Live music is so mainstream. Listening to spoken word poetry is what it’s all about!
If you’re thinking, well I can just read poetry in books and online, why would I want to listen to someone read it to me? Would you skip on going to a concert and just read song lyrics on your phone? I don’t think so.
Performance poetry is vastly different than reading poetry on a page, because you’re actually able to feel and resonate with the emotions of the author first-hand. If you’ve never experienced a spoken word or poetry reading before, these events and places in KL are perfect to get you clued in:
Gaslight Café, Damansara
Gaslight Café is better known for their smorgasbord of music events, but don’t underestimate their occasional poetry and spoken word shows either. This 1960s-style, cozy café at Plaza Damansara is a haven for creative souls and enthusiasts, and is based after the famed café of the same name in New York that became a folk music haunt in the 60s.
Gaslight Café plays host to the monthly spoken word/poetry show If Walls Could Talk (see next point), as well their own poetry and music night called Unleashing Your Genius. If you’re planning on paying them a visit, check out their Facebook page to see what’s on, there’s usually something or other to entertain you while you’re there!
Address: Unit 15-2, Jalan Medan Setia 1, Plaza Damansara, Bukit Damansara, 50490 Kuala Lumpur
Hours: 5pm-1am on Mon-Sat
Tel: 03-2011 4047
Website: https://www.facebook.com/gaslightcafekl/
If Walls Could Talk
If Walls Could Talk is a poetry initiative meant to encourage Malaysians to step out of their comfort zones, express themselves and put their hearts on their sleeves for all the world to hear. ‘All the world’ here meaning the 120 or so people who manage to squeeze into their monthly poetry open mic nights at the tiny Gaslight Café.
If Walls Could Talk was founded to be a platform for anyone, from any walk of life, to step on stage and recite their original poetry pieces. It’s been a place for complete strangers to bond with each other, by poets exposing raw emotions through their pieces, and the audience being able to listen, relate, and feel for them. And judging by the long queue snaking down the stairs outside the café every month, people really do appreciate this sanctuary.
Contact [email protected] if you would like to share your own poetry.
Website: https://www.facebook.com/ifwallscouldtalkkl/
UCSI University’s Poetry Slam 2016
If you want to brush up on your spoken word poetry skills, look no further than the upcoming poetry slam workshop and competition at UCSI University this September. It’s not only open to their students, but to the public as well.
Spearheaded by performance poet Elaine Foster, the workshop will not only teach you how to improve on your poems, but also what makes a good poetry performance, and how to get your rhyme, rhythm, and body movement down for your next slam.
If you think you’ve already got the preparation part down pat and want to dive straight into a competition, the adjoining poetry slam is open to you too. With the theme of ‘Poetry For Change’, you’ll be expected to battle it out with hopeful performance poets for a grand prize of a getaway to Pulau Redang. That sounds damn good to me!
For more details on dates, prizes, and fees, check out their website at http://poetryslam.ucsiuniversity.edu.my/
Unit 23 Café, Shah Alam
This artsy café in Shah Alam has been organizing their very own monthly poetry open mic night, so if you’re living in the area you won’t have to travel far! People from all ages, backgrounds, and nationalities are welcome to book a slot for a few minutes onstage, and you’ll be free to let go and express yourself with anything and everything on your mind. They’ve even organized a hip-hop poetry night just last week, a different take on your standard poetry open mics which would have been really interesting to experience! Make sure to keep track of their Facebook page to be notified of when the next one is happening.
Address: No 23, 1st floor, Jalan Tuanku Ampuan Zabedah 9/B, Section 9, 40100 Shah Alam, Selangor
Hours: 1pm-12am on Tues-Sun
Tel: 03-5523 0390
Website: https://www.facebook.com/unit23cafemy/
Pasar Boco
Pasar Boco is a quarterly books, arts, and crafts market that welcomes poetry and music performances during their event. They usually organize their market somewhere in KL, but their next one (happening this weekend) is all the way in Ipoh, Perak! Not only is it a cool place to sit back and listen to a poetry reading or two, the booths and vendors there selling books and art are definitely worth checking out as well. Besides that, they also occasionally organize ‘free markets’, where anyone from homeless people to people who aren’t well off are given free stuff like food, books, and toys. Awesome organization with an awesome cause! And if you’re wondering what ‘boco’ means, it’s ‘read’ in Javanese!
Website: https://www.facebook.com/pasarboco/
Bonus: Poetry Café KL
Even though Poetry Café isn’t an actual, physical café, it’s a virtual space for poetry enthusiasts in Malaysia to share their interests with each other and to promote spoken word or poetry events that’s happening in KL. It’s the perfect place to find something to do for the night if you have no plans! Check out their Facebook page, especially if you’re a poetry fan or performer wanting to find somewhere new to visit.
Website: https://www.facebook.com/poetrycafekl/
Now let your emotions and creativity run free and join the next poetry open mic near you! But if you don’t have the guts to do it (I don’t blame you), visit one of these places anyway to support the performers and experience some powerful rhythmic story-telling for yourself!
