Grand Slam & Seventh Birthday | Ruckus Slam
Nothing EVER happens in Brisbane - except, well, just the second biggest poetry slam in Australia! Ascend the stairs to The Zoo, grab a drink, and buckle in for a night of poetry, comedy and other spontaneous antics. It’s a Ruckus poetry slam, and this one happened to be its seventh birthday!
It was all the best trivia-night vibes, coupled with some kick-ass artists. No poetry clicking here. The poets were judged by audience members selected at random who got to don funny hats. The scoring system was in dinosaur puns. You can’t be simultaneously pretentious and score in dinosaur puns.
Image credit + cover image: Jacob Morrison
We were in good hands with the hilarious hosts Meg and Angela, and they were in good hands with us. If they got tangential - which they often did with their comedic asides - the audience could shout “poetry slam!” and get the show moving. What a great way to make sure the audience are entertained - just give them a voice!
The poets ranged from first-time performers to Ruckus regulars. A stand out was non-verbal poet Shane Rence from Brotherhood of the Wordless. His work, read with held hands by organiser Sean, was simple yet filled with heart and unshielded emotion. It had many in the audience in tears.
And that audience was beautifully diverse. I’m convinced that anyone could feel comfortable at a monthly Ruckus slam. Sure, you could call it an ‘arts scene’, but I don’t think that does it justice. It’s a communal experience where everyone is encouraged to feel their feelings, but always in the spirit of the night - and it’s also just a bloody good time!
Image credit: Jacob Morrison
It went on a bit late for a Wednesday night, with one of the hosts even declaring that her alarm to go to bed had already gone off. It continued the kind of way a game of Monopoly pulls you deeper into the night, desperately wanting to know who that winner is. I stayed the distance, unlike a few who bailed, and boy was I glad that I did. Three poets dance battling to WAP by Cardi B feat. Megan Thee Stallion for the top prize of $100 was worth the wait. Runners up got tickets to Yonder festival, and a blue cooler bag of random stuff collected from the audience during the night - loyalty cards, panadol, and condoms...
Ruckus holds their monthly poetry slam, along with various festivals and other events. I highly recommend you go follow them online, whether you want to keep a finger on the pulse of Brisbane’s arts scene, or if you just want a fun night out.
