Join Mad Swirl this 1st Wednesday of May (aka 05.06.26) when we’ll be doin’ the open mic voodoo that we do at Barbara’s Pavillion!

We will get things started with some musical grooves brought to you by our long standing house band Swirve! (Chris & Tamitha Curiel, Gerard Bendiks & special guest Neil Coburn on guitar). Then, starting at 8pm, hosts Johnny O & MH Clay will set the stage for some open mic madness!

This month Mad Swirl Press will be launching Contributing Poet Chris Zimmerly‘s latest book, “MIRADOR.” Here’s a bit about Chris:

Chris Zimmerly has been writing poetry for over four decades. After graduating from the University of Arizona, he has been active in the Dallas Poetry Community since 1995. He was busy in Dallas at the turn of the century performing in the Slam and coffee house/art scenes. Get in the Mother Lovin’ Car, a collection of poems and short stories was published in 1999 by San Saba Press. He hosted Bohemia Open Mic at the Velvet Hookah in Deep Ellum before becoming a regular at the Mad Swirl Open Mic for the last 20 years. He was a featured poet at the Blackwater Poetry Festival in Ireland in 2016. Chris has been published in multiple Best of Mad Swirl anthologies, Mad Swirl VI: Blue Note Issue, Tartan, The Word, Post Amerikan, on Slams, Volume 1: Dallas-March 1999 CD, on multiple occasions performing an opening poem at the Bayou Rendezvous in New Orleans during Jazz Fest and had a haiku read on “Travel with Rick Steves” Radio Show. Check out Mad Swirl’s podcast Inside the Eye! for a one-on-one interview. Chris has performed poetry in Texas, Louisiana, Florida, Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona, California, Arkansas, Indiana and Illinois. Picking up the guitar three decades ago, Chris combines his lyrics with his own music and with other music partners, playing in bands along the way: Wagon Wheel Illusion, Alchemy Brats, Hootenanny Campfire, Pecan Tree, Ambergris, CZWP and Sasquatch Grandma. More to come soon.

Check out Mad Swirl’s podcast, Inside the Eye! for our one-on-one interview with Zim! And while you’re at it, check out his poetry page too!

Come to participate…

(preRSVP at our Facebook event page or send a message to openmic@madswirl.com)

Come to swirlabrate…

(join us LIVE at Barbara’s Pavillion- located at 323 Centre St, Dallas OR watch us on Facebook LIVE)

Come one. Come all. Come to be a part of this collective creative love child we affectionately call… Mad Swirl Open Mic!