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Mashed Poetics – Aretha Franklin’s Greatest Hits

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418715_10151099802949888_1122004031_nAretha Franklin’s Greatest Hits will be sung by Chelsea ‘The Voice’ Johnson backed by a live band. Between songs, poets will perform new works inspired by the music.

Lillian Allen

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Erich-BWTwo-time Juno Award winning dub poet, Lillian Allen performs her politically-infused style of poetry. Allen's political themes and depth of vision are woven in an enchanting and unique blend of orality and the written word.

Some Birds Walk for the Hell of It

Verses 2017

CR Avery's launches his new book of poetry "Some Birds Walk for the Hell of It" published by Anvil Press in a wild cabaret of music, burlesque, and spoken word.

Jangle & Shout

Verses 2017

A literary soirée with a wild side, featuring Amber Dawn, Zaccheus Jackson, Christie Rose, Brendan McLeod, and Geoff Berner.

Mashed Poetics – Rage Against the Machine

Verses 2017

A spoken word / music mash-up featuring Rage Against the Machine's first album performed by a live band with poems inspired by the songs read between each track.

Word Circus

Havana Theatre 1212 Commercial Drive, Vancouver

A whirlwind of words strikes as Sheri-D Wilson, James Lamb, Ikenna 'OpenSecret' Onyegbula, and Billeh Nickerson blur the line between stage and page.

Jangle & Shout: The Hulla-Verses Remixer

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A literary soirée with a wild side, this is your chance to see a sampling of many of the artists in the festival. Feast your ears on an all-you-can-handle buffet of words!

$12 – $15

Word Circus

Havana Theatre 1212 Commercial Drive, Vancouver

A whirlwind of words occurs as Robert Priest, Tanya Evanson, David McGimpsey, Barbara Adler, and Ian Ferrier blur the line between stage and page.

$8 – $10

Sounds Like Fire

A journey through poetic language and experience, story and song, with a powerhouse line-up of all-star performers; including Kinnie Starr, Mutya Macatumpag, and Women of the World Poetry Slam champions, Denice Frohman and Dominique Christina.

$12 – $15

Chicken Sessions

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Chicken Session: a house concert, poetry and story performance , potluck, party, and some Louisiana hospitality. Chicken Session #14 is a Sunday afternoon backyard brunch with poet Robert Lashley, and musicians Chicken-like Birds, as well as debut work by others in 12 open mic spots beforehand. Bring food to share!

$5

Jangle & Shout: The 2016 Verses-Hullabaloo Remixer

JustinMollySlam

Jangle & Shout: The 2016 Verses-Hullabaloo Remixer A literary soirée with a feisty kick! Get a sneak peek of the music and words of several artists yet to come in the festival, with the best of Hullabaloo thrown into the mix. Feast your ears on an all-you-can-handle buffet of words … Continued

$12 – $15

There Be Monsters

Agendas & Minutes

These are no campfire stories told as a warning to be careful at night. These stories wildly call out to monsters, beckon from their hiding spots, invite them to come closer. Kai Cheng Thom, Ivan Coyote and Amber Dawn invite you to journey with them through music and word, myth … Continued

$20 – $25

Sounds Like Fire

ayanda

A journey through poetic language and experience, story and song, with a powerhouse line-up of spoken word titans including Anis Mojgani, a two time National Poetry Slam Champion, and winner of the International World Cup Poetry Slam; Ian Keteku, a two-time national slam champion and the 2010 World Poetry Slam … Continued

$15 – $20

Femcees

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Femcees Do you turn down for nothing? Must it be the money? Still eating Mom’s spaghetti? Or maybe you’re just tired of the patriarchy. Never fear, we’ve got your antidote right here! Four fierce female emcees firing on all cylinders to take you to your poetic high ground. For flows … Continued

$10

Mashed Poetics: Jagged Little Pill

Mashed Poetics: Jagged Little Pill Mashed Poetics is a  spoken word and music mash-up. Picture this: a band is formed for the sole purpose of learning a classic music album. Poets from across the country are wrangled and assigned songs from said album.  Poets will present new works inspired by … Continued

$8 – $10

Word Circus

Havana Theatre 1212 Commercial Drive, Vancouver

Word Circus A whirlwind of words occurs as Brendan McLeod, Lexi Marie, Rup Sidhu, and Billeh Nickerson perform feats of acrobatic wordsmithery before your very eyes. The round robin format allows the artists to respond to one another and build the energy in a spontaneous way. If you’ve ever seen … Continued

$10 – $12

2017 Verses Festival of Words passes now only $30!

Your 2017 Verses Festival of Words Pass gives you full access to all #VS17 events: Hullabaloo Youth Poetry Slam Competition – free at VPL Central Three Showcases: "Oceans to Sail" Showcase with Saul Williams and Guests Sounds Like Fire: Femme4Femme The Body Is Not An Apology Five Canadian Individual Poetry Slam Championships … Continued

$75

“Oceans to Sail” Showcase with Saul Williams and Guests

"Oceans to Sail" Showcase Featuring Saul Williams and Guests Saul Williams is no stranger to conversations that permeate the collective minds of the diaspora. Reparations are within reach and he has a list of demands waiting to unravel from the tip of his revolutionary tongue. Bolstered by the work of … Continued

$25 – $30

Mashed Poetics featuring Spice by the Spice Girls

Mashed Poetics is a night of spoken word and music mash up.  We pick a music album, find a cover band and ask poets to write new poems based on the songs.  Then we do it all up live with the poets performing in between songs. Mashed Poetics has been … Continued

$10 – $12

Chicken Session #26 Community Backyard Stage

Agendas & Minutes

House concert, poetry and story performance, potluck, party, and some Louisiana hospitality. Chicken Session #26 is a Sunday afternoon backyard brunch with Poet Al Mader and Musician Lexi Marie, as well as debut work by others in 12 open mic spots beforehand. Bring food to share! Noon -- Food and … Continued

$5

Hullabaloo Finals feat. Moe Clark

Sonya Littlejohn features at the Van Slam

The 8th annual HULLABALOO FINALS NIGHT will determine which school has the best poetic chops in all of British Columbia. Moe Clark will start the evening with a feature set of her award-winning spoken word poetry. Then the top four teams from the preliminary bouts will face off against each other … Continued

FREE

Moe Clark – Masterclass: “Looping Landscapes”

"Spoken word performance and looping pedal workshop exploring body and voice as landscape. Add new dimension to your spoken word poetry and written works. Combine your poetry with sounds, songs, and performance tools to create works that are stage-worthy and audience approved. Moe Clark will take you on a journey … Continued

$25 – $30

Community Poetry Workshop with JB the First Lady

Utilizing a unique creative writing process developed by the writer, hip hop artist,  activist, and performer, JB leads workshop participants through activity and writing, exploring themes of remembering and  belonging. Working together over an hour and a half long session, participants will create a community poem and in creating a … Continued

$20 – $25

Sounds Like Fire: Edzi’u, Joshua Whitehead, and Janet Rogers

Rich with voices of the past, present, and future, a powerhouse lineup of literary and lyrical titans guide us on a  journey through poetic language, experience, story, and song including songwriter and composer Edzi’u, storyteller, poet, and academic Joshua Whitehead, and innovative multimedia artist Janet Rogers. Doors 8:15 pm / Showcase … Continued

Interrobang?! Billy-Ray Belcourt, Virago Nation, Snotty Nose Rez Kids

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In the guts of artists everywhere is a driving force, a question that begs for answer, churning engine of the inquisitive mind. Interrobang?! pays homage to those making their statements known, loud and clear, while asking the complicated, nuanced, and too often unasked-questions. Join us as this all star line-up … Continued

$12 – $15