I remember sitting at my desk at a job I hated nearly a decade ago, clicking at a keyboard directionless and distant, when suddenly I received a link to a Youtube video.
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Maybe someone sent it to me, maybe it was something I happened to stumble upon.
I began watching and immediately became engulfed. The music and mystery floated out my speakers advertising a secret house show that evening in North Hampton, MA featuring Shira Erlichman.
My scope of the spoken word and poetry realm was still limited at that time, but I had heard the name before, spoken of with praise and admiration, so I went.
I was greeted with guitar riffs, pops of percussion, music and poetry colliding and collaborating in thin air.
The rooms were all packed, people lining the walls and sitting cross-legged on the floor, poets performing in the middle of the madness to attentive ears anticipating each word.
I was captivated and enchanted.
That performance has stuck with me over the years as my love of spoken word and literary arts has flourished.
Out Loud HSV blossomed out of that, celebrating local and regional writers and poets.
I heard Shira was hitting the road with another powerhouse poet and activist, Angel Nafis, and I had to invite them to stop in our sweet southern city.
Their journey from Brooklyn, NY, makes this the furthest traveling feature we’ve had for an Out Loud HSV event.
The Odes For You Tour, coming to Huntsville this Wednesday, January 18 at the Flying Monkey Arts Theatre, offers a unique collaboration of poems, songs, monologues and jokes that are sure to delight and inspire any audience. This show is a great way for you to be introduced into the wonderful world of poetry and spoken word, as there will truly be elements for everyone to enjoy.
Opening up the night will be three locally celebrated poets, Shea Stripling, Josh Baker, and TC, each performing their own original work to set the tone for the evening. Then Shira and Angel will take the stage for a full 45-minute set.
Admission for the evening is $10, and tickets can be purchased in advance via www.outloudhsv.com, or at the door the night of.
The evening is sponsored by Downtown Huntsville Inc., Karma Rags, and Green Pea Press.
The show will start at 7pm on Wednesday, January 18 at the Flying Monkey Theatre, second floor south of Lowe Mill. Grab a seat and enjoy Odes For You, a concise and bold celebration of everything.
Guest Blogger: Kimberly Casey
Kimberly Casey is a Massachusetts native with a love of wandering, writing and creating. She received her BFA in Writing, Literature and Publishing from Emerson College in Boston, MA. Kimberly is the founder of Out Loud HSV, spoken word and literary arts collective dedicated to creating a welcoming platform for language, writing, and communication to flourish. Through Out Loud HSV, Kimberly hosts open mics, poetry slams, workshops and featured performances to showcase the diverse spectrum of creative writing within our community. She is currently the Digital Media Manager at Burritt on the Mountain, where she can often be found photographing the goats.
Guest blogger for We Are Huntsville. Are you interested in writing a post for our site? Email katelyn@wearehuntsville.com.
