Additional Slam Rules

VOXBOX TEAM SLAM ADDITIONAL RULES
Because of the nature of Team Slams additional rules are as follows.

Teams can have a minimum of two and a maximum of five members.

Each team should prepare a joint performed poem for use in the first round.
This should be no longer than 5 minutes in length.

The Second Round is a knock out tournament as in individual slam, chosen by means of a draw.
Individuals will compete against individuals their scores will be added to the combined scores of the first round. (usual time slots apply!)

The competition will therefore produce three potential winners.
1)The team winners of the joint poem in Round 1.
Who will receive a bottle of Bubbly and a selection of poetry books.

2) The individual winner who will receive a paid gig and a winners medal plus books.

3) The overall Team winners who will receive books, a paid gig, a published pamphlet and the Voxbox Team Slam Trophy.

ALL WINNERS WILL BE ANNOUNCED AT THE END.

Judging will be slightly different to allow for variance in team sizes.

Two judges will be scoring using the black and white card system but marking points on a scoresheet.
The audience vote will count as a third judge. The usual card display will be used (see main rules) and a score will be worked out from that voting.
Judges decisions are final and binding.

The overall scoring system is worked out from the first round team scores
Added to the scores that individuals add in the knockout section.

An equation will be used to work out the average scores

Team score plus
Individual scores divided by number of members in team left in each round.









VoXboX Individual Slam Rules

Please note that these Slam rule are Different and it is important that you read them. VoXboX slams will be run as knock out competitions. Where writers battle it out, one on one to be the people’s champion, chosen by the audience. The rules will also vary a little dependant on the nature of the SLAM event e.g. prose poetry or team etc

POEMS & POETS

All poems’ must be written and performed by the author of the poem/written work. You may repeat the same poem in each round. But we recommend that you have more than one poem prepared as it might limit your chances of winning. You must perform on your own and are not allowed a backing track or backing vocals digitally or acoustically.

TIME LIMIT

The time limit on each poem performed at an Individual Slam is 3 mins. Timed from the first word you say, including introductions (be warned). There will be no exceptions to the rules. Once you have reached the time limit, you will be whistled off by the Slam Master and will leave the stage.

HEATS &ROUNDS

There will be 2 battling poets in each heat. The Number of heats and rounds will depend on the number of poets competing

Therefore with 16 poets entering will create 8 heats in first round, 4 heats in second round, 2 heats in third, and then the final. If there is an odd winning poet left over from any round then the wildcard* will come into effect. *(See Wildcards)

The order in which the competing poets/writers will go on and who they will battle against will be decided by a hat draw, that will take place before the event starts and between each round. Until the finale 2 remain and there is a winner. Each competitor will display his or her allocated armbands for that round.

WILDCARDS*

If there are an odd number of poets entering the competition the Wildcard place will first be given to the remainder poet who has not yet had a chance to compete.

Thereafter a Wildcard is given when a round creates a remainder, winning poet. In this event a losing poet from the previous rounds and heats will be chosen from the hat. Picked at random by a member of the audience who is not a judge. E.g. 14 poets, 7 heats in the first round. Means 1 winning poet will remain. There for the Wildcard will come into effect, and a random poet who has lost in the last round will have an opportunity to continue and another chance to win.

SCORING

It’s poet against poet battling it out 1 on 1. Therefore there will be no points system. It will be either IN or OUT.

An odd number of Judges will be chosen from the audience on the night by the Slam Master and event organizers. They will be given judging cards of either black or white. Which will correspond with the color armbands allocated to the poets at the Slam draw before the event/round. After the two battling poets in each heat have finished the judges will be ask to make their decision, who they think, should go on to the next round (with help of some audience response). They will not confer with other judges or members of the audience. To help them judge they will be asked to use the loose criteria of content, performance and audience response.
When they have made there decision they will indicate this to the Slam Master and all the judges will then hold up the corresponding colors of the poet they would like to go through to the next round e.g. white or black at the same time. In front of the audience
The Slam Master will then declare which poet will go through to the next round etc.
The slam master and events organizers reserve the right to change the judges between rounds should they deem it necessary and for what ever reason. The Slam master and events organizers decision is final.

OTHER THINGS TO KNOW

The SLAM MASTER is host and referee of the competition there word is finale.

POETRY SLAMS, were created by MARC SMITH (So What!) at the Greenmill, Chicago, USA in the 80’s. I think it’s important to note the founder’s words. Firstly ‘ the best poet never win’s’ and ‘ that if the competition takes over the poetry, then it has lost, its purpose and intent, to invigorate and stimulate’.
We aim to make it fun and exciting for the audience. So please don’t take it too seriously, many very good poets have entered but never won a Slam. So gloating winners & bad losers, please be warned.

To this end VoXboX does not give cash prizes. We hope to provide the winner with a winners trophy, paid gig and published Chapbook of their work. To sell to friends and family which will have an ISBN No

VoXboX

VoXboX is kindly supported by the Mercat Bar, but at present is not funded by anyone. It is a non-profit organization that only exists due to the support it receives. We endeavor to keep cost of events as low as possible, while paying poets/performers fees as much as we can. We the organizers of VoXboX reserve the right to change anything & everything as we see fit with as much notice as possible, to those whom it may concern.

If there is anything you are unclear about please ask. VoXboX would to thank you for entering this Slam and wish you the best of Luck.

Contact VoXboX at voxboxinfo@yahoo.co.uk