One Mic Poetry Showcase @ Lula Lounge, Toronto, ON - Wed Jun 11th!

This Wednesday, meet the 2014 Up From The Roots Poetry Slam team at the 3rd edition of the One Mic Poetry Showcase

There are always new voices entering the scene, and this team has a lot of variety. My Trinidadian people will love Patrick Walters, Trini Accent and all, Patrick DeBelen has the Filipino crew covered, Scribe does it up for the youth, Spin for the Latinos, and me for the old foots!!

Tickets for this one are available now for $20!!

Doors 7pm

Show 8:00pm

Admission: $20

Location:  Lula Lounge, 1585 Dundas St. West., Toronto, ON

For more info click here 

Toronto Monologue Slam @ Drake Hotel Underground, Toronto, ON - Sun Jul 21st!

"Glitz, Glamour and top notch talent"
- MetroNews

"a slam poetry contest amped up on a whole other level... a night of unpredictable narratives and guaranteed entertainment."
- Weekendtrips.com

The Toronto Monologue Slam!

Sunday, July 21st at Drake Hotel Underground

Each and every month, Toronto’s hottest up and coming actors deliver intimate and electrifying performances as they battle for the title of TO Slam Champ! The winner receives $100 cash, prizes and the honor of defending their title at the next TO Slam.

Admission: $5 online | $10 at the door
Where: Drake Hotel Underground - 1150 Queen Street W., Toronto, ON
When: Sunday, July 21st, 2013 - Doors open at 5:30pm
More info: www.toslam.com | (647) 780-2513

Toronto Monologue Slam - Cinco de Mayo Edition @ The Drake Hotel, Toronto, ON - Sun May 5th!

"Glitz, Glamour and top notch talent"- MetroNews

"a slam poetry contest amped up on a whole other level... a night of unpredictable narratives and guaranteed entertainment." - Weekendtrips.com

Each and every month, Toronto's hottest up and coming actors deliver intimate and electrifying performances as they battle for the title of Toronto's best Actor! Judged by an expert panel of the industry's top agents, directors, casting directors, producers and actors. The winner receives $100 cash, prizes and the honor of defending their title at the next #toslam


Location:  The Drake Hotel, 1150 Queen Street West, Toronto, Ontario

Time:  6:00p - 8:30p

Tickets:   $10 at door or $5 online at www.toslam.com 

The Roots Lounge Open Mic and Poetry Slam @ Yvonne`s Coffee Haus, Scarborough, ON - Sun May 5th!

Live in the East? Have some poems to share, but don't want to travel all the way downtown?

Join Dwayne Morgan at Yvonne's Coffee Haus, 98 Island Road in Scarborough (Port Union & Sheppard), for an open mic on the first sunday of each month.

Doors open at 6pm, Show is at 7pm, and the admission is $5

Get your poems, grab your friends, and we`ll see you at Yvonne's!

The Roots Lounge Finale @ Toronto, ON - Waterfalls Indian Tapas Bar & Grill, Toronto, ON - Sun Apr 21st!

The Roots Lounge Finale

While our reign as the National Poetry Slam Champions doesn't come to an end until the fall, it is time to pick the team that will do battle at the Canadian Team Competition in Montreal this November.

On Sunday, April 21st, join us at Waterfalls Indian Tapas Bar & Grill for the final Roots Lounge Open Mic and Poetry Slam of the season. Admission for the finals is $10.


After a year of slamming, the Up From The Roots National Champions will make way for a new team that will do battle at the 2013 Nationals. Several poets have qualified, but only 4 will make the team, and their destiny is entirely in your hands!!

The poets who have qualified to make the team include:

11 - IF
10 - Dwayne Morgan
5 - Iyah
5 - JD Vishus
5 - Brian Millado
5 - Patrick De Belen
5 - Jay Roy
4 - Randell
4 - Chris Tse
3 -Alex
3 - Rollyn Stone
3 - Gavin Russell
3 - Ray
2 - Scribe
1 - Wes Ryan
1 - Ian Walters
1 - Sab
1 - David Delisca

As usual, DJ Manifest will set the mood for the night, so come out, and witness the crowning of the 2013 Up From The Roots poetry slam team!

Time: 8:00pm

Location:  Waterfalls Indian Tapas Bar & Grill, 303 Augusta Ave, Toronto, Ontario

The Roots Lounge @ Yvonne`s Coffee Haus, Scarborough, ON - Sun Apr 7th!

The Roots Lounge  Ending The Regular Season

This Sunday, we will host the final Roots Lounge Open Mic of the regular season at Yvonne  Coffee Haus, 98 Island Road, in Scarborough. For those in the east, wanting something close to home, doors open at 6pm, the show begins at 7pm, and admission is only $5.

If we have enough people wanting to have a poetry slam, we will do so, with the top 3 qualifying for the team finals on the 21st.

For more info visit:   www.DwayneMorgan.ca

Naked: An Intimate Evening with Dwayne Morgan @ Harlem Restaurant, Toronto, ON - Thurs Apr 4th!

This April, I am off to the Canadian Individual Poetry Slam in Vancouver to compete against poets from across the country.

To raise funds to get there, I've decided to go naked (now don't get all excited and scroll down for the ticket info!!); by this I mean, that I will perform some of my favourite poems, but I will also share the new poems that I wrote on my recent trip to South Africa!

Those who know me, know that I rarely ever read poems on stage, so this will be a first glimpse at poems in their most raw form.

Since I never like it just being about me, the first half will be an open mic for poets, singers, musicians, anyone with something to share.

Admission will be $10, and the show will be held at Harlem @ 67 Richmond Street East, Toronto, ON

Doors open at 7pm, and we'll kick things off at 8pm.

See you there!

Dwayne Morgan

For more info visit: http://www.dwaynemorgan.ca

Toronto Monologue Slam @ The Drake Hotel, Toronto, ON - Sun Mar 16th!

Each and every month, Toronto's hottest up and coming actors deliver intimate and electrifying performances as they battle for the title of Toronto's best Actor! Judged by an expert panel of the industry's top agents, directors, casting directors, producers and actors. The winner receives $100 cash, prizes and the honor of defending their title at the next TO Slam.

Admission: $5 online | $10 at the door
Where: Drake Hotel Underground - 1150 Queen Street West, Toronto, ON
When: Sunday, March 17th, 2013 - Doors open at 6:00pm
More info: www.toslam.com | (647) 780-2513

Last Poet Standing @ The Great Hall, Toronto, ON - Sun Feb 24th!

Are You Ready?? 

The Last Poet Standing

Join us this Sunday, February 24th at 7:30PM, inside of the Great Hall (1087 Queen Street West), for a poetry show like nothing you've ever seen or experienced, unless you attended last year, when Burlington's P.O.E. outlasted the competition, and took home the $500 cash prize.

 

16 poets from Toronto, Buffalo, Guelph, Burlington, Detroit, and Ottawa will step in to a boxing ring, each with the hope of being crowns the Last Poet Standing.

 

7 guest judges will be seated at ringside to determine the fate of each poet. This year's judges are, Juno Award Winner, Jully Black, Olympian, Perdita Felicien, World DMC Turntable Champion, DJ Dopey, Grey Cup Champion, Toronto Argonaut, Jordan Younger, MTV Live Comedian, Dave Merheje, Dub Poet, Lillian Allen, and Hip Hop Artist, D-Sisive. DJ Manifest will keep the battle vibe alive with his musical selections, so get your tickets asap, as this one, like When Sisters Speak, will likely sell out!

 

Advance tickets are $20, and can be purchased via paypal to dmorgan@upfromtheroots,ca, email money transfer to info@upfromtheroots.ca or at Play De Record, 357 Yonge St, A Different Booklist, 746 Bathurst St, Knowledge Bookstore, 177 Queen Street West, Brampton

 

This is probably the best promo video that we've ever created for one of our events. Check this out: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_z9Nz4DxOVs&list=UUxHl2a8GpAr-O5oiy_LTu5A&index=1

 

See you on the 24th as we crown the 2013 Last Poet Standing!

 

 

The Roots Lounge Open Mic & Poetry Slam @ Yvonne's Coffee Haus, Scarborough, ON - Sun Feb 3rd!

The Roots Lounge Returns to Scarborough This Sunday!

This Sunday, February 3rd, the Roots Lounge returns to Scarborough. Join us at Yvonne's Coffee haus, 98 Island Road, for our monthly open mic and poetry slam. Doors open at 6pm for sign up, and the show gets going at 7pm. Admission is only $5.

If you would like to be on the Up From The Roots team, going to Montreal for the National Championships this fall, you are running out of opportunities to earn points.

On February 17th, the show returns to downtown!

For more info:  http://www.dwaynemorgan.ca

Love Jones Sundays @ No One Writes to the Colonel, Toronto, ON - Sun Dec 2nd!

LOVE JONES SUNDAYS
Where Poetry Meets Soul

This Sunday
@ No One Writes to the Colonel
460 College Street (@ Bathurst), Toronto, ON
Time: 7:00p

Hosted by : JV "The Poet"
Cover $10


No Sportswear

Sponsored by:
By Blacks
Above All Oddz Radio Show
Stolen From Africa
The Blackstone Foundation Library
My Toronto VIP

For more info visit: http://www.lovejonessundays.ca/

Up From the Roots Open Mic and Poetry Slam @ Harlem Restaurant, Toronto, ON - Sun Oct 21st!

A Message from Dwayne Morgan....

Thank you to everyone who supported our fundraising endeavours, to get out to Saskatoon for the Canadian Festival of Spoken Word.  I am ecstatic to tell you that we went out there, won the competition, and are now officially, the best team of poets in the country.   Up From The Roots has finished in second place 3 times in the past, and this was the first win for Toronto. This Sunday, at the Roots Lounge, we will showcase the poems that brought us the victory, and we hope that you'll come and help us celebrate the victory.

 

Sunday October 21st | Up From The Roots

Location:  Harlem, 67 Richmond Street East, Toronto, ON

Admission:  $5


Hosted by Dwayne Morgan

Doors 7pm
Show Starts at 8pm 

For more info email:  info@upfromtheroots.ca

The 10th Annual Toronto International Poetry Slam @ The Great Hall, Toronto, ON - Sun Sept 2nd!

TIPS Returns This Sunday!!

This Sunday, September 2nd, at 7pm, 22 of North America's best poets will take to the stage at the Great Hall (1087 Queen Street West), Toronto, ON, for the chance to take home a piece of the $1000 in prize money, and you get to judge who wins!!

Enjoy performances from:

1.   Prufrock - Defending Champion (Ottawa)

2.   The P.O.E. - Burlington

3.   Lip Balm - Mississauga

4.   Ritallin - Toronto

5.   Array of Words - Ottawa

6.   Alvin Lau - Chicago

7.   Komi Olaf - Ottawa

8.   Lishai - Toronto

9.   Synonymous - Ottawa

10. Loh El - Ottawa

11. Cathy Petch - Toronto

12. Jen Kunlire - Calgary

13. Randell - Toronto

14. Erika Gault - Buffalo

15. Deonte Osayande - Detroit

16. Raissa Simone - Kingston

17. JD Vishus - Toronto

18. Patrick De Belen - Toronto

19. Tomy Bewick - Burlington

20. Lakeya Haygood - Rochester

21. Jamaal Rogers - Ottawa

22. Ten Thousand - Buffalo

$20 Advance tickets are on sale now via email money transfer to info@upfromtheroots.ca, at A Different Booklist, 746 Bathurst St, Play De Record, 357 Yonge Street, and Knowledge Bookstore, 177 Queen Street West in Brampton

This year's winner, not only takes home the biggest chunk of the prize money, but they also earn the right to open for Saul Williams on Friday, September 7th, also at the Great Hall.

This is the first time that we've had so many women in the competition, and a woman has never won, maybe this will be the year.

If you want a sampling of the best poets on the scene right now, then you don't want to miss Sunday's Toronto International Poetry Slam.

For those of you who like to party on the long weekend, the show runs from 7pm to 10pm, so you'll have lots of time to get to the club!!

See you on Sunday!!

Dwayne

Black Love Soul @ The Lula Lounge, Toronto, ON - Thurs Jun 14th!

Black Love Returns!!

The series that started it all is finally back!! When you mix all of the colours together, you end up with Black, and Black Love is the only one of our shows where you get the band, poetry, comedy, singing, and more, all in the same show. Get your friends together, because we're relaunching the series on June 14th at the Lula Lounge!

At the return of the series, you can expect performances from Jay Martin, Shoolie,  E-Man, Quisha Wint, Dwayne Morgan, Omar Lunan, Jef Kearns, Sarafina, Chelsea Stewart and more.

When we first started the Black Love series, it took place in Scarborough, in a Fit For Life Gym, while people were still working out. Black Love was a great platform for artists to showcase their work. We are very excited to be bringing the show back to life!

$20 advance tickets are on sale now via email money transfer to info@upfromtheroots.ca, A Different Booklist, 746 Bathurst Street, Play De Record, 357 Yonge Street, and Knowledge Bookstore in Brampton. 

Doors will open at 7p for those with dinner reservations, 8p for those without, then the show gets going at 8:30p. 

To make reservations for dinner, call 416.588.0307

 

The Roots Lounge Open Mic @ Harlem Restaurant, Toronto, ON - Sun Jun 10th!

 

The Roots Lounge Open Mic is Back!!!

 

This Sunday, please join us inside of the Harlem Restaurant for the next installment of the Roots Lounge Open Mic and Poetry Slam. 

Doors open at 7pm for sign up, and the show gets going at 8pm.

 Admission is only $5. 

The host for the night will be Dwayne Morgan with music by DJ Manifest. 

Harlem is located at 67 Richmond Street East @ Church Street, Toronto, ON

For more info email  info@upfromtheroots.ca

Love Jones Sundays @ No One Writes to the Colonel, Toronto, ON - Sun May 6th!

LOVE JONES SUNDAYS
Where Poetry Meets Soul

May 6th @ No One Writes to the Colonel
460 College (@ Bathurst), Toronto, ON 

Hosted by Host: Motion

Spoken Word & Musical performances by:
LolaBunz, Ekko Effect, Tammy Soulful, Your Man V, Areta Marshall, 3nne, Britta B and Dwayne Morgan

Special Performance By Jef Kearns

MUSIC by DJ Soul Child

Spinning the hottest New and old Hip-Hop, R&B, and Neo-Soul.

DOORS 7PM | COVER $10

Dress to impress - No sportswear

*Please remember to bring a Afro-centric focused book for donation to the Blackstone Foundation Library*

For more info contact:

Twitter: @LoveJonesSunday
Facebook: Love Jones Sundays
BBM: 21B5291C
Email: lovejonessundays@live.ca

Last Poet Standing @ The Great Hall, Toronto, ON - Sat Apr 21st!

The Last Poet Standing

What do you get when you put 16 poets in a boxing ring, going head to head against one another, with judges outside of the ring to determine their fate??? The Last Poet Standing!!

Join me on Saturday, April 21st, at 9pm, inside of the Great Hall (1087 Queen Street West) for the Last Poet Standing. The poet that ends up being the last one in the ring will take home $500 in cash.

There are poets from as far away as Ottawa and Michigan in the competition. The draws have already been set, so have some fun with it, make your predictions for who will win each bout, and bring a cheering section for your favourites!

Come witness Tomy Bewick going head to head against Eddy The Original One, The P.O.E. vs. Patrick De Belen, and bouts featuring Shoolie, Eytan Crouton, Just Jamaal and Poetic Speed from Ottawa, Gary Jones and Deonte Osayande from Michigan, and many more!

Tickets for the show are already on sale at Play De Record, 357A Yonge Street, A Different Booklist, 746 Bathurst St, Knowledge Bookstore in Brampton, 177 Queen Street west, or the easiest way, through email money transfer to info@upfromtheroots.ca and just pick the tickets up at the door. Tickets are $20 in advance and more at the door!