Vermin on the Mount

VERMIN AT VOZ ALTA

You read right! For the first time ever we're taking Vermin on the road for a night of irreverant readings in the heart of downtown San Diego. What's more, we've got a stellar line-up featuring Roy Kesey, Victor Payan, Sean Carswell and Lizz Huerta. Why San Diego? Voz Alta is an art, music and culture collective located next to Landlord Jim's, the home-away-from-home of our featured artist, Ricardo Islas.

Meet the Vermin:

Roy Kesey was born in a red truck in Northern California. His short stories have appeared in over 40 magazines and his “Dispatches from Roy Kesey, an American Guy Married to a Peruvian Diplomat Living in China” appear regularly in McSweeney's. He will be reading from his first book, Nothing in the World.

Lizz Huerta is the acclaimed and accomplished poet and performer from San Diego who is fast becoming a Vermin favorite. She is the author of several chapbooks, including The Wings of Every Crow, Hostage of Gravity and The Papered Seed Inside of the Stone.

Sean Carswell is a writer, educator, publisher and surfer who makes his home in Ventura. He is the author of a collection of short stories (Barney's Crew), a book of essays (The Glue and Ink Rebellion) and a novel (Drinks for the Little Guy), which has been called “the best book about a carpenter since the Bible.”

Victor Payan is an award-winning San Diego writer/producer and co-founder of the Keep on Crossin' movement by day, masked impressario of Aztec Gold by night. Will Lou Chalibre, the masked man with the microphone, be making a special Vermin appearance? Come to Vermin and find out!

NOTHING SAYS 'VERMIN' LIKE THE GOVERNOR'S HEAD ON A STICK

THE WHOLE SICK CREW

Vermin stalwarts Todd Taylor and Sean Carswell are kicking off a seven-city tour with whiskey poet James Jay on Wednesday May 25 at 7 PM at Flor y Canto in Highland Park. The reading marks the release of Sean’s new short story collection, Barney’s Crew, the title story of which Vermin regulars will remember from last November. The collection contains illustrations by Art Fuentes, the visual wizard behind The Legend of St. Vermentine and this Mt. Vermin poster. Todd will read from his collection of essays and interviews Born to Rock. James isn’t a member of the Legion of Vermin (yet) but we’re big fans of his work:

A boy’s knuckles swollen like bellies at a buffet
like a barrel cactus in a monsoon
like Cruelty conducting a staff meeting
like Crusaders rotting on the side of the road to Constantinople
like your lover’s wrists in policeman’s handcuffs

I went to school with James and he knows a thing or two about sore knuckles. I once tried to pick a fight with him while drunk in the woods. (Note to readers: Never start shit with someone who can bench press twice your weight.) The details are kind of dim but I woke up the next morning under a frozen sleeping bag in the bed of a pick-up truck. My head was sore, his hands were okay, and I was still invited to his wedding.

So come for the words. Stick around for the re-match.