This unique slam will feature four teams hailing from Minneapolis, Madison, Milwaukee, and St. Paul. Armed with only the spoken word, each team (selected by many qualifying performances) will battle for the chance to compete at the 2009 National Poetry Slam in West Palm Beach, Fla. The best part? You decide their fate. Five judges will be randomly selected from the audience to score each team for four rounds. Teams can choose any number of poets to perform and the chosen ones often pick their poems based on the previous poet’s work and the audience’s reactions. Allison Broeren, Co-Slam Master of the Minneapolis Poetry Slam, says reactions are all part of the game. “Slam is interactive, the audience is encouraged to cheer or boo the judges if they don’t like the scores.” She would know. Once a disgruntled spectator pelted her with a French fry. “Mostly we try to have civilized fun though,” she said. Broeren thought that Eau Claire was ideal place for the slam because of our appreciation for the arts. It’s also a neutral midpoint between states, so no one has home-team advantage. Speaking of home, local poet Eric Rasmussen is thrilled to be part of the opening set. “The groups that will be performing are amazing, and it’s always great being attached to people with staggering talent,” he said. And there’s nothing like experiencing that talent live, so come early, come psyched, and lend your ears, jeers, and cheers to these phenomenal poets.

North Coast Poetry Slam • March 27 • The Nucleus Café, 405 Water St., Eau Claire • 8 pm • $3 • 834-7777