South by Spoken Word

STEPHEN SPYRIT: This Portland artist may be more familiar as a musician than a spoken word artist; he's one of the founders of Hitting Birth, an eclectic Portland band with a cult following intersecting industrial, tribal, and funk music fans. (8:30pm)

J ELLIOTT: Elliott plans to unveil a long poem exploring his Native American heritage -- at age 21, he discovered that he was half-Nez Perce, and that self-discovery, coming from a gay musician and artist accustomed to being on the fringes, should make for a compelling exploration of self-identity. (9pm)

DAVID JEWELL: Jewell's tricky and heady body of work has reached new levels of complexity, polish, and charm. His demeanor makes it easy to be drawn into his work, but wrapping your head around everything he has to say begs concentration and demands reflection long after he's gone off stage. (9:30pm)

BRADFORD REED AND HIS AMAZING PENCILINA: At last month's King Missile performance at the Electric Lounge, Reed wowed the assembled throng with the pencilina, a 10-string homemade instrument which appears to be a cross between a viola neck and a skateboard. (10pm)

SXSW POETRY SLAM: Hosted by veteran Austin slam poet and organizer Mike Henry, this is a chance to see some of North America's finest performance poetry talent squaring off in their sport of choice. If you missed last year's National Poetry Slam, this is your chance to see what all the hubbub was about. (11pm)

ORDAINED IN LYRICS: Led by GNO, part of the Dallas Slam Team that came in a very close second in last year's National Poetry Slam finals, this all-black troupe from Dallas, with published writers and seasoned performers within their fold, merges a righteous perspective and hip-hop sensibilities in a repeat appearance from last year. (1am)

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Friday

DIANE FLEMING: As the author of a forthcoming book on local press 2!3!4!, Fleming has added a whole new daring perspective to the local slam scene in the past year. Her work is achingly honest, demanding, and often funny.
(8pm)

ADDICTED AND ABDUCTED: At last year's National Poetry Slam, one of the brashest and funniest teams hailed from Fort Worth, and in this project, team anchors Jena Weatherly and Kirsten Macy spearhead an ambitious three-woman performance piece. (8:30pm)

KARYNA MCGLYNN: Last year, McGlynn ascended from poetry slam regular to slam team veteran, earning a place on last year's National Poetry Slam home team. Her work is dynamic, language-rich, and full of crisp pirouettes and incisive observations, and her poise and presence belie the fact that she's only 21. (9:30pm)

ELLYN MAYBE: Called "perhaps the best poet on her side of the country" by one of her peers. Maybe's work is replete with Sixties idealism and stunning wordplay, and delivered with a complete lack of pretension. (10pm)

RAY MCNIECE: A veteran performance poet who works in settings ranging from slams to universities, McNiece delivers his journeyman tales with poise and polish, working the entire room with a confidence that comes from his years of experience. (10:30pm)

ROGER MANNING: It's been over a decade since Manning became one of the first folk artists to cross over to punk rock audiences. Selling folk to punks is no easy task, but Manning managed by using a steady, steely-eyed perspective, counterpunching with wit and panache, and even though it's been years since he first took the skinhead bowling, he still has it. (11pm)

TALL DARK AND LONESOME: Given that he sports a guitar and plays a series of wry songs revisiting childhood, you might not think of Jerm Pollet as a spoken word artist per se. But then there's the stories he spins between songs -- long stories, full of unexpected turns and self-depreciating humor. (12 Midnight)

TIMOTHY "SPEED" LEVITCH: Last year's surprise indie film hit, The Cruise, followed Levitch around on his bus tours of New York City. Those familiar with the film know he's fast-talking, funny, and just a little bit out there. (12:30 am)

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Saturday

JULIA ANN DELBRIDGE: Delbridge is a practiced performer with hard-earned wisdom and clear-eyed honesty. At last year's National Poetry Slam, she anchored an all-female team that was one of the most pleasant surprises of the whole event. (8pm)

TIM GIBBARD: The native of Bristol, England is familiar to those who have attended the last few Austin International Poetry Festivals. Here for an extended stay, Gibbard matches a striking on-stage presence with incredibly polished and earnest work. (8:30pm)

DERRICK BROWN: At last year's National Poetry Slam, Brown placed second in the individual finals, and was pegged by many observers as the one pure poet onstage. (9pm)

CASS KING: Another individual finalist from last year's Nationals, King brings a heavy dose of flash and off-kilter wit to her work, as well as a magnificently confident presence. (9:30pm)

DALLAS SLAM TEAM: At last year's Nationals, Dallas was expected to do well given the Texas audiences and the team's experience. They came achingly close to winning it all, on the strength of their diverse voices and a series of polished ensemble pieces. The ace up their sleeve, "Superhero Baby," has refined the group piece for slammers across North America. (10pm)

ZELL MILLER III: Austin audiences, of both the poetry and theatre variety, know that Miller (aka Graffiti) is a powerful performer full of conviction, at complete ease with an audience, and thoroughly adept at what he does. (10:45pm)

GENEVIEVE VAN CLEVE: Those who have seen Van Cleve on improv comedy stages know how quick-witted she is, and those who have seen her poetry know that she's a determined, gutsy performer whose strength lies in her range. (11pm)

REGGIE GIBSON: Gibson won the individual finals at last year's National Poetry Slam with a staggering performance that outlapped the rest of the considerable collective talent there, including a piece about Jimi Hendrix where Gibson became not only the guitarist, but the guitar in all its feedbacky, other-worldly glory. (11:30pm)

DANNY SOLIS: Solis is a legend in the poetry slam circuit, having anchored top-notch teams from four different cities, including the '96 Austin team featured in the documentary film SlamNation. (12 Midnight)

EXENE CERVENKA: As the singer for X, Cervenka was instrumental in introducing a whole new layer of subversive pop appeal mischief into American punk rock. As a spoken word artist with years of experience, she also served as a pioneer for strong female voices in the genre. (12:30am)

THE BETH LISICK ORDEAL: Lisick is one of the premier performance poets in the nation, blending voice, poise, and message into an immaculately volatile concentration. (1am)