Punketry! was started in June of 2017 in Denver, Colorado. The event was reactive to Boulder’s Jazzetry, where poets read over jazz music. Local press Punch Drunk Press joined forces with psych-punk band Black Market Translation to get poets reading their poetry over punk music at Mutiny Information Cafe, an anarchist bookstore and coffee shop in the South Broadway neighborhood of Denver. The event is now hosted by South Broadway Press, Punch Drunk Press, and Black Market Translation.
Punketry! has been to many spaces over the years, having performed widely around the Denver Metro Area, including events sponsored by Meow Wolf, The Boulder Fringe Festival, Naropa University, and Beyond Akademia Free Skool. Poets from all over the United States have performed at Punketry including Aurora Poet Laureate Jovan Mays, Naropa University’s Reed Bye, and Be About It Press’ Alexandra Naughton.
Punketry’s most regular host is Sarah Rodriguez, though there has been a wonderful rotation of hosts over the years.
What you need to know as a performer:
- Five poets will each have 15-20 minute sets reading poetry, or performing in whatever way they wish, accompanied by the band.
- The first half of the show has three performers. After a brief intermission, two more people will perform.
- Punk is whatever punk means to you. It can be sweet love poems or avant-garde performance art. It is your time to do with as you wish and the band is adaptive.
- The “stage” is the back of a bookstore. Usually, about 20-40 people attend each month.
- We pay performers based on the donations we receive at each event. We ask for a suggested donation of $5 to our audience, though no one is turned away.
- If you would like to practice with the band, you can reach out to them at booking@blackmarkettranslation.com or Matt Clifford directly. The band has a practice space at their house in southwest Denver where you can try out different things with them. They play mostly nights and weekends.
What we ask of you as a performer:
- Please send a headshot and a brief bio, including your pronouns, (roughly 50-100 words) to soboghosts@gmail.com.
- Please send us your social media information.
- Help us promote the event! Share the event to your networks! We have a wonderful community of artists supporting each other.
Media:
- Youtube: Punketry: “Treat Me Like You Treat The Earth” Eliza Beth Whittington
- Punketry the Album
- Westword Write-up: Black Market Translation
Please feel free to email soboghosts@gmail.com with any questions or needs!
South Broadway Ghost Society 