Culture Here!

Jarret Keene

Lewis Avenue Poets Cafe under the Stars
I don't recall how I came across Jarret Keene's website. Either through Flummox or some other Vegas blog. He mentioned the Lewis avenue reading on May 26th and I made it down to see what I could see.
I came downtown with very low expectations. This is Las Vegas after all and neither poetry nor outside ring true. Reading barely has a ring to it here.
I saw friends and family of the poets, well wishing First Friday promoters and downtownites, vendors and myself enjoying good poetry in a passable urban public space in downtown Las Vegas. Overall, a pleasant surprise.
I met Dayvid Figler briefly, who mentioned Aquaman, listened to Harry Fagel and Jarret Keene, who both mentioned Captain America, and had to leave just as the next poet began. I enjoyed the poetry (despite the offputting anger and vulgarity from Fagel's reading) but really, I could do without the jazz.
Somewhere somebody thinks that light jazz is always appropriate for a poetry reading. I say, if you're building a brand to market a hip downtown Las Vegas culture in an effort to seed the city with a sense of place and a loci for talent, light jazz ain't gonna help.
The evening should be counted in the progress column, but the only thing needed to make this event a cartoon of itself was a giant sign and a flashing arrow reading "Culture Here!"
BTW...I'd love to have a sign like that. Or maybe a medallion necklace with flashing LEDs, a hit with all the ravers. Even a T-shirt, baybydolls for the girls of course!...