When Marc Smith’s name is mentioned at a poetry slam, the audience is supposed to shout, “Who cares!”
So who cares that Smith, said to be the originator of the slam poetry art form, is coming to Albuquerque on Thursday?
Albuquerque cares, said Danny Solis, Albuquerque Slam Poet Laureate.
“Albuquerque loves poetry and the poetry slam, and Marc Smith is the founder of the poetry slam,” he said.
Solis said Smith revolutionized the world of performance poetry.
“Marc created a whole new way of looking at the possibilities of poetry,” he said. “Marc is a unique performer. He pushes boundaries like no one else I’ve ever seen. He’s ruthlessly honest and unabashedly ferocious.”
The 21-and-over event will be held at the Atomic Cantina on Thursday starting at 7 p.m. and also includes an open-mic segment. Registration for the open mic starts at 6:45 p.m.
Solis said Smith is always happy to talk to anyone who comes to the event and wants to meet him.
“He’s a very open guy. If anyone wanted to talk to him, I’m sure they can do that,” he said.
Solis said he learned the art of slam poetry from Smith.
“I’m one of Marc’s students — I’d say it’s more of a mentor-mentee relationship,” he said. “In an interview, Dizzy Gillespie said about Louis Armstrong, ‘No him, no me.’ That’s how I feel about Marc.”
Solis said he didn’t take classes from Smith, but read books written by Smith and studied his performances.
“It wasn’t like I studied him in a classroom,” he said. “Although a bar can be considered a classroom.”
*Marc Smith
Atomic Cantina
315 Gold Ave. S.W.
Thursday
7 p.m.*
