Going Down Swinging #29 launched tonight!!

Very excited to be performing for only the second time with my smoking new band, The Interim Lovers tonight!
We'll playing Softly & Suddenly from start to finish, plus a new composition, A Ghost in The Golden Sheep Massage Parlour.
All this for the launch of Going Down Swinging #29. My favourite Aus Lit Journal. Also performing is the most definitely soon to be ultra famous Josephine Rowe, plus the super charming Andy Jackson and Chris Flynn, along with the dazzling Maxine Benaba Clarke. And more! As usual the debonair Michael Nolan will be hosting the night.
This will be a corker!

Notes From The Underground - A Revolution in Words

Very excited to be performing tonight at my favourite venue in Melbourne, the lushly decorated Forum.
Notes From The Underground is part of the Melbourne International Arts Festival and features some very talented writers on the bill. Including Alicia Sometimes, MC Mantra, Telia Neville and one of my newest collaborators, the wonderful Michelle Dabrowski.

Featuring at Wordplay tonight!!

I'm very pleased to be featuring at what is one my favourite regular readings in Melbourne. My good friend Geoff Lemon puts a lot of work into curating these events and the big audiences who attend these readings, (always 100 plus) are testament to that.

Here's what Geoff has to say about this one...

This is not quite the final Wordplay - there are still two more after this. But it is my last one before I take off to South America. And given I've breastfed and hand-raised this baby for the past three years, I've taken the egomaniac liberty of giving myself some stage time to say farewell.

But for the healthy proportion of you who think I'm a knob, there's far more reason to come down given the starpower wattage of everyone else on this line-up. This is beyond stellar. This is interstellar. Like Stanley Kowalski. We have:

PEZ
This Melbourne MC has had a meteoric rise to fame over the last 12 months, with his Festival Song becoming by far the biggest Australian hip-hop hit since 2003. It's had 2.6 million plays on Myspace alone, as well as getting hammered on national radio. Pez is a cunning and passionate lyricist, with a well-established fondness for the a cappella side of hip-hop. The first time I saw him play, he was rapping a cappella to 6000 drunk dudes from the main stage at Pyramid Rock. And he was good enough to make them love it. I think he can handle us.

FELICITY WARD
Another quick rise to stardom, this time in the field of comedy. Felicity Ward's Ugly as a Child Variety Show was a huge hit at the last Melbourne Comedy Festival, and now she's just got back from a successful assault on the massive Edinburgh Fringe (a festival, not a hairstyle. "For God's sake get rid of that Edinburgh fringe, Felicity!" This year alone she's appeared on Spicks and Specks, Good News Week, and Thank God You're Here. She will make you laugh in all the right places and cringe in all the wrong ones.

SEAN M. WHELAN
We love this guy. With his winding, gently spoken stories of a world just a bit more surreal than our own, he's entranced thousands over the years. Sean is the co-creator of the massively successful Liner Notes series (their recent Thriller gig sold out the Toff). He created the brilliant poetry/rock crossover with The Mime Set, and is back in that field with new project The Interim Lovers. Wonderful.

GEOFF LEMON
This guy talks a lot. Seriously. On the plus side, you get at least twelve months off after this. To celebrate, I'm going to perform my least-performed poem, the epic hymn to wasted ravers, dodgy ecstasy-fuelled fashion, and hilariously misspent youth that I call Point Me to the Gods. Bring your phat pants. And something to chew.

Wordplay has been a phenomenon, and you've all been amazing in your support. So I'd love my final show to go off with a bang, and to see a giant sea of all your faces having a damn good time in the crowd. Forward the invite if you can, and try to think up at least one uncultured slob who you can drag along. Or just find a lost kandy raver in the Carlton Gardens and bring them.

It's been real.

Love.

Date:
Thursday, 08 October 2009
Time:
20:00 - 22:30
Location:
The Dan O'Connell Hotel (back bar).
Street:
Corner Canning and Princes Streets, Carlton (between Nicholson and Lygon)
Town/City:
Melbourne, Australia

Elemental. An extra show announced!!

Elemental, the show I'm performing in for the Melbourne International Arts Festival quickly sold out three dates. Which was brilliant news. But disappointing to those who were caught flat footed.
So I'm now very happy to announce that a fourth show and final show has been announced. This one will be on Sunday 11th April, 7.30pm.
Tickets are on sale right now!!
Hitch a ride to the cosmos on the back of a poet right here to book yourself a ticket and witness the unfolding of the universe as explained by four poets with some amazing help from video and sound artists galore.

In Between Words tonight!

Tonight is my third gig in a week! I've been too busy to blog on the previous gigs but once tonight is over I'll be posting a retrospective on Liner Notes 8, Softly and Suddenly (my new band project) and See What I'm Talking About.
But first tonight!
In Between Words is a double book launch for Beautiful Waste and Vagabond Holes, both published by Fremantle Press.
Beautiful Waste is a collection of poetry written by the late, great David McComb formerly of amazing Australian band, The Triffids. Vagabond Holes is a collection of essays and articles written about The Triffids.
This should be a very special evening indeed as performing will be Evil Graham Lee and Rob McComb, both former Triffids members. As well as Judith Lucy, The Blackeyed Susans Trio, The Single Mens Drinking Club, Kieran Carroll and myself! There's also a rumour that Mick Harvey of the Bad Seeds might even perform as well.
This is a free gig. Held at Bar Open, Brunswick Street, Fitzroy. Kicks off at 8. And both books will be available for sale on the night too.

Looking up from the Walker Street Tram Stop

Ghost Poetry Project Melbourne Launch in Pictures.

Here's some pics from the Melbourne Launch of the Ghost Project Poetry by Nathan Curnow at the Old Melbourne Gaol.

Angela Meyer has a done a terrific job of capturing the event in words so scoot over to Literary Minded if you'd like to read the lowdown on the night.





Emerging Writers Festival director David Ryding and Nathan Curnow.


The fabulous Emilie Zoey Baker


Angela Meyer and Nathan Curnow


Nathan reading in the Old Melb Gaol


Launcher Kevin Brophy.

The Ghost Poetry Project

Tonight I'll be attending the book launch of one of my favourite poets, Nathan Curnow. Nathan spent a year visiting Australia's most haunted sites, and then he wrote a book of poetry about it.
Nathan is a wonderful writer and performer, whose dedication to his craft I am in total awe of.
My friend Emilie Zoey Baker and I will be pouring the wine!
The venue is the Old Melb Gaol. Deets below.
Check it out.

Ten nights. Ten haunted locations. One terrifying adventure across Australia.

From a gaol cell to a lunatic asylum to a night in a haunted hearse, The Ghost Poetry Project is one poet’s attempt to find a language of guts and daring. A unique exploration of fear, courage, and the power of mystery and myth.

Launched by Kevin Brophy.
Published by Puncher & Wattmann.

Reading/Performance from Nathan Curnow
(assisted by Geoff Lemon)

The ten haunted sites:

The Chifley Suite, Old Adelaide Gaol, Picton, Monte Cristo Homestead, Fremantle Arts Centre, Richmond Bridge, Elvira The Haunted Hearse, Norfolk Island, The Quarantine Station and Port Arthur.

"This book must have the strangest-ever provenance of any collection of poetry in Australia. Only a vampire or a Nathan Curnow could have done this… These poems come drenched with the bloody and violent deaths central to the history of European occupation in this country. But they are not ghoulish or sensational. They are the real thing, both ‘transparent and completely solid’."

- Kevin Brophy

Words in Winter

I'm performing in gorgeous Hepburn Springs this weekend at the lush Palais theatre. Be good to get out of the city for the day.

TWO POETS AND ONE GUITAR

The poets: gifted local performers, Sean M Whelan and Lauren Williams

The Guitar: Internationally acclaimed gypsy guitarist Lulo Reinhard, has established himself as an outstanding reputation as a composer and guitarist. Lulo expresses his artistic personality in his gypsy influences,flamenco and latin jazz

Time: 8pm Venue: The Palais,111 Main Road Hepburn Springs. Cost: $25 Dinner/show $60.00 $25 Bookings essential 5348 4849

Jasmine Morning Bathroom Window

They flowered yesterday. Had to document. Now the bathroom smells of Jasmine every morning.

Under the West Gate Dreaming

Tram View

Never, ever

He knew their love
was born from literature
the day he realised
they had never, ever
spoken
on the phone.

Going Down Swinging # 28 launched tonight!!

I'm pretty excited to be performing at the launch of the latest issue of Going Down Swinging tonight. GDS is in my humble opinion the greatest lit mag in Australia. Always great content and edited by two of my favourite people, Lisa Greenaway and Klare Lanson. I'll be reprising my 'Static' piece especially commissioned by GDS. I'll be taking on the role of myself, the heart eating lion and Harvey Keitel!
Also performing is Chloe Wilmott Jackson, Quinn Stacpoole and the irrepressible Nathan Curnow.
The whole shebang is hosted by Melbourne's greatest MC, Mr Michael Nolan.

Last Tuesday Society

artwork by the lovely Tai Snaith.


I'm very pleased to be part of the psychedelic carnival that is The Last Tuesday society tonight!
I'll be performing a poem that involves a heart eating Lion, Harvey Keitel and Larry Emdur.
Also appearing is...
2009 Golden Gibbo Winners The List Operators
Tek Tek Movement
Captain Ruin from The Caravan of Doom
Dance Master Di Reid
Fresh from the oven of the Melbourne Comedy Festival A Lot of Bread
Poet Laureate Telia Nevile
Bron Batten’s Welcome to the Jungle
Hosted by Baron Richard Von Higgins

7.30pm.
Yah-Yah's.
99 Smith St, Collingwood.

North American Tour Dates!!

I leave on Tuesday afternoon for our amazing tour of Canada and the U.S. with my poetry posse, the super wonderful Alicia Sometimes and Emilie Zoey Baker.
What an amazing adventure this will be.
All the dates below for my North American Peeps or for any poetry groupies who simple want to follow us on tour. Come on, there must be some of you out there?!

Vancouver
Wednesday Feb 4 2pm Wax Poetic 102.7FM
Co-op radio
Then at 7.45pm
The Spillious Speak n Sing
Cottage Bistro 4468 Main street

Ottawa
Friday February 6
11:30am
An invitation from The Australian High Commissioner! His Excellency Justin Brown
the High Commissioner's Residence, 407 Wilbrod Street.

Then the next night:
06 Feb 2009, 7:30PM, Hear from Melbourne - National Arts Centre - Fourth Stage
53 Elgin Street Ottawa, Ontario Hear from Melbourne.
Four of Australia’s Hottest Performance Poets!
The A B Series in association with Kevin Matthews presents four acclaimed Australian performance poets,
Alicia Sometimes,
Emilie Zoey Baker,
Justin Ashworth and
Sean M Whelan,
on The National Arts Centre’s Fourth Stage.
The evening’s program will be hosted by CBC Radio’s Alan Neal. Cash bar Reception and book/CD signing to follow
Tickets $18 available at The National Arts Centre Box Office and online through Ticketmaster http://www.facebook.com/ext/share.php?sid=42371229108&h=H4tjO&u=O8XB0
also check the website here at
http://abseries.org/node/63

Toronto
Feb 7th, 08:00 PM @ Cervejaria 842 College. Toronto, Ontario Cost:$5
:A night of Poetry and Poets slammin, reading and jazzin Emilie Zoey Baker, Sean M Whelan and Alicia Sometimes along with Toronoians David Silverberg and crew plus American poet Christian Drake $5

Montreal
February 8-13, 2009 Festival Voix d’Amériques FVA showcase February 10, 8.30pm
MEL versus YUL ou Melbourne meets Montréal Casa Del Popolo
4873, Boulevard Saint-Laurent
with Emilie Zoey Baker, Sean M Whelan, Justin Ashworth and Montrealers Corey Frost, Puggy Hammer and The Capital of Plastic Daffodils. Hosted by David McGimpsey

Going Down Swinging #27 launch
Lancement de la revue
Wednesday February 11, 5 – 7pm Casa Del Popolo
4873, Boulevard Saint-Laurent with Emilie Zoey Baker, Sean M Whelan, Justin Ashworth, David Prater and Montrealers Ian Ferrier, Victoria Stanton and Fortner Anderson.

New York City
15 Feb 2009, 06:00 PM - The Bowery Poetry Club
308 Bowery Street (Between Houston and Bleecker) New York City, New York Emilie Zoey Baker, Cristin Aptowitz O’keefe, Shappy, Sean M Whelan and Justin Ashworth Three of Australia’s top performance poets battle it out with New York’s finest, a night of spoken word, sass, vagina’s, spacemen, music and the word moist. mail@bowerypoetry.com
212-614-0505

Chicago
22 Feb 2009, 08:00 PM - The Green Mill Bar in Chicago. Green Mill Jazz Club 4802 N. Broadway Ave. Chicago, Illinois 60640,
Best Slam in Illinois! the Uptown Poetry Slam. Sean M Whelan and Emilie Zoey Baker book: 773.878.5552
email: greenmill@comcast.net
web: http://www.greenmilljazz.com/poetryslam.html

Postcard Poetry No. 6.

Featured at Indiefeed Performance Poetry Podcast

On the cusp of my impending tour of North America I'm pretty damn thrilled to be featured at Indiefeed's Performance Poetry Podcast, straight outta New York!
Alongside my buddies alicia sometimes and Emilie Zoey Baker.

Thank you Mongo and Cristin O'Keefe Aptowicz for making this happen.
Have a listen here!

Interviewed at Literary Minded

An interview with myself and my very good friend (and amazing poet) Nathan Curnow appears today at Literary Minded. A freaking incredible Literature blog run by Angela Meyer. I am blessed to be amongst its pages. Thank you Angela, you are wonderful.

postcard poetry no. 5. come back when it's cold

A Walk Through Westgarth