2010 Rain Taxi Readings

Emergent Poets III
featuring Julie Carr, Christine Hume, and Andrew Zawacki

Magers & Quinn Booksellers, January 9, 2010

Three excellent poets with three books each read about Georgia, violence, and too many Daves, warming up a poetry-ready crowd on a frigid wintry night in Minneapolis.

An Evening with Brian Evenson and Zak Sally

Bryant Lake Bowl, January 25, 2010

Those who braved the frigid winter temps were treated to an evening of haunting music, disquieting fiction, and a conversation about comics, horror, and more. Local musician and cartoonist Zak Sally, also celebrating his latest graphic novel release Like A Dog, played four songs from his new solo album, Fear of Song. Then award-winning author Brian Evenson read stories from his new book Fugue State. Finally, both Zak and Brian joined Rain Taxi editor Eric Lorberer for an on-stage conversation. (Co-sponsored by Magers and Quinn Booksellers.)

Miranda Mellis & Megan Vossler

Franklin Art Works, March 3, 2010

Miranda Mellis read excerpts from her novella, The Revisionist, amid the Sound Signals exhibit by Megan Vossler. Later, Vossler discussed with Mellis the impact of this novella on her work.

FREE VERSE: Susan Howe & David Grubbs

Walker Art Center, April 29, 2010

A stunning and moving performance of Souls of the Labadie Tract by Howe and Grubbs kept the audience mesmerized. This unique collaboration combined soundscapes and word meditations on the Labadist sect which occupied territory in Maryland in the early 1700s before being scattered to the wind. View the performance now. See pictures from this event HERE.

A Celebration of Midwestern Poetry

Minnesota Center for Book Arts, May 14, 2010

Crowds flocked to celebrate Midwestern Poetry, with standing room only at the 4pm panel discussion featuring local poets Dobby Gibson, Sarah Fox, G.E. Patterson, Sun Yung Shin, Michael Walsh, and Bryan Thao Worra, and a full house enjoying poetic offerings by Antler, Marvin Bell, Robert Bly, Heid Erdrich, Ray Gonzalez, Mary Kinzie, Jim Moore, and Thylias Moss. Co-sponsored by Rain Taxi and the Poetry Society of America, celebrating its 100th anniversary. This activity is made possible, in part, by funds provided by the Metropolitan Regional Arts Council from an appropriation by the Minnesota Legislature.

Steve Healey and Gillian Conoley

The Soap Factory, September 10, 2010

It was standing room only as poetry lovers flocked to the Soap Factory to celebrate the book launch of local poet Steve Healey's new collection, 10 Mississippi, and revel in California poety Gillian Conoley's new collection of poetry, The Plot Genie. The rain fell, the waves of the Mississippi lapped along the banks, and poetry filled the air!

2010 Twin Cities Book Festival

Saturday, October 2010

Throughout the day, book-lovers filled the reading rooms, eager to hear words come alive with readings by M. T. Anderson, Richard Paul Evans, Mary Catherine Bateson, James Howard Kunstler, Frederic Tuten, Jean Valentine, and Jeffrey Zaslow. Click here for more highlights!

Eileen Myles

The Loft, Open Book, Sunday, November 7, 2010

The lucky group that came out on this mild November evening enjoyed a terrifically vibrant and funny reading by poet, novelist, essayist and raconteur Eileen Myles from her most unusual and definitive book yet, Inferno (a poet’s novel). See pictures from this event HERE.

FREE VERSE: John Yau

Walker Art Center, Thursday, November 11, 2010

Poet and art critic John Yau wowed the crowd reading a work he created especially for new Walker exhibition: Yves Klein: With the Void, Full Powers. Taking on the persona of Klein, Yau brought a new level of understanding to this much-misunderstood artist and provocateur. If you were unfortunate to miss out on this amazing evening of channeling the immaterial and impossible spirit of Klein, you will be able to view the performance at the Walker Channel. View the performance now at the Walker Channel. See pictures from this event HERE.