Spring Break
Local venue hosts monthly Poetry Slam
Event consists of three rounds, five judges, plus an energetic, noisy audience
Tara Bannow
Issue date: 10/25/07 Section: Scene
Rarely does one shout, boo or clap at a poetry reading without getting kicked out.
Yet this is just the sort of behavior encouraged at the Running Water Poetry Slam..
"There are no rules," said Eau Claire alumnus and emcee Jen Evers. "If you like it, you can cheer. If you don't, you can boo. If you've got something to say, you can say it."
Poetry slams take place on the last Thursday of each month at the Acoustic Café. This month's will take place at 7 p.m. today.
There's three rounds and up to 12 people can sign up to read, UW-Eau Claire senior and former emcee Aryn Widule said, adding that five judges are chosen from the audience. Everyone reads something each round. Based on the judge's scores, it is cut down to four people who compete in the final round, he said.
"In the past, we've had a completely packed house where there's not enough chairs to go around," Evers said, adding that recently, turnout has been less due to less advertising of the event.
Prizes are awarded to the top three poets, Evers said. He said the prizes for the event have varied in the past. Today's prizes will be Acoustic Café gift certificates.
"The style of poetry is a little different," said senior Patrick Orlopp when comparing poetry slam material to that which is presented at NOTA's Cabin readings. "Slam poetry is more theatrical."
Evers said poetry at the slams is geared toward the audience to try and get a reaction from them.
Unlike NOTA readings in The Cabin, the Running Water Poetry Slam is a community event, unaffiliated with the university.
The poetry slam tradition was brought to Eau Claire by Mike and Shannon Paulus about six years ago, Widule said. Mike Paulus works for Volume One Magazine.
"They basically mimicked what was going on in bigger cities," Widule said.
Paulus turned over the responsibility of running the poetry slams to Widule last February, making him the emcee, Widule said.
Yet this is just the sort of behavior encouraged at the Running Water Poetry Slam..
"There are no rules," said Eau Claire alumnus and emcee Jen Evers. "If you like it, you can cheer. If you don't, you can boo. If you've got something to say, you can say it."
Poetry slams take place on the last Thursday of each month at the Acoustic Café. This month's will take place at 7 p.m. today.
There's three rounds and up to 12 people can sign up to read, UW-Eau Claire senior and former emcee Aryn Widule said, adding that five judges are chosen from the audience. Everyone reads something each round. Based on the judge's scores, it is cut down to four people who compete in the final round, he said.
"In the past, we've had a completely packed house where there's not enough chairs to go around," Evers said, adding that recently, turnout has been less due to less advertising of the event.
Prizes are awarded to the top three poets, Evers said. He said the prizes for the event have varied in the past. Today's prizes will be Acoustic Café gift certificates.
"The style of poetry is a little different," said senior Patrick Orlopp when comparing poetry slam material to that which is presented at NOTA's Cabin readings. "Slam poetry is more theatrical."
Evers said poetry at the slams is geared toward the audience to try and get a reaction from them.
Unlike NOTA readings in The Cabin, the Running Water Poetry Slam is a community event, unaffiliated with the university.
The poetry slam tradition was brought to Eau Claire by Mike and Shannon Paulus about six years ago, Widule said. Mike Paulus works for Volume One Magazine.
"They basically mimicked what was going on in bigger cities," Widule said.
Paulus turned over the responsibility of running the poetry slams to Widule last February, making him the emcee, Widule said.
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