Group brings stand-up to Open Mic Night
The pair describes their act as stand-up poetry, a cross between performance and poetry.
Dan “Sully” Sullivan and Alvin Lau met in the youth poetry community of Chicago and have been performing and writing poetry for about 10 years, but have only been performing with each other since 2004.
Sullivan and Lau are part of Death From Below and performed before Wednesday’s Open Mic Night in 7th Street Underground.
Sully described Death From Below as poetry that is family-themed with working-class undertones. Mostly all their performances are personal narratives.
“The best way to preach to people and to relate to people is by sharing a part of yourself,” Sullivan said.
He found his calling for poetry when he attended Columbia College in Chicago.
After almost never attending and not turning in homework, a teacher reached out to him by taking him to poetry events for extra credit.
“Utilizing poetry out(side) the classroom turned everything around for me, and I have been writing ever since,” Sullivan said.
Lau once had stage fright, but after his friend played a prank and signed him up for a poetry-slam team, he could not get off the stage.
After competing in local competitions and winning the national championship twice, he realized he should perform more often.
Before the tour started, Sullivan taught a poetry program at a high school for the past eight years, and Lau continues to be a professional poker player when he finds time.
Their tour ends April 26. After taking the summer off, they plan to continue performing.
About 50 students attended the performance.
Annie Burke, a junior sociology major, has come to Open Mic Night a couple of times.
She said she mostly attends for the music, but always enjoys other performances such as stand-up poetry.
Lauren Phillips, University Board Mainstage coordinator, found Death From Below at a convention in Peoria and brought them to Eastern’s campus.
Phillips has been in her position for two semesters and plans to continue organizing Open Mic Nights and hopes someone else takes over after she graduates.
Marine Glisovic can be reached at 581-7942 or at msglisovic@eiu.edu.
Group brings stand-up to Open Mic Night
Death From Below members Dan “Sully” Sullivan, left, and Alvin Lau, right, perform a slam poetry piece at the Open Mic Night Wednesday in 7th Street Underground. The duo performed poems influenced by their Chicago upbringing and other life experiences. (E
