop but it was so deep

and heavy and light at the same time

and you got the feeling that she knew

she knew

she knew something about the core

the center the invisible needles that

sew us up in modern society. The things

that make us rot and make us thrive and

are more real that fluff that is the stuff

we now believe in. She was under skin

and twisted the fake smiles that became

the norm when everyone got their own

camera phone. And she is dead, she's

gone, she ain't coming back.

She's not going to Rehab. She's not going

anywhere. Amy Winehouse is dead and all

those gossip pages are going to have to

find someone new to tear to pieces.

She should have known better Mick and Keith

said. We made the mistakes so she wouldn't

have to. Talking like fathers about their errant

daughter. Daughters don't listen. The ones like

Amy Winehouse have to strip it down, they have

to burn the finish, they got to get to the core and

build fresh. These days it takes a lot of work

to undo the layers of who you are supposed to be.

Amy Winehouse is dead. She stripped it to the core.

She made me burn hearing words and a voice that

slipped in and out of the unreal she made real.

And she is dead. She is gone. She is finished.

She is done. Amy Winehouse is dead and every

Twitter feed and Facebook status update broadcasts

the fact that it was -- after all -- just a matter of time.

Omitting that fact that it's just a matter of time for us all.

Some burn slow. Some bright. Some dim.

And some burn with such intensity they glimmer

in their sleep. A glow. Amy Winehouse is dead.

They all say we told you so.

and then they say

Who's next?

Poets Aimee Herman and Eric Alter Rock the Mic at Son of a Pony 8/5

2011-07-23T09:27:00.002-05:00

Three Rooms Press

presents

Son of a Pony Poetry Reading Series

FRIDAY, AUGUST 5, 2011
Featured poet: Aimee Herman
Spotlight poet: Eric Alter
PLUS NYC's Sensational Open POETRY Mike
With Special Guest Host Jane Ormerod

AIMEE HERMAN is a queer performative poet who has been featured at various NYC reading series and venues including: In the Flesh Erotic salon, Hyper Gender, Red Umbrella Diaries, and Sideshow: Queer Lit Carnival. Her poetry can be read in Cliterature Journal, InStereo Press, Audio Zine, Pregnant Moon Review and anthologies such as Best Women's Erotica 2010 (Cleis Press), Nice Girls, Naughty Sex (Seal), and hell strung and crooked (Uphook Press).

ERIC ALTER is an electric, thrilling Staten Island-based poet, writer and photographer.

The featured reading follows the fabulous Son of a Pony open reading at the cafe. For this reading we have a special guest hostess, the impressive poet & publisher Jane Ormerod. Doors open at 5:45 p.m.; the open reading begins at 6 p.m. Admission is $7, which includes a free drink.

Son of a Pony is on the 1st & 3rd Fridays of the month, and is curated by Kat Georges. Cornelia Street Cafe is at 29 Cornelia Street, between W. 4th Street & Bleecker, just around the corner from the W. 4th Street subway station. Phone: 212-989-9319. www.corneliastreetcafe.com

Tribes Magazine Launch Party at Poets House Today

2011-07-23T09:25:00.001-05:00

Today at 5!

Tribes Magazine Launch Party

Poets House, NYC!

Poets House
10 River Terrace New York, NY
(212) 431-7920
July 23rd 5-7pm.
The cover charge will be $10 and will include a copy of the new magazine (priced at $12.95). Attendance is free for contributors, so register at the door. Refreshments will be available.

Featuring readings by: Steve Dalachinsky, Kat Georges, Robert Gibbons, Jee Leong Koh, Puma Perl, Yuko Otomo, Amy Ouzoonian, and Kyrce Swenson with a musical performance by Bible Gun.

Tribes 13 features writers and artists including poetry by Adonis, Ellen Bass, and Bob Holman, short stories by Marc Olmstead and Dennis Doherty, visual art by Vidya Gastaldon, David Haines, and David Hammons, along with interviews with Amiri Baraka and Theresa Byrnes, and much more.

Poets Karen Hildebrand & Avi Frishman Ride the Pony 7/15

2011-07-09T11:30:00.005-05:00

FRIDAY, JULY 15, 2011

Featured poet: Karen Hildebrand

Spotlight poet: Avi Frishman

PLUS NYC's Top Open POETRY Mike

Hosted by Kat Georges

KAREN HILDEBRAND co-wrote and performed in “The Old In-and-Out,” a two-woman play that premiered to a sold-out audience at The Bowery Poetry Club in 2009 (work from the play is in the Three Rooms Press book of the same name). Her poetry is published in the chapbook "One Foot Out the Door" on Three Rooms Press (Our first poetry book produced in NYC!), as well as in a variety of journals including Blue Mesa Review, G.W. Review, Maintenant (contemporary dada writing & art), Meridian Anthology, Slipstream, Fourteen Hills, A Gathering of the Tribes, and is forthcoming in the Uphook Press anthology, -gape-seed-. She was nominated for a 2010 Pushcart Prize, and her manuscript “Need” was a finalist for the Center for Book Arts Chapbook Competition judged by Kim Addonizio.

EVEN "AVI" TZVI FRISHMAN is a poet and fiction writer. His writing is largely informed by Zen, and the places he has travelled, the places he has lived, and those he calls home; among them, Albuquerque, New Mexico, Miami, Florida, Buffalo Grove, Illinois and Kfar Chabad, Tel Aviv and Jerusalem, Israel. He currently lives and writes in the Yorkville section of New York City, and in Kerhonkson, in the Catskill mountains of New York State.

The featured reading follows the stupendous Son of a Pony open reading at the cafe. Poet & highly illustrative mistress of ceremonies Kat Georges hosts. Doors open at 5:45 p.m.; the open reading begins at 6 p.m. Admission is $7, which includes a free drink.

Cornelia Street Cafe is at 29 Cornelia Street, between W. 4th Street & Bleecker, just around the corner from the W. 4th Street subway station. Phone: 212-989-9319. www.corneliastreetcafe.com

July 1: Meyer Lansky Tribute Poetry Reading feat. Poems about Crime @ Cornelia St. Cafe 6pm

2011-06-26T21:54:00.008-05:00

Three Rooms Press presents:

Friday, July 1, 2011 - 6pm

Cornelia St Cafe

Son of a Pony

THE FIRST EVER

MEYER LANSKY

TRIBUTE

POETRY READING

with a focus on

Poems About Crime

Featured poets:

Stephen Caratzas

Peter Carlaftes

Michael Fiorito

Puma Perl

Thomas Pryor

PLUS NYC's

Sensational

Open POETRY Mike

on the same Topic

Hosted by Kat Georges

MEYER LANSKY (known as the "Mob's Accountant"), was a Polish-born American organized crime figure who, along with his associate Charles "Lucky" Luciano, was instrumental in the development of the National Crime Syndicate in the United States. For decades he was thought to be one of the most powerful people in the country. The character Hyman Roth in The Godfather Part II was largely based on Lansky. Although Forbes listed him as one of the 400 wealthiest people in America in September 1982, with a net worth of $100 million, when he died less than 4 months later, he left his heirs less than $37,000 in cash. Like many of today's white collar criminals, Lansky was never arrested.

Lansky represents a powerful aspect of America that operates in the shadows, a second-tier of players with criminal ties that shapes history largely out of the limelight. On the 109th anniversary of his date of birth, (July 4, 1902), Three Rooms Press presents the first ever Meyer Lansky Tribute Reading, with poems that explore crime and criminal activity.

Featured poets include Stephen Caratzas, Peter Carlaftes (author of Drunkyard Dog & A Year on Facebook), Michael Fiorito, Puma Perl (author of Knuckle Tattoos), and Thomas Pryor.

The featured reading follows the fabulous Son of a Pony open reading at the cafe. During the open reading, readers with poems about crime will share their work. Poet & mistress of ceremonies Kat Georges hosts. Doors open at 5:45 p.m.; the open reading begins at 6 p.m. Admission is $7, which includes a free drink.

Cornelia Street Cafe is at 29 Cornelia Street, between W. 4th Street & Bleecker, just around the corner from the W. 4th Street subway station. Phone: 212-989-9319. www.corneliastreetcafe.com

Now Accepting Submissions: NYC-based contemporary short fiction

2011-06-22T21:18:00.004-05:00

Coming this Fall from THREE ROOMS PRESS—

HAVE A NYC: Tall Tales from The City
—Now Accepting Submissions—

Three Rooms Press is ecstatic to announce the upcoming publication of "HAVE A NYC: Tall Tales from The City," an anthology of short fiction with a New York City setting. We're currently accepting submissions via email. Deadline is September 21, 2011.

Daytime. Nighttime. Anytime. Despite myriad changes in the past decades, New York City is still a thriving hub of activity, where magic, mischief and malady collide on any given corner at any given time.

The "HAVE A NYC" anthology will include beautiful, hard-bitten narrative fiction based in the city that still never sleeps. All contemporary fictional subject matter will be considered. All submissions must be minimum 1,000 words and maximum 2,500 words.

Tap the energy of NYC and make it your own. Take your idea and run through the streets. See your creation come to life in "HAVE A NYC: Tall Tales from The City."

All submissions must be received no later than September 21, 2011 at midnight EST.

Email your piece (one at a time/no more than two) as an attached Word file to editor @ threeroomspress (dot) com

Thanks —Looking Forward to Submissions.

Ron Kolm & Rami Shamir Light Up Cornelia Street Friday, June 17

2011-06-10T06:46:00.002-05:00

FRIDAY, JUNE 17, 2011

Featured poet: Ron Kolm

Spotlight poet: Rami Shamir

PLUS NYC's Sensational Open POETRY Mike

Hosted by Kat Georges

RON KOLM is one of the founding members of the Unbearables literary collective, and an editor of several of their anthologies; Crimes of the Beats, Help Yourself! and The Worst Book I Ever Read. He is also the co-author, with Jim Feast, of Neo Phobe, and the author of the Plastic Factory and Welcome to the Barbecue. Kolm’s papers were purchased by the New York University library, where they’ve been catalogued in the Fales Collection as part of the Downtown Writers Group. He has worked in most of New York City’s independent bookstores, including the Strand, St. Mark’s Bookshop and Coliseum Books. He currently works for Posman Books in Grand Central Station.

RAMI SHAMIR’s novel TRAIN TO POKIPSE has been called “a Catcher in the Rye for the new century” by renowned American publisher, Barney Rosset. The author has drawn further comparisons—spanning from Dickens to Kerouac to Whitman—from such cultural luminaries as Gary Indiana, Penny Arcade, Holly Woodlawn, and Phoebe Legere.

The featured reading follows the fabulous Son of a Pony open reading at the cafe. Poet & superlative mistress of ceremonies Kat Georges hosts. Doors open at 5:45 p.m.; the open reading begins at 6 p.m. Admission is $7, which includes a free drink.

Cornelia Street Cafe is at 29 Cornelia Street, between W. 4th Street & Bleecker, just around the corner from the W. 4th Street subway station. Phone: 212-989-9319. www.corneliastreetcafe.com

Ryan Buynak & Carmen Mojica Rock the Pony this Friday, June 3, 2011

2011-06-01T07:41:00.003-05:00

FRIDAY, JUNE 3, 2011

Featured poet: Ryan Buynak

Spotlight poet: Carmen Mojica

PLUS NYC's Sensational Open POETRY Mike

Hosted by Kat Georges

RYAN BUYNAK has published in magazines and anthologies all over the country. He has also found new, wide popularity in places like Montreal and Berlin. His first book, Yo Quiero Mas Sangre: Random Acts of Poetry by Ryan Buynak, describes everyday life in this Hipster Generation with such humor, insight, tenderness, and brutal honesty. He has two new books coming out this year, including The Ghost of the Wooden Squid: Random Acts of Poetry and a short novel, Eating Dirt. He lives by the motto: “My heart feels like a crocodile.”

CARMEN MOJICA is an Afro-Dominican woman born and raised in the Bronx. She is a poet, writer, workshop facilitator, and birth doula. In October 2009, she completed and self-published her literary work called ‘Hija De Mi Madre’ (My Mother’s Daughter), which is a combination of memoirs, poems and research material that not only explain the effects of race on identity from an academic standpoint but also shares her life as a living example.

The featured reading follows the fabulous Son of a Pony open reading at the cafe. Poet & phenomenal mistress of ceremonies Kat Georges hosts. Doors open at 5:45 p.m.; the open reading begins at 6 p.m. Admission is $7, which includes a free drink.

Cornelia Street Cafe is at 29 Cornelia Street, between W. 4th Street & Bleecker, just around the corner from the W. 4th Street subway station. Phone: 212-989-9319. www.corneliastreetcafe.com

Poets Hala Alyan & Jacob Victorine Rock the Pony Friday, May 20

2011-05-18T09:43:00.003-05:00

FRIDAY, MAY 20, 2011

Featured poet: Hala Alyan

Spotlight poet: Jacob Victorine

PLUS NYC's Best Open POETRY Mike

Hosted by Kat Georges

HALA ALYAN is a doctoral student, a psychologist-in-training, and a poet. Having lived all of the world, spanning from Oklahoma to Beirut, she tends to fall in love with cities and her latest object of affection is Manhattan. She writes relentlessly, with a deep passion and intense intimacy, tracing lines of global issues into personal spaces.

JACOB VICTORINE is a poet, emcee and performance artist born and bred on the Upper West Side of Manhattan. A 2009 graduate of Brooklyn College, he has won awards for both his poetry and literary criticism. His work appears in the Uphook Press anthology, "Hell Strung and Crooked."

The featured reading follows the fabulous Son of a Pony open reading at the cafe. Poet & most illuminating mistress of ceremonies Kat Georges hosts. Doors open at 5:45 p.m.; the open reading begins at 6 p.m. Admission is $7, which includes a free drink.

Cornelia Street Cafe is at 29 Cornelia Street, between W. 4th Street & Bleecker, just around the corner from the W. 4th Street subway station. Phone: 212-989-9319. www.corneliastreetcafe.com

You Gotta Have Hart--A Spring Literary Extravaganza

2011-05-11T17:16:00.000-05:00

Three Rooms Press presents

You Gotta Have Hart!

A Spring Literary Extravaganza!

featuring

A Preview of New Releases on Three Rooms Press

and A Celebration of Poet Bob Hart's 80th Birthday

with special performances by

RYAN BUYNAK | MICHAEL T. FOURNIER

THOMAS FUCALORO | KAT GEORGES | BOB HART
KAREN HILDEBRAND | CARMEN MOJICA

JANE ORMEROD | PUMA PERL | LIZA WOLSKY

plus outrageous predictions from
NOSE/THROAT DUMBASS (aka PETER CARLAFTES)

TUESDAY, MAY 17, 7:30 pm | $10

Bowery Poetry Club | 308 Bowery | 212-614-0505

Celebrate spring with NYC’s leading performance poets, honor esteemed New York Poet Bob Hart (Lightly in the Good of Day, Bench Press) on his 80th Birthday, and get a preview at new Three Rooms Press releases at the raucous extravaganza “You Gotta Have Hart!” on Tuesday, May 17, 7 pm at Bowery Poetry Club (308 Bowery, New York, NY (212) 614-0505).

Special poet-performers include: Ryan Buynak, Michael T. Fournier, Thomas Fucaloro, Kat Georges, Karen Hildebrand, Carmen Mojica, Jane Ormerod, Puma Perl and Liza Wolsky, offering new work and tributes to the birthday guest of honor. Later, the famed Twitter oracle “Nose/Throat Dumbass” (a.k.a. Peter Carlaftes) will present his latest outrageous predications on what will happen in the rest of 2011—and beyond. Plus we will have a special presentation to poet Bob Hart on his 80th birthday.

In addition, we’ll offer a sneak preview at upcoming Three Rooms Press books including:

--“Oil & Water,” a look at photography and tour diaries of punk bassist Mike Watt;

--“Hidden Wheel,” a punk rock underworld novel by Michael T. Fournier;

--“Hunger Sinner,” intense collected poems by Three Rooms Press Founder Kat Georges;

--“You Are White Inside,” new poetry by B.R. Lyon

--“Have a NYC Night®” a NYC-based short story anthology

Doors open at 6:45. Show starts promptly at 7:30. Tickets $10 at the door.

Legendary Downtown Poets Steve Dalachinsky & Yuko Otomo Featured in NYC Friday, May 6

2011-05-01T18:05:00.003-05:00

FRIDAY, MAY 6, 2011

Featured poet: Steve Dalachinsky

Spotlight poet: Yuko Otomo

PLUS NYC's Best Open POETRY Mike

Hosted by Kat Georges

STEVE DALACHINSKY was born after the last Big War & has managed tosurvive lots of little wars. His poems have appeared extensively in journals on & off line including, Big Bridge, Milk, Unlikely Stories, Xpressed, Evergreen Review, Long Shot, Alpha Beat Soup, Xtant, Blue Beat Jacket, Unbearable Assemblage Magazines, NY Arts Magazine, 88, Lost and Found Times, plus such anthologies as Beat Indeed, The Haiku Moment and the esteemed Outlaw Bible of American Poetry.

YUKO OTOMO's poetry has been read and heard internationally, including her native Japan. Her collections include "Small Poems," "The Hand of The Poet" (both Ugly Duckling Presse), "A Sunday Afternoon on the Isle of Museum" (Propaganda Press), and "Fragile" (Sisyphus Press).

The featured reading follows the fabulous Son of a Pony open reading at the cafe. Poet & breathless mistress of ceremonies Kat Georges hosts. Doors open at 5:45 p.m.; the open reading begins at 6 p.m. Admission is $7, which includes a free drink.

Cornelia Street Cafe is at 29 Cornelia Street, between W. 4th Street & Bleecker, just around the corner from the W. 4th Street subway station. Phone: 212-989-9319. www.corneliastreetcafe.com

Jee Leong Koh reads from new poetry book this Friday at Son of a Pony

2011-04-10T19:28:00.002-05:00

FRIDAY, APRIL 15, 2011

Featured poet: Jee Leong Koh

Spotlight poet: Talia Boylan

PLUS NYC's Best Open POETRY Mike

Hosted by Kat Georges

JEE LEONG KOH is the author of three poetry collections, including Payday Loans (2007, Poets Wear Prada Press) and Equal to the Earth (2009, Bench Press) and his brand new book Seven Studies for a Self Portrait, which will be launching at this event. His poetry has appeared in Best New Poets 2007 (University of Virginia Press) and Best Gay Poetry 2008 (A Midsummer's Night Press), and has also been nominated for the Pushcart Prize in 2008. Born in Singapore, he lives in New York City, and blogs at Song of a Reformed Headhunter (http://jeeleong.blogspot.com).

Spotlight poet TALIA BOYLAN is currently studying poetry at The Brearly School, and recently published a chapbook, "The Only Flat Place.

The featured reading follows the fabulous Son of a Pony open reading at the cafe. Poet & hospitable mistress of ceremonies Kat Georges hosts. Doors open at 5:45 p.m.; the open reading begins at 6 p.m. Admission is $7, which includes a free drink.

Cornelia Street Cafe is at 29 Cornelia Street, between W. 4th Street & Bleecker, just around the corner from the W. 4th Street subway station. Phone: 212-989-9319. www.corneliastreetcafe.com

Review: Mike Watt & the Missingmen @ Mercury Lounge 4/4/11

2011-04-06T07:36:00.026-05:00

Reverence. That's the word to best describe the reaction of the crowd during Mike Watt & the Missingmen's sizzling performance Monday night at the Mercury Lounge.

Reverence? Concert crowds are generally described as "reverent" at singer/songwriter shows, featuring tender voices flowing sad songs of failed romance and mini-memoirs of victimhood.

This wasn't that kind of show at all, which makes the reverence even more phenomenal. Taking the stage after a couple of between-band Coltrane songs, Watt and crew—guitarist Tom Watson and drummer Raul Morales—floored the packed house with a no-holds-barred, non-stop presentation of Hyphenated-Man, Watt's third opera, released in 2010 on the Clenched Wrench label.

It was a punkropera that hailed back to Watt's Minutemen roots and covered all the ground in-between. Thirty songs, inspired by Heironymous Bosch and played live—non-stop, in order—with such intensity that, if it hadn't been for gravity, the completely blown away crowd would have been thrust out the doors and onto Houston Street.

From the opening road beats of "Arrow-Pierced-Egg-Man," Watt led the charge, as lead singer playing unbelievable bass lines, that came across live at twice the potency of the incredible crush of the recorded version. The second one tune ended, the next one launched, turning 30 songs into one complete work, and leaving mere seconds for between-song applause.

The crowd listened so intently throughout, that it became a part of the show, riding the waves of contrast in each song, amazed by how all of these sounds and styles could come from the pen of one man, and the performance of just three. It was madcap dancing during the great segue from "Hollowed-Out-Man" to "Finger-Pointing-Man" (with its wondrous Minutemen styling).

On "Mouse-Headed-Man," with its acapella repeated whispered phrase, "like a mouse," the percussion was the heartbeats of everyone in the room. Contrast that with Watt's ferocious wailing in "Man-Shitting-Man," and it became clear that this performance was about limitlessness, about exploring all the facets of what it is to be alive. About Watt's (and Coltrane's and d. boon's and punk rock's) credo: Refuse to be a slave. Refuse to be an automaton. Live your life. Every. Second.

After the melodic final H-Man tune "Wheel-Bound-Man" left a few stunned seconds of "what did we just see" silence, the thunderous applause brought out the men for an encore. Watt and his bass moved from the spotlight to behind the drums and let six-string shredder Watson take over on spiel.

But how do you top what just happened? How about a six song follow-up including Minutemen classics "Toadies," "Black Sheep" (from the great 3-song 7-inch Joy), "The Glory of Man" and "Anxious Mo-Fo." Ghosts were all over the place, none more felt than d. boon, the guiding force behind the Minutemen and all that's happened with Watt ever since.

Opening acts included The Wicked Tomorrow, a jammin' duo with Michelle Feliciano playing meaty drums and Ian Jacobs kicking the show into a higher gear with his guitar work. Appomattox also rocked, with complex, yet catchy tunes, which—at 4-5 minutes each—were the longest songs of the night!

More great photos from Deed Runlea who reviewed the gig on his great new weekly radio show "Crust Never Sleeps" (Tuesdays, 10-midnight @ New Town Radio

Ocean Vuong & David Perez Read in NYC 4/1/11 @ Cornelia St. Cafe

2011-03-28T13:05:00.002-05:00

FRIDAY, APRIL 1, 2011

Featured poet: Ocean Vuong | Spotlight poet: David Perez

PLUS NYC's Best Open POETRY Mike | Hosted by Kat Georges

Born in 1988 in Saigon, Vietnam, Ocean Vuong is the author of Burnings (Sibling Rivalry Press 2011). He currently resides in New York City as an undergraduate English Major at Brooklyn College, CUNY. His poems have received an Academy of American Poets Prize, the Beatrice Dubin Rose Award, the Connecticut Poetry Society's Al Savard Award, as well as three Pushcart Prize nominations. His work appear in Word Riot, the Kartika Review, Lantern Review, SOFTBLOW, Asia Literary Review, and PANK among others. "It is not just that Ocean can render pain as a kind of loveliness, but that his poetic line will not let you forget the hurt or the garish brilliance of your triumph; will not let you look away. These poems shatter us detail by detail because Ocean leaves nothing unturned, because every lived thing in his poems demands to be fed by you; to nourish you in turn." --Roger Bonair-Agard, two time National Slam Champion, author of Tarnish and Masquerade

Writer, editor, journalist and actor David Pérez was born and raised in the South Bronx of parents of Puerto Rican descent. Growing up in the Millbrook Houses in the 1960s and navigating his way through Catholic school comprise much of the storyline for his “memoirito” Wow! (11B Press), which New York Times bestselling author Alisa Valdes-Rodriguez calls: "A coming-of-age story that is universal in scope: lovely, funny, rich and evocative." David has written hundreds of published articles and has performed on stage and film. He lives in Taos, New Mexico with his wife, poet Veronica Golos.

The featured reading follows the fabulous Son of a Pony open reading at the cafe. Poet & acclaimed mistress of ceremonies Kat Georges hosts. Doors open at 5:45 p.m.; the open reading begins at 6 p.m. Admission is $7, which includes a free drink.

Cornelia Street Cafe is at 29 Cornelia Street, between W. 4th Street & Bleecker, just around the corner from the W. 4th Street subway station. Phone: 212-989-9319. www.corneliastreetcafe.com

Poets Jane Ormerod & Elliott D. Smith rock the pony Friday March 4

2011-02-19T20:59:00.003-05:00

FRIDAY, MARCH 4, 2011

6 PM | CORNELIA STREET CAFE

SON OF A PONY POETRY SERIES

Featured poet: JANE ORMEROD

Spotlight poet: ELLIOTT D. SMITH

PLUS NYC's Best Open POETRY Mike: Hosted by Kat Georges

Jane Ormerod is the author of the full-length poetry collection, Recreational Vehicles on Fire (Three Rooms Press, 2009), the chapbook 11 Films (Modern Metrics, 2008), and the spoken word CD Nashville Invades Manhattan. Born in England, she now lives in New York City and performs extensively across the United States and beyond - San Francisco, Boston, Philadelphia, Salt Lake City, Britain, Canada, Ireland, and The Netherlands to name just a few places. She is a founding editor at Uphook Press.

Elliott D. Smith reps Louisville, Cincinnati, and Brooklyn. When he's not working with formerly incarcerated people or conducting research on masculinity, he drinks whiskey and talks too loudly. He believes in the power of tattoos, reference books, and matching music with the weather.

The featured reading follows the fabulous Son of a Pony open reading at the cafe. Poet/ecstatic madame/curator Kat Georges hosts. Doors open at 5:45 p.m.; the open reading begins at 6 p.m. Admission is $7, which includes a free drink.

Cornelia Street Cafe is at 29 Cornelia Street, between W. 4th Street & Bleecker, just around the corner from the W. 4th Street subway station. Phone: 212-989-9319. www.corneliastreetcafe.com

And don't forget: Dada Poetry Salon on Friday, March 18!

NJ's The Idiom Poets Invade Manhattan--1 Night Only--Feb. 18

2011-02-05T16:59:00.001-05:00

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 18, 2011

6 PM | CORNELIA STREET CAFE

SON OF A PONY POETRY SERIES

Featured poet

The Idiom Poets of New Jersey

Chris McIntyre | Steven McNamara | Mark Brunetti

PLUS

NYC's Best Open POETRY Mike

Hosted by Kat Georges

Creative and poetically-inspired, The Idiom Magazine is going into its 5th year of publication. It won the London Book Festival: Magazine Category in 2007 and was banned from Rutger's zine festival for obscene material and a 4 1/2 foot paper-mâché volcano which attracted a lot more attention than expected. Behind the Idiom are three poetic forces of nature: Chris McIntyre, Steven McNamara & publisher Mark Brunetti. Each poet has a distinctive voice; together, they make the world vibrate with possibility.

The featured reading follows the fabulous Son of a Pony open reading at the cafe. Poet/convivial mistress of ceremonies Kat Georges hosts. Doors open at 5:45 p.m.; the open reading begins at 6 p.m. Admission is $7, which includes a free drink.

Cornelia Street Cafe is at 29 Cornelia Street, between W. 4th Street & Bleecker, just around the corner from the W. 4th Street subway station. Phone: 212-989-9319. www.corneliastreetcafe.com

Nepalese/Indian poet Yuyutsu Sharma joins Mikelle Terson at Son of a Pony Friday, Feb 4

2011-01-30T18:43:00.001-05:00

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 2011

6 PM | CORNELIA STREET CAFE

SON OF A PONY POETRY SERIES

Featured poet

Yuyutsu RD Sharma

Spotlight poet

Mikelle Terson

PLUS

NYC's Best Open POETRY Mike

Hosted by

Kat Georges

Yuyutsu RD Sharma was born at Nakodar, Punjab, and moved to Nepal at an early age. He has published eight poetry collections including, Annapurnas and Stains of Blood: Life Travels and Writing on a Page of Snow (Nirala Publications, New Delhi) and Space Cake, Amsterdam and Other Poems from Europe and America (Howling Dog Press). He is the recipient of fellowships and grants from The Rockefeller Foundation, Ireland Literature Exchange, and The Institute for the Translation of Hebrew Literature, among others. His work has been translated into German, French, Italian, Slovenian, Hebrew, Spanish & Dutch. When not traveling, Yuyutsu lives in Kathmandu, where he edits Pratik, A Magazine of Contemporary Writing.

Spotlight poet Mikelle Terson has been writing since age 8, and credits her poetry to the taking of long showers, and her mentor, the late Irish poet & playwright, Michael Sayers.

Cornelia Street Cafe is at 29 Cornelia Street, between W. 4th Street & Bleecker, just around the corner from the W. 4th Street subway station. Phone: 212-989-9319. www.corneliastreetcafe.com

Poet George Wallace reads in Taos, NM, Fri Feb 4

2011-01-30T14:16:00.003-05:00

Peace Corp volunteer and poet George Wallace, writer-in-residence at the Walt Whitman Birthplace, will present a program of readings and conversation entitled “Whitman And Beyond, Fanfares for the Common Man” at the Mabel Dodge Luhan House, Taos NM, on Friday Feb 4, 2011 at 7 pm. In his presentation, Wallace will trace the thread of 19th century Romantic/Transcendental ideas about ‘the common man’ through early and mid-20th century American writing, and into the contemporary era.

Details at:

http://peacecorpsworldwide.org/pc-writers/2011/01/30/rpcv-poet-george-wallace/

Last Call for Submissions to Dada Journal Maintenant: Deadline Jan. 31

2011-01-27T11:34:00.001-05:00

Be a part of the 4th annual New York DaDa Poetry Salon, by submitting your DaDa-inspired poetry and/or art to Maintenant5, A Journal of Contemporary Dada Poetry & Art. The concept of Maintenant is inspired by DaDa instigator and Three Rooms Press spiritual advisor Arthur Cravan. In the past three annual issues, we received increasingly bolder work from Neo-Dadaists worldwide. We’re excited about this year’s new perfect bound format, and we’re looking for the best Neo-Dada work ever to publish.

Poems should be no longer than 20 lines. DO NOT send multi-page long poems as they will not fit our format and will be rejected outright. DO submit shorter pieces—as long as it is full of the intensity and madness that reflects the age we’re living in. Also–we LOVE Dada-inspired poetic word art, collage and photography. All art must be submitted in jpeg format, high resolution (300 dpi, 4×5 in). Black & White only.

Send your submissions to editor@threeroomspress.com

The journal will be distributed at the DaDa Poetry Salon on Friday, March 18th, 2011 at Cornelia Street Cafe (29 Cornelia Street, NYC, 6-8 p.m.), via mail to contributors, and to those wise enough to request a copy.

DEADLINE FOR SUBMISSIONS: JANUARY 31, 2011

*Arthur Cravan is credited with creating the first ‘zine in the world with his publication Maintenant. We’re proud to carry on the tradition.

http://threeroomspress.com/2010/11/call-for-dada-submissions-maintenant5-pub-date-march-2011/

Poets Thomas Fucaloro & Amy Leigh Cutler Ride the Pony at Cornelia St. Cafe Jan. 21

2011-01-12T12:16:00.007-05:00

FRIDAY, JANUARY 21, 2011
6 PM | CORNELIA STREET CAFE
SON OF A PONY POETRY SERIES
Featured poet
Thomas Fucaloro
Spotlight poet
Amy Leigh Cutler
PLUS
NYC's Best Open POETRY Mike
Hosted by

Kat Georges

Thomas Fucaloro writes with a madness all his own that shines spectacular. His recently released debut poetry collection, "Inheriting Craziness is Like a Soft Halo of Light" (Three Rooms Press) showcases his intensity with 57 poems that slice through facade and illuminate an indefatigable inner spirit. According to Emily Kagan Trenchard, curator of the louderARTS Project, "Thomas Fucaloro's particular gift is to harness the crazed wisdom at the bottom of the bottle, to scrape a fleck of beauty from the underside of a binge, and to call madness by a name so familiar we can't help but recognize it in ourselves."

Opening for Fucaloro will be spotlight poet Amy Leigh Cutler, author of the book "Orange Juice and Rooftops" and the chapbook "American Woman."

The featured readings follow the fabulous Son of a Pony open reading at the cafe. Poet/convivial mistress of ceremonies Kat Georges hosts. Doors open at 5:45 p.m.; the open reading begins at 6 p.m. Admission is $7, which includes a free drink.

Cornelia Street Cafe is at 29 Cornelia Street, between W. 4th Street & Bleecker, just around the corner from the W. 4th Street subway station. Phone: 212-989-9319. www.corneliastreetcafe.com

FRIDAY, JANUARY 21, 2011
6 PM | CORNELIA STREET CAFE
SON OF A PONY POETRY SERIES
Featured poet
Thomas Fucaloro
Spotlight poet
Amy Leigh Cutler
PLUS
NYC's Best Open POETRY Mike
Hosted by Kat Georges

Charles Bukowski Tribute Reading with Free Prizes and Drinks Jan. 7 NYC

2010-12-26T16:17:00.003-05:00

Charles Bukowski Tribute

Friday, January 7, 2011

6 pm

With Featured Performers including

Peter Carlaftes, Angelo Verga, Kat Georges, George Wallace, Thomas Fucaloro, Ron Singer & Ryan Buynak

Plus drinks! prizes! and poetry!

@ Cornelia St. Cafe NYC

For the first Son of a Pony reading of 2011 at Cornelia Street Cafe, we’re once again celebrating the life with a tribute reading to Charles Bukowski. Poet Charles Bukowski was truly one of the few and far between: a champion of the outsider, the lost and lonely, the outcasts from society. Especially during this ongoing period of economic uncertainty and working class adversity, his work resonates like none other, revealing the naked human soul.

At this tribute reading, anyone is welcome to bring their favorite Bukowski poem, or read an original poem that was inspired by Bukowski. We’ll be showing videos of Bukowski, plus giving away his books and other prizes.

Plus a select number of readers including Host Kat Georges, and poets Peter Carlaftes, Angelo Verga, George Wallace, Thomas Fucaloro, Ron Singer and Ryan Buynak will bring Bukowski poems to life in five very unique ways.

Doors open at 5:45. Admission is $7 which includes (naturally) a free drink! Arrive early to sign up on the reading list, or just come and enjoy the fun. Cornelia Street Cafe is at 29 Cornelia Street, in the West Village, between W. 4th Street at Bleecker (http://corneliastreecafe.com).

Reservations and additional information: threeroomspress@mac.com

Poets Matthew Hupert & Emily F. Keller Ride the Pony 12/17

2010-12-09T09:24:00.005-05:00

FRIDAY, December 17, 2010

6 PM | CORNELIA STREET CAFE

SON OF A PONY POETRY SERIES

Featured poets

Matthew Hupert Book Launch

AND

Emily F. Keller

PLUS

NYC's Best Open POETRY Mike

Hosted by Kat Georges

Join us for the last Pony reading of 2010!

Three Rooms Press is proud to present the book launch for Ism Is a Retrovirus by Matthew Hupert. Hupert a multi-media artist, writer, and that rarest of birds — the Native New Yorker. He believes the primary role of the Artist is to be the stick that your Zen master smacks you in the head with. His poetry has been published in The Formalist, the contemporary dada poetry and art journal Maintenant, and the anthology 150 Contemporary Sonnets.

Ism is a Retrovirus has been lauded by Mondo 2000 editor R.U. Sirius, and raved about by Jack Kerouac and Grateful Dead biographer Dennis McNally, who notes "[Hupert] sees how the words work, listens to them working, feels their meaning and spits 'em out. I love his poetry."

Emily F. Keller is a journalist, creative nonfiction writer and poet whose work mixes personal stories with social commentary. She writes about relationships, New York City, childhood and seasons. She lives in Brooklyn and performs at the Louder Arts Project, the Cornelia Street Café and the Bowery Poetry Club. You can learn more about her at www.emilyfkeller.com.

The featured reading follows the fabulous Son of a Pony open reading at the cafe. Poet & sultry mistress of ceremonies Kat Georges hosts. Doors open at 5:45 p.m.; the open reading begins at 6 p.m. Admission is $7, which includes a free drink.

Cornelia Street Cafe is at 29 Cornelia Street, between W. 4th Street & Bleecker, just around the corner from the W. 4th Street subway station. Phone: 212-989-9319. www.corneliastreetcafe.com

COMING SOON TO THE PONY:

NEW SCHEDULE IN 2011

1st & 3rd FRIDAYS ONLY!

January 7: Bukowski Tribute Night

January 21: Thomas Fucaloro

February 4: Ocean Vuong

February 18: Idiom Poets Group

Call for Dada Art & Poetry Submissions: Maintenant 5

2010-12-08T11:01:00.004-05:00

Peter Carlaftes on the best pizza in New York City

2010-11-21T14:25:00.007-05:00

TRP's own Peter Carlaftes was recently seen on The Travel Channel's primetime show "Food Wars," singing high praises for the pizza at John's of Bleecker Street in NYC. Check out the 32-second clip with his hilarious running commentary. Trust us: He means every word.

Tip of the week: John's will be handing out a very special FREE 2011 calendar over the next couple weeks, with concept & design by Three Rooms Press (so you know it's going to be great!). Pictured is a sneak peek of the cover. Get yours free at John's (278 Bleecker, between 6th & 7th Ave.) after Thanksgiving. And remember: Whole pies only--NO SLICES!

Poets T.C. Gardstein & Creighton Blinn Sparkle at Son of a Pony

2010-11-14T15:59:00.002-05:00

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 2010

6 PM | CORNELIA STREET CAFE

SON OF A PONY POETRY SERIES

Featured poets

T.C. GARDSTEIN & CREIGHTON BLINN

plus

NYC's Best Open POETRY Mike

Hosted by KAT GEORGES

T.C. Gardstein is a writer, artist, astrologer, copyeditrix, love child of Henry Miller & Anais Nin, and author of The Poetry Prostitute (erotic verse; Paper Bag Press), Sandwich Filling (erotic fiction; Paper Bag Press) and Circuit (fiction; Xlibris). Discounted books will be available at the reading.

Creighton Blinn's poetry has been published in The Binnacle, Down in the Dirt Magazine and Census. His prose story "The Fifth Day" has been serialized int he journal Zenite.

The featured readings follow the fabulous Son of a Pony open reading at the cafe. You are invited to bring your own work to read! Poet/convivial mistress of ceremonies Kat Georges hosts. Doors open at 5:45 p.m.; the open reading begins at 6 p.m. Admission is $7, which includes a free drink.

Cornelia Street Cafe is at 29 Cornelia Street, between W. 4th Street & Bleecker, just around the corner from the W. 4th Street subway station. Phone: 212-989-9319. www.corneliastreetcafe.com

Thomas Fucaloro Book Launch: Sun. Nov. 7, 6 pm, Parkside Lounge

2010-10-24T16:56:00.004-05:00

Three Rooms Press presents
Inheriting Craziness!
Book launch for
Inheriting Craziness is Like a Soft Halo of Light
poems by
Thomas Fucaloro

Sunday, November 7, 6:00 pm
Parkside Lounge
317 East Houston Street New York, 10002
(212) 673-6270

Three Rooms Press' latest release, Inheriting Craziness is Like a Soft Halo of LIght, by Thomas Fucaloro, is a spectacular first collection of poetry by an intense new literatry talent. According to Emily Kagan Trenchard, curator of the louderARTS Project, "Thomas Fucaloro’s particular gift is to harness the crazed wisdom at the bottom of the bottle, to scrape a fleck of beauty from the underside of a binge, and to call madness by a name so familiar we can’t help but recognize it in ourselves." In these 57 poems, Fucaloro brings to light new angles of perception of madness, addiction and modern urban living. Each poem takes risks in form and content. As author Jon Sands notes, "To read Thomas is to literally discover each line with him. There's really nothing he won't say. He's as surprised as you are."

$5 admission (applies to purchase of book)

Featured reading by
Thomas Fucaloro
with additional performances by
Three Rooms Press All-Stars
including
Ryan Buynak
Peter Carlaftes
Karen Hildebrand
Puma Perl
Susan Scutti
Jackie Sheeler
George Wallace
with host Kat Georges

Poet Tina Kelley Lights Up Son of a Pony Reading Series Fri. Nov. 5

2010-10-24T13:05:00.002-05:00

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 5, 2010

6 PM | CORNELIA STREET CAFE

SON OF A PONY POETRY SERIES

Featured poet

TINA KELLEY

plus

NYC's Best Open POETRY Mike

Hosted by Kat Georges

Tina Kelley is on the staff of Covenant House, where she is co-writing a book of profiles of homeless teenagers. She was a reporter at The New York Times for ten years, and also worked at the Seattle Times and Philadelphia Inquirer. Her first book of poems, The Gospel of Galore, (Word Press, 2003) won a Washington State Book Award, and she won a fraction of a Pulitzer Prize for being a part of the Times’ coverage of the Sept. 11 attacks, and wrote 121 “Portraits of Grief,” short descriptions of the victims. She lives with her husband and two children in Maplewood, New Jersey.

Cornelia Street Cafe is at 29 Cornelia Street, between W. 4th Street & Bleecker, just around the corner from the W. 4th Street subway station. Phone: 212-989-9319. www.corneliastreetcafe.com

The Typewriter Girls and UK Poet James Byrne Ride the Pony Oct. 17

2010-10-07T17:45:00.003-05:00

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 15, 2010

6 PM | CORNELIA STREET CAFE

SON OF A PONY POETRY SERIES

Featured poets

JAMES BYRNE

and

THE TYPEWRITER GIRLS

PLUS

NYC's Best Open POETRY Mike

Hosted by Kat Georges

James Byrne is the Editor and co-founder of The Wolf poetry magazine. His debut collection, Passages of Time, was published by Flipped Eye in 2003. Blood / Sugar is his second collection. He is the co-editor of Voice Recognition: 21 Poets for the 21st Century, an anthology of British and Irish poets under 35, to be published by Bloodaxe in 2009, and the Collected Poems of Hope Mirrlees, forthcoming from Carcanet in 2010. In 2008 he won the Treci Trg poetry prize in Serbia. As a result his Selected Poems is to be published (in a bilingual edition) in Belgrade in 2009.

The TypewriterGirls are a performance art troupe who strive to embody the Comte de Lautréamont's creed "poetry must be made by all." Taking their cues from Hugo Ball and Tristan Tzara's Cabaret Voltaire, TypewriterGirls co-founders Crystal Hoffman and Margaret Bashaar orchestrate poetry cabarets that may include dancing, live music, circus acts, time travel and a million other surprises along the way. Always inspiring and exciting!

The featured readings follow the fabulous Son of a Pony open reading at the cafe. Poet/mistress of ceremonies Kat Georges hosts. Doors open at 5:45 p.m.; the open reading begins at 6 p.m. Admission is $7, which includes a free drink.

Cornelia Street Cafe is at 29 Cornelia Street, between W. 4th Street & Bleecker, just around the corner from the W. 4th Street subway station. Phone: 212-989-9319.

www.corneliastreetcafe.com

Poet Pamela Sneed Rocks Her Words at Cornelia Street Cafe Friday, Oct. 1

2010-09-26T17:34:00.006-05:00

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 1, 2010 6 PM
CORNELIA STREET CAFE
SON OF A PONY POETRY SERIES
Featured poet PAM SNEED
plus NYC's Best Open POETRY Mike
Hosted by Kat Georges

Pamela Sneed is a New York-based poet, performer, writer and actress. She is the author of Imagine Being More Afraid of Freedom Than Slavery, published by Henry Holt (1998.) And KONG and other works published by Vintage Entity press 2009.

Sneed is the recipient of the 2006 BAX award for performance. She has been featured in the New York Times Magazine, The New Yorker, The Source, Time Out, VIBE, Karl Lagerfeld's "Off The Record," on the cover of New York Magazine and in 2009 her work appeared in Essence magazine.

Recent & forthcoming publications include work in The 100 Best African American Poems edited by Nikki Giovanni (Nov. 2010),and Best American Short Plays. In 2001, 2002, and in 2005 she headlined the New Work Now Festival at Joe's Pub/Public Theater and performed before sold out houses.

The featured reading follows the fabulous Son of a Pony open reading at the cafe. Poet/convivial mistress of ceremonies Kat Georges hosts.

Doors open at 5:45 p.m.; the open reading begins at 6 p.m. Admission is $7, which includes a free drink. Cornelia Street Cafe is at 29 Cornelia Street, between W. 4th Street & Bleecker, just around the corner from the W. 4th Street subway station. Phone: 212-989-9319. www.corneliastreetcafe.com

Peter and the Parthenon: Reads Sat. Sept. 18 at Greek-Amer Writers Assoc. at Cornelia St. Cafe

2010-09-15T02:44:00.002-05:00

Three Rooms Press' own Peter Carlaftes--just back from his Northern European poetry book tour--shivers the Greek timbers of his ancestry in what is sure to be a thunderous, Zeus-like reading this Saturday, Sept. 18, 6 pm, at the Cornelia St. Cafe's monthly Greek-American Writers Association series. He's sure to share some funny and touching stories of his Peloponnese-born grandparents, so don't miss out.

Dean Kostos, host. Readers include: Kalliope Constantaras, Peter Carlaftes, and Davidson Garrett.

No cover. 1 Ouzo minimum (kidding!)

Bob Hart Book Launch at Cornelia St. Cafe Fri., Sept. 17

2010-09-15T02:41:00.001-05:00

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 2010
6 PM | CORNELIA STREET CAFE
SON OF A PONY POETRY SERIES
Featured poet
Bob Hart
PLUS
NYC's Best Open POETRY Mike
Hosted by Kat Georges

Book launch for Bob Hart's new book "Lightly in the Good of Day" on Bench Press Poetry.

Bob Hart is a joker, a trickster, a gambler. He plays with life for the highest stakes, nothing less than immortality, fullness, significance. Not for him the solemn approach to these ponderous subjects, but the sleight-of-hand to match, and trump, chance, emptiness and transience. A pun, an accident of language, may be endowed by poetry with meaning. In Bob’s hands, a stone may be “a well of things well felt.”

Hart grew up in Harlem, on 145th Street, 142nd Street and 158th Street. He served in the army from 1952 to 1954, and was stationed in Germany during the Korean War. Now he works for a mail sorting company in Midtown West, and lives in Brooklyn. He has a previous small book of poems titled Acrobat. This is his second book.

Reading from the new book will be Jane Ormerod, Adriana Scorpino, R. Nemo Hill and Thomas Fucaloro. Bruce Weber and his band The No Chance Ensemble will render two poems in vocals and guitar, followed by a reading by the author himself.

The featured reading follows the fabulous Son of a Pony open reading at the cafe. Poet/convivial mistress of ceremonies Kat Georges hosts. Doors open at 5:45 p.m.; the open reading begins at 6 p.m. Admission is $7, which includes a free drink.

Cornelia Street Cafe is at 29 Cornelia Street, between W. 4th Street & Bleecker, just around the corner from the W. 4th Street subway station. Phone: 212-989-9319. www.corneliastreetcafe.com

Poets Kat Georges & Janice Brabaw feature at Tillie's of Brooklyn Tuesday, Sept. 21

2010-09-15T02:30:00.006-05:00

The Brownstone Poets presents:

KAT GEORGES with JANICE BRABAW

plus open poetry reading with host Patricia Carragon

on Tuesday, September 21, 7pm

at Tillies of Brooklyn, 248 DeKalb Ave. (at Vanderbilt) in Fort Greene, Brooklyn

Fresh off her European book tour, the intense and inspiring Three Rooms Press poet Kat Georges makes her Brooklyn debut with a featured reading at the venerable Brownstone Poets series at Tillie's of Brooklyn (248 DeKalb Ave., Fort Greene) on Tuesday, September 21 at 7pm. She will be joined by fellow featured poet Janice Brabaw. The event includes an open reading, and is hosted by Brownstone Press curator Patricia Carragon.

Georges has three collections of her poetry, Punk Rock Journal, Maiden Claiming and Slow Dance at 120 Beats a Minute (all Three Rooms Press). Her poetry appears in numerous journals and anthologies including The Outlaw Bible of American Poetry (Thunder’s Mouth Press) and The Verdict is In (Manic D Press, also editor). In New York since 2003, she has directed numerous Off-Broadway plays, including Jack Kerouac: Catholic and Twitter Theater, by Larry Myers, and Sarah's Choice, by Peter Carlaftes. She co-hosts the weekly Son of a Pony poetry series at Cornelia St. Cafe, and is founder, editor and chief rabble rouser of publishing and performance powerhouse Three Rooms Press.

Janice Brabaw is the critically acclaimed author of two collections of poetry - Universe, Disturbed and Tongue for Folie. She is the editor of The Best of Stain anthologies and was the host of the Stained Glass Confessional and An Echo, A Stain reading series. Janice has performed at The Bowery Poetry Club, Otto's Shrunken Head, The Inspired Word, Soule Series, and the Library Lounge series at Telephone Bar. Her work has appeared in Poesis, smoke, Violent Femininity - A Journal of Female Poets, The Toronto Quarterly, Ophelia Street, The Record, and The Cartier Street Review.

Event Recap:

Poetry Grows in Ft. Greene

feat. Kat Georges & Janice Brabaw

plus open reading with host Patricia Caragon

Tuesday, September 21 at Tillies of Brooklyn

Starts at 7p.m. – Sign up at 6:45p.m.

Tillies of Brooklyn

248 DeKalb Ave. (at Vanderbilt), Brooklyn, NY 11205

Phone # (718) 783-6140

Take the J, R or Q trains to DeKalb Avenue, the C to Lafayette, the G to Clinton/Washington, or 2, 3, 4, 5 to Nevins St.

$3 Donation – plus Food/Drink – Limited Open Mic - one poem (3-minute limit)

Curated by Patricia Carragon

more info: pattiekake@earthlink.net

Twin Towers Kat Georges & Peter Carlaftes Read in London Sept. 11

2010-09-05T08:41:00.003-05:00

THREE ROOM PRESS' OWN

KAT GEORGES & PETER CARLAFTES

(AKA — THE TWIN TOWERS)

INVADE LONDON WITH POETRY ON 9/11

The Cellar returns on the 11th September with a top notch bill that includes:

Kat Georges- Anthologised in the seminal Outlaw Bible of American Verse, Kat Georges is a true Renaissance woman - helming the Three Rooms Press, directing many off Broadway shows and running a weekly poetry event that has featured the like of Mark Strand, Anne Waldman and Paul Violi.

AND

Peter Carlaftes is a New York-based comic author, screenwriter, playwright, actor, poet, and director. He is the author of 12 plays, including a noir treatment of Knut Hamsun’s Hunger, and the celebrity rehab center spoof, Spin-Dry. He has appeared in numerous Off-Broadway productions, including his comic solo performance piece, Lenny Bruce: Dead & Well and brings his new book of bar poems —DRUNKYARD DOG, across the pond.

PLUS:

The Bros Grim- Skating the thin line between Hogarthian satire and full blown polemic, Chip Grim is as understated yet compelling a performer as he is a wordsmith. Dividing his time between the poetry scene and the Allstars boxing gym, Chip knows how to throw some heavy bombs and any lull in his tempo is a rope a dope before the next hit lands.

AND

Vanessa Kisuule- You may have seen this young lady kicking up a storm on many of London's open mics, so it is our pleasure to give a full set to Vanessa, who is destined to reach such heights that everyone will eventually know how to pronounce her name.

Your host for the night will be Niall O'Sullivan if he's allowed out.

The Cellar
Saturday 11th September
22 Betterton Street
London
Nearest Tube: Covent Garden/Holborn
£5/4concs

October Babies Unplugged! Kat Georges! Raphael Moser! Susan Scutti! Aug. 24-7:30-East Village

2010-08-22T10:36:00.003-05:00

To celebrate Raphael Moser's one year anniversary at online poetry journal October Babies (http://octoberbabies.wordpress.com), we're doing a one-night only reading: October Babies Unplugged! Features include the three OB mainstays—Kat Georges, Raphael Moser & Susan Scutti—PLUS guest poets who have contributed to the journal during its two-year lifespan.

Guest poets? Make that NYC-based poetic luminaries—including Madeline Artenberg, Steve Dalachinsky, Thomas Fucaloro, Robert Mueller, Yuko Otomo, Eve Packer, and George Spencer.

One night only! Tuesday, August 24, 7:30 pm at Bar Ten-Eleven (171 Ave. C, btwn 10th & 11th). Great venue—and it's FREE!

About October Babies: October Babies began in December 2008 with weekly contributions from Susan Scutti and Kat Georges. In August 2009, Raphael Moser joined as a weekly contributor. The goal of the publication is for each of the main contributors to write and post a new poem-in-progress every week, to keep creative juices flowing and allow for commentary on work as it is being developed. Sprinkled between the weekly contributor's work are the poems of guest poets, curated by Scutti. For more information, email lunarmind@gmail.com (please include October Babies in the subject line).

And be sure to visit October Babies online at http://octoberbabies.wordpress.com) to read, comment & contribute your poetry!

Poet and Alzheimers Activist Gary Glazner On Tap at Cornelia St. Cafe Friday, Aug. 20th

2010-08-17T20:45:00.004-05:00

FRIDAY, AUGUST 20, 2010

6 PM | CORNELIA STREET CAFE

SON OF A PONY POETRY SERIES

Featured poet

GARY GLAZNER

PLUS

NYC's Best Open POETRY Mike

Hosted by

Kat Georges

Gary Glazner is the founder and Executive Director of the Alzheimer's Poetry Project, (APP). The National Endowment for the Arts listed the APP as a “best practice” for their Arts and Aging initiative. NBC's “Today” show, NPR's “All Things Considered” and Voice of America have featured segments on Glazner’s work. Harper Collins, W.W. Norton and Salon.com have published his work. In 2010, the U.S. Embassy is funding a pilot project for the APP in Germany. To date the APP has held programming in 20 states and served over 10,000 living with dementia. More info at www.alzpoetry.org.

The featured reading follows the fabulous Son of a Pony open reading at the cafe. Poet/rocker/mistress of ceremonies Kat Georges hosts. Doors open at 5:45 p.m.; the open reading begins at 6 p.m. Admission is $7, which includes a free drink.

Cornelia Street Cafe is at 29 Cornelia Street, between W. 4th Street & Bleecker, just around the corner from the W. 4th Street subway station. Phone: 212-989-9319. www.corneliastreetcafe.com

Photo credit: Mike McGee

Den of Thieves by Stephen Adly Guirgis Opens Thur Aug. 29th at NYC's Chernuchin Theater

2010-08-17T20:19:00.006-05:00

Den of Thieves, the hysterical dark farce by Stephen Adly Guirgis, gets its NYC revival starting Thursday, Aug. 19 at Chernuchin Theater, 314 54th St. (btwn 8th & 9th Ave.). Presented by Glen Hagen Theatrical, and directed by David Triacca, the cast features Michelle Cox, Wesley Curtis, Ralph John (RJ) Lucci, Giovanni Rho, Julia Sun, Chris Triana, and TRP's own Peter Carlaftes as "The Big Tuna."

In this outrageous comedy, Paul and Maggie meet at a 12-step program for shoplifting addicts. Flaco, Maggie's ex-boyfriend, and Boochie, a topless dancer and Flaco's girlfriend, convince Paul and Maggie to join them for one last "easy" score of $750,000 in unprotected drug money. Oops. Things go totally wrong and they end up as prisoners in The Big Tuna's basement, engaging in madcap verbal gymnastics to set things straight--and get the hell out of there.

The play was first presented to rave reviews in 1996 at The LAByrinth Theater (Philip Seymour Hoffman and Jon Ortiz, Artistic Directors). According to the L.A. Times, Den of Thieves "unfolds with cracklinc comic propulsion and a screwball sweetness as unexpected as it is welcome . . . thoroughly impressive . . ."

Den of Thieves opens Thursday August 19 and runs thru August 29th, Tuesday thru Friday at 8 pm; Saturday 2 pm & 8 pm, and Sunday 2 pm & 7 pm. Closing day, Sunday, August 29 is 2pm show only.

Tickets, priced $24-$30, are available by visiting www.smarttix.com or by calling (212) 868-4444. The American Theater of Actors, The Chernuchin Theatre, is located on the 2nd floor of 314 West 54th Street. For more information visit www.denofthievesnyc.com.

Beat Constellations: Tributes to Neal Cassady, Jack Micheline, Bob Kaufman & more: Wed. Aug. 18, 6 pm @ Cornelia St. Cafe

2010-08-17T20:12:00.004-05:00

This annual event celebrates the works, artistic & cultural contributions of numerous later Beat era luminaries, read by contemporary poets. High energy talented performers tonight, so hold onto your hats!

Neal Cassady- Big Mike
Herbert Hunke- Zoe Artemis
Jack Micheline- Zack King-Smith
Mary Norbert Korte- Puma Perl
Bob Kaufman- Yvon Cormier
Ray Bremser- George Wallace
Janine Pommy Vega- Kat Georges
Dan Propper- Barbara Ann Branca

Another session of the George Wallace Poetry Explosion!!

Be there! Doors open at 5:45 pm. Show starts at 6. $7 admission.
Cornelia St. Cafe, 29 Cornelia St. Between W. 4th St. & Bleecker. 212-989-9319. http://www.corneliastreetcafe.com/

Cure for Summertime Blues: Theater, Poetry & Rock this Sat., Aug. 14 at Parkside Lounge (LES)

2010-08-11T07:37:00.009-05:00

This Saturday, Aug. 14, Three Rooms Press presents a sizzling book launch for Peter Carlaftes' latest release, Triumph for Rent: 3 Plays, which will feature a torrid New York premiere of his uproarious play, Spin-Dry, along with poetry and live music.

"Spin-Dry" is a rollicking comedy anchored at Second Wind: A designer celebrity rehab center, set smack-dab in the 90s, where MTV mavens rub elbows with rockers and movie stars. The wild ride features Sara Kinetic (her mom died at Altamont; her dad in outer space), as she weaves her way through trysts and turns to get back on top of her game. The play stars Puma Perl, David DeCuir, Natalie Rose, Max Carlaftes, Kat Georges & Peter Carlaftes.

Also on tap will be sizzling readings from current and upcoming Three Rooms Press authors Jane Ormerod, Matthew Hupert, Thomas Fucaloro, Ryan Buynak, and Ronnie Norpel. In addition, the beloved downtown r'n'b band The JD's (featuring Bob Musial) will round things out with a swinging set of smokin' tunes.

Doors open 6:45. Show starts at 7:00. Tickets $10 at the door. Parkside Lounge is at 317 E. Houston (at Attorney). Reservations: info@threeroomspress.com.

ABOUT PETER CARLAFTES: Peter Carlaftes began his theatrical career on the playgrounds of the Bronx, and after seeing the world, branched out to Manhattan and beyond. He served as artistic director of San Francisco's Marilyn Monroe Memorial Theater from 1993-2000. Nine of his plays have been staged, to critical acclaim, among them Anity, Frontier A-Go-Go, Spin-Dry and Closure. He also created and staged a deconstruction of Knut Hamsun’s classic novel Hunger, and created and starred in a one-man rendition of Harold Pinter’s The Homecoming. He has recently written and performed his solo work, Lenny Bruce: Dead & Well, and starred in numerous Off-Broadway plays including Arsenic & Old Lace and Barefoot in the Park, and will soon be seen in a revival of the 1995 Stephen Adly Guirgis black comedy, Den of Thieves.In 2010, he's authored three books on Three Rooms Press, including A Year on Facebook (humor), DrunkYard Dog (poetry) and Triumph for Rent: 3 Plays.

ABOUT THREE ROOMS PRESS: Since 1993, Three Rooms Press has been a leading voice in the independent poetry, literature and dramatic fields, publishing more than 30 books of poetry, theater, and literary fiction, with a focus on the work of the best current New York underground writers. In addition, Three Rooms Press produces and promotes a variety of events; in the past 16 years it has staged more than 400 events in San Francisco, New York, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, Las Vegas and Europe.

This Friday: Poet Peter Chelnik Rides the Son of a Pony at Cornelia Street

2010-08-04T21:44:00.003-05:00

AUGUST 6, 2010

6 PM | CORNELIA STREET CAFE

SON OF A PONY POETRY SERIES

Featured poet

PETER CHELNIK

joined by tenor sax Bob Feldman

PLUS

NYC's Best Open POETRY Mike

with your host

Kat Georges

Peter Chelnik's books include Railroad Heart, East Coast Line, Manhattan Wilderness, Eternity Road and Wildflower Serenade. He has had seven plays produced Off-Off-Broadway. These dramatic works include Street Rag, Prairie Fire, Parking Lot, Moving Target, Scarsdale Station and Tremont Vortex. Peter has also written Trick Bag, a novel of the 1960's. And yes, he does believe "the word will set you free." His latest book is STRAWBERRY HARMONY New Poems (Little Sky Press, March 2010).

The featured reading follows the fabulous Son of a Pony open reading at the cafe. Poet and innovative mistress of ceremonies Kat Georges hosts. Doors open at 5:45 p.m.; the open reading begins at 6 p.m. Admission is $7, which includes a free drink.

Cornelia Street Cafe is at 29 Cornelia Street, between W. 4th Street & Bleecker, just around the corner from the W. 4th Street subway station. Phone: 212-989-9319. www.corneliastreetcafe.com

Let's Get Funky: Super Fun Poetry & Music Party This Friday at Funkadelic Studios

2010-07-29T08:04:00.006-05:00

Funkadelic Studios is a really cool rehearsal studio space--very conveniently located at 335 W. 35th St., 3rd Floor (btwn 8th & 9th). Poetry Party Phenom Susan Scutti has lined up a cool list of local bands, plus in between and with the bands, there's poetry! Featured poets include Jackie Sheeler, Mark Brunetti, Elijan, and Steve McNamara. If you show up with your words, you can read too!

It's a Party! It's Music! It's Poetry! It's Fun! Doors open 7. Poetry & Music starts 7:30. Runs till 11 or more! $5 at the door. BYOB.

And don't forget: Also on Friday: Son of a Pony poetry series at Cornelia St. Cafe. Doors open 5:45; show starts at 6. Featured reader is Clara Hsu. Host is the fierce poet whirlwind, Jackie Sheeler. $7 admission, includes free drink.

Questions? info@threeroomspress.com

M.I.A. Promises Free Show on Return to NYC--Save Your Hard NYC Ticket Stubs!

2010-07-26T21:34:00.013-05:00

NEW YORK—M.I.A. has acknowledged there were problems with the show on Saturday and puts the blame squarely on the sound team. She's canned the American sound techs and hired a new British team. See her Twitter updates here.

Most importantly, she has promised to do a FREE show on her return to NYC for anyone with either a Hard NYC ticket stub (see photo, above--click for enlarged version). If you don't have a ticket, she's promised free admission to anyone who will "do me a lil dance."

It's up to the NYC fans who really want to continue to support her, and who have defended her new album against undue harsh media criticism, as to whether this noble gesture will be enough.

No date as of yet—TRP will let you know when word is out. But according to her web site tour date list, she's in Europe through August 11, then doesn't have another show until October 9 in Austin. So maybe late August or September?

The trick is going to be convincing people that it will be worth it—those European shows better deliver big-time positive write-ups. And—it goes without saying—the free NYC M.I.A. show should be indoors, air-conditioned, and accessible by subway, not boat. How about Roseland, Hammerstein Ballroom, United Palace or even . . . the Garden?

If the problem really is the sound crew, let's have their name, so no other performer or audience ever gets stuck with them again.

Review: M.I.A. on Governors Island Hard NYC Fizzles as Crowd Sizzles--July 24, 2010

2010-07-25T00:31:00.022-05:00

by Kat Georges

NEW YORK—After enduring hours of sizzling heat in the rave-like atmosphere of the Hard NYC festival on Governors Island on Saturday, even hardcore MIA fans were scrambling for the first boat back to the city by the fifth song of an abysmal set that left concert goers puzzled, upset and even full of pity for what was once one of the brightest stars in world pop music.

MIA was the headliner and big draw for the nine-hour event on a humid day when temperatures soared into the high 90s. But her reputation as an engaging live performer may now be damaged beyond repair.

Fans were shocked and let down by the Sri Lanka-born performer's muddled, unentertaining show. It could have been so much more. Last week, during a slot on David Letterman, MIA performed a chilling live version of her recent driving controversial single and video, "Born Free." But last night, by the fifth song, nearly a third of the crowd proved just how free they were by walking out of the show without regret.

No regret, because Hard NYC wasn't a total waste of time, due to engaging beat-driven sets by top caliber international acts including DJs Skream and Benga, and MC Alpha (from London), quirky, hard-edged, NYC-based guitar-vocal duo Sleigh Bells, and a powerful, in-your-face, anti-PC bludgeoning by South African MC duo Die Antwoord.

In fact it may have been the strength of Die Antwoord's set, falling right before MIA, that made her look so weak by comparison. But MIA and crew seemed to need no help undermining every aspect of their set.

What should have a stunning opening number, "Steppin' Out," one of the most intense tracks on the latest CD, MΛYΛ, instead fell completely flat—against all odds. Before the song started, three figures clad in gold head-to-toe garments moved into place on the left side of the stage. Then, one-by-one: ten ninjas in black hooded suits entered; each marked with a vertical florescent stripe lit intensely by a flood of black lights; each carrying a black automatic machine gun. Whoa. The song's opening chain saw-like sounds blared, as though something big was about to begin. And then?

The sound stopped abruptly, and a chubbie roadie dashed across the stage—for what? A misplaced 1/4" male jack? A couple of double A batteries? Hard to believe this was the opening number of a show that the fans there really wanted to embrace, despite the almost universal critical disapproval of MIA's latest release. She was supposed to get it right. In fact, had she nailed it, the crowd would have been hers for the rest of the night.

Instead, when the sound started up again, it wasn't from the beginning of the song. Rather, it started about—oh, say—20 bars in, give or take a few. Who cares? It's only 20,000 people expecting to be entertained. And—this is the real shocker: MIA's own microphone wasn't audible! For the entire song! It's not like she plays an instrument and can cover up with some nifty noodling on a drum machine. She is the lead vocalist! And you couldn't hear her! Instead, you heard a prerecorded "music-minus-one" version of the record, with her cheerleader-like back up vocalist shrilly piping counterpoint "Yeahs" "MIAs" and "Rub-a-dubs." But no MIA! And she just kept going. How about switch mics? Stop the show for a minute? Nah . . . Just pretend it's working and maybe the audience will, too.

Her mic was still out for song two: "Bucky Done Gun" from the 2005 release "Arular." And by then the ninjas and others had left the stage, so it was just two women bouncing around in front of lights and projections, and only one of them could be heard, atop a muddy sound mix.

By song three, they were turning laser lights on the audience, and MIAs mic started making some noise. "Lovalot" came next, and little had improved. MIA kept going into the night. And the crowd started heading en masse for the boat home: exhausted and sorely disappointed.

Admittedly, the show and sound improved later, and hit a peak during a thunderstorm version of "World Town" from the exciting MIA's 2007 release Kala.

------------------

Capetown's Die Antwoord was the absolute highlight of the show, playing a thrilling 8-song set that proved an outdoor venue can be intimate in the right hands. Afrikaaner MCs Ninja and Yolandi Vi$$er, with DJ HiTek, brought the house down with high intensity, trashy and offensive rapping in Afrikaans and English. They've just been signed to MIA's label, Interscope Records, and should be getting a well-deserved big push in the coming year.

Kat Georges & Peter Carlaftes Featured at Huntington Poetry Series this Friday, July 16

2010-07-15T22:26:00.006-05:00

This Friday, New York poets Peter Carlaftes & Kat Georges, along with Cliff Bliender, rock out in Huntington at the hottest series on the LIRR line. The series is organized by poet George Wallace (currently on tour in Oklahoma support of his Three Rooms Press release Poppin' Johnny.) Host for this event will be L.I. poet Barbara Reiher Meyers.

PETER CARLAFTES is a New York-based comic author, screenwriter, playwright, actor, poet, and director. He is the author of 12 plays, including a noir treatment of Knut Hamsun’s Hunger, and the celebrity rehab center spoof, Spin-Dry. He has appeared in numerous Off-Broadway productions, including his comic solo performance piece, Lenny Bruce: Dead & Well. His critically-acclaimed humor book, A Year on Facebook, was issued by Three Rooms Press in January 2010. In June of 2010, Three Rooms Press published DrunkYard Dog, an extensive collection of his poetry, as well as Triumph for Rent (3 Plays). In addition, he has published seven chapbooks, including The Bar Essentials, Nightclub Confidential and Sheer Bardom.

KAT GEORGES’ poetry appears in The American Bible Of Outlaw Poetry (Thunders Mouth Press). She co-edited The Verdict Is In, an anthology about the L.A. Rodney King Riots, (Manic D Press). She has three collections of her own poetry, Punk Rock Journal, Maiden Claiming and Slow Dance at 120 Beats a Minute (all Three Rooms Press). In New York, she has directed numerous Off-Broadway plays, including Jack Kerouac: Catholic, Memo from Allen Ginsberg and Twitter Theater, all written by award-winning playwright Larry Myers. Currently she edits Maintenant, an annual journal of Contemporary Dada Poetry, and serves as poetry editor for Tribes art and literary journal. In addition, she co-hosts a weekly poetry reading series at Cornelia Street Café in New York, where she has hosted such notable poets as Mark Strand, Anne Waldman, Paul Violi and many more. She is founder of Three Rooms Press and serves as editor-in-chief and creative director.

Friday, July 11, 8 pm

The Poetry Cafe at Huntington Historical Society Barn

welcomes poets, Kat Georges, Peter Carlaftes and Cliff Bleidner

hosted by Barb Reiher-Meyers at

HHS Conklin Barn

Corner High St/Rte 110, Huntington
(Route 110 and High Street, two blocks south of Main Street)

$5.00 donation appreciated

Peter Carlaftes & Kat Georges Fueled to Feature at NYC Reading Sun., July 11-6pm at Prairie Fire

2010-07-10T11:03:00.007-05:00

Catch the hottest poetry in NYC this Sunday, 7/11, 6pm as Peter Carlaftes & Kat Georges burn at Peter Chelnik's renowned Prairie Fire Jazz Poetry Series.

Georges and Carlaftes are known coast-to-coast for their fiery readings, and this Sunday is sure to build that reputation. Carlaftes has just released his red-hot poetry collection "DrunkYard Dog" recounting wild tales from both sides of the bar (He's also had two other books published THIS YEAR, including "A Year on Facebook" (humor) and "Triumph for Rent" (3 Plays). Seeing Carlaftes read is like catching the ghosts of Bukowski, Bogie, and Baudelaire all rolled into one. Georges is the author of "Punk Rock Journal" and "Slow Dance at 120 Beats a Minute" and brings a sultry, yet adrenaline-powered edge to all her live performances reminiscent of a smoothie made from equal parts of Garbo, Girlschool and Gaga.

Also featured at the event will be Shana Yadid (vocals) and Danny Hartig (guitar). The monthly series is hosted by poet and neo-beatnik Peter Chelnik. Prairie Fire takes place at AMERICAN THEATRE OF ACTORS, 314 W. 54th St. (bet. 8th & 9th Aves.), in the Beckman Theater on the 2nd Floor. Admission: $5. Doors open at 5:30. Arrive early to sign up for the open mic.