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History of SLAMicide
as told by Nicki Miller (former DC/Baltimore Slam Master and co-founder of SLAMicide) & "granma" Dave Schein (co-host and co-founder of SLAMicide)

SLAMicide, then just named the Baltimore Poetry Slam at Paloma's began Tuesday, February 14, 2000, with Nicki Miller (then Slam Master), and Toby and Sally DeBarr, host and Door Angel. We lasted there exactly twelve weeks. Toby dropped from the venue in May 2000.

enter "granma" Dave...

During the summer of 2000, I was introduced to the DC Myth Poetry Series through some friends of Scott Kirkpatrick (former member of the DC Slam Team). I fell in love with slam immediately, and was fortunate enough to have the ability to travel to Providence, RI, that summer to support the team. While there, I spoke to Nicki Miller, then Slam Master for DC and Baltimore, about the possibility of a Baltimore slam. She told me that the Baltimore poetry slam had existed for a very short time at Paloma's, in downtown Baltimore. She proceeded to tell me that she would be willing to continue on as Slam Master, if I was willing to find a venue and publicize the event. At the time, I was working a side job as a barista at a coffee bar in Charles Village, across from JHU. I spoke to one of my managers, and he loved the idea.

Sam spoke to Randall about the possibility, then Randall met with Nicki and me. We held our first slam on Thursday, September 14, 2000. Just before our Thanksgiving break that year, Sam asked if we would be willing to move to Monday nights. We agreed, and have been on Mondays ever since! In that time, we have contributed to four teams that have or will compete at the National Poetry Slam (Seattle 2001, Minneapolis 2002, Chicago 2003, and this year in St. Louis), have hosted nearly countless local and national touring poets, and have helped the Baltimore arts community in immeasurable ways. We owe that success to our tireless audience, our faithful supporters, and the patience of our hosts, XandO Baltimore. In January 2004, Nicki Miller stepped down as the DC/Baltimore Slam Master due to health concerns and passed the baton on to our current Slam Master, Delrica Andrews, who has been with the DC/Baltimore slam scene since 1999.

Under the leadership of Delrica Andrews, our 2004 team did well in St. Louis, bringing home the National Poetry Slam Individual Champion title by Ms. Sonya Renee.  In 2005, we competed in Albuquerque, where the team made Semi-Finals.  2006 in Austin saw the best showing from a DC or DC/Baltimore team when, for the first time, the team made Finals, placing 4th overall.  2007's return to Austin was not as fortunate, when after a pair of disappointing preliminary bouts, we failed to make Semis.

September '07: Shortly after returning home, Delrica stepped down as Slam Master of Baltimore, handing the title to Chris August.  On 1 September 2007, DC Slam and Baltimore SLAMicide became two separate entities.

Initially, few changes were undertaken.  The event retained its Monday night status at XandO, we ran the event as a cohort made of SlamMaster Chris August, Christopher Wilson, Janna Tanner, and myself, and we continued to plan for our '08 send-off to Madison, WI for NPS.  Changes in the national scene also modified our plans, as we prepared for the first-ever Women of the World Poetry Slam, to be held in Chicago in early 2008, and the Individual World Poetry Slam, now scheduled for October of '08.

June '08: Instead of three weeks, the arrangement at Slainte and their sister bar, Koopers Tavern, lasted for six months!  In late May of '08, shortly after finals, we returned to the hunt for a long-term home.  After a short search, we revisited one of our potential spots from December, and quickly arranged to hold SLAMicide at DEN Lounge on St. Paul St.  After a brief shot in Fell's Point, we were returning to Charles Village!  Further, after more than seven years of Mondays, we were changing days to Sundays.

We're hoping this arrangement will work out as well as XandO had, if not even better!  DEN has a great space; very open, with comfortable seating, well-priced menu, and a house system, so we won't be caught lugging the equipment around in cars and busses anymore!  We hope that you will join us in our new home and help us make the next season as good as the first seven!