236 East 3rd Street; Between Ave B & C
New York, NY 10009
Tel: {212} 780-9386
Website: www.nuyorican.org
There are many reasons why I love New York, and after spontaneously attending the Nuyorican Poet Café and surrendering to the curiosity as to why masses of people lined up by the venue, I now have one more. My friend and I did not have further plans so we thought this would be a worthwhile adventure. We finally entered and took our places at a table by the wall, and settled in with adult beverages before the show began. The headliners finished their performance warming up and watched poets take the stage and prepare for “Slam Night.” This is how it works, two artists “battle” by slamming down la crème of la crème of poetry, monologue or a short, yet humorous “slam.” The competitor reciprocates and as the crowd cheers on, that determines who moves onto to the next stage with another person until the final round.
Artists visiting from Baltimore, Miami, Chicago, and worldwide look forward to the event that only happens on Wednesday and Friday nights. Mondays are Open Mic, Thursday nights dare to sizzle the auditory senses and offer different variations of Latin Jazz composed of a wide range of musicians who assemble in one place to seal harmony and provide unique entertainment. The place is a bit small, however, that does not matter because fun has yet to define boundaries. Nuyorican Poet Café offers reasonable membership packages for students and non-students; if the membership deals are not for you, there is the choice of paying a nominal fee at the door. It is a relaxed and casual environment; therefore, if you choose to indulge, rest assure you do not have to feel pressured to be trendy .The only thing you need is a good sidekick, luck if you dare to slam, and an open mind to receive poetry in motion.
By: Laura M. Artis.