Episode 5 – The Small Machine Talks

EPISODE 5

Sunday, December 4, 2016

RECENT EVENTS (0:00)

We announce that we’re separating the podcast into events, news, etc in one episode, and an interview in the next episode, to shorten the length of each episode. We talk about the baker’s dozen of poetry events we each/both attended in Ottawa and Montreal in November, door prizes, brandy alexanders, Centretown West by Northwest, Montreal’s Plateau/Mile End area, afternoon vs evening readings, art parties, In/Words flash mob performance of Howl, changing people’s perceptions of what poetry readings can be.

Amanda muses about the male-centric representation of Beat writing, women as appendages or angels. Aaron talks of the secret karaoke lives of poets at the end of the world aka the Arc 81 launch. Amanda waxes poetic about red needles, Leonard Cohen’s cocktail and the wonders of tequila, the Sawdust workshop by Gary Barwin. We finally meet Adèle Barclay in person at the Tree Reading Series. Alice in Wonderland comes up, as she often does. Aaron points out the meaning of disco biscuits. Amanda talks of a surprise sound poetry performance that took place at the ottawa small press book fair. Aaron discusses the energetic performance of Dalton Derkson at the In/Words reading. Amanda talks about the warmth of the In/Words open mic. Aaron talks about the importance of inviting emerging writers from out of town to read. Aaron mentions the old tennis court at Rideau Hall, the club-liked renovated Laurier House venue for the Ottawa Arts Review, the discomfort of knowing everyone in a small room, Chris Johnson’s collaborative audience poem. Amanda talks of developing a taste for sound poetry, including Messaggio Galore, Jaap Blonk.

EVENTS WE WOULD HAVE LIKED TO HAVE ATTENDED (29:59)

Amanda moons over The Dada World Fair in San Francisco. This leads to a discussion of glitch poetry, glitch hop and ‘pataphysics.

Aaron describes numerous events he wished he had attended in Toronto and Montreal. He talks about the cover poems read at the Gentle Resonance Reading in Montreal and the Infinity of Intimate Space Art Opening after Bachelard’s “Poetics of Space.” in Toronto. Anne Carson’s “Float” comes up, as it should. Aaron and Amanda both moon over Type Books. Amanda mentions fish and chips. Aaron describes the Long Winter, an art, performance, interactive event in Toronto.