h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Okay, so the subject line is an exaggeration, I'll admit. But anyway, last year, the Amnesty International group I participate in made big plans to organize a concert to promote human rights. We arranged to have our show at the Mercury Cafe. We contacted a few local bands, created and distributed fliers, blah blah blah. However, the show that we had worked so hard for didn't go on. A day or two before it was supposed to occur, we were contacted by Marilyn and told that the show was canceled. Some members of our group went to talk to her personally, and she said that because the bands who were to play were punk, she didn't want them there. Keep in mind that we had told her of the bands previously, and if she had had concerns, she could easily have addressed them with us earlier. Anyway, she said that because punk bands incite violence and are all sellouts, she was not going to allow the show to occur. Needless to say, we were a bit put out. This year, we're putting on a better show, with more well-known bands and promotion, and moeny, and all the lovely things one needs to put on a show. And it's going to be at the Gothic Theater.

As a former employee of Marilyn's (3 years) and former patron and performer/organizer (5 years) at the Mercury Cafe, I can assure you that malevolence is a rather harsh and unrealistic assesment of that experience. Marilyn has promoted and hosted thousands of punk/hardcore bands for more than 20 years of her 26 years in existence. There came a time and a very expensive incident involving the gestalt of violent means of creative expression-in this case a 2 decade old hardcore band- that helped change the musical focus; tastes change. It's not that all types of music and expression aren't welcome, but the time and the place for that in that tiny corner of the world has passed, in my opinion.

Now imagine this---Saturday night, swing kids and grandparents, a family of Cajun dancers sharing a Dinah's tofu and T-Bone, a belly dancer in the jungle room, and a few tango hanger-oners all have to pass through the red door and the gazillions of flyers for all sorts of humanitarian-artistic events. Who knows, a few of those dancers may just attend your next Amnesty International meeting....

Plus, the tips greatly improved.

Please note that I dare not and absolutely DO NOT speak for Ms. Megenity or her beliefs. I speak ONLY from my own direct experience working in her Cafe before and after the music metamorphosis.

I have travelled much in the lower 48 here and I am convinced that I will always long for a glimpse of the Merc in every cafe I enter.

Love,
JenK

Jen, My name is Porcupine Smith, I am a Poet turned Slam Poet Turned Internet Poet... Turned Poet

I came here looking for info on the Mercury Cafe in Denver because I'm am trying to arrange a small poet's convention with some Poets in a national/international Poetry Forum that I am part of; Considering the comments made here I would like to know if you think The Mercury would be a good place to have the event, this is what I'm looking for: A coffee house/restaurant/bar whatever that has a stage and would like to have an open mic poetry reading or a poetry slam; I would bring the poets and myself as the entertainment in exchange for use of Her facilities; Most of the poets who participate on the forum are more traditional, all except for me being a crazy slam poet; I have hosted many poetry slams and had my own in Arizona for a while; I am a veteran performer. Do you think Marilyn would want to have an event like this in her place? Please let me know.

Sincerely Porcupine Smith