Bolen's "Anticipated Results" Book Trailer Hits YouTube

Local writer, Denis E. Bolen has been getting rave reviews for his latest book, "Anticipated results.  Check out the trailer and watch close for some other familiar favorites like Clint "Father Goose" Wilson, Soressa Gardner and Susan Cormier, who also directed the video.

Special Event: Wax Poetic/Co-op Radio Fundraiser

Nestled mid-week between an alternative health program and a hiphop show, Wax Poetic has been holding its own since the early nineties, bringing some of the best and often most underappreciated spoken word artists from the local and international scenes, to CFRO radio listeners in a half hour “appointment with the muse”!

On Tuesday, April 7^th, the poetry staple celebrates 16 years of broadcasting by inviting their guests and listening audience together for a special “real world” hook up on Commercial Drive, the undisputed cradle of spoken word in the lower mainland.

Wax Poetic is the longest running radio program dedicated to the spoken word in Vancouver (and internationally), heard every Wednesday afternoon from 2-2:30 pm on Co Op Radio 102.7 FM with hosts Diane Laloge, SR Duncan and RC Weslowski.

To keep in the spirit of live radio, the broadcasters will also be turning Café Deux Soleils into an on-air studio, recording a 30 minute show in front of a live audience for future broadcast. The “studio” audience is in for quite the treat, as none other than Vancouver’s first poet-laureate George McWhirter takes the hot seat, reading his work and fielding questions from the hosts and the crowd.

This will mark one of the last readings for the poet in his position as laureate. His two-year term ends soon.

Founded in ’93 by poet Diane Laloge and performance poet Justin McGrail, Wax Poetic has been airing almost every week since then.

Engineering and programming duties are shared by the two “rookies” on the team, Steven R. Duncan (9 years) and RC Weslowski (6 years). Weslowski (AKA Randy Jacobs) is a familiar voice on local commercial radio, while Duncan worked on a similar program at Simon Fraser’s CJSF prior to coming on board Wax Poetic.

Other feature performances at the fundraiser will come from veteran artists Tanya Evanson, Susan Cormier, Rowan Lipkovits, Duncan Shields. Laloge will be reading from her recently released book of poems “I Am A War”, and Duncan and Weslowski also be performing.

”The Candyman” - Daniel Mark Patterson is scheduled to take the stage as well.

“We’re thrilled by this line-up,” comments Laloge.

“It’s just like our show – very diverse, thought-provoking and yet just plain fun at the same time. It’s also nice to get out and meet the people who tune in and listen to us from time to time face to face.”

There will also be an open mic, a raffle and a meat draw. Yes a meat draw - just in time for Easter. Actually, co-producer Duncan admits that it’s really a Tofu Turkey Draw.

“Weslowski and I had to compromise on this one. I wanted a full on meat draw for a big chunk of meat, because I think it’s so kitch, and I’d love to win a piece of meat, But he was dead – excuse the pun – set against it, being a vegetarian.

“So I said I’d spring for the tofu turkey and he said he’d bring a rubber chicken.”

The show starts at 7:30pm at Cafe Deux Soleils (2096 Commercial Drive)

. All the money raised on April 7^th will go to support Co Op Radio and keep Wax Poetic on the air. Memberships will be available.

You can sign up to attend on their Facebook page:
http://www.facebook.com/inbox/?ref=mb#/event.php?eid=59853480876&ref=ts

Or you can get more info by calling 604-788-8340 or emailing srduncan@shaw.ca

Special Event: 4th Annual Sistahood Women's Invitational Poetry Slam

Featuring Toronto's Amanda Hiebert and Krystle Mullin with your host, Rachel Flood.

Monday, March 13th 9:00pm - 11:30pm

Cafe Deux Soleils: 2096 Commercial Drive

Once again the Sistahood Festival and the Vancouver Poetry Slam are teaming up for the Sistahood Women's Invitational Poetry Slam.

As a spoken word poet, Amanda has been on the Toronto Poetry Slam Team six years running. As part of the Toronto Poetry Slam Team, she has toured across Canada and the United States performing in high school’s, drop in centre’s, libraries and live music venues. Since 2003, she has performed over a hundred shows in the Greater Toronto Area. She has also been featured on CBC’s ‘Wordbeat’ and the University of Toronto’s ‘CIUT’ hosted by Nik Beat.
Amanda is also a playwright and actress and has performed her work across Canada.

Krystle Mullin’s distinct raspy voice may well be taller than she is (she stands only 5’3) but a lack of vertical height hasn’t stopped this spoken word artist from reaching unimaginable heights in a short period of time. She has been performing for just over a year and has already toured across Canada, been a member of the Toronto Slam Team and implemented a program that integrates spoken word poetry into Ontario high schools. Krystle’s style and rhythm borrows from folk, hip-hop, and hillbilly practicalities.

Also performing are Radar, Julie Parrell, Sasha Langford, Shannon Rayne, Fran Bourassa, Nadia Chaney, Sara Bynoe, Nora Smithhisler, Missie Peters, Olivia Berger-Hawthorne, Susan Cormier and Jill Binder.

Tickets are $10 at the door. This night will sell out so get there early the night of. It'll rock like no rock has ever rolled before.

There will be a short open mic before the slam starting at 8:30.

Everyone is welcome to attend.

For info call:

6042159230
Email:	rcarcee@yahoo.ca

Live on the Drive: Scenes from the 2nd Annual RC Weslowski Christmas Special

Quickly becoming a holiday tradition, the wacky RC Weslowski Christmas Special attracted a full house last night at Cafe Deux Soliel and raised about $500 for Vancouverès Covenant House.


The stylish Ivan Penaluna, sharing the Christmas spirit.


Shameless Lea was a hard girl to get a bead on, but i think you get the idea...



Trevor Spillchen, Sean McGarragle, "Max" the Reindeer, Jill Binder



The Svelte Ms. Spelt, waxing poetic.

Rowan Lipkovits and some of his Creaking Planks.


RC Weslowski, the man of the hour.

A "real" Santa crashed the party. Angus "the Svelte Ms Spelt" Adair is a happy little boy!


"Saint" Bill McNamara, host of the resurrected Thundering Word Heard at Cafe Montmartre on Sunday nights.

Bling Crosby


Curator of the Yaletown Gallery, Jabbar Al Janabi.

Poetess Sue Cormier.

Rock and Roll RC Weslowski.

Editorial: The Sunday Muse

Today was a good day to live on the Drive. I woke up relatively early and went down to photocopy Commercial Drive – Live! flyers and posters and came home and hastily tacked up another 50 on the poles before going down to meet my friend Hinda, who was selling her delicious sauces and jams outside of Morning Glory Tea House.

I keep telling myself that one of these days I’ll do the smart thing and hire a street team to plaster the neighbourhood. I spent a good two hours last night walking along Commercial from Grant to Broadway and back again to Venables, then up again almost to Charles. As a matter of fact, my last poster ended up on the pole in front of the patio at Fets. A big thing I learned was it is important to poster late the night before or first thing the day of if you want your poster to remain up for Car-Free day. The poster racket is ruthless.

Next time I’ll be better prepared. No, really.

But my work did have some impact. By the time I came home I had an email from Karen Magill about her day on the Drive.

She wrote,

Dear Mr. Duncan,

I was at Britannia Centre and saw a flyer for thedriveisalive.blogspot. It was so great to see someone else blogging about Commercial Drive. I started my blog to promote my latest book but found that I got emails from people when I talked about walking through Hastings Park. People like to hear about my walking tours of Vancouver so that is what I blog about.

Thank you for your time.

Karen Magill

Read her Commercial Drive Day review here:

http://letusplaylovestory.blogspot.com/

We spent a lot of time last week talking about the sudden death of T. Paul Ste. Marie. His friends Frank and Claire opened up their beautiful home for us last weekend to celebrate his life. I wanted to steer you to the posting by Mom Poet about the lovely tribute. She does a fine job of summing up the event.

Check it out here...

By the way, fellow poet Susan Cormier took it upon herself to give T. Paul’s mom an anthology of stories and sentiments about T. Paul. She wants to give her a second edition. If you want to be included in this anthology please fire them her way at jaywalker@hotmail.com.

Finally, I just wanted to thank everyone who reads this blog, and tells their friends to do the same. As I was riding my bike last night, a young guy walking with a girl saw me passing and called out, “Hey, you’re the guy who rides that blog, The Drive is Alive, right?

Cool.

Drop me a line and say hi!