by Matteo R. on I came here for the poetry slam grand finale a few weeks ago. PROS: - It gives a voice to poets not just from NYC, but from all over the North East. - Extremely diverse crowd; one of the most diverse I've ever seen. - Nice venue, with unobstructed views of the stage from basically anywhere, both on the floor and on the mezzanine. - Good acoustics. CONS: - One hour and a half wait to get in[1]. - Pricey ($15 per ticket; $6 for a bottle of Bass). - Overcrowded: once the seats are taken, people sit anywhere on the floor; once the floor is full, people will sit on ANYTHING else that is not taken (you will literally have people standing on your back). - If there is a fire, or if somebody panics, you're going to die[2]. This was my first poetry slam, and I enjoyed it. Most of the poets dealt with heavy stuff, with subjects ranging from race, to abortion, to civil rights. Which is good, but I would have liked to hear somebody try to tackle the same issues with a bit of irony. Or sarcasm. Or a dry sense of humor. Everybody take themselves really seriously here. -------------------------------------------------- ---------------- [1] Keep in mind this was the poetry slam grand finale, so the wait may be shorter on an average weekend evening. [2] The only other time I feared for my life due to an overcrowded venue was at the now defunct club Baktun in the meatpacking district for a Jazzanova gig, a few years back.
by Lashawnda Atherton on Never gets old. The only bar in San Francisco where I have seen both Mick Jagger AND a Real World cast member. (Not together, of course.) Strong drinks, good crowd, and great bartenders. I miss the pool parties too.
