(the scene) the blue ox bar with three names on the sign up list, five patrons and the cultural trolley departing

the deal with 1st wednesdays is that the trolley should be bringing you more folks when it makes it stop. this time around- it didnt. dont ask me how but what was looking like disaster at first and then full fledged nuclear armageddon by the ticking second somehow became a great night of poetry with taylor dropping an awesome set to what became a nice sized house.

when in doubt, pull out the bug guns… peace, through superior firepower… so thats what i did and was lucky enough to have fish, eliel, rich and (a blast of louderEDGE past) tim in the house. they all gave it their all and held it down long enough to let the crowd and the energy develop. in the practice what you preach dept, i took the first hit and dropped two of the standards to a real, real thin house but, hey!, if you are only gonna drop your good stuff to the packed house- you is kinda bullshit in my eyes. “i cant go up, not enough people here” or if you half-ass it, nah… homie dont play that.

my peoples was in effect, though… so, no worries…

“we have to give these people a good show” was all that was going through my head and i think i pulled one of my best hosting jobs- ever. usually, after a show, i am going through mad shit and wondering what i did wrong and how to improve and sheet like dat. on stage you may not see it cuz it always about pushing the show forward and getting momentum and moving, moving, moving

all of the bad shows, dum sheet, ill timed remarks, foul mouth language, sweating and anxiety all payed off for yesterdays show and less than ten folks saw it… which is fine by me

taylor is just automatic and he gave the blue ox his semi-drunken all (we shared a blue ox shot a lil before he went up and the after effects were great to watch!). then again, its taylor! and for all i know he was dead sober and looking for a hook to work into the audience! either way, the set rocked and it was all worth it to have another poet find out that the boogie down is not that far away and we love poetry as much as anybody else

and, (drum roll), fresh off that suckah- ima host 1st wednesdays again in july as e.j. antonio and, mah louderARTS/synonymUS homegirl, elana bell come through to the bX! see ya then!