Lights flicker. An energized Jason Simon-Bierenbaum '11 dashes across the floor of Castle Commons and jumps to the center of everyone's attention. "Welcome," he proclaims, voice booming and hands flailing, "to the very first session of the Brandeis Open Mic Series!"Simon-Bierenbaum certainly succeeded in capturing the audience's initial attention, but there would be no need for him to try and maintain it the rest of the night, as the audience was captivated by the entire evening's impressive showcase of talent and diverse expression through spoken word poetry.

B.O.M.S. is the brainchild of several talented writers and spoken-word artists in the Brandeis community who for quite some time had sought an outlet of creative expression for students in an intimate performance venue. Simon-Bierenbaum, slam artist and founder of B.O.M.S., co-hosted the night along with fellow slam poet Zamira Castro Jiminez '11.

The showcase included everything from selections of student-written free verse, to famous works of poetry expressed through physical interpretation and even a solo song accompanied by acoustic guitar.

The night began with the open-mic session the name advertised, which included a variety of styles of artistic expression performed by any attendees who signed up. This portion was a great show in itself, although not enough people signed up to fill the entire time designated solely to open mic. To pass time and get the audience involved, a spoken-word game was suggested and successfully carried out. One audience member began by freestyling a poetic verse and then was followed by another participant who contributed a verse with his own spin on the topic. The game produced some very telling and emotional works of freestyle poetry and was fun for both the audience's participants and listeners.

The hosts provided a glimpse into their poetic talents by performing select slam pieces that reflected their individual personalities and cultural backgrounds. The pair also combined two poems into a single piece about childhood experience. It was very moving, well-crafted and well-executed on both of their parts. The eloquently articulated phrases conveyed serious emotion that went along with their very telling, dramatic gestures.

The highlight of the night was the featured guest performer Jamele Adams, a.k.a. Harlym 125, a.k.a. Brandeis' associate dean of student life. Adams is a Penn State alumnus with a B.A. in psychology and women's studies and an M.A. in college student personnel from Bowling Green University. Originally from Harlem, N.Y., Adams incorporates many personal life-changing experiences into his elaborate poetry and spares no details from his listeners. His deep, booming vocals projected carefully chosen, rich language to the entranced audience members. The room sat captivated by his vivid stories, ranging in subject from marriage and fame to race and sexuality. His style is profoundly descriptive with intense figurative language that is enhanced by fluid and deliberate body language.

The opening night at B.O.M.S. was highly enjoyable, both on an emotional and entertainment level. I would recommend it to anyone looking for a place to relax and unload, listen to some meaningful poetry, have their minds opened and their heartstrings tugged. This is a great opportunity for all members of the Brandeis community to come and get a glimpse into each other's passions while sharing a little bit of themselves with an open-minded crowd. Although the first night was a little underattended, with time interest will surely grow as more people spread the word about the world of spoken word.