August 7-13, 2003

artpicks

The Philly Sound

Festival

"I saw the best minds of my generation destroyed by madness " This might have been true of Allen Ginsberg's contemporaries, but not the lively hosts of The Philly Sound: Tom Devaney, Frank Sherlock, CAConrad, Greg Fuchs, Mytili Jagnnathan, Chris McCreary, Molly Russakoff and Magdalena Zurawski are quite clear-headed. The Philly Sound: New Poetry Weekend features 50 poets, including Eileen Myles and Ron Silliman, reading for two days and nights.

For years, Philadelphia establishments like La Tazza, Molly's Bookstore and the Kelly Writers House have embraced local poets and encouraged them to read their work. Devaney, author of The American Pragmatist Fell in Love, observes, "The story of The Philly Sound poetry weekend is that poets are the ultimate survivors. We refuse to get voted off the island. The weekend shows that, at least among this group of poets and friends, poetry may in fact be thriving, despite reports to the contrary."

The Philly Sound: New Poetry Weekend, Fri., Aug. 8, 7-10 p.m., $3-$5 donation, La Tazza, 108 Chestnut St., 215-922-7322; Sat., Aug. 9, 10:30 a.m.-7 p.m., free, Kelly Writers House, 3805 Locust Walk, 215-573-WRIT.

—Kristina Weise