Versify / Runaway Studios Verse Session

Caught Leslie Anne Mcilroy at The East End Book Exchange, she was the last reader in this month's Versify. Holy Crow!, as the saying goes, she had presentation and finesse and everything and I bought her book. I spent $32 on books yesterday, here's the itemized list:

• $15 Mcilroy's book Slag
• $4 Robert Walser, Selected Stories
• $3 Shipping for Robert Walser
• $10 Runaway Hotel Magazine

After Versify, I bombed down Liberty Ave for Runaway Studio's verse session, which did not actually start at 8. No worries, because I got some powder blue shoes and a duffle bag from their Estate Sale; they're closing down in three months. Another young artist community lost...

Runaway Studios is run by Andy Mcintyre and Sadie Shoaf, and is a performance space in what used to be a sign-making factory. There's a really great little stage/staircase and overall the place is as quaint and welcoming as the hosts. They are closing down in a few months, but not after some great events, including another verse session. This is essentially an acoustic open mic, although with an unusual focus on poetry; there was only one musical act the night I went, by some thirtysomething guy with a guitar and a hat with devil horns on it (he did well, in the end).

The rest was verse, including a healthy amount from Andy himself, who's writing style is sorta Billie Collins if Billie Collins were a young man who lived the kind of transient life that I assume Andy does. The other acts were unimpressive, including my own, for the most part, but Brandon Tucker had some standout political pieces which were heartfelt and had sharp edges. I'll note that I see a dearth of political poetry in the Pittsburgh scene! I probably need to see more slam.

I guess the biggest thing to mention here is that the crowd was by the mean younger than me. This is big news to my experiences in Pittsburgh, where it's usually a matter of multiplying my age to reach the audience's. It's cool fucking beans, but again, these people are shutting down in two months, and Andy doesn't know of any other "young" poetry readings around Pittsburgh. Runaway Hotel Magazine is still going to continue though, and it's chocked to the brim with young artists and their work. It's available online. --poetryburgh@gmail.com