Shawnee Boyeee & Norm Davis

This week at the Blue Dahlia Open Mic: Shawnee Boyeee!!!

Check out www.myspace.com/shawneefool for more info ...

Wednesday, January 24 from 8 pm - 10 pm
Blue Dahlia Coffee, Tea, & Gifts
92 South Main Street, Canandaigua


And this week at the Pure Kona Open Mic: Norm Davis!

Two great people, two great shows!

Thursday, January 25 from 8 pm - 10 pm
Daily Perks Coffee House
389 Gregory Street, Rochester

Thursday, Jan. 18th: 9-11 Truth Concert

Meet-the-Editors Party for ByLine Magazine

Here's a Press Release from Donna Marbach:

What: A Welcome to Rochester and Meet-the-Editors Party. The twenty-five year old national magazine for writers, ByLine has changed ownership and is moving to the Rochester area.

When: Friday January 19, from 6:30 -9:30 P.M.

Where: Barnes & Nobles, Pittsford Plaza. 3349 Monroe Ave, Pittsford. (585) 586-6020

Contact: Robbi Hess, Editor ByLine , proedge@rochester.rr.com 585-355-8172 or Donna M. Marbach, Poetry Editor, ByLine dmarbach@rochester.rr.com 585-383-0812 or (cell phone: 585-314-4037)


Twenty-five year old ByLine. an internationally distributed magazine, has recently changed owners and is relocating its headquarters from Edmonds, Oklahoma to Albion, New York. In celebration of By-Line’s move to the Rochester Area, Barnes & Noble in Pittsford is hosting a “Welcome to Rochester” party for key editorial staff.

Robbi Hess, co-owner and editor, as well as Donna M. Marbach, poetry editor, will be in the Community Room of the Pittsford Barnes & Noble on Friday, January 19th from 6:30 – 8:30 p.m. The two will answer questions about submissions, subscriptions, and ways in which local writers can take advantage of this unique opportunity of having a major magazine produced locally. During the event. there will also be drawings for prizes, sample copies of the magazine, and some time spent on trying out some writing exercises to get those creative juices flowing. Local writers and wannabe writers of all sorts—fiction, creative non-fiction, screenplay, poetry, and more are encouraged to attend.

The event is free and open to the public. Refreshments will be served.

John Sinclair & Dorothy Goodman

BLUES POET JOHN SINCLAIR
& SINGER DR. DOROTHY GOODMAN

7:30 pm Wednesday, January 17, 2007:
“A Conversation with John Sinclair”
Writers & Books
740 University Ave., Rochester

7:30 pm Thursday, Jan. 18:
Performing with Dream Engine
Daily Perks Coffeehouse
389 Gregory St., Rochester

8:30 pm Friday, Jan. 19:
Performing with Joe Fornieri & the Railsplitters
RIT’s Ritskeller (SAU)

John Sinclair’s visit is made possible, in part, by Poets and Writers, Inc., through a grant from the New York State Council on the Arts, a state agency.

(Note: This is from a flyer sent out by John Roche and the photo included, unlike the other photos on this site, is not a photo I took)

Last Minute Feature

If any of you are looking for information on our last minute feature, here it is: my son Ayden heard me say something today about not having found a feature for tonight so he volunteered. Now Ayden is only 4, and admittedly does not write poetry (adittedly does not write anything except Ayden & Mom) but he is a fine dancer and has been working all day on some improvosational music pieces.

You can check out my MySpace page for a video of the kids doing their own version of toast: www.myspace.com/treescanrain.

And tomorrow night, at Pure Kona, will be The Years with Ed & Ian Downey and Chris, I think (I don't remember his last name & I'm not posisitive he still plays with them but last I knew he did).

Also, Shawnee Boyeee will be at Boulder Coffee tomorrow. I assumming around 8ish. You can check his MySpace page for more info: www.myspace.com/shawneefool.

Slide Show

New Year brings change ...

Well, the new year is bringing with it some changes in the Blue Dahlia schedule. I've got to focus more on making money somehow and getting this grant proposal written by Feb. 1st, so I've chiseled the Open Mic down to every 2nd & 4th Wednesday of the month. So this month it will be on January 10th & 24th and I wish I could tell you who the features would be but since I was thinking I was going to not be able to do it at all after December, I haven't yet booked anyone for the new year.

This will also give anyone interested the opportunity to check out the Open Mic held at FLCC on the first Wednesday of the month (while school's in session) so there won't be one this week (here nor there) but starting in February, the Open Mic will be going at FLCC the first Wednesday and we will still have the Blue Dahlia Open Mic on the second and fourth Wednesday.

There will still be Pure Kona at Daily Perks in the city every Thursday for those of you looking to feed your poetry addiction. This week, January 4th, will be guitarist, sitarist Jack Edward Smith. And next week, January 11 will be Ed Downey. Two weeks of music to start the Open Mic off right!

Also, keep Januray 18th open as international activist John Sinclair from Amsterdam (and not the one in NY) will be featuring along with the musicians from Dream Engine. And the month will round off with Sir Norm of Davis as the January 25th feature.

Daily Perks is also undergoing a bit of a management shift and renovation and James has added lots of lively, luscious foods to the menu (I especially like the portabello mushroom & artichoke sandwich with a nice chai latte - yum!). You can check out what else is new there by clicking the title of this post ...

Hope y'all enjoyed your New Year's festivities & I will see you around town (in or out of it somewhere, somehow - I'm sure). Feliz Nuevo Anos!

Arianna & Michael Freeman

Since Arianna has the week off school, she will be our feature this week. Who knows what she'll read - could be part of the novel she's writing, could be some of her anti-bush poems or her picking-on-Norm poems, or some new poems none of us have ever heard ... I'm her mother and I don't even know!


My Star Model!

I do think she's trying to get some of her classmates to show up. Hopefully nothing we say will shock any of her friend's parents into keeping their children from hanging out with her ... but ... we'll see.

And Thursday, December 28 features Michael Freeman - also home for the holidays - can't miss that one! I certainly won't - Kona hasn't been the same without his lengthy, luscious diatribes and regal rhythms...


Michael Freeman on the move!

Rick Petrie & Mike Rae

To make things even more confusing (for those of you who are used to Rick Petrie & Mike Rae performing together as Urknee & Bjurton) This week's feature's will be Rick Petrie & Mike Rae (but not together - not even on the same night, in the same place, or even the same city!)

Rick Petrie will be the feature for the Blue Dahlia Open Mic this week (Wednesday, December 20): Blue Dahlia Open Mic, 8-10pm

Blue Dahlia Coffee, Tea & Gifts
92 South Main Street,
Canandaigua







And Mike Rae will be the feature for the Pure Kona Open Mic this week (Thursday, December 21): Pure Kona Open Mic, 8-10pm

Daily Perks Coffee House
369 Gregory Street,
Rochester

Just for Fun:

What's wrong with this picture?

Norm Davis & Square Root

Hello all ... sorry for the delay in posting our feature this week. I am a little behind in these weeks preceding this behemoth of a holiday. Without further ado ... or any more rants about my schedule ... I wanted to let you know Norm Davis will be our feature this week (Wednesday, December 13) at the Blue Dahlia Open Mic. Yea!



Blue Dahlia Open Mic, 8-10pm
Blue Dahlia Coffee, Tea & Gifts
92 South Main Street, Canandaigua

And Thursday, December 14th will be the premiere feature of Square Root ... all right, so technically they had that gig at Norm's Wide Open Mic, but other than that ... & these guys are good ... two brothers (who formerly went by Daniel & Dexter until coming up with the catchy name of Square Root) one playing guitar, the other speakin' the word (spoken word that is)... ummhmm ... gotta come check them out!

Pure Kona Open Mic, 8-10pm
Daily Perks Coffee House
369 Gregory Street, Rochester

Chris Robin (& whoever shows from At Kyle's Feet) & Barb Johnston

This week's Blue Dahlia feature will be Christopher Robin (who plays with the band At Kyle's feet) with a mercurial combination of music & spoken word. Then, if you like what you see (which I'm almost sure that you will) they will be playing a two-hour set on Saturday, December 16 at the Blue Dahlia.

Wednesday, December 6
Blue Dahlia Open Mic 8-10pm
Blue Dahlia Coffee, Tea, & Gifts
92 South Main Street, Canandaigua


And the Pure Kona feature this week is Barb Johnston.
I won't be there. I will be at my daughter's Holiday Orff Club Concert
this Thursday but you should go check her out ... make up for my absence!

Thursday, December 7
Pure Kona Open Mic 8-10pm
Daily Perks Coffee House
369 Gregory Street, Rochester

Blue Dahlia Feature: Maureen Owens

This Wednesday our feature will be Maureen Owens.



And Pure Kona's feature will be Rich (I have no idea how to spell his name - but phonetically speaking it sounds like Gone-yea (sorry Rich)).

Hope to see you there!

8- 10 pm, Wednesday, November 29
Blue Dahlia Open Mic @ Blue Dahlia Coffee House
92 South Main Street in Canandaigua, NY

8- 10 pm, Thursday, November 30
Pure Kona Open Mic @ Daily Perks Coffee House
389 Gregory Street in Rochester, NY

Blue Dahlia Open Mic & Art Show

There will be an Open Mic at Blue Dahlia this week on the eve of turkey day ... there will not be Pure Kona, as it actually is turkey day on thursday ...

I went back and forth on this one, so I didn’t actually book anyone … which means, if you come down you get to hear me read for a while and then I’ll pass the metaphorical mic around (since any of you who have been out this way know, we don’t have a literal mic … unless you count Mike Rae!)

Also, my art show is still on display. So, if you didn’t get a chance to come down for Art Walk and were interested in seeing some of my work, now’s a good time to do it! Hope to see you Wednesday … 8 pm (at Blue Dahlia Coffee House, 92 South Main Street, Canandaigua). Oh, and if you like sweet drinks (like you know I do) try the Casablanca … it’s sooooo good!

Here’s a pic of the art on display:



I know … now you’ve seen it … but it’s better in person … so come down if you can.

Hope to see you there!

Canandaigua Art Walk

This Friday I will be at the Canandaigua Art Walk, which runs from 2-9 pm and offers wine tastings, refreshments, and live entertainment. Along with holiday sales by the local businesses.

Here's a list of who's participating:

Adorn Jewelry and Accessories
All Things Art
Blue Dahlia Coffee House
Christopher Wheat Fine Art Studio
Coyote's Den
Finger Lakes Country Photography & Art
Finger Lakes Gallery & Frame
G. Jones Furniture Co.
Gallery 74
Gallery On Main Street
Nadal Glass
Pat Rini Rohrer Gallery
Vagabond Gallery
Wickedly Sent Soap & Candle Co.

I'll have a couple new pieces I've been working on ready for this show, so I hope you can come check it out! It may be chilly, but lucky for you (and me) I'll be at a coffee shop, where you can come in and get some nice, hot beverages ... mmmm ... see you there?

Alex Dedicke & BADEA

This week (Wednesday, November 15) at Blue Dahlia, don't miss Alex Dedicke's first feature!



Haha! I liked the abstract one best!

And Thursday, November 16th: Don't miss BADEA at Pure Kona Open Mic!

Matt Shackelford & Ian Downey

You know that guy singing on my MySpace page? Ian Downey of the notorious Ian Downey is Famous variety? He's featuring this week at Pure Kona! That's right, if you come one down to Daily Perks Thursday night at 8, you get to see him! Maybe he'll even do some standing bits like he did for Blue Dahlia ... like so:



Speaking of Blue Dahlia ... it's worth the drive out to the shady streets of Canandaigua to see the likes of Matt Shackelford. I swear you won't regret it ... this man can twist some lines and conceptualize some pretty esoteric notions all while standing on his head! I've seen him do it! So, I don't know if he'll necessarily be standing on his head this time (that was a special occasion: hugest protest I eva' been to!) but he will still impress you with his poetry, fo' sho' ... 7:30 ish pm Wednesday, November 1 at Blue Dahlia Coffee House in Canandaigua.



You can check out Ian at: http://www.myspace.com/iandowneyisfamous
And Matt at: http://www.myspace.com/rockumental

Go ahead, check them out! If you are so inclined, that is ...

There are alos MySpace Group Pages for both Pure Kona @ Blue Dahlia - so if you're on, join up! That is, also, if you are so inclined ...

http://groups.myspace.com/purekona
http://groups.myspace.com/bluedahliaopenmic

Pathways & Doors

No Blue Dahlia Open Mic this week ... I'll be at Writers & Books for the kick-off event of the RochesterInk Poetry In Fusion Festival this year.



This Wednesday will be a combination of poetry and photography, with a reading and mixer and musical accompaniment by Laura Cat (of Acoustic Soul).

There will be many other events this week with combinations of dance & poetry, music & poetry, and the winners of the kid's and adult's art & poetry contests.

Here's an overview of the schedule. For more information click the link above or visit http://rochesterink.org and click on Fesival-at-a-glance.

Wednesday, October 18:

Pathways & Doors Reading from 7 - 9 pm at Writers & Books.
FREE.

Thursday, October 19:

Moving Poems: Dances Inspired by and Infusing Poetry from 7:30 - 8:30 p.m. St. John Fisher. Cleary Family Auditorium.
$5 admission fee.

Dream Engine from 9:00 - 10:00 p.m. at St. John Fisher. Cleary Family Auditorium.
FREE.

Friday, October 20:

RochesterInk's Reading and Open Mic from 7:00 p.m.- 9 p.m at Barnes and Noble at 1070 Ridge Road, Webster, NY 14580.
FREE

Saturday, October 21:

A Matter of Blue from Noon - 1:30 p.m at St. John Fisher. Wilson Formal Lounge.
FREE

Kids' Contest Winners from Noon - 3:30 p.m. at Barnes and Noble in Pittsford Plaza. Community Room.
FREE

The Creative Spark from 2:00 - 3:30 p.m. at St. John Fisher: Wilson Formal Lounge. The discussion panel will include: Marie Starr, Sally Wood Winslow, Len Messineo, and Michael Arve.
FREE

A Reading of Local Poets from 4:00 - 5:00 p.m. atSt. John Fisher: Wilson Formal Lounge. Poets Tony Leuzzi and Anne Coon will be reading.
FREE

Adult Poetry Contest Winners Reading from 6:15 - 7:00 p.m. at St. John Fisher: 135 Basil Hall.
FREE

Broadside Signing and Raffle from 7:00 - 8:00 p.m. at St. John Fisher: Foyer outside 135 Basil Hall.
FREE

The Headline Poet Michael Burkard is unable to make it, but they will be screening Il Postino from 8:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m. (followed by a Dessert Bar) at St. John Fisher. 135 Basil Hall.
FREE

Sunday, October 22:

A Reading of 12 Local Poets from 11:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m. at St. John Fisher: 135 Basil Hall.
FREE

Poetry's Power via the Translation Relay with Th. Emil Homerin from 1:30 p.m. - 2:30 p.m. at St. John Fisher: 135 Basil Hall.
FREE

Discussion of the Use of Paul Celan's Poetry in The Memory Room from Noon - 2:00 p.m. at Barnes and Noble in Pittsford Plaza: Community Room.
FREE

Paul Celan & Music from 3:00 - 4:30 p.m. at St. John Fisher: 135 Basil Hall. FREE

I know I'll be at the Kid's Poetry Reading Saturday at Barnes & Noble. Arianna will be reading her poem "Her Storm" somewhere between 1:00 and 1:30. Her painting "Kerplooie" is also on display there. Then I'll be running over to Saint John Fisher to take part in The Creative Spark panel.

I'm also going to try to get out for Dream Engine on Thursday and the Open Mic on Friday. I'm not sure what else I'll be able to make but I'll be getting to as much of this as possible. It's not everyday we get such a plethora of poetry, art, music & dance. Let's enjoy it while we can!

What a week!

This week's feature at Blue Dahlia will be BADEA (formerly Bill & Djed's Excellent Adventure) who gave us a fabulous finale to the poetic portion of our Poetry Festival this year. It seems they are never the same combo twice, but there's always a nice blend of drums, guitar, voice, and other percussion.

Djed's told me to tell you all to bring a drum with you this week, as they'd like to make a drum circle part of their feature ... how fabulous is that? Pretty fabulous, I know ... at least I think so!



Blue Dahlia Coffe
92 South Main Street
Canandaigua
7:30 (ish) - 10 pm

Caution: these guys are likely to start on time, so if you don't want to miss a thing - hurry down ...

And Thursday at Pure Kona Open Mic: MJ Iuppa, who not only happens to be one of my favorite poets, but also one of my favorite people! Whatever you do ... you don't want to miss her!



Daily Perks Coffee House
369 Gregory Street
Rochester - this one really is more 8 - 10 pm ...

Hope to see you there!

This week: Urknee & Bjurton

This week at the Blue Dahlia Open Mic,
don't miss the stylin's of Urknee & Bjurton Russell.

And Thursday, October 5th brings you Christopher Robin
& his band for the Pure Kona Feature.

Figure on starting at 8pm for either one.

Blue Dahlia is, as always, located out here in the boondocks:
92 South Main Street in Canandaigua
and Daily Perks is up there in the city
369 Gregory Street, Rochester.

Hope to see you there!