Catalyst

Catalyst 9: Export Quality - coming soon

2012-01-24T22:39:00.000+13:00

We picked up the final print proof today - holding it in our hot little hands, oh yes indeed. Precious.

Stay tuned for the launch announcement!

Beat St Sessions

2011-12-12T07:14:00.002+13:00

Last Beat St Session for the year! 

Thurs 15 Dec @ Beat St Cafe,
cnr Barbadoes & Armagh Sts 

Doors open 6pm: sign up for the open mic, chat politics & poetics, scribble last-minute lyrics 

Live music by Mark Humpage 

Poetry from 7pm: open mic poetry plus guest poets Frankie McMillan & Phoebe Wright 

$5 if you can 

www.facebook.com/BeatStSessions

In Transit book launch media release

2011-12-04T10:35:00.002+13:00

In Transit, Book Launch and Catalyst Open Mic Night
Tuesday December 6th, 8pm
entry is FREE
Pegasus Arms Restaurant & Bar
14 Oxford Tce
Christchurch

In Transit is a collection of 100 haiku translated into 11 different languages. The work is inspired by the travels of the internationally published poet Doc Drumheller and also features haiku based on the earthquakes in New Zealand and Japan.

“I keep a notebook in my pocket everywhere I go and these are like sketches of the places I’ve been. My intentions for this book were to showcase these poems, but when I returned home from Europe in 2010 the earth shook and changed my worldview”, said Drumheller.

The author will donate all sales of the book to earthquake relief in Christchurch and Japan. Books will be available for sale for $15 at the venue and may be purchased online at:

http://www.cyberwit.net/authors/doc-drumheller

“I feel a kind of kinship between New Zealand and Japan after we have shared in these experiences and have decided to dedicate and donate all sales of this book to earthquake relief in both countries”, said Drumheller.

In Transit was published in India by Cyberwit.net and in August/September Doc performed in Allahabad at the Cyberwit offices and also at the Sahitya Akademi in Delhi. “It is a rare opportunity for a foreigner to get to perform poetry in India. It was a great honour for me and also a very humbling experience to see how the people live. When you see such widespread poverty it breaks your heart, but at the same time you are surrounded by so many smiling children approaching you constantly, that it lifts your spirits. This is why India is a land of extreme contrasts”, says Drumheller.

After his travels through India, Doc went on to represent New Zealand at the 2nd Tokyo Poetry Festival & the 6th World Haiku Association Conference 2011. The festival’s Theme was: “With or Without Mythology”

“In a country coping with such adversity, the reality of staging an international gathering of poets, must have been very difficult. However, the dedication to world literature demonstrated by Ban’ya Natsuishi and the World Haiku Association showed just how resilient and courageous the Japanese people are despite the many hardships they have had to endure”, says Drumheller.
“This has been a year of many challenges for the Japanese people, and the fact that the farewell party was held on the 23rd floor of Meiji University Liberty Tower, in a city that has felt a multitude of earthquakes, didn’t seem to matter as everyone clustered to catch a glimpse of Mt. Fuji in the distance before the sunset”, Drumheller said.

“These bonds of friendship and compassion shared in Tokyo with poets from all over the world have given me a renewed sense of hope and optimism for the future. Thank you very much to the World Haiku Association for this opportunity to reinvigorate my enthusiasm for poetry and the Asia New Zealand Foundation for sponsoring my trip”, says Drumheller.

To read Doc Drumheller’s report and view photos and videos of the festival, visit the festival website:

http://www.geocities.jp/tokyopoetry/

Catalyst presents... In Transit + Open Mic

2011-11-28T22:31:00.004+13:00

Catalyst Open Mic + In Transit book launch
Tuesday 6th December, 8pm
Pegasus Arms upstairs
14 Oxford Terrace
+ live music by The Fontanelles

Catalyst is proud to support Doc Drumheller in the launch of his latest collection of poetry In Transit.

To mark the triumphant return of Catalyst to the live poetry scene we are excited to host the Christchurch launch of this exceptional work by our very own Doc. In Transit is a collection of 100 haiku inspired by the travels of our globe-trotting editor Doc Drumheller. Translated and presented in 11 languages the collection also features haiku responding to the earthquakes in Christchurch and Japan.

“I feel a kind of kinship between New Zealand and Japan after we have shared in these experiences and have decided to dedicate and donate all sales of this book to earthquake relief in both countries.” says Doc.

The night will feature the traditional open mic as well as live music from The Fontanelles.

In Transit will be for sale for $15 (all sales to earthquake relief in NZ & Japan)

We will post a full copy of the media release soon. In the meantime, In Transit is also available for sale online here:

Buy In Transit

Drum roll please... Catalyst Open Mic is back!

2011-11-24T16:17:00.004+13:00

Behold, the new home of Catalyst!

Pegasus Arms (upstairs)

14 Oxford Tce (opposite Antigua Boat Sheds)

That's right, rub the sleep out of your eyes and dust off your notebooks 'cos the Catalyst crew are back and ready to rip it up at the Pegasus Arms in their fantastically atmospheric lounge bar upstairs.

We've paid our respects at the site of Al's Bar, our home for more than 3 years, now just a hole in the ground - our hearts go out to you Al. But now we're ready to recite, read, slam and generally bring the poetry back to the stage, front and centre.

We've got a brand new home, a brand new day and plenty of brand new poets out there raring to go.

Lately there's been a good amount of poetry in performance on show in our shaky city with Beat Street Sessions and the latest season of Canterbury Poets Collective evenings (themselves in a new home at CPIT Students Association) and we're glad to be back in the saddle too. There's nothing like mixing poetry and alcohol. Pegasus Arms does amazing food too, so why not come early, have some kai and hang out with the poets.

Our new details are:

Catalyst Poetry open mic

FIRST TUESDAY of the month

Pegasus Arms upstairs

14 Oxford Terrace

Stay tuned for a post shortly with the details of our very first night there in December which doubles as a book launch for Doc Drumheller's new collection of haiku - the multi-lingual In Transit.

Beat St this Thursday

2011-11-14T19:44:00.000+13:00

Beat St Sessions this Thursday 17 November @ Beat St Cafe, cnr Barbadoes & Armagh Sts  Sign in & schmoozing from 6pm + live music by bad boy busker Jon Adams  Open mic poetry from 7pm + guest poets Joanna Preston and Sean Joyce  www.facebook.com/BeatStSessions

Christchurch gets a Zinefest

2011-11-13T09:30:00.004+13:00

Yup. It's happening and we're proud to promote such a great event. All you need to know is right here. We'll be there celebrating eight long years of publishing (even though I'm sure purists probably don't consider Catalyst a 'zine', we're still stalwarts of self-published literature - Neoismist Press has published 17 book projects including Catalyst in 8 years and done production duties on a further 4 including a novel). So yeah, we'll be there alright!

The deets are:

Zinefest Christchurch
Saturday 3rd December - 11am - 4.30pm
The Archive
336 St Asaph St

Beat St Sessions this week!

2011-10-18T19:45:00.005+13:00

But wait, there's more!

For those whose taste for spoken word is simply insatiable like us Catalyst heads then it's been a veritable feast over these two weeks with 3 nights of poetry within 8 days! For a city that's been (un)quiet for so long, it's virtually screaming poetry right now.

It's already the week of the third Thursday of the month and that means it's time for Beat St Sessions at Beat St Cafe.

There's music from 6pm and sign up for the open mic - the poetry kicks off at 7pm.

Be there - coffee. eats. music. poetry.

word.

Beat St Sessions
Beat St Cafe - cnr Barbadoes & Armagh Sts
6pm music +open mic sign up
7pm - The Poetry!
$5 on the door if you can

Canterbury Poets Collective Starts This Week!

2011-10-18T19:28:00.005+13:00

Wow, time sure does roll around like a 33 on 45rpm doesn't it?

This Wednesday (tomorrow!) is the first night of the Spring Season of Canterbury Poets Collective readings. And it's a fairly handy line up too with Vincent O'Sullivan, Jan Hutchison, Christina Stachurski + an open mic. It's also the launch of VoicePrints3 and apparently it's BYO this week!

Wednesdays 6.30pm $5
CPSA building, CPIT
5 Madras Street
Open Mic + Guest Poets

Slam on! More images...

2011-10-15T16:03:00.003+13:00

Natalie Good

Eli Litzelman (4th)

Andrew Coyle (2nd)

Danielle O'Halloran (3rd)

Barry Southam

A Loft-full of Poetry - ChCh Poetry Slam Final 2011

2011-10-15T15:39:00.003+13:00

The Housewife from Hell lights up the room.

Oh, and slam we did! Great turn out at the loft upstairs in the Pegasus Arms for the inaugural Christchurch Poetry Slam (Poetry Idol is dead - long live the Slam!).

Check out the images (apologies for the artiness, Kez was enjoying a night off MCing duties rather too much!)

A full complement of poets entered the fray and the standard was excellent - our audience judges had their work cut out for them - it was close run thing too, but alas, only the mighty would go through to the national final in Wellington on 29th October - and they are:

Danielle O'Halloran
Andrew Coyle
Ben Brown
plus wildcard entry: Eli Litzelman

A formidable team indeed - look out NZ, the south will rise!

Josephine Parsnip

Slam Master Mike (he's on fire!)

For many the anticipation was too much as they attempted
to look like they were having a good time

Regan Stokes

Christchurch Poetry Slam tonight!

2011-10-13T10:19:00.003+13:00

At last, the wait is over! Be there tonight - slammers unite!

Thursday 13th October, 7pm for sign up, 7.30 kick off!
Pegasus Arms upstairs, 14 Oxford Terrace
Free entry

ChCh Poetry Slam Poster

2011-10-05T20:10:00.000+13:00

Canterbury Poets Collective returns! Spring Season announced

2011-10-03T20:05:00.001+13:00

Canterbury Poets Collective (CPC) presents

Poetry in Performance the 2011 Spring Season

The new big fat comfortable venue is the CPIT Students Association (CPSA) Hall, at 5 Madras Street and about 300 meters south of our well loved Madras Café and Book Shop.

Open mic and guest readers. Wednesdays at 6.30 pm
Audience vote for the Best Open Mic Poet, see 7 December below.

19 October Vincent O'Sullivan, Jan Hutchison, Christina Stachurski,
Launch of VoicePrints3, featuring BYO & Visiting poets from 2010.

26 October Diana Bridge, Rodney Foster, Helen Bascand.

2 November Selina Marsh, Mark Raffills, Helen Jacobs.

9 November Bill Manhire, Steve Thomas, Dina Durrer.

16 November David Eggleton, Poets of The Hagley Writers' Institute.

23 November Vana Manasiadis, Gail Collier, James Norcliffe.

30 November Sarah Broom, Catherine Fitchett, Sandy Bain.

7 December Winning Open Mic Poets from the season.

Get Ready to Slam

2011-09-27T21:26:00.003+13:00

Announcing the Canterbury heat of NZ POETRY SLAM!

That's right, Aotearoa is organisin' and rising up to meet the challenge of Australia's best slam poets. Who will represent NZ in the first ever trans-tasman poetry slam?

This being it's first year there are finals only in Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch. The winners from each region will face off in Wellington on 29th October to find the best of the best to take on the Aussies.

Keep up with the latest news here: NZPOETRYSLAM

Canterbury - one night only! Come one, come all
Thursday 13th October
7pm sign up - 7.30pm start
Upstairs at the Pegasus Arms
14 Oxford Terrace
Entry is FREE!

Numbers to compete are strictly limited - first come etc etc.
Have 3 poems ready
You must be prepared to travel to Wellington on 29th October (flights covered)
Check out the Slam Rules here.

US Poetry Slam Champions visit ChCh

2011-09-21T17:13:00.002+12:00

Kia ora fellow poetic travellers. A little late notice here but we only just found out about this today...

As part of the UCSA Summer Sessions and in association with Musoc and Dramasoc, the UCSA presents a performance by two visiting US Poetry Slam champions.

Carrie Rudzinski and Ken Arkind will be at the Undercroft (under the James Hight Library, University of Canterbury) performing TOMORROW (Thurs 22nd Sept) from 12.30pm to 1.15pm for FREE. Nice!

Here's Carrie performing "Open Letter to the Last Person I Will Ever Love"

And here's Ken performing "For Wes"

NOTE: This is happening TOMORROW! The details again:

US Slam Poets
Thursday 22nd September
12.30pm - 1.15pm
The Undercroft
(James Hight Building, University of Canterbury)
and it's FREE

Beat St Sessions - get rhythm!

2011-09-12T14:04:00.004+12:00

Beat St Sessions returns for more following its triumphant debut at Beat St Cafe in August.
Spring is here so get along for some poetry and tunes and yummy temptations courtesy of Beat St Cafe.

Guest poets this month are the mesmerising Danielle O'Halloran and the globe-trotting Doc Drumheller (that's right folks, Doc is back and hitting da mic!)

Beat St Sessions (Third Thursday of the month)
Thursday 15th September
Beat St Cafe cnr Barbadoes & Armagh Sts
$5 if you can

Sign up from 6pm
with live tunes by Andy Coyle

Poetry from 7pm
open mic plus guest poets
Danielle O'Halloran
& Doc Drumheller with support from Aaron Boot

Beat St Sessions - Live Poetry+Music - Third Thursdays

2011-08-18T08:54:00.002+12:00

Feature Poets & Open Mic
Third Thursday of the month
Beat St Cafe - cnr Barbadoes & Armagh Sts
6pm - Music & sign up for open mic
7pm - Poetry kicks off
$5 door if you can

true flowers by dYLAN kEMP is launching this week!

2011-08-10T11:10:00.007+12:00

Our good mate dYLAN kEMP has arisen through the dust and rubble with a bunch of true flowers for everyone. Come and support him and check out the very much alive Christchurch poetry community this weekend. Media release follows:

Gap Filler is proud to support another literary event on a gap site - the launch of local poet dYLAN kEMP's third book, true flowers, featuring performance poetry by the author and other local poets. dYLAN has been writing and performing poetry for 20 years, all over New Zealand. A powerful and consummate performer, dYLAN's work is accessible, rich, and fun. He has been published in Takahe, Kokako and Catalyst magazines, and has featured in the Phantom Billstickers poetry on posters project.

The launch will feature performance poetry by dYLAN kEMP as well as Christchurch poets Tusiata Avia, James Norcliffe, Andy Coyle and Laura Tomlin – all accomplished performers and masterful craftspeople in their own right. An open mic session will follow for other poets out there who wish to present some of their work. dYLAN's book will be available for purchase on the day for $20.

Date: Saturday, 13 August (postponed in case of rain by one week – check gapfiller.org.nz or Gap Filler's Facebook page if unsure).

Time: 12pm sharp til approx. 2pm

Location: Former site of Herbal Dispensary and Williamson Picture Framing, cnr Kilmore and Barbadoes streets, the home of Gap Filler's Think Differently Book Exchange. If you haven't yet contributed a book that made you think differently to the fridge that is the book exchange, here's your chance!

Bring a plate of food to share and/or a chair if you like.

This event has been made possible by the generous support of Gap Filler, Creative Communities, and Phantom Billstickers.

Hope to see you there...

Poetry for Pudding returns!

2011-08-08T17:15:00.001+12:00

The rumours of their demise having been very much exaggerated - Poetry for Pudding rides again!

Recommencing at UBS (University Bookshop) on Friday 12th August at lunchtime (12pm - 1.30pm) Poets of any age or stage are welcome - bring a poem to share - yours or someone else's.

Keep it alive Christchurch!

Poetry for Pudding

UBS bookshop

University of Canterbury

Friday 12th August

12pm to 1.30pm

Final Poetry for Pudding at Borders!

2011-07-14T10:54:00.002+12:00

Could this be the end? Say it ain't so!

But come and show your support and celebrate a beautiful run at Borders Bookshop one last time.

Poetry for Pudding

Friday 15th July 7pm

Borders Bookshop

Rotheram St,

Riccarton

National Poetry Day in Christchurch

2011-07-14T10:22:00.003+12:00

National Poetry Day is Friday 22nd July

Received from Canterbury Poets Collective (thanks Sean!):

Canterbury University Bookshop invites you to come and enjoy some literary life in our recovering city.

Friday 22nd July

12pm - 1.30pm

Canterbury University Bookshop

Patrick Evans will chair a session with poets James Norcliffe, Tusiata Avia and students from the Hagley Writers Institute and the School for Young Writers.

Also appearing will be singer/songwriter Adam McGrath of The Eastern.

FREE tea & coffee, bring your lunch and a poem to add to the Poetry Wall.

Catalyst on The Green Fuse radio show!

2011-05-23T16:25:00.005+12:00

The Gate-Crashers Who Refused to Leave.

Typical poets, for the past month or so we have moved from occasional guest poets, crashin' on the sofa of the Green Fuse radio show (Volcano Radio 88.5 - streaming live to the world at http://www.volcanoradio.co.nz/) to taking over the helm of the good ship, drinking all the wine and monopolising the stereo while erstwhile poet-sojourner Ben Brown takes up his Maori writers residency at the Michael King Writers' Centre. Media release on that here.

You can tune in to the show via the miracle of the world wide interweb unless you're blessed to be living in Lyttelton Harbour/Whakaraupo. Click on the link above to Volcano's website and you click on the link to stream to your favoured player there.

Be sure to drop by here and let us know what you'd like to hear. We're planning some cool shows for the near future along with some special guests. And we'll do our best to keep the place tidy for Ben...

Redwood & Rhythm in CHCH!

2011-04-29T15:03:00.007+12:00

Redwood returns to her roots! Aka Rebecca Reider is a previous winner of Catalyst's Poetry Idol and was a regular face at the open mic nights. See her perform works from her recently released album Poetree. More info below:

Poetry & music duo Redwood & Rhythm are coming to Lyttelton and Christchurch to culminate their tour of the South Island with a performance at The Loons in Lyttelton on Sat., April 30th and a community workshop/open mic/performance evening at Sand Dance Cafe in New Brighton on Sun., May 1st.
Redwood & Rhythm is the fusion of performance poet Redwood Reider and guitarist/mandolin player Rhythm Raniera.

Sat., April 30th, 8pm
The Loons, Lyttelton.
$10 donation requested,
but all welcome regardless of ability to pay

Optional poetry writing workshop with Redwood:
Sun, May 1st
Sandancer Cafe,
New Brighton Mall (formerly Space of Love; across from Paper Plus).
Bring notebook at 7pm, followed by open mic poetry night at 8pm,
with a shorter performance by Redwood & Rhythm.
$5-10 donation requested / all welcome

Redwood (aka Rebecca Reider) is a spoken word poet known for inspiring audiences with her energetic performances set to live music. Born of the California slam poetry scene, this is poetry for the stage, not the page, ranging from the intimate to the political (and sometimes both at the same time). Rhymes of inner & outer revolution, of the individual's quest to achieve peace in a sometimes maddening world. Redwood has performed at festivals and venues across Aotearoa and has just released her first studio album, Poetree, featuring collaborations with a dozen musicians from NZ and beyond, ranging from meditative compositions set to flute and string trio, to live rapping and electric guitar loops. (Hear the album on http://redwoodthepoet.bandcamp.com/) She also teaches poetic creation workshops.

The nimble-fingered traveling musician Rhythm Raniera creates musical landscapes using string instruments, voice, and a loop pedal, voyaging across the genres from folk to reggae grooves. Together Redwood & Rhythm cocreate lively flows and spontaneous improvisations -- the words riding on Rhythm's melodies -- aiming from the heart to the heart. Audiences have found themselves listening deeply, singing along and dancing in the rain; it's always a varied and dynamic show.

For more info: www.myspace.com/rebeccapoetry

Let us rise! Gap Filler #3

2011-04-02T10:08:00.001+13:00

Ready....Steady....GO!
Good morning!

You are warmly invited to come to Gap Filler #3 at 276 Colombo Street, Beckenham from tomorrow (Friday)! I dare say it shall be rather far from warm, so rug up, bring a cushion/chair, an extra blanket and come and watch a film. There will also be live music from 5pm each night. The Eastern, Run Around Sue, Blues Professor, The Cracks in Everything, Darren Tatom, Lupis Luna, Plasticine Heroes, I Gave These Guys 5 Bucks, Sebastian Warren and Dr Sanchez confirmed thus far! Think of the site being a place to socialise, catch up and enjoy offerings from ChCh's creative community.

Films are free, but we would gratefully appreciate it if you drop a little something in our koha box on your way out to help us cover our costs. Here is what's on offer:

Friday, April 1, 8pm: Gordonia, (Tom Reilly, NZ, 2010, 80mins).

"One of the most extraordinary NZ documentaries in recent times, or perhaps ever" -Marcus Lush.
A community of wild West Auckland men fight for their right to live rough in a "designated scenic area" in the Waitakere Ranges. Gordonia featured in the 2010 International Film Festival. http://www.gordonia.info/

Saturday April 2, 8pm: Four Houses from Four Decades (Zoë Roland, NZ, 2008, 28mins).

Features abodes designed by Paul Pascoe, Don Donnithorne, Don Cowey and Warren and Mahoney. This screening will feature a talk by Dr Jessica Halliday, architectural historian and researcher for the film.

Sunday, April 3, 8pm: A programme of Len Lye's films followed by Roger Horrocks' Len Lye documentary Art That Moves

A celebration of the radically endearing work of New Zealand renaissance man Len Lye, famous for his kinetic sculptures and "direct film": films made by scratching, drawing and painting directly onto the celluloid film strip. We'll show a fair few of Lye's short films and a doco about him. Introduced by Len Lye Foundation director Evan Webb. http://www.pointofview.co.nz/Art_that_Moves.htm

More films will screen from Wednesday April 6 to Sunday April 10 from approximately 7pm (end of daylight savings). These will feature Gerard Smyth's film Barefoot Cinema about legendary NZ cinematographer Alun Bollinger; Candyman, a documentary by Costa Botes (NZ/USA) on the man who lost the Jelly Belly jelly bean empire; NZ short films by Taika Waititi (director of Boy and Eagle v Shark) and others; and classic heritage films of Christchurch and Canterbury in the early days accompanied by live music - Daughter of Christchurch (1928) and Cars to Carrington (1935-40). Plus much more.

Check our website for more information as we will update is regularly. gapfiller.org.nz

The site will open each night from 5pm with live music until dusk. Come early to get a good spot and bring a picnic. There is a Fish and Chip/Chinese take-away next door as well as businesses further along on Colombo Street where food can be purchased.

Location
Next door to Smiths Mitre 10
276 Colombo Street
Beckenham

Getting there
We encourage you to walk, ride or bus to the site or at least share a car with friends. Parking will be limited. There is some parking in the King St Mitre 10 car park. Please be thoughtful of local residents when you park in nearby streets.

Events will be canceled in the event of wet weather - check the website and Facebook page for notification. Please dress for chilly weather. You need to bring your own chairs and cushions as no seating will be provided this time. Site capacity is limited and Gap Filler will close the gate if it gets too full.

See you there!

x Gap Filler

PS: A very, very big thank you to land owner Murray Smith of Smith's Mitre 10, Beckenham for the use of the gap.

Catalyst endures

2011-03-02T08:43:00.003+13:00

Tihei mauri ora.

To all our friends, family and acquaintances in Christchurch and surrounds, Arohanui ki a koutou.

Our deepest condolences to all those waiting to hear and to those whose waiting is over.

Doc and I are OK and have seen and/or been in touch with many of the friends of Catalyst. There are many others that I hope I will get to see in the coming weeks.

Obviously this curbs our regular activities and I'm sure many of us had already forgotten that Wednesday 2nd March is a scheduled Catalyst night. Needless to say this will not be proceeding, at least in the usual format - perhaps each of us can take a moment tonight to say or read a poem with those we've lost or are losing, in mind. And maybe spare a thought for each other as we endure the days, weeks, months ahead.

I have no word on the state of AL's Bar but Uncle Al is OK at least, I do not know how to reach Ash. My thoughts go out to him. The bar is within the cordon of the CBD so there is no access anyway. Maybe we can all have mini or satelite Catalyst nights in our own homes with friends and family - it's important to stay connected - leave us a comment here on the blog to let us know you're OK too and if you do have a little private reading, tell us what you read or post it in the comments - perhaps we can have a Catalyst via the web. We'd love to hear from you.

For now, we endure. Tomorrow, we prevail.

Kia kaha.

First POETRY FOR PUDDING of 2011

2011-02-11T14:33:00.001+13:00

POETRY FOR PUDDING
Date: Friday 18th February 7 - 8.30 pm
Place: Borders Bookshop Rotherham St.Riccarton.
Poets of all ages and stages welcome.

Canterbury Poets Collective 2011 new season and venue to be announced soon

2011-02-08T12:04:00.003+13:00

First Catalyst of the year last week and what a way to kick things off! Our big thanks to Randall $tephens for getting us underway in style. Stay tuned for some photos.

In the meantime, here's some news from our brothers and sisters over at the Canterbury Poets Collective...

Happy New Year everybody.

Planning for the 2011 Season is almost complete and we
have a superb line-up of local and national poets booked.
A full and detailed programme will be sent out as soon as
all the details have been finalised.

Our well loved Madras Café Bookshop is not available but
we will shortly announce an excellent alternative venue
where light meals and refreshment will be available.

The season will run for 8 weeks from Wednesday 16th
March to Wednesday 4th of May. Starting time will again
be 6:30 PM and we will aim to finish before 9 o'clock.

Which means that the season overlaps with two Catalyst nights giving people an opportunity to get a full 12-course serving of poetry in both April and May!

I Statements -by Randall $tephens

2011-01-29T14:43:00.000+13:00

First Catalyst Open Mic + Special Guest from Melbourne

2011-01-29T14:25:00.003+13:00

First open mic of the year and we've got a special treat for y'all. The night will be opened for us by a touring performance poet from Melbourne, Randall $tephens.

Come along and check it out and join us and Randall for a drink or 3 at Al's Bar.

Catalyst Poetry Open Mic
with special guest Randall $tephens
Wednesday 2nd February, 8pm
Al's Bar, 31 Dundas St
Christchurch

Click on Randall's name above to visit his blog and also check out:

Wordplay
and WordinHand

ABOUT RANDALL $TEPHENS

13.7 billion Years ago an infinitely dense singularity existing without time or space exploded for unknown reasons, creating the universe. Then for a while not much happened.

In 1980 “The Empire Strikes Back” came out, and Randall $tephens was born, in Westport New Zealand. Randall $tephens is the last angry man, he was the first one too. He doesn’t use phrase like ‘l-o-l” and doesn’t tell people all about his new kettle on facebook. He does not believe in fairies (plop!). He doesn’t suffer fools. He doesn’t play nice with the other poets.

After travelling around performing poetry in New York, London and India, he returned to Australia. Randall is currently living in Denial, while visiting other emotional states throughout Australia and New Zealand. He is blogging unhealthy amounts of new poetry at 'Tales Told By An Idiot' (www.randallstephens.blogspot.com) where you can read it. He is however, truly at home on stage. He has a delivery style putting emphasis on having emphasis, combining a strong stage presence with clear, direct and personal writing.
He performs. Well.
He is on his way to see you.

Re-Mind the Gap

2011-01-24T13:13:00.008+13:00

I've been meaning to post about this for ages but well, you know Christmas and all that.

From 25th November to 5th December last year, these wonderful peeps pulled together a rag tag bunch of friends, artists, favours and sponsors to make something wonderful happen among the rubble of earthquake-rattled Christchurch.

Gap Filler was the resulting creation and like our own little urban 'field of dreams' - they built it and we came.

For more info on what the-? Gap Filler actually is, make the jump and for a page with more photos of some of the cool stuff that happened see here.

Poets took over the Gap for 3 afternoons on the weekends of this run, under the heading 'Poetry in the Gap' we came, we performed, we drank a lot of wine in the sun. A big thank you to Micah Timona Ferris for herding cats (poets) and making it all come together. A few poets even managed to sell a book or two. Here's some images of it all in action.

Happy New Year btw.

Barry Southam

Helen Back

Teoti Jardine

Ben Brown

And yet more poetry gigs... MER MADE

2010-12-10T15:54:00.001+13:00

As if Gap Filler and the huge Xmas Catalyst party wasn't enough to slake your thirst for spoken word in performance, there's another poetry/music gig coming up next week... this time the sisters are doing it for themselves...

`'~,.,~'`'~,.,~'`'~,.,~'`'~,.,~'

Mer Made

(because the earth is 80% water)

oceans, islands & merfolk

spin words & play music

`'~,.,~'`'~,.,~'`'~,.,~'`'~,.,~'

Thu 16 Dec from 8pm

Beat St Cafe, cnr Barbadoes & Armagh Sts

The Cracks in Everything lap songs by Nikki BERRY onto the shores of poems by Tusiata AVIA Jania GALLETLY Helen LOWE Danielle O'HALLORAN

which, of course, leads to a whirlpool of

Tamara SMITH & Sum SURAWEERA ---

the Flutation and Percussion from Mundi, ripplin ,over^under_through~ lyrics by Marissa JOHNPILLAI --- the Buoy from Elsewhere

`'~,.,~'`'~,.,~'`'~,.,~'`'~,.,~'

Just five bucks. Be there or be washed up

http://www.aproblemlikemarissa.net/mermade.htm

Postscript - Survivor: Poetry - helping the real survivors

2010-11-21T08:57:00.004+13:00

A big thank you to our wonderful audience at the Grand Final of Survivor: Poetry 2010 for helping us raise $250 for the Canterbury Earthquake recovery effort. We'll be placing this donation with the Kiwibank/Red Cross Relief Fund.

Poetry Survived!

2010-11-11T13:20:00.003+13:00

Survivors Ready!

Well the dust has settled over the stage at Al's Bar and the castaways have drifted back towards their respective homes. The world's first Survivor: Poetry was dropped on an only mildly prepared audience on November 3rd. The result was hilarity, drama, Leonard Cohen tributes, earthquake metaphors and believe it or not - poetry.

Amongst the fiendish challenges and heart-breaking Tribal Councils the poets managed to create some genuinely clever, funny and moving moments as one by one, they were eliminated or voted off by the tribe of castaways. There were team challenges and spontaneous haiku tie-breakers along with cameos from our wonderful judges and Ciaran's ham performance as the cruel MC himself.

Alas it came down to two as the cadre of previously eliminated castaways returned to pick the overall winner and inaugural Survivor: Poetry. In a satisfyingly dramatic and apt final act, the jury of eleven peers voted 6-5 for the eventual winner Sean Joyce. The runner-up was Micah Timona Ferris and the two faced the agonisingly slow reveal of the voting result (thanks, Ciaran) standing hand in hand.

Outstanding audience members had their reward and it was an exhausted but elated group of poets that left (or stayed at the bar) later that night, blessed by the spirit of Leonard Cohen I'm sure...

2010-10-13T13:43:00.000+13:00

POETRY FOR PUDDING
Date: Friday 15th October, 7 - 8.30 pm

Borders Bookshop Rotherham St.Riccarton.
Poets of all ages and stages welcome.

SURVIVOR POETRY 3rd NOV 7.30pm

2010-10-13T11:22:00.001+13:00

Next Catalyst Open Mic & TRUE STORIES Tour finale

2010-09-28T20:36:00.002+13:00

True Stories tour finale
Sunday 3rd October 8pm koha entry
El Santo Porteno - Lyttelton
(cnr Norwich Quay and Oxford St - on the waterfront - see a review of the bar here)
featuring poetry, stories, music, laughter and possibly tears from:
Ben Brown
Andy Coyle
Helen Back
Kate Anastasiou (music) + Hannah Harding & Simon Gregory (music)

AND THEN LATER THAT WEEK...

Catalyst Poetry Open Mic
Wednesday 6th October 8pm
Al's Bar 31 Dundas St ChCh.
Koha welcome.

The Lyttelton true stories road trip.

2010-09-23T16:43:00.002+12:00

Four well known entertainers from Lyttelton are hitting the road in a blue
bus this September to perform songs, poems and stories around the country.

Sat 18th sept Kaikoura The Strawberry Tree
Sun 19th sept wellington The Garden Club Terrace Bar, dixon St

Thurs 23rd sept Oamaru - The Penguin Club with reggae band Hikoikoi
Fri 24th sept Dunedin - Tangente Cafe Supper club
sat 25th sept Oamaru - The Grainstore with local poets
Sun 3rd 0ct Lyttelton El Santos at the old British Hotel

most shows $5 and 9pm start

Ben Brown is a multi published Lyttelton poet well known for his gripping
and gruelling spoken word performances. A poet of the old school he has
the capacity to grip the audience member by the throat and drag them
through a fascinating world full of vivid characters, black humour and
great damn lines.

Helenback is the original housewife from hell. She performs poetry so
unflinchingly real you will fall in love with her before the first pause,
just don’t invite her home to do the housework, or you might find a pitch
fork where it hurts.

Andy Coyle is a poet and storyteller with an eye for detail, and an ear
for regret. His deep patient delivery will inspire your imagination and
stir the muddy river bed of your subconscious.

Kate Anastasiou is a striking singer/songwriter who performs a compelling
blend of well written songs, improvisation, loops and story-telling, all
of this peppered with an instinctive feel for jazz and a love of being in
the presence of poetry and song.

Next Catalyst Open Mic

2010-09-23T14:34:00.003+12:00

Kia ora koutou,

We'll be back to business as usual, getting down n' dirty with the poets at the next Catalyst Open Mic:

Wednesday 6th October, 8pm
Al's Bar, 31 Dundas St, Christchurch
Bring yer own Poetry! We'll provide the ambience...

Hopefully we'll have an announcement about rescheduling Survivor Poetry by then. Stay tuned!

Iggy Defies the Earthquake!

2010-09-14T20:39:00.003+12:00

Iggy McGovern, Irish poet and academic, will give an impromptu poetry reading tomorrow,

Wednesday 15th at 6 pm, at Al's Bar, 31 Dundas Street.

Iggy is a regular visitor and is here at the invitation of the The Press Christchurch Writers’ Festival.

Biographical notes:
Iggy McGovern, Irish poet and academic - he is Associate Professor of Physics at Trinity College. Well known for his witty, playful, but emotionally engaged poems. The recipient of both the McCrae and Hennessy Literary Awards, his first collection The King of Suburbia (2005), is already reprinted. Read the review in The Listener here.

SURVIVORS READY!

2010-09-06T18:19:00.003+12:00

The castaways have thrown their lot in to Poetry Island and been whittled down to 15. What an amazing night at AL's Bar last Wednesday. 23 people auditioned for the limited places and the right to call themselves Survivors! We followed the audition by an open mic in which many returned for some de ja vu action in what totalled around 30 performances for the night.

Our sincerest thanks to everyone who participated and made it such a fun and full-on night. Thanks to our judges for the evening - Marissa (Games Master) Johnpillai, Ben 'Poetry Idol' Brown and providing continuity with the final, Doc Drumheller. Thanks to Al and Ash at the bar and most of all thanks to our awesome audience for the night - no show without punch!

We're counting down to Friday 10th September 7.30pm where the surviving poets will be put to the ultimate test. Who will be found wanting? Who will SURVIVE?

Find out:

SURVIVOR: POETRY
FRIDAY 10th SEPTEMBER, 7.30PM
BOATERS @ CHRISTCHURCH TOWN HALL
$16 ($14 Press subscribers)

Countdown to Survivor Poetry!

2010-08-30T22:33:00.004+12:00

Catalyst is proud to bring you the next evolutionary phase in live poetry:

SURVIVOR: POETRY

As part of The Press Christchurch Writers Festival 2010, Catalyst is unveiling their latest creation - the unholy spawn of reality TV, live performance and seat of the pants poetry to the death. Be part of history! Become the legend! When the page meets the stage can you survive the white heat of Survivor Poetry?

To audition for a place in the historical first 'season' of Survivor Poetry come to:

Catalyst @ AL's Bar - 31 Dundas St
WEDNESDAY 1ST SEPTEMBER, 8PM
Auditions will involve performing ONE of your original poems
OPEN MIC TO FOLLOW

Musicians! Be Part of Catalyst number 9 (number 9... number 9)

2010-08-11T13:22:00.005+12:00

Dear New Zealand Musician (and if you arent one, perhaps you know one or two and can forward this on to them. Heck, musicians send this to your friends too!)

Once again producer Jody Lloyd has undertaken the foreboding task to compile music for and produce a spoken word cd with Christchurch poetry outfit Catalyst.

This is the 3rd full length poetry-based CD produced by Catalyst . The first time we asked a few musicians for completed pieces of music. The second one was a collection of lyrical songs with spoken poetry added to them later. And for this one Jody has devised a more interesting plan, we want willing NZ musicians to send (by email) musical parts so i can use them like samples to compile new pieces of music. It'll be like piecing together a jigsaw puzzle with no prior picture.

If you have any unfinished recordings, why not send us parts of them?
If you are a drummer or percussionist, send some beats or rhythms.
guitarists - send some long chords, strum out a rhythm or play a solo.
bass player - make a bass line... but keep it simple.
piano player, violinist, trumpet, flute, recorder, clarinet, triangle, dulcimer, marimba, traditional Maori instruments... anything!
send us something you have played - even if it's just one note!

Even if you aren't a musician but you want to record sounds from your backyard or neighbourhood - birds, cicada's, bees, trains, creek, animals, feel free to record something and send it.

ATTENTION POETS: please don't send any recordings of your poetry, submissions are being invited by the editors directly.

here are a few guidelines for musicians:

1. We would prefer good recordings if possible, but if you have something great that is badly recorded, I may still be able to use it.
2. keep in mind I am making backing tracks for poetry - so keep it mellow. i.e. no death metal guitar solos.
3. format: wav, aiff or 320 mp3 files please. a 20 second wav file can be easily emailed.
4. submissions can be of any length, but preferably they should be 1 minute or less.
5. clearly name your file - with your name, and/or the name of the band you would like to be credited.
6. email files to music@trillion.co.nz

Contract.
By submitting musical sounds for the Catalyst 9 CD (which is an accompaniment to a book), you understand that your sounds may be manipulated or time stretched to suit the producers direction and ear. You also understand that your sound(s) may not be used if deemed inappropriate. You will be credited for your contribution, but there will be no financial payment. And due to the awkward and complex nature of the project, no track titles will be submitted to APRA for royalties. So you understand that your involvement in this project is because it's gonna be awesome, and this has never been done before (in the world).

submissions close on Sept 1st 2010, so hurry!
please forward this to anyone you know who might like to be involved.

2010-08-09T14:15:00.001+12:00

Survivor Poetry - Out Read. Out Write. Out Loud.

2010-07-22T11:07:00.008+12:00

Catalyst

presents:

an exclusive new form of performance poetry competition - cut-throat reality style

Friday10th September 7.30pm

Boaters @ ChCh Town Hall

Christchurch Writers Festival 2010

Twenty castaways find themselves stranded on stage in front of a live audience with the hope of surviving three rounds of performance poetry. Each contestant will read one poem in the first round to determine the top ten and then the castaways will fight for immunity in a series of spontaneous writing challenges to compete for a one in five chance to become the world’s first Survivor Poet.

IMPORTANT NOTICE

Survivor Poetry is entry by audition only. To be part of this event in the 2010 Christchurch Writers Festival you must attend and audition at:

Catalyst's Poetry Open Mic / Survivor Poetry Auditions

Al's Bar - 31 Dundas St

Wednesday 1st September 8pm. Entry is FREE.

It's good to learn how to let go...

2010-07-03T19:43:00.003+12:00

Do not adjust your television... Catalyst's blog is 'changing'... standby for instructions...

Next Catalyst Open Mic

2010-07-03T19:40:00.003+12:00

Greetings and salutations for what will be the last post on the blog in this form...

Yes, that's right, we're... transforming. Don't touch that mouse... Catalyst is, well, about to catalyze.

In the meantime - here's the reminder about this months open mic:

Catalyst Open Mic Night
Wednesday 7th July 8pm
Al's Bar - 31 Dundas St
(behind Pak n' Save Moorhouse Ave)

The Return of the Basement Poetic in Lyttelton

2010-06-22T17:15:00.002+12:00

Basement Poetic and Socrates Session
7pm Sunday 27th June
$10 waged, $8 unwaged

The perfect end to the Festival of Lights, bring your mind, your wit and your taste for wine to the cozy environs of The Basement! Join local luminaries of the literary ether for a night of poetry and spoken word, and have a go yourself during the open mic. Then 'speak to the topic' in the Socrates Session - a chance to air your own well-shaped arguments on a topic given on the night.

A little birdie told me the topic is CREDIT for the Socrates Session - forewarned is forearmed!

But I could be wrong...

Funds raised go towards supporting Volcano Radio - Community radio as it should be - LOCAL & LIVE!

Poetry keeps you cosy

2010-05-19T11:45:00.002+12:00

Wow. Just a quick note about two things. First, Catalyst in May was an absolute rip-snorter. The kinda night that keeps Doc and I excited and determined to keep the open mic running for all you poets out there. Big crowd, totally up for it and some great poetry too. I've got some pics coming soon - let's keep the momentum going for June! And keep in mind the ideas about a collaboration with Poetic Justice in Wanaka (we love those guys!)

Second: We're not the only game in town... if you're desperate for your poetry fix check out:

POETRY FOR PUDDING
Date: Friday 21 May, 7 - 8.30 pm

Place: Borders Bookshop Rotherham St.Riccarton.
Poets and listeners of all levels and ages welcome.

Bring a favourite poem...yours or another's. Come
and enjoy the friendly and relaxed atmosphere.

Now that's cosy.

Next Catalyst Poetry Open Mic...

2010-05-04T11:03:00.003+12:00

Wednesday 5th May 8pm
Al's Bar - 31 Dundas St
BYO poetry

Also the same night - the final in this year's series of readings from the Canterbury Poets Collective over at Madras Cafe Bookshop. Featuring each of the winners from this series open mics there. Why not do both? Poetry is ruling the city this week!

Sandra Sarala - live at Al's Bar

2010-03-20T14:25:00.005+13:00

Sandra Sarala, singing poet
Wednesday 24 March, 8.30pm
Al's Bar
with special guest, Maryrose Crook.

Coming up this week at Al's Bar is a visiting performance poet, or rather a long lost daughter of Aotearoa returning. We thought y'all should get along and check it out. It's not every week we have a touring poet of this calibre so come along and support!

More about Sandra:

Sandra Sarala. a.k.a. Sandra Dempster, left New Zealand 13 years ago for Seoul and ended up in Berlin, where she's been active in the city's vibrant international community as a singing poet with a sideline in archaic East European folk song for the last eight years.

Her poetic performances are lyrical, satiric, philosophic and story-telling: after studying history from 1989-91 at the University of Canterbury and theatre and film at Victoria University of Wellington in 1996 she was a member of Red Mole's Roadwork's company, she has devised and performed her own work in Wellington, South Korea, Poland and Germany, trained in Commedia dell'Arte in Italy, and developed open vocal technique with teachers from Ukraine, Russia, and Poland.

She's survived several economic meltdowns in various countries, including South Korea, Russia, Poland, the Czech Republic and Germany, and has fallen back on farming, journalism, life-modelling and teaching skills in most of those places.

After spending a winter writing, alone on an isolated central Bohemian farm with wood-stove heating/cooking and no running water, she fell in love with the luxuries of Berlin in spring 2002 and moved there, later becoming a co-founding member of the ensemble Polynushka, whose 2008 limited release CD of Russian village song won the German Record Critic's prize for folklore in August of the same year.

Having been born and raised and Dunedin then steadily making her way north through Christchurch, Wellington, Paekakariki, Asia and Europe, she's touring her way back south during March 2010 before returning to Berlin after Easter.

Photos become memories...

2010-03-20T10:23:00.003+13:00

Continuing our slightly drunken stagger down memory lane...

Ben - April 2008

Stefan - April 2008

Helen L. - April 2008

Helen Y. - April 2008

Nostalgia is a gateway drug

2010-03-20T10:16:00.003+13:00

I realised that the blog has been a bit static and also a bit too wordy of late. Here's a trip down memory lane with some of the poets at open mics in recent years...

Bella - December 2008

David - December 2008

Sean - December 2008

Ricky - December 2008

Poetic Justice, Southern Style

2010-03-20T09:55:00.003+13:00

We have a sister poetry open mic in Wanaka!

'The Poetic Poetesses', Laura Williamson and Liz Breslin run an open mic called Poetic Justice Wanaka at Pa Runga Wine Bar, upstairs from Kai Whaka Pai (cnr Ardmore and Helwick Streets, Wanaka)

Check out their blog via the link above or here.

Catalyst's March night was honoured to have Liz in attendance and over several drinks we started to cook up schemes to bring our two esteemed literary salon evenings together. Let us know what you think of that idea and what we could do together!

Next Catalyst Open Mic

2010-02-23T19:32:00.002+13:00

Kia ora!

Let Catalyst take you by the hand and lead you into Autumn

Wednesday 3rd March, 8pm
Al's Bar - 31 Dundas St
BYO poetry or whatever

it's hot today...

Happy New Year!

2010-01-09T12:37:00.002+13:00

Greetings and salutations for another year! This is just a quick wee post to notify y'all about our first open mic of the year and the special one-off date for it...

Catalyst's Poetry Open Mic Nights are returning in February 2010.

The first one is a little unusual with a slightly different date - for this month only we'll be on the first Thursday of the month. That means the date and details are as follows:

First Catalyst Open Mic for 2010
Thursday 4th February, 8pm entry is free
Al's Bar, 31 Dundas St Christchurch (behind Pak n' Save Moorhouse)

A Very Special Catalyst

2009-11-26T12:20:00.004+13:00

Don't you just love Christmas-themed copy writing that starts with headings like that?

Sorry.

Anyway, it's time for our last open mic of the year when we have a HUGE party and then take a couple of months off (the open mics anyay - we'll be making a new Catalyst CD over summer so no rest for the wicked). So. We were mentioning a party...

Catalyst Christmas Party
Wednesday 2nd December, 8pm
Al's Bar 31 Dundas St (Ch.Ch.bro)

featuring a book launch:

Strange Totems
haiku by Doc Drumheller

and Catalyst's Crazy Christmas Sale!

Unbelievable bargains to be had on our back catalogue.
Complete your Catalyst collection or take care of that Christmas shopping in one fell swoop!
Yes, it's poetry for Christmas!!!!

More on STRANGE TOTEMS:

Strange Totems is the latest collection of haiku by Doc Drumheller. Translated and presented in 3 languages - Japanese, English and Te Reo Maori. Strange Totems plays with themes of power and resonance in nature and in cities. The disconnect between humanity and nature and the power of culture and new mythology. The book is published by Clerestory Press who also presented Drumheller's first haiku collection Snake Songs and features photographic montage by the dynamic duo of Johnsin & Fox.

Responses to Catalyst...

2009-11-10T13:04:00.002+13:00

A nice mention over on The Creativity Room by the many-talented Ms Lucette Hindin...

Book launch: Songcatcher by Robynanne Milford

2009-11-05T11:23:00.004+13:00

Poems for songcatchers by Robynanne Milford aka Bella Boyd

Our City O Tautahi (old provincial chambers)
(cnr Oxford Tce & Worchester Blvd)

December 1 st 5.30pm Tuesday 2009

With songs by the Cecilian Singers
And poems by James Norcliffe, Bernadette Hall, Frankie McMillan, HelenLowe, Jeffrey Paparoa Holman

RSVP for catering Nov 23
bellaboyd@xtra.co.nz Poems available Madras Café Books

Catalyst Volume 8

2009-10-31T18:26:00.003+13:00

Poetry Takes Flight

Book Launch & Poetry Performance
with open mic and live music from Le Mot Café

Wednesday 4th November, 7.30pm
Al’s Bar - 31 Dundas St, Christchurch

2009-10-20T16:37:00.001+13:00

Poets for Samoa

Poets for the Tsunami

Fiona Farrell

Bernadette Hall

Ben Brown

Jim Norcliffe

Danielle O’Halloran

Tusiata Avia

MC: Victor Rodger

Thursday 5 November, 5.30pm,

Madras Café Bookshop, 135 Madras St.

Fundraiser for the Samoan tsunami relief effort – if you haven’t contributed yet, (or even if you have) here is your chance.

Tickets at the door: $10 donation. Raffle. All proceeds to Samoa tsunami relief.

Catalyst 8 - launching!

2009-10-19T12:21:00.002+13:00

Wednesday 4th November - time TBC
Al's Bar, 31 Dundas St
Christchurch

Just advance notice about the biggest party of our year! Please come along, celebrate the launch of the best Catalyst yet, maybe even buy a copy. Or three. We'll be selling subscriptions on the night also: get your Catalyst delivered!

Stay tuned for more information leading up to the launch. Thank you to everyone who's contributed and waited with us for so long!

Fantasy-Fiction Writing Workshop

2009-10-13T12:35:00.003+13:00

Check out this great opportunity presented by our pal Helen:

Award-winning author Helen Lowe runs a workshop on writing fantastic fiction, focusing on Fantasy and Sci-Fi. The session includes discussions and exercises on the essential elements of 'fantastic world building', structure and keeping it real. Bring pen and paper.

Saturday 17th October, 10am – 12pm
Venue: Christchurch Central Library
Fee: Free
Bookings: Essential; phone 941 7923

Links:
http://www.helenlowe.info/
http://www.thornspell.info/
http://www.christchurchcitylibraries.com/Events/NZBookMonth/

NZ Book Month & the ChCh Writers Festival

2009-09-25T13:50:00.003+12:00

Special poetry event in honour of NZ Book Month, brought to you by the Christchurch Writers Festival. Come and have a glass of wine and see some of Aotearoa's best poets perform their work. Nice.

Friday 2nd October, 5.30pm
Our City, O-Tautahi
cnr Oxford Tce & Worcester Blvd
$10 incl. glass of wine!

Poetry for Wellbeing!

2009-09-24T14:58:00.002+12:00

The next Catalyst night just happens to coincide with Mental Health Awareness Week and this happy collision means we can celebrate the life-affirming qualities of that elixir we know as poetry!

The theme for this year's Mental Health Awareness Week is 'Winning Ways to Wellbeing - Connect, Give, Take Notice, Keep Learning, Be Active.'

Come and see how Catalyst fulfills all 5 of the Winning Ways to Wellbeing by encouraging poets to connect with each other, take notice of the beauty of poetry, keep learning about performance techniques and new styles of writing, give freely of their verse and er, move around a lot while they perform!

We can imbibe other kinds of elixirs even as we partake of the heady properties of spoken word!

Where do I go for this unmissable evening of convivial verse and comraderie you wonder? Well, glad you asked:

Catalyst Poetry Open Mic
Wednesday 7th October, 8pm
Al's Bar, 31 Dundas St
Christchurch (behind Pak n' Save)
BYO poetry

Next Catalyst Poetry Open Mic

2009-08-29T09:31:00.004+12:00

Lots of fun last night at Al's Bar for the Phantom Billstickers launch of their third series of poetry on posters, on the occasion of Janet Frame's birthday. A bit of an impromptu open mic occurred and Al's famous hospitality was enjoyed by a good crowd of poetry-heads. The Janet Frame literary trust also announced the 2009 winners of the Janet Frame Literary Award:

For Poetry: Geoff Cochrane (latest collection - Pocket Edition)
For Fiction: Alison Wong (her first novel As the Earth Turns Silver out now)

Phew! That's some link-heavy action up there. Let's see some of you down at Al's again this coming Wednesday for Catalyst's open mic.

Catalyst Poetry Open Mic
Wednesday 2nd September, 8pm
Al's Bar, 31 Dundas St (behind Pak n' Scab)
BYO poetry & a sense of adventure!

The Phantom of Janet Frame...

2009-08-27T16:50:00.002+12:00

To mark the occasion of Janet Frame's Birthday tomorrow, Phantom Billstickers is launching it's third wave of "Poetry on Posters" which includes Catalyst fave Ben Brown. The winner of the Janet Frame Prize 2009 will also be announced.

“Poetry on the occasion of Janet Frame’s birthday”

Al’s Bar, 31 Dundas Street, Christchurch
Friday 28 August at 5.30pm

There’ll be refreshments and entry is free.
Presented by Phantom Billstickers

Art of Mixology

2009-08-24T15:59:00.002+12:00

Ragamuffin Children & Ciaran Fox

Poetry meets Music. They have an affair and the result is beautiful children.
Ragamuffin Children.
As part of Fat Eddie's Art of Mixology series of performances, Ciaran Fox is once again joining the Ragamuffin Children for an evening of music, poetry and spoken word.

Thursday 27th August, 8pm
Fat Eddies
SOL Square
Christchurch

If you missed them in the Christchurch Arts Festival as part of Love Letters in the Margin, now's your chance to experience one of the most sublime pairings to take the stage at the Festival Club in 2009.

Book Launch: Frankie McMillan - Dressing for the Cannibals

2009-08-19T10:16:00.006+12:00

Congratulations to local writer and Catalyst friend Frankie McMillan on the release of her first collection of poetry. Sudden Valley Press media release as follows:

Frankie McMillan: Dressing for the Cannibals

Sudden Valley Press

Frankie McMillan's first poetry collection, Dressing for the Cannibals (Sudden Valley Press), will be launched on Thursday 20 August, at 5.30 pm at the Christchurch Central Library, as part of the library's 150th celebrations.

In 2001, Frankie McMillan's short story collection The Bag Lady's Picnic (Shoal Bay Press), described as "dazzling" by the NZ Listener, received widespread critical acclaim. Now Dressing for the Cannibals—described by editor, Michael Harlow, as "full of those surprises that quicken the heart as well as the head"—promises to bring the same excitement to New Zealand poetry.

Described by the Christchurch Press's Poetry Editor, James Norcliffe, as "often surreal, faux-naif and dreamlike" the poems in Dressing for the Cannibals reflect the intriguing cover art by McMillan's daughter, NZ artist Rebecca Harris. As shown so often in her prose, McMillan has a keen, but nonetheless compassionate eye for the eccentricities of human life and nature, as well as a sly but also subversive wit.

Frankie McMillan holds a MA in Creative Writing (with Distinction) from the International Institute of Modern Letters at Victoria University. She held the Creative New Zealand Todd Bursary in 2005 and her poem, My Father’s Balance, won the NZ Poetry Society International Poetry Competition 2009; birthday boy, was runner up in the same competition in 2008. McMillan's short stories have appeared in Best New Zealand Fiction 5 and 6 (Vintage: 2008; 2009) and Essential New Zealand Short Stories (Vintage 2009) and both her poetry and short fiction have been widely published and anthologised. She is currently a creative writing tutor at Hagley Writers' Institute and the Christchurch Polytechnic Institute of Technology.

In addition to the launch of Dressing for the Cannibals on Thursday 20 August, Frankie McMillan and five guest poets (Bernadette Hall, Michael Harlow, Joanna Preston, David Gregory and Ross Brighton) will read at the Christchurch Central Library, from 12.30-1.30 pm on Friday 21 August, again as part of the library's 150th celebrations.

2009-07-28T11:01:00.002+12:00

One-Day Short Story Competition

Writers around Christchurch will be digging out their pens and infusing their creativity as they are offered the chance to take part in the One-Day Short Story Competition next week.

Christchurch Art Gallery, Christchurch City Libraries, The Cultural Precinct and the NZ Society of Authors have come together to host the event, which is part of the 150th anniversary of public library service in Christchurch.

On Sunday 2 August, adults and youths are invited to Christchurch Art Gallery to collect their competition packs, containing a list of 12 exciting features in the cultural precinct, competition instructions, a map of the cultural precinct and a blank CD.

To take part, participants will need to follow their maps around the cultural precinct, visiting different highlighted features. They must then write a short story, to a maximum of 1500 words that incorporates at least four of the distinctive features visited. Entries must be submitted on CD, and returned to Christchurch Art Gallery by 4pm the same day.

The competition includes two entry groups, youth aged 13-18 years and adults aged 18 upwards. The winner of the youth category receives $250 and their winning story published in The Press, while the winning adult receives $750, their story in The Press, one night at Classic Villa, dinner for two at the Curator’s House and tickets for the Court Theatre.

The one-day short story competition will be judged by well-known authors Kate De Goldi (winner of the 2009 New Zealand Post Book of the Year Award), Gavin Bishop (renowned children's book author and illustrator, who recently set up the Storylines Gavin Bishop Award) and well-known author Sally Blundell.

The winners will be announced on Wednesday 19 August at the Philip Carter Family Auditorium, Christchurch Art Gallery, as part of the free Literary Shorts event.
The One-Day Short Story Competition takes place on Sunday 2 August from 9.30am – 4.30pm. For entry requirements, visit www.christchurchartgallery.org.nz

For more information call Emily Davies, Communications Advisor on 03 941 8223

Love Letters in the Margin

2009-07-22T20:56:00.005+12:00

The two posters, side by side.

Love Letters in the Margin
Saturday 25th July 5.30pm
Festival Club Tickets $15
Pre-sales available from 0800 TICKETEK

Love Letters in the Margin is a performance by 3 poets and 3 bands - poetry powered by songs powered by poetry. Featuring the poetic prowess of Ben Brown, Marissa Johnpillai and Ciaran Fox paired with the musical muscle of The Eastern, Le Mot Cafe and Ragamuffin Children. The show features on the opening weekend of the Christchurch Arts Festival as part of the Wintergarden programme.

Hear Ciaran talk about the show on Plains FM.

A limited edition CD and programme will be available for sale at the show featuring a recording of a live-to-air broadcast show from Lyttelton's Volcano Radio which includes live performances from the poets, and songs from the bands.

Christchurch Art Gallery One Day Short Story Competition

2009-07-18T10:22:00.005+12:00

The Christchurch Art Gallery presents:

One-Day Short Story Competition - Sunday 2nd August
Judged by Kate De Goldi, Gavin Bishop and Sally Blundell, this story-writing competition is open to two age-groups. Winners will be announced on Wednesday 19 August

1 day to write a story based on a choice of the triggers provided by the Gallery.

Age groups
13–17yrs: 1500 words max.
First prize $250 and publication of short story in The Press.

18+yrs: 1500 words max.
First prize $750, publication of short story in The Press, one night at the Classic Villa, dinner for two at the Curator’s House and tickets for the Court Theatre.

9.30am: Register at the Gallery and get an information pack, which includes four of the twelve story triggers from within the Cultural Precinct to get your story started.

4.30pm: Entries handed in (late entries will not be accepted).

Foyer / free / for more information click here or tel: (03) 941 7342

Hymns for Her by Marissa Johnpillai

2009-07-18T10:15:00.000+12:00

Book Launch! Hymns for Her by Marissa Johnpillai

2009-07-13T18:40:00.002+12:00

Wednesday 22nd July, 5.30pm
Beat Street Cafe
cnr Barbadoes & Armagh Sts

Previous Poetry NZ feature poet and well-known Christchurch performance poet Marissa Johnpillai is launching her first collection of poetry next week at Beat St Cafe (a new venue for us poets so we'll see how it goes - it's in the old wooden bicycle shop building for those of you who know inner city Christchurch.)

With introductions on the night by this year's winner of the open section in the NZ Poetry Society International Competition, Frankie McMillan, who's launching her own latest collection next month and live music by flautist extraordinaire Tamara Smith (Mundi) plus some words by the author herself - should be fun times.

Hymns for Her was funded by Christchurch Creative Communities - staunch stalwarts of local poetry and funders of many an interesting underground literature project (we can't sing their praises enough!)

Marissa can also be seen in the upcoming, not-to-be missed live poetry/music salon Loveletters in the Margin as part of this year's Christchurch Arts Festival Wintergarden programme in the TelstraClear Club. Stay tuned for more info on this amazing one-night-only performance but if you can't wait check out the info here.

Next Catalyst Poetry Open Mic

2009-06-26T11:36:00.002+12:00

Catalyst Poetry Open Mic
chasing away the winter gloom since 2003

Wednesday 1st July, 8pm
Al's Bar, 31 Dundas St

Come one, come all. Bring yer words, have fun be fun.

Catalyst Live Poetry - Weds 3rd June, 8pm!

2009-05-01T19:35:00.003+12:00

Goodness me! It's time for another one!
Wednesday 3rd June 8pm
Al's Bar, 31 Dundas St
Christchurch

Book Launch: Snake Songs

2009-04-21T12:33:00.003+12:00

Our very own Doc Drumheller is launching his latest book, a collection of haiku accompanied by original illustrations by Rua Pick.

The launch will feature live readings by the author and an exhibition of the original artwork by Rua. All welcome to attend.

Snake Songs launch
Wednesday 22nd April 6.30pm
Toko Mata Gallery & Studio 82 Lichfield St

2009-03-25T13:09:00.001+13:00

Catalyst: Supporting Brother/Sister Poets Since 2003

Poetry in Performance at the Madras Café Bookshop

Canterbury Poets present - Poetry in Performance Wednesdays at 6.30pm at the Madras Café Bookshop.

The evening will feature an open microphone and guest readers.

18 March: Tim Jones, Fiona Farrell, Victoria Broome
25 March: David Howard, Marissa Johnpillai, Helen Lowe
1 April: Frankie McMillan, Tusiata Avia, Ben Brown - followed by Catalyst 8pm at Al's Bar!!!
8 April: Ian Wedde, Charlotte Trevella, Helen Yong
15 April: Richard Reeve, Diana Deans, John O'Connor
22 April: Bernadette Hall, The Hagley Writers
29 April: Kevin Ireland, Joanna Preston, Koenraad Kuiper

All welcome. licensed and BYO.

cost:

$5 at the door.

dates:

Wed 18 Mar 09, 6:30pm

Wed 25 Mar 09, 6:30pm

Wed 01 Apr 09, 6:30pm

Wed 08 Apr 09, 6:30pm

Wed 15 Apr 09, 6:30pm

Wed 22 Apr 09, 6:30pm

Wed 29 Apr 09, 6:30pm

venue:

Madras Cafe Book Shop, 165 Madras Street, Christchurch

Next Poetry Open Mic

2009-03-23T21:03:00.003+13:00

Struggling to find anyone to listen?

Come to Catalyst!
Live Poetry Open Mic
First Wednesday every month
Al's Bar, 31 Dundas St (behind Pak n' Save Moorhouse)

Next open mic:

Wednesday 1st April (no kidding!)
8pm the blackboard's open for bid'ness.

2009-02-27T12:40:00.001+13:00

Catalyst: Not Participating in Recessions Since 2003

Well! You heeded the call to arms last month and we carried on in fine style from December. Looking forward to hearing new poetry and seeing new faces next week. Tell all your friends (and even your enemies) - we've got some solutions to the economic crisis of our own. It involves wine...

Literary journal Catalyst hosts the longest continuously running poetry/spoken word night in Christchurch. First WEDNESDAY of EVERY month, all welcome to read, perform or listen. Entry is FREE.

CAUTION! Open Minds Operating

Catalyst Poetry Open Mic Night

Wednesday 4th March, 8pm

Al's Bar, 31 Dundas St
Christchurch

Book Launch - Tusiata Avia

2009-02-05T13:02:00.002+13:00

A special notice from our friend about her excellent new book - not to be missed!

Talofa

An open invitation to the book launch of “Bloodclot”, Tusiata Avia’s new book.

Nafanua, the Samoan goddess of war, leaves the underworld to wander the earth as a half-caste girl from Christchurch. “Bloodclot” is the astonishing new automythographical book by the author of “Wild Dogs Under My Skirt”.

Saturday 7 February, 5-8pm
Our City Otautahi, corner of Worcester St & Oxford Tce Christchurch
- part of Iva Pacific Arts Festival 09.

2009-01-26T22:10:00.001+13:00

Catalyst: Keeping Our New Year's Resolutions Since 2003

Welcome to the '09!

Catalyst is back in business and raring to go - first open mic of the year - be the first to take the stage for 2009!

After the rip-roaring night we had to see off the year in December we can't wait to see what you've all been busy writing over the summer holidays. It better be GOOD. Anyway, come along, have a few wines - everything's good after that!

First Open Mic for 2009!
Weds 4th February, 8pm
Al's Bar, 31 Dundas St

Catalyst: Giving the gift of poetry since 2003.

2008-11-28T11:39:00.000+13:00

Catalyst Christmas Extravaganza!

It’s the last open mic for 2008. Come send out the year in a poetic flourish!

It’s a special Xmas party this month with fabulous prizes (kindly donated by Helen Lowe) for the first ever
Catalyst Open Mic People’s Choice award.
Uncle Al’s putting on some wine specials and we’re discounting fantastic books of poetry at never-to-be repeated prices!

Come get merry with us at Al’s Bar, pick up some books for your family and friends and generally have yourself a time!

Catalyst Xmas Extravaganza
8pm, Al’s Bar 31 Dundas St
Wednesday 3rd December

Next Catalyst Open Mic

2008-10-29T21:58:00.003+13:00

Wow! A whole month and no posts! Slap our collective wrist!

Anyway - the news is: The Open Mic this month only will happen on the second Wednesday of November. That is all. Goodnight and good luck.

Catalyst Open Mic
Wednesday 12th November, 8pm
Al's Bar 31 Dundas St
(behind Pak n' Save Our Souls)

Catalyst Poetry Open Mic

2008-09-29T12:27:00.004+13:00

Yes! There is an open mic this week!!!

Wednesday 1st October 8pm sign up!
Al's Bar, 31 Dundas St (behind Pak n' Scab)

Be there or be Beached As!

Con Cuba hoy - Kiwi arts community goes one step further

2008-09-28T11:33:00.004+13:00

Cuban Foreign Minister Perez Roque said, on Friday, that Washington's 50-year-old blockade is the main obstacle hindering development in the country and is making it more difficult for the Cuban people to recover from the devastation that resulted from the hurricanes Gustav and Ike.

Today members of the Kiwi arts community, (Jean Betts, Russell Campbell, Mark Derby, Jeffrey Paparoa Holman, Wanjiku Kiarie, Dean Parker, Rolando Olmedo, Martyn Sanderson and the Equuslive Collective) have launched a petition urging the active engagement by the New Zealand government in addressing this urgent issue.

Below is the new post on the solidarity webpage explaining all and, below that, some suggestions of action you could take.

Con Cuba hoy- Kiwi arts community goes one step further

"Playwrights, poets, film makers and musicians have rallied to a request from their Cuban colleagues to call on the US to lift the economic blockade and in doing so have gone one step further and initiated a petition calling on the New Zealand Government to take decisive action to aid the Cuban people in the face of the devastation wrought by hurricanes Gustav and Ike.

The petition coordinator, film director and playwright Paul Maunder, has called others in the Kiwi cultural community to "assert their solidarity as a national grouping" and request the Prime Minister to grant immediate aid to Cuba and intensify its efforts to have the US blockade of the country lifted.

The recent hurricanes have left Cuba devastated and it will take billions of dollars for Cuba to recover. A recovery Paul notes "that is made hugely more expensive and problematic because of the hypocritical US economic blockade of the country."

"For some reason, Cuban's 'human rights failings' (which includes presumably their ability to cope with these hurricanes with less loss of life than any of the other countries afflicted, including the US) means that this small but significant country, must be punished further, now that they have been punished so severely by the politically indifferent hurricanes."

The petition calls on the NZ Government:

(i) to actively urge the US to lift the blockade,

(ii) to grant Cuba immediate aid,

(iii) and to be willing to support NGO agencies in the usual manner, if any wish to activate an aid programme with Cuba.

Included among the petition initiators are Jean Betts, Russell Campbell, Mark Derby, Jeffrey Paparoa Holman, Wanjiku Kiarie, Dean Parker, Rolando Olmedo, Martyn Sanderson and the Equuslive collective.

The petition is here

The Artists call is here

Action you could take:

Circulate this broadly

Urge the artists, writers, musicians, poets, etc, that you know, to sign on

Circulate this to your local media/ drop copies at your favourite café

Raise the issues relating to the blockade with your MP and/or other election candidates

Raise the issues relating to the blockade at union / community group / sports club meetings

Urge your favourite aid agency / NGO to get involved

--

Cuba Solidarity Christchurch

Spoken Word Event

2008-09-21T14:41:00.002+12:00

Just plugging some good friends of ours! If you like your spoken word and poetry gritty, atmospheric, charged and powerful - this is the gig for you.

Their media release follows:

Poetry, Stories, Songs

with AJ Coyle, Ben Brown and I am the Light*

Thursday 25^th September 2008 Wunderbar, London St Lyttelton, ChCh

AJ Coyle’s annual Wunderbar performance is happening on 25^th of September this month and promises to be an upbeat celebration of the magic of words and the imagination, featuring powerful poetry performer Ben Brown, soulful and enigmatic singer I am the Light*, and guest appearances from an exciting array of local musicians.

AJ Coyle is one of Christchurch’s most innovative performers and a captivating story teller. The show will showcase some new material and will include a preview of advance copies of ‘Subreal Urban Myths’ a collection of poetry and stories set in and around Christchurch’s Cathedral Square.

In 2006 ‘Subreal Urban Myths’ first appeared as a performance piece featuring a soundtrack composed by brother James Coyle, keyboardist for reggae groups Hikoikoi and Safari, and folk duo Jessie James. The show was performed with a seven piece jazz/rock ensemble at the Harbourlight Theatre, Lyttelton; the Dunedin Fringe Festival, and the Wellington International Jazz Festival.

“There is a natural sense in the current urban consciousness that the world is on a ticket to human powered self-destruction. “Freedom” is a conundrum and apathy rules. Andrew Coyle’s Subreal Urban Myths explores individual journeys in this environment; each character deals with a collective or global consciousness in their own ways. Their stories form a collective subreal; a narrated and implied groundswell of a population that is on the threshold of a new existence.” - James Coyle

Guest Poet Ben Brown

Ben Brown is a multi published Lyttelton poet well known for his gripping and gruelling spoken word performances. A poet of the old school he has the capacity to grip the audience member by the throat and drag them through a fascinating world full of vivid characters, black humour and great damn lines.

Ben was recently crowned champion of performance poets in Christchurch winning his way to the top in an evening of knock out poetry at the Dux de Lux as part of The Press Christchurch Writers Festival 2008.

Ben will be performing his poems and will be accompanied from time to time from some of the local musicians. Ben will also be reading from his short story work Dogtown Blues, a hard hitting account of life in small town New Zealand.

Support Act: I am the Light*

I Am The Light (Malisa Palalagi) began gigging at age 16 and since then has played in numerous bands such as ska band 4Manbob (CHC), pop-punk band All Left Out (AKL) and currently plays in post-hardcore outfit Mona Vale Falls and folk/soul duo The Gentlys.

This diverse cross-section of genres has given Malisa endless amounts of inspiration for her own song-writing creations. I Am The Light* is an intriguing layer-cake of sounds, ideas and creativity. She is hoping to record some of her latest collaborations with other local artists later this year.

Catalyst 7: The Original Branch Manual - Launch Photos

2008-09-21T14:30:00.006+12:00

Christchurch Writers Festival 2008
Al's Bar - Saturday 6th September

Andy Gibson

Ben Brown with Tono & The Finance Company

Tono

Jody Lloyd with Tono plus Doc Drumheller

Jody Lloyd (Trillion) with Tono & The Finance Company

Catalyst 7: The Original Branch Manual - Launch Photos

2008-09-21T14:22:00.004+12:00

The Press Christchurch Writers Festival 2008
Al's Bar - Saturday 6th September

Lindon Puffin & Doc Drumheller

Lindon Puffin

Rachel Douglass & Le Mot Cafe

Demarnia Lloyd

Ciaran Fox & Andy Gibson

Poetry is Free Speech - Speak Freely!

2008-09-04T14:39:00.002+12:00

Catalyst 7: The Original Branch Manual

I just wanted to write about the significance of this volume in terms of what Catalyst is trying to achieve. At Neoismist Press we have a very human interest in numbers and their significance as well as patterns in mathematics so we can't resist doing something special for our 7th edition. Choosing to celebrate all the things we have achieved so far in Catalyst's 5 year history we wanted to represent them in this volume - poetry, visual art, design, spoken word and innovation. So on the occasion of our 5th anniversary and our 7th edition we have chosen to produce another CD volume containing 7 poems + 7 songs and in the accompanying booklet - 7 artists work. The innovation comes in the format of Catalyst 7 - forgoing the book format altogether and opting for a CD/booklet inside a DVD case.

We have long been fans of the quirky innovation of literary journal McSweeneys and have sought to emulate (with a miniscule budget)in some small way this playful approach to publishing Catalyst within New Zealand's literary scene. So far, we have largely been overlooked. Eschewed by arts funders and ignored by the literary press in New Zealand we have quietly continued to innovate and push boundaries all 'on the smell of an oily rag'. We may be small but we are proud. Catalyst was the first literary journal in NZ to commit to releasing CDs of spoken word. The polish and production of the first Spoken Word volume of poetry (accompanying Catalyst 4) drew praise from the music scene and silence from literary circles. However a raft of imitators and clones followed - poetry CD releases from other publications and poetry groups followed including the impressive series from Auckland University Press of Classic NZ Poets in Performance, Contemporary NZ Poets in Performance and lastly New NZ Poets in Performance.

Meanwhile Catalyst continues to quietly agitate in the shadows of such literary collossi. Catalyst 7: The Original Branch Manual once again breaks new ground in shifting it's format. In the first collection of spoken word (Catalyst 4), music was chosen to act as backing for the poets, enhancing and illuminating the delivery of the poem. This time round the exploration of the resonance between poetry and music is by direct contrast of songwriting and poetry. 7 songs were selected based not only on their musical quality but also their lyrical content. By juxtaposing the poems directly next to and overlapping the songs an alchemical reaction seemed to occur. In the words of Doc Drumheller "accidental synergy" even though the songs and poems were composed and written quite independently. The result of this experiment is The Original Branch Manual - Catalyst vol. 7.

2008-08-25T13:50:00.004+12:00

The Press ChCh Writers Festival

presents

The Original Branch Manual: Catalyst 7 - LIVE!

LAUNCH EVENT featuring live performances from musicians and poets featured in CATALYST 7

Saturday 6^th September, 8pm
Al’s Bar, 31 Dundas St

$10 door entry (or free with purchase of Catalyst $25)