MODERNISM STUDIES - LAS VEGAS

"Listen to the birds sing."  We gathered under the sign of Bugsy Siegel to talk about spectacle, though the final key note speaker informed us with assurance that the age of spectacle had been replaced by the performance image.  Guess the stilt-walking women were a sort of confirmation of that.  I did in fact see a wedding performed by an Elvis Impersonator.

Not enough poetry this year, at least when compared to last year's conference in Buffalo.  Still, a fine set of sessions, including the discussions of Pharoah Sanders, Archie Shepp and Gil Scott-Heron I got to participate in, thanks to Michael Coyle.