That’s what happened Tuesday night during Poetry and Beer at Tractor Brewing Wells Park.
Damien Flores, slam master for ABQSlam, said Poetry and Beer night almost seems like a traveling act, having taken place at several different venues before closing down and moving to the next one. Most recently, the show moved from the now closed Blackbird Buvette to Tractor.
Tractor and ABQSlam have always had a close relationship, Flores said, which made for an easy decision on where to host the monthly event. He said he hopes to see a higher turnout from the audience instead of listed poets now that the event is at Tractor because it’s at a bigger venue and is more well-known.
There are 15 to 20 poets on any given Poetry and Beer night, and about 30 audience members, he said. The event helps not only aspiring artists, but the bar as well. Tuesday nights are often painfully slow, but with the slam and open mic shows, the bar has done fairly well, Flores said.
Lauren Poole, assistant manager of Tractor Brewing Wells Park, said she noticed an increase in attendance as well from Poetry and Beer. Poole has worked with the company for three and a half years, and she said she has seen the owners invest a lot of time into supporting the community.
Poetry and Beer night helps bring local talent and residents together, she said. Not everyone comes to drink either; some people come simply to hear the performances and bring their children.
Don McIver, a rhetoric and professional writing grad student, has been a slam poet for 12 years. He said he has attended the Poetry and Beer nights for many years, so it is nice to finally have a home.
McIver said Tractor draws a more consistent crowd than other venues in the past has, especially since local breweries are becoming a more popular place to hang out.
Tractor has done some modifications to accommodate the new act, which McIver said now makes it “way more friendly as a performance venue.”
Sound used to bounce all over the place, but now with a stage, the performances are more audible, he said.
Albuquerque has a great poetry community and it is great to have that here, he said.
Get content from The Daily Lobo delivered to your inbox
Moriah Carty is the assistant culture editor for the Daily Lobo. She can be reached at cultureassistant@dailylobo.com or on Twitter @MoriahCarty.
