Books & Spoken Word
Raise the Bar: Shane Koyczan
Raise the Bar present a great night of spoken word with headline act, Shane Koyczan, one of the world’s most popular performers.
“In a realm where poets rarely intersect with stardom, the Opening Ceremonies for the 2010 Winter Olympics introduced us to Shane Koyczan. With a collective “wow” across Canada and beyond, we found the poet of our generation. And we weren’t even looking for one. The world took notice when Shane’s influential, anti-bullying, To This Day Project video went viral in early 2013 with over 20 million views and counting.
“Shane Koyczan however, is best known for his award winning spoken word performances. With his rhythmic verse in high gear, he navigates his audience through social and political territory with a furious honesty and a tender humanity that has brought audiences to their feet in New York, London, Edinburgh, Sydney, Stockholm, and Los Angeles, to name a few. He has received 5 star reviews for his performances around the globe. Winner of the US Slam Poetry Championship and the Canadian Spoken Word Olympics, Koyczan is truly an extraordinary talent that has blown the dust off of the traditional designation poet.”
“Homer must have sounded [like this]… or Ginsberg or Kerouac” – Amy Brown, The Lumiere Reader
“Shane’s words were so emotional and powerful it was impossible not to be drawn in. Shane doesn’t just recite poetry. He brilliantly manipulates the emotions of his audience members, bringing them from tears of sadness to tears of laughter.” – Cassie Silva, Review Vancouver
“Poetry isn’t a problem when it’s this cool” – Metro
“his profile continues to drill through the traditional poetry and spoken-word barriers.” – Winnipeg Free Press
“Koyczan’s passionate poetic slice of life lessons have garnered him a global audience for his uplifting performances.“ – The Record
“Poetry, like music, connects people in a powerful way and Shane lifted entire audiences to their feet with his incredible words. – David Suzuki
Plus resident DJ Ngaio (of Booty Bass) will be spinning a selection of hip-hop, R&B, world music and UK underground.
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