Old school. Punk rock. DIY.
Still harbour a bit of a bad attitude and though I’ve watched a little hockey, have largely dodged the Spring Olympics. Oh, I’m sure there is a ton of fun to be had downtown Vancouver but it’s the type of fun that was vitally important to me as a teenager when the rodeo came to Cloverdale every long Victoria Day weekend. My sisters and I practically lived at the midway, chasing boys, drinking bootlegged beer behind the barns and throwing up, rides or no rides, or games in this case.
At the invitation of the smart, discerning and affable Sean Cranbury of Books On The Radio, I did very happily venture down to the city Feb. 17 to read at an exciting new series called Real Vancouver Writers housed at W2, an exciting new arts and media centre across from the refurbished Woodward’s Building which happens to be a few doors up from our punk rock stomping grounds at the Smilin’ Buddha Cabaret. I was ten, I joked. Very appropriately, one of the artists featured in the W2 gallery was Bev Davies with a series of her quintessential DOA shots.
What a fabulous event! I haven’t felt such enthusiasm at a reading since the 90s and the Edgewise, I swear. Talented poet, lovely person Elizabeth Bachinsky graciously hosted the standing room only evening and I had the privilege of seeing all my cool FB peeps/literati in the flesh-Jamie Reid, Warren Dean Fulton, Shannon Rayne, Donato Mancini, Jenn Farrell, Theresa McWhirter, Nikki Reimer, and made new friends including fellow ginger and acerbic wit Rachel Eden Baumann. I was pleasantly surprised to meet Jay Peachy of Sound Therapy Radio on SFU’s radio station, CJSF who had interviewed me the night before and my dear friend photographer Lincoln Clarkes showed up, after I’d read. I’m always happy to see Lincoln though, we go way back, all the way back to our punk rock heyday and he gave us a (wild) ride to the water taxi on Granville Island. Check out video of the night if you like. I was very honoured to be third up and relieved after my reading, nearing the end of a long, frenzied day!
After a morning ferry, I had taken a bus packed with jostling tourists from Horseshoe Bay so I could meet up with friends and associates S.R. Duncan and RC Weslowski at CFRO for an interview on Wax Poetic at 2 pm. We had a pleasant on-air chat and I read a few poems, talked up Three Blocks West of Wonderland of course, and Real Vancouver Writers. Dressed for winter, but apparently not our wacky west coast weather, I was forced to drag my coat around most of the day it was so warm but was glad for it later when the temperature lowered with the sun. Steve and I reconvened at the Irish Heather to discuss book marketing over a Guinness. I’m not going to obsess over reviews or send out a swack of books in the hopes of. We’ll send off a few copies to some of the more promising leads and I will do as many readings as possible but I think we should think more in terms of a virtual book tour.
After the meeting I wandered over to W2, met up with my main man Josef who was having a good time snapping pictures of all the activity in the city. He favours architecture as subject, has a good eye and composes shots extremely well. I went to London Drugs to buy band aids because my new half-price fuschia suede boots were rubbing my toes. As I sat down in the courtyard to repair my foot, we were both drawn into Abbott & Cordova, 7 August 1971, the gigantic photo installation, an oddly mesmerizing depiction of the Gastown Riot by Stan Douglas. Off we went for a light dinner, pasta, salad, chamomile tea for me as I am always so nervous before a performance. We marveled at Isabelle Hayeur’s flickering Fire With Fire installation in the W2 as we entered the building for a most stellar evening of art and literature. So my 2010 Olympics experience was rather DIY, very alternative to the official Cultural Olympiad, which is not surprising I suppose. Go see the final Real Vancouver Writers Series reading; this is your last chance!
Wednesday, February 24th at the W2 Culture + Media House, 112 West Hastings Street across from the refurbished Woodwards Building. Doors open at 630. Hosted by Sean Cranbury & Hal Wake. Introducing Honoured Special Guest Michael Nichol Yahgulanaas who will showcase a video/interactive discussion about his work; Rhonda Waterfall,Weldon Hunter, kc dyer, Steven Galloway, Leilah Nadir, Alex Leslie, Caroline Adderson, Leanne Prain & Mandy Moore aka The Yarn Bombers, McKinley M Hellenes, Timothy Taylor and Vancouver Poet Laureate Brad Cran.