First Friday Open Mic, March 1

The staff at the Albany Public Library, notably Chad Lowther, organized an open mic for musicians & poets at the Library's Main Branch on Washington Ave. during the monthly First Friday art gallery stroll. This first event was well-attended & I was there briefly before joining the Homeless Action Committee's Sleep-a-thon up the street in Townsend Park. The MC for the night was Albany poet Kevin Peterson. There was a generous 10 minute limit, which even that was violated.

Among those who read were Michael Purcell with a long string of poems & quotes, Sheldon Carnes with prose ramblings on white consciousness verging on racism,

Chad Lowther included a sound poem ("Terra Morpha") with Audrey on saw (she also has visual art on display this month at the Main Branch), & the venerable Don Levy read a poem on ending poems & the poem "A Friend of Dorothy's."

In between Daniel McDonald played blues harmonica & sang, & Dan & Dave did covers of rock songs, notably The Who.

There was a good audience & more poets & musicians on the sign-up list, but I had to leave. A good start for what is planned as an ongoing monthly series. Support your public Library!