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Activities In-Depth:

Live Music and Poetry

Tune into the festival’s live performances by nationally touring musicians and adult and youth poets.

Music

Sit back and listen to several popular singer/songwriters perform at Eddie’s Attic and on the historic bandstand. Artists include:

Saturday Presenters: Ellis Paul, Emily and Don Saliers, Tommy Womack, and Marshall Chapman
Saturday Night Show: Marshall Chapman, Ellis Paul, and Tommy Womack
Sunday Presenters: Tom Kimmel and Wesley Speaks
Sunday show: John Wesley Harding, and Tom Kimmel

Music Schedule

SATURDAY
Noon	Emily And Don Saliers
12:15	Arlington Priest
1:15	Ellis Paul
1:30	Kristin Markiton
2:30	Tommy Womack
2:45	Dianne Durrett
3:45	Marshall Chapman
4:00	Rebecca Zapen
7–9:30	Blue Mother Tupelo
SUNDAY
12:45	Paul Hemphill
1:00	Mike Killeen
2:00	Tom Kimmel
2:15	Chip Houston
3:15	Wesley Speaks (Jwh)
3:30	Heather Luttrell

Poetry

Enjoy spoken word performances by some of Decatur’s finest poets, or sign up to perform your own work at one of two AJC DBF Poetry Slams.

Adult Poetry Slam

Come to Java Monkey, voted “best place to hear spoken word” by Creative Loafing in 2003 and 2004, for the AJC DBF Adult Poetry Slam. Listen to some of the finest local poets compete with each other by performing original poetry in front of a live audience. Decatur’s own Kodac Harrison, a popular singer, songwriter, and poet, will coordinate the slam.

Each poet must be prepared to perform two of their own pieces, and cannot use the aid of props, costumes, or musical instruments. Poems must not exceed three minutes. Performances will be judged by members of the audience.

A sign up sheet will be available on the porch at Java Monkey between 7 and 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, September 2. Up to 20 people can sign up for the competition, which will begin at 8 p.m. After two rounds of competition, a winner will be selected and awarded a cash prize.

Youth Poetry Slam

For younger attendees who wish to take a more active part in the festivities, a Youth Poetry Slam will be held on the square. The Poetry Slam is coordinated by Cocktails (aka Chris Cornell), a member of the Live Poets Society, who began this tradition at Atlanta’s Apache Café, and who will orchestrate the Decatur Book Festival’s own version.

The first 20 young poets who sign up Saturday morning will have the chance to perform three pieces of their own slam poetry, which are energetic compositions written to emphasize both content and vocal melody. There will be three rounds of competition, and members of the audience will judge the performances.