11/04

So, starting from the last update and that sorely needed break… Following the end of the festival, Me, Kienyo, Jessica, our Chilango friend Polo, and our Aussie friend Brooke hit the road south and went to Oaxaca. We stayed in the city one night to get our bearings, found a spot to park my car, then took the chicken class busses necessary to get down to the coast. We arrived in Mazunte, a dope sleepy little fishing village near Puerto Angel and Zipolite.  After one night with all of us crammed in a little thatched hut, we proceeded to find more thatched huts and hammocks and spread out. What followed was a blissful week of chillin in the sun and drinking by the ocean all night long only occasionally heading off to dance some salsa or watch drum circles.
 
When we got back to Oaxaca we stayed a night checking out cafes and bars with our friend Kaitlin then dealing with a truly Mexican fiasco with my car (some asshole Gringo wandered in the lot, damaged my side panel then told some poor Mexican couple that they must have hit the car and to pay him). After another long hellish drive (we saw a bus accident where the entire bus was just cinders and they were shoveling ash and possibly remains off the road) we got back to GTO and got ready to dip. Kienyo DJ’d a couple nights and we ended up recording some of our stuff with Michael. We hope to have an album in the next few months completed. Currently it is myself, Kienyo and Michael, with Seahag and Lego slated to fill in guitar, bass, and scratching. More info as it comes.
 
The rest of the month has been travel and recovery as well as friends weddings and thanksgiving madness (thanks to my family and the Wilsons for the fun and grub). I did one interview on the road for “Nuestra Palabra” on KPFT and plan to do another at the end of December. Happy holidays to all y’all. Look for photos, music and videos real soon.
 
10/04

God, so where to begin… Well the first week of this month me, Kienyo and Jess drove down to Houston. Jess did our entire PR and scheduling work for the month, Kienyo starting writing beats for the upcoming shows and I did an interview on KUHF for the “Front Row”. Xplaura should have that interview and a couple others up in just a bit.  A week in Kiener and I started the tour up with an interview on KPFT for the “Living Arts” show (you’re awesome btw Dean). We then played a show at Helios, which is always pleasant, followed by an event at the Artery (thanks so much to Mark). For the Artery show we had the pleasure of playing with Aaron Trumm (Houston slam veteran) and EK Keith (super sexy author and poet goddess). The show was filmed I’ll let you know more details on that soon.
 
Afterwards we headed 16 hours south to Mexico’s central highlands and the massive Cervantino Festival (the largest arts festival in Latin America). This years invited guests were South Africa and Italy, as you might imagine Kienyo who is Trini got pretty fucking sick of being asked what the motherland is like and after awhile started sporting a Brazilian jersey and Jamaican flag - which of course only added to the confusion. Rather than detail each show we played for the festival that were many and varied, I’ll just lay out the line-up. Kienyo played Maestro using a combination of Reason and Nuendo on my PC as well as orchestrating and engineering the accompanying musicians. I played MC on all evenings going between poetry, rhymes, and excerpts from MO. For most of the shows we had Michael Severens on Electric and standard Cello playing leads and ambient sounds.  We also had our friend Daniel from Mexico City on Saxophone playing leads for most of the shows. Additional Rhythm section was composed of Paris and Amad from the Latin funk band Barro Negro on bass and guitar respectively, as well as Caspar on didgeridoo, flute, and horn.  DJ Dylan from Portland sat in as a scratch DJ for one show as well. The venues were as follows: we played two low-key shows at Café Zilch with myself Michael and Kienyo. On Halloween we played Bar Ocho with myself Daniel and Kienyo (Kiki even managed to come up with one track spoofing Ghostbusters though I’m not sure if my words leant the light-hearted spookiness he was looking for). We played around five shows at the club Bar Santo (named after the infamous Mexican wrestler), always with me and Kienyo, and alternating additional musicians. The largest shows we played were in Plaza San Francisco set up by my buddy Marco from Invocarte (literally invoke-art) with several thousand screaming kids watching and moving through while we were filmed for national television and generally acting like drunk rock stars. We played the Plaza the two biggest Saturdays of the festival back to back and it was nuts - autograph picture posing interview fucking up drunken nuts.
 
On the personal tip, me Kienyo and Jess all stayed in the construction site that is our Mexican home. It’s a former Volkswagen shop that I bought some months ago and have been converting and designing into a three level home with the help of Jess and master architect David Chavez and his crew. As you can imagine all of my preparation fears came true when we first rolled in at 2 in the morning and I did not have electricity yet, nor hot water, nor doors and windows for that matter. That first week was chaos remedying that and buying appliances. Also, Jess and I were crashing in the guest bedroom, which seems kinda Asbestos filled (I’ll still haven’t stropped sneezing and coughing), and multiple guests showing up for the festival (my brother for his 25th b-day mid-month, and Ethan from the book amongst others). Between this and shows you might imagine that by the time Halloween rolled around we were pretty burned up and looking for a break.

9/04

The beginning of this month I spent in Houston with Jess’ incredible family. Virgil is a well-known artist and you should check out his work at your local museum or gallery. Andy is an up and comer as well (btw sorry for continually passing out on you bro). Deb is super non-profit outreach crusader extraordinaire currently doing Project Row Houses. You should check out all their respective stuff before they finish reading my book and realize what a shit-head I am.
 
I did an open mic at Helios, which is a real cool little poetry scene. I’m set to be a spotlight there next month. I also recorded a bunch of pieces for Diverse Works which will be available to listen to this month on their website. Jess also managed to set up 3 radio appearances and a featured event at the Artery. Look out for all of that.
 
I plan to spend the rest of this month packing up my stuff in CT. I’m headed south the end of the month for the shows in Texas and following that the Cervantino festival in GTO. I’d like to give a shout out to all my heads in CT where I’ve been spending a lot of this last year. You’ve made intolerable situations that much more bearable. I’d also like to shout out my mom who passed away a year ago July 11th and my pops whose ten-year passing mark was August 16th. Wherever you are, I’m thinking of you.
 
 
Summer 2004
It’s been a hell of a time since I last updated. I’ll summarize. I spent June and August in Mexico. I’ve got a small property down there that I’ve been building into a home. At the time of this writing it should be ready to stay in come the Cervantino festival in October (ready as in having windows and doors).
 
July was a party month. As well as the usual extravaganza for the fourth at the Decarlo’s (yes that includes you Tony) I also threw a ridiculous bash for my 29th in Stamford, CT on the 19th. By the middle of the party around 4am the noise was out of control and kids were electrifying each other’s nuts in my living room. By morning I had people asking for a spare bedroom and video equipment. Regardless to say everyone had a blast except me who spent half the time trying ineffectively to control the noise and mayhem. I took the rest of July to chill except for doing one reading at the Harry Bennett Library at the end of the month.
 
August as I’ve said was spent down in Mexico. I was a featured poet on the Rogue Scholars website so you should check that out. Me, Jess, and pal Dan Jenson hit the road the beginning of the month and drove the 2,600 miles from CT to GTO. Muchos gracious to Chandler (pinche fucking loco) and Steve Lightner for giving us spots to crash on the account of my house not yet having electricity, windows, water, or walls for that matter. A shout out to Stef Randel as well who made the leap from Colorado to come hang out with us and go buck fucking wild like I knew she always could. Polo, Luis, and everyone else, ustedes conocen quien son. 
 
I started to get literary stir crazy so I ended doing some shows in Austin at the end of the month. Austin, incidentally, is a fantastic town. I spent a week at my friend Nakisha Guevara’s place going to various water spots and drinking far too much (would ya expect anything else?). Shout outs to Steve, Bobby, Ben(s) and all the cats at Groene River, Rod (hope the road to Cali was smooth bro), Cori, Stacey, and Josh for keeping it down.

5/04

Fuck... okay let's get the good stuff out of the way first ok? You can get Malas Ondas at Borders Books in Stamford, CT, which I assume means it's available at every Borders in the country. The book is still available at St. Marks in Greenwich Village so go buy a copy. Press kits went out the end of this month and I should be starting my whole publicity interview nonsense when I get back from Mexico mid-April. All in all cool right?
 
Ahem...
 
So, I'll try to make it concise and brief. I arrived in Guanajuato on the 15th. Partied for a few days with assorted lunatics (my buddy Chand, Americans Whitney and Ryan, "Las Brujas" Paulina, Katelyn and Hannah (insane party chix)) and then a funny thing happened...
 
 Two weeks ago I came home went to the bathroom and proceeded to spit up large amounts of blood. My buddy Alex was justifiably freaked as I informed him at 6 in the morning that it seemed I was dying. The next few days I went to the hospital 3 times and was precribed half a dozen super anti-biotics and painkillers as well as several completely inappropiate items (Dramamine is for motion sickness, not fucking vertigo). No one knew what was happening to me and I even got misdiagnosed with Typhoid at one point.
 
It turns out that as best as 3 doctors and my hollistic healer can tell  I am recovering from the following: deterioration of the stomach lining, ulcers, and bleeding, swollen intestines, possibly ulcerated, massive viral infection to the internal organs (stomach, intestines, liver, spleen) resulting in fever, light headedness, confusion and vertigo, as well as assorted effects (DT's, night terrors, cold sweats, migraines) from going cold turkey off cigarettes and alcohol.
 
In other words, two weeks ago I thought I was dying and fucked. My girl Jess rushed here two weeks early, and assorted friends (thanks a million Alex, Julie, Michael, Sam, Susan) have been trying to help me. Last Friday I finally ventured out of the house for the first time in 9 days to go to an art opening and the mere presense of other human beings sent me into panic attack. Needless to say, it's been a scary fucked up experience.
 
Obviously I have cancelled my shows here this month though I do hope to do some in May both here and in the states. I'll keep y'all posted. Anyway, from a burnt but coming back poet south of the border all the best to all of you. Peace, love and all that.  

3/04

Another funny month. Played a show at the beginning of this month with Dharmata, who have been getting better and better and you should definitely check out and support. My girl Jess got here in the middle of the month and we've been having a blast and figuring that all out and it was her birthday as well as Ethans (of the Zipolite chapters) and we partied like it was 99. Also got to check out some good friends in DE for my friends Holly and Jerimiahs' housewarming. Many cool heads in attendance, Seahag of Sound of Urchin (go buy the new album dammit!), Dr. Long Ghost (ditto on the album), the always charming Xplaura and Davey of  Squeezebox, along with many old and close familiar faces. I've been gearin up for my next jaunt down south in Mid-April so catch me if you can before then. The book is now available at St. Marks Bookstore in Manhatten for all you city heads. That's 9th Street and 3rd Ave (Bowery), for those of y'all that don't know. Force your friends to buy some copies and get the word out there. Alright then, more soon, nos vemos cabrones.

2/04

Readjustment from my little "vacation" has been hell.  After the two shows in GTO the beginning of the month I came back to the states abandonning my buddy Cam's palacial hacienda and spring weather for the ice and cold of the northeast. Hanging for approxiametely a week I did what any sane poet would do and fled to an even colder locale, upsate Vermont. Well I am a masochist after-all... Anywho, spent the middle of the month hiding out in Burlington with some buds doing my typical insomniac binging thing, including a Mardi-Gras celebration and parade (never have cheap brightly colored beads and snow seemed at such odds). Then came back to the good old NYC area to get back on the ball (yeah right).  Oh, btw, my buddy Carl Restivo (Wyclef guitarist and generally representer of NJ) has a new band and album out. They're called Colfax Road and I dare you to listen to "Hip-Hop in the Morning" and not start humming. Check em out at CarlRestivo.com. Later.

1/04

So I took this month off to travel through Mexico with my buddies Artt and Dan and my girl Jess from Texas (yee-haw). I hit all the spots I hit in the book, which was actually kinda bad (see my guestbook for updates from then). Managed to get into beef with local thugs on the coast and witness a double execution over dinner in the jungle. Not cool. At the same time though it was good reconnecting with some old friends (hey Rob, Bill, Mike, Sexo, Antonio, Caroline, Gamma). Plus got to meet some new ones (sup Ali, Dan, Babylon crew). Also went to Xalapa and Villahermosa for the first time (well first time longer than 3 hours waiting for a bus anyhow), and had a blast in DF.  At the end of the month went back to GTO and chilled out with friends, did two shows the beginning of February and went out into the desert to horseback ride and camp the weekend before I took off with my good friends Mike (Severens, cello player, check out stuff he’s done with Tom Petty, etc). Jules (owner Bar Ocho), Steve (Lightner, check out his art work, it’s everywhere), Jess, and our guide Bernardo (chido, chido hombre).  All in all a good way to end a somewhat stressful trip. Oh, BTW, check this out:
http://home.freeuk.net/wazzaw/Reviews/vertikal.html
It’s a review for the album I did with Volker that just came out. It’s available everywhere and this is the first review I’ve found that I’m mentioned in that’s NOT in German!
 
12/03

Ok then, so let’s try and summarize… This month was kinda nuts for me. I did the show in Burlington at the beginning of the month with these experimental political puppeteers (hilarious btw, I wish I could remember the name of the troupe, ask around Vermont) which was cool till an after party where some 20 year old art student proceeded to call my writing “obnoxious, vulgar, and to be honest a bit clichéd”. It always seems to be these types who fail to realize how small and shitty the art world can be and the need for us to start picking each other up rather than pulling each other down. Oh well, she turned out to be all right anyhow, just a bit young and insecure. Later in the month I did a show at 23 Windows in Brooklyn. It was apparently one of the last before the space was done. The guys from Antibalas did a cool set though and everyone was super cool. Though in the end we mostly traded stuff, as the whole audience was broke artists like myself. X-mas I did a little party that I barely remember but I guess that’s what holidays are for. This being my first X-mas without any living parents was pretty rough but everyone that’s been around made it a lot easier thanks. At the end of the month I headed back to GTO to relax.

11/03

Just got back from Cleveland and one of the sweetest open vibes I’ve ever performed in. Did a show last Sunday at Kamikaze Coffee shop with Chief Rocka (awesome Akron/Cleveland hip-hop collective). Much love, amazing MC’s, check their site and support if you’re ever in Ohio.
 
Meitz new album, Vertikal, has just been released and is being distributed by Giant Step in the States. Yours truly has been remixed on track number 4 (White Powder). The album is dope, go get it and get funky uber-style.
 
I’ve got some friends playing at Green’s in Stamford on the 29th (Sicboy and the band Dharmada) and have agreed to show up a do some pieces if you guys are in the CT area.
 
Oh, thank you all for supporting, it’s been a crazy ride so far and you all have been super cool (even you weirdos posting odd stalker shit on my guest page J).
 
I’m in Mexico from December 30th till February 10th. Hope to catch you all prior or post.

10/03
 
Ok so this update is incredibly belated so I’ll make it quick.
 
I did three shows at the International Cervatino Festival this month. The featured artists this year were from Germany and France. I did poetry with an American cello player (Michael Severins of Tom Petty and Hootie fame), a Mexican and Dutch guitarist (Joshei and Chandler), and two Mexican percussionists (Chewe and Chandler’s bro), go figure. From what I remember the festival was a blast. Of course I spent 72 hours in blackout so who really knows. Anyhow, if you’re in Guanajuato go pick up a book at Barfly, Bar Ocho, or Spanglish. Tell em I sent you.

9/03

So my little friends, thanks to the intense, wonderful, not to mention amazingly talented Xplaura, kentevans.com is up and running. The past few months have been a rollercoaster of timing and chaos, and as usual I'm attempting to make some sense of it all with little success. This section of the site is dedicated to that end, tracking my descent into madness, signing hell, and the general drama of existence. I'll be posting shows, thoughts, poetry, and updates on the book with as much vigor as I can muster through the foggy hungover haze that is my current state. That said...
 
Loki Kevorkian just interviewed me for the Rogue Scholars btw which should show up on their site any day now when the little bitch can get his shit together :). Digs Magazine (the magazine for the the post-college pre-marriage generation) just put me on their recommended reading list. My book is in Connecticut Public Libraries, and could possibly be on the syllabus for some college classes. Yikes, I always said I would know I had made it when kids were forced to read and interpret my shit. Dope, redemption. Take that Faulkner!
 
I just got back from Seattle, lovely town that it is, this week and I'm now headed up to Burlington. Washington was cold and rainy but had sporadic moments of sunshine. I think I may have SARS now though since my usually frightening smokers cough has now transformed into an alarming wheeze/death rattle. On the up side I got to hang with my dear friend Jess who is lovely and charming as ever as well as a certain Megan who seems to have gotten her shit together to the point I feel like the laziest man on earth. I spent the week playing chess, drinking expresso (they just pulled some crazy Boston Tea Party shit out there in protest to a 10c tax increase on the stuff), and basically hanging with people I love. Good vibes, thanks Jess, you're the best babe.
 
While in the Northwest I also managed to get up to Van Couver and visit my friend Steffen and the baby Jesus (inside joke, gross in fact, definitely immoral, possibly illegal, probably blasphemous, don't worry about it - really). Did a local reading hosted by this really cool cat T. Paul Ste. Marie (wow man, that's a mouthful) who runs Thundering Word Heard productions. It looks like he'll be setting up my shows in San Fran up to BC. Rock on! I always said I liked Canadiens, eh.
 
So now I'm heading to Burlington to chill with the amazing Phish sisters, my buddy Fred, and a cast of characters best met rather than described (what up Mac and Gin?). Burlington College apparantly thinks I'm sober - wait - I mean qualified enough to do some appearances. Ya know, q&a, serious academic type stuff. Hmmmm..... they are a dry campus... interesting. Anyhow I'll keep you guys posted on when that's going off.
 
So, I'm off to cold green Vermont to get in some trouble. I'll be in Mexico from October 8-23 for the Cervantino festival, most likely doing readings at Bar Ocho, Barfly, and Spanglish if for some reason you're south of the border and looking to support. I'll keep ya posted. Much love, K