The new always happens against the overwhelming odds of statistical laws and their probability, which for all practical everyday purposes amounts to certainty.
The new therefore always appears in the guise of a miracle!
- Hannah Arendt
The Waves is a quarterly gathering for poetry and new music
The Waves is a new kind of venue. We’re not a club, we’re not a concert. Rather, we’re like a pop-up cafe where the menu features live poetry and new music. We’re small, fresh, ephemeral, unpredictable. You never know what you’re going to hear next!
Mission and vision
Our mission is to stay surprising!
Our vision is to have a space where people can leave behind the status quo and create something new.
We are inspired by:
Yuga Wang: “I believe every program is a living organism, so it should be in sync with how I am feeling in the moment, so it is truly alive. I want the music to surprise me and to surprise the audience.”
Teju Cole: “A moment of contemplation, a moment of quiet sorrow, in all the arts, there are those moments that are as though somebody has made the gesture of raising a palm, which is not a stop sign, but an ‘attend, hush, listen.’”
Roberto Bedoya: “Art kindles the emotions that make us aware of our shared humanity.”
John Killacky: “All people need to experience the transformative power of the arts in order to live more resilient lives.”
Recent shows:
Sunday November 5, 2023
The November 5th show featured poets George Farrah, Isaac Pickell and Rachel Moritz, multi-instrumentalists James Holdman, Jeff Johnson, Mike Ethen, Pat O’Keefe and Patti Cudd, and special musical guests Christopher Thompson, Paula Cisewski, Stephanie Was and Terrance J. Fisher.
August 6, 2023
The August 6th show featured poets Hugh Behm-Steinberg, Joanna Fuhrman and Michael Torres, and musicians Davu Seru, George Cartwright, Jeff Johnson and Patti Cudd.
Sunday May 7, 2023
Our May 1 show featured Emily August, Joe Hall and Haley Lasché, and musicians Philip Blackburn, Patti Cudd, Mike Ethen, James Holdman, Jeff Johnson and Pat O’Keefe.
February 5, 2023
Featured artists included: Ben Sallmann, Katharine Rauk, LM Brimmer, Mike Ethen, Jeff Johnson, Joe Kapla, Raycurt Lemuel, Spencer Polk, and Truth Maze, with images by Vance Gellert.