Paul Rafferty talks about 'Six of the Best' on June 7th

Six of the Best at the Birmingham Library Theatre

Wednesday June 7th. Featuring the following Birmingham-based performers: Spoz, Big Bren, Louis Poet, Jimmy Fantastic, Heather Bryson, Paul Rafferty.

The evening of Wednesday 7th June sees Six of the Best being given over to the Underground, The Underwriters to be exact, members of the Wrote Under Publishing Co Operative, regular performers and co-organisers of the Sunday X Press, last Sunday of every month at the Market Tavern Digbeth. Performers who don’t mince words, talk in plain English and are not what anyone would term “easy listening”! As far as the rest of the poetry scene is concerned we are the underdogs, the under rated and the under exposed but due to our constant gigging and profile raising activities we just can’t be ignored, hence our appearance at the library theatre on the 7th.

Giovanni “Spoz” Esposito, the man who met our lord Jesus himself, in the Sea Queen fish and chip shop, Spearmint Rhino and even at our most holy of holies the very Blues ground itself. Reading his poems from the 1967 Diana Annual Spoz is a member of the New October Poets has performed at Glastonbury Festival as well as our very own Artsfest and there is even a CD called “Poetry In Motions” currently available. “No flowery language here, I laughed out loud and so did my eleven year old daughter” – Ryan’s Gig Guide

“Big” Brendan Higgins, the bard of Yardley, also has his own CD release, “Flowers Up Your Arse ”and a promotional T-shirt advocating the practice of “Shopping!” one of his hit crowd pleasers. Big Bren’s Caberet has been running for some years now, Bren is a regular at Artsfest and any open mics going, including the Sunday X Press, which he co organises with most of the rest of us, favourite support act and promoter for local bands and one of the Lex Icons and occasional guest vocalist with The Yampy Werewolves. Like all of us on the 7th Bren writes and performers using the language we all hear every day, no punches are pulled you’ll find no faux politeness in his verses. Look out for the three Wrote Under collection of poets with Jimmy Fantastik and Scissorman.

Louis Poet, real name Campbell, is also a Lex Icon, and an Artsfest regular as well as performing at open mic events such as the Sunday X Press, which he is also one of the organisors of. He has supported, among others, The Beat, and works well with all audiences, there are even stories of workshops all over the West Midlands area as well as a whole range of promotional films and yes a self titled CD as well.

LOUIS CAMPBELL



Jimmy Fantastik, real name Kennedy used to be the Page 3 Experience, purveyer of Punk Poetry. He knows Madonna’s darkest secrets and he does kiss and tell. There’s a selection of four, count them four, self published books of his work along with a forthcoming shared collection with Big Bren and Scissorman on the way from Wrote Under. Jim also is the brains behind Frinky and Up you Alley as well as being a fellow organiser of the Sunday X Press.

JIMMY FANTASTIK



Heather Bryson, AKA Lolita Lovett, “What she did, I can’t even tell you” - said Rachel New of her act, Kerrang Radio. Heather is an experienced performer and can charm any audience with her stylish compositions. Another co-organiser of the Sunday X Press in Digbeth, Birmingham, she has a strong open mic background and a self published collection entitled “4.00 am”.

HEATHER BRYSON



Paul “Scissorman” Rafferty “Hard edged Performance poetry” – The Independent on Sunday, yet another Organiser of The Sunday X Press, veteran of both Artsfest and Glastonbury as well as all the open mics he can get to. Yes there’s also a CD “I Spit on your Grav!y” and so far three self published collections, look out for the upcoming threesome with Big Bren and Jimmy Fantastik from Wrote Under later this year. Paul has supported John Cooper Clarke on a number of occasions and has a history of organising and promoting gigs in both Luton and Birmingham “Nice one, Kid!”- JCC

BY PAUL RAFFERTY


So there you have it. 'Six of the Best' at Birmingham Library Theatre on Wednesday June 7th, £5 entry, 7.30pm start, another great line-up of the best in live poetry and stand-up from the Midlands -- and this month it's not for the faint-hearted! Ed.