Oh, and tomorrow night's event, in case you missed it on our elists-
FRIDAY JUNE 1
THE VERBAL ABUSE RELAUNCH
with readings by TOM SPANBAUER and CHI CHI VALENTI
RAPTURE CAFE & BOOKS
200 AVENUE A (BETWEEN 12 & 13 STREETS)
8 PM - FREE ADMISSION
rapturecafe.com
mothernyc.com/verbal
Literary magazine VERBAL ABUSE (Dispatches from the Nightclub Literati) was born at the seminal JACKIE 60 reading series in the early Nineties and published four issues from 1993-1995. Editrix CHI CHI VALENTI and Art Director JOHNNY DYNELL featured writers and artists with clubland ties new and old, including RICHARD HELL, EMILY XYZ, ALAN MACE (aka SISTER DIMENSION), MATTHEW BARNEY, MISTRESS ANGEL STERN and GENESIS P. ORRIDGE. Though the last of those issues were published twelve years ago, the zine has been a popular online destination for a decade now - SO popular that Valenti was inspired to bring it back in print in 2007. The theme of VERBAL ABUSE 5, due in bookstores this Fall, is "LOST CITIES".
The issue examines both cities that have disappeared and the districts within cities that have been lost to time, gentrification or catastrophe. One of these is New York's "Golden Age" East Village, and tonight VA5 contributor TOM SPANBAUER reads from his great East Village novel "IN THE CITY OF SHY HUNTERS" at this kickoff event for the new Verbal Abuse.
Portland, Orgeon-based Spanbauer, whose other novels include "NOW IS THE HOUR" and "THE MAN WHO FELL IN LOVE WITH THE MOON" is in town for the LAMBDA LITERARY AWARDS (he's nominated for Best Gay Fiction for "Now is the Hour".) He is joined for this reading by VERBAL ABUSE editrix Valenti, who performs spoken word pieces set to music, including the 1990 clubland classic "TAKE BACK THE NIGHT".
A limited number of the rare print issues of Verbal Abuse #3 and #4 will be on sale at the event to benefit the new effort. In addition, Spanbauer's novels will be on sale, and the legendary author will be signing copies after his half-hour reading. Host venue RAPTURE CAFE & BOOKS is the perfect setting for this relaunch, and their new Liquor License will assure an even more festive night - come out and enjoy a vodka with your prose poem!
VERBAL ABUSE 5: LOST CITIES will arrive in Fall 2007. Contributors include Spanbauer, Michael Musto, Scott Ewalt, (Submissions Editor) Terence Sellers, Dean Johnson, Brian Lantelme, Bobby Miller, Abby Ehmann, Paul Skiff, the late Marcel Princess Christian, Penny Arcade, (Editor at Large) Michael James O'Brien, Patty Powers and Rapture's own Brian Butterick.