“Allen Ginsberg’s ‘Howl’ inspired everything from poetry to modern-day rap.” That was a statement by a teacher of mine at the New School said during a lecture and, looking at the lineup for the Fourth Annual HOWL Festival, it appears to be true. According to Marguerite Van Cook, Executive Director of the festival, Ginsberg “set the tone for the last half of the 20th century. He was sad, funny on so many levels that concern artists. Allen defended artists’ rights and freedom of speech.”
The five day, five venue event kicks off on Wednesday September 5 and encompasses everything from two stages at Tompkins Square Park, 140 painters and music jams at Pianos, Crash Mansion, Living Room, Midway and other locations.
A recitation of the poem begins Friday, September 7 at 6 p.m. with performance poet John Giorno leading the reading. He will be followed by 11 others, including The Mayhem Poets, who will use “hip-hop rhythms and dynamic theatrical techniques” and Gary Glazner’s Poetry Drill Team presenting a “4 Minute Howl.”
Van Cook believes in providing a venue for young artists to expose their work. “The Lower East Side is a community that needs to renew itself with the wealth of experience passed down to young people who in turn reignite statesmen. We inspire young artists and young artists inspire us.” True to her word, Saturday on the North Stage a group of teenage singers—including Lucien Buscemi, son of Steve Buscemi, and Les Fuzz—perform and later the dance group The Mayhem Girls boogie on stage, followed by the Youth Poetry Artists, Urban Word at 2:30.
To balance out the emerging talent, the South Stage features gothic-blues from The Little Death NYC, featuring LES pal Moby. Afterwards, The Living Theater will perform an excerpt from The Brig. Things really get going when Chi Chi Valenti and Johnny Dynell present Low Life, an raucous ode to the Bowery as the birthplace of nightclub performance traditions—from vaudeville to neo-burlesque.
A book fair in honor of Carl Solomon will also be going on at the park. Solomon was “a tremendous man who could translate Jack Kerouac and understand and edit William Burroughs,” explains Van Cook. “There are so many micro-presses that never get a venue. We’re hoping to create dialogue between poets and artists in a blossoming community.”
Sept. 5-9; for complete info visit www.howlfestival.com.
The five day, five venue event kicks off on Wednesday September 5 and encompasses everything from two stages at Tompkins Square Park, 140 painters and music jams at Pianos, Crash Mansion, Living Room, Midway and other locations.
A recitation of the poem begins Friday, September 7 at 6 p.m. with performance poet John Giorno leading the reading. He will be followed by 11 others, including The Mayhem Poets, who will use “hip-hop rhythms and dynamic theatrical techniques” and Gary Glazner’s Poetry Drill Team presenting a “4 Minute Howl.”
Van Cook believes in providing a venue for young artists to expose their work. “The Lower East Side is a community that needs to renew itself with the wealth of experience passed down to young people who in turn reignite statesmen. We inspire young artists and young artists inspire us.” True to her word, Saturday on the North Stage a group of teenage singers—including Lucien Buscemi, son of Steve Buscemi, and Les Fuzz—perform and later the dance group The Mayhem Girls boogie on stage, followed by the Youth Poetry Artists, Urban Word at 2:30.
To balance out the emerging talent, the South Stage features gothic-blues from The Little Death NYC, featuring LES pal Moby. Afterwards, The Living Theater will perform an excerpt from The Brig. Things really get going when Chi Chi Valenti and Johnny Dynell present Low Life, an raucous ode to the Bowery as the birthplace of nightclub performance traditions—from vaudeville to neo-burlesque.
A book fair in honor of Carl Solomon will also be going on at the park. Solomon was “a tremendous man who could translate Jack Kerouac and understand and edit William Burroughs,” explains Van Cook. “There are so many micro-presses that never get a venue. We’re hoping to create dialogue between poets and artists in a blossoming community.”
Sept. 5-9; for complete info visit www.howlfestival.com.
