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Turkey Time Means Focusing on Football, Film, and Food! [Extra Extra]
J. Tillman at the Mohawk - Giveaway
Show Preview: Brackett & Co., Real Estate
Prelims concluded at the National Poetry Slam last night, and the results are in! After the final round, new kids on the block TeamAustin/NeoSoul placed 2nd, and old hands TeamAustin/Ego's placed 7th. The top 25 bracket is posted here. These 25 teams go on to semi-finals tonight at 6:30pm, taking place in various venues in South Austin. Once again we're wishing our awesome, hometown talent some ass-whoopin' luck as they take on the competition this evening!
Also on slate tonight is the Individual Finals. It's a tad confusing, but here's how this is done: poets who compete using individual work at team prelims (both solo and group performances can be used during team bouts) also get an individual rating. The top 10 then compete in Indie Finals, which are tonight. It can be damn tough on these guys and gals because sometimes they're on a winning team, so they gotta put on their best for two hours...and then torque things up a notch higher for head-to-head competition at 9pm. Indies go down at the Paramount Theatre, and tickets ($17-23, purchase here) are strongly suggested as the event will likely sell out. (At a matter of fact, as of press time it looks like all top-price seats are already gone.)
But we get a tad ahead of ourselves. Once again, some outstanding programming is available during the daylight hours. As a reader noted just yesterday, there are plenty of other offerings in each timeslot, so we strongly encourage that you check out the schedule for all the NPS goodness that's up for grabs.
Our picks for today:
- Noon-1:30pm: Queer Open Mic -- With "bonus points given if you've found a new way to offend the current government", this event sounds irreverent and sexy. The signup list is open to all genders and orientations who want to "read the stuff they've been aching to whisper into other queer ears." We expect some bold and sassy GLBTIQ readings, so get over to the cool and inviting Alamo Downtown and take in the fun. Free.
- 1:30-3pm: Head to Head Haiku -- Also at the Alamo Downtown, this event is an eleven-years-running NPS fave. We're particularly fond of haiku matches because they move so fast and often reward the cleverest of wordsmiths. In other words, give a poet a 17-syllable limit and see what she can do. The results are frequently amazing. Free.
- 3-4:30pm: Grief & Remembrance Open Mic -- A somber event, but one we imagine will likely be very moving. Bring a hanky. When a talented poet slows things down and gets all introspective, we're telling you it's rich. So have a beer and mellow out at the Hideout Theatre (upstairs) before the mayhem and frenzy of Friday night, NPS Style. Free.
- 6:30-9pm: Team Semis -- Venues are the Hideout Theatre, Ruta Maya Coffeehouse, Ego's, Antone's, and 501 Studios. Team draws had not yet been made at press time, but TeamAustin/NeoSoul and TeamAustin/Ego's will be at two of those places, vying for a spot in the Final Five. $10 cover at all locations.
- 9-11pm: Indy Finals -- The top ten individual poets compete. Paramount Theatre. $17-23.
Last but not least, let's not forget the Late Night schedule. There's only one thing on the books tonight, and it sounds like a blast. Karaoke with Shappy will be some way wacked out, keerazy fun going down at Austin Poetry Slam HQ, Ego's. We fully expect blotto singing poets by the dozen. The blackmailing opportunities alone make this worth dropping in on. 11pm-2am. Free.
It's a lot to take in, but this is the last full day of NPS programming. Everything comes to a head on Saturday, as the top five teams from the entire tournament pull out all stops in a "winner-take-all brawl" at the Palmer Events Center. Details coming soon. 'Til then, get thee to one of the following venues for the final day of NPS fun.
Addresses/phones:
Alamo Drafthouse Downtown - 409 Colorado St., 476-1320
Hideout Theatre - 617 Congress Ave., 443-3688
Ruta Maya Coffee House - 3601 South Congress, 707-9637
Ego's - 510 S Congress Ave., 474-7091
Antone's - 213 W. Fifth St., 320-8424
501 Studios - 501 N. I-35, 900 block of E. Fifth, 472-8975
Paramount Theatre - 713 Congress Ave., 476-5470
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UPDATE -- Here's where the Austin teams will be competing tonight:
Antone's: Austin/Ego's vs. Columbia vs. Denver vs. Omaha vs. Providence
Ego's: Austin/NeoSoul vs. Atlanta/Java Monkey vs. Berkeley vs. Chicago vs. Houston
Hallo! site the best! :)
Hallo! site the best! :)