Watch Party Compilation 4 1995-02-20 to 1995-06-26

START

[Piano melody. Whoosh sound effect.] | Video Description: Black screen with a white logo and white text that reads "SpokenWeb" transitions to a black screen with white text that reads "Enough Said / Trevor Ferrier, Njacko Backo, Stephen Edgar, / Steve Godin, Mitsiko Miller, David Jager, / Suzanne Nuttall, Sandra Jeppesen, Clifton Joseph, Steve "Liquid" Hawley, Jill Battson, / Nancy Dembowski, and Stan Rogal" and a banner on the bottom left of the screen that reads "SpokenWeb Presents".

Video Description: Black screen with white text that reads "Enough Said / February 20, 1995 / Trevor Ferrier / Excerpted from 1995-02-20, Njacko Backo and Groupe de Poesie Moderne"

[Plays the sanza while telling a story in English, opening with the line "Once on the far side of yesterday there lived a little girl who wanted to know the future."] | Video Description: Different degrees of closeup as Ferrier tells a story while playing the sanza. Ferrier wears a red Henley shirt with the sleeves rolled up, shaved head, and thin moustache. At some point the camera zooms into an extreme closeup of his hands playing.

Good ol' standard def video!

Ya, the grain of old video. This is Trevor Ferrier. He had no relation to Ian Ferrier, I don't think.

They were not related, just coincidental!

I love how often poetry was accompanied with music in the series

Winter on Saint-Laurent Blvd. in the background. / What was the venue?

Bistro 4

Right on Saint-Laurent, below Rachel.

I like the zoom in!

I love the droney music! A fave of mine...

On the corner of Duluth

Right! Corner Duluth.

Video Description: Black screen with white text that reads "Enough Said / February 20, 1995 / Njacko Backo / Excerpted from 1995-02-20, Njacko Backo and Groupe de Poesie Moderne"

[Salutes the audience in French and tells a story titled "Macaco." Applause.] | Video Description: Closeup of Njacko Backo entering the stage. Backo wears a dark sweater, neck-length braided hair, and a large beaded necklace. As Backo tells a story, the camera alternates among different degrees of closeup and pans from side to side to accompany Backo on stage. At some point, Backo balances a percussion instrument (the same one Ferrier drummed) on his head, acting out part of the story. Backo incorporates call-and-responses and a choruses with the audience into the storytelling.

4040 St. Laurent, Montreal, QC, H2W 1Y8

That was the spot to share poetry. The hot spot. Loved it there. free flow flowetry

Priceless!

My main memory is all those people walking past the window, and the traffic.

Am I right in saying was one of the few French language performances in Enough Said, Lee?

Yes, the videos are also great for all the pedestrians they capture. Life outside.

Reacted to Jason Camlot: "Am I right in saying..." with OK GESTURE EMOJI

Packed house!!!

Great storytelling when you don't have to be perfect in the language to understand!

Video Description: Black screen with white text that reads "Enough Said / February 27th 1995 / Stephen Edgar / Excerpted from 1995-02-27, Sonja Skarstedt and Lynn Suderman"

[Reads "Sex Ed, 16/27, 1995," dedicating it to his little brother. Frequent audience laughter. Applause.] | Video Description: Medium shot as Stephen Edgar reads, placing his left hand inside his pants pocket. Edgar wears black pants, long unbuttoned button-down brown shirt over a white shirt and ochre V-neck sweater, short light hair, round thin glasses, dangle earring on the right lobe and stud on the left.

1995 on the blvd. Leonard Cohens old stomping ground. His face wasn't on the wall as it is now. Immortalized on the blvd and Cresent. The poets are the heart of Montreal. The poetry. The music. The nightlife. Disalvio's was the hotspot down the road. Live music with Tom Walsh and acid jazz. 1995 Montreal

Reacted to Steve "Liquid" Hawley: "1995 on the blvd. Le..." with THUMBS UP EMOJI

Acid jazz! Yes... I love that style which sadly lasted only ~ 4 years. Five tops.

Video Description: Black screen with white text that reads "Enough Said / March 6th, 1995 / Steve Godin / Excerpted from 1995-03-06, Phineas Flower Trio / and Steve Godin Part 2

[Reads text including the phrase, "The purpose of this script is to maintain with the literary mind dictating a voyage to the uncertain..." over a distorted slow-moving instrumental music that gradually increases in volume.] | Video Description: Alternating medium closeup and closeup of Steve Godin reading while holding the mic. Godin wears dark pants, a black leather jacket and shoulder-length grey hair.

Yes, it was an amazing time. Tom was in a video we showed at our last Watch Party. It included a set by Swifty Lazarusus, so Tom and Todd Swift. Tom was mainly running the sampler, though. Not playing horn.

Leather jackets were everywhere in the early to mid-90s.

The growing background sound and reverb

Was poetry so prosy then?

At first, I thought it was mic feedback!

This is Steve Godin. He became the regular sound guy for Ian Ferrier's Words and Music show and recorded scores of those shows which we've also got set up for online access, once we go throgh the permissions process. Here recorded a lot of them

I think this is more of an essay on poetry and opioids!

I'm not sure this is a poem, Endre. I think Jade is right. And the soundtrack is supposed to contribute to the opiods atmosphere.

Such was the breadth of SW early on

For ES I only prohibited singer songwriter and standup comedy, anything text based was good

Video Description: Black screen with white text that reads "Enough Said / March 6th, 1995 / Mitsiko Miller / Excerpted from 1995-03-06, Phineas Flower Trio / and Steve Godin Part 2

Good point! It wasn't just a poetry reading. I love those prohibitions!

[Asks if everyone knows the song "Creep" by Radiohead. Performs "The subway glare."] | Video Description: Closeup. Miller smokes and makes remarks, then removes leather jacket. Miller wears a black-and-grey patterned button-down dress, pixie-cut blonde hair, a necklace, and earrings. Reads a piece. Camera zooms out to a medium shot then into a medium closeup. Applause, as Miller leaves the stage and camera zooms out to a medium long shot.

When did Creep come out? It must have been pretty new, no?

They had their own stages

Reacted to Lee Gotham: "They had their own s..." with THUMBS UP EMOJI

Sept 21, 1992

Thx.

CREEP was released Sept 22, 1992. / Thank you, internet!

Video Description: Black screen with white text that reads "Enough Said / March 13th, 1995 / David Jager / Excerpted from 1995-03-13 Adeena Karasick"

[Introduces and performs a piece called "Words." Applause.] | Video Description: Closeups as David Jager performs a piece. Jager wears a light brown striped button-down shirt with sleeves rolled up to the elbow and dark brown hair falling onto forehead in strands.

Saw a drum set onstage...

Sounded pretentious a bit but he was in fact fresh off the bus from NYC

Did he stay in Montreal for a spell?

Several years

TO for ten more after, now back in NYC

Video description: Black screen with white text that reads "Enough Said / March 27th, 1995 / Endre Farkas and Suzanne Nuttall / Excerpted from 1995-03-27, Endre Farkas / and Suzanne Nuttall"

[Suzanne Nuttall says "naked" off-camera, which Endre Farkas repeats as Nuttall walks to join him on stage. Each repeats the word many more times, sometimes in unison, then Farkas begins reciting a piece opening with the line, "Against the world and without time to be innocent," which proceeds as a dialogue between the performers. Applause at the end.] | Video Description: Zoom out to a medium long shot as Endre Farkas stands at the mic and Suzanne Nuttall walks to join him on stage. Farkas wears a light striped button-down shirt, red suspenders, thick eyebrows, and short grey hair with hairline receding. Nuttall wears dark pants, a long-sleeved white button-down shirt with black details on both sides of the buttons, short dark hair combed up, and one dangle earring on the right lobe. They perform a piece while standing side by side, with the mic stand between them. At some point they dramatize searching for something and switch sides on stage, then briefly hold hands. Zoom out to a medium long shot as Farkas drinks water and Nuttall leaves the stage.

Was that an open mic performance. Pretty great!

I'd met him earlier that evening, read his stuff and agreed to give him a few minutes over the open mic norm

Reacted to Lee Gotham: "I'd met him earlier ..." with HEART EMOJI

I don't know if I ever saw Endre perform!

I'm a singer-songwriter... This was the first-ever time I participated in poetry. I trusted that Endre Farkas would guide me. One of the last creative projects I did before departing for Toronto where I lived for 27 years. / Don't judge me! ;-)

Reacted to Suzanne Nuttall: "I'm a singer-songwri..." with HEART EMOJI

Endre was a carry-over from the Urban Wanderers, eh, Endre?

It's a great performance, Suzanne!

That's such interesting context, too, Suzanne. Thanks!

They're all Endre's words!

How did you and Endre get started performing together?

Suzanne was, is a singer songwriter who gave this piece depth. She was one part of Bare Bones, a great duo of the times

He knew my roots duo, Bare Bones. We'd played at his "abdication party." All artists knew all artists. An exaggeration maybe, but we all kept tabs on each other and admired each other for the creativity we put out into the world!

Reacted to Suzanne Nuttall: "He knew my roots duo..." with THUMBS UP EMOJI

Half my money went into gel and hairspray back in the day.

Reacted to Suzanne Nuttall: "Half my money went i..." with GRINNING FACE WITH BIG EYES EMOJI

Half my hair went.

Reacted to Endre Farkas: "Half my hair went." with CRYING LAUGHING EMOJI

It held well! I'm pretty sure I was Bare Bones around that time...

Really top shelf piece!

Reminds me somewhat of Robert Ashley

Really nice that artists in different "disciplines" connected with each other!

It's lovely having the traffic as background. Very John Cage.

We rehearsed only twice, but I spent hours memorizing the words!

Video Description: Black screen with white text that reads "Enough Said / April 17th, 1995 / Sandra Jeppesen / Excerpted from 1995-04-10, ga press"

[Reads "Blister in the Sun, or how to go insane in 10 easy steps," mentioning ga press published it as a chapbook (Blister in the Sun, ga press, 1995).] | Video Description: Medium long shot. While Jeppesen reads, Colin Christie and Corey Frost hold up a TV set each, displaying video with the numbers corresponding to each part of the poem. Christie wears a hat, a striped shirt, and a pendant. Frost wears glasses, loose long hair, a pendant, and a sweater with a fair-isle pattern around the collar. Jeppesen leaves the stage amid applause.

You rehearsed? What a luxury!!

Reacted to Stan Rogal: "You rehearsed? What ..." with CRYING LAUGHING EMOJI

Ha

A lot of people rehearsed very little their collaborative performances for Enough Said. Interesting that a lot of people had the same spontaneous vibe

It was great to work with a musicians, they remember the words.

Reacted to Endre Farkas: "It was great to work..." with FIRE EMOJI

The Violent Femmes!!!

The memories...

Montreal Style!

I'm starting to feel 30 years younger. Must be the drugs. Scary.

Saw them at the Palladium (is that what it was called, near Berri Bus Station?) Deja Voodoo opened.

There was a protest from francophone feminists because of the band name... VIOLENT FEMMES. / ^ ^ ^ Read it in French.

Lydia...

From Chicago? Jade?

Video Description: Black screen with white text that reads "Enough Said / April 17th, 1995 / Clifton Joseph / Excerpted from 1995-04-17, Clifton Joseph"

[Introduces and performs poem beginning with singing and the line, "When I look at the situation".] | Video Description: Clifton Joseph performs poem, occasionally using pointing, snaps, and other gestures to emphasize the performance. Joseph wears a brown button-up vest over a light green short-sleeved shirt, black-framed glasses, and short black hair.

That was Sandra Jeppesen

Thank you

No problem!

So close to future types of music!

[Performs a poem with vocalizing a melody and the line "See, you never know what a man may do". Audience clapping along to beat.] | Video Description: Clifton Joseph performs poem.

I remember his name...

[Performs poem beginning with the line "Damn, damn, damn, what a scam, what a sham". Addresses audience. Audience laughter and applause.] | Video Description: Clifton Joseph performs poem. Sips from glass. Addresses audience.

It is Clifton. He's still active in Toronto.

Poet activist

Clifton is a dub poet

He performed at Blue Met a couple of years ago through SpokenWeb. As energetic as ever.

Video Description: "Enough Said / April 17th, 2995 / Steve "Liquid" Hawley / Excerpted from 1995-04-17, Clifton Joseph"

[Introduces and performs piece beginning with the line "It's rough, growing up without peers" (later released as the song "Smoke Filled Thoughts" by Liquid LTD, Acquarius Records, 2001). Addresses audience. Audience applause.] | Video Description: Steve "Liquid" Hawley raps into microphone. Hawley wears a black sweatshirt and backward baseball cap on short dark hair. Hawley holds a cigarette and a beer. Camera zooms out as Hawley exits frame.

First poetry reading ever

The crowd was into it. You can feel it! What a scene!!!

This poem ended up on my album better days

Reacted to Steve "Liquid" Hawley: "This poem ended up o..." with FIRE EMOJI

Wow, that's amazing, Steve.

Calm, poised, lots of eye contact. So direct.

Reacted to Steve "Liquid" Hawley: "This poem ended up o..." with THUMBS UP

Great memorization!

Smiling right through it too!

In his happy place!!!

Video Description: Black screen with white text that reads "Enough Said / June 26th, 1995 / Jill Battson / Excerpted from 1995-06-26, It came from the 401"

(?) when I become goddess, I'm gonna be Madonna of poetry, that's what I'll be aiming for; a legend in my own mind. Reads "The tartness prickling my tongue" (published as "Nicked" in Playing in the Asphalt Garden, edited by Mike O'Connor, Insomniac Press, 1994). Three-second silence at the end of the poem, followed by applause.] | Video Description: Medium closeup of Jill Battson making brief introductory remarks, then reading while holding a pack of printed pages. Battson wears a leaf-patterned black-and-white vest over a white t-shirt and pixie-cut red hair with bangs. Camera zooms out and in a few times.

Oh those early rap sets.

That was just before bran van 3000 started and my introduction to the blvd. Thank you for filming all of this.

The Bran Van! DiSalvio's it was all so suave!

Video Description: Black screen.

[Dedicates the poem to a friend who died from AIDS-related causes. Reads "Morphine Headache" (partially published as "A Morphine Headache" in An Invisible Accordion, edited by Jennifer Footman, Broken Jaw Press, 1996; and, later, in complete form, in Hard Candy, Insomniac Press, 1997). Applause.] | Video Description: Medium closeup of Jill Battson contextualizing and reading a poem.

The Main was more than any one scene

Oh right... AIDS... :-(

The album glee was recorded in my basement in 1997

Reacted to Steve "Liquid" Hawley: "The album glee was r..." with GRINNING FACE WITH BIG EYES EMOJI

Same time the first Burner parties in Mtl

Wow!

[Reads "S&M" (published in Playing in the Asphalt Garden, edited by Mike O'Connor, Insomniac Press, 1994). Three-second silence at the end of the poem, followed by applause.] | Video Description: Camera zooms out and in, settling into a medium shot of Jill Battson, who contextualizes and reads a poem.

It was brave to even speak of it.

I was nicknamed liquid on the scene for continuing to show up for open mic's and jams. Be water. You'll find your way I was told. Thank you Montreal and all artists

Great piece. Jill.

[Somebody close the door!]

It's so cool to know you first read those raps in front of people at Enough Said, Steve.

Video Description: Black screen with white text that reads "Enough Said / June 26th, 1995 / Nancy Dembowski / Excerpted from 1995-06-26, It came from the 401"

[Performs poem beginning with the line "Turbaned guy keeping guard outside that Indian dive" (published as "Living with Shirley in Georgetown" in Word Up, edited by Jill Battson and Ken Norris, Key Porter Books, 1995; and later in Only the Ghost Has Lasted, Insomniac Press, 2000). Applause.] | Video Description: Camera tracks Nancy Dembowski walking towards the stage and carrying a glass and some papers. Dembowski wears a black-and-white patterned dress, shoulder-length dark hair, and a necklace. Camera zooms into a closeup, as Dembowski smiles to the audience and immediately starts performing a poem from memory. Mid-performance, the camera zooms out to a medium shot. Dembowski frequently adjusts her hair back, away from her face.

Poetry on a par with the fabulous hair, Jill!

Reacted to Lee Gotham: "Poetry on a par with..." with GRINNING FACE WITH BIG EYES EMOJI

Nancy could read the phone book and make it sound sexy

Almost seems like a 50s voice... like a throwback!

I can imagine the recording... very ASMR...

Reacted to Suzanne Nuttall: "I can imagine the re..." with THUMBS UP EMOJI

Video Description: Black screen with white text that reads "Enough Said / June 26th, 1995 / Stan Rogal / Excerpted from 1995-06-26, It came from the 401"

[Introduces and reads "Hourglass" (published in The Imaginary Museum, ECW Press, 1993). Applause. | Video Description: Medium shot, then zoom into a medium closeup of Rogal introducing and reading a poem. Rogal wears shorts, a black open short-sleeved shirt over a black graphic t-shirt with two faces in white and the words "BALD EGO," trimmed beard, and temple hair.

Stationnement Rogal. SMILEY FACE EMOJI

Reacted to Jason Camlot: "Stationnement Rogal...." with CRYING LAUGHING EMOJI

What book is this from, Stan?

Reacted to Jason Camlot: "It's so cool to know..." with HEART EMOJI

I think we were touring Playing in the Asphalt Garden, weren't we, Stan?

Video Description: Black screen.

[Introduces and recites from memory "Classical Joint Coffee, (Jazz in the Rocks?)." Applause. | Video Description: Medium shot. Stan Rogal performs a poem.

Did/do you often memorize poems for readings, Stan?

[Black screen with white text rolling down listing the date, venue, performers' names, the researchers involved in the project, and copyright information.

People went OUT back then!!! That's how we socialized.