The 2008-09 edition of the Vancouver Poetry Slam’s Finals Night was a raging success, selling out the Rio Theatre. Over 450 poetry fans packed the place, booing and cheering, as eight poets vied for four spots on the Vancouver Slam Poetry Team. That’s the largest audience for a Finals Night since the Vancouver Poetry Slam started in 1996. The continued growth of audience interest in this grassroots arts movement proves that performance poetry is more popular than ever in Vancouver.

After three rounds of poetic jousting, RC Weslowski emerged as this year’s Grand Slam Champ. Joining him on the Van Slam Poetry Team will be Johnny Macrae, Nora Smithhisler and Chris Gilpin. Duncan Shields and Steve Miller tied for the team’s alternate spot.

This is Nora’s third team in four years. Chris Gilpin’s second consecutive team. And RC’s sixth team in, well, a decade or so. The only other person who has been on six teams in Shane Koyczan, who put in a killer feature set, breaking out several pieces from his new CD “Shut Up and Say Something”.

Thanks to Sue McIntyre for organizing all our awesome volunteers. Thanks to Sean McGarragle for hosting, and being a fantastic slammaster. Thanks to the Svelte Ms. Spelt for bout managing. And thanks to the staff of the Rio Theatre for helping make the night such a big success.