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Madison Magazine Profiles Venice Gas House Trolley This
month (Jan. 2008) Venice Gas House Trolley was profiled in Madison
Magazine as having one of the most diverse and unique sounds in
Madison, WI. The article can be viewed on-line here. Originally published on-line in Fall 2007 at Madison.com's "Tea In The Yahara" Blog WHAT'S THE DEAL: ADAM GREGORY PERGAMENT by S.J. BARLAMENT You may be asking yourself, "Who is Venice Gas House Trolley, and what are they doing here?" For that matter, you may be asking yourself, "Who the hell is this 'Adam Gregory Pergament' I keep hearing so much about?" Even if you're not, I went straight to the source to find the answers to all of those questions -- and more, of course -- for the latest installment of TIY's randomly re-occurring feature, "What's the Deal." So Adam, what's the deal with Venice Gas House Trolley? --Venice Gas House Trolley is a three-piece band mixing spoken word poetry and music. Vocals and poems by me [Adam Gregory Pergament], double bass played by Tim Peeters, and percussion and other implements employed by Benny Seger. We play composed “songs” and also improvise. Tim and Benny sing a bit and have started adding some spoken word to our improvised jams. The project started in September of 2006 when Tim approached me and said that he would like to work with a poet and see what happened. And the name? What's the deal with that? --The name is in honor of the Venice West (Southern California) Beat Poetry scene that flourished in the 1950s and 1960s on Venice Beach near LA. The Gas House was the place where the poets would gather to read and freak out, sometimes accompanied by musicians. By that time, Venice Beach was truly a “beat” place as the tourist trade had declined after the war and the beachfront was in disrepair. A small tram would roll the few tourists who still came along the promenade. To read more about that scene, check out the book “Holy Barbarians” by Lawrence Lipton. For more on the Gas House and the scene around it, check out: http://home.mindspring.com/~carmabum/GasHouse.html Venice Gas House Trolley was picked as a Top 20 show at the 2007 Minnesota Fringe Festival? What's the deal? --The 2007 Minnesota Fringe Festival gathered some 160 acts from around the world in a two-week festival of theater, music, dance, and spoken word. We were honored to have been picked by one of the Fringe reviewers as a Top 20 show, and had a great time playing and meeting other artists. For a look at the reviews, check out: http://fringefestival.org/blg_showPost.cfm?blogID=4&id=2542 http://fringefestival.org/blg_showPost.cfm?blogID=4&id=2784 How would you describe Venice Gas House Trolley? --Chill grooves with an intense spoken under-vibe; musical and at times theatrical. Sometimes we fly off the tracks and sometimes we glide down them smoothly. When we take the stage we want to communicate a love of words and sounds and the ecstatic possibilities of artistic community. The nexus of flowpoetry is a spoken word form that places a priority on sound and that can exist as improvised music. I originally also conceived of the term as two distinct words: “flow” [here an imperative verb form meaning the dynamic action of moving out into] and “poetry.” For more on this, please check out: http://www.dane101.com/arts/2006/09/21/flow_poetry_entry_1 This conception continues to be informed by the happenings surrounding the canceled 9-11 White House poetry reading. For more on that, check out: http://www.dane101.com/arts/2006/10/10/flow_poetry_entry_2_rediscover_the_urgency Your website mentions that you were appointed the King Club's first-ever Poet-In-Residence. What is that, exactly? --My appointment as Poet-In-Residence arose out of a few developments. The owners of the King Club had seen and heard me perform and saw in me a way to reaffirm their very sincere and earnest support of innovative Madison based performers. The idea crystallized when the Summer 2006 wave of violence hit King Street and the appointment was made as a positive artistic and creative vibration put forth into that landscape. Providing a residence for a spoken word performer in a music and dance nightclub is without precedence and both The King Club and I hope to build community across the arts, put on great shows for rockers and lovers alike, and stir up as much dancing and fun as possible. As Poet-In-Residence, I perform regularly at the club on a variety of bills that would have heretofore never considered including spoken word. I will also emcee shows from time to time and help with the copy on the club website [http://www.king-club.com]. You've performed with Hanah Jon Taylor and Vincent Davis. You've shared billing with The Jerry Garcia Band. Is there a particular type of crowd that seems to best embrace your work? --We’ve been really excited to find that our music and words have been accepted and enjoyed by a wide range of folks with a wide age range as well. People who like to jazz, jam, and freak will dig us. Do you consider yourself part of the spoken word scene in Madison? Or is yours a different "thing"? --Madison has a very vibrant spoken word scene and it is great to be able to participate in that. I hosted spoken word and music open-mics for three years before starting to play in the clubs so I feel that my stuff is no different than any other poet out there who writes and then snarls, spits, and coos. So you've got a self-titled CD coming out soon, right? And a release party for it coming up at the King Club? --Come one come all come all come one… we are really pleased to release our self-titled debut CD on Friday September 21 at King Club. For a preview of the CD, check out: http://www.flowpoetry.com/paperandink.htm. The show starts at 9 pm and we’ve got some great Wisconsin homegrown music on tap as well as our debut CD to celebrate. For more on the show please check out: http://www.flowpoetry.com/whereitsat.htm Any other big news on the horizon for you? What's the deal? --Venice Gas House Trolley has a full slate of shows scheduled for the Fall and will be headed to Chicago and St. Louis to play. For a full schedule, please go to http://www.flowpoetry.com or http://www.myspace.com/flowpoetry. We’re really excited to be able to spread some of the Madison vibe in those places and to meet friends and poets along the way. The world needs more poets and the local poets in your area (no matter where you live) need support. Wherever you may find yourself, if you’ve got ears to listen, open them wide. If you’ve got words to say, speak them out loud! Morning Star Ask “Where does Morningstar glow?” I’ll swear, it glows everywhere. Ears bend low: Spread ashes over cobblestones, Ride home. Fold steel and knead clay, Stamp on every gunwale, Bale bale upon bale of hay. Twist shiny hemp Rend rip from rip Run blind Trust no longer held at bay. Bless gently every head held high as high can see: Pour for each a loving cup. Originally published on-line at myspace.com/stonefloat (Winter 2004) Everything has beginning and so it seems reasonable to start with the first time I walked into The Liquid Lyrics Lounge in Madison, WI in the Fall of 2003. I had been reading my poetry a bit around town beginning in the summer but had found that the poetry scene was not as vibrant nor energetic as I wanted. Lots of the same faces and no one really pushing the performance or the musicality of the language. At that time I felt very strongly, and still do, that people who write poetry have a responsibility to read it in public (and any definition of what poetry is or isn't is just bullshit to my mind and a way of protecting elitist boundaries about who gets taken seriously and who doesn't). I believe poets need to read out loud from many angles such as personal ownership of one’s words, the necessity for continuing the process from pen to sound, the political aspect that the poet can be a truly independent voice (witness the fact that the Bush regime cancelled a planned appearance by poets at the White House shortly after 9/11 because so many people wanted to read and they realized that of course not everyone would be singing the praises of the red, white, and blue as they saw it), and most importantly, the creative reality that any creative act must, by its very definition, change the world. This is not to say that I believe anyone has the where with all to figure out how the change should take place or try to control that change, but that simply, change through creativity at least has the possibility of producing art and making life more beautiful and if you don't think that we need that very much in the world today, then you are probably sleep-walking. For me then, as now, poetry and the public performance of it, seems to be a path that leads to growth and change, and I feel strongly that those who write have a responsibility to speak it out loud. So I went down to the Liquid Lyrics Lounge for their acoustic music open-mic and walked into the place to be greeted by the host. He said he didn’t really care but that I could go up and read and so I did. It was my first time on a large PA with a good mic and while no one listened to me, it felt really good, scary but good. That was a Monday and so as I made my way out, I asked the host, "Do any other poets ever come down here and read?" and he said with a sneer, "Yeah, once in a while, but they never come back." It was pretty clear he didn’t care much for poetry. Well, fuck you I thought to myself, I'm going to come back and keep coming back and keep shouting and spitting into that microphone until you listen and give the spoken word and poets a bit of respect. So I went back and this time it was a completely different scene. Peace and happiness, Adam Published in Rick's Cafe; Wisconsin's Regional Music News "Street Power" column for December 2006 Ears Bend Low by Adam Gregory Pergament Morning Star Ask “Where does Morningstar glow?” I’ll swear, it glows everywhere. Ears bend low: Spread ashes over cobblestones, Ride home. Fold steel and knead clay, Stamp on every gunnywhale, Bale bale upon bale of hay. Twist shiny hemp Rend rip from rip Run blind Trust no longer held at bay. Bless gently every head held high as high can see: Pour for each a loving cup. Like music, words are sounds. And, just as a note carries emotion and sings, words surround meaning and speak of the human experience. Once a word is spoken, just as a drumbeat or guitar solo vibrates out into space, its resonance moves outward into the universe as sound waves without cease. Poetry and spoken word performers likewise are moving out into the world and beginning to be received within circles once reserved for singers and musicians. In this way we are all enriched as poets bring new content to music and music, in turn, shapes the new rhythms of poetry. In Madison, WI a turning of the wheel and a clacking of hoof-beats are sounding. To hear it, one need only bend open ears low to the ground and listen. To participate, one needs only a pen, a voice, and courage enough to speak. Rooted in the traditions of community, creativity, activism, respect for the individual, and the sharing of oral history, spoken word performance is an ever-increasing presence in town. If as you check out this first ever “Spoken” installment of Street Power you are inspired to put pen to paper then I urge you to take the next step: Go out and speak it. Don’t let notions of what is or is not poetry still your voice. Create a wave of voices shouted or whispered toward changing the world through words that inspire, cajole, up-lift, spin heads, and open minds. Blow and spit new beats and meters and rhythms with your voice. We are all in this together and the world needs more poets. The first place to start in the journey toward speaking is with www.madpoetry.org. This web site exists as a clearinghouse for monthly spoken word events in and around Madison and includes a listing of readings and open-mics. It also serves as an introduction to many of the poets writing and speaking in town as it includes short bios and verse. The next stop might be one of the open-mics that take place on a regular basis. Here all are welcome to step up and read, and each poet is allotted a chance to spit forth three or four poems. These events are held in incredibly open and supportive environments and are a great way to find your voice and hear what your words sound like through the powers of electronic amplification. A few to consider include: 1st Sundays Poetry Party Open Mic & Occasional-Slam-With-Unforgivable-Prizes at the Madison Center for Creative and Cultural Arts (306 West Dayton St, Madison). These take place at 7:30 pm and are co-sponsored by the Poets Without Borders. Proceeds from readings go toward the international relief efforts for the Children's Emergency Fund of Childreach/Plan International. For info call Rusty at 226-9123 or e-mail swimmminglight@yahoo.com. First Thursdays at Avol's Open Mic Poetry Reading at Avol's Bookstore. These take place at 7 pm just off State at 315 W. Gorham St. http://avolsbooks.com/, 255-4730. Every Thursday Open Mike at Zuzu Café from 7-9 pm. 1336 Drake St., 260-9898. And the Every Tuesday Poetry Reading/Open Mic Event at the Old Royal Inn (corner of High Street and Vine) in Mineral Point. Starts at 7 pm. In my next installment I’ll mention some of the individual performers and collectives that are actively pushing the spoken word envelope in town. Speak... Wednesday, October 18, 2006 Rick's Cafe Music News Full Interview with Adam Gregory Pergament PDF of Cover Photo and Article In our October edition of Rick's Cafe, we featured an interview with Adam Gregory Pergament, the new poet-in-residence at the King Club. Due to space limitations, we were unable to print the entire interview. We are posting it here in it's entirety: Full name: Adam Gregory Pergament Age: Four years old (I date myself from 8/6/2002, my first ever flowpoetry performance, given in Madison, WI) Where from: Born in Atlanta, GA (USA). Raised in St. Paul, MN (USA). Grew up in Hualien, Taiwan (ROC). Learned to speak in Madison, WI (USA). To this point: Over 400 performances in just over four years at open-mics, rock and roll shows, jazz concerts, band showcases, street corners, poetry and music revues, tent cities, parking lots, music festivals, nightclubs, protest rallies, coffeehouses, discos, TV studios, radio booths, community parks, dive bars, sports bars, block parties, brew pubs, student unions, libraries, taverns, pubs, cocktail lounges, pizza parlors, bookstores, art galleries, cafes and cultural centers. My aim throughout has been to open space for spoken word and music to flow into, facilitate a deep sense of communal and artistic inclusiveness, and generate an acknowledgement of the value of moment-by-moment creative expression. RC: What is the state of poetry in Madison? AGP: I am not qualified to characterize the State of Poetry in Madison, WI as it is a very diverse and multi-layered community with tendrils nationwide. The roots of poetic expression are dug deep in this town and have contributed, and will continue to contribute, to the artistic landscape for many years. Sometimes poets are public and sometimes they are not. Both kinds of poets are productive and well respected in this town. RC: What do you feel your role in the scene is and how do you see the poetry scene evolving in the coming years? AGP: My role as a spoken word performer is subject to interpretation. I love to work with musicians and a few in the poetic community have devalued my words because of that. I bring a density of language to the stage and a few in the music community have devalued my sense of sound and composition because of that. All of that is ok because there seem to be others who enjoy new forms of creative expression and support moment-by-moment attempts to open spaces where poets and musicians can create together. I truly hope that the whole scene continues to evolve in vibrantly original ways that are filled with heart and soul and the entire range of human emotion and artistic talent. We are all in this together and the world needs more poets. RC: How did your unique position at the King Club develop and what exactly will it entail? AGP: My appointment as Poet-In-Residence arose out of a few developments. The owners of the King Club had seen and heard me perform and saw in me a way to reaffirm their very sincere and earnest support of innovative Madison based performers. The idea crystallized when the recent wave of violence hit King Street and the appointment was made as a positive artistic and creative vibration put forth into that landscape. Providing a residence for a spoken word performer in a music and dance nightclub is without precedence and both The King Club and I hope to build community across the arts, put on great shows for rockers and lovers alike, and stir up as much dancing and fun as possible. As Poet-In-Residence, I will perform regularly at the club on a variety of bills that would have heretofore never considered including spoken word. I will also emcee shows from time to time and help with the copy on the club web-site [www.king-club.com]. RC: Tell me about flowpoetry.com and what you hope to accomplish with this web presence? AGP: The website www.flowpoetry.com is simply a way to document what is going on in my world and to make it easy for those who have big ears and open hearts to share in the fun. I hope to expand it over time to include the words of others who are interested in pushing the spoken word envelope. Sound waves travel through walls.... RC: How could this community be more supportive of the poetry being created and performed in this town? AGP: The Madison community is already very receptive in too many ways to count. However, all of us could better support spoken word performance through actively seeking out shows and opportunities to listen to poets rant, read, spit, snarl, coo, and hum in the clubs around town. The music clubs themselves could put poets on stage as tweeners and as featured performers more often. We have a small footprint. The Overture could have a Poet's Corner during events and let us entertain the patrons as they sip their drinks before shows and at intermission. Madison should make a point of more intensively checking out the not-for-profit Madison Center For Creative And Cultural Arts at 306 West Dayton St where Hanah Jon Taylor has invested so much of his energy supporting the spoken word and creativity. Poets just starting out could establish open-mics and facilitate spaces for others to perform while honing their own craft. The Student Union could open its bookings to Madison based performers more regularly. The University could look beyond the English Department and seek out those of us who are speaking out loud. All of us could write more poems and shout them up and down State Street in a mass weekly gathering of voices. RC: How can people contact you, find out more information, learn more about poetry in Madison and see you perform? AGP: The easiest place to reach me is through my website at www.flowpoetry.com. Sign in on the guestbook and let me know where you are at. A good place to start learning more about Madison poetry is http://www.madpoetry.org/. I lead Chime Collective sessions every Monday evening at The Madison Center For Creative And Cultural Arts (306 West Dayton St). These are free flow freak out, moment-by-moment musical exploration, and deep-earth diving musical and poetic sessions that are open to the public to check out. Finally, go to www.king-club.com for up-coming Poet-In-Residence and Chime Collective Big Band performances. Please support your local poets. FLOW POETRY ENTRY 1 9-21-2006 (published in "SPOKEN" column of the Arts Section of Dane101.com) Poetry is in the sense that it does not stand still. In this way it might exist in movement and change by itself, but it cannot be expressed without the presence of another. This another is the poet. A human being likewise can exist by him or herself in movement and change but cannot exist as poet without the presence of Poetry. The presence of Poetry cannot be chased or enticed but can only be welcomed by openness. This openness cannot remain constant but will continue to a greater or lesser degree when the poet’s movement accords with Poetry. The poet can only move toward accordance with Poetry when the poet serves Poetry. Serving Poetry is done through voice. Voice arises from heart. The pen freezes the image of Poetry but it does not produce sound. Poetry is sound and sound is Poetry. The idea of poet as individual is mistaken. The idea of Poetry as discrete and able to be portioned is mistaken. The idea of Poetry as absolute is likewise mistaken. One who likes Poetry or loves Poetry or hates Poetry is lost and already left behind. It is not a matter of choice or emotion. One who merely panders to form is like a lion-tamer who trains a wooden animal he or she has crafted. It is not a matter of skill and cleverness. One who does not know form cannot forget it. This is Poetry. We are all in this together. First Lady Laura Bush
has canceled a White House symposium on poetry because she feared the invited
poets would recite poetry against war. Laura Bush defended her actions citing
her freedom of speech. A spokesperson for the First Lady said, "While Mrs.
Bush respects and believes in the right of all Americans to express their
opinions, she too has opinions and believes that it would be inappropriate to
turn what is intended to be a literary event into a political forum." "The
abrupt cancellation of the symposium by the White House confirms my suspicion
that the Bush administration is not interested in poetry when it refuses to
remain in the ivory tower, and that this White House does not wish to open its
doors to an ‘American Voice' that does not echo the Administration's misguided
policies," declared Rita Dove, the nation's poet laureate from 1993 to
1995. Source: |
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| Adam Gregory Pergament© 2006 All Rights Reserved |
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