Are you ready for an ‘amazing’ night?

Poets, spoken word artists and spectators can come together this weekend in a special place..

Neno Letu, Swahili for “our word”, will be held on Friday night at CV Café in St George’s.

The event will be from 6:30 to 9:30pm, hosted by Vejay Steede and organised by Ami Zanders.

Steede explained Neno Letu isn’t a new concept, it’s an old one revisited. The new event will serve as a re-launch.

“Neno Letu was an open mic, poetry thing we did. It was the bridge between Flow on Sunday nights and Chewstick.

“It ran from 1999 to 2001. We did it at Hubie’s Bar on Court Street.

“A lot of the people who formed Chewstick, cut their teeth there.”

Steede said Chewstick was formed a few years after both Flow and Neno Letu had stopped.

Zanders added: “I used to go there when I had my daughter. I needed an escape that wasn’t with an infant.

“I would go there and have drinks. It had a jazzy type of vibe where you went and sat off.

“It was successful, it was a cool space.”

She continued: “I’ve noticed now, where can we go where we can feel that again.

“People still want to see that. People want to go to one again.”

Steede and Zanders organised a poetry night at CV Café in February that was well attended and are hoping to make it a regular event if it is well attended again.

Steede said it was an incredible night for all who attended.

“Last time, we had an amazing level of performances. The quality was really good.

“Sometimes, at an open mic, the quality control can wane.”

He said the intimate setting encourages people to present from their heart, which then helps the audience emotionally get in tune with the performers.

Zanders added: “The people that are going to want to come are those who will say ‘this is what I do and this is what I love’ instead of those who want attention.

“Everybody that came last time did a really great job.”

Zanders said CV Café is a becoming a hot spot — a hip place to be, thanks to its owner Michelle Wales.

After the February event the demand was high for an encore.

 Zanders said: “When we did the one in February, a lot of people missed it and asked when is it going to happen again.

“I have had people calling me and asking when is it going to happen again.

“I’m hoping it will be a regular occurrence.”

Steede, who is a poet and the emcee of the event added: “I can’t resist the opportunity to talk smack to a crowd of people.”

The pair said the Neno Letu events won’t compete with Chewstick events, because that’s not what they are about, but they will serve as place for art lovers to attend.

Zanders said Neno Letu will try to incorporate arts during the performances including knitting, basket making and painting.

Asked why people should attend, Zanders said: “I think it’s needed. I think it’s a great thing to have in St George’s.

“I think St George’s is becoming a huge art community. That’s where it’s headed and I think this fits in there.

“It’s just keeping the momentum going. It’s getting Bermudians to come and it’s not just a tourists attraction.

“Bring the artists, the poets, the spoken word artists to the people.”

The event can also serve as a place for poets and/or artists who aren’t comfortable performing to have some practice.

Entry for the event is free and there will be coffee and wine for purchase.