Poetic Souls Unite in Downtown Phoenix

Submitted by Yasmine Kenney

Every Wednesday in the heart of Downtown Phoenix, business owner Qosmic Qadence produces an event geared toward people interested in spoken word. From 7-11 p.m. at Club DwnTwn, 702 N. Central Ave, Phoenix (as of November 2018), people with a range of backgrounds gather together as a community for Poetic Soul.

“This is a space where all of artistry is celebrated and where there’s never a dull moment. From one performer to the next, you get the best display of talent and art they’re all incredible,” said producer Qosmic Qadence.

This production stemmed from a collaborative project Qadence was a part of, that promoted local talent from all over the Valley. He eventually created his own business ‘Qosmic Qadence, LLC’ and decided that creating a platform for the communities’ voice was a strong idea. In April 2016, business owner Mel Odell provided the R Lounge to his company and their first event brought in a crowd of 120 people.

Qadence says the biggest challenge was learning the structure and flow of this event. Most clubs are used to people bringing in a DJ for dancing and drinks, but this event is about creating an experience for the community that is consistent. The venue must fit the amount of people Poetic Soul is trying to reach out to, so venues are important.

To date, Poetic Soul is averaging 165 guests a night. The event starts out with a live band that is a permanent part of the show, they play throughout the night and adapt to performers requests. Qadence chooses a new feature artist every week that is given a 30-minute set. In addition, there are 25 performers a show that either sing, rap, or read poetry. Artists sign up at the door on a first-come, first-serve basis and are given enough time to share one piece.

At Club DwnTwn, the space allows for seating throughout the venue. Performers are mixed in the crowd watching the talent with everyone else.

Attendee Alexis Escobar said, “I started coming here because my friend performs, I love the vibe! There are always new people here.”

This event is open to the public, charging $10 at the door and $8 when using the Bravo Tipping App. People of all ages attend this event and participate: there are teenagers, grandmothers and parents who watch their children perform.

Qadence said, “It just happens to be the place where majority of the attendees are Black, which is dope.”

While majority of the guests are African-American everyone is welcome. There are performers of all ethnicities that are treated with the same level of energy. Every night is different, performers talk about depression, sex, the struggle of being black in America and hope.

“We don’t necessarily cater to the Black community, but we do sing-a-longs throughout the course of this event. Our heavy focus with music is R&B. R&B is loved by all people not just black people, but black people do R&B,” said Qadence.

Everyone has an opportunity to perform if they sign up, and there are many first timers throughout the night. The idea behind this project was to create a safe space for anyone to come listen to music and hear someone else’s voice.

Performer Nikki Voice said, “This is a platform for artists to build confidence, get out of their comfort zone, and expose their talent.”

Qadence plans to extend this project into a festival one day that functions on a similar level, but right now the goal is to build up the community.

Qadence says, “I think with all the craziness that’s going on in the world, especially Trump and his hatefulness and all this other stuff being spewed, people are looking for positive outlets to feel welcome and safe. I just want to create and foster more of togetherness and collaboration amongst the artists.”

For more info about Poetic Soul, click here:

http://www.phxsoul.com/poetic-soul-ultimate-spoken-word-poetry-experience-phoenix-wednesdays/