"Mighty" Mike McGee's Electronic Place of Himself.
Typings of a well-traveled, talky, funny, hobo-poet.
Mike and David sign in:
The Oversocial Mofo Revue is back! November 12, 2010 @ Anno Domini in downtown San Jose. Our first show at AD was a smash success and this one already looks to be just as hearty!
Friday, November 12, 2010
Line up at 7:30pm. Show promptly at 8pm! Seats are very limited!
Anno Domini
366 South First Street
San Jose, CA
(Free street parking after 6pm. Pay garage at corner of 2nd and San Carlos.)
Click here to join our Facebook group.
Join our MOFO Mailer by sending a BLANK email to: MOFO MAILER!
POTENTIAL POETRY COMPETITORS: Read through to learn about our slight change in the poetry slam structure.
The OVERSOCIAL MOFO REVUE is the groundbreaking variety show hosted by “Mighty” Mike McGee, David Perez, and Tatyana Brown with the musical stylings of The John Staedler Symphony Orchestra.
OUR THREE MAIN ACTS
Join us for Oakland’s poetess Joyce Lee, the lush sounds of San Jose’s Veronica Malki, San Francisco’s juggling wunderkind, Bronkar Lee and the all new San Jose Poetry Slam.
LIMITED SPACE. FIRST COME, FIRST SERVE. The outside line up begins at 7:30pm. The show will start at 8pm SHARP!
TICKETS (at door only)
Admission is between $6 and $11. You pay a base price of $5 then roll a die and pay the amount showing on the die.
SIGNING UP TO COMPETE IN THE SAN JOSE POETRY SLAM
All poets encouraged to sign up for the slam. WARNING! Slammers must come ready with more than two poems. See slam guidelines below BEFORE COMING TO THE VENUE. If you plan to perform in the poetry slam, line up outside before the draw at 7:45pm.
POETS PLEASE NOTE WHAT YOU WILL NEED TO COMPETE IN THE SAN JOSE POETRY SLAM!
1 one-minute poem
1 two-minute poem
2 three-minute poems
3 haiku (17 syllables each, we won’t time these, but we’ll be counting!)
Poets receive a 10-second grace period for each piece.
Judges selected at random and score from 0 to 100, NOT 0.0 to 10.0.
We will take 8 poets in the first round (7 random and the last 2nd place poet), selected randomly from the sign up list. The top 4 will advance to the second round. Then the two poets with the highest cumulative scores from the first two rounds advance to the Head-To-Head Bout.
SAN JOSE POETRY SLAM FORMAT BREAKDOWN
Round One: 8 poets/1 minute each
Round Two: Top 4 poets/2 minutes each
Head-To-Head: Top 2 poets compete clean slate in a best of three haiku match to select order, then two rounds of three minute poems. Cumulative score will determine winner.
2nd Place moves onto the next slam in January, first slot in the first round, automatic by.
1st Place WINNER is an automatic member of the possible 2011 San Jose Slam Team and receives $5 plus gifts from the Offering Box.
We hope to see you there!
This entry was written by , posted on 3 November, 2010 at 9:35 PM, filed under Uncategorized and tagged anno domini, bronkar lee, joyce lee, oversocial mofo revue, san josé poetry slam, San-Jose-California, veronica lee. Leave a comment or view the discussion at the permalink.
PRESS RELEASE
MEDIA CONTACT: Mike McGee
Email: mightymikemcgee@gmail.com
The Oversocial Mofo Revue
The Oversocial Mofo Revue is a groundbreaking new variety show from the producer’s of San José’s annual 25-Hour Summer Slumberfest. Each Revue presents an energetic Bay Area band or musician, a nationally-acclaimed spoken word artist, and a special “uncommon act” consisting of anything from stand-up comedy to circus performance to short film. Audience members are encouraged to participate in a host of games and contests including the official San José Poetry Slam – one of the toughest local poetry competitions in the U.S. – in which the winner receives a cash prize and a chance to represent San Jose at the National Poetry Slam.
The September 10th debut will showcase Oakland’s notorious poet-showman Jamie DeWolf, the dreamy sounds of the South Bay’s own Gold Hush, and San Francisco’s comedian extraordinaire, Mary Van Note.
Hosted by San José’s champions of spoken word and page, “Mighty” Mike McGee and David Perez, along with San Francisco’s Tatyana Brown. The Oversocial Mofo Revue is set to the musical stylings of The John Staedler Symphony Orchestra.
WHEN
Friday, September 10, 2010. Line-up 7:30pm. Show starts promptly at 8:00pm.
WHERE
Anno Domini
366 South First Street
San Jose, CA 95113
(408) 271-5155
TICKETS
Admission is between $6 and $11. You pay a base price of $5 then roll a die and pay the amount showing on the die. $5 for students with I.D. Limited space. First come, first serve.
FOR NERDS: $5+D6
MORE INFO
Site: http://www.mikemcgee.net/mofo
Facebook: http://tinyurl.com/fbmofo
This entry was written by , posted on 25 August, 2010 at 12:38 AM, filed under Uncategorized and tagged anno domini, david perez, gold hush, jamie dewolf, john staedler, mary van note, mike mcgee, san josé poetry slam, San-Jose-California, sofa district, tatyana brown, variety show. Leave a comment or view the discussion at the permalink.
And a happy June to everyone!
Summer approaches and so does our 24-Hour Summer Slumberfest 2009, the
second annual event I started with David Perez. It was born out of my half-assed December 2007 attempt to read poetry for 24 hours straight. I made it about 18-hours with a huge nap in the middle. Luckily, it lead us to a new idea.
Ten months later, David and I decided to replicate the event, but knew we had to open the mic to anyone that wanted to perform.
24-Hour Summer Slumberfest 2008 was a hit last September. MACLA, also the home of the San Jose Poetry Slam, was the perfect venue for such an endeavor. We had nearly 200 people stop by, and had a parliament of 30+ people most of the time. To take a nap at 3:30am, and to wake up an hour later to see that the crowd laying around you has grown is a sight to behold. It was indescribable fun to have such confirmation for the Slumberfest.
San Jose’s just the right setting for an event of this kind. The people want it–nay–need it and MACLA’s more than happy to pursue just about anything to promote art in all of its forms. It has been a purveyor of art for sometime now, and is the true home of spoken word in Silicon Valley. There is none higher.
Last year David mentioned his interest in bringing more international performers to the Slumberfest, and being a low-cost event, we certainly could not fly people out to attend. It’s quite literally a slumber party with a stage, a few mics, a pile of blankets, sleeping bags, pillows, food (all sorts!) and a couch or two.
But dammit! We live in Silicon Valley! We’re poets and artists who are also tech nerds. There must be something we can do to bring the world to MACLA.
SOLUTION: Skype + projector + wall + camera = INTERNATIONAL SLUMBERFEST!
If you think, “Man, this sounds like fun, but I can’t fly to San Jose, California (although you really should), but I do have a Skype account and I do have a webcam and I do have internet access and I do have poetry or music that is or isn’t mine and I do like the idea of reading it aloud…” Then you’re all set to be a part of the show! Join us from your very own country, province, state, cafe, school, bar
kitchen or bedroom.
We are signing people up for Skyping or those interested in just showing up to perform. Anyone outside of the United States will get priority with time slots. If you’re interested, look up the event listing on Facebook http://tinyurl.com/kpuwej, or comment here with the the general time slot you’re interested in.
Slumberfest 2009 runs from June 5 to June 6 – 6pm Friday to 6pm Saturday.
Slots may be less than 15 minutes, but not more than 15 minutes, depending on demand. The later the better. It will be easier to get a slot at 6am then at 11pm. Pay close attention to the difference in time between your time zone and Pacific Time.
http://www.timeanddate.com/
Examples:
“I am Joe Davis. I am a poet. I live in San Jose. I will attend in person. I would like to sign up between 6pm and 7:30pm. My email address is XGHKIG at HJJIY dot COM.” “Hey, Slumberers! I am Suzy. I live in the UK. I am a musician. I would like to play my songs over Skype sometime between 3am and 5am Pacific Time. You can reach me at SUZY at SUZY dot COM.”David and I will be working everything out for the rest of this week, and you will get a response with your time slot and explicit Skype instructions by Thursday, June 4 or the morning of June 5.
There will be lots of laying about, aside from David and I hosting and filling in empty slots on the mic. It is recommended that if you bring food or beverage, please bring enough to share.
NO BOOZE OR DRUGS. This is a clean event. We’d love for you to get high on life instead.
MACLA
510 South First Street, Between William and Reed in Dowtown San Jose
Free street parking after 6pm.
Meters in the daytime.
Suggested donation: 5 to 7 bucks.
Original time slotted was 7pm to 7pm, but scheduling forced us an hour ahead. It is 6pm to 6pm.
Various prizes and games for those who volunteer and stay the whole 24-hours.
Get plenty of rest beforehand and be sure to bring plenty of water if you intend to stay up.
We will attempt to webcast the event throughout, but due to issues in the past, we can make no promises. Check back to this blog throughout
the week for more info.
———
Word to the nerd.
This entry was written by , posted on 2 June, 2009 at 6:00 AM, filed under Podcast, Writing and tagged 2009, 24-hour, 24-Hour Open Mic, all night, barefoot coffee roasters, Bay Area, downtown, event, festival, live bands, live music, live performance, live poetry, macla, marathon, mike mcgee, Music, open mic, pillows, poet, poetry, san josé poetry slam, San-Jose-California, sleep over, sleeping bags, sleepover, slumber fest, slumber party, slumberfest, snacks, spoken, spoken word, summer, sweetness. Leave a comment or view the discussion at the permalink.
And a happy June to everyone!
Summer approaches and so does our 24-Hour Summer Slumberfest 2009, the
second annual event I started with David Perez. It was born out of my half-assed December 2007 attempt to read poetry for 24 hours straight. I made it about 18-hours with a huge nap in the middle. Luckily, it lead us to a new idea.
Ten months later, David and I decided to replicate the event, but knew we had to open the mic to anyone that wanted to perform.
24-Hour Summer Slumberfest 2008 was a hit last September. MACLA, also the home of the San Jose Poetry Slam, was the perfect venue for such an endeavor. We had nearly 200 people stop by, and had a parliament of 30+ people most of the time. To take a nap at 3:30am, and to wake up an hour later to see that the crowd laying around you has grown is a sight to behold. It was indescribable fun to have such confirmation for the Slumberfest.
San Jose’s just the right setting for an event of this kind. The people want it–nay–need it and MACLA’s more than happy to pursue just about anything to promote art in all of its forms. It has been a purveyor of art for sometime now, and is the true home of spoken word in Silicon Valley. There is none higher.
Last year David mentioned his interest in bringing more international performers to the Slumberfest, and being a low-cost event, we certainly could not fly people out to attend. It’s quite literally a slumber party with a stage, a few mics, a pile of blankets, sleeping bags, pillows, food (all sorts!) and a couch or two.
But dammit! We live in Silicon Valley! We’re poets and artists who are also tech nerds. There must be something we can do to bring the world to MACLA.
SOLUTION: Skype + projector + wall + camera = INTERNATIONAL SLUMBERFEST!
If you think, “Man, this sounds like fun, but I can’t fly to San Jose, California (although you really should), but I do have a Skype account and I do have a webcam and I do have internet access and I do have poetry or music that is or isn’t mine and I do like the idea of reading it aloud…” Then you’re all set to be a part of the show! Join us from your very own country, province, state, cafe, school, bar
kitchen or bedroom.
We are signing people up for Skyping or those interested in just showing up to perform. Anyone outside of the United States will get priority with time slots. If you’re interested, look up the event listing on Facebook http://tinyurl.com/kpuwej, or comment here with the the general time slot you’re interested in.
Slumberfest 2009 runs from June 5 to June 6 – 6pm Friday to 6pm Saturday.
Slots may be less than 15 minutes, but not more than 15 minutes, depending on demand. The later the better. It will be easier to get a slot at 6am then at 11pm. Pay close attention to the difference in time between your time zone and Pacific Time.
http://www.timeanddate.com/
Examples:
“I am Joe Davis. I am a poet. I live in San Jose. I will attend in person. I would like to sign up between 6pm and 7:30pm. My email address is XGHKIG at HJJIY dot COM.” “Hey, Slumberers! I am Suzy. I live in the UK. I am a musician. I would like to play my songs over Skype sometime between 3am and 5am Pacific Time. You can reach me at SUZY at SUZY dot COM.”David and I will be working everything out for the rest of this week, and you will get a response with your time slot and explicit Skype instructions by Thursday, June 4 or the morning of June 5.
There will be lots of laying about, aside from David and I hosting and filling in empty slots on the mic. It is recommended that if you bring food or beverage, please bring enough to share.
NO BOOZE OR DRUGS. This is a clean event. We’d love for you to get high on life instead.
MACLA
510 South First Street, Between William and Reed in Dowtown San Jose
Free street parking after 6pm.
Meters in the daytime.
Suggested donation: 5 to 7 bucks.
Original time slotted was 7pm to 7pm, but scheduling forced us an hour ahead. It is 6pm to 6pm.
Various prizes and games for those who volunteer and stay the whole 24-hours.
Get plenty of rest beforehand and be sure to bring plenty of water if you intend to stay up.
We will attempt to webcast the event throughout, but due to issues in the past, we can make no promises. Check back to this blog throughout
the week for more info.
———
Word to the nerd.
Originally published at Mike McGee Town. You can comment here or there.
This entry was written by , posted on at 6:00 AM, filed under Personal Updates and tagged 2009, 24-hour, 24-Hour Open Mic, all night, barefoot coffee roasters, Bay Area, downtown, event, events, festival, ideas, live bands, live music, live performance, live poetry, macla, marathon, mike mcgee, Music, open mic, pillows, Podcast, poet, poetry, san josé poetry slam, San-Jose-California, sleep over, sleeping bags, sleepover, slumber fest, slumber party, slumberfest, snacks, spoken, spoken word, summer, sweetness, writing. Leave a comment or view the discussion at the permalink.
Interviewee: Joshua Walters
(http://www.joshuaawalters.com)
Song/Track: Joshua Walters’ “To Feed” (used with permission)
Closing music: Guitar by Jimmy Newell
Notable links: San José Poetry Slam
http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewProfile&friendID=114127020
More McGee: http://www.mikemcgee.net
This episode of Mike McGee’s Podcast is Copyright 2009
(except for submissions and tracks by other artists)
This entry was written by , posted on 15 January, 2009 at 6:54 AM, filed under Personal Updates, Podcast and tagged episode, joshua walters, mike mcgee's podcast, Podcast, recording, san josé poetry slam, sweetness. Leave a comment or view the discussion at the permalink.
Interviewee: Joshua Walters
(http://www.joshuaawalters.com)
Song/Track: Joshua Walters’ “To Feed” (used with permission)
Closing music: Guitar by Jimmy Newell
Notable links: San José Poetry Slam
http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewProfile&friendID=114127020
More McGee: http://www.mikemcgee.net
This episode of Mike McGee’s Podcast is Copyright 2009
(except for submissions and tracks by other artists)
Originally published at MIKE McGEE TOWN DAILY. You can comment here or there.
This entry was written by , posted on at 6:54 AM, filed under Personal Updates and tagged episode, joshua walters, mike mcgee's podcast, personal updates, Podcast, san josé poetry slam, San-Jose-California, sweetness. Leave a comment or view the discussion at the permalink.
Can you be in Silicon Valley on Monday night? Do you want to make some hang?
You should come to my
33rd Birthday Bon Voyage ExSlamaGanza Party
Monday, January 12, 2009 7:00pm until 11:00pm
MACLA, 510 S. First Street, Downtown San José, CA 95113
(We may move it to another spot later.)
On January 12, 2009, I will turn 33 years old. This number has always been special to me. This is also around the 10 year mark of my affiliation with the San José Poetry Slam.
For the first time ever, my birthday and the slam night coincide. While I have moved to Massachusetts, I am coming home from Worcester to be in San José for this particular night.
I want everyone I love and like to be there, and that’s a handy portion of Silicon Valley and the Bay Area. This is your chance to be a part of a great poetry slam, ring in my new year, and to wish me a fond farewell, as I will take up my first residence in 4 years, now on the East Coast.
I will supply pizza and some drinks. Feel free to bring a dish or party things. If you really want to get me a gift, make it very small, as I will have to pack it in with my luggage. I do like coffee, posters, orange things, and neat, small home items. You are a gift to me, so your presence will be presents enough.
Please do not bring alcohol of any sort. If there is to be any, the slam or I will provide it, possibly for purchase.
If you really want to help, then make a donation to the San José Poetry Slam, and/or bring snacks and food for others to eat. The slam normally charges $6.00 to get in, so I still want them to make some money.
Let’s have a real celebration! True merriment and entertainment.
What we could use are various food dishes. Easy to eat and share, and non-alcoholic beverages.
The San José Poetry Slam is held every 2nd and 4th Monday each month at MACLA’s theater.
The doors open at 7:00pm, and the slam starts at 8:30pm. Feel free to sign up and roast me if you want! I would adore that.
I will be hosting and performing at some point.
510 S. First Street, between William and Reed, in Downtown San José. Free parking after 6:00pm.
http://maps.google.com/maps?q=MACLA%2C+510+S.+First+Street&hl=en
This day means so much to me, as does finally moving into my own space, albeit very far away from Silicon Valley. This could be a good reason to come visit, and an even better reason to join my email list, or stay in touch via the internet.
I am in a good place, and seeing you there would make this all so much better. This may be my last slam in San José for some time, so please try to make it out.
–––––––––
Thirty-third to the nerd.
This entry was written by , posted on 9 January, 2009 at 1:28 PM, filed under Personal Updates, Podcast, Travel, Uncategorized and tagged 2009, 33 years old, birthday, bon voyage, family, friends, January 12, monday, moving, party, san josé poetry slam, Worcester-Massachusetts. Leave a comment or view the discussion at the permalink.
Can you be in Silicon Valley on Monday night? Do you want to make some hang?
You should come to my
33rd Birthday Bon Voyage ExSlamaGanza Party
Monday, January 12, 2009 7:00pm until 11:00pm
MACLA, 510 S. First Street, Downtown San José, CA 95113
(We may move it to another spot later.)
On January 12, 2009, I will turn 33 years old. This number has always been special to me. This is also around the 10 year mark of my affiliation with the San José Poetry Slam.
For the first time ever, my birthday and the slam night coincide. While I have moved to Massachusetts, I am coming home from Worcester to be in San José for this particular night.
I want everyone I love and like to be there, and that’s a handy portion of Silicon Valley and the Bay Area. This is your chance to be a part of a great poetry slam, ring in my new year, and to wish me a fond farewell, as I will take up my first residence in 4 years, now on the East Coast.
I will supply pizza and some drinks. Feel free to bring a dish or party things. If you really want to get me a gift, make it very small, as I will have to pack it in with my luggage. I do like coffee, posters, orange things, and neat, small home items. You are a gift to me, so your presence will be presents enough.
Please do not bring alcohol of any sort. If there is to be any, the slam or I will provide it, possibly for purchase.
If you really want to help, then make a donation to the San José Poetry Slam, and/or bring snacks and food for others to eat. The slam normally charges $6.00 to get in, so I still want them to make some money.
Let’s have a real celebration! True merriment and entertainment.
What we could use are various food dishes. Easy to eat and share, and non-alcoholic beverages.
The San José Poetry Slam is held every 2nd and 4th Monday each month at MACLA’s theater.
The doors open at 7:00pm, and the slam starts at 8:30pm. Feel free to sign up and roast me if you want! I would adore that.
I will be hosting and performing at some point.
510 S. First Street, between William and Reed, in Downtown San José. Free parking after 6:00pm.
http://maps.google.com/maps?q=MACLA%2C+510+S.+First+Street&hl=en
This day means so much to me, as does finally moving into my own space, albeit very far away from Silicon Valley. This could be a good reason to come visit, and an even better reason to join my email list, or stay in touch via the internet.
I am in a good place, and seeing you there would make this all so much better. This may be my last slam in San José for some time, so please try to make it out.
–––––––––
Thirty-third to the nerd.
Originally published at Mike McGee Town. You can comment here or there.
This entry was written by , posted on at 1:28 PM, filed under Personal Updates and tagged 2009, 33 years old, birthday, bon voyage, events, family, friends, ideas, January 12, monday, moving, party, personal updates, Podcast, san josé poetry slam, San-Jose-California, tour/touring, Travel, uncategorized, Vancouver, Worcester-Massachusetts. Leave a comment or view the discussion at the permalink.
If you thought I was hairy now, check out this image of me taken by David Huang for PoeticDream.com.
If I’m not mistaken, this was taken sometime in November 1998. That’s me slamming for the very first time, at the first poetry slam in downtown San Jose, started by David Huang and Vadim Litvak. It was, at least, the first poetry slam that continued on and is still running today at the Britannia Arms downtown. The venue I’m at in the photo is the now defunct Cafe Babylon. It was a nice place and I wish it was still around.
I’m in the middle of a horrendous stand up routine that lasted two minutes and thirty seconds. For that, I received what I’m pretty sure is the lowest score in SJ Slam history to date: a 6.0 (drop the 1 and the 3, add the 2s). The feature that night, and the first feature I ever saw, was either Mack Dennis (badass) or Alan Kaufman, compiler/editor of the Outlaw Bible of American Poetry. The slam at that time was called the Silicon Valley Poetry Slam, then shortly afterward it became the Metro Silicon Valley Poetry Slam after receiving sponsorship from SJ’s weekly rag, The Metro. I never liked the name as much as I liked the free ads we got from them, so when I took over the slam in 2003 or 4, I dropped the contract and the name and went with San Jose Poetry Slam (sorry, Vadim). That’s one of the few good things I did with the slam, that and move it to a weekly show. Well, sometimes good. Anthony R. Miller’s done a much better job with it since then.
Had I continued slamming in 1998-99, I might have gotten better and made it into the finals (doubtful). The SJ team that came out of that season went on to win the National Poetry Slam team finals, along with co-champs Team San Francisco. I could’ve easily helped San Jose take 33rd!
The Bay Area boom in spoken word and poetry slam that followed that season produced several new poetry slams and hundreds, if not thousands, of new poetry slammers. And it introduced a new school to the old school in slam. I have heard pre-1996 slammers refer to all post-1996 poets as the “new school,” or “assholes.” Well, we are, aren’t we?
Ah, the memories! I remember when Tourettes Without Regrets, the now 450+ crowd infamous circus of hip hop and debauchery, was a glorified open mic/open of about 8 poets and
Most Bay Area slammers don’t realize that there was a single poetry slam held February 1990 in downtown San Jose by my friend William’s friend and writer, Michael Vaughn. From what I’ve been told, that very first poetry slam was a dismal failure and the poets in attendance at that time swore never to allow another poetry slam downtown. Well, they either all died, moved away or changed their minds because our current slam is in its eighth year and counting. San Jose has a pretty rich beat and page poetry history – its slam history is totally catching up. Odd coincidence: Two years ago there was one odd night when our regular venue “accidentally” booked a company party on our slam night and we needed a quick alternate spot to run the show. We called all of the venues downtown, dreading the idea that we may have to cancel the slam. That first venue that hosted the 1990 fiasco slam just happened to be the only one willing to host us 13 years later. It was an omen or something, but it ended up being a great night and we made new slam fans who still come today. That night also introduced San Jose to the powerful words of our feature that night: Corbet Dean.
I know that San Francisco held the first and third National Poetry Slams thanks to Gary Mex Glazner (the godfather of West Coast poetry slam, who’s coming to feature in SJ very soon), but what happened when he left? Did slam continue on consistently in the Bay, or was there a complete drop? Charles Ellik is certainly at least partially responsible for its rebirth in 1998, but he moved here in 1997 (I believe). Who knows the history before this? I anticipate a nice and lengthy comment from Mr. Ellik on this subject (when he has time).
I am fascinated with the gaps in Bay Area poetry slam in the mid-1990s. Does anybody know what went on? I know most of the history from 1998 through today. I’m going to have to interview Gary when he gets in to get a complete timeline.
If you visited a poetry slam in the Bay Area before 1998, please give me all the details you might remember about the venue you visited, who performed and why you were there. Beyond all of this and the Bay, what was touring as a poet like pre-2000? Was there a nation-wide boom in venues and slams?
I know Mr. Phil West and Ms. Cristin O’Keefe Aptowicz are working on a project that covers a lot of this information on a global level. I can only imagine what they’ve captured and collected in interviews with poets and organizers. Let’s just say I can’t wait to read, hear and/or experience whatever they put out for public consumption!
–––––––––
Word to the nerd.
This entry was written by , posted on 16 March, 2006 at 10:41 AM, filed under Personal Updates and tagged Bay Area, history, Performance Poetry and Spoken Word, poetry, san francisco, san josé poetry slam. Leave a comment or view the discussion at the permalink.
