Poetry and spoken word are going to be heating up The Low Beat on Tuesday, March 3 with the 89th Nitty Gritty Slam featuring Brandon Williamson from the Pure Ink Slam in Buffalo, NY.
Since 2009, Brandon Williamson has left an indelible mark on Buffalo’s arts community. Founder of the Pure Ink Poetry Slam, his skills as an impresario have given a new class of artist reason to come to the Queen City. His performances have spanned across New York State, New Jersey, and Southern Ontario. After receiving 2nd place honors in the Toronto International Poetry slam, he was requested as a feature performer in the 2014 production of Dwayne Morgan’s: When Brothers Speak, the largest and longest running poetry concert of it’s type in North America. He has recently published “Critical Lens,” a book presenting a poets view of the world around him. Brandon is excited to return to Albany and to the Nitty Gritty scene for another night of poetry.
The second half of the season is in full swing and we are getting closer to finding out who will be representing Albany and Nitty Gritty Slam at the National Poetry Slam in Oakland this summer. Who will be joining Kevin, Amani, Samson Dikeman, and Elizag in the Grand Slam? Will any new voices wow the judges and make it to the next round?
If you’re not into competing in the slam, but want to get on stage and share your work, we have an open mic hosted by Kevin Peterson 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.
If you can’t make it out to the show that night, be sure to follow along on Twitter – #NGS89.
Albany Poets, Urban Guerilla Theatre, and The Frequency North Reading Series have brought slam back to Albany with the Nitty Gritty Slam at The Low Beat (335 Central Ave.) on the 1st and 3rd Tuesday’s of each month.
For information on the rules and format of the Nitty Gritty Slam and to meet the team, go to http://nittygrittyslam.com
