The following are brief descriptions of the venues you'll be performing in at the largest National Poetry Slam in history (boy, we like saying that).
The Venues
The following are brief descriptions of the venues
you'll be performing in at the largest National Poetry Slam in history (boy, we like
saying that).
The Electric Lounge
Electric
Lounge: 302 Bowie, 476-FUSE
The Lounge is home base for the Austin Poetry Slam and will be your home away from home
while you are at NPS '98 as it is the site of the opening ceremonies and all of the late
night events. When its stage isn't populated by poets, it is one of Austin's premier live
music venues, featuring an eclectic format that runs the gamut from alternative to country
to hip hop. The triangular stage is large, about 20' across, 3' tall, and the sound system
is a loud, rock-anD-roll P.A. The Lounge is a 400 capacity club; seating consists of
tables and booths, with standing room around the outside. Stage lighting is bright, venue
lighting is dim. The bar (which is poet-owned and staffed largely by poets and musicians)
serves a full menu of liquors and beers. No food served.
Check out the Lounge's Homepage: http://slam.home.texas.net/electric.htm
Alamo Drafthouse Cinema
Alamo Drafthouse Cinema: 409
Colorado, 867-1839.
The Alamo is an independently owned movie house that shows only the coolest films (like SlamNation, which will be screening all week during NPS '98),
and serves you excellent food and cold beer while you watch. Yes, the waitstaff is
extremely discreet. The room has 200 seats built on a gradual slant (stadium seating
style), so you don't have to crane your neck to see over the hairdo in front of you. The
stage is down front and is tall enough that stage level is about even with the bottom of
the movie screen behind it. Sound is wired right into the theater system. Just like you're
in the movies. The stage only covers about half of the space down front, so there's plenty
of room to roam, not to mention the large isles up the sides of the auditorium. Great air
conditioning. For those of you that make it into town on Tuesday night, you'll be able to
see Marc Smith christen this stage before the movies (both SlamNation
and Slam will be shown as a double-feature at 8pm Tuesday night!)
There will also be Two Matinee Screenings of SlamNation at the Alamo Drafthouse on Wednesday & Thursday, August 19th and 20th at 5PM!! Go catch the show before the bouts!
Blondies
Blondies: 510 Rio Grande,
472-7343
Over the past few years, Blondies has become home to many of Austin's up-and-coming punk
and indie-rock bands, boasting free shows every weekend. During the day, Blondies is a
skater/hipster clothing store. At night, it's a rock club. Austin is like that. The stage
is large, about 20' across, and the sound system is one of the best, cleanest systems in
town. It is an average-sized room, but we've seen 200 people there for shows on a regular
basis. Seating is in a variety of chairs and couches throughout the space, which will be
augmented to allow for maximum comfort during NPS '98. And, get this. In keeping with
Blondies tradition and in a history-making leap into the annals of National Poetry Slam
history, those of you lucky enough to draw this venue will enjoy the first club in NPS
history (as far as we know) to offer FREE BEER!! That's right, there'll be kegs of free
brew available to all of proper age. Feel free to let out with a big Texas
"Yee-haw" at this point. The store usually closes at 8pm, but for those of you
who haven't packed enough baggy shorts and trendy tees, you'll be able to pick some up
before or after the bout.
La Zona Rosa
La Zona Rosa: 612 W. 4th,
472-2293
Another timeless staple in Austin's music scene is La Zona Rosa. It generally caters to
the quieter, less edgy stuff, but does showcase a very eclectic format. Every Sunday, The
Asylum Street Spankers (in which Wammo plays washboard), a ten-piece, all-acoustic
Americana, blues, jazz, country, nd swing band does an all-gospel brunch there and they
use no microphones whatsoever, so you know the acoustics are right on. The room is large,
with table seating for over 100. Nice stage, about 15' wide, though only a foot or so
tall. A fine sound system with crisp high end. The bar is located in the same room, but is
far enough away (stage left) so as not to be a bother. The room is well-lit throughout.
The Ritz Upstairs
Ritz Upstairs: 320 E. 6th,
474-2270
One of the most striking and stylish performance spaces in town, the Ritz Lounge is made
from the balcony section of an old theater (the downstairs section is a now pool hall)
that was a classic vaudevillian stage in its heyday, and a storied punk rock venue in its
decline, before being remade into this incarnation. As you enter this upstairs hideaway,
you'll see the small stage that bleeds out into a dance floor covering 20' or so of
hardwood space. The seating climbs dramatically in tiers of loungy, plush booths that are
set up in the theater balcony format. There'll also be some seating at floor level, right
in front of the stage. This is a very intimate space that seats about 75 people in the
raised seating. The usual format for the club is a variety of swing, Latin, and samba
performances, as well as avant garde film. The bar serves a wide variety of single malt
scotches.
Ruta Maya Coffee Company
Ruta Maya: 4th and Lavaca,
472-9637
For the past two years, Ruta Maya has won "Best Place to Hear Poetry" in the
Austin Chronicle Reader's Poll, due to its extremely successful open mic series. Brightly
decorated in authentic south-of-the-border fashion, and extremely well lit, the Ruta is
one of those rooms where you feel like the audience is so close that you could touch them.
Good sized stage, about 18' across and square in shape. The audience is seated in tables
of a variety of sizes and will also lounge on large pillows around the front of the stage.
The PA is small but plenty for this room. No booze served, but some damn fine java,
roasted in-house. This is the only venue that eschews monstrous air conditioning in favor
of open air (large open doorways) and mondo fans. It's comfortable in the evening, but we
suggest you don't wear your favorite turtleneck.
Twist
Twist: 505 Neches, 320-TWST
Definitely the most visually interesting of all the NPS venues, Twist is a video art bar
that features a variety of music, mostly DJ'd with accompaniment by its state-of-the-art
video system, including full-wall screens. Don't worry, we won't put any big, distracting
images up while you're reading a poem. The sound system is fantastic and the entire split
level club is fully wired for sound. An architectural marvel, the smallish stage (about
15') is a platform over the sunken bar area and is overlooked by a sweeping balcony. Tres
classy.
Finals: The Paramount
Theatre
(713 Congress) is a beautiful, historical
theatre at the heart of downtown on Austin's most celebrated avenue. The 1,200-capacity
venue is similar in size and feel to Ann Arbor's Michigan Theatre, and features splendid
sound, sightlines, and ambiance. It is a very viable, alive theatre, currently used for
film screenings, concerts, plays, musicals, and touring performances. It's the site of
Phil's 1996 epiphany during a Tom Jones concert and Mike's religious experience at a
performance of "Stomp." When we first talked about doing Nationals, we knew the
finals would have to be here.
NOTE: Maps will be in your Poets' Guides, which you will receive at Opening Ceremonies.
Please direct all questions regarding venues to Mike Henry ( jacksabbath@yahoo.com , 1-888-912-2634). All of these rooms have excellent sound and lighting systems and will be a joy to perform in.