Emergent Poets III
featuring Julie Carr, Christine Hume, and Andrew Zawacki
Magers & Quinn Booksellers, January 9, 2010
Three excellent poets with three books each read about Georgia, violence, and too many Daves, warming up a poetry-ready crowd on a frigid wintry night in Minneapolis.
An Evening with Brian Evenson and Zak Sally
Bryant Lake Bowl, January 25, 2010
Those who braved the frigid winter temps were treated to an evening of haunting music, disquieting fiction, and a conversation about comics, horror, and more. Local musician and cartoonist Zak Sally, also celebrating his latest graphic novel release Like A Dog, played four songs from his new solo album, Fear of Song. Then award-winning author Brian Evenson read stories from his new book Fugue State. Finally, both Zak and Brian joined Rain Taxi editor Eric Lorberer for an on-stage conversation. (Co-sponsored by Magers and Quinn Booksellers.)
Miranda Mellis & Megan Vossler
Franklin Art Works, March 3, 2010
Miranda Mellis read excerpts from her novella, The Revisionist, amid the Sound Signals exhibit by Megan Vossler. Later, Vossler discussed with Mellis the impact of this novella on her work.
FREE VERSE: Susan Howe & David Grubbs
Walker Art Center, April 29, 2010
A stunning and moving performance of Souls of the Labadie Tract by Howe and Grubbs kept the audience mesmerized. This unique collaboration combined soundscapes and word meditations on the Labadist sect which occupied territory in Maryland in the early 1700s before being scattered to the wind. View the performance now. See pictures from this event HERE.
A Celebration of Midwestern Poetry
Minnesota Center for Book Arts, May 14, 2010
Crowds flocked to celebrate Midwestern Poetry, with standing room only at the 4pm panel discussion featuring local poets Dobby Gibson, Sarah Fox, G.E. Patterson, Sun Yung Shin, Michael Walsh, and Bryan Thao Worra, and a full house enjoying poetic offerings by Antler, Marvin Bell, Robert Bly, Heid Erdrich, Ray Gonzalez, Mary Kinzie, Jim Moore, and Thylias Moss. Co-sponsored by Rain Taxi and the Poetry Society of America, celebrating its 100th anniversary. This activity is made possible, in part, by funds provided by the Metropolitan Regional Arts Council from an appropriation by the Minnesota Legislature.
Steve Healey and Gillian Conoley
The Soap Factory, September 10, 2010
It was standing room only as poetry lovers flocked to the Soap Factory to celebrate the book launch of local poet Steve Healey's new collection, 10 Mississippi, and revel in California poety Gillian Conoley's new collection of poetry, The Plot Genie. The rain fell, the waves of the Mississippi lapped along the banks, and poetry filled the air!
2010 Twin Cities Book Festival
Saturday, October 2010
Throughout the day, book-lovers filled the reading rooms, eager to hear words come alive with readings by M. T. Anderson, Richard Paul Evans, Mary Catherine Bateson, James Howard Kunstler, Frederic Tuten, Jean Valentine, and Jeffrey Zaslow. Click here for more highlights!
Eileen Myles
The Loft, Open Book, Sunday, November 7, 2010
The lucky group that came out on this mild November evening enjoyed a terrifically vibrant and funny reading by poet, novelist, essayist and raconteur Eileen Myles from her most unusual and definitive book yet, Inferno (a poet’s novel). See pictures from this event HERE.
FREE VERSE: John Yau
Walker Art Center, Thursday, November 11, 2010
Poet and art critic John Yau wowed the crowd reading a work he created especially for new Walker exhibition: Yves Klein: With the Void, Full Powers. Taking on the persona of Klein, Yau brought a new level of understanding to this much-misunderstood artist and provocateur. If you were unfortunate to miss out on this amazing evening of channeling the immaterial and impossible spirit of Klein, you will be able to view the performance at the Walker Channel. View the performance now at the Walker Channel. See pictures from this event HERE.
The international master of sound poetry Jaap Blonk wowed the crowd with his breath and breadth of talent, performing classic Dada sound poems by Kurt Schwitters and Raoul Hausmann, along with contemporary masterpieces by John Cage, including 4'33", and his own work on Cheek Synthesizer! If you missed it, 
A wonderful reading from avant garde writer Bernadette Mayer who treated the audience to her new work The Helens of Troy, NY accompanied with a slide show of said Helens from Troy, NY. Then, along with poets Philip Good and Jennifer Karmin, proceeded to present poetry in a round-robin fashion. The audience was treated to the humorous yet deep "Untitled" poems of Good and the art-and-socially infused works of Karmin, including the Human Micropoem and a selection from Aaaaaaaaaaalice, complete with volunteers from the audience. All culminated with a collision of words as they read a poem about the higgs bosin particle! If you missed it, 
An amazing night at the Walker Art Center for the release of Dessa's poetry chapbook A Pound of Steam, published by Rain Taxi. A sold-out crowd was treated not only to Dessa's reading of the poems, but also to commissioned musical interpretations by three of her musical comrades—Aby Wolf, Sims of Doomtree, and Benjamin Burwell and Jake Pavic of Taj Raj. Afterwards the crowd gathered for a booksigning and reception, including a cocktail inspired by one of Dessa's poems, "The Bullet Rosette."
Nevada Diggs flexed her linguistic muscles with hypnotic musicality, humor, and verve, reading from her astounding book TwERK. Tapping into Michael Jackson's dance moves, animé, birdsong, and more, Nevada Diggs took the audience on a cultural ride through language and sound, race and ritual. If you missed this extraordinary experience, 
Beat legend Michael McClure roared in May with a mighty reading from his recent books, including the GAHRRRREAAAT Ghost Tantras, "BE NOT SUGAR BUT BE LOVE"—along with beautiful love poems to his wife Amy, a poem dedicated to Ray Manzarek and much more. 
Some of the Twin Cities’ meowiest writers took the mic to unleash their cat poems in celebration of the third annual Internet Cat Video Festival.
Danish American Center, September 23
Rondo Library, October 19
Patrick's Cabaret, November 7
Walker Art Center, November 20
In this unique in-gallery program, poet Douglas Kearney, musicians Davu Seru and Pat O’Keefe, and dancer Deja Stowers responded to the paintings of Jack Whitten through dance, music, and poetry.
Blanchfield was joined by Minneapolis poets Juliet Patterson and Paula Cisewski, also both poets who are working on autobiographical prose books, for a conversation moderated by Rain Taxi editor Eric Lorberer and peppered with readings from their works. After the event the crowd enjoyed crostini during the book signing, and a splendid time was had by all.
A lively and moving reading by poet great Laure-Anne Bosselaar wowed the audience at Plymouth Congregational Church. Bosselaar read from new and past work, as well as a poem by her late husband Kurt Brown.
Bly’s Collected Poems was published in December by W.W. Norton and rapturously reviewed in the New York Times. The celebration will open with remarks by Bly’s biographer, Mark Gustafson, followed by favorite Bly poems read by family, friends, and representatives of the literary ecosystem Bly inspired and helped build over the past 60 years* A special guest is William Duffy, co-founder with Bly of the magazine The Fifties. Music will be provided by Zachary Cohen, principal bassist of the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra. A commemorative broadside printed by Gaylord Schanilec, the iconic Bly poem “Keeping Our Small Boat Afloat,” will be for sale at the reception following the program, and books will be available for purchase from Birchbark Books. 
