The Roar 2007 Festival News

Where's the ROAR? What's happening?

April 25, 2008

Nothing. We’re taking a year off. We’re resting and re-charging our batteries. We’re looking wistfully towards San Francisco’s LitQuake and wishing Edmonton had three or four million people instead of just almost one million. Bottom-line, this ROAR Spoken Word Festival is a ton, that’s “metric ton,” of work. And without steady funding, an official board (which to this point, we’ve happily avoided) and a festival director and producer who are NOT living, breathing writers, it’s not doable every year. We’re scratching our heads – wondering about the feasibility of three or four unique literary type festivals in this city.

Quite frankly, we don’t see our non-fiction festival going anywhere. God bless the non-fiction folks for trying to stand apart from Calgary’s literary festival but it ain’t sexy folks. It needs poetry, fiction, drama, spoken-word, collaborations…and a clever hook to make it unique. It needs a great name — something that says: exciting, very cool, thought-provoking, entertaining!! The ROAR took all the poetry silos and invited them to a party. It’s a great idea. Somebody needs to do the same with all the literary factions, genres, groups and festivals in Edmonton.

I (Thomas here) dream of holding a literary festival with non-fiction, fiction, poetry, spoken-word, and a gaggle of collaborations with musicians, dancers, visual artists…held in a circus tent, with a full bar that serves only wine, imported beer, and single-malt whiskey. A three or four-day circus of words!! Call it “Tent” or “The Tent Fest” or “The Tent Literary Circus.” It’s a dream I don’t have the energy, or time, to chase…not right now. I think it’s an example of what could happen.

In our opinions, what should happen is this: The poetry festival, the Roar, and LitFest should all die. That’s right. You read that right. This town simply isn’t big enough to support all three events. What we really need is ONE literary festival for the whole community to rally around, and the citizenship at large to get interested in. It won’t happen this year but someone, or some small group, has to make strides toward this goal – starting right now. As a city and a community, we should strive towards creating something on par with WordFest in Calgary. In terms of the Canadian literary circuit, Edmonton should be mentioned in the same breath as Vancouver, Montreal, Toronto, and Calgary. Creating events that are exciting and engaging should be the top priority. Events that non-writers would attend. This won’t be easy. The work has to start now, and someone has to be in it for the long haul. The beast will need money. A lot of money. The current players (Lit Fest, Stroll, Roar) have to get together along with the Edmonton Arts Council and come up with a plan. No big 20-person organizational meetings. A small group of committed individuals have to make it happen. A society should be formed, and the hunt for a non-artist executive director should start now. Maybe in 2010 we can have something approaching WordFest in Calgary. It’s possible.

So, back to the drawing board. The ROAR’s not dead. It’s in hiatus while we dig around in the dirt. See what we can kick up.

Festival Director, Thomas Trofimuk

Festival Producer, Michael Gravel

— Thomas Trofimuk

I am remiss

October 11, 2007

Dear gentle, and not-so-gentle ROAR-ers, lovers of spoken word, lovers of word in the air,
Visit the official collection of ROAR photos by Mr. Randall Edwards….at….the offical ROAR 2007 photos

Edwards captures the ROAR so beautifully, with loving eyes….I want to bear all his children! but he’s married and has a beautiful wife, and beautiful children, and I am married and have a beautiful wife, and a beautiful six-year-old…so I’ll have to think of some other way to pay homage tot he Edster.

Carry on. Enjoy.

— Thomas Trofimuk

It's done...and what a show! it was!!

September 24, 2007

Saturday, the day after the ROAR, I had the blues…The ROAR was such an intense high, and then, at 3 a.m. coming in the front door of chez Trofs, it was done. When I woke up, the blues crept in but also something else – a pure feeling of elation, delight, accomplishment.

Saturday afternoon, I took my six-year-old to a birthday party, grabbed Shane Rhodes new collection of poems, “the Bindery” (I’m reviewing this book for Alberta Views)and headed down to the south side to read at the launch of “DailyHaiku I” the print edition of the Michael Gravel initiated website DailyHaiku.org, which has been handed off to Nicole Pakan and Patrick M. Pilarski, who have beautifully maintained, nurtured and continue to grow this website. And now, they’re a print journal. More on this at the “failed Buddhist”

So, I stopped at what used to be my favourite cigar shop, under its former name of La Tienda. It’s still all right, but not anywhere near its former glory. I was half a block from Café Select on 109 Street, the site of the Haiku reading, and I was early, so I stopped for a cigar. Sat out front on the bench and cranked up a particularly fine Romeo y Julieta.

Sunday, I started to drift inside the too-soon memories of the ROAR, of all the readers and performers…and the energy in AXIS café at the finale, which was high, intense, excited and blissful. My profound thanks to, the lovely Heather Haley, the “kicking it out verse” from Shima Robinson, Mary Pinkoski’s brilliant and visceral poetry, the fabulous Spoken Word Youth Choir, with Gail Sobat conducting, the extempore of Phillip Jagger and Gary Lee, the syncopated verse of Richard Stevenson, and rob mclennan’s way-too-short set. My thanks also to the wonderful musicians in the Raving Poets band, Randall Edwards, Mark Kozub, Gordon McRae, and Michael Gravel, who continue to push the edges of song, and poetry, into an art form of its own. This would have been a show worth ten times what we were charging at the door.

But, I have to say, when Jack McCarthy took the stage in the first half he completely wowed the packed-to-the-nuts audience. Every now and then, a poet, performer, comes along and puts on this kind of show for an audience (this audience was mainly poets, and lovers of poetry) and by being exposed to the work of a master craftsman, the entire community is raised up. The bar is raised a notch. We, as a poetry community, grow by being exposed to this kind of incredible performance.

If you weren’t there, at the ROAR finale, shame on you!!!

Some of you may remember another growth spurt like this when the progressive Stroll board lead by Mark Kozub, and Gordon McRae, and Phillip Jagger, and John Chalmers, brought in slam poet Jeffrey McDaniel and dub poet Clifton Joseph. That forward-thinking board caused a revolution in the poets who were exposed to those “outsiders.” The same thing happened the night Stephen Scobie came up with the Raving Poets Band and did the sound poem “Kon ichikawa”…That one performance created growth…a sort of freeing up of conventional constraints.

Well, the same thing happened Friday night at the ROAR. I expect to see evidence of growth in the coming months and years, the residual effects of Jack McCarthy’s incredibly moving performance. If you ever doubted the power of words…this performance was emphatic proof!!

But, the entire night was brilliant. I wandered and saw a bit of almost every show. Adam Snider’s Night Moves, with Laurie McFayden (who gets better and better every time out), Corine Demas and Lisa Pruden – Mark Kozub’s heart-felt and brilliant “new bachelor” poems, Timothy Anderson’s riveting voice, Laura Crawford’s wonderful performance, which as followed by an equally brilliant Tippy Agogo – all of you are stars. And let’s not forget the Pilarskinator’s Fabulous Leprechaun Burlesque, with Michael Appleby, Nicole Pakan, Patrick Pilarski, and Adam Snider.

(I owe an apology to the excellent poets from Poet’s Ink! who were billed as Writer’s Ink in most of our advertisements…. AHHH!!! At some point last week, my brain slipped out the back of my head. Mea Culpa…my friends.)

It was a stunning night. Big thanks are due to Alice Major and the Edmonton Poetry Festival, who “loaned” us some great performers. Thank you.

And my team – you know who you are – who gather venues and delivered p.a.’s and hosted readings….kudos. You put on a hell of a show.

And finally, all our sponsors:
AlbertaViews, Dave and Hazel at Accu-Search, Phil at AXIS café, Three Bananas, Naked Cyber Café, L’Espresso Café, The BANK Ultra lounge , Java Express, Tzin wine and tapas, and Audrey’s Books. Please visit these fine establishments who are supported the ROAR! Finally, thanks to The Raving Poets, Vue Weekly, and Geist Magazine.

— Thomas Trofimuk

IT'S ROAR day!

September 21, 2007

Well, it’s here! I’ve got a van loaded with p.a.‘s (and lights for Gord), the schedule is set. On with the show this is it!!!

Now it’s up to you! Readers, writers, lovers of spoken-word….come on out and ROAR with the poets who have loud voices, sublime voices…the poets/writers/performers who look at the world through metaphor-coloured glasses…the writers who love too hard, fall even harder, and then write about it…the writers who see through the haze of lies and constant stimulus and write about it…the writers who drink too much sometimes and then write sober poems….the poets who reach too far with their words, and sometimes fall.

Let’s celebrate spoken word tonight. It’s going to be a brilliant night of words in the air.

Grab a schedule (over on the right) and be moved…

Welcome.

— Thomas Trofimuk

In the heat!

September 19, 2007

The Raving Poets did a gig at Victoria school for the performing arts last night, as part of Edmonton Poetry Week, and wow. There were 300 people, screaming: “Rav-ing! Rav-ing! Rav-ing! Rav-ing! Rav-ing!” It was like the Beatles! We had so much fun. It was a great warm-up for Friday….(Okay, okay, there weren’t quite that many in the audience. But it felt like 300. Okay, it was nowhere near 300. And they weren’t exactly screaming…But in my mind, it was just insane. In reality, the group that hung around to see us, was small, but very enthusiastic.)

Check out the printable schedule on the side-bar…over there on the right….that’s right…and on the media page. Click there, print, and carry it with you. Love the schdule. Love the people/poets/writers/musicians/performers on the schedule. Give them money. Give them your time and your attention.

Michael G. comes back from his honeymoon and good things happen. Things appear. Stuff gets done. We should all have yearly honeymoons, don’t cha thing?

Did I mention that all the ROAR events are free, except for a $5 cover at the finale?

Thank yous
I’m going to add this thank you to the bottom of every post from now on: THANK YOU TO AlbertaViews and Dave and Hazel at Accu-Search for coming on board as sponsors!!!!

Thank you to all our venues — AXIS café, Three Bananas, Naked Cyber Café, L’Espresso Café, The BANK Ultra lounge , Java Express, Tzin wine and tapas, Audrey’s Books. Please visit these fine establishments who are supporting the ROAR!

AND, thanks to Alice Major and the Edmonton Poetry Festival, The Raving Poets, Vue Weekly, and Geist Magazine.

— Thomas Trofimuk

This little festival is a GEM!

September 16, 2007

I’ve been doing a lot of talking about the ROAR in the past two days — mostly with reporters. I’ve been reminded, by my own blather, that this festival we call the ROAR is a gem. Truly. We are admittedly more exclusive than inclusive this year, simply because of space and time constraints. Regardless, there is a diverse offering at ROAR 2007, from world famous slam poets, to world debut Spoken Word Youth Choirs, to first-time readers. That’s the diversity you can experience this coming Friday. Check out the schedule, pick a couple readings and then come on by for the finale at AXIS Cafe.

Thank you

I’m going to add this thank you to the bottom of every post from now on: THANK YOU TO AlbertaViews and Dave and Hazel at Accu-Search for coming on board as sponsors!!!!

Thank you to all our venues — AXIS café, Three Bananas, Naked Cyber Café, L’Espresso Café, The BANK Ultra lounge , Java Express, Tzin wine and tapas, Audrey’s Books. Please visit these fine establishments who are supporting the ROAR!

AND, thanks to Alice Major and the Edmonton Poetry Festival, The Raving Poets, Vue Weekly, and Geist Magazine.

— Thomas Trofimuk

Eight days till ROAR!

September 13, 2007

Eight days till ROAR!
We are all buzzing about the ROAR. Alberta Views magazine has come on board as a sponsor, as have Dave and Hazel, at Accu-Search. We love Accu-search, and we adore Alberta Views!!!

The Spoken-Word Youth Choir will kick off the finale. This 11-member group will be kicking it out at around 10:20 p.m. DO NOT miss this performance. In fact, the finale is shaping up to be one of the best spoken-word shows this town as has ever seen.

And at 7 p.m., just try and pick a show….You’ll have to leave out five others. And at 8 p.m. it’s so sad to have to miss one of these shows. The same goes for 9 p.m. Over sixty performers between 7 p.m. and midnight!!! Jesus, I need to sit down!

More later.

Dudes, dudettes…

Thank you
I’m going to add this thank you to the bottom of every post from now on: THANK YOU TO AlbertaViews and Dave and Hazel at Accu-Search for coming onboard as sponsors!!!!

Thank you to all our venues — AXIS café, Three Bananas, Naked Cyber Café, L’Espresso Café, The BANK Ultra lounge , Java Express, Tzin wine and tapas, Audrey’s Books. Please visit these fine establishments who are supporting the ROAR!

AND, thanks to Alice Major and the Edmonton Poetry Festival, The Raving Poets, Vue Weekly, and Geist Magazine.

— Thomas Trofimuk

Doing the last minute things....

September 11, 2007

I’m adding and subtracting from the schedule, as required. It should be firm in the next day or two. Look for posters at our venues…and programs will be out next week.

Look for our teaser ad in VUE Weekly this week, and a full-page ad next week — including a full schedule. Times, names, places….

I’m negotiating with the Youthwrite Spoken Word Choir or a ten minute set at our finale, and I’ve booked rob mclennan for a ten minute set….cool huh?

Trying to keep the finale to a reasonable ONE hour and fifteen minutes…total. Two sets with a fifteen minute break.

Okay, more later.

Thank you
I’m going to add this thank you to the bottom of every post from now on: Thank you to our venues — AXIS café, Three Bananas, Naked Cyber Café, L’Espresso Café, The BANK Ultra lounge , Java Express, Tzin wine and tapas, Audrey’s Books. Please visit these fine establishments who are supporting the ROAR! AND, thanks to Alice Major and the Edmonton Poetry Festival, The Raving Poets, Vue Weekly, Geist Magazine, AlbertaViews and Dave and Hazel at AccuSearch.

— Thomas Trofimuk

The Buzz begins!

September 06, 2007

How did it get to be Thursday? It was just Wednesday?

Just got off the phone with a lovely woman from The Edmonton Examiner, who will be doing a story on the ROAR. I’ll be holding a glass of wine for a photo-shoot tomorrow morning at AXIS Cafe…pretending it’s actually later in the day…QUESTION: Should I shave off this “House” beard for the photo? Hmmm…I wish House’s brilliant yet drug-fuddled mind came along with the beard.

We’ll be growing the buzz in the coming weeks. Tell your family and friends about our little shin-dig of 11 shows on a Friday night. Eleven shows! Diversity and brilliance. Poetry/spoken word that dares to communicate.

Check out Todd Tabiak’s column in today’s Edmonton Journal. We love Todd Babiak.

Thank you
I’m going to add this thank you to the bottom of every post from now on: Thank you to our venues — AXIS café, Three Bananas, Naked Cyber Café, L’Espresso Café, The BANK Ultra lounge , Java Express, Tzin wine and tapas, Audrey’s Books. Please visit these fine establishments who are supporting the ROAR! AND, thanks to Alice Major and the Edmonton Poetry Festival, The Raving Poets, Vue Weekly, and Geist Magazine.

— Thomas Trofimuk

Your Tuesday Update

September 04, 2007

Well, the schedule is an evolving thing. Hopefully, it will settle down and become a solid mass by the weekend. I’m thrilled to have AXIS Cafe on board as our finale venue. It is a beautiful place. It will be a beautiful finale. But do check out the schedule and our headline performers.

I think ALL our performers are stars. I am going to have a hell of a time choosing which shows to attend.

After TEN amazing shows at 7, 8, and 9 p.m., the eleventh show will be the perfect wind-up. THE mother of all ROAR finales with the RAVING poets Band, AND special guests…PRESENTING: Heather Haley, Jack McCarthy, Phil Jagger and Gary Lee, Mary Pinkoski, Shima Robinson, and Richard Stevenson!

— Thomas Trofimuk