Gallery Cabaret Open Mic 5-27-23

 

By Dave Gecic

The Gallery Cabaret at 2020 N. Oakley in Chicago has been a long time and important Mecca for poetry and music in Chicago. It has seen many changes over the years and served as a venue for many different series of poetry event and some important special poetry events. Now there is a new poetry show there.

The Gallery also served as an occasional backup venue when there was rain or problems with poetry at The Bucktown Arts fest.

The Gallery was started by Kenny and his wife Darlene in the late 80’s. Count Leonard De Montbrun was discussing the bar with them and he came up with the name “The Gallery Cabaret” and they decided to name the bar that.

The first poetry host at the Gallery Cabaret was Gregorio Gomez followed by Miss Julia Hattory, and then Tom Foote an Larry Winfield and then Dave Gecic for a short period of time. There were some other hosts on and off after that and as I find them I will add them. Let me know if any readers remember. It was the first feature for me, Dave Gecic, but also was Tom Roby’s first feature. It was a continuous once a week venue from about 1988 until about 1993.

Janet Kuypers moved her show from “The Cafe” to The Gallery Cabaret and I took it over after she left town. I felt like I had gone full circle. It was the first place that I hosted at and 25-30 years later I was hosting it again. I was having some health difficulties and Jerry Pendergast often hosted the show. We both stopped hosting when the pandemic hit. D’oc Weisor ran a poetry show there for a while after the bar opened after the pandemic.

New Host

On Saturday May 27th, Westley Heine stared hosting a new poetry show at The Gallery Cabaret. He tilted the event: “The Triumphant Return of the Poetry Open Mic at The Gallery Cabaret hosted by Westley Heine”.

Westley Heine had featured twice at the Green Mill Poetry Slam. He also featured at the Gallery Cabaret poetry night. Westley performed and featured at many Chicago area readings. He is the author of Busking Blues: Recollections of a Street Musician & Squatter (Roadside Press 2022), 12 Chicago Cabbies (Newington Blue Press 2021), two volumes of poetry including The Trail of Quetzalcoatl (Scars Publications 2016), and Street Corner Spirits (Roadside Press 2023).

Highlights

There was a great turnout for the event. Some of the more active poets on the scene were there. But also some poets who seldom read.

Highlights of the event included:

Marian Horton who has read mostly at The Green Mill Slam read several poems.
Bob Rashkow read two poems. One a heartfelt poem about Seth. Another one that developed from an idea from a poetry workshop.
I, Dave Gecic read Remember the Crosses and Omaha, and talked a little about the Gallery Cabaret.
Robin Fine read a rough draft of a new poem and her “I Am An Addict” poem about chocolate which ends with a passionate plea for a Butterfinger.
James Berg read “while you were waiting”
Tim Anderson, who has not read at the Gallery Cabaret for many years read several poems. I found out that Tim took over the open mic at The Get Me High in the late 80’s after Marc Smith started doing poetry at The Green Mill. He also ran poetry at Batteries not included.
Todd Heldt, who has not read in a long time showed he can still perform on stage: He read “in This Draft The Woman Dies” along with some other poems
Micheal Pearson who recently moved to Chicago from Champaign read a comic piece called Butt Germs.
Gary Patrick Norris who is a teacher at a charter school in Chicago read several poems. He is always a good reader.
Saoirse Sine, a poet who recently moved here from Ireland read some poems.
Jerry Pendergast read a poem   Jerry Pendergast’s Poem
Don Hargraves a poet who came from Indiana read several poems.
Nova read several poems.
Doc Weiser read two poems including a poem by Neruda in Spanish.
Kristen Dunn author of “Sun in My Eyes” (Cyberwit.net, 2023) and “Leaves To Stay” (Cyberwit.net, 2020) read several poems. She is a recent graduate of Loyola University of Chicago. However, she will be leaving Chicago soon to pursue her MFA. Kristin’s performance
Steven read several poems
Vito Carli, well known Chicago poetry host read poetry and told the audience about his upcoming show at Tangible Books in Bridgeport. But he also passed out fliers with a picture of a hideous prehistoric creature.

Sid Yiddish another well known Chicago poet and multi-talented performance artists read some poetry.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lynn Fitzgerald, one of the best known poetry educators in Chicago read several pieces.
Harrison read poetry.

 

 

 

 

And a break!

Westley took a ten minute break. This was great because there was a lot of mixing and conversations going on between poets. Then he came back for a second round of three poets.

In the second round were additional readings by: Michael, Jerry Pendergast, D’oc Weiser, Gary Patrick Norris and Todd Heldt.

Here is Jerry Pendergast’s poem from the second round.

Future readings at Gallery Cabaret

The Gallery Cabaret poetry reading will be held every 4th Saturday of the month. One of the best parts of Westley’s hosting style is the matter-of-fact introductions of poets. In addition, it is not a show that features the host. It is a show that he turns over to the poets. He read very little of his own work. He let it be a show by the performers. But the show also flowed beautifully.