Back to Insom04' On-Line! Home Page.

---Travel Is Fatal . . .

-- -------To The Heartland, To The City and Beyond!

to prejudice, bigotry, and narrowmindedness,and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts. Broad, wholesome, charitable views of men and things cannot be acquired by vegetating in one little corner of the earth all one's lifetime.--------- Mark Twain -



Storm Generation poet, Ron Whitehead - Click Here To Learn More!

February 16th finds Storm Generation poet, Ron Whitehead at the Granada International Festival of Poetry in Granada, Nicaragua.

The Granada International Festival of Poetry in Garnada, Nicaragua - Click Here To Learn More!

Click Here To View the Program for El Festival Internacional de Poesía de Granada.

This year's Festival is hosting more than 100 poets from over 50 countries in a grand CELEBRATION OF POETRY that involves all Nicaragua where all the particpants, native and visitor, carry out a National Party of International Magnitude. Click Here To View the Program for El Festival Internacional de Poesía de Granada.




On The Griot Trail - Bowery Poetry Club founder, Bob Holman and Kora sensation (and Griot guide) Papa Susso's 7-week journey through Senegal, Gambia and Mali to capture the culture, sights and sounds of endangered languages. Click Here To Join Bob Holman and Papa Susso on their fantastic journey!

On The Griot Trail - Keeping Orality Alive! -
There are two consciousnesses: Orality and literature. A common misconception is that if you can’t read then you are illiterate. But of the 6500 languages in the world, only 700 are written down! Every two weeks, a language disappears. BUT– with digital, we enable orality to exist!

Founder of The Bowery Poetry Club, Bob Holman and Griot guide, Papa Susso. Click Here To Learn More about "On The Griot Trail!"

Founder and Ringmaster of The Bowery Poetry Club, Bob Holman and Kora sensation (and Griot guide), Papa Susso arrived in Dakar on Nov. 10th for a 7-week journey through Senegal, Gambia and Mali to capture the culture, sights and sounds of endangered languages from Timbuktu and beyond. In true 21st century fashion, a near-realtime weblog www.griottrail.com is chronicaling their trek in text, pix and clips. Click Here To Join Bob Holman and Papa Susso On The Griot Trail!


Michael Dean Odin Pollock at Hotel El Muneria, William S. Burroughs old Moroccan residence in Tangiers. - Click Here To Read his Joujouka Reflect. - Photo by Daragh McCarthy.
Joujouka Reflect - Insom contributor, Michael Dean Odin Pollock is back from the Master Musicians of Joujouka - Brian Jones 40th Anniversary Festival and weighs in with a poem from his experiences in Morocco. Click Here To Read his Joujouka Reflect.

Also Of Not!
- Master Musicians of Jouojuka on BBC Radio - Mark Coles' BBC Radio program "The Beat" brings the spirit and sounds of The Master Musicians of Joujouka to the Air and the Wire. Click Here To Listen!

The Master Musicians of Joujouka - The Brian Jones 40th Anniversary Festival - Click Here To Learn More About this wonderous celebration of Music and Spirit! - Photo by Frank Rynne.

The Master Musicians of Joujouka - The Brian Jones 40th Anniversary Festival -
On July 29th, Morocco's Sufi trance Masters, The Master Musicians of Joujouka, are celebrating in a music festival, the 40th Anniversary of Rolling Stones founder Brian Jones's visit to their village. For a Day and a Night a small group of guests (Icelandic musician and Insom contributor, Michael Dean Odin Pollock in attendance) will stay in the village of Ksar El Kebir with the Master Musicians of Joujouka and their families with a visit to the 8th century sanctuary of Joujouka's patron saint, Sidi Ahmed Schiech, and to the cave of Pan / Boujeloud. That evening at the cave there will be a full performance of the Boujeloud Rite in honor of Brian Jones, devoted to the healing trance music of Joujouka. To Learn More about this wonderous celebration of Music and Spirit, Click Here!

A Beat Day at Big Rock - Stora Klopp - A collective celebration of the Spoken Word and Song, May 3rd, Reykjavik, Iceland.

A Beat Day at Big Rock - Stora Klopp - Spring tumbles into start of Summer. Beltane brings Poets, Writers and Musicians from around the World to Stora-Klopp (Big Rock) in Iceland on May 3rd for a collective celebration of the Spoken Word and Song hosted by internationally renown Icelandic novelist Olafur Gunnarsson at his farm outside Reykjavik. Click Here To Learn More about this ephemiral gathering in the land of Fire and Ice.

Icelandic Poet, Thor Vilhjamsson at Stora Klopp tells a tale! The Pix Are In From A Beat Day at Big Rock! - Click Here To View!

The Pix Are In From Stora Klopp! -
Poet, Author and Photographer, Birgitta Jonsdottir, who performed at Stora Klopp, brought her camera and was so kind to pass along these images from A Beat Day at Big Rock -Stora Klopp to us here at Insomniacathon On-Line! Click Here To View her PhotoBook from Stora Klopp!

 

David Amram and unknown drummer at the first LIPS Festival October 2001! - Click Here To Learn More about this show and the upcoming LIPS II Festival happening in November!

On October 26, 2001, poets and musicians from around the globe converged in London, England to bring spoken word and song to the first London International Poetry and Song Festival (LIPS). Conceived in 2000 by poet and writer Richard Deakin, LIPS intention was to be an extension of the theme of contemporary performance poetry with a musical background (which has been evolving for the past 50 years into a Beatific heritage) and bring it all together in an international amalgam which still reverberates to this day, and now . . .

Click Here To Learn More about The London International Poetry and Song Festival - LIPS II - 2007!
LIPS II will exclaimate in celebration the continued perpetuation of this Beatific heritage at London's Marquee Club. Click Here To Learn More about LIPS past and soon to come!

 

On Wednesday, January 3rd David Amram and special guests performed at the Cafe Trieste San Francisco. Click Here for Pix from this gig!
On Wednesday, January 3rd David Amram and special guests performed at the Cafe Trieste San Francisco. Click Here for Pix from this gig!

 

Click Here to view the story of, "My Last Time at CBGB's."
Legendary NYC punk club CBGB’s canto finale was delivered by the punk rock poetess Patti Smith on October 15. Despite efforts from fans and promoters to save the venue, the club that helped define a music genre and launch the careers of The Ramones, Talking Heads and Blondie will close its doors after its final show on October 31, due to unsuccessful rent negotiations with its landlord.

In December 2005 after the last Odes to The Sidewalks of New York show at The Bowery Poetry Club, Insom alums, Jeremy Hogan, Frank Messina and James Walck were heading back after a late night post show gnosh and happened into a moment of spontaneous street celebration outside CBGB's. Click Here to view the story of, "My Last Time at CBGB's."


Willie Nelson, Neil Young and John Mellencamp organized the first Farm Aid concert in 1985 to raise awareness about the loss of family farms and to raise funds to keep farm families on their land. - Click Here To Learn More About FarmAid! -

On September 30th, Farm Aid 2006 will urge Americans to choose food from family farms, creating growing opportunities for more family farmers. Artists at the 2006 concert will show support for activities that keep family farmers on their land. Farm Aid 2006 will feature headliners Willie Nelson, Neil Young, John Mellencamp and Dave Matthews, plus a cavalcade of top artists join this 21st annual fundraiser dedicated to Help Keep Family Farmers On Their Land!

----David and Willie Nelson - On The Bus and On The Road - FarmAid 97' -

Also Of Note!
Insom alum, David Amram, joined his pal, Willie Nelson for his 10th appearance at Farm Aid 2006! Dave checked in after his Farm Aid 2006 performance, Click Here to read David Amram's letter "On The Road from FarmAid 2006"



The International Council of 13 Indigenous Grandmothers - Click Here To Learn More!

Gathering of The 13 Grandmothers - On June 12th through the 22nd The 13 Grandmothers gathered in council for the fifth time in the Black Hills of South Dakota. A contingent of 13 Indigenous Grandmothers from all parts of the world, they come together in belief that sharing the teachings of our ancestors will light our way through these uncertain times. During this gathering there were public and private meetings, ceremonies and lessons to protect the collective heritage of traditional medicines, peacemaking and healing for us all collectively as human beings and learn hoe to better defend our Mother Earth Herself.

Sarah Elizabeth Whitehead attended this gathering for the LifeHeartSpirit lessons that would be revealed. In a poem by Ron Whitehead he intimates his perspective of the experience. Click Here to read his impression in the poem, "geothermal piano" .



Click Here and Learn about the freedom dream of True-Spirit! - 20,000 Km, 66 Days, 25 Countries, 2 Bikes, 1 Coast -

20,000 Km, 66 Days, 25 Countries, 2 Bikes, 1 Coast - On May 17th, Chris Schweizer and Stephan Schacher will embark on an exceptional journey. Starting in Istanbul, these two travelers will mount their Harley-Davidson motorcycles and navigate the coast of Europe in 66 days taking them to the northernmost point of Europe. Click Here and Learn about the freedom dream of True-Spirit.


Click Here to read,Alfama old Lisbon Portugal February 2007 (a love poem for Sarah) .

The beginning of February found Ron and Sarah Whitehead in Lisbon, Portugal presenting a workshop/seminar with Ron imparting "CROSSING THE RIVER OF FIRE: Journey of Self Discovery, The Alchemy of Writing" and Sarah, Homesick: "The Experience of Voice and The Circle" They also performed "The Privilege of Paths" with Íris & Lúcia Loureiro at Santiago Alquimista . Ron illuminates their mystical visit to Lisbon in prose. Click Here to read,
Alfama old Lisbon Portugal February 2007 (a love poem
for Sarah) .



Click Here to read "Is This 2007 or 1965?" - Story and Photos by Jeremy Hogan. -

January 27, 2007 found Alt-Jouralist, Jeremy Hogan, back on the streets of Washington D.C. along with 250,000 Americans protesting the war in Iraq. With George W. Bush proposing a “surge” of 21,000 more Americans to be sent to Iraq to help them defend themselves from themselves, a question comes to bear . . . Click Here to read "Is This 2007 or 1965?"


Click Here for the story and pix from the 2006 workshop in Skiathos.

From September 9th thru the 15th, Zoe Artemis made way to Skiathos, Greece to open up her home on this truly idylic island in the Aegean for her second wrting retreat SKY, SEA, MOUNTAINS. From the UK was Mitzi Szereto with her SMOLDERING WORDS: Erotic Writing & Fiction Workshop. Click Here for the story and pix from the 2006 workshop in Skiathos.

----
Click Here to read David Amram's letter "On The Road from FarmAid 2006"

David Amram
, joined his pal, Willie Nelson for his 10th appearance at Farm Aid 2006! Dave checked in after his Farm Aid 2006 performance, Click Here to read David Amram's letter "On The Road from FarmAid 2006"

 

Beach Poets Series - Loyola Beach, Chicago - Click Here To Learn More! -

Now in it's 16th season, Cathleen Schandelmeier's, Beach Poets Series welcomed Michael Dean Odin Pollock to read trance scribed selections from his - " Walker's Journals " Sunday, July 9th, 2006.

 



Michael Dean Odin Pollock
& Special Guest.Tyrone Cotton. performed Universal Roots Music with their unique take on Accoustic Folk/Blues/Country/Americana at the Rudyard Kipling !

 

Click Here To Read Jeremy Hogan's travel weblog, "Back To Where I Came From."

Some say you can't go back to from where you came but Insom correspondant, Jeremy Hogan returns to California to re-tread old trails not trod for over a decade and inevitably blaze new ones as he travels from San Diego to San Francisco. Read his travel weblog, "Back To Where I Came From."

 

Click Here to Learn More about Tyrone Cotton and his new CD!

Tyrone Cotton
hit the bricks in support of his new CD and made way to Sin-e in NYC on May 22, 2006 Also appearing that evening was another shining son of Louisville, Danny Kiely. Danny is also the founder of In Room One an organization dedicated to providing recording/production and business/legal services to aid and abet the careers of unsigned artists and bands.

 

Click Here To View Gild Photo ScrapBook!

As for Jeremy Hogan his compass pointed him East to NYC for the opening of Kaliedescope the photo exhibit sposored by Gild and held at The Changing Room in the NoHo neighborhood of lower Manhatten. The opening was massively attended and grooved into the evening to the smooth beats provided by DJ Pismo. Again with camera in hand Jeremy snared some snaps of the moment, Click Here to view his PhotoBook of the opening!



Frank Messina deep in The Rhythm Vacuum with Will Sovern and Shakespeare's Monkey! - Click Here for More Photos!

Spring op' found many of The Faithful bringing their Stories, Sights and Sounds to the road. NYC poet/painter Frank Messina hit the bricks with his "One Night Stand" Art and Poetry trek in mid-March.

Starting in San Diego, Messina made his way back East across the desert and through the Heartland. Insom framester, Jeremy Hogan caught up with Frank
in Evansville, Ind at The Sychronicity Art Gallery for a night of Spoke and Roll and Art that moves the Soul! which was hosted by noneother than fellow Insom alums, Will Sovern and Shakespeare's Monkey. Click Here to view a VidClip of the Messina classic, "American't Get Home - Bicycle" lensed by Jeremy Hogan.

Not losing stride Messina headed south to Louisville, KY to hook up with Ron and Sarah Elizabeth Whitehead, Dean McClain, Tyrone Cotton and other Keepers of The Flame for an intimate evening of Art and Spoken Soul Song in The Highlands. Click Here to view the joint Hogan/Messina PhotoBook of both these fantastic evenings of Sights, Spoke and Song!



 



Make sure to check back here at Travel Is Fatal . . . for more
Sights, Spoke and Sounds from The Heartland, The Cities and Beyond which are coming to light here at Insomniacathon On-Line!



- News, New & Of Note!  - Click Here for the latest happenings from our friends and family in the Poetry, Music and Art World! -

Insomniacathon On-Line! has compiled a list of Links to International and Domestic Relief Agencies and Organizations who tirelessly strive to spell suffering and help those who can't help themselves. Do what you can For Humanity. Click Here To Learn More!

Long time friend and compatriot, David Amram, shares a touching reflect of his good friend. Click Here To Read his reflect "For Odetta".

Jack's Last Call: Say Goodbye to Kerouac - AudioPlay adaptation of the Patrick Fenton play "Kerouac's Last Call" - Click Here to Learn More, Link and Listen to Jack's Last Call: Say Goodbye to Kerouac!

On Sunday, December 11th 'Ode to the Sidewalks of New York Jazz & Poetry Reading' will happen once again hosted by legendary musician, composer, author David Amram & his Trio at the Bowery Poetry Club. - Click Here For More Info! - ALSO View Pix and Clips from May's Ode Celebration!

Pix, Clips and Page from kindred Keepers of The Flame! Join us in celebrating the LifeArtSpirit of Allen Ginsberg! Click Here to Enter!

Dave Amram Birthday Special! Click Here for VidClips, Pix and Debut Mp3's from  the new CD "The Long Road To Nowheresville!"
Click Here to read about The History of Insomniacathon.


More info about The Literary Renaissance

- Click Here for Links to the Family and Friends of Insomniacathon in and around this World! -


Read Dave's "My Bhudda Angel From Chengdu" letter and poemlyric penned after the "Beat Meets East" Conference in Chengdu, China, June 2004. - Click Here! -

Read Ron and Sarah Whitehead's experience at Hunter S. Thompson's Send-Off at Woody Creek - Click Here to Read!

On Sunday, Feburary 20th, Writer, The Gonzo Journalist, Kentuckian and Friend, Hunter S. Thompson headed on from this world to the next. Click Here to read the emotes, reflects, rants and raves coming in to Insomniacathon On-Line!

Insom 04' Galleria!  - New & Expanded! -  Click Here to Enter! -

A True Tale of a Tall Trip. - Click Here To Read an Excerpt from the Sarah Elizabeth & Ron Whitehead book "Western Kentucky: Lost & Forgotten, Found & Remembered"


Jack Shea - Filmmaker, Poet, Songwriter, Friend.  - Click Here for More -

 
 

 

Insomniacathon On-Line! is proudly sponsored by:

WFPK 91.9 FM and streaming on the Web at www.wfpk.org!
www,bordersstores.com
A Power Point in the Poetic Universe!  - Click and go to: www.bowerypoetry.com -