It would appear I have been most slack in letting people know I’ll be appearing at the most marvellous Spinning Room!
What: The Spinning Room feat. Tim Hamilton
When: 8:00pm, 30th March
Where: ET Hotel, High St., Prahran
Why: Because the poetry is good! Because I’ll be featuring! Because poetry in Melbourne needs and loves your support!
What: The Spinning Room! Hosted by Jon Garrett and Anthony O’Sullivan.
Who: Me!
Where: ET’s Hotel, 211 High St., Prahran
When: 8pm, Tuesday, 14th April
How: (…much?) Entry is free, but we do encourage the purchase of raffle tickets as the proceeds, as ever, go to the feature. Besides, the raffle prizes are good! There will be books and wine!
Why: Because I have new stuff! Because I have old stuff! Because the open stage is really good! Because the Spinning Room is a fantastic gig!
Reading: “The Yale Anthology of Twentieth Century French Poetry†– edited by Mary Ann Caws
Listening: “The Angels Want To Wear My Red Shoes†– Elvis Costello
Now I knew of David McLauchlan’s tireless work behind the camera, and his marvellous record of the Melbourne poetry scene that airs on Channel 31 on Thursday nights. For one thing, it’s hard to miss a chap with a proper TV camera asking you to sign release forms after you’ve read.
However, it took a conversation with a colleague at work who saw me on the show (I can’t get Ch. 31 where I live), followed with more talking to fellow poets to discover that not only does the show have a website, but the website has video! He recently put up the Candy Stripes gig that I was part of and you can see it there, along with a bunch of others, some of which include me and a plethora of other magnificent poets.
Red Lobster. Channel 31, Thursdays at 11:30pm or see the website!!
Reading: “Cultural Amnesia” – Clive James
Listening: “Strategy” – Something For Kate
Well, I had an excellent evening being part of a great performance at the Candy Bar on last Thursday night. Anthony O’Sullivan (of Spinning Room fame) was an excellent host as per usual, presiding over an enthusiastic turnout.
I was grateful to find that I was opening as it meant I would be less stressed and could enjoy the show in its entirety. This was handy as, apart from Josephine, I had seen little to no of my co-stars previously, knowing them only by reputation, and was able to enjoy their work with fresh ears.
The set list for me was: If Poetry, Mokita, Ballard Days, Eulogy for the Cassette, Eulogy for the Polaroid, Tomorrow’s Ghosts, Concerto in B-Flat for Piano and Phlegm and I finished with XXI – The World
If the night made anything clear to me, it was that I really need to learn how to perform without my notes! Apart from seeing some marvellous performances being done by people who were free of having to look at paper every couple of seconds, it felt a lot better being able to concentrate purely on what I was saying without having to read at the same time.
Photos of the night were taken by Michael Reynolds, who has kindly shared them to the world on this link.
Overload this year produced something of a record for me. Five gigs in one week I think is something of a record in the decade-and-a-bit that I’ve been attending and reading in open stage gigs. By the time Sunday’s closing event rolled around, I was too tired to attend. Hats off the Overload organising committee for bringing in festival number seven!
A well attended night in Prahran saw the Spinning Room play host to three of Melbourne’s finest poets performing.
Recent returnee from abroad, Carmen Main opened the feature half of the evening, effortlessly demonstrating how she won this spot in a competition held a few months prior.
Jennifer Harrison and Ian McBryde read in tandem for what was to be a joint feature, taking turns with a fluidity that gave the feel of a single poem read in alternating parts. Columbine’s voice mixing with the whispers of an innamorato (perhaps Harlequin?). Masks, make-up and antique books added some lovely theatrical elements to their already wonderful performance.
Reading: “Cultural Amnesia” – Clive James
Listening: “Transmission” – Joy Division
I will be performing at Candy Stripes, a one-off gig as part of the Melbourne poetry festival, Overload. Along with me will be Josephine Rowe, Benezra, Jess Friedmann and Felix Nobis!
What: Candy Stripes
Who: Tim Hamilton, Jess Friedmann, Josephine Rowe, Felix Nobis & Benezra with your most marvellous MC, Mr. Anthony O’Sullivan.
Where: Candy Bar, 162 Greville St., Prahran
When: 8-10pm, Thursday 7th August, 2008.
How: much? $10 ($7 concession) entry.
Why: I’m featuring! My fellow features are made entirely of awesome! We’re reading in a really good place! It’s part of the Melbourne Showcase series for the Overload Melbourne Poetry Festival!!
Another marvellous feature by Rosanne Bersten at the Spinning Room poetry gig last night. Her poems gave a preview of her upcoming California vignettes series and went through a series of works on people in her life. It also reminded me of how well she can switch between free and structured verse.
The night was also notable for the really rather impressive collection of new poets appearing in the open mic section. At least two new poets who I hope to see more of, one getting a callback.
For my part, I think I did OK, I’m more comfortable reading the revised version of Tomorrow’s Ghosts now, Ballard Days still feels a little unbalanced, though I’m not sure why. Either way, I think it needs a little more tweaking.
Hello folks, happy easter/purim/oestre. It’s been a quiet month or so here on the poetry front. Much noise and commotion elsewhere though, so I can’t say I haven’t been busy. Far from it. I remember the days where the hilarity of sleep deprivation used to inspire me to write strange and mystical half-ranting poems. Now the hilarity of sleep deprivation brings overtime, bags under my eyes and a zombie like state for a day or two afterwards. So it goes.
I have news however!! I will be featuring at the Spinning Room on April 1st. Oh yeah, I’m well aware of the importance of the date. My set list will be tailored accordingly. Come see the funny.
What: The Spinning Room featuring Tim Hamilton
Where: ET’s Hotel. 211 High St., Prahran
When: 8pm, Tuesday, April 1st 2008.
Why: I’ll have new stuff, old stuff, and just about every silly poem I have in the set list.
Reading: David Prater – We Will Disappear
Listening: Ani Difranco – Wish I May
Hello all,
I’m featuring at the Spinning Room South open stage night.
Details are thus:
What: Spinning Room South feat. Tim Hamilton
When: Tuesday, June 5th, 8pm
Where: ET’s Hotel, 211 High St, Prahran (Melways: 58 D6)
It’s an open stage night, people on the open stage appear in random order; read three poems or five minutes worth (whichever comes first) and then the second half of the night is the feature, in this case, me!
There is a raffle (usually the prizes are a few books and a bottle of wine), the proceeds of which go to the evening’s feature and the night finishes with the call-back. That one special reader who impressed our hosts the most on the open stage section.
Hope to see you there!
Now playing: “In Walked Bud†– Amiri Baraka