Club 908

(2007 post)

Last night I was the feature poet at a spot called CLUB 908 in Conyers, GA. I knew nothing about the venue except the address. I had not even met the brotha who hosts and runs the monthly spot, El. We had a brief conversation about a week before to discuss...the business. All sounded good, I was available, sure.

A friend of mine rode out to the spot with me. Lucky for me he is more familiar with the back roads than I. Club 908 is located in Old Towne Conyers. It looks like a movie set at Paramount Studios. Old Towne-ish-y buidings, with salons and bars and restaurants. Super clean, tiny streets, train tracks running through the town, even a botanical garden. It looked almost like Mayberry in color. This little area nestled off highway 675 surrounded, seemingly protected, by the trees.

I had no clue when I woke up yesterday morning that the evening would be so wonderful. When we pulled up we did not need to look at the address to know we were in the right location. I know poets when I see 'em. We stepped inside and let me tell you...It was Fantasy Island gorgeous.

There was a jazz band on stage playing. A screen posted high with jazz legends in black and white. Photos of Billie Holiday I had not seen before. The crowd was mostly black, 30 something plus. Dressed kind of dressy, casual, fly (you know how we do it, black folks). There was a buffet of food which was included in the entrance fee, which, I don't even know what that was. The drinks came in house party servings (you know, all the way to the top). I ordered my usual Merlot and my friend ordered...I don't even remember, but whatever it was the two drinks only came up to $4.50 which is UNHEARD OF in L. A.

And the show continued. El, the host, a handsome, locked, chocolate brotha with radio smooth voice called up the poets on the open mic list. But before I go further I must mention here his lovely wife Cookie. She greeted me when I came into the club and took my merchandise to sell. She strikes me as that type that you know is way supportive of her man and whatever he is doing. Behind every great man is a great woman...(insert Cookie's face here.)

So the poets go up, not too many, maybe four doing one maybe two pieces. What strikes me as cool is the way the audience listened. No, really LISTENED, to each word as if that is what they got dressed for and came out FOR. Poets, remember when audiences did that? What was also refreshing was how none of the poets sounded or looked like the other. Like they were there to SHARE. Some reading from papers and journals, 'cause that's what they wanted to SHARE. It was not a DEF JAM audition.
I went up and the love continued. They listened. They gave energy. I gave it back. I had books and cd's for sale and they bought, and bought and bought.

This event, I think has been going on for about a year now and happens monthly. Don't know when the next one is, but I guess it's the first Saturday of each month, and I'm trying to be up in there.

Club 908 is this poets dream spot hidden in the woods waiting for the world to catch up.