Poetry Live September 8th @ Thirsty Dog

with guest musician Joanne Chester

and guest poet Michael Botur

Open mic!

Koha entry

MC Miriam

Michael Botur (pronounced BOATER) started out a poetry buff while he was an English student at Otago University, but now majors in fiction writing. He has had poetry and fiction published in Takahe, JAAM, Bravado, The Lumiere Reader, Prima Storia, Deep South, Catalyst, Sidestream, Insight, Subject, Blindswimmer, A3, Critic, Potroast, Debate and F*nk, Canada's The Med and NiL, has had short stories and poetry broadcast on The Dirty Wordz Show and has won Her magazine’s short story competition. He has just got himself a Masters in Creative Writing from AUT and wants to release a collection of short stories and a novel in 2010.

Joanne Chester has been a musician since shortly after her birth. She left school at age 18 to pursue a Bachelor of Music Education, where she fronted bands such as “The Music Education Band” and other such bands with no names. At uni, she also had the revelation that she still couldn’t play enough instruments so jumped at the opportunity to study jazz bass intensively for a year and took her guitar to an entirely new level. In August 2007, Joanne joined Queen City Big Band and immediately started touring around the whole of Grey Lynn with the band, both playing trumpet and singing. Among other things, singing with Queen City has given Jo the opportunity to sing along side Ray Woolf and she has also gotten to lead several thousand people in their favourite Christmas ditties at Carols by Candlelight at Potters Park Christmas 2007 and 2008. Throughout this time, Jo has also been writing her own songs and performing solo and duo at restaurants, private functions and youth events. In spring 2008, she recorded her first acoustic album in a friend’s home studio. She has just started recording her second album in a studio in Parnell.

Side Stream 21 launch - come along and get a copy.

Submissions for Live Lines #3 are open until the end of the month. Post hard copies to Poetry Live, 16 Millais St, Grey Lynn, Auckland 1021. Or bring them along to Poetry Live one Tuesday night and hand them to any of the MCs - Christian, me, Murray or Renee.

Copies of Live Lines #2 are available from Parsons bookshop and from Poetry Live every Tuesday - they're $15 and they're awesome and they fund Live Lines #3. Buy one. Buy eight. They'd be good Chrissy presents too.

Poetry Live June 9th

Poetry Live June 9th @ Thirsty Dog

8 pm till late.

With guest musicians Sea Train and guest poet Tim Heath.

Open mic. Koha entry.

MC: Miriam Barr

With a live show that incorporates elements of jazz, pop, and funk Sea train are members Catherine Walker, Eli Moore, Adam Tobeck and friends. Catherine Walker the key songwriter for the group is inspired by the likes of Joni Mitchell, Michael Jackson, Enya, Bjork, Bic Runga and Norah Jones.

Tim Heath is a teacher/grandparent/student who has, in the last few years allowed a life long desire to write have free rein. He has had stories read on Radio NZ, won some short story competitions, had a few poems published here and there, and been an also- ran in a number of poetry slams. Last year he did the Masters of Creative Writing course at AUT and managed to finish a novel, which is still to see the light of day, but is at least finished…sort of.

Also our beloved ex-MC Ila is running a great monthly, poetry gig out in Titirangi called Rhythm & Verse. In her 3 years (at least) of running Poetry Live, Ila would have organised you all 33 Poetry Live events. If you have enjoyed any of them, might be a nice idea to rock up and contribute to keeping Rhythm & Verse happening. Tit for tat and all that people! See below for details.

AND - the latest issue of Black Mail Press (#24 - Secrets) will be launched very, very, very soon. So check out www.blackmailpress.com in a couple of days to read the Secrets issue as soon as it's live. The issue includes Jessica Le Bas, Elizabeth Smithers, Catherine Fitchett, Jenny Argante, Michael Morrissey, Karlo Mila, Mark Pirie, Iain Britton, Helen Rickerby and heaps more, all on the topic of secrets. 'Tis juicy.

Catch you all on Tuesday anyway.

Thursday 18th June at 7.30pm Rhythm and Verse
Join us on the Top Floor of Lopdell House for our third evening of words and music with some of New Zealand’s best poets and local musicians. With featured musicians Fiona McEwen and Steve Terry, followed by Anna Rugis. Guest poets include Dr Jack Ross, from Massey University, David Eggleton, the writer-in-residence at the Michael King Centre in Devonport, the flamboyant Raewyn Alexander from Grey Lynn and the lovely Rachael Naomi Heimann from Kingsland. Entry $15 or $10 for Friends of Lopdell House Gallery.