Benjamin Solah « Melbourne Spoken Word

Overland puts a call out for spoken word submissions

Exciting news that Overland, a progressive journal and website based in Melbourne, has put a call out for audio submissions of spoken word for an upcoming digital publication. It will be edited by spoken word artist Maxine Beneba Clarke, who blogs at slamup.blogspot.com.au and has featured around the Melbourne Spoken Word scene before. It is […]

Video Verse: Omar Musa and Alia Gabres

Melbourne Spoken Word has had both Omar and Alia on our site before as part of the ‘Video Verse’ feature, but these two new videos deserve special mention. ‘Video Verse’ is about showcasing the Melbourne Spoken Word scene through video, as an accessible way to introduce people to poetry and spoken word, to defy the […]

Melbourne Spoken Word artists at the Emerging Writers’ Festival

Melbourne Spoken Word is very excited about this year’s upcoming Emerging Writers’ Festival taking place this May, especially because spoken word and spoken word artists feature in the fantastic program. It is definitely worth checking out for both writers and lovers of words. Melbourne Spoken Word is also excited because we have sponsored a writer […]

Review: House Red by Di Cousens (Book)

Review by Amanda Anastasi After enjoying Di Cousens’ first collection – the reflective words and stunning photography of Freedom To Be – I did not need much coercion in grabbing her latest offering House Red. The cover is impressively funky and contemporary, and the content twice the size of Di’s modest first collection. Upon opening […]

Video Verse: 17 by Luka Lesson

  Melbourne adopted Brisbane’s Luka Lesson a few years back and we are so glad to have him down here. Luka lent his voice to the campaign to stop 17-year-olds being locked up in Queensland’s adult prison system, the only state in Australia to do so. This is the poem and video he’s produced. Don’t […]

Where are Australian Poetry?

Op-Ed by Benjamin Solah I’ve been involved on the ‘Melbourne Poetry scene’ for almost three years now, but have yet to meet someone from Australian Poetry in person, or anyone from its previous organisations that merged together recently. It’s very unlikely that I missed them because of a lack of attending events. I am prone […]

Video Verse: Chop Wood, Carry Water by Joel McKerrow

  From the Please Resist Me tour, featuring Joel McKerrow, Alia Gabres and Luka Lesson, Joel performs ‘Chop Wood, Carry Water.’ Last month, Amanda Anastasi reviewed Joel’s album, One Foot in the Clay.

Keep Left featuring Sister Zai

Keep Left is the latest regular poetry gig to start in Melbourne. Started by Paulie at Noise Bar last month, the aim is for it to be a space for left-wing, progressive performance art including spoken word, poetry, music, hip-hop, rap and comedy. As Paulie explains on the Facebook group: Keep Left is an opportunity […]

Video Verse: Scent of Love by Alia Gabres

  Alia Gabres is a Melbourne based spoken word artist who has recently finished a tour alongside Luka Lesson and Joel McKerrow. Her spoken word is known for highlighting issues and voices that are often marginalised. Video produced by Shuttermain.

Review: Please Resist Me by Luka Lesson (CD)

Review by Matthew Richardson. When you think of spoken word in Melbourne one name must surely dance through your mind: Luka Lesson. Lesson is the current National Slam Champion and his true talent shines through in this collection of poems and hip hop songs. He shows the articulation and literary prowess that claimed him the […]

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