Highlights From Bill's

Open Mic Project, (c) 2007 by Peter Orozco

"Highlights From Bill's" was the name of a two year long project of mine to photograph local poets and performance artists. Formed partly in response to the recent takeover of Deep Ellum's Insomnia coffee house by owners less friendly to the free expression of the spoken word, the readings were organized and originally hosted by Karen X with the contributions of co-host Josh Lewis. One of the stated aims of the readings was to provide a setting where poets recently banned from the soon-to-be defunct readings at Insomnia could express themselves and their work in a safe, uncensored atmosphere. The readings also sought to be free of the rigorous censorship imposed by such corporate-run venues as Borders and Barnes & Noble, and the rigid stylistic restrictions imposed by such format-based readings as the many slam vehicles around town.

With space generously donated by Bill Wisener, owner of The World's Most Awesome Independently Owned Record Store, the inaugural reading was held during the late spring of 2002. Over the next several months, the readings grew to become one of the most diverse and eclectic around, with a dedicated group of regulars and occasional newcomers, many of whom would go on to have their work featured prominently in other venues.

In the fall of 2003, Karen and Josh stepped down as hosts and passed the torch to Desmene Statum and Jolee Davis, who continued the tradition of open, totally uncensored freedom of expression that had long since come to characterize the very spirit of the readings at Bill's. However, time marches on, and many of the original regulars and most dedicated contributors eventually went on their separate ways away from the group - some moved away, others left to go to college, and some simply moved on to other things, no longer feeling the need to let loose the inner voice. In very early January 2006, host Alex P. called it a day, and declared a formal end to the readings at Bill's.

From the readings' earliest days in the summer of 2002 through the first part of 2005, I was a regular attendee, and the unofficial photographer and documentarian of the performers and contributors. I compiled many of my photos into a semi-regular series of circulars titled "Highlights From Bill's," which were featured online on a makeshift website and also in printed versions for those regulars who lacked internet access. When the readings began, I was just learning how to use a "real" 35mm camera, and the photographs in the very earliest of these circulars demonstrate very clearly my then lack of experience with scanning and printing photographs, and with shooting with an SLR camera indoors under less than ideal lighting conditions. I was very tempted to revisit these circulars and redo them to improve the contrast and color balance in many of the photographs, but ultimately decided against it. The circulars are thus presented here intact and as originally created, warts and all, without any further manipulation or correction of any kind.

In August 2007, it was announced that a new generation of readings at Bill's would begin, this time in Bill's new location off South Lamar in southern Downtown Dallas. The spirit of the earlier series of readings is preserved here, and in the memories of those who were a part of them.