i'm probably not the only levi that says poems

These kicks just walked into my show in OKC. Planning on tagging...

Tue, 18 Jun 2013 20:45:33 -0400

These kicks just walked into my show in OKC. Planning on tagging the rest of this tour in their honor. | #spikewave

These just walked into my show in OKC. I’ve decided to...

Tue, 18 Jun 2013 20:40:48 -0400

These just walked into my show in OKC. I’ve decided to call this tour #bluespike in their honor. | #bluespike

Went to see Man Of Steel the other day. My dad would have loved...

Sun, 16 Jun 2013 12:41:28 -0400

Went to see Man Of Steel the other day. My dad would have loved that movie. | Happy Father’s Day. Honor and deep respect to the men who love their children well. To those without, with the psalmist let us praise: “A father to the fatherless, a defender of widows is God in his holy habitation.” There is still cause for rejoicing this day.

East Coast Updates

Tue, 11 Jun 2013 20:31:00 -0400

I just posted new East Coast routing for this July / August on my Facebook, here::https://www.facebook.com/iamlevithepoet/posts/10151655718519771 …

Comment, message or email if interested in snagging one while we’re in your area.

Last night’s show was awesome. All three of us on stage...

Mon, 03 Jun 2013 19:42:31 -0400

Last night’s show was awesome. All three of us on stage teared up when you joined in with “Come Thou Fount” | #ltpandgirlstour #dentonshow

Summer East Coast Tour

Thu, 30 May 2013 16:08:39 -0400

Albuquerque, NM! One week from tomorrow! Hometown show with my...

Tue, 28 May 2013 10:41:40 -0400

Albuquerque, NM! One week from tomorrow! Hometown show with my gurlz at Gasworks! Please come hang!

Cannons & Castles. (at Washington Artillery Park)

Mon, 20 May 2013 09:51:20 -0400

Cannons & Castles. (at Washington Artillery Park)

Tonight, I will have a gold microphone. | #ltpandgirlstour (at...

Sun, 19 May 2013 18:11:44 -0400

Tonight, I will have a gold microphone. | #ltpandgirlstour (at W New Orleans - French Quarter)

The dude in the middle is named Darin. We met him last night at...

Sun, 19 May 2013 00:24:25 -0400

The dude in the middle is named Darin. We met him last night at Whataburger. He was working register, and ending every order with, “You’re welcome, and may the odds be ever in your favor.” | #ltpandgirlstour (at Whataburger)

I stole this picture from a girl that came to the show tonight....

Sat, 18 May 2013 00:03:07 -0400

I stole this picture from a girl that came to the show tonight. I love this treehouse. Too cool. | #ltpandgirlstour (at sugar skill sweets)

This young lady made this amazing lyric / sketch page in her art...

Fri, 17 May 2013 23:55:57 -0400

This young lady made this amazing lyric / sketch page in her art journal and asked me to sign it tonight. Must’ve taken her forever. So crazy! | #ltpandgirlstour #sugarskullsweets (at Sugar Skull Bakery)

Tour Mascot. | #ltpandgirlstour

Tue, 14 May 2013 19:10:26 -0400

Tour Mascot. | #ltpandgirlstour

Happy Mother’s Day, Mom. I love you. Bree, thanks for the...

Mon, 13 May 2013 01:33:27 -0400

Happy Mother’s Day, Mom. I love you. Bree, thanks for the picture.

This is my friend’s baby: Tegan Vanderlyle. We printed...

Thu, 09 May 2013 01:17:14 -0400

This is my friend’s baby: Tegan Vanderlyle. We printed Levi The Poet baby hoodies, and gave her one.

Projects, Poems, Books & Bookings

Wed, 08 May 2013 10:39:20 -0400

SOUTHEAST. MIDWEST. EAST COAST. THE GREAT NORTH. WEST COAST. USA.

I figured it’s about time to give everyone an update on plans for the year, and invite you to participate. As of today, I’m finished with Re:Train. I’ll be posting a blog or two in the following weeks about the completed school year, but for now, that means I’m going headlong into a busy 2013 that feels like it’s finally starting. Here’s what is on the horizon:

TOURS, SHOWS, CONFERENCES, FESTIVALS

Levi The Poet (and girls) Tour | #ltpandgirlstour

In under one week, the first tour of the year starts, and we’re headed southeast. The dates are posted, with a few more on the way, here.

Northeast Run (June 17 - 22)

Two weeks after we get home from #ltpandgirlstour, we’re headed northeast, through Oklahoma, Texas, Missouri, Kentucky, and up into Ohio. We are currently taking offers for this run, which you may submit by emailing booking@levithepoet.net.

Lakeside Camp

Have you ever seen The Truman Show? Lakeside Camp reminds me of the utopian Truman Show in the best way possible. For three years in a row now, we’ve been privileged to participate in a series of youth camps at Lakeside Marblehead, Ohio, right on the shore of Lake Erie. We are privileged to return this June / July for nearly two weeks with our camper family.

Ohio State Weekend Dates (June 27 - 30)

While in Ohio for the camp above, we’re going to have the chance to tour regionally around the state on the weekends. Shows will start popping up as we get them solidified. It’s been far too long since I’ve been in Ohio. I think the last time was with In The Midst Of Lions and The Gun Show in 2010. Hopefully we’ll be able to make it happen with more regularity from here on out.

San Antonio Youth Gathering (July 1 - 4)

From July 1-4, Brandi and I will be in San Antonio, TX, at the LCMS Youth Gathering, along with Craig Gross and XXXChurch. More details to come.

East Coast Tour [(Finally) July 13 - Aug 3)

In the history of Levi The Poet, I’ve probably been on the east coast twice. Neither of them were my tours, and neither of them allowed for me to do full sets or spend much time with the people there. This July, we’re finally remedying that. We’ve gotten a lot of emails from East-Coasters saying they feel left out, and we agree. I’ve pasted a picture of our routing below. We’re in the process of booking dates. Specifics cities are tentative and open to relocation if you feel like asking about a town that isn’t listed, and would like to bring us in. To submit an offer for a show: booking@levithepoet.net

There’s No Place Like [The Great Nation of Texas] House Shows (Aug)

We got a lot of offers in from the country gentlemen in the great nation of Texas that we were not able to accommodate for the #ltpandgirlstour, so I’m going back in August for a week of house shows to make it up to them. Evenings will be themed, and tickets will be limited. More details to come, but if you’re looking to host a living room extravaganza, get in touch with us, as we’ll be locking this down within the month.

The Great North (Late August - September)

We’re coming for you. Northern NM. Colorado. Wyoming. South Dakota. North Dakota. Minnesota. Iowa. Nebraska. Kansas. More. This was one of our favorite tours last year. I had just started school, and was writing thirty-page papers in our car from show to show. Glad I won’t be doing that this time, and looking forward to being back. Specifics cities are tentative and open to relocation if you feel like asking about a town that isn’t listed, and would like to bring us in. Below is an image of the routing for one option. To submit an offer for a show: booking@levithepoet.net

NorCal

On October 5th, I’ll be in Calistoga, CA for Rock Of Ages Festival, so I thought, why not spend a little more time out there, as well? I don’t have routing set in stone for this one yet, so if you’re interested, I’m hoping to set up six more shows in the region. First come, first serve. Get in touch if you’re interested in taking one.

Additionally, XXXChurch’s Porn Kills Tour Video just released, and there are rumors of future dates for that event floating around.

September might be taking us back to both Seattle, and, perhaps further north into Canada.

West Coast, we haven’t forgotten about you, and if you want to send any options our way, feel free, and we’ll make it happen this fall.

You’ll all know what’s happening as plans develop and solidify.

POEMS & PROJECTS

Along with the upcoming tour planning, I’m doing a lot of writing, and have hopes for some pretty cool things ahead. Currently, among other things, I’m writing a piece for a hip-hop compilation that is set to drop in late summer / early fall. I believe that it will be made available for free download, and we should have a video release for it, as well. I’ll let you know when I do.

We’re going to be doing some fun stuff with video in the months to follow, with a few different folks. Keep an ear peeled for release dates and what you can expect to see coming out in that medium.

The XXXChurch Porn Kills Tour Video is now available for purchase as an HD Quality Download. It includes 2-Hours of Live Performance and Teaching with myself, Craig Gross, and Jeff Bethke, and 60 Minutes of Behind-The-Scenes. It’s normally $20, but you can get five dollars off by entering “LEVI” as the promo code, here.

RUMORS

Rumor has it I’ll be partnering with a few different artists for a few different EPs this year.

Rumor has it there might be options for Seasons vinyl soon.

Rumor has it there’s a book in the works.

TRUTH

A man makes his plans, and the Lord directs his steps. I’m excited about this year, and thankful that even if absolutely nothing happens the way that I want it to, I’ve got a good dad that knows better.

HELP

Looking forward to seeing you all. If you’d like to add something to these plans, we’re open to it: booking@levithepoet.net

The Porn Kills Tour Video is available now. 2 hrs of Live...

Tue, 07 May 2013 11:34:37 -0400

The Porn Kills Tour Video is available now. 2 hrs of Live Performance and 60 min Behind The Scenes with myself, Jeff Bethke, Craig Gross and the XXXChurch crew. Film preview & discount code up now at www.youtube.com/levithepoet | #PornKills

PURCHASE for $15 with this code: “LEVI”...

Mon, 06 May 2013 16:52:39 -0400

PURCHASE for $15 with this code: “LEVI” here: http://tinyurl.com/pornkillstour

In March of 2013, Craig Gross, Jeff Bethke and Levi The Poet took off from Washington and drove to California in a Hearse. The XXXchurch #Pornkills tour stopped in 5 cities in 5 night traveling over 2,000 miles and filling up for gas 25 times along the way. The live show is 2 hours long and was shot by 5 cameras and includes spoken word, poetry, Q and A, videos and live messages from each of the guys. We also are including behind the scene footage of our time together on the road, in the car and sit down interviews with the three guys plus the rest of the crew. Also, Nick Vitellaro joined us on one of the nights and performed his poem “Sincerely Freedom”. We were so blown away by this poem that we shot the video for this poem after that tour and are including it in this download.

Find out more about the TOUR at PORNKILLSTOUR.COM.

Bring Back Emo Music

Fri, 03 May 2013 16:41:55 -0400

I’ll be honest, I posted this piece elsewhere two years ago, but brought memories back today. It’s been an insane week and I didn’t make time to write anything new, but I didn’t want to leave you hanging. Freeverse Friday: Bring Back Emo Music.

“I called to tell you I love you, and I called to tell you I’m leaving.” Oh, we were a temperamental spark and we were a quick, fleeting season, and any swift, evening wind could have blown us a kiss to keep the embers burning, but we smoldered into ashes and we stopped yearning for the flame that burned blue to melt our hearts together, but: “I called to tell you that I’ll never leave, and that I’ll love you forever.”

And as long as the seasons never change, I’ll keep my word, yeah I’ll keep myself together, but once the weather shifts and challenges my promises, I’ll retrace and erase every oath that I ever spoke from my lips.

She spoke, “Speak up! Speak up!” I spoke, “All my words are but a whisper, because I can never speak them loud enough to risk an anchor in my legs. Oh they are as shaky as they’ll ever be and I will always run from the risk of solidarity, instead.

So I called to tell you that I loved you, and now that love is gone. But I have always been a liar, and I sing all the same songs that my father sung to my mother’s womb – oh how she used to sing them with me! We were a cracking foundation, and we always kept on shifting with the arguments that threatened house and home, but no matter what the compromise, a heart of flesh cannot be knit together with a heart of stone.

Somewhere, in a thick fog, I can see me leaving, and I run the way a coward does while tears that should be streaming down your cheeks dry up in a swell of leaves, like the erasing of any memory that ever kissed your silent lips as you watched me go.

Well I got exactly what I wanted: a broken heart.

Freeverse Friday is a weekly blog that keeps me intentional about writing, and gives you something to engage in. Think about it. Talk about it. Write your own. | #ltpFVF

The Gospel of Green Chile

Mon, 29 Apr 2013 10:00:54 -0400

My friend and servant at our local church in Albuquerque - Deacon Shawn Honsberger - wrote this op-ed piece for a Re:Train course assignment last month. We’ve been in The Resurgence’s school of ministry for the past year together, and our most recent assignment was to write an op-ed piece that we might submit to a local newspaper - one which analyzes the culture of our city in the light of the gospel, and the way that Jesus’ church within that city is to make its welfare our own. This is a fantastic cultural hermeneutic of Albuquerque, and if you live here or plan to visit, take notes for good spots with good food and good beer and good hangs with good folks.

I’ve often heard our culture sing it’s praises. We are the Land of Enchantment. We are the cultural landmark of the American Southwest. We are the home of the Zia, the Navajo, the Hispanic, and the Spaniard. We are the cultural current and hub that links Hollywood with history. We draw people of multiple communities from Washington,
California, Colorado, Europe, and beyond. We wear our culture on our flag, our art, our skin, and we wear it well. We are Albuquerque, New Mexico - and we won’t let you forget it.

We’re no strangers here to bloody war, inquisition, sour economic downturns, armies of fatherless children, gangs, porn, addiction, assault, murder, sex trade, government sequestering, drunkenness, and the dreaded ‘Death Spiral.’ Yet it seems our committed resolve will carry us through. Our liturgy and legacy is loud and proud. You won’t find us backing down in defense for our beloved Lobos, The International Balloon Fiesta, MMA, The State Fair, ‘Sh*t Burquenos Say,’ New Mexican cuisine, or a good local beer. These things are all part of what reenforces and defines the deepest source of meaning in our lives - our identity as a people. We’re happy with who we are here, and we have the visible and visceral scars to prove it. You won’t find our women losing any battles, unless that battle is with crippling disappointment and loneliness. You won’t find our men backing down from any fight, unless that fight is to get off the couch for a job or maintain any rightful manly or domestic responsibility.

We’ve raised our freak flag high on the world’s stage and embroidered it with the message “Look here, look at me!” We’ve made our battle cry clear. However through the myriad of opponents we face, we’ve yet to face our single greatest opponent - ourselves. For all our proclamations, we don’t know who are are. We trust that our culture, causes, catharsis, confessions, and celebrations will get us through it. Perhaps we should embroider the flag with “We don’t have a clue! Let’s be honest.”

Breaking Bad News: we won’t come out on top. Our gospel is broken, bankrupt, and hopeless.

Here’s the good news: the very God who created culture is on a mission in our city. Jesus is on a mission to seek and save the lost. He invites you to a different Gospel; in which all of the broken-ness, sin, and death that our culture creates was healed, forgiven, cleansed, and defeated at the cross and resurrection of Jesus Christ, the Conqueror. The Son of God died in our place for our sin, and gifted us with his righteousness and love instead. Three days later Jesus rose from death, defeating sin, death, and our mutual enemy Satan. God entered his history as the man Jesus to love the unlovable, forgive the unforgivable, adopt the fatherless, heal the spiritually sick, and bless the cursed. He rules and reigns as King over all. Give your sin to Jesus, repent and believe.

We are currently in the midst of a storm. The mission that God accomplished in Christ creates an unbreakable and unstoppable community. The church. Every week at Mars Hill Albuquerque, our fellow Burquenos are being forgiven, saved, and reconciled to God and each other through saving faith in Jesus. They are living life together every week in different rhythms in homes, restaurants, and bars as Community Groups that present the love of God. They are sharing the grace of God and a La Cumbre IPA. They love their families and their children. They are joyfully living, stewarding, and leading their homes, workplaces, and neighborhoods as disciples of Jesus in our great city. What makes them different than any of us? They are saints, saved by grace. That very grace is extended to all of us. We, who are called Christians have been called out of darkness into God’s marvelous light (1 Peter 2:9) by the resurrected Jesus himself. We are part of a replicating virus that will infect our city with the love and grace of God, and there is nothing that can be done to stop it.

As great and as broad as our culture is, we still need Jesus. Let’s have a conversation about it. Let’s order a burrito at Sadie’s with red & green and hang out. Let’s get some fry bread at Jemez and watch the purple sunset. Let’s get a pizza at Giovanni’s without getting shot. Let’s get a pint at Two Fool’s. Let’s take our kids to the park. Let’s raise a glass and talk about our city. Let’s share a pool table or take in a day at the zoo. Let’s discuss whether we prefer The New York Times or The Albuquerque Journal. Katy Perry or Demi Lovato? Matt Groening or Mike Judge? Corey Feldman or Neil Patrick Harris? Lawrence Taylor or Ronnie Lott? Pop-Rocks or Blue Ice Candy? Coldplay or The Shins? Freddy Mercury or Tony Vincent? You get the juxtaposition. We can even lament together about a certain basketball coach - yes a coach, leaving our team for more money. Apparently we’re all about scandal now. The point is, let’s not get all hurt. We can just get to know each other. I know you love it here. Or maybe you hate it here. Jesus loves Albuquerque, and so do we. I hope we can love and serve her together.

Come to Mars Hill Church and see Jesus for who he really is, and yourselves for who you really are. Be counted amongst us. Come take part in what God is doing with us. Okay, at least come have a beer at a Community Group in your neighborhood. You don’t have to stay long. We’re not that weird, we promise.

Written by Shawn Honsberger