| poetry. music. theater. art gallery. retreat space... Click Here for Directions |
1249 Portage St. Kalamazoo MI (inside the Portage Street Fire Station) |
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2006 Events .January. 2006 Friday, January 6, 8pm PEACE & WAR: Everybody get on the Mic Tonight, bring a couple of your own poems to read about peace and/or war. It will be a night of open mic poetry with a few of our favorite poets in the mix. Open Mic at 8:30 $3 Friday, January 13 Improv Night featuring Crawlspace Eviction doors open at 9 pm cover charge Friday, January 20 th, 8 pm Feature: Beth Bullmer Kalamazoo’s NPS team member in 2000 - 2004 Open Mic at 8:30 Feature begins at 9:00 $3 .February. 2006 Friday, February 3rd Feature: Methyce The Mystic aka Thesius Sage Open Mic at 8:30 Feature begins at 9:00 $3 Friday, February 17th, 8 pm Feature: Blair click here to hear Blair perform Detroit Slam Poet, NPS and Def Poetry Jam Performer Open Mic at 8:30 Feature begins at 9:00 $3 Thursday, February 23rd Improv Night featuring Crawlspace Eviction We'll be performing our "More or Less" format. We all had a great time with it before, and we're doing it again. show begins at 8 pm $ 5 cover charge .March. 2006 Friday, March 3rd 5 - 7:45 pm ART HOP featuring artist denise miller featuring mixed media and fine art show begins at 5 pm free admission for the Art Hop only free refreshments while they last & Friday, March 3, 8 pm Feature: Buddy Wakefield click here to hear Buddy perform the 2005 Individual World Poetry Slam Champion Open Mic at 8:30 Feature begins at 9 pm $3 Friday, March 17, 8pm Feature: Versiz Open Mic at 8:30 pm Feature begins at 9pm $3 Friday, March 24 Improv Night featuring Crawlspace Eviction 8 pm $ 5 cover Wednesday, March 29 - Saturday, April 1 KnockAbout Theater Co. Presents "Call Me Crazy" By Suzan Aiken & Lisa Marie Dorgan The show is opening on a Wednsday and running for one weekend, Weds-Sat. All shows will be at 8 p.m., all tickets are $15 dollars. For more info call the KnockAbout at 269- 808-3184. Please DO NOT call Fire to make reservations. April Friday, April 7th, 8pm Spoken Word Poetry w/ feature poet Cassie Poe Detroit slam poet Open Mic at 8:30 pm Feature begins at 9 $3 Thursday April 20, 7pm Edison Film Forum feature: "Los Bandits - More than A Tex Mex Band" Produced by Dhera Strauss, The film starts at 7:00 free admission June .July. 2006 Friday, July 21, 8pm Poetry w/ feature poet Sou MacMillan .August. 2006 Tuesday, August 1, 6-8pm Free Movie for Kids ages 8 - 12 Shaggy Dog Friday, August 4 Theory Flint performance poet & member of the Neo Griots Friday, August 4 The Music of Life r&b, blues, funk, soul w/vocalists Linsay Kelly & Sarah Doezema $8 at the door TUESDAY, August 8 Music and Murals Hop w/ Edison Mainstreet DJ Zuby (youth-friendly) 6:00pm – 8pm Friday, August 18 Wizdom Flint performance poet Friday, August 25 Teen Dance Party w/ dj disobedience and dj tai spinning r&b & hip hop 7 - 10 pm $ 2 ADMISSION .September. 2006 Friday, September 1 Drak Member of Kalamazoo's 2006 National Poetry Slam Team Friday, September 15 Fire's 1 Year Celebration! w/ feature poet Future Friday, October 6th ARTandPOETRYandMUSICandFilm ART HOP 5-7 pm mixed media artist Cher free refreshments & admission POETRY 8 - 10 pm Dem Cats - Nigel and De'Shawn Wisconsin Slam Team 2006 Members Open Mic at 8:30 pm Feature begins at 9 $5 MUSICandFilm 11pm BLUE DAHLIA & THE FEATURE FILM - NOSFERATU Blue Dahlia presents a pre-Halloween screening of F.W. Murnau’s classic vampire flick NOSFERATU with live musical accompaniment at FIRE, Kalamazoo’s most happening spot for great poetry and unusual performance art. Admission is only $3 if you stick around after the poetry show (which starts at 8), or $5 for a “movie only” pass. Please note: if you are coming in time for the film, doors will not open until 10:45 when poetry has concluded. Please enter quietly and courteously. Thanks! .Upcoming Events. Friday, December 1 Poetry and Open Mic with feature slam poet Gabriel Gabriel Giron has been living life by his own rules since before he was born. This has caused some challenges for those around him - one early recipient being his mother Judah. After carrying him for 9 long months, Gabriel decided he didn’t want to leave the womb, causing her a 36 hour labor and an eventual delivery by cesarean. Once he arrived, he was so full of energy for the first two years that he took no naps and when he did go to sleep, he only slept for two hours at a time. This meant his mother also had to adjust to his rules and wake every two hours from 10pm – 6am. In the years that followed, he traveled different paths from exploring drugs to running away from home, from anger bouts to needing a ride after escaping a cop-crashed party – all of which tested her calm. Gabriel graduated high school in 2000 with a 2.8 GPA (she had graduated in the top 10 of her class); he decided to join the military (she is a strong supporter of peace). Then seven months into his service he was diagnosed with stage 3B testicular cancer and a new kind of adversity. After a year long battle with the disease, Gabriel triumphantly survived and in 2003 he was honorably discharged from the Army with a clean bill of health and a new-found passion for life. His perceptions about the importance of success according to society’s standards went out the window along with his decision to go to college to study Business. He is currently attending Western Michigan University and is double majoring in Creative Writing & Film, Video, Media Communications – his true passions in life. Gabriel is dedicating his first feature – to be held at Fire – to his mother, Judah, for the endless support and love he has received from her. “Through it all she has been there to offer support and guidance through the obstacles and decisions I have faced. I owe her my life, literally. I promise to make this show unique and awesome for those who show up.” Gabriel was a member of both the 2005 and 2006 Kalamazoo National Poetry Slam Team and is the current Kalamazoo Slam Champion. “I love collaborating with other artists so I’ve asked some very talented surprise guests to come out and join the show. And we’re planning to blow some people away.” doors open at 8:30pm open-mic & feature poet $3-$5 at the door Friday, December 8 Linsay Kelly, The Big Voice in Kalamazoo is back at Fire singing R&B, Folk and Blues doors open at 8:00 pm $7 at the door Saturday, December 9 Nayanna Holley with Dave Izard on piano, Aaron Tully on bass, and Ryan Andrews on drums two shows at 8:00 pm & 10:30 pm $10 at the door general admission $6 students w/ I.D. Nayanna Holley grew up in Los Angeles, California. Her introduction to music began at a very early age. At age two, she obtained her first passport and began traveling on the Michael Jackson "BAD" tour with her father, Dorian Holley. Dorian, a renowned background/studio singer in the Los Angeles area, took Nayanna along with him on the remainder of Michael's world tours, as well as tours with Rod Stewart and James Taylor. She began to study vocal jazz music at the Los Angeles County High School for the Arts, where she graduated in 2002 with Honors. During her high school career, she was a finalist in several competitions including the SPOTLIGHT Awards, the Black Experience as Expressed through Music (BEEM) Awards, the National Foundation for the Advancement of the Arts: Arts Recognition and Talent Search (NFAA) and she was a three time winner and one time national finalist of the NAACP's Afro- Academic-Cultural-Technological-Scientific-Olympics Competition. (ACT-SO) Nayanna was also the winner of the "Outstanding Vocalist" award in the 45th Annual Monterey Jazz Festival Competition. Nayanna attended the Musician's Institute and studied under Mike Campbell in the summer of 2001. She currently attends Western Michigan University where she is a member of the nationally acclaimed "Gold Company" vocal jazz ensemble. There, she studies under the instruction of Dr. Steven Zegree and Professor Diana Spradling. She has won several DOWNBEAT Student Awards with Gold Company and has traveled all over the world. Nayanna will graduate from Western Michigan in June of 2007 with a Bachelor of Arts: Jazz Studies, as well as a Minor in Spanish Language. shows at 8 & 10:30 pm $10 general admission & $6 for students w/ I.D. Friday, December 14 Poetry and Open Mic with feature slam poets Dem Cats From the growing Milwaukee Poetry scene, comes two that have joined talents to bring powerful, funny, and inspiring spoken word to the world. De’Shawn Ewing (Pyramid) and Nigel Wade combine an energetic performance with a strong chemistry to form the group, “Dem Cats”. De'Shawn Ewing (Pyramid) is a native of Milwaukee, WI. Pyramid is a poet and spoken word performer. His words deliver power and healing to the reader and listener. He has also performed on program with the legendary Last Poets and several other national artists. Pyramid was selected alternate member of the 2002 Milwaukee National Slam Team, qualified as a finalist for the 2003 and 2005 Milwaukee National Slam Team Competition, and ranked 5th overall in the 2006 Milwaukee National Slam Team Competition. He is also a member of the 2006 Midwest Poetry Slam League Champions from Milwaukee. Nigel, a Milwaukee native, got his stripes appearing at open mics around Milwaukee and performing in Slams. Drawn in by his animated performance and unique poetic style, Nigel was told that he had a “…unique sound”. “You don’t sound like someone else, commented Mark Smith, founder of PSI (So what?!) It was this unique style that earned him a place on the 2006 Milwaukee National Slam Team among some of Milwaukee’s finest poets, his first time ever trying out for the team. Nigel was a member of the 2006 Milwaukee National Slam Team, and member of the 2006 Midwest Poetry Slam League Champions from Milwaukee. As a team, Pyramid and Nigel, display a combination of entertaining performance, true raw emotion, and great writing. Wait ‘til you see and hear Dem Cats! doors open at 8:30pm open-mic & feature poet $5 at the door Wednesday, December 6 DANCE YOUR PASSION Facilitated by Leah Mueller and Russ Van Rooy Come to Fire Gallery and experience unscripted, completely spontaneous ecstatic dance! Let the musical rhythms transport you to another place. Every week features a different theme, with a wide variety of eclectic sounds, always geared to help you open up to the passion within! 7:00 PM-9:00 PM. $5.00 admission. Questions? Call Leah or Russ at 269-342-2926. 2007 Events Tuesday, January 9th Kalamazoo Poetry Slam with feature poet Gabriel doors open at 8:30pm open mic, slam and feature $3 - 5 at the door Thursday, January 11th Doors open at 8:30 Carrie is on at 9 $3 admission Friday, January 12th FunkTwo Eleven with special guest R. Stanley Humes Funk 211 A crazy, warped talented group of musicians of many travels. Zero egos and sworn to uphold the funk. Together about 3 years and we've been the best kept secret according to all who have seen us in action. Slowly becoming a regional favorite, our plan of attack is to hit as many major events as possible. Each member has played in various bands and projects. Experienced in many styles of music and have been "studio guys" at every level. Original material for an album is in the working and hope to release sumthin' in the very near future. So come and check out what will soon be known as Uni-ver-Soul-Luv music, it has no limits! Check out more of our music at our other website at http://artists.nfluentmusic.com/Funk211. Music has always been a prime motivator and passionate force in the life of R. Stanley Humes. Ralph's desire to be a musician led him to purchase a guitar after a summer of working. After teaching himself to play he sent out a demo tape in hopes of launching a music career. After his high school graduation he went to start a band in the Detroit area. The day this prospective band met, Ralph received a call about his demo. He was asked to go directly to the airport where a ticket would be waiting for him. Later that evening Ralph stood in Tampa Florida. He toured for the next three years and traveled all over the United States. Three years of touring gave access to a diverse section of American cuisine. Music and quality food became an intertwined force as one began to feed the other. The music not only sets the tone for cooking, it sets a mood for all who come inside. This is the reason why music is a big part of the restaurant to this very day. After the tour ended, Ralph returned home to Michigan. It was not too long before he received a call about a new band forming in Kentucky. He decided to join the band, and it was here that Ralph met his wife, Pamela. Once they were wed they moved to Atlanta. Once in Atlanta, Ralph found employment at a large gallery that specialized in wholesale art from around the world. Ralph's boss also shared a passion of food, and took him all over to eat. These experiences helped spark Ralph's passion for gourmet cuisine. During one of these experiences, Ralph's boss asked if he wanted to open a restaurant of his own. This single statement provided direction for Ralph's ambitions. He began collecting recipes and talking to chefs and the concept of opening a restaurant began to take form. It was then that Ralph decided to move back to Michigan. The Gallery gave him a job as a sales representative, something he could do from his Michigan home. However, the dream to open a restaurant had taken hold and he knew it was only a matter of time before he would go into business for himself. Ralph was doing record sales in the area, and was pulling down a high salary, but his success at work came at a high cost. Working Monday through Friday on the road meant seldom seeing his family. The desire to be with his family coupled with his desire to open a restaurant was leading toward another path. On his fortieth birthday he went for a long car ride into the country and soul searched. It was time to open a restaurant and follow his passion. Opening R Stanley's Diner was a true leap of faith. Ralph spent his last five hundred dollars the opening week on food; however, keeping to the vision and never losing faith has made something thought of as impossible blossom into the extraordinary. Doors open at 8pm 8:30 - 10 p.m. show ($5.00) and 10:30 - 12 a.m. show ($8.00) Friday, January 19th Poetry and Open Mic with selected feature performance poet Interruption doors open at 8:30pm open-mic & feature poets $5 at the door Click Here for 2005 events Tuesday, March 13, 2007 Kalamazoo Poetry Slam SLAMSTRAVAGANZA featuring SLAM TEAM ANN ARBOR VS SLAM TEAM DETROIT doors open at 8:30pm $5 at the door Thursday, May 17 Magical Rain Theaterworks http://www.magicalrain.com/homepage5.htm Magical Rain Theaterworks creates moments of discovery with a mix of theater, myths, stories, innovative teaching techniques, guided discussions and creative arts activities. doors open at 6:45pm show runs from 7:00 - 8:30 pm $10 suggested donation at the door Friday, May 18 Spoken Word Poet- Elizabeth Bullmer www.kzooslam.org/poets/bullmer.php Elizabeth Bullmer performs her dynamic, versatile poetry in classrooms, libraries, college campuses, coffeehouses, bars and yes, churches. She lent her strong female voice to Kalamazoo’s NPS teams in 2000 and 2002; she also captured 9th place at the individual World Poetry Slam in 2004. Bullmer has published three chapbooks, including The Woman Poems, as well as two live performance CD’s, including Woman in Progress. She lives in Kalamazoo, MI with her radiant daughters, her amazing husband and the world’s smartest cat duo. Having achieved her most recent artistic goal of merging performance with her visual art, she is currently awaiting the next great adventure. doors open at 8:30pm open mic at 9pm feature at 9:30pm $5 at the door Saturday, May 19 Celebrate Your Spirit - Psychic Fair Treat yourself to a reading with a gifted psychic, and get answers to your pressing questions. Also, stay for astrology, tarot, past life, reflexology, and other consultations with our practitioners. FREE admission, readers charge very reasonable fees for their services. Questions? Call 269-342-2926. 12 Noon - 5 pm Free Admission Friday, May 19 Listening Party Doors Open at 6pm No Cover Friday, May 25 THE BIG SWITCH The Kalamazoo Poetry Slam is moving to Friday night!! Beginning May 2007, the Kalamazoo Poetry Slam is changing its schedule from the 2nd Tuesday of each month to the 4th Friday of each month. 8:30pm showtime open-mic (sign-up early) slam (win $$) & feature poet $3-$5 donation at the door More 2007 Friday, June 15 I'm a black, queer writer and musician. I went to South Africa and on a a few tours including a six month independent tour of the U.S. I grew up in New Jersey. I live in Detroit. I'm interested in every kind of music. It just has to move me. Always been interested in doing a lot of different styles. I feel I'm ready to dive deeper. I've written a one man show called Burying the Evidence. You can check one of the blogs for a description of it. Come see it sometime. I'm working on a book. I've been published in Black Rennaissance Noire (NYU Press) by Quincy Troupe and some newspapers and journals over the last few months. My dad looked like Chuck Berry, played like Hank Williams. My mom cleaned white folk's houses. She raised five children. On her own. I inherited all sorts of ghosts from both of them. Sometimes I can fly. doors open at 8:30 open mic at 9 feature poet at 9:30 $5 admission Saturday, June 16 Dtroit Hip Hop Artist S.sca Headliner S.sca's "Love My People" Tour Giving you the feel good music again. S.sca was exposed very early on to the vibrations, by Detroit's Own Monofide. Soon her own journey began growing with a new genre of music... "Hip Hop." Quickly she fell in love with style and the swagger of Hip Hop and devoted her musical voyage to this movement. S.sca has made many guest appearances and worked with many Metro Detroit Artist and some abroad. http:"No Regrets" is the current project with a release date coming soon.//www.myspace.com/nukmanagement Showtime is 8:30 $5 admission Friday, June 22 The Kalamazoo Poetry Slam w/ feature poet Carrie McGath 8:30pm showtime open-mic (sign-up early) slam (win $$) & feature poet $3-$5 donation at the door |
