On the heels of Lit Crawl LA comes a brand new night of literary fun. On Sat., Nov. 12, Melrose Bellow will bring stand-up comedy, poetry, live music, and stories about everything from the desert to the sea to venues up and down Melrose Avenue.
Organized by Conrad Romo — best known as the guy behind the long-running Tongue & Groove reading series — Melrose Bellow features two rounds of pre-event happenings from 5 pm to 7 pm. Pick from a NaNoWrimo meetup, a block carving workshop, and an interactive poetry-improv hybrid performance.
Then comes the main event: two rounds of literary events, with a half dozen different happenings to pick from for each round. Here are my picks for each round:
Round 1 at 7 pm: Story Salon and the Mean Kind at Debonair, 7364 Melrose Ave.
Apparently Story Salon is LA’s longest running storytelling venue — How have I never heard of this series? — and The Mean Kind is a group of writers with ties to the South. Brandon Jordan Brown, Rachel McLeod Kaminer, and Chris L. Terry will read — Their work may or may not be about the South.
Round 2 at 8 pm: The Nervous Breakdown at Debonair, 7364 Melrose Ave.
Online lit zine The Nervous Breakdown will feature readings from Steve Abee, Dennis Cruz, and Milo Martin.
Other events include Rogue Machine Theatre’s Rant & Rave, a Women of the Rumpus reading, a Stand Up Bus featuring an open mic, and of course, a Tongue and Groove reading. Check the Melrose Bellow website for the full schedule.
Earlier: 7 big annual literary events in Los Angeles to put on your calendar now