"Mighty" Mike McGee's Electronic Place of Himself.

Typings of a well-traveled, talky, funny, hobo-poet comedian. Former pirate radio station disc jockey, altar boy, travel agent, floor sweeper, hip hop emcee, band leader, and screenwriter. Professionally trained hugger.
CLICK HERE to listen to or buy my sweet, sweet albums of spoken word and poetry.
CLICK HERE to see my tour schedule.
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(Mobile Post) Mount Union College and WSU Pullman

Last night’s show at Mount Union College in Alliance, Ohio was fun. It was neat to meet people who had already acquainted themselves with me on Facebook. A delightful crew of people joined me for an hour-long set.

In the morning, the sudden snowfall had me wondering if I’d miss my flight, but the crew at the Canton/Akron Airport are obviously well prepared for cold, snowy weather and we took off without a hitch.

After a very brief layover in Denver, I landed in Spokane about 10am. I was met by Nick, Renae and Tiffany, who drove in from Pullman and brought me back.

Very few schools utilize poets in the way that really promotes spoken word/poetry on campus. The Student Entertainment Board, on the other hand, had me perform a teaser in the student Lair, which sits in the center of the student union building and is unavoidable along the main thoroughfair. Then I ran a small workshop on writing and performance. I came back to my motel, showered, and I’m about to head back to the school to host a student slam and to perform a full set. A long, full day here in Pullman.

Tomorrow, I head to Spokane to hang with the Empyrean Cafe crew and to put on a small set later in the evening.

Woot! Yay!
———
Word to the nerd.

Originally published at Mike McGee Town. You can comment here or there.

This entry was written by Mike McGee, posted on 28 January, 2010 at 5:43 PM, filed under Personal Updates and tagged , , , , , , , , , , . Leave a comment or view the discussion at the permalink.

(Moblie Post) My Daily Post Challenge [21/365]

I should note that I have booked a feature at the Portland Poetry Slam in Oregon for this Sunday. If you’re nearby, spread the word.

POSTS
I have noticed that every day I am excited to post something, no matter what it is. The challenge lies mostly in remembering whether I’ve actually posted something new per day.

In the process of writing to my website, which auto-posts to my LiveJournal and to Facebook as well, I’ve also tapped into more of my other writings. I’ve written several new poems, and begun the processes on new short stories and screenplays. I’ve re-invigorated my interest in Twitter and the reading of posts and updates from most of my web contacts.

Another challenge I am a little worried about is my ability to post from the road, which I am doing right now. Posting from my desk is easy, because I am always on the internet and I get to poke-type a bit faster. Currently, my thumbs are very exercised. I just need to remember to post. So if you are a regular reader of any of my posts and notice that it is nearing midnight in your region and I have yet to post, don’t be afraid to drop me a reminder.

IN OTHER NEWS
This morning I flew to Akron, Ohio. Last week, Sierra DeMulder (fellow traveling poet) called me for assistance in getting to an airport in New England. Once settling on Boston Logan, and no longer needing my help, it turned out she booked the same flight I was on. We hung out at Logan, then she watched me eat a burrito this morning at the Charlotte airport. I love Charlotte. I saw her off to her Dallas-bound flight and proceeded to my Akron gate.

Tomorrow, I am off to Spokane, then getting picked up and motored to WSU Pullman. I’ve performed there before and excited to return. This time I am also hosting their slam and running a workshop. More schools should ask this of the poets they book. Poets: wanna ensure you’ll get more better paying gigs? Foster poetry and spoken word everywhere you go! Show them they should try what you do. You never know, you may influence and spark the next touring badass.
———
Word to the nerd.

Originally published at Mike McGee Town. You can comment here or there.

This entry was written by Mike McGee, posted on 27 January, 2010 at 3:53 PM, filed under Personal Updates and tagged , , , , , . Leave a comment or view the discussion at the permalink.

Upcoming Shows [20/365]

Because just posting my dates doesn’t feel like a “real” journal entry, I would also like to point out that I dig you all.

Now, here is a list of my upcoming shows. If you want more information, just drop me a line or leave a comment.

2010 SCHEDULE
January 26 – Mount Union College, Alliance, OH – http://www.muc.edu/

January 27 – WSU Pullman, WA http://www.wsu.edu/

February 5 – Eastern Oregon University – http://www.eou.edu/index.shtml

February 16 – Urbana Poetry Slam, Bowery Poetry Club, New York

March 14 – Denver Poetry Slam, Mercury Café, Colorado

NOTE: More dates to come in Utah and Colorado in March.
———
Word to the nerd.

Originally published at Mike McGee Town. You can comment here or there.

This entry was written by Mike McGee, posted on 26 January, 2010 at 11:28 AM, filed under Personal Updates and tagged , , , , , , . Leave a comment or view the discussion at the permalink.

Bellingham, W(h)A(t)!

-1

Derrick Brown and I will be having a sweet, intimate “End of The Road Show” in Bellingham, WA tomorrow night. There will be special guests, Stuh-RANGE ROAD stories, Q&A, and special performances of rare pieces by Brown & McGee.

7:30pm.

The Amadeus Project: 1209 Cornwall Avenue
Bellingham, Washington 98225
360+815+1825

Originally published at Mike McGee Town. You can comment here or there.

This entry was written by Mike McGee, posted on 17 November, 2009 at 4:44 PM, filed under Personal Updates and tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , . Leave a comment or view the discussion at the permalink.

Mike McGee’s “Touring Quest-ionnaire!”

In my ever-growing quest to get people on the road, I have come up with a survey. Please, if you know a performer (NOT limited to poets) looking to tour or has toured, send this to them and have them respond to it as a comment or send it to me at ilikemike at g mail with the subject: "Completed Gigging Survey." I will use some of this information for a project later. I may also re-post this information on my website’s How-To page.

My definition of a bare-minimum tour: More than a week of continuous travel between a minimum of two states/provinces, with no less than five gigs performed, each one being at least 30 miles apart from the last, thus having traveled at least 150 miles with no return home during the tour. Anyone who has experienced this or more, please feel free to respond to the survey.

I am initially seeking a little more transparency in gigging (touring; traveling outside of your home region to perform for audiences) and to help debunk a lot of the myth with regard to it so that more people will consider it as an option with their poetry experience.

Here’s what I want to know from touring people and the people who know them well enough to answer each question factually. Please use the corresponding letter-number when answering if not copying over each question:

A. FOR THOSE NOT TOURED
a1. If you have considered touring, but have yet to embark on a trip, what has/is stopping you?
a2. What would lure you onto the road?

B. FOR ORGANIZERS OF POETRY EVENTS
b1. What poetry event do you organize?
b2. What do you look for in a featured performer/poet?
b3. Is their notability a factor in booking them? When is it not?
b4. What is your rate of pay for featured performers/poets?
b5. What do you expect from a poet professionally?

C. FOR THE CURIOUS
c1. What questions would you ask of an experienced traveling performer?

D. FOR THOSE TOURED
d1. Have you toured more than once?
d2. How long did your tour last? What is an ideal length for you?
d3. What type of venues did you play? How many?
d4. What year was your first tour?
d5. How many times have you toured since?
d6. How many tours would you say you broke even, lost money, or made money?
d7. What was your poetry, slam, comedy or music experience prior to your first tour?
d8. How many people have you toured with? Explain.
d9. What are your best memories from touring?
d10. Did you keep a job during any of your touring (was your tour during a break/vacation from work)?
d11. Would you tour again? What would you do differently?
d12. What was/were your primary method(s) of travel?
d13. What was your favorite venue? Which city did you enjoy the most? (May very easily be two different places.)
d14. What was your goal in touring?
d15. Would you consider a long-term career in touring your craft?
d16. Do you consider what you do on stage a craft?
d17. What has been your longest performance? (Marathon events and planned all-nighters not included.)
d18. Are you published or recorded professionally? Who released your product? (Not including any self-made merchandise.)
d19. Does this company support your tours? Do they promote you and your travels, gigs and appearances?
d20. What has been your longest gap between tours?
d21. How do you feel when you are touring? How do you feel when you are not?
d22. When is your favorite time of year to tour? Least?
d23. What was your worst experience on the road?
d24. Ever had to cancel a show? What were your reasons for doing so?
d25. Ever had a show canceled you were booked for? What were the circumstances for cancellation? How did it affect the rest of your tour?
d26. Ever been stranded in a town where you knew nobody? Why?
d27. What is your ideal tour? Explain.
d28. Where do you stay on the road?
d29. What’s your usually daily budget on the road?
d30. What do you carry with you? Your must haves.
d31. How many bags, including merchandise?
d32. Do you create your own merchandise? What do you make for sale?
d33. What are your average nightly sales? What was your biggest sale?
d34. Smallest crowd you did a full set for? Largest? How did they feel?
d35. Most surprisingly attentive audience? Reactive? Best?
d36. Most unexpected result from touring?
d37. Biggest learning lesson from touring?
d38. Longest stay in one place for a gig?
d39. How did you book your tour? Did people vouch for you? Have you vouched for others? Have you regretted it?
d40. What is the most money you’ve ever been paid for a performance? (ONLY if it is under $1,001, otherwise, just state "Over $1,001") Has this been consistent?
d41. What questions are you asked most on the road while touring by non-performers? New-performers?
d42. How many shows have you done for free? Why did you do them? (Not including product sales)

E. FOR POETS SPECIFICALLY
e1. How do you label yourself when seeking gigs to people who don’t know you, in your bio, or to your non-poetry friends and family? (Ex. poetry slammer, spoken word artist, Talky McTalkerson, slam poet, poet, funny poet…et cetera.) Why? Is this important?
e2. Do you use a stage name? If so: Why? Has is been a benefit? Has this hindered your ability to get published? Has it kept you from getting gigs outside of poetry slam? If you were offered a gig/publishing deal, but only if you were use your real name, would you take it?
e3. Ever toured with a group? Slam team? Duo? What were they called and do they/you still work together? Was this easier or harder than gigging alone?
e4. Have you competed in poetry slams? If so, has your involvement in poetry slam hindered your ability to book readings/gigs? Has it been a benefit?
e5. How do you view the relationship between poetry slams and being a touring poet?
e6. Do you enter into poetry slams or competitions anymore? Why or why not?
e7. Do you prefer open mic or poetry slam features? Give details.
e8. Do you view yourself a professional poet? Why?
e9. Who are your biggest influences in writing? Performance? Touring? Humanity?
e10. What are your short-term goals? Long-term?
e40. Are you a bad-ass Bay Area rapper?
———
Word to the road nerd.

This entry was written by Mike McGee, posted on 3 November, 2009 at 1:19 PM, filed under Personal Updates and tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , . Leave a comment or view the discussion at the permalink.

HOW-TO-GUIDE

Because I adore the spoken world, touring, the road, people, and performing, I have seen myself way down the road, still grinding down on all of America’s and Canada’s planes, trains and motorcoaches. So much, that I should hit a million miles traveled in the next few years.

This continent is amazing. I say the word awesome a lot of lot, I know, but if you take the most basic definition of the word:

(From my Mac’s Oxford American Dictionary, which I will add, also includes poetry slam as an entry…)

awesome |ˈôsəm|
adjective
extremely impressive or daunting; inspiring great admiration, apprehension, or fear : the awesome power of the atomic bomb.
• informal extremely good; excellent : the band is truly awesome!
DERIVATIVES
awesomely adverb
awesomeness noun

It effectively applies to all that I have witnessed in the great scope of the U.S. and Canada combined. People, you really need to see more of this place, if you haven’t already. If you have, then you know what I am talking about and are probably reading this on your iPhone at a bus station/airport/lonely gas station.

At the National Poetry Slam this year, I attempted to compel the audience of poets to hit the road. Just get out there. I know it’s not that easy, trust.

So…

If one goes to www.mikemcgee.net and goes to the end of the menu, just below the home title, one will find a page link drop-down menu called HOW-TO-POET-GUIDE. I am looking to fill this menu with loads of useful tips and advice for poets. I want to open it up to others, especially, but not limited to, road poets.

Now, I know Marc Smith has recently published "Take The Mic" and "Stage Slam" (www.amazon.com/s/ref=ntt_at_ep_srch/187-4304073-7526941 which go into detail about how to slam poetry/create a poetry slam, but there are a lot of poets who are in between the beginning level and advanced level of getting on the road and showing new venues what they’ve got to offer. If you have an essay, treatise, rant, advice column, list of tips and more, please consider giving me permission to post it on my site.

I want to make that section as comprehensive as possible. So that when I get queries of how to tour, I can back up my advice with a fixed-format version of what I would tell them anyway.

If you don’t have anything other than questions, maybe you could help me compile a FAQ about Spoken Word and Touring. I’d love to have this community’s aid in this. There’s so much knowledge that can be published, but it really needs to be compiled. I have a domain name I haven’t used yet that could eventually be turned into a website for this specific purpose.

Articles/Pages I would love help with:

  • Do-s and Don’t-s for Beginners (all levels, writing, performing, touring, etc.)
  • a list of undervalued or under-visited venues
  • ideas on how to travel and save money
  • how to maximize one’s marketing potential (sounds all corporate and shit, but entirely necessary)
  • When To Tour! (For most poets, I feel they may hit the road too early or at the wrong time.)
  • Advice from those who do it. What’s the road like for you? Why the hell do you keep doing it? (Mike McGee sez: "I will never be a 9-5 person. I’m a noon-4am guy in a daytime world.")
  • Avoidables/misconceptions
  • Articles on gender, race and class in spoken word?

Get in touch with me, let’s discuss. Message me: ilikemike over at the GEE MALE.

THIS WEEK IN TANGENTS
Can’t get enough of Phoenix’s "1901." Get it and jam out!

From 1989 to 1993 or so, anything that was sucky, gross or ultimately undesirable was considered booty. I used this with gusto. I am going to bring it back. You should help me. Watch it rise!

SOMEONE WACK: I love the Jonas Brothers so much! What do you think of them?
ME: I think they’re booty!
SOMEONE WACK: (weeping)
ME: (shin kick, neck punch, runaway)
–––––––––
Word to the nerd.

This entry was written by Mike McGee, posted on 15 September, 2009 at 12:14 PM, filed under Personal Updates and tagged , , , , , , . Leave a comment or view the discussion at the permalink.

Summer

What a summer. Taking time off from travel has done wonders for me, but it is also a curse.

I find myself getting do close to people is various cities, then longing to see them much than possible.

Just know I love you. Even if you haven’t heard from me in some time, I do love you very much.
———
Love from the nerd.

Originally published at Mike McGee Town. You can comment here or there.

This entry was written by Mike McGee, posted on 17 August, 2009 at 12:48 PM, filed under Personal Updates and tagged , , , , . Leave a comment or view the discussion at the permalink.

Showdown in O-Town 2009

After my UCF gig in Orlando on July 22, I am staying another day to perform at the Orlando Team Fundraiser, “Showdown in O-Town.” I have never been to a Florida poetry slam. It’s about damn time.

This show sounds like a great time! I am excited!

Here are all of the details for the show sent to me by the one and only Mr. J. Bradley:

Thursday, July 23 at The Cameo Theatre (located in the old Cruises Only building – 1013 E. Colonial Drive), Team Orlando 2009 will face off against three other teams packed with amazing poets in a National Poetry Slam style bout where, after four rounds, one team will win the first ever Showdown in O-Town. Our teams are so far:

Team Orlando 2009: Shawn Welcome, Curtis Meyer, Ronin, MyVerse, Alex Ruiz – the most talented team Orlando will ever throw at the National Poetry Slam thus far. This is an amazing mix of accomplished poets and hungry newcomers who will rock your faces off with their poetic might.

Team Slamazon: Kendra Corrie, Dani O., Veronica Smith, Holly Riggs – this team features both winners of the 2009 Fringe Poetry Smackdown (who both won with 30s), a 2009 Smackdown runner up, and a poetic leviathan emerging from the depths. This team is fierce. They will destroy you with their verse, then wear your skin like a pelt.

Team Payback: Tod Caviness, Trevor Fraiser, Tam Tam the Sandwich Man, Alex Vega – all these poets were part of the Broken Speech Post-Season and they seek vengenance on Team Orlando for denying them from representing the City Beautiful.

Team Pandemonium : Chaz Yorick, Lilly, Michael Sloan, Zachary Kluckman – this team is the ultimate wildcard. We can only speculate the mayhem this mysterious group can cause.

Kicking off the night will be Mighty Mike McGee, the only poet to hold the individual National Poetry Slam and World Poetry Slam titles.

These teams will face Team Orlando at the Showdown in O-Town in an epic bout never seen before in the City Beautiful…until now.

Wanna hear the best part? You can see this National Poetry Slam bout for just $5. $5 to see amazing poetry. $5 to get your face rocked so far off, you can put it on a wall as a trophy to tell your grandchildren about that time poetry rocked your face off on this night. For your $5, you not only get to witness awesome poetry but get your name thrown in the hat for a door prize: a $25 gift card to Urban Think, Orlando’s only independent book store. All proceeds go to Team Orlando 2009.

The Showdown in O-Town is proudly sponsored by Stardust Video & Coffee, our home venue, Park Ave CDs, Seven Sisters Coffee, and Urban Think.

Originally published at Mike McGee Town. You can comment here or there.

This entry was written by Mike McGee, posted on 16 July, 2009 at 10:46 AM, filed under Personal Updates and tagged , , , , , , , , , , , . Leave a comment or view the discussion at the permalink.

Back In The U.S.A.

HOMIES
So here I am, sitting in Providence, Rhode Island, ready for the GotPoetry Live! open mic to get under way. I am not surprised by how homesick I was for the U.S., Worcester and my house/bed. I was entirely surprised by how jet-lagged I was when I got home. 23 straight hours of flying, then waiting, flying, then waiting, another flight, then a bus, then a commuter rail. Having Tony Brown or Bill MacMillan pick me up at the train station in Worcester is always a good feeling. A sure sign that I am home and can smoke in the car.

I got home on Friday and spent a beautiful weekend trying to not sleep until 18:00. Last night, I fell asleep at 00:30 and woke up at 07:30. I am doing well, however, I am not in the mood to write about the tour just yet. But I am in a very, very writey mood. I have a number of new poems coming out of my huge noggin.

TECH SHIT
I just found a program called bbMetaBlog for BlackBerry bloggers to post from their mobile device. This is also a test. I have been looking for an app that will allow me to post to my WordPress-based site from my BB. If it works, all of MikeMcGee.net, Facebook and Twitter will be automated/accessible from my phone. Work, dammit!

EDIT: I gave up on bbMetaBlog, there’s some sort of miscommunication between my phone and the app, and there is NO clear online help for trouble shooting. It won’t work for me. But alas, I just discovered WordPress’s own BlackBerry blogging beta-ware. Lemme see…

http://blackberry.wordpress.org

If you’re reading this: SUCCESS!
———
Word to the nerd.

Originally published at Mike McGee Town. You can comment here or there.

This entry was written by Mike McGee, posted on 7 July, 2009 at 4:48 PM, filed under Personal Updates and tagged , , , , . Leave a comment or view the discussion at the permalink.

Europe: Day 1

Caught Amtrak yesterday morning from Boston to Newark International Airport. Waited for a few hours for my evening Air India flight. $280 one-way to Frankfurt.

The flight was quite rickety, a bit Greyhound-y in odor and decor, but I anticipated that much. I did not anticipate the complimentary and quite satisfying chicken dinner with steamed veggies. Air India: Not Great… Not Horrible… Cheap Enough To Go Again.

Blazed through German customs and baggage claim to meet my father and step-mother on the outside. Immediately picked up a German pay-as-you-go mobile phone. $10 for the phone. $20 in minutes. Should last throughout the Germany portion of this trip.

Ate lunch with my family at home. Looked up train schedules. Connected by text with Derrick Brown. Smoked too much with my dad. Talked un-enough. Joked around with everyone. Relearned some German history and language. Then ate delicious schnitzel and fried potatoes for dinner.

Must get some sleep in order to meet up with Derrick in Bern, Switzerland tomorrow. Today was restful. I made it here with a hitch, bump or serious delay.

So far, so awesome.

Here’s where we’ll be:

Cafe Kairo
June 11th
9pm
address: cafe kairo, dammweg 43, 3013 bern, switzerland
web: www.cafe-kairo.ch
KO’s Event

June 12th
7PM
(Landsberg Germany, more info to come)
Poetry Dead or Alive Show

June 13th
Theater am Schwanhof: Am Schwanhof 68-72, 35037 Marburg
Door Cover: 6 EURO
Age: 17+
Time: 20.00 o clock (24 hour clock)

June 14
Substanz poetry slam with ko and rayl, munich
Munich SUBSTANZ (Ruppertstr. 28, U3/U6 Poccistr.)

June 14
8PM
studio der schaubuhne
kurfurstendamm 153 10709 berlin
eintritt 13 euro, erm 8 euro
karten 030.890023
www.schabuehne.de

June 17
Poetry Slam Mainz
Venue: KUZ, Dagobertstraße 20b | 55116 Mainz
7:30pm
all ages

June 18
Late Night Special
VENUE: LOMO, Ballplatz 2, Mainz
COVER: 5-7 EUROS
18+
Paul Hoffman’s Show

June 19th
7:00pm
VENUE: Schulterblatt 73, 20357 Hamburg, Germany
18+

June 20th
Word Life
8PM
Cafe Euro, 72 John Street, Sheffield
18+
Cover: £5 on the door
The Waiting Room

June 21
7:30pm
Station Road, Eaglescliffe, Stockton on Tees, (TS16 0BU)
UK
6 euros

June 22nd
AMSTERDAM SHOW
House show (TBA)
all ages
Glastonbury Festival

June 24th-26th
Glastonbury Festival
Worthy Farm, Nr. Pilton, Southwest
Cost: £175 (Festival ticket price)
“Glastonbury Festival is the largest greenfield music and
performing arts festival in the world and a template for all
the festivals that have come after it. The difference is
that Glastonbury has all the best aspects of being at a
Festival in one astonishing bundle.” (Glastonbury Festivals
Website). One of those aspects that sets Glastonbury apart
from other festivals is Poetry&Words. We will be there on
all three days, bringing you some absolutely fantabulous
poets – rappers, comic poets, spoken word artists .. the
weird, the wise and the wonderful … all will be here. Come
along and see us in the Theatre and Circus fields if you
want to be moved, entertained or just find a cool spot to
chill out in for a while!

http://www.myspace.com/glastonburypoetry

–––––––––

Word to the nerd.

This entry was written by Mike McGee, posted on 10 June, 2009 at 2:20 PM, filed under Travel, Writing and tagged , , , , . Leave a comment or view the discussion at the permalink.

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