In 1999, Texas native Benjamin Ortiz, living in San Antonio after years spent in Chicago, organized and hosted the first weekly poetry slam in San Antonio, Texas, a poetry reading like no other in the Alamo City. Held at the now defunct Re:Verb music lounge, the first PuroSlam- held on a Tuesday night, May 4, 1999, at 10:30 pm, as it has been every Tuesday since- attracted over 100 rowdy and enthusiastic, and by the end of the evening, very drunk spoken word fans. For the summer months that followed, a variety of poets from across South Texas descended upon the Re:verb every week to battle it out for priceless vinyl and the weekly title of PuroSlam Champion. Attendees filled the chairs, sprawled across the floor, stood on the bar and pool table in an effort to absorb the wisdom of a dozen or more poets every week. Most poets were competent, some were amazing, some truly sucked, but the audience hung with every word, cheering on the well written and heckling the poorly chosen. PuroSlam was not meant to be a poetry reading for the weak at heart, and by the end of its first month in existence, this fact was obvious to all who dared walk its glittered stage.