News and Music Discovery
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

[Audio] Mocktails Slam Host Regie Cabico Delivers "A Carp A Palooza" on Sounds Good

Kate Lochte

Slam poet RegieCabico stopped by the WKMS studios to speak on his work and hosting the inaugural Mocktails Slam at Murray State University tonight. 

One of Cabico works "A Carp A Palooza" deals with the cultural role of the invasive species Asian Carp in the United States. But upon arriving in west Kentucky, Cabico says he was surprised to find out that local fisheries specializing in harvesting the fish already existed. 

"I did not know that!" said Cabico. "This was destiny, I knew I had to come here to Murray, Kentucky, it's all the plan. I've never eaten carp, I don't think, but I must be in the region of carp." 

Cabico says performing his work feels like taking people right to the edge of a cliff before falling, and often the feeling is the same for him as it is to the audience. 

"I have to scope out who the audience is, the crowd, I see how much they can handle, I see how much I can handle at that time, and I have to do it," said Cabico. "And if they're with me, then I'm soaring, I'm flying, we're happy, we're smiling. People are emotional, I'm emotional. There's got to be an element of danger in poetry. I need to push my self to the edge and I need to figure out what's difficult for me to say, to share. 

"But there is that connection that I love," he says. "I'm always interested in danger and art and language and how do seduce the audience with something that's real and honest. And I have to say, being a queer-identified, fillipino poet who's outspoken and politically charged and funny, it doesn't always go. I'd say about 99.9% of the times people have really been great. Maybe there were a few times where I might have gone over the edge a little bit. But ultimately... that's just me." 

Mocktails Slam begins at 8:30pm tonight in the Curris Center's Thoroughbred Room at Murray State University. Door prizes and awards will be presented throughout the Slam.  

Rob Canning is a native of Murray, KY, a 2015 TV Production grad of Murray State. At MSU, he served as team captain of the Murray State Rowing Club. Rob's goal is to become a screenwriter, film director or producer and looks to the likes of Quentin Tarantino and Guy Ritchie for inspiration. He appreciates good music, mainly favoring British rock n' roll, and approves of anything with Jack White's name on it. When not studying, rowing or writing, Rob enjoys spending his free time with a book or guitar.