Every Monday night, the lower floor of the XandO coffee shop in Charles Village transcends its usual function, becoming a site where local poets and other like-minded folk can convene to share and experience contemporary poetry. "Slamicide," as the weekly event is called, takes the same format every week. First, members of the audience are invited to read up to two of their own poems or poems by another author, although most people take advantage of the comfortable setting to perform their own work. Next, a guest poet (or poets), visiting from anywhere between the East and West Coasts, performs a number of his or her own pieces. The last portion of the evening is reserved for a poetry slam competition, also comprised of audience participants.
Slamming (a term actually invented and owned by the national organization Poetry Slam Inc.) is a form of verbal performance that can best be described as a fusion of poetry, rap and musical rhythm, usually punctuated by bodily gestures. Each slammer gets three minutes to recite his or her piece, then five pre-chosen audience members rate the performance on a scale of one to 10, grading the slammer on content as well as execution. The winner usually takes home a sum of money, in addition to the emphatic respect of the generally enthusiastic audience.
In a way, the XandO Slamicide and other similar events might be considered modern-day salons, places where people who share a similar interest (in this case, poetry and general literary arts) can come together for a few hours to exchange ideas and creative impulses. Certainly, there seems to be a core group of faithfuls who attend every week (you begin to notice who these people are particularly through their unique nicknames). Nevertheless, newcomers are always welcomed, although you should expect to be pegged as a "virgin" the first time you venture up to the microphone.
One of the most enticing aspects of Slamicide, which makes the event more than a run-of-the-mill open-mic poetry reading, are the weekly featured poets, each of whom has truly impressed me in his or her turn. Impressive alone is the variety of poets that Slamicide brings in, not only in styles, but also in gender and ethnicity.
The one thing that does (and should) remain constant is the poets' quality. This past week's guest performer was Luke Warm Water, a Native American poet from Portland, Oregon. Warm Water, who is a member of the Oglala Sioux Tribe of the Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota, deals largely with past and contemporary Native American issues in his work, looking at his people with humor and compassion.
Slamicide was started in September 2000 by Nicki Miller and Dave Schein. Schein, 21, had been attending poetry slams in Washington, D.C., and in August 2000, he had accompanied the D.C. Slam to the annual national slam competition in Providence, Rhode Island. While in Providence, Miller and Schein decided to revive Baltimore's slam team, which had been out of commission since losing their headquarters at the Mount Vernon club, Paloma's. Upon returning to Baltimore, Schein, who was working at the Charles Village XandO at the time, was able to secure a space at the coffee shop for a poetry night once a week, giving back support and a venue to the Baltimore Slam Team as well as giving the public an opportunity to experience this unique literary form.
"Slam has enriched poetry and the independent art scene more than I can say," said Schein. In particular, the Slamicide event has helped develop the Baltimore poetry community, sparking one of the most diverse poetry scenes that Schein has yet to encounter. Indeed, after a year and a half, Slamicide is still going strong, one of the many examples of quirky creativity for which Baltimore City is notorious.
Slamicide takes place every Monday night at XandO, located at 3003 N. Charles Street. Admission is $5 for all ages.
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