BLEND--POETRY & MUSIC

Moving on!

2010-07-16T21:45:00.000-07:00

So now that I have finished doing BLEND---I have decided to turn this blog into a kind of BLEND of ideas.....a few times in the recent past friends have suggested that I should start writing a blog---it's strange for me to write in this medium and think about other people reading it because I have never been what I would call a "personna" ---though I am very honest--I have never allowed people to see the "full picture" --that is me--if there is one---just little spurts

maybe I am scared to be a whole ---because I feel that with any given whole --there is no more mystery--a set of rules--a computer program that always does one thing in response to another---of course people are always free to re-invent themselves--and to be flexible--perhaps what I have always liked about poetry is that it allows for multiple layers of interpretation and it ultimately remains a mystery in and of itself---but Alas I am human and I guess eventually one must figure out at least partially, who they are--and what they would like to present to the world.

BLEND Thursday June 17th 7:30 PM

2010-05-27T15:47:00.000-07:00

This will be last performance of season
Tamara Oakman
Ian Wolf
Allegra Fletcher
SamHaiNE

$5.00 cover
Discounted parking (w/validation) at New Market Garage

OPEN MIC

Blue Bananas Cafe
223 South Street
(right next to laff house)
http://www.bluebananascafe.com/

May 13th--Joe Roarty and Catie Rosemurgy -OPEN MIC

2010-04-21T11:06:00.000-07:00

COME OUT THURSDAY MAY 13th to BLUE BANANAS CAFE 223 South Street

http://bluebananascafe.com/

This Month we will be featuring Joe Roarty and Catie Rosemurgy

Catie Rosemurgy is the author of two collections of poetry My Favorite Apocalypse and The Stranger Manual, both published by Graywolf Press. Her work appeared in such places as American Poetry Review, The Gettysburgh Review and Ploughshares. She is the recepient of a Rona Jaffe Foundation award and a National Endwoment for the Arts fellowship. She lives in Philadelphia and teaches at a college in New Jersey.

http://thediagram.com9_5/rosemurgy.html

Joe Roarty has been shiprekkd on the shores of the susquehanna and has made his way 2 Philly.

www.foxchasereview.wordpress.com/2010/02/22/choruses-1-by-Joe-Roarty/

The featured performers will be followed by an OPEN MIC

Email alla.vilnyanskaya@gmail.com to sign up in advance!

BLEND Thursday APRIL 8th 7:30-10:00 PM

2010-03-13T15:27:00.001-08:00

Debrah Morkun is a founding member of the New Philadelphia Poets, a group committed to expanding the spaces for poetry in Philadelphia. Her first book, Projection Machine, is forthcoming from BlazeVoks books.
http://www.debrahmorkun.com/

Brandon Holmquest lives in South Philadelphia. Ugly Duckling Press has published his translation of Manuel Maples Arce's "City: Bolshevik Superpoem in 5 Cantos," and two of his books are coming out soon on Truck Press and SplitLeaves Press respectively.

http://electiveaffinitiesusa.blogspot.com/2010/01/brandon-holmquest.html

Featured readings are followed by an OPEN MIC! Food and drink available for purchase at venue---$ 5 cover!

Bill McConney, Sean Webb, and a killer open mic!

2010-03-05T18:24:00.000-08:00

Videos of the Haiti Benefit

2010-03-03T03:26:00.000-08:00

Thanks to Linda Thea for taking these.

The Philadelphia Poetry Scene in Map Form

2010-02-19T19:41:00.001-08:00

View The Greater Philadelphia Poetry Scene as Constant Change in a larger map

Help 4 Haiti- A Benefit---FEB 28th

2010-02-13T16:03:00.000-08:00

On Sunday February 28th at 5:00 pm the BLEND series together with the New Philadelphia Poets and the Light of Unity Association--will host a benefit show at the Laff House (http://www.laffhouse.com/) ---all proceeds will go through OIC International (http://www.oicinternational.org/) to help with rescue relief efforts in Haiti. The Cover charge will be $10 ($5 for students), Mr. Crispian Kirk, President & CEO of OIC International will be speaking at the event.

The night will feature musical and poetry performances by:

Angel Hogan
http://www.angelhogan.com/

Courtney Bambrick
http://www.philadelphiastories.org/hand-hip

Peter Baroth
http://tarlton.law.utexas.edu/lpop/etext/lsf/30-1-2/baroth.html

Iain Pollock
http://bostonreview.net/BR33.1/contents.php

Greg Bem
http://memoryofmyfeelings.blogspot.com/

Allegra Fletcher
www.myspace.com/allegrafletchermusic

Nate Graham
http://www.thegrahamstandard.com/

Sarah Heady
http://www.newphiladelphiapoets.com/

Jaz
http://www.myspace.com/jazpoet

Elliot Levin
http://www.myspace.com/elliottlevin

Francesca Costanzo
http://www.francescacostanzo.com/

Ish Klein
www.youtube.com/user/ishkleinfilms

Quincy Scott Jones
www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ctknztgro

Please help Haiti by joining us for this wonderful night of performances!

BLEND---MARCH 4th 7:30-10:00

2010-02-13T15:30:00.000-08:00

The next BLEND event will feature SEAN WEBB And BILL McCONNEY

Sean Webb:

Before moving to Philadelphia Sean Webb was a life long Westerner, having lived in Washington, Arizona, Iowa, New Mexico and Utah. He has an MFA from the University of Iowa writer's Workshop and has recieved numerous honors and awards for his work. His poems have appeared in dozens of publications including the North American Review, Prairie Schooner, Seattle Review, Greensboro Review and an Anthology entitled Frances and Clare in Poetry.

Bill McConney

www.myspace.com/billmcconney

Features will be followed by an Open mic!

This series has really grown over the past six months and we hope you can join us for yet another lovely night of words, sound and amazing Caribbean Cuisine!

If you would like to sign up for open mic in advance please email me at alla.vilnyanskaya@gmail.com

February Blend Videos

2010-02-06T15:31:00.000-08:00

Thanks to everyone for coming out last Thursday. The place was packed and the performers were all great. Thanks again to Jacob Russell and Cassendre Xavier for their featured work.

And thanks to Linda Thea for recording the night with her camera. All the videos have been uploaded to Youtube.

Click here to visit the playlist with all the videos.

More information on Blend in March is soon to come.

January Blend Recording

2010-01-17T08:08:00.000-08:00

Ryan Eckes

Below you will find the recording of January's Blend at the Blue Banana on South Street. The featured performers were, in order: Ryan Eckes, poet; John Todd, guitarist and singer; and Dan "the Man" Schall, poet. The open mic, which was eclectic and mystifying, is included. If you prefer to download the files, or use a non-flash format, please just follow this link.

Please make sure you check Blend out on Thursday, February 4th, when Cassendre Xavier and Jacob Russell will perform their work.

February 4th ---Next Performance--Blue Bananas Cafe

2010-01-14T12:35:00.000-08:00

Come out Thursday February 4th for BLEND--Poetry and Music series hosted at Blue Bananas Cafe (http://www.bluebananascafe.com)----223/ South Street, Phila PA

This series repeats every 1st Thursday of the month-featured performers followed by an OPEN MIC---bring your songs---your poems--and your audacity

Featured in February will be poet and musician Canssendre Xavier: http://cassendrexavier.homestead.com/

And Poet Jacob Russell: http://www.jacobrussellsbarkingdog.blogspot.com/

$ 5 to Enter---Discount parking---You can come at 7:30--but you can leave at 10:00-

For additional info--please email alla.vilnyanskaya@gmail.com