The third and final slam of the Hammer & Tongue Hackney comeback season opens the stage to poets and spoken word artists of any style to share their work, on a first-come-first-served sign-up basis. Performers will be judged by randomly selected sets of judges in a fun-and-friendly competition.

The top-scoring poet from that slam will then go head-to-head with the season's two previous winners to do poetic battle at the end of the night. Winner will be crowned H&T Hackney Slam Champion 2026, and win a guest weekend ticket to sold-out festival, WeOutHere.

The night will also include a feature set from award-winning poet, musician and educator, Samatar Elmi, and music from DJ CloseUpThings.

SLAM RULES

1. Open to any poet of any style.
2. 3.5mins maximum time.
3. No props, no music.
4. email samberkson[at]gmail.com to book a slot or sign up on the night. Limited slots, first-come-first-served. 
5. All slammers must buy a ticket to the show.
   

SAMATAR ELMI
Samatar Elmi is an award winning writer, musician and educator. His debut pamphlet, ‘Portrait of Colossus’ (flipped eye press, 2021), was selected as a PBS Pamphlet Choice. His stunning debut collection, ‘The Epic of Cader Idris’ (Bloomsbury, 2024), includes the 2021 Geoffrey Dearmer Prize winning poem. Poems have appeared widely including in Poetry, Prairie Schooner, Poetry Review, Poetry Wales, Magma, and Iota and anthologised in More Fiya, Filigree, After Plath, and The Echoing Gallery. Elmi is an Obsidian Fellow, flipped eye press associate poetry editor, and Scarf Magazine poetry editor.

As Knomad Spock, his debut album, ‘Winter of Discontent’ was critically acclaimed in print (Clash Magazine, Afropunk, GoldFlakePaint, Equate Magazine) and radio
(BBC 6 Music, BBC Wales, Amazing Radio, Radio X). His recent albums ‘A Darker Light’ and ‘Through the Walls’ are available on Bandcamp.