We are gearing up for some exciting events in the coming weeks including the National Poetry Slam, where Team Nitty Gritty will be competing against 71 other teams of poets, and the 2013 WordXWord Festival in Pittsfield. But first we have a great week of spoken word and poetry events lined up in Upstate New York and Western Massachusetts with everything from poetry open mics, a slam, featured readings, and even a variety show.
The week ahead…
Monday, August 5
8:00pm – Club Harmony
Wok ‘N Roll Cafe, 52 Mill Hill Road, Woodstock, NY
Weekly poetry open mic with a featured reader hosted by Michael Platsky.
Tuesday, August 6
7:00pm – Emack and Bolio’s Open Mic Night
Emack & Bolio’s, Delaware Ave., Albany, NY
A weekly open mic for music and poetry
7:00pm – Club Helsinki Open Mic
Club Helsinki, 405 Columbia Street, Hudson, NY
The Club Helsinki Open Mic offers burgeoning artists and veterans alike an opportunity to practice their chops, network, and impress their friends using an incredible stage and sound system every Tuesday night in Hudson, NY.
7:00pm – Nitty Gritty Slam #51 – The Team Nitty Gritty Send Off
Valentine’s, 17 New Scotland Ave., Albany, NY
Albany Poets, Urban Guerilla Theatre, and The Frequency North Reading Series are bringing slam back to Albany with the NITTY GRITTY SLAM. NGS takes place at Valentine’s (17 New Scotland Ave.) on the 1st and 3rd Tuesday’s of each month. If you’re not into slam, but want to get on stage and share your work, we have an open mic before the slam. Sign up begins at 7PM, open mic starts at 7:30, and the slam starts at 8PM. Admission is $5.00 ($3.00 with student ID). This is an 18+ show.
8:00pm – Northampton Poetry Open Mic
Hinge, 48 Main Street, Northampton, MA
Northampton’s only weekly open mic poetry night offers some of the best, most creative voices in the county. Every Tuesday night at 8:00pm. Come down and listen. Come down and share your words. Academic or slam, spoken word or political: Your words are welcome.
8:00pm – WXW Tuesday Project – Big Top
yBar, 391 North Street, Pittsfield, MA
A carnival of conjunctions, conditions and comedy – the Big Top is part poets gone wild and part improv with a good dose of quick wits and wordly creativity at play – a celebration of the bad, the bawdy, the bodacious and the brilliant – in the context of friendly competition.
Wednesday, August 7
7:00pm – Caffe Lena Poetry Open Mic
Caffe Lena, 47 Phila Street, Saratoga Springs, NY
Open mic for poetry and spoken word hosted by Carol Graser at the historic Caffe Lena in Saratoga Springs with featured poet Joseph Bruchac.
7:00pm – Poetry Nite at the Last Bite
Last Bite Cafe, 103 Main Street, High Falls, NY
Poetry Nite at the Last Bite is a monthly poetry reading with featured poets Robert Milby and Haigan Smith hosted by the great Donald Lev.
8:00pm – Pauly’s Hotel Open Mic Night
Pauly’s Hotel, 337 Central Ave., Albany, NY
Poetry, Music, Comedy and more take center stage at Pauly’s weekly Open Mic Night hosted by Brian LaPoint and Joshua Gruft.
Thursday, August 8
7:00pm – Rockhill Bakehouse Open Mic
Rockhill Bakehouse Cafe, 19 Exchange Street, Glens Falls, NY
Weekly open mic for musicians and writers.
7:30pm – Bohemian Book Bin open Mic
Bohemian Book Bin, 592 Ulster Ave., Kingston, NY
Monthly poetry open mic with a featured reader R. Dionysius Whituers hosted by Teresa Marta Costa.
8:00pm – Starving Artist Thursdays
Hudson River Coffee House, 227 Quail Street, Albany, NY
A weekly open Mic for music, poetry, and spoken word at one of Albany’s best new coffee shops.
Friday, August 9
6:30pm – Poetry at the Pine Hollow Arboretum
Pine Hollow Arboretum, 16 Maple Ave., Slingerlands, NY
An open mic with a special group reading featuring local poets Alan Casline, A.C. Everson, Philip Good, Bernadette Mayer, Marion Menna, obeedúid, R.A. Pavoldi, Susan Ribeck, Bob Sharkey,Sharon Stenson, and Dan Wilcox to celebrate the fifth anniversary of the poetry reading series.
8:00pm – The Parlor Cafe Open Mic
The Parlor Cafe, 303 Ashland Street, North Adams, MA
A weekly open mic each and every Friday at the Parlor Cafe in North Adams for poets, musicians, and artists. Signup at the bar and get ready for the show, starting at 8.
Saturday, August 10
2:00pm – Woodstock Poetry Society
Mountain View Studio, 20 Mountain View Ave., Woodstock, NY
Monthly poetry open mic in beautiful Woodstock, NY hosted by Chronogram Poetry Editor Phil Levine with featured poets.
7:00pm – Poetry at the UUC
Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Kingston, 320 Sawkill Road, Kingston, NY
A monthly poetry open mic with featured readers hosted by Micky Shorr.
For a full listing of all of the poetry and spoken word events in upstate New York, head over to the events calendar page. And if you live in the Western Massachusetts / Connecticut area, be sure to check out Lori Desrosiers‘ Poetry News Calendar.
If you would like to have your poetry event listed on AlbanyPoets.com, send an email to albanypoets+events@gmail.com with the date and details.
