This weekend marks the 2009 Southwest Shhotout in Albuquerque, NM. As such, the beginning of "Slam Summer". Here in the valley, it means a summer of fundraising shows and activities by the valley's poetry slam teams before embarking for west palm Beach, FL in August.

Mesa looks to be particularly busy, with a series of events on tap that include bouts with the Tucson Slam Team, an auction fundraiser, and revenue sharing stints at restaurants across the valley. All of which look to be hilariously fun and poetically enriching.

However, back to this weekend. If you should happen to have a free couple days, you should come out to Albuquerque and support the slam team. Here are the details on the show for you:

 If you get a chance, drop a note of encoragement to Tom, Britt, Neil and Lauren, team Mesa 2009

Southwest Shootout 2009 information
Thursday, June 18 to Sunday, June 21
Main slam competition: Friday and Saturday, June 19 & 20
Youth events: Thursday, June 17 & 18 and Sunday, June 21

Additional unofficial SW Shootout events:
Workshop with Dasha Kelly, Tuesday, June 16; “Voces” youth workshop showcase feat. Dasha Kelly, Wed. June 17.


Slam Competition Registraion
Registration: $150 per team
Due at registration (cash preferred but checks accepted)

Deadline for RSVP from teams by Friday, June 5.
Preference will be given to teams that are PSi certified venues first, then teams without PSi certification.
Teams without PSi certification will be placed on a waiting list until Saturday, June 6 or an earlier date when its determined that the tournament is sure not to have 16 PSi certified teams.

RSVPs should be emailed to Kenn Rodriguez at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .
The email should include:
Poet’s birth names/stage names
Coaches names
Housing preference

Teams will receive five t-shirts each and poet passes. Swag bags are also a possibility. (Please inform us immediately if your team has five members – alternates don’t count.)


Housing
Host Hotel - Hyatt Regency Hotel, 333 Tijeras NW
Quadruple occupancy/$115 a night
Dual occ./$95
Triple occ./$105
(quad occupancy works out to about $35 per person/night)

Call Hyatt (505) 842-1234
We are part of the "SW Shootout" group
Cutoff date: Thursday, May 28

Those requiring separate housing should contact
Kenn Rodriguez, call/text at 505.379.2666 ASAP.

Hostel and housing arrangements are possible but need to be arranged immediately.


Prizes
Team
$500 -- 1st
$250 -- 2nd
$150 -- 3rd
$100 -- 4th

Individual
$100 -- 1st
$50 -- 2nd
$30 -- 3rd
$20 -- 4th


Competition set-up
Prelims:
Four (4) Three (3) or Four (4) team bouts
Preference is a 16-team tournament;
can scale back to a 12-team tournament.

First place teams from each preliminary
advance to the Finals on Saturday night.

Top scoring poets not on a team in finals
advance to Indie finals Saturday night.

Bouts will run on regular rotation (A-B-C-D or A-B-C depending on amount of teams). All NPS rules apply.

Draws for bouts placement will take place no later than a week in advance before the tournament. If there are enough solid commitments, we may do the draw as early as Sat. June 6.

Main Slam schedule

Friday, June 19

Registration 3-5:30 p.m.
1Kind Studios, 10th St. & Coal SW

(Registration will also be done at Blackbird Buvette, the 21-and-over preliminary venue, starting at 6 pm)

Preliminary bouts:
Prelims #1 (7 pm) & #3 (9 pm)
1Kind Studios, 10th St. & Coal SW

Prelims #2 (7 pm) & #4 (9 pm)
Blackbird Buvette, 509 Central NW


Saturday, June 20

Slammasters meeting
Downtown Hyatt, 10 am
(please email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it with agenda items)

Haiku Challenge, Noon
1Kind Studios, 10th St. & Coal SW

Features showcase, 2 pm
1Kind Studios, 10th St. & Coal SW

FINALS
KiMo Theater, 423 Central NW
Doors at 7 pm, show at 7:30 pm
Indie and team finals


Youth Slam schedule

Thursday, June 18
Youth Open Slam presented by Warehouse 508/N4th Art Center
Open to performers under age 21
1Kind Studios, 10th & Coal SW
7 pm
(out of town poets welcomed; but please RSVP
by Friday, June 12; call/text 505.379.2666
or by email, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it )

Sunday, June 21
Teen Team Slam presented by Warehouse 508/N4th Art Center
N4th Art Center, 4904 Fourth St. NW
1 pm
(A four-team competition for youth slam teams who are traveling to the 2009 Brave New Voices international poetry slam in July)
First preference will be given to teams that are going to BNV
But spaces could be opened for additional youth teams.
A youth open mic will precede the slam).
Teams should RSVP by Friday, June 5;
call/text 505.379.2666 or by email at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Additional events
(non-SW Shootout but SW Shootout participants welcomed to attend)

Tuesday, June 16
Workshop/ Q&A with Dasha Kelly
Chroma Studios at Roma Station, 600 1st St. NW
7 pm
(RSVP required – call/text 505.753.2047)

Wednesday, June 17
MASPoetry presents: VOCES youth showcase
Featuring Dasha Kelly
Winning Coffee Co., 111 Harvard SE
7 pm
(out of town poets welcomed; but please RSVP
by Monday, June 15; call/text 505.379.2666
or by email, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it )