We had a great night of poetry and spoken word at NGS #57 on Election Day and the words and excitement continue to flow when we return to Valentine’s on Tuesday, November 19 for the first Team Nitty Gritty Semi Final.
This edition of Albany’s poetry slam series will be a special slam for the top ten points leaders so far in the season battling it out in the first semi-final to be part of #TeamNittyGritty 2014. We changed the lineup from the top eight to the top ten due to ties. The top ten eight points leaders are Poetyc Visionz (18), Bless (12), Sarah McCormick (6), Mojavi (6), Samson Dikeman (6), Brandon Williamson (5), Kevin Peterson (5), Chelsea (4), Dan Wilcox (4), and Casey Fisk (4).
This lineup of poets is a great combination of performers who each bring their own style and level of experience to the stage. Once again, Nitty Gritty Slam is showing the true diversity of talented artists that this city and our poetry community are known for. So far this season we have seen many new poets step up to the mic and slam for the first time. New poets such as Sarah, Chelsea, Samson, and Casey have been shining lights at the slam, mixing it up with previous Team Nitty Gritty members like PV and Kevin Peterson. Everyone is trying to make an impact and cement their place on the team as we get closer to the NPS 2014 in Oakland, California.
This event is part of a season long tournament to choose members for the 2014 slam team to represent Nitty Gritty Slam at the National Poetry Slam next summer, marking the third year in a row that Albany poets have competed on the national level. The top two poets at the end of NGS #58 will then move on to the Grand Slam in May. Poets who do not make it to the next level of the tournament are invited to participate at the next Open Slam (The Dead Poet Slam) on December 3, 2013 to begin the battle for the second Semi Final.
* NOTE – This slam will not be an open slam. Only the top ten poets listed above will be able to slam. The open mic will be for all poets and spoken word artists who want to step up to the mic with a special two poem limit.
Albany Poets, Urban Guerilla Theatre, and The Frequency North Reading Series have brought 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 7:00pm, open mic starts at 7:30, and then Thom Francis starts the slam at 8:00pm.
Admission is $5.00 ($3.00 with student ID). This is an 18+ show.
For information on the rules and format of the Nitty Gritty Slam and to meet the team, go to http://nittygrittyslam.com/.
