Words by Benjamin Solah

On Saturday night, teaming up with Conduit Arts Initiative, Melbourne Spoken Word put on our first poetry gig as an organisation and website, presenting six poets in a lovely art space on Brunswick Street to an intimate crowd. I performed alongside a bit of an ‘all-star’ lineup of Melbourne poets: Kerry Loughrey, Santo Cazzati, Randall Stephens, Amanda Anastasi and Steve Smart, who all presented unique performances, showcasing the diverse nature of the scene, and utilising the space. It was refreshing to be in a space with no microphone and people were able to use their voice in interesting ways, to pin-drop silence.

Photos by Mandy Kitchener

Conduit Arts Initiative have a very under-rated space on Brunswick Street. It is dedicated for performance and so everyone there was there to listen to poetry. And the acoustics of the room meant I could use my voice how I intend to. It was a very liberating experience as a poet to perform there. Randall Stephens also used the space very well, even stepping out onto the street at one point and broached that unconscious divide between ‘stage’ and audience.

Photos by Mandy Kitchener

This was the first time we put on an event as a website. I’ve done a few myself, but there will be more now. You don’t want to miss the next one.

House of Bricks, a new spoken word gig that started in December last year, following on from the Egg Gallery readings, has attracted an impressive crowd for its January gig last Thursday. Like Egg Gallery, House of Bricks spoken word takes place in an art gallery and has attracted a crowd outside the usual poetry crowd. MC Santo Cazzati says that numbers were around 100 as people packed in despite the bad weather to hear a range of feature poets.

HOB takes place on the last day of each month, regardless of day and is well worth getting along to.

Photo by Di Cousens

Story by Benjamin Solah

Photo by Di Cousens

The Brunswick Hotel was full last night for the last Passionate Tongues poetry night for the year and it was for a special reason. Melbourne poets Richard Smolarek and Amanda Anastasi used their open mic spot to surprise MC Michael Reynolds with a gift, a cheque of over $1,200 raised by donations from poets around Melbourne and beyond as well as a collection of haikus about the MC.

It was an exciting night and a long time coming. Michael is much loved by poets around Melbourne. He has done a lot for everyone, encouraging new poets to continue having a go on the open mic, and giving many of us our first features. He has run Passionate Tongues poetry for a long time, turning up each fortnight to MC the event, arranging feature poets, collecting prizes for the raffle. All of this whilst working shift-work. He has been very generous and wholly deserves the money people raised for him.