Vancouver Poetry House presents: Van Slam hosted by 2 Dope Boyz in a Cadillac (aka the infamous Johnny MacRae and shayne avec i grec). Things might get wild. Things might get weird. Things might get you clapping and snapping and laughing so hard you’ll be afraid you’ll have trouble sleeping. But have no fear, when you get home and lay your head to rest, recall weekly feature, Mary Pinkoski’s, sure to be palpable performance – a recipe for sweeter dreams.

Currently the Poet Laureate for the City of Edmonton, Mary Pinkoski is an award-winning spoken word poet. A storyteller at heart, her writing has been called dynamic and visceral. Mary has presented her unique style of spoken word throughout Canada in numerous live performances and on radio programs including CBC Radio One’s Radio Active and The Key of A, and CKUA’s The Road Home.

In 2013, Mary placed third at the Canadian Individual Poetry Slam making her top ranked female in the competition. In 2011 at the Canadian Festival of Spoken Word Mary was voted Most Valuable Poet of the festival and won the national championship as member and captain of the Edmonton Poetry Slam Team. Mary was the winner of the 2008 National CBC Poetry Faceoff.

2 Dope Boys in a Cadillac are preachers of The Anthropocalypse in the guise of barefoot beards with voices. In order to further the good word of bad things they have spent the four years restlessly wandering North America with their words while simultaneously creating the world’s first psychedelic talk opera. They share nightmares but live the dream. They were also six fifteenths of the 2013 Vic Slam Team.

This is an INVITATIONAL SLAM where competing poets are selected by organizers in advance – which means you’re guaranteed some funky poet performances. Conventional rules don’t apply, rumor has it 2 Dope Boyz allow musical accompaniment and offer water-bowling (yes, water-bowling).

Cafe Deux Soleils and the Van Slam strive to be a trans friendly place and a hate speech free zone. Help us with that. We also acknowledge that this event takes place on unceded First Nations Territory.

Also, be kind to our VOLUNTEER door staff. They have to follow BC Liquor Board Rules and once we are sold out we can’t let anyone in unless someone leaves. You cannot save seats for people in line. Let them know if you are leaving. Also no ATM at the door, it’s cash ONLY.

Get there early if you want a seat or want to slam. Before 7pm.