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Poet and Musician Kirk Lumpkin announces his live performances in and around the SF Bay Area + news and other things on his mind.
Wednesday, April 18, 2007
2008 Events
SUMMER 2008
SUNSET POETRY BY THE BAY
Wednesday, August 6th, 2008, 7 - 9 p.m.
1250 Bridgeway, in downtown Sausalito
Northpoint Coffee House
Open Mic with Featured Performers, The Word-Music Continuum
No Cover
Monday, August 11th, 7-9pm
featured poets Kirk Lumpkin, Blake More, H. D. Moe, and an open mic
Word Dancing Series at It's A Grind Coffeehouse
1800 Polk St. @ Washington
San Francisco
Hurricane Katrina (3rd anniversary) Fundraiser
Friday, August 22, 2008, 7pm
Rebecca's Books
(½ Block North of Alcatraz & 2 short Blocks South of Ashby BART)
Berkeley
with featured author Alice Wilson-Fried, native New Orleans murder mystery writer and
Poets Nina Serrano, Kirk Lumpkin, Mary Rudge, John Curl, Lindah Martin, Avotcja, Raymond Nat Turner, Zigi Lowenberg, Karen Folger Jacobs, & Teasha Gable.
Hosted by poets Wanda Sabir and Karla Brundage.
$5 cover
An odd, and amazing to me, side note to this event is that I used to live in the space that is now Rebecca's Books. Before we moved in about 20 years ago it had been a recording studio, Madman Recording, and the those of us that were living there were using it as a rehearsal studio.
SPRING 2008
Friday, April 4, 7:00 pm The Wired Poets present
feature poet Kirk Lumpkin plus an open mic
Wired Wash Cafe
135 Laurel Street (at Pacific Ave) (Next to the Saturn Cafe),
Santa Cruz, CA
The Word-Music Continuum was supposed to play its first gig on April 11th with our new bass player, Mark Wieder, at the Listen & Be Heard Poetry Cafe in Vallejo, but the Cafe will be folding at the end of March. Run by poets Martha & Tony Mims this was a very fine thing that was a great asset to the Bay Area poetry scene and Vallejo in particular. My thanks to Martha and Tony for their dedication and I wish them the very best of luck with whatever comes next.
Sunday, April 20th, 2008, 3pm to 6pm,
Performances starting at 3:30pm
CD release party for Sound Poems
by The Word-Music Continuum
(Kirk Lumpkin-poetry & percussion, Paul Mills-guitar,
Mark Wieder-double bass)
a part of the second annual Bay Area JazzPoetry Festival.
Anna's Jazz Island
2120 Allston Way, Berkeley (half a block off Shattuck Ave. in the Gaia Building)
Sat., April 26, 10:55am-12:15pm; Kirk Lumpkin moderates a panel on
The Future of Food for Cities, Towns and Villages
at the Ecocity World Summit Conference
Nob Hill Masonic Center, 1111 California Street, San Francisco
Tuesday, May 27, 7pm-9pm Sharp,
Featured performance: The Word-Music Continuum starts at 7pm
Red Light Open Mic at the Amnesia Bar
853 Valencia (between 19th and 20th Streets), San Francisco
Sat., June 21, 10am-3pm, Wild Buds
(Bill Lackey-guitar, vocals, Vid Andrews-guitar, Mark Randall-bass, Ted Higgins-drums, Kirk Lumpkin-vocals)
with Captain Mike & the Sea Kings (blues by fishermen) & All Nations Singers (Pow Wow style drum group)
Summer Solstice Salmon Celebration, Civic Center Park, Berkeley
Mon., Aug. 11, 7-9pm, poet Kirk Lumpkin features plus open mic
Word Dancing Series at Its A Grind Cofeehouse
1800 Polk St. at Washington St., San Francisco
Mon., Sept. 22, 7pm, poet Kirk Lumpkin features plus open mic
Poetry Express Series at Priya Indian Cuisine
2072 San Pablo Ave. (just south of University Ave.), Berkeley
Fri., Dec. 12, 7 p.m., poet Kirk Lumpkin features poet plus open mic
Word Beat Series @ Nefeli Cafe
1854 Euclid St., Berkeley
2007 Events
Kirk Lumpkin is the featured poet
along with an open mic
Tuesday, December 11 at 7pm
Park Branch Library (Haight Ashbury neighborhood),
1833 Page Street, San Francisco
hosted by Diamond Dave Whitaker
As a Board member of PEN Oakland please accept my personal invitation:
PEN OAKLAND & THE OAKLAND PUBLIC LIBRARY PRESENT
PEN OAKLAND-JOSEPHINE MILES 17TH ANNUAL NATIONAL LITERARY AWARDS
Saturday, December 8th
Reception 2:00 PM 3:00 PM
Awards Ceremony 3:00 PM to 5:00 PM Free To The Public
Exploring Vision Caves Poetry Event
Monday, December 3, 2007 6pm
A FREE poetry event in Berkeley @
Cafe Leila
1724 San Pablo Avenue
FEATURED READERS + OPEN MIC!
Features: Kirk Lumpkin & Christopher Robin!
Call (510) 526-7858 or emil fmoore@eroplay.com for more info!
I just found this nice quote on the website of someone who saw me on May 14, 2007 in the WORDJAM series at the FREE TIMES CAFE in TORONTO, CANADA: "Kirk Lumpkin, a spoken wordist from San Francisco, was really incredible. He had this way about him that captivated me. I think most of the audience was really impressed by his style." writes Chris James at www.chrisjamesmusic.com
Sunday Oct 21, 2007 2-4 pm
Healdsburg City Hall
Kirk reads
with poet David Madgalene
Thursday, September 27, 2007
6-7:30 pm
Kirk hosts the
"OAKLAND OUT LOUD" LITERARY SERIES
based upon the PEN Oakland "Oakland Out Loud" Literary Anthology
Oakland Main Library, 125 14th Street
with featured poets
Abby Lynn Bogomolny
Karla Brundage
Kim Shuck
Slim Russell
followed by an open mic
Kirk Lumpkin: Poetry Readings East
WordJam Series
8 pm, Sunday, May 13, 2007
$5 at the door
Free Times Cafe
320 College Ave. (west of Spadina)
Toronto, Canada
(I was the featured spoken word artist and there was also a featured musician. It was tremendous fun and I jammed some with the locals. My Dad even attended this event.)
Bowery Poetry Club
5:30 pm, Tuesday, May 15, 2007
$6 admission
308 Bowery
New York City, NY
Kirk reads with Richard Tayson and Jan Clausen
(I had a true New York experience even though I was only there a few hours.)
Diamond Cherry Series
8 pm, Wednesday, May 16, 2007
Renaissance Cafe
1938 Danforth Ave.
Toronto, Canada
(I was a featured poet and read to a small, but excellent audience.)
[Monday, April 30, 2007. I read some of my poetry and talked about poetry to my 7 year old niece Mia's class. It was a very sweet experience.]
PEN OAKLAND & OAKLAND PUBLIC LIBRARY LAUNCH
"OAKLAND OUT LOUD" LITERARY SERIES
PEN Oakland, A Bay Area Chapter of the International Organization of Poets, Essayists, and Novelists, in partnership with the Oakland Public Library, presents the Oakland Out Loud Literary Series. The series is based upon the PEN Oakland "Oakland Out Loud" Literary Anthology, which will be published by Jukebox Press in April 2007.
PEN Oakland President Floyd Salas and author Claire Ortalda will host the
Publication Party, April 26, 2007, 6:00-7:30 pm
Oakland Main Library, 125 14th Street
Writers Andrew Hayes, Sharon Doubiago, Kim McMillon, Gerry Nicosia, John Curl, Lucha Corpi, Reginald Lockett, and
Kirk Lumpkin
will read their submissions to the anthology followed by an open mic session.
Books will also be available for purchase.
The literary series will continue on the fourth Thursday of every month at the Oakland Main Library, from 6:00 -7:30 pm, with the final two readings in November and December being held at the Rockridge and Dimond branch libraries.
These events are free to the public. For more information: Kim McMillon at (510) 228-6775.
Poetry Express Series
Wednesday, January 31, 2007
2006 Events
Anna's Jazz Island
–Presents
Island Literary Series
2120 Allston Way, Berkeley
Sunday, January 22, 3-5PM
$3 Cover at door
Hosted by Avotcja
Poets & Writers Performing:
Kirk Lumpkin
Reginald Lockett
Karla Brundage
Lynn Scott
Flossie Lewis
Linda Joy Meyers
Randy Peyser
The Hairy Eye Ball:
– a Mardi Gras theme dance/party benefit for East Bay & New Orleans Food Not Bombs
Live music:
Wild Buds
Funky Nixons (political satire funk rock)
Cost: $3 to $23 sliding scale donation for the music and hall (no one will beturned away for lack of funds).
The food, as always, is free.
Saturday, February 18th, 2006
doors open: 8pm (show soon to follow)
686 28th Street (off MLK), Oakland
(warehouse at the end of cul-de-sac; must be approached from MLK, Jr. Way)
also costume contest
For More Information: Event specific: (510) 547-7486; East Bay Food Not
Bombs:(510) 644-4187; and check out www.berkeleymardigras.org
Kirk's Los Angeles Area Poetry Mini-Tour
(4 readings in 6 days)
1. featured reading, Tuesday, March 14, at the Cobalt Cafe in Canoga Park, hosted by Rick Lupert
2. mini-feature, Thursday, March 16 at the Velocity Cafe in Santa Monica with features Laurel Ann Bogan and Michael C. Ford, hosted by Peggy Dobreer
3. featured reading, Friday, March 17 at the Sunland-Tujunga Library with co-feature, Christopher Buckley, hosted by Katerina Canyon
4. featured reading, Sunday, March 19 at Beyond Baroque in Venice with co-features, Thea Iberall, Jackson Wheeler, & Peggy Dobreer, hosted by Carlye Archibeque
Appearance on Avotja's show on KPOO - 89.5 FM
San Francisco at 12 noon, April 28th
BERKELEY POETRY FESTIVAL
April 29th, 2006
North Berkeley Senior Center
MLK Way & Hearst
Noon to 6 PM
Part One
12:25 (9 min. each, 50 min. total)
Julia Vinograd, Lucy L. Day, Debra Grace Khattab, Judy Wells &
Dorothy Jesse Beagle
1:20 (4min. each, total 40 min.)
9 Open Mike Poets
Part Two
2:00 (4 min. each, total 10 min.)
Louis Cuneo & Randy Fingland
2:10 (18 min. each, total 40 min.)
Jack and Adelle Foley & Jennifer Stone
2:55 (award- 5 min., poet- 7 min = total 15 min)
L.T.A. Award given to Maggie Meyer by Councilperson Kriss
Worthington and she will read
Part Three
3:10 (4 min. each, total 10 min.)
Philip Nails & Tsahai Unger
3:20 (9 minutes each, 40 min. total)
Dale Jensen, Tim Donnelly, KIRK LUMPKIN, & Mark Schwartz
4:00 (4 min. each, total 25 min)
5 Open Mike Poets
4:30 (20 min, each, total 43 min)
Gail Ford & Haleh Hatami (20 min.) & Jack Hirschman (Poet Laureate of San Francisco)
Kirk's Poetry Tour of Colorado
Featured poetry readings in:
Telluride, CO on Wed, June 7
Norwood, CO on Thurs., June 8
Grand Junction on Fri., June 9
Lafayette (just east of Boulder) on Thurs., June 15
Katrina Benefit
Sunday, June 25th from 3-6 PM
Fundraiser for Katrina victims at the Center for Independent Living in Mississippi
(if you cannot make the event you can still contribute by buying a chapbook with a piece by each of event participants in it)
Co-sponsored by PEN Oakland, the Before Columbus Foundation, and Poetry Flash.
Anna's Jazz Island, 2120 Allston Way (just off Shattuck Ave.), Berkeley
Admission: $5
Performers & Poets:
Gael Alcock
Stephanie JR Russell
Susan & Morton Felix
KIRK LUMPKIN
Adam David Miller
Pablo Rosales
Ramon Pinero
Avotcja
Tres Santos - Chokwadi, Mark G., Muteado
Kaylah Marin
Alex Middlebrook
Judith Cody
Zigi Lowenberg & Raymond Nat Turner
Carla Trujillo
Judith Coburn
Jeanne Lupton
John Curl
Claire Ortalda
Floyd Salas
Susan Lieu
Karen Folger Jacobs
Lucille Day
Diana Quartermaine
Jeanne Powell
Mark States
Garrett Murphy
Sharon Doubiago
Gerald Nicosia
Reginald Lockett
Karla Brundage
Boadiba
Sara Biel
Mary Mackey
Cesar A. Cruz
Kim Shuck
Selene Steese
Ntozake Shange
Tennessee Reed
Andrew Phillips Hayes
Island Literary Series
Anna's Jazz Island, 2120 Allston Way, Berkeley
Sunday, August 20th, 3-5pm, $3
Kirk Lumpkin hosts & reads with
Raymond Nat Turner & Zigi Lowenberg
Avotcja
Patriece
Lebanese poet Elmaz Abinader with musician Kamal Ghammache Mansour
Oakland Libraries Fundraiser
"Poets & Writers Who Care: A Few Choice Words for Libraries"
Sept. 16, 5:30 to 10 pm
Rotunda Building, 300 Frank Ogawa Plaza
Kirk Lumpkin reads with Michael Chabon, Ayelet Waldman, Mary Mackey, Adam David Miller, Nina Serrano, Lucy Day, Daniel Alarcon, Shailja Patel, Bill Wong, Opal Palmer Adisa, Rebecca Solnit, Dave Eggers, Philip Kan Gotanda, etc.
Words Upon the Waters Anthology
Benefit for Hurricane Katrina Victims
Cody's Books, 2 Stockton St., San Francisco, 7-9pm
(see line up from June 25th event, this will be very similar)
Labels: Kirk Lumpkin Live, Kirk Lumpkin News, live music, poetry reading
Sunday, April 10, 2005
2005 News and Events
On Saturday, April 2nd I performed some of my poetry outside of the Cesar Chavez Public Library in Salinas as part of a 24 hour "read-in" to bring more attention to the insanity of the community that heralds itself as the home of John Steinbeck closing all of it libraries due to a budgetary shortfall. Salinas alone has already spent millions on the war in Iraq. Though under disheartening circumstances, I was pleased and proud to be a part of this event that included close to my time slot Medea Benjamin & Kevin Danaher (Global Exchange/Code Pink), Norman Soloman (media critic), Mike Ferrel (actor, MASH), etc. At other times in the event their were also presentations by Maxine Hong Kingston, Hector Elizondo, Dr. Loco, etc.
Thursday, April 14
–Kirk Lumpkin is the featured poet
along with an open mic
Poetry Mission Thursdays @DALVA
3121 16th Street (near Valencia), San Francisco
This is a great scene hosted by Elz Cuya
IN THE BACKROOM!
which always fills up, so get there early.
7pm - 9pm
no cover, donations accepted
21 and over w/ID only!
GET THERE:
14 Mission, 22 Fillmore,
26 Valencia,
49 Van Ness - Mission,
16th and Mission BART
Thursday, June 9
–Kirk Lumpkin is the featured poet
reading from his book, In Deep
for the Nevada County Poetry Series
at the Performing Arts Center in Grass Valley, CA
Labor Day, Monday, Sept. 5, 2005, (sometime in the afternoon) – short Poetry reading/performance by Kirk Lumpkin
as a part of Art & Soul Festival's Oakland Literature Expo
in downtown Oakland,
(more details soon)
Monday, Sept. 19th, 7:00-9:30pm –Kirk Lumpkin is the featured poet
along with an open mic
in the
Poetry Express Series
at the
Priya Restaurant (Indian cuisine)
2072 San Pablo Avenue
(near University Ave.)
Berkeley
Come early and enjoy a meal; say you are there for the
poetry reading and get a 20% discount!
Tuesday, October 25th, 2005, 7:00pm – Poetry reading/performance by Kirk Lumpkin
(with one other featured poet, Dennis Fritzinger and an open mic)
Whole Note Series at the Beanery,
2925 College Ave. (near Ashby), Berkeley
Admission: Free
Thursday, Nov. 17
–Kirk Lumpkin is the featured poet
reading from his book, In Deep
in Point Arena, California
"The Witness of Poetry"
–Featuring: Tim Nuveen, Kirk Lumpkin, David Madgalene, Christopher J. Luna, Marianne Robinson, Julia Vinograd, David Gollub, Jeremy Morris Seigel, Debra Grace Khattab & others
Saturday, Dec. 10, 8 pm
at the Ecology Center
2530 San Pablo Avenue, Berkeley
Admission: Free & Open to the public
Oak Plaza Restaurant Literary Series
–105 Frank Ogawa Plaza, Oakland
2nd Tuesday of each month
6:30 PM-8:30 PM
Tuesday, December 13
Lucille Day
Jeanne Powell
Kirk Lumpkin
Karla Brundage
Labels: Kirk Lumpkin Live, Kirk Lumpkin News, live music, poetry reading
Tuesday, December 28, 2004
Labels: eoy, holiday message, Kirk Lumpkin News
Wednesday, September 15, 2004
Fall 2004 Events
Saturday, October 2nd, 2004, Noon to 5pm – Watershed Environmental Poetry Festival
Short readings by Kirk Lumpkin and others with longer readings by Lawrence Ferlinghetti, Robert Hass, Pattiann Rogers, and Marc Bamuthi Joseph.
Environmental speakers, interactive & informational booths, music, etc.
(This is a tremendous annual event that I am definitely not the star of, but with a lineup that shouldn't be missed.)
Civic Center Park (Center St. at MLK), Berkeley
(one block from "Berkeley" BART station)
Info:(510) 526-9105 www.poetryflash.org/WS04.html
Admission: Free
Thursday, November 18th, 9-11pm – Listen & Be Heard Series
Hosted by Tony Mims & Martha Cinader
feature: Kirk Lumpkin
First 10 Poets to Sign the List get in FREE, everyone else pays $5
Rafael's Bar & Restaurant,
301 Nebraska St. (at Sonoma), Vallejo, CA
More Info. 707-643-3597, www.cinader.com/Listen
Labels: Kirk Lumpkin Live, poetry reading
Thursday, May 20, 2004
Summer 2004 Events
Saturday, June 5, 2004, 11:15am-noon – the WILD BUDS: West Coast Mardi Gras Band
opening the (5th annual) Berkeley Poetry Festival
Martin Luther King, Jr. Civic Center Park, Berkeley
Alston Way at MLK (near downtown "Berkeley" BART)
Admission: Free
Friday, July 2nd, 7:00pm
–Kirk Lumpkin is the featured poet
(reading from his new book, In Deep)
along with an open mic
in the
Poetry Boulder Creek Redux series
Art & Wine Garden, Forest at Pine Streets
in downtown Boulder Creek
(in the heart of the Santa Cruz Mountains)
Sunday, July 18, 2004, 8pm-10pm – Interview and performance by Kirk Lumpkin
on Love Underground Visionary Revolution —LUVeR
(Internet radio station)
show: Frank Moore's Shaman's Den
go to www.eroplay.com/luver/ or do a Google search for Frank Moore's Shaman's Den
Monday, July 19th, 7:00-9:30pm –Kirk Lumpkin is the featured poet
(reading from his new book, In Deep)
along with an open mic
in the
Poetry Express Series
at the
Priya Restaurant (Indian cuisine)
2072 San Pablo Avenue
(near University Ave.)
Berkeley
Come early and enjoy a meal; say you are there for the
poetry reading and get a 20% discount!
Fall 2004 Events
Thursday, Sept. 16, 2004, 7:00pm – Poetry reading/performance by
Kirk Lumpkin
with co-feature David Shaddock and an open mic
Hosts: David Gollub, Debra Grace Khattab & Jeremy Siegel
Mediterraneum Cafe (aka Cafe Med), 2475 Telegraph Ave. (near Dwight Way), Berkeley
(a classic Berkeley venue with one of my best poet friends)
Info: sciaf@yahoo.com or http:www.angelfire.com/poetry/wordbeat
Admission: Free
Labels: events, Kirk Lumpkin Live, live music, poetry reading
Friday, March 12, 2004
Spring 2004 Events
Sunday, March 28, 2004, 4:00-6:00pm –
Publication party for "In Deep"
Jazz by the Real Band; wine, cheese, & munchies;
and a short poetry reading/performance at 4:30
at the Ecology Center Bookstore
2530 San Pablo Ave. (between Dwight & Parker), Berkeley
Admission: Free
Friday, April 2, 2004, 8:00pm-2:00am/ –
"Stomp the Stumps!" benefit dance/concert for the
Bay Area Coalition for Headwaters and Earth First!
opening act: Day Late Fool's Band
Wild Buds at 9pm followed by the Gary Gates Band
and the Funky Nixons
at Ashkenaz
1317 San Pablo Ave. (at Gilman), Berkeley
Admission: $10-20/sliding scale
(all ages venue--kids under 12 free)
Tuesday, April 13, 2004, 7:00pm – Poetry
reading/performance by Kirk Lumpkin
(with one other featured poet and an open mic)
Whole Note Series at the Beanery,
2925 College Ave. (near Ashby), Berkeley
Admission: Free
Friday, April 23, 2004, 2:00pm – Interview and reading by Kirk Lumpkin from In Deep
on KPOO radio at 89.5 FM
on "La Verdad Musical" hosted by Avotcja
Kirk will be on for about 20 minutes
Friday, May 7, 2004, 8:00pm – Poetry reading/performance by Kirk Lumpkin
preceded and followed by an open mic
Cafe International, 508 Haight (at Fillmore), San Francisco
Admission: Free
Thursday, May 20, 2004, 1pm-2pm –Kirk Lumpkin reads poetry from his new book, In Deep
on Diamond Dave's show on KPOO - 89.5 FM
Monday, May 24, 2004 at 7:30pm
– As the featured poet Kirk Lumpkin performs poetry from his new book, In Deep
along with an open mic
Rockin' Java Coffee House, 1821 Haight Street @ Shrader, San Francisco, (415) 831-8842
Free admssion.