Mad Swirl Open Mic

08/08/2024

Note of Gratitude to the Mad Ones : 08.07.24

This past 1st Wednesday of August (aka 08.07.24) Mad Swirl Open Mic whirl’d up the Swirl at our OC home, Barbara’s Pavillion, getting the Mad mic opened for ALL you Mad ones out there!

This month we featured local Mad One & Contributing Poet Roderick Richardson!

Grats to ALL the participators & appreciators who rode the Mad wave live at Barbara’s:

Hosts:
Johnny O
MH Clay

Musical Overture:
Swirve (Chris & Tamitha Curiel, Gerard Bendiks)

Open Mic:
Desmene Statum (September’s FEATURE!)
Carlos Salas
Laura Traynor
•••FEATURE•••
Alan Gann
Tony Robinson
Kevin O’Neill
Lance
Brian Duran-Fuentes
Michael Elmer
Uncle T

We know you have a choices of what to do with your Wednesday night & we’re thrilled you picked lil ol’ us to hang out with!

Stay tuned ’til next 1st Wednesday (aka 09.04.24) when we will be featuring Poet Desmene Statum!

Peace,
Johnny O

P.S. Here is the full line-up of remaining features for 2024:

September: Desmene Statum
October: PW Covington
November: Mad Swirl Open Mic 20th Anniversary
December: Holiday Special

Huge THANKS to our past 2024 features:

January: Inciting the rise of YES & the fall of NO
February: Suza Kanon
March: The Best ofMad Swirl 2023 Anthology Launch
April: Opalina & Carlos Salas / Your Loving Son
May: Josh Weir
June: B Randall
July: Joaquin Zihuatanejo & GNO
August: Roderick Richardson

P.P.S. In case you missed the LIVE feed, your eye can spy on the whole virtual Swirl’n scenes right here…

08/07/2024

TONIGHT is Mad Swirl Open Mic where we'll be doing the open mic voodoo that we do do now for almost 20 years!

August feature is longtime Mad One & Contributing Poet, Roderick Richardson!

Here's what Poetry Editor & Co-Host MH Clay has to say about Roderick: "Roderick’s work is brilliant satire and social commentary; addressing racism, economic disparity, the foibles of relationships, and more. You can’t miss this show."

Be like MH & DO NOT MISS THIS SHOW!

Send a message to learn more

07/15/2024

Thanks to ALL who have already donated to the Mad cause! You've brought us 10% closer to our goal! For those who still might wanna lend a hand, it's not too late...

To you Mad lovers of all things Swirl: We Mad Staffers periodically get together to discuss pr… Mad Swirl needs your support for Join the Mad (r)Evolution

07/07/2024

Mad Swirl rarely asks for help but when we do, it's for a most excellent cause!

We have a few projects in the works (website redesign, printing poetry/prose collections, etc.) but to accomplish these we are asking for your help.

If you can spare a dollar (or few), every cent donated will go towards growing Mad Swirl's creative outlet... and you can say you helped! 🌀💙

To you Mad lovers of all things Swirl: We Mad Staffers periodically get together to discuss pr… Mad Swirl needs your support for Join the Mad (r)Evolution

07/04/2024

Note of Gratitude to the Mad Ones : 07.03.24

This past 1st Wednesday of July (aka 07.03.24) Mad Swirl Open Mic whirl’d up the Swirl at our OC home, Barbara’s Pavillion (for 3 years now!), getting the Mad mic opened for ALL you Mad ones out there!

This month we featured OG Dallas Slam Poets, Joaquin Zihuatanejo & GNO!

Grats to ALL the participators & appreciators who rode the Mad wave live at Barbara’s:

Hosts:
Johnny O
Desmene Statum

Musical Overture:
Swirve (Chris & Tamitha Curiel, Gerard Bendiks)

Open Mic:
Roderick Richardson
Sarah Simmons
Gregory Cisneros
Opalina Salas
Alan Gann
Valerie Parsley Crowe
Brian Duran-Fuentes
Harry McNabb
Mz. Jolie
Jean Gallante
A. Psymmetry
Anita Sanchez
Lyric Jane
Lyrik Hunter

We know you have a choices of what to do with your Wednesday night & we’re thrilled you picked lil ol’ us to hang out with!

Stay tuned ’til next 1st Wednesday (aka 08.07.24) when we will be featuring Poet Roderick Richardson.

Peace,
Johnny O

P.S. Here is the full line-up of remaining features for 2024:

August: Roderick Richardson
September: Desmene Statum
October: PW Covington
November: Mad Swirl Open Mic 20th Anniversary
December: Holiday Special

Huge THANKS to our past 2024 features:

January: Inciting the rise of YES & the fall of NO
February: Suza Kanon
March: The Best ofMad Swirl 2023 Anthology Launch
April: Opalina & Carlos Salas / Your Loving Son
May: Josh Weir
June: B Randall
July: Joaquin Zihuatanejo & GNO

P.P.S. In case you missed the LIVE feed, your eye can spy on the whole virtual Swirl’n scenes right here…

07/03/2024

Come one & come all to Mad Swirl Open Mic TONIGHT & get Awww'd!

“The only people for me are the mad ones, the ones who are mad to live, mad to talk, mad to be saved, desirous of everything at the same time, the ones who never yawn or say a commonplace thing, but burn, burn, burn, like fabulous yellow roman candles exploding like spiders across the stars and in the middle you see the blue centerlight pop and everybody goes 'Awww!'" ~ Jack Keroauc

Send a message to learn more

07/01/2024

Welcome to Mad Swirl’s second installment of “Inside the Eye” coming from Dallas, Texas! Join hosts Johnny Olson (Founder, Chief Editor, Creative Director) and MH Clay (Poetry Editor, right hand Mad man) as they once again swirl up some podcasting madness!

In this quarter’s episode of “Inside the Eye”…

We once again got the Editor’s Roundtable together with our Mad Staffers, Chief Editor Johnny O, Poetry Editor MH Clay, Short Story Editor Tyler Malone & Visual Editor Madelyn Olson and got their highlights from some of our fine contributors in the Q2 of 2024.

We chatted a bit about Mad Swirl Open Mic's recent past & upcoming 1st Wednesday events.

We discussed the upcoming website redesign & the launch of our 2024/25 fundraiser.

Lastly, we interviewed the talented & delightful Irish Poet Polly Richardson & we had us quite the chat, we did!

Give us a listen on Patreon OR give a listen on Spotify!

Give us a listen on Patreon OR give a listen on Spotify! Welcome to Mad Swirl’s second installment of “Inside the Eye” coming from Dallas, Texas! Join hosts Johnny O (Founder, Chi…

06/26/2024

We sure hope you marked your calendars for July 3rd because you do NOT want to miss this show!

Send a message to learn more

06/21/2024

To you Mad lovers of all things Swirl:

We Mad Staffers periodically get together to discuss projects we want to do to extend the radius of Mad Swirl. We feel its current pulling & compelling us to do more. But it takes funds to do so.

To date, Mad Swirl has funded a few of our projects from our book & merch sales, but mostly the cost comes out of our own pockets. To accomplish the projects below, we humbly request your help.

Here are just a few of the projects we will accomplish in 2024/25:

Updates to MadSwirl.com: Our website is currently being updated to best showcase the work of our contributing poets, writers & artists. It has been 10 years since we have done so & we want to make our site even more interactive & easier for all Swirlers to navigate the poetry, short stories, art & events that color our Swirl world.

Publish more books: Our online presence is wide, deep, and dynamic. This year & next we will be publishing more books from our Contributing Poets & Writers, along with our annual Best of Mad Swirl.

Launch our Podcast: Mad Swirl is producing a quarterly podcast, "Inside the Eye!" Each episode will have a roundtable chat with our Mad Staff on recent developments in the Swirl and will feature an interview with one of our Contributing Mad ones.

Now that you know what we do with all our proceeds, will you help us out? We want to raise $3000. With your help, we can do it!

Swirlingly Yours,
The Mad Staffers

To you Mad lovers of all things Swirl: We Mad Staffers periodically get together to… Mad Swirl needs your support for Join the (r)Evolution : MadSwirl 3.0

06/06/2024

This past 1st Wednesday of June (aka 06.05.24) Mad Swirl Open Mic whirl’d up the Swirl at our OC home, Barbara’s Pavillion, getting the Mad mic opened for ALL you Mad ones out there!

This month we featured local legend, author, director, event coordinator, host, poet, producer and visionary, B. Randall!

Grats to ALL the participators & appreciators who rode the Mad wave live at Barbara’s:

Hosts:
Johnny O
Opalina Salas

Musical Overture:
Swirve (Chris & Tamitha Curiel)

Open Mic:
Roderick Richardson
Lisa Carmen
Kevin O’Neill
Valerie Crowe
Brian Duran-Fuentes
Suza Kanon
•••
Martin Heche
Tony Robinson
Laura Trainer
Audacity
Elly Sellers
Lifeoflaura
Orange Mercury
Emanuel Garcia
Sarah Simmons
Billionaire Bride
Linda Jones
Jolie
Heavy Artillery
Zoe Dune

We know you have a choices of what to do with your Wednesday night & we’re thrilled you picked lil ol’ us to hang out with!

Stay tuned ’til next 1st Wednesday (aka 07.03.24) when we will be featuring Dallas Slam Poets, Joaquin Zihuatanejo & GNO… ’til then, may the madness swirl your way!

Johnny O

P.S. In case you missed the LIVE feed, your eye can spy on the whole virtual Swirl’n scenes right here…

06/05/2024

Join Mad Swirl TONIGHT!!!

Send a message to learn more

05/15/2024

Thanks to ALL who came & witnessed Mad Swirl's Happy Hour showcase!

05/08/2024

Thanks to The Writer's Garret for swirlin' us into thei Dallas is Lit festivities!

We're really excited to feature a handful of our longtime Mad Swirl Open Mic usual suspects:

Hosts:
Johnny O
MH Clay

Musical Interludes:
Swirve's Chris Curiel

Poets:
Roderick Richardson
Opalina Salas
Carlos Salas
Desmene Statum

See you at Mad Swirl's open mic stomping grounds, Barbara's Pavillion!

Send a message to learn more

05/02/2024

Note of Gratitude to the Mad Ones : 05.01.24

This past 1st Wednesday of May (aka 05.01.24) Mad Swirl Open Mic whirl’d up the Swirl at our OC home, Barbara’s Pavillion, getting the Mad mic opened for ALL you Mad ones out there!

This month we featured local loco legend, OG miscreant, Josh Weir!

Grats to ALL the participators & appreciators who rode the Mad wave live at Barbara’s:

Hosts:
Johnny O
MH Clay

Musical Overture:
Swirve (Chris Curiel, Gerard Bendiks)

Open Mic:
Alan Gann
Desmene Statum
Harry McNabb
Gabriela C.
Brian Duran-Fuentes
Marie
David Crandall
Matt Drake
Rachel Johnson
Bobby Hood
John Gallante
Dick Zinnendorf

We know you have a choices of what to do with your Wednesday night & we’re thrilled you picked lil ol’ us to hang out with!

Stay tuned ’til next 1st Wednesday (aka 06.05.24) when we will be featuring B. Randall!… ’til then, may the madness swirl your way!

Johnny O

P.S. In case you missed the LIVE feed, your eye can spy on the whole virtual Swirl’n scenes right here…