#Charlie C. Petch

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Racket @redrocketcoffee (2013)

Racket @redrocketcoffee Racket @redrocketcoffee side by side

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Thank you to the organizers of Poetry Weekend 17: Pandemic Edition. Happy to see some familiar faces and e-meet some folks I knew from interacting with them online. So please to read alongside Charlie C Petch, Lisa Richter, Jacob Scheier, Nathaniel G Moore, and many more. It was also my first time reading a poem out loud directly from my reading copy of Ghost Face! So until my next Virtual Book Tour event coming up later this week. Stay tuned for more info in the coming days! . . . #gregsantos #ghostfacepoetry #poetryreading #poetry #poetryweekend2020 #poetryweekend #poetrycommunity #writingcommunity (at Virtual Events) https://www.instagram.com/p/CF8L3_AAAFm9ZFXnJvhKGa_LHwKPnSo8CIs1O40/?igshid=gykhlnnofpp2

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“gun shots in the night”

Hot Damn!  continues to evolve and now with a grant from Toronto Arts Council it will evolve even more and widen its performance potential and creative reach. The November edition at Buddies in Bad Times with dynamic feature Kai Cheng Thom brought many new faces to the stage. Some reading on the open mic for the first time and presenting challenging and emotionally raw work. It is a powerful…

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The Malarkey Elixir 

The launch of Charlie C Petch‘s Mel Malarkey album was a glittering (for the east end) gala event. The full house event was held at the Artisans At Work venue on the Danforth (at Woodbine). I’ve seen a previous production of Mel Malarky: Pitch Perfect Petch https://wp.me/p1RtxU-1IA – & seeing it again after several months I was still drawn into this Canadian vaudeville cabaret world that Charlie…

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‘silence is manslaughter’

Hot Damn! launched it’s 4th season (may the 4th be with you) at  Buddies In Bad Times Theatre Thursday night with rainbow-high-energy, out-to-win slammers, fearless open stagers & a wildly enthusiastic full house. Charlie Petch was in fine form keeping things flowing & the energy somewhere over the rainbow. First set of open stagers & slammers: by the time you are able to read this, you may not…

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Capturing Fire 2018

The Fire has settled for another year – bigger & better every year & as long the US President (whomever it is this time next year) doesn’t make even more restrictive travel rules I’ll be back for Capturing Fire 2018. I met some great people, renewed acquaintance with others, was impressed by the energy& dedication of Regie Cabico, Sasha Sinclair, Angelique Palmer (she made a an ankle cast…

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DC Day Tripper

Before and after the jam packed weekend of Capturing Fire I plan to take in few of these local spots: Dumbarton Oaks Museum; National Museum of American Jewish Military History; Tribal Museums & Cultural Centers, Zoological Park; Georgetown Waterfront Park all of which are within walking distance of my hotel & all of which will give me a sense of the diversity of DC. Walking distance meaning any…

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Judgemental? Me!

During the break at the last Hot-Sauced Words I had a discussion about slam with some of the other writers there. Some were familiar but none of them had ever either slammed, or judged a slam. Both of which I have done & do. They were very curious how one judged – what was the criteria? I later had a talk with another friend who wanted to know if points were docked if the slammer used a device…

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Hot Damn! SubZero Heat

Hot Damn! SubZero Heat

Charlie C Petch returned Hot Damn! to it’s Glad Day roots for the March edition of the series. Glad Day, now moved to Church St., has created a multi-functional space with a cafe, books store & performance space. Hot Damn! audience filled the space for a hot standing-room-only show. A space created by having books shelve son wheels & moving them when needed for performance. A great idea that…

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Selling Out

The After The Falling chapbook is $10.00 – in the flesh. If you want one via snail mail add $3 for postage. For USA hard copy price remains $13 US funds to cover difference in shipping costs. PDF prices are Canadian funds. If you want a PDF copy of the chap book send $4.00 to my paypal below & I’ll email you a copy. The PDF will have additional Power pieces. A PDF of my Hot Damn! set is available…

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The Late Charlie C Petch

The Late Charlie C Petch

I suppose I should start with the disclaimer – I’ve known Charlie over 20 years. We met when I reimbursed myself in the Toronto spoken word scene in 1999 at the Renaissance Cafe (now a butcher shop) when Valentino Assenza’s Cryptic Chatter was in flower. At that time Charlie hadn’t embarked on the arc of a life that took him from female cultural gender drag to his present trans masculine reality.…

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Recap October 2021

Over the past month by TOpoet.ca following blog grew to ! The WP map does show my hits have come from  21 countries around the world. That the USA tops the list is no surprise but that Ecuador & Singapore are in the top 10 is a surprise. Most popular posts were The Late Charlie C Petch https://topoet.ca/2021/10/24/the-late-charlie-c-petch/, Ramsey Lewis https://topoet.ca/2021/10/27/ramsey-lewis/-…

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‘falling in love while in love’

Hot Damn’s season 6 finale was via Zoom. For once I didn’t feel I was taking the best seat in the house 🙂 But it was a pretty quiet house of nearly 60 people from across Canada & possibly around the world as there is no way to tell where who is zoomin’ from. In fact one has the choice of being in the room & not being seen. Cool & the tool of  future social distancing.

Slam rules cover costume &…

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Glitter Reflections at #CapFire18

Glitter Reflections at #CapFire18

Friday I opted to do nothing – no tourist jaunts to conserve my energy for the Fire start later in the day. After hitting the DuPont club I went over to Ted Bulletin on 14th for their big breakfast. After a 10 to 15 minute wait for a table turned into 25 I left – clearly Friday is not a good day for someone wanting a single booth. Busboys & Poets was near by so I had a great burger there.

Rested…

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My Talented Friends

With the festive season rapidly approaching it is a good time for me to recommend great gift options produced by many talented friends. Starting with some sweet sounds from SoulFistikato  the head nod. I met SoulF at Valentino Assenza’s Cryptic Chatter back in the day (time for a reunion show Val?). He (& frequent collaborated Dane Swan: whose excellent new book “He Doesn’t Hurt People Anymore”…

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“When A Fem Walks”

“When A Fem Walks”

Hot Damn! It’s A Queer Slam kicked off it’s 5th season with international flare with Korean, Middle Eastern, Asian & native poets, singers, & even dancers bringing their creativity to the stage. All are Canadians but our queer roots go deeper than nationality.

Host Charlie Petch’s boundless energy kept the night moving along well after the land acknowledgement & our queer international anthem.…