Spit Happens!

Open mikes in San Francisco circa 1994 tended to be ruled by male poets emulating Charles Bukowski and Henry Rollins, explains writer and Sister Spit co-founder Michelle Tea. "There was a lot of obnoxious drunk-dude energy at all of them," she says, laughing. So Tea and writer Sini Anderson started...

By Robin Edwards

April 12, 2012

Help us weather the uncertain future

We know — the economic times are hard. We believe that our work of reporting on the critical stories unfolding right now is more important than ever.

We need to raise $17,000 to meet our goal by August 10. If you’re able to make a contribution of any amount, your dollars will make an immediate difference in helping ensure the future of local journalism in Denver. Thanks for reading Westword.

Contribute Now

Progress to goal

$17,000

$8,800

Audio By Carbonatix

[
          {
            "name": "GPT - Billboard - Slot Inline - Content - Labeled - No Desktop",
            "component": "23668565",
            "insertPoint": "2",
            "requiredCountToDisplay": "2"
          },{
            "name": "STN Player - Float - Mobile Only ",
            "component": "23853568",
            "insertPoint": "2",
            "requiredCountToDisplay": "2"
          },{
            "name": "Editor Picks",
            "component": "17242653",
            "insertPoint": "4",
            "requiredCountToDisplay": "1"
          },{
            "name": "Inline Links",
            "component": "18838239",
            "insertPoint": "8th",
            "startingPoint": 8,
            "requiredCountToDisplay": "7",
            "maxInsertions": 25
          },{
            "name": "GPT - 2x Rectangles Desktop, Tower on Mobile - Labeled",
            "component": "24956856",
            "insertPoint": "8th",
            "startingPoint": 8,
            "requiredCountToDisplay": "7",
            "maxInsertions": 25 
          
          },{
            "name": "Inline Links",
            "component": "18838239",
            "insertPoint": "8th",
            "startingPoint": 12,
            "requiredCountToDisplay": "11",
            "maxInsertions": 25
          },{
            "name": "GPT - Leaderboard to Tower - Slot Auto-select - Labeled",
            "component": "17676724",
            "insertPoint": "8th",
            "startingPoint": 12,
            "requiredCountToDisplay": "11",
            "maxInsertions": 25
          }
        ]

Open mikes in San Francisco circa 1994 tended to be ruled by male poets emulating Charles Bukowski and Henry Rollins, explains writer and Sister Spit co-founder Michelle Tea. "There was a lot of obnoxious drunk-dude energy at all of them," she says, laughing. So Tea and writer Sini Anderson started Sister Spit, a weekly all-girl open-mike night, as a refreshing antidote.

The show ran for two years in SF, and in 1997 evolved into a touring literary show. Since then, it's gone through many incarnations, but the mission has remained the same: to bring irreverent, queer-minded, feminist spoken-word artists from all over the world together for a night of lively literary performance. The current tour includes readings by activist and legendary novelist Dorothy Allison, writer and The Younger Lovers/Gravy Train!!!! musician Brontez Purnell, and Tea herself, whose prolific body of work includes thrilling confessional books like Valencia as well as the queer coming-of-age novel Rose of No Man's Land. "The people that we bring, sometimes it's the same person and the same piece, and you're both really identifying with them and really kind of getting your mind blown by them at the same time," says Tea. "A lot of our audiences are queers and feminists and outsiders who in general don't get their lives reflected back to them."

This unique night of literary performance comes to Denver tonight; the free program starts at 8 p.m. at St. Cajetan's Center, 1190 Ninth Street on the Auraria campus. For more information, visit www.radarproductions.org/tour.
Fri., April 13, 8 p.m., 2012

Robin Edwards

A message from Culture Editor Kristen Fiore: If you value independent journalism, please consider making a contribution to support our continued coverage of Denver’s vibrant culture and arts scenes.

Support Today