Shockoe Bottom winebar C’est Le Vin is our longest running venue; we’ve been sharing poetry here monthly since May of 2011. Late that same year, we were double-booked with local jazz group Super64, a happy accident that became the basis for the unique poetry & music event held now on the first Thursday of every month.
The night is a mashup of performing arts, with poetry & live music interspersed and the additional dimension of offering improvisational musical backup to any poet who wishes. (If you’ve never read your work aloud to live music, we encourage you to try it—it can be a very different experience than a straight-up reading!)
Slightly more formal than a run-of-the-mill open mic, poets are given the opportunity to share with the audience a “taste” of their work in five minutes or less. Sign up with the host to read, or send a message ahead of time to secure your spot in the lineup.
river city poets 