Words like fire – Poetry Slam in Innsbruck

Reading, books and stories are not just part of my life, they are my life. As a library employee, I deal with written words on a daily basis. I like to pass this on to book users through book recommendations or children as part of reading animations. So it's not surprising that I enjoy attending poetry slams.

Poetry Slam for me, a poetry slam is a space where language is alive - raw, honest, direct. Every time a slammer picks up the mic, words become fire, thoughts become sparks and emotions become applause.

What are poetry slams and Ö-Slam?

The whole format aims to win the audience's favor. Slammers perform self-written texts of all types, topics and forms within a time limit and the audience decides who wins.

The Austrian Championships were held in Innsbruck, the cradle of Poetry Slam in Austria, in 2008 and 2015. Since 2007, the Ö-Slams have been held annually in various cities throughout Austria and South Tyrol. This is where the crème-de-la-crème of the scene show off their best lyrics.

Innsbruck in slam fever

The fact that the final took place in Innsbruck again this year could not have been more fitting. The city has long been a hotspot of the Austrian slam scene. People regularly slam, laugh and cheer here. in 2025, the Ö-Slam was decided in three disciplines: individual competition, young talent competition (U20) and team competition. In the three semi-finals, the participants in the final were recognized at particularly "slamtastic" locations, namely the bakery Kulturbackstube and the BRUXthe free theater Innsbruck. The team final took place at the Metropol Kino.

I was there for the individual final. There was a great atmosphere here. Right from the start, a special energy could be felt in the main auditorium of the Tiroler Landestheater, which heralded a great final evening. The venue - on the time-honored stage that means the world - could not have been better and was truly worthy of the slammers' performances. The two presenters "Katrin ohne h" and Martin Fritz, well-known players on the poetry slam scene, contributed to the unique finale.

Entertaining, profound and exciting

Nine finalists competed against each other: Katharina Wenty for Lower Austria, Ö-Slam 2024 winner David Samhaber, Nina Dostal for Upper Austria, Franziska Rieder and Lukas Hofbauer for Styria, Anja Knafl for Carinthia, Tyrolean national champion 'Der Geist des Frühlings', with the wildcard Nik König and U20 Ö-Slam 2024 champion Lia Hartl. Everyone brought something of their own - stories, feelings, perspectives. Some texts made me laugh out loud, others hit me quietly and deeply. I love this interplay between lightness and thoughtfulness.

When the audience becomes the stage

What's particularly nice about the slam is that some members of the audience act as judges. People from the audience hold up scoreboards, spontaneously and honestly. No expert jury, just genuine reaction. They award points from 1 to 10. I find this unique because it removes the distance between the stage and the auditorium.

Lia Hartl, David Samhaber and Nina Dostal made it through to the final. Three voices, three styles - and everyone gave it their all again. In the end, Lia Hartl emerged as the winner. Fully deserved, in my opinion. Her lyrics were insanely profound, shaking people up and making them think. The final applause simply wouldn't end. It showed pure enthusiasm, borne by respect and mutual appreciation for everyone involved on and behind the stage.

A special appearance: Papa Slam Markus Köhle

Markus Köhle - known as the 'Dad Slam' of the Austrian scene - performed as a special feature before the finalists. He made the audience laugh with his performance - clever, charming and with a relaxed ease that only someone who has been shaping the slam for years can radiate.

Lively scene

The Austrian Poetry Slam Final in Innsbruck was not a competition, but a celebration of words, emotions and creativity. I like these events and there are plenty of them in Tyrol. SPoT - Slam Poetry Tirol organizes the monthly bakery poetry slams, the regular U20 poetry slams at Theater praesent, glam slams or sauna slams as well as slams from Reutte to Schwaz and Kufstein. Large and small towns in Tyrol organize poetry slams together with SPoT and local cultural associations or libraries. Almost all slams are open to anyone who registers on the local open list. So, with this in mind: clear the stage! I'm already looking forward to the next slam!

You can find current dates and information at slampoetrytirol.at

Or at https://baeckereipoetryslam.wordpress.com/