ALBUQUERQUE WINS!!! SLAM WRAP UP

Scalpers were asking fifty bucks for twenty dollar sold out tickets to the slam. That fact alone just blows my mind:  Scalpers at a Poetry Slam!  Here in the land of mañana, Albuquerque folks expect to arrive ten minutes prior to any show and buy tickets; boy, were they surprised.  Like every bout in the preceding week, we were standing room only.   

The air was electric; I have been to a number of great shows at the Kiva (which seats 2300), but I have never seen that degree of energy.   The Albuquerque team had made it to finals which no doubt fueled the fire.  Just to say it up front, I saw no evidence of home cooking---the competition was outrageously tight and the teams in the semi's and the finals were the best of the best in the world---Albuquerque's hard work prevailed.  In the end, Albuquerque won!!!

The competition was tight all night.   In the individual round everyone was stellar, but two stood out all the way.  Sadly, because I was working as a bouncer at the media/staff entrance, I did not catch the individual winner's names, but I will sum it up:  the geek and the warrior princess tied for first place.  There was a cry for a head to head slam to determine a one/two ranking, but I was thrilled they decided to split the honor.  Their pieces were so different that competing again would not have been fair.   The warrior princess enraptured the audience with her shrieking rants---frankly she was not my favorite, but the judges loved her.  The geek stole my heart.  This guy looks like Napoleon Dynomite, and compared to the other guys who yelled and strutted through their spit poems, the geek was subdued---the power of his words, the power of his heart, the power of spoken (not screamed) word took unusual precedance with this guy.  He connected.   It was beautiful and encouraging to watch.  I was glad he won.

The team bouts were equally intense.  Hollywood, last year's National champs, did a stellar job, but they lacked the freshness they exuded in last year's run.  Charlotte and Albuquerque came out of nowhere to run neck and neck.  Those of us following the score were pacing hard---it could have gone either way.  Both were polished and exuberant.  Both were fresh and engaged the audience with powerful runs.  Albuquerque prevailed.   

BUT,  A SCANDAL?!  Charlotte, on being awarded second place grabbed the mike and railed against some folks who allegedly booed them and other teams during their performance.  The speaker claimed that all the teams but ABQ were booed while on stage, and she admonished the audience for their "lack of home training."  First of all, neither I nor anyone back stage heard any booing (not to mention Danny would have likely ejected anyone caught booing).  But, even if it were true, the Charlotte spokesman was WAY OUT OF LINE!!!   Her infraction was greater than the perceived insult of the booing.  The timing was wrong---she intentionally stole the Albuquerque Slam Team's moment of winning first place, and she railed at 2400 people for the wrongs of a very few (if the wrong occurred at all.)  Yes, it is way wrong to boo a poet on stage---we must hold up our artists even when they falter, but out of a couple thousand folks at any gathering there will always be an a$$hole or two; get over it.   I have mixed feelings about the long term affect---at least two movies were documenting the event (Spit and Slam Planet---look for them!), and we had media from all over.  Media and movies love a scandal, and that unfortunate moment may well be given undue focus in the presentation of the Slam.  That too, is simply wrong.   All in all, the whole week was the best run, best attended and best money making Slam of all time.  Albuquerque slam workers, and in particular Danny Solis (pictured above) desire huge huge Kudos for a stellar job.  It makes you wonder why Austin is getting the slam the next two years in a row---but that's another story...

Anti-climax:  I ended up devoting about fifty hours to the event in just this last week. I fell in love with the great group of folks that worked with me.   On any given night I talked for hours with new friends whose last names I still do not know.  Now it is over, and like summer camp, I will likely not see these new friends again.  That hurts.  It's one of life's dirtiest tricks, but I would not trade those moments for anything in the world.

Because this event was so well received I predict it is only the beginning.  The wave of slam poetry is building, not cresting, and great things are yet to come here in ABQ.   My hat's off to all the volunteers, the staff, and the generous sponsors and venues that made all this happen.

UPDATE! Here's the names of the geek and the warrior princess:

Janean Livingston & Anis Mojgani,

the 2005 Indy Poetry Slam Champion.

Peace, Love, and no scandal here but the claim of scandal,

Daddyo in Messico

Comments

[joey]

I think you should have taken the picture of a person who had paid a scalpers price to a poetry event and posted it here....

[hbbean88]

I know who you are and all I can say is kudos to you and thanks!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Without amamzing volunteers like you this Slam would not have been the earth rocking expereince it was for all involved. I thank you from the bottom of my heart for you hard work and beautiful words! Hbbean...

[Scott Jones]

Thanks for reporting on this event.

[ericbodwell]

I WHOLEHEARTEDLY AGREE! This was a wonderful event and the fact that we worked our collective hearts out for it is a testament to dedication. Thank you to everybody who slaved tirelessly. In the end the prize was priceless.

Your Pal - Eric B

[Tena]

Both of my boys graduated from Del Norte. A friend of mine retired from Del Norte a couple of years ago. I move from Albuquerque about a year ago. I wish we were still there.

[Tena]

Both of my boys graduated from Del Norte. A friend of mine retired from Del Norte a couple of years ago. I move from Albuquerque about a year ago. I wish we were still there.

[anis mojgani]

thanks for the kind words, both here and on my livejournal. i am ecstatic to be known as "the geek," no joke; that's fucking sweet. i wish i could take credit for the poem you mentioned at semifinals: the same day piece about the veteran bum but the credit for that amazing poem goes to erik darby from boston cantab. regardless, i'm glad you enjoyed the work i did do the night following.