NPS2008 Photos: Chicago MG, New York LA, Cincinnati, Albuquerque bout; and San Francisco, Amarillo, Madison, Oakland bout

10 photos from the Thu. Aug. 7, 2008, 8pm National Poetry Slam bout at the Brink Lounge featuring Chicago MG, New York LA, Cincinnati, and Albuquerque, plus 20 photos from the 10pm bout featuring San Francisco, Amarillo, Madison, and Oakland:

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Alvin Lau from Chicago performs.

Gina from New York performs.

Albuquerque performs a group piece.

Oveous Maximus from New York performs.

A poet from Cincinnati performs.

Kay Krown from Chicago performs.

Rachel from New York performs.

Concept from Cincinnati performs.

Carlos Contreras from Albuquerque performs.

A bout judge holds up her score card.

Matt Blesse from San Francisco performs.

TV Head Jimmy from Amarillo performs.

Madison's Evy Gildrie-Voyles performs.

Oakland performs a group piece.

Epic from Amarillo performs.

From left to right, Madison's Danez Smith, Josh Healey, Ryan Hurley, and Eric Mata perform a group piece.

From left to right, Madison's Danez Smith, Eric Mata, Josh Healey, and Ryan Hurley perform a group piece.

From left to right, Madison's Josh Healey, Eric Mata, and Ryan Hurley perform a group piece.

A bout judge holds up her score card.

Mesej 1 from Oakland performs.

Madison's Ryan Hurley and Danez Smith perform a group piece.

N'er City from Oakland performs.

Dre from San Francisco performs.

Amarillo performs a group piece.

D.dra from Oakland performs.

Mark from San Francisco performs.

Fight Club Jenna from Amarillo performs.

Madison's Josh Healey performs.

Madison's Josh Healey performs.

The crowd comes to its feet in appreciation of the night's poets.