By lbpost.com news contributor Jenny DuBois
Long Beach based poet and author Derrick Brown (performing in Europe at right) is bringing the Light Bulb Mouth Radio Hour to the Basement on Wednesday nights putting Long Beach back on the map as “the city of authors.”
The event is a new cultural variety show that highlights one author, one musical act and one informationist each week. It is completely unscripted and offers a six person open poetry contest after the scheduled acts are finished.
The idea for the show stemmed from old radio variety programs from the 1940’s mixed with up-and-coming artists and modern culture.
“We wanted to capture that same radio show vibe but with fresh ideas and artists and hot damn, it works!” said Brown. “The show ends up being this great mix every week, with performances from musicians and authors mixed in with these first person interviews with the artists and the ‘informationist’ of the week. The ‘informationists’ add something really special, teaching people everything from how to lucid dream, sell their sperm, join the Peace Corps, you name it.”
The organizations Write Bloody Publishing and Write Now, headed up by Mindy Nettifee, have been working closely together to bring this concept to life. Both of these companies reside in Long Beach and work to build audiences to experience great writing.
“We are proud to collaborate with CSULB graduate Eric Morago, and famed local author Marcus Omari to pull off such an affordable and compelling show each week,” Brown said. “Thank goodness there is a venue as supportive as the Basement and its staff. It’s such a great place for it – this moody romantic bar beneath the Broadlind Hotel – perfect for a great Wednesday night.”
Derrick and his team are currently booking and looking for informationists, just people with neat how-to messages for the audience. Upcoming acts include Deep Sea Diver, Janet Fitch (author of White Oleander) Greater California, and famed Long Beach author and friend of Charles Bukowski, Gerald Locklin. To learn more about upcoming guests a check out the lineups on lightbulbmouth.com. There is also a clever sing along to learn and a chance to win a can of champagne (one of the many highlights of the evening is $5 canned champagne). If you are an author, come early to sign up to perform in poetry slam. If you can’t make it to the show in person, it is also a podcast, available on the website and soon to be available for subscription on iTunes.
The show is very witty and the improvisations between the cast of characters onstage is unparalleled. There is really nothing in Long Beach going on quite like it.
“We want the rest of the world to know what’s happening and evolving here. Long Beach is really coming into its own now, as a lighthouse of musical power and literary sauce to the world,” Brown said. “It’s this incredibly diverse city both ethnically and economically. It’s still affordable enough to live here and it has become the new haven for the arts in Southern California. It is rising fast! And we just want to capture and broadcast this crazy talent.”
The Basement Lounge is located at 149 Linden Avenue. The show is $5.00 entrance before 7:30 pm and $6.00 afterwards.
DISCOUNTS:
If you dress in cocktail attire (suit with collared shirt or dinner dress) you will receive two dollars off cover and you’ll feel as fancy as everyone else there.
Senior Citizen Discount before 7:30pm.
Military Discount before 7:30pm.
Brown (at right) interviewing slam poet Buddy Wakefied at a recent Light Bulb Mouth Radio Hour show.