Monday, February 28, 2011

CAMBRIDGE: Hammer and Tongues

Wednesday 9th March, 2011, 7.30pm (event starts 8pm), £5/ £3.50 concessions/ £2 for slammers
The Emperor,
21, Hills Road,
Cambridge
CB2 1NW

Cambridge Hammer & Tongue will be playing host to our usual slam competition plus the anarchic glamour of Salena Godden and the hearty anecdotage of Richard Tyrone Jones.

You can find more details in the attached Word document and Calendar file, or at the Facebook event: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=149673901760172.

Friday, February 25, 2011

LONDON: Jazz Verse Jukebox

Sunday, March 13th, 2011, 6.30pm, show from 8pm, £7 (on the door only)
Upstairs @ Ronnie Scott's Jazz Club (Aka Ronnie's Bar),
47 Frith Street,
London
W1D 4HT

Tube: Tottenham Court Road
Web :www.jumokefashola.com
Email: JazzVerseJukebox@me.com

JAZZ VERSE JUKEBOX
Join us to celebrate the beginning of spring, featuring spoken word from HKB FINN; Mark Gwynne Jones; Paul Lyalls; Raymond Antrobus with music from Claudia Parisi, plus open mic for poets/singers.

featuring

HKB FiNN is a spoken word artist with a difference. His work explores the connections between cultures and his music combines elements of Jazz, Hip Hop & Reggae into a unique blend. With Poetry and occasional Raps that covers a wide range of topics from Love to Spirituality, he creates incredible soundscapes that examines our collective roots.
In the late '90's he was inspired to create a form of urban music that embraces folk traditions as well as charting urban realities. He calls this sound: Organica. FiNN describes Organica as: “A fission of Jazz, Hip Hop & Reggae with West African over tones”. His solo recordings have been themed around particular aspects of Organica and have gained him worldwide popularity as an innovator of ‘underground music’. An engaging performer, FiNN has also collaborated with a number of musical luminaries including: The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Nojazz, Soweto Kinch, Orphy Robinson, Viva Sinfonia, Nitin Sahwney, Kasse Mady Diabate, Tunde Jegede, The Orb, Shur-I-Kan, The Royal Opera House, Robert Mitchell’s Panacea and many more. Over the years, FiNN and his ensemble have performed in over 25 countries worldwide and describes this work as: “Making music based on sharing truth, spreading love and delivering exceedingly good grooves.”
www.hkbfinn.com

Four times fringe-award winner, Mark Gwynne Jones is well known for mind altering poetry with an almost music-hall edge. He mixes humour and poignancy with great skill and through collaborations with film-makers and musicians he is pushing poetry in new and exciting directions. Mark’s work is contagious, gritty and sometimes startlingly sensitive.
Appearing solo and with The Psychicbread, a show combining poetry and music Mark has toured with Kate Rusby and performed alongside The Levellers, Alan Bates, Mark Radcliffe and John Peel favourites Half Man Half Biscuit. He has sold poetry to the CIA; written poetry with disenfranchised kids in some of the most deprived areas of Britain and held various writing residencies in galleries, prisons and cinema. Mark regularly performs at music and literature festivals throughout the UK and abroad. In 2008 Loughborough University commissioned Mark to write a series of poems for a performance walk and following the event’s success, Gunpowder Parks commissioned him to write in and around four of London’s central parks exploring what is meant by ‘common ground’ in 21st century Britain. Mark has won The National Trust Poetry Competition and the Buxton Festival Fringe. With filmmaker Andy Lawrence, Mark produced a unique series of 6 film-poems. It’s Only Water was broadcast by ITV and The Message, a screenplay mixing poetry and drama, ran for seven nights on SKY television.
www.psychicbread.org

Paul Lyalls' work is funny, fast-moving, hip, accessible, rhythmic, clever and real. He has run hundreds of workshops in secondary and primary schools, youth projects and prisons. As a performance poet, Paul has gigged 10 Edinburgh Festivals and many prestigious venues in cities as diverse as New York to Belfast. In 2008 Paul was Poet for the London Borough of Brent, becoming the first poet to perform at the New Wembley stadium. Paul presented and starred alongside former World Poetry Slam Champion Kat Francois in the BBC/CBBC television programme 'The Big Slam Poetry House. He has 2 poems published in the new 'Michael Rosen's A-Z of poetry' (Penguin/puffin). In 2005 Paul was invited to take part in the Cheltenham Literature Festival's 'All star poetry slam show', returning in 2009 performing to as support to   Michael Rosen. He has performed with Will Self, John Hegley, Jean ‘Binta' Breeze, Roger McGough, John Cooper Clarke, Andrea Leavy and George Best. More unusual gigs have included opening for 'The Libertines' and appearing on the national news, as a result of a scheme to bring poetry to the masses in which Paul performed on a regular working No73 bus as it wound it way through central London to Oxford St. His first full collection is entitled, 'Catching the cascade' - (Flipped Eye)
http://www.paul-lyalls.com

Raymond Antrobus is a spoken word artist, photographer and writer, born and bred in Hackney. Described by Michael Horovitz as a "unique and talented young poet" Raymond has been performing spoken word poetry since 2007 and is the International Farrago slam champion 2008. His writing is often perceived to be provocative, delicate and thoughtful. He has performed at London's South Bank Centre as part of the Literacy Festival, at universities across London, Birmingham, Manchester and Coventry, as well as in venues overseas - Berlin, Venice and the NYrican Poets Cafe in New York. He has performed at festivals such as Latitude, Vibe Festival and Secret Garden Party. He is one half of 'Speed Camera Shy', a music project that combines Spoken Word/Rap with Dub Step echoes. Raymond Antrobus is also a member of one of the world’s leading collectives of spoken-word artists known as, ‘A Poem in-between People’, (or PiP) who have been described as “London’s hottest spoken word talent” by The Times and are comprised of ten members. www.raymondantrobus.blogspot.com

A Jazz singer with Italian origins, Claudia Parisi lives in Paris. She spent years on the roads performing in rock bands, giving piano bar performances and even some “bal musette”. Settling down in Paris about 10 years ago, she studied at the Conservatoire de St Denis and then subsequently embraced the jazz idiom after a two year course at the Bill Evans Music Academy. She is both an original singer/songwriter and a superb interpreter of classic standards. Her unique style combines the passion of traditional Italian songs with colourful jazz improvisation.
 http://claudiaparisi.free.fr

PLUS Jukebox Open Mic:
Come & sing with our amazing house band or perform some poetry.

PLYMOUTH: Hannah Silva

Friday, 11th March, 2011, 7.30pm, £5
The Barbican Theatre,
Castle Street,
Plymouth,
PL1 2NJ
Booking: http://www.barbicantheatre.co.uk/booking.php
01752 267131

In her new solo show Opposition, vocal gymnast and award-winning poet Hannah Silva cuts up, juggles and reconfigures the languages of politics past and present to reveal the meaning and the music beneath the rhetoric of today’s (big?) society.

David Cameron’s Big Society speech, the Weather, the News, slang, Twitter and song – they all get transformed and recomposed using a loop pedal and her extra-ordinary vocal techniques.

South West based writer and performer Hannah Silva performs internationally, recently toured the country with Apples & Snakes Public Address and was featured on Radio 3’s The Verb. Past works include Boat on the water, a poetry/dance/theatre piece on board a small boat (2009). Hannah has a background in music, choreography and theatre, and influences spanning Luciano Berio, Tim Crouch and David J. She has been described by The Times Online as ‘one of the most ambitious and entertaining poets in the country’ (Top Ten Literary Stars of 2008).

Opposition is funded by the Arts Council England, produced by The Barbican Theatre, Plymouth and supported by Apples & Snakes.

“Hannah Silva is one of the most exciting, original artists on the UK poetry scene. Her unique word play has a piercing intelligence and genuine warmth that never fails to charm audiences”
Sarah Ellis –Head of Creative Programmes, The Albany.
http://www.hannahsilva.co.uk

Opposition is funded by the Arts Council England, supported by Apples & Snakes and The Barbican Theatre through the Flourish Programme.

WOLVERHAMPTON: Life Is A Cabaret

GALWAY: Over The Edge March Writers’ Gathering

Friday, March 11th, 2011, 8pm
at The Café @ The Museum
Spanish Arch
Galway

The Over The Edge March Writers’ Gathering presents readings by poets and fiction writers from Ireland, The Netherlands and the United States. Nick Hayes, Alex Hijmans, Lorna Shaughnessy, Anna Snyder, John W. Sexton and Alan Jude Moore will read.

Nick Hayes is a frequent guest on radio and television in the United States; he also publishes widely in newspapers, magazines, and journals. He has been the recepient of awards from the Ford Foundation, the National Endowment for the Humanities and the Fulbright Program. He won an Emmy in 1991 for his work on the documentary "Television and Democracy in Russia." Nick is a professor of history and holds the university chair in critical thinking at Saint John’s University in Minnesota. His memoir And One Fine Morning Memoires of My Father (Nodin Press) was published in 2010.

Alex Hijmans was born in The Netherlands. He moved to Galway in 1995, learned Irish, worked as a journalist and ran a coffeehouse, Café Bananaphoblacht. In 2007 he moved to Brazil, where he works as an international correspondent. Aiséirí is his first novel. A book of his non-fiction, ‘Favela’, was published, also by Cois Life, in 2009. Alex’ short stories have appeared in Comhar, Crannóg Magazine and Irish Pages. His website is www.alexhijmans.com

Lorna Shaughnessy was born in Belfast and lives in County Galway. She lectures in the Department of Spanish, NUI Galway. She has published two translations of contemporary Mexican poetry, Mother Tongue: Selected Poems by Pura López Colomé and If We Have Lost our Oldest Tales by María Baranda, both with Arlen House (2006). Her first collection of poetry, Torching the Brown River, was published by Salmon in 2008. Her second collection, Witness Trees, will be published later this year also by Salmon.

Anna Snyder is a student in the Masters of Writing program at NUI Galway, and though she sees herself as primarily a prose-writer, she has undergone a poetic renaissance while living in Galway.  Her greatest loves are writing, travelling, and playing the guitar badly.  Once her Masters is completed, she hopes to somehow find a job in Dublin so she can stay in Ireland for as long as she wants.

John W. Sexton was born in 1958 is the author of three poetry collections: The Prince’s Brief Career (Cairn Mountain Press, 1995), Shadows Bloom / Scáthanna Faoi Bhláth, a book of haiku with translations into Irish by Gabriel Rosenstock, and Vortex (Doghouse, 2005). Under the ironic pseudonym of Sex W. Johnston he has recorded an album with legendary Stranglers frontman, Hugh Cornwell, entitled Sons of Shiva, which has been released on Track Records. In 2007 he was awarded a Patrick and Katherine Kavanagh Fellowship in Poetry. His fourth collection, Petit Mal, was published recently by Revival Press.

Alan Jude Moore is the author of three collections of poetry, Black State Cars (Salmon Poetry, 2004), Lost Republics (Salmon Poetry, 2008) and Strasbourg (Salmon Poetry, 2010). He is widely published, in Ireland and abroad, and his fiction has been twice short-listed for the Hennessy Literary Award for New Irish Writing. Translations of his work have been published in Italy, Russia and Turkey. He lives in Dublin.

There is no entrance fee.  The Café @ The Museum has a wine licence. All welcome. For further information contact 087-6431748.

DUBLIN: From Inspiration to Publication, Publishing Seminar

Saturday, March 12th, 2011: 10.30am-4.30pm
Irish Writers' Centre
19 Parnell Square
Dublin 1
t: +353 (0)1 872 1302
e: info@writerscentre.ie
w: www.writerscentre.ie

Novelist Emer Martin will join the Irish Writers’ Centre in hosting an information day on publishing that will include literary agent Yvonne Kinsella and book editor Deirdre O'Neill. The day will feature talks from industry experts and will offer the opportunity to pose questions to the speakers.

The day will commence with a talk on 'The Editorial Process' by Deirdre O'Neill, former managing editor at New Island Books (2008-2010). This will be followed by 'The Author-Agent Relationship’ by Yvonne Kinsella, Literary Agent for Prizeman & Kinsella Literary Agency. The next talk, ‘Publicising a Book from Manuscript to Paperback’,  will be given by Helen Gleed O'Connor, Literary Publicist for Gill Hess Ltd (clients include Random House, Transworld, Simon & Schuster and Faber & Faber). After lunch, Fiction Buyer for Eason's Stephen Boylan will discuss 'Book Trends and the Marketplace'. The final talk will be 'Sustaining a Writer's Life' from Emer Martin.

Registration is from 10.30am; tickets are €60 for non-members, €50 for members and must be booked in advance by paying online or calling the Centre.

The Irish Writers’ Centre is a non-profit organisation run by volunteers, which promotes contemporary Irish literature. Since its foundation in 1991, the Centre has welcomed many award-winning writers through its doors, including Nobel, Costa, Man Booker, IMPAC, and Pulitzer Prize winners. It has also served as an important platform for breakthrough talent, with many young writers giving their first public readings here.

Wednesday, February 23, 2011

LONDON: Wisewords Poetry - Women's Open Mic

Thursday, 10th March, 2011, 7.30pm, £3 (£2 open mic)
The Vibe Bar,
Old Truman Brewery,
91 Brick Lane,
London
E1 6QL

Possessed by the spirit of poetry and itching to unveil your oeuvre to a like-minded crowd? Then come on down – take the mic and flex your stanzas in the happening heart of Brick Lane, alongside host Jo Overfield and special guests Catherine Brogan and Belinda Zhawi. In addition, Leicester poet Lydia Towsey will be performing an excerpt from her new show The Venus Papers. Audience required too, so bring your mates to provide cheers and whoops. Celebrating Women's History Month 2011, we have a women's open mic, but guys do come along and enjoy the show.

Info: 020 7247 3479 / www.vibe-bar.co.uk  / info@alternativearts.co.uk
/ www.applesandsnakes.org 

LONDON: Apples & Snakes In Soho Featuring Polarbear

Wednesday, 9th March, 2011, 8pm, £8 / £6 conc / £6 under 26
Soho Theatre,
21 Dean Street,
London
W1D 3NE

Polarbear is one of the genuine phenomena of the spoken word scene. In a few short years, he’s skyrocketed from humble West Midlands lad to international lyrical, cinematically-minded storyteller. Join the Bear tonight for a paw-picked selection of his best.
 With support from fast-rising, provocative poet Indigo Williams, pith-helmeted ‘chap-hop’ prodigy Professor Elemental and – as recently featured on Woman’s Hour – feisty verse-valkyrie Mia Jerome.
The Apples & Snakes in Soho series is an opportunity for audiences to see top-flight poets and writers alongside newer pioneers from the spoken-word scene. Soho Theatre offers the perfect central location for this eclectic entertainment.
Booking: 020 7478 0100 / www.sohotheatre.com
Info: www.applesandsnakes.org

LONDON: Wordamouth Presents FreeStyles

Tuesday, 8th March, 2011, 8pm-1am
Favela Chic
91-93 Great Eastern Street
London
EC2A 3HX

Hosted by curious & Angry Sam

Wordamouth brings the freshest poets to the hottest spot in town. Come and eat, drink, think and be merry (or at least enlightened).

Featuring:
Johnny 'Fluffypunk' Seagrave
Dean Atta
Paul Cree


DJs: Anarkali Elektra & curious

GALWAY: February Over The Edge Open Reading

Thursday, February 24th, 2011, 6.30pm-8pm
Galway City Library,
St. Augustine Street,
Galway

The February Over The Edge: Open Reading features Claire Kilroy, Susan Kelly and Bríd Buckley.

Bríd Buckley is a blow-in poetry and fiction writer from Cork who doesn't really know what to say about herself. She writes pretty much whatever comes into her head. She moved to Galway in 2009 to do the MA in writing in NUIG. Before this she studied English and Psychology and subsequently Film. She has read at and mceed the Ó Bhéal poetry nights in The Long Valley in Cork and has also read her work at the Tuam Arts Festival and the Whitehouse Bar Limerick.

Susan Kelly is from Westport, Co Mayo where she writes about what she knows and makes up the rest. She started writing poetry just over three years ago and since then her work has appeared in Cyphers, Crannóg, Revival, Abridged, and on wordlegs.com and is currently short listed for the Writing Spirit Award. She is a member of Westport Writer’s Group and has co-edited its annual publication, The Broadsheet.

Claire Kilroy is the author of three novels which loosely form a trilogy about the obsessions and exhilarations of art.  Her debut, All Summer, a literary thriller about a stolen painting, was awarded the 2004 Rooney Prize for Irish Literature. Her second novel, Tenderwire, a love story between a violinist and a masterpiece violin, was published to great acclaim in 2006, and was shortlisted for the 2007 Irish Novel of the Year as well as the Kerry Group Irish Fiction Award. Her latest novel, All Names Have Been Changed, set in 1980s Dublin and centring around a great Irish writer and his Trinity writing class, was published this May.  Educated at Trinity College, she lives in Dublin.

There will be an open-mic when the Featured Readers have finished. This is open to anyone who has a poem or story to share. New readers are always especially welcome. The MC for the evening will be Susan Millar DuMars. For further details phone 087-6431748 or see our website http://overtheedgeliteraryevents.blogspot.com/

Over The Edge acknowledges the ongoing generous financial support of Galway City Council and The Arts Council.

Monday, February 21, 2011

NEWCASTLE: Cassoulette

Tuesday, 8th March, 2011, FREE
Newcastle City Library,
Bewick Hall

You are invited to a day celebrating women’s experiences through poetry and performance...

‘Undergrowth’ by Cassoulette - International Women’s Day,

Join Cassoulette, a team of three performance poets, in a series of creative workshops culminating in a public performance built from shared words and stories. Come to all three workshops, or just one, or join us for the final performance – it’s all free.

9.30am - 11.00am ‘Start to write and feel better’ is led Pj Buchanan.

This workshop aims to encourage women to write and looks at ways that can stimulate that writing, which in turn improves well-being. No previous experience in writing is required. The emphasis of this workshop is on the individual and unlocking stories and poetry that lie within. At the end of the workshop each participant will have poem or prose piece that can be read in the evening.

11.30am – 1.00pm ‘Story Quilting’ is led by Ah’freee.

This is a dynamic group workshop where participants are encouraged to tell a joint story based on African tradition where storytelling is synonymous with song, chant, music, or epic poetry in the bardic or ‘griot’ traditions. At the end of the session the group will have ‘quilted’ their stories together to form one whole, which can be performed as a group in the evening.

2.00pm – 3.30pm ‘Giving Voice’ is led by Sky Hawkins.

Sky is passionate about finding ways to improve women’s confidence, especially those women who have been marginalised. The focus of the workshop is on self-expression and Sky will be drawing on her background in drama to encourage participants to make their voices heard. This energetic workshop will involve the use of video, make-up, hats and masks. At the end of this session participants will be ready to take to the stage during the evening if they choose

4.00 – 4.30pm ‘Undergrowth’ - performance of the work created during the day

The performance is open to all

Cassoulette is a collaborative project - each of the poets brings her own life experience to the project; Sky Hawkins is a single mum living on a Newcastle council estate, Poetry Jack (Pj Buchanan) is lesbian and an older woman, and Radikal Queen (Ah’freee Being) is a black woman with African roots. In their own distinctive ways all three poets assert the power of womanhood and invite other women to speak up. Cassoulette means ‘scent of a woman’. www.cassoulette.co.uk

Sunday, February 20, 2011

GALWAY: The North Beach Poetry Nights' Slam

Monday, 21st February, 2011, 9pm, €5/€3
The Crane Bar
Galway

With guest poets - the 2010 Grand Slam winners, Mikey Groty, Sarah Clancy and Mark James.

Poets wishing to enter the February Slam should have a maximum of two three-minute poems.

The poem for the 2nd round must be performed without a script, so time to get memorizing now!

Info: John@ 091-593290

Friday, February 18, 2011

BRIGHTON: Poetry & Story at the X Roads

Friday, March 4th, 2011, 7.30pm for 8pm start, £5/£4 concs.
Iambic Arts Theatre
Regent Street,
Brighton

Tel: 01273 572 101

WATERLOO PRESS & AMBIT MAGAZINE present Poetry & Story at the X Roads a night of readings featuring the launch of two Waterloo Press titles.

The Odysseus Poems
Fictions on the Odyessy of Homer
Judith Kazantzis' sequence of interwoven voices casts the many struggles with monsters, the seductions and loneliness of love, and the long wanderings of heroes into a vivid meditation for our turbulent times... Marina Warner

The Unicycle Set
Nick Burbridge
Just one click on Nick Burbridge's website reveals a man driven: if you thought his compositions as leader of ranting roots rockers McDermott's Two Hours were edgy, prepare yourself for a ride, his poetry is radical and subversive - Simon Jones, fRoots

and special guest, Editor-in-Chief of AMBIT Magazine, Martin Bax, reading from his latest short story collection, Memoirs of a Gone World (Salt, 2010).
These stories are formally adventurous, modern and post-modern, sometimes very droll, and often distinctly filthy. Isn't that enough for anyone? - Geoff Nicholson
with music from Nick Burbridge and fiddler friend

and OPEN MIC - musicians, poets & flash fictioneers welcome! 
(5 spots - come early to book - one song, poem or page max)

LONDON: Camden Poetry Series

Friday, March 4th, 2011, 7pm (doors open 6.30pm), £5/£4, WINE
Trinity United Reform Church,
1 Buck Street,
Camden Town
2 mins. Camden Town tube

Ruth O'Callaghan presents -
                    
Matthew Caley, a star of the Aldeburgh Poetry Festival      
Adnan Al-Sayegh, Iraqi international poet in exile, accompanied by composer and flautist Nicky Heinen

Poets from the floor very welcome (some longer spots available). Please bring a copy of the poem if you wish to be considered for the new anthology which will be edited by Ruth O'Callaghan.

Tuesday, February 15, 2011

GALWAY: February Over The Edge Open Reading

Thursday, February 24th, 2011, 6.30pm-8pm
Galway City Library,
St. Augustine Street,
Galway

The February Over The Edge: Open Reading features Claire Kilroy, Susan Kelly and Bríd Buckley.

Bríd Buckley is a blow-in poetry and fiction writer from Cork who doesn't really know what to say about herself. She writes pretty much whatever comes into her head. She moved to Galway in 2009 to do the MA in writing in NUIG. Before this she studied English and Psychology and subsequently Film. She has read at and mceed the Ó Bhéal poetry nights in The Long Valley in Cork and has also read her work at the Tuam Arts Festival and the Whitehouse Bar Limerick.

Susan Kelly is from Westport, Co Mayo where she writes about what she knows and makes up the rest. She started writing poetry just over three years ago and since then her work has appeared in Cyphers, Crannóg, Revival, Abridged, and on wordlegs.com and is currently short listed for the Writing Spirit Award. She is a member of Westport Writer’s Group and has co-edited its annual publication, The Broadsheet.

Claire Kilroy is the author of three novels which loosely form a trilogy about the obsessions and exhilarations of art.  Her debut, All Summer, a literary thriller about a stolen painting, was awarded the 2004 Rooney Prize for Irish Literature. Her second novel, Tenderwire, a love story between a violinist and a masterpiece violin, was published to great acclaim in 2006, and was shortlisted for the 2007 Irish Novel of the Year as well as the Kerry Group Irish Fiction Award. Her latest novel, All Names Have Been Changed, set in 1980s Dublin and centring around a great Irish writer and his Trinity writing class, was published this May.  Educated at Trinity College, she lives in Dublin.

There will be an open-mic when the Featured Readers have finished. This is open to anyone who has a poem or story to share. New readers are always especially welcome. The MC for the evening will be Susan Millar DuMars. For further details phone 087-6431748 or see our website http://overtheedgeliteraryevents.blogspot.com/

Over The Edge acknowledges the ongoing generous financial support of Galway City Council and The Arts Council.

GALWAY: The North Beach Poetry Nights' Slam

Monday, 21st February, 2011, 9pm, €5/€3
The Crane Bar
Galway

With guest poets - the 2010 Grand Slam winners, Mikey Groty, Sarah Clancy and Mark James.

Poets wishing to enter the February Slam should have a maximum of two three-minute poems.

The poem for the 2nd round must be performed without a script, so time to get memorizing now!

Info: John@ 091-593290

BRISTOL: Brizzlemania 7 - The Midlands Meltdown

Wednesday, February 16th, 2011, 8pm, £3
The Arts House,
Bristol

BRIZZLEMANIA 7: THE MIDLANDS MELTDOWN

The Brizzlemania Poetry slam comes home, bringing some superfly talent with it. Featuring:

From Warsaw via Warwick, word-rainer
BOHDAN PIASECKI

From Bristol via Birmingham, star-writer
JAMES BUNTING

Last month's Slam Champions
SAM DREW AND LYDIA BEARDMORE

plus OPEN POETRY SLAM: Gig and prize for the winner.

Come have a bostin' good time with us.

LONDON: Grey Hen Press reading

Wednesday, February 16th, 2011, 7pm-8.30pm, FREE, wine and nibbles
Waterstone's,
220-226 Chiswick High Road,
London
W4 1PD

A reading from the Grey Hen Press anthology Cracking On with Connie Bensley, Joy Howard, Angela Kirby, Wendy Klein, Gill Learner and Ruth O'Callaghan.

Sunday, February 13, 2011

LEAMINGTON SPA: PUREandGOODandRIGHT

Monday, 14th February, 2011, 7.30pm, £3 (£2 Student/OAP)
The Sozzled Sausage,
Leamington Spa
CV32 4NX

Each month we invite a fabulous guest performance poet. This month we are delighted to have with us the very wonderful Lorna Meehan. Lorna has been ranting about celebrities and asking big questions about life the universe and other such ridiculous things through the medium of poetry for 10 years. She has performed at Glastonbury Festival, various Apples and Snakes shindigs and to a very confused bunch of old ladies while they were getting their hair done. She also runs 'Rhymes' a jolly good poetry night in Birmingham showcasing local talent and boasting the best raffle this side of the West Midlands.

If you would like to know more about Lorna, have a look at www.myspace.com/ravingbanshee
DEFINITELY AN EVENING NOT TO BE MISSED!

With open mic support from…….yes……YOU!
Come and share your poems - seasoned poets & first time performers most welcome!

If you're planning to come along, or would like to know more about the night, please email pgrpoetry@gmail.com

Remember to check out our blog at http://pgrpoetry.blogspot.com !!!

Saturday, February 12, 2011

LONDON: Jazz Verse Jukebox

Sunday, February 13th, 2011, doors open 6.30pm, show from 8pm, £7 (only on the door)
Upstairs @ Ronnie Scott's Jazz Club (Aka Ronnie's Bar),
47 Frith Street, London W1D 4HT
Tube: Tottenham Court Road
Web :www.jumokefashola.com
Email: JazzVerseJukebox@me.com

Join us for a pre-Valentine show featuring spoken word from Musa Okwonga; Yomi 'G.R.E.E.Ds Sode; Somayé; with music from Michelle Escoffery plus open mic for poets/singers.

February's line up is SERIOUS! If you enjoy spoken word and jazz tinged with a touch of politics and even football (!) don't miss this. Plus it's the night before Valentine’s Day so come and join in whether you are loved up or on your lonesome. You could even serenade or recite to your loved one if you get picked for our Jukebox Open Mic! Compered by and with music from Jumoké Fashola.

Featuring…

Musa Okwonga is an acclaimed poet, football writer, musician of Ugandan descent.  A scholarship student at Eton College, he won the WH Smith Young Writers Competition, the leading national creative writing contest, at the age of 16; he went on to study law at St.John's College, Oxford,  qualifying as a solicitor, then leaving to pursue a career as a performance poet and author. A front man of fast-rising band Benin City (Outkast meets James Brown), he has performed live on BBC Radios One and Three, has recited his poetry at the EU Energy Summit before all of Europe's environment and energy ministers, and has appeared at several festivals, including Latitude. He is part of poetry collective A Poem in between People (PIP) In 2008 his first football book, A Cultured Left Foot, was nominated for the William Hill Sports Book of the Year Award; his second book, Will You Manage?, was published by Serpent's Tail in August 2010.
http://www.myspace.com/ofmooseandmen

Yomi 'G.R.E.Ed.S' Sode is a Spoken Word aficionado who seamlessly fuses music to his poignant, introspective rhymes. His debut album, 'Volume In Silence', explores his poetic journey via internal fantasies and external realities. This multi-talented writer, MC, Poet and Storyteller goes by the alias G.R.E.Ed.S (Generating Rhymes to Engage the EnlighteneD Soul.) and believes his purpose in life is to ‘bring a new sound, feel and texture to performance poetry’. G.R.E.E.D.S is unafraid to merge the boundaries between musical genres, whilst firmly remaining true to his chosen artistic form, spoken word.
http://www.iamgreeds.com

Somaye is an innovator in Jazz Persian fusion and a poet with a conscience. She has an emotive singing voice that has moved audiences to tears and has been compared to the great Billie Holiday.
As a skilled tombak (Persian goblet drum) player Somaye can be seen performing with various Persian groups around London as well as a soloist.
"Prepare to have your socks knocked off!" Simon Behrman, music writer, on Strange Fruit
http://www.myspace.com/somaye

With music from singer/songwriter #Michelle Escoffery began her singing career with her three sisters as 'The Escofferys' and spent school holidays touring churches across Europe and the UK until they were signed by American label Atlantic. In 1993, Michelle was headhunted to join R&B girl group Truce. Her writing for the group attracted industry attention and she began writing for other artists including Hinda Hicks, Damage, Fierce and she enjoyed huge success with The Artful Dodger album 'It's All About The Stragglers'.
Subsequently she decided to devote herself to her songwriting and vocal production winning an IVOR NOVELLO award in 2002
As a  songwriter, she has written for All Saints, Tina Turner and Beverly Knight and once sang with Stevie Wonder. She is the founder of the Kindred Spirits Collective.
http://www.myspace.com/michelleescoffery

PLUS Jukebox Open Mic:
Come & sing with our amazing house band or perform some poetry.

Thursday, February 10, 2011

LEICESTER: Nottingham Poets Reading

Friday, February 11th, 2011, 7.30pm
Friends Meeting House
Queen's Road
Leicester

Leicester Poetry Society is playing host to Nottingham poets Alan Baker and Jeremy Duffield. Free to members, small admission fee for temporary members joining for the night.

GALWAY: 2011 Over The Edge Poetry Book Showcase

Friday, February 11th, 2011, 8pm
Café 8 @ The Museum,
Spanish Arch,
Galway

The 2011 Over The Edge Poetry Book Showcase featuring Mary Mullen, Aideen Henry, Tom Duddy, Brendan Murphy, Mary Madec, Louis de Paor, Colette NicAodha, Sarah Clancy, Breid Sibley, Elaine Cosgrove, Geraldine Mitchell, Edward Boyne, Johnny B. Broderick, Sean Lysaght, Gerry Galvin, Geraldine Mills, Kevin Higgins, Elaine Feeney and Susan Millar DuMars.

In this annual retrospective of the year just past, every Galway-based poet who published a new collection of poems during 2010 is invited to read three poems from the collection in question. There will also be short readings from the anthologies Dogs Singing (Salmon Poetry), Behind The Masks (Galway Arts Centre Advanced Poetry Workshop) and Three Times Daily (NUI Galway MA in Writing class of 2009).

All welcome. There is no cover charge. For further details phone 087-6431748.

Over The Edge acknowledges the ongoing generous financial support of The Arts Council and Galway City Council.

http://overtheedgeliteraryevents.blogspot.com

Tuesday, February 08, 2011

SHEFFIELD: ‘Write Down Your Street’ Celebration Evening with Art in the Park

Wednesday, 9th February, 2011, 6-8pm
Café Euro,
72 John Street,
Sheffield
S2 4QU

Book launch and open mic poetry evening compared by local poet and performer Matt Black. Free admission. If you would like to perform please contact Cassie Kill on cassie@artinthepark.org.uk

LONDON: Blake Morrison

Wednesday, February 9th, 2011, 8pm, £8 / £6 / £6 under-26
Soho Theatre,
21 Dean Street,
London
W1D 3NE
Booking: 020 7478 0100 / www.sohotheatre.com

Blake Morrison, renowned author of And When Did You Last See Your Father?  is also one of the UK’s best-respected poets, tonight he delves into his impressive back-catalogue. This lyrical evening also features incisive Irish poet Aoife Mannix and a superbly crafted musical set from Philip Jeays, whose poetic sensibility is imbued with irony and wit. The Apples & Snakes Soho series provides an opportunity for audiences to experience distinguished poets, writers and musicians at the pinnacle of their genre alongside exciting and challenging talents, currently making waves in the world of spoken word. Join us for an indisputably poetic experience.

Sunday, February 06, 2011

LONDON: BEAT

Monday, 7th February, 2011, 8pm
Charlie Wright's
45 Pitfield Street
N16DA

As you know, at BEAT, we spare no expense at your expense. We bring you the best out there for no extra charge - how about a night of: Ben Graham, Amy Acre, Graham Buchan, Dave FLorez, Mo Foster, Sophie Cameron and actress Nina Ludovica Smith.

plus live music from TJ Owutsu!

Ben Graham – Brighton based Ben Graham is a writer, poet and music journalist. Self-published novel, 'Nowhere To Go,' written in 1998, available from September 2010. Poetry collections (also self-published), include 'Written in Mono' (2009), 'Shouting at the Sea' (2007) and 'Destroy All Angels' (2000). Ben also writes about music regularly for the free national music paper The Stool Pigeon and for the website the Quietus- www.thequietus.com. He’s written previously for The Fly, Brighton Evening Argus, The Brighton Reporter, News From Nowhere and the Halifax Evening Courier. His short story, 'Weekday Service' was the only contribution from a previously unpublished author to feature in the notorious "chemical generation" anthology of new fiction 'Disco Biscuits' (Sceptre, 1997), alongside Irvine Welsh, Alan Warner, Alex Garland, Jeff Noon etc. He was singer and songwriter in Spectre (Brighton, 2000-2005), Guilt Trip (Halifax, 1993-1996), and The Disney Twins (London, 1990-91). Other previous bands include The Mumbles, Mad Dogs Lick Forks and Jude The Obscure.

Amy Acre - When not doing ad work as a copywriter she writse and performs poetry, mostly about things like sex, toothpaste and Ikea. She recently won a Golden Gun award forher performance at Bang Said the Gun, as well as being the Farrago Poetry March 2010 SLAM champion. She also picked up a Best Soul Poem trophy at Glam Slam 2010.

Sophie Cameron - a performance poet in that breaks the boundaries between poetry and stand up comedy. With a degree in English Literature at Royal Holloway University of London, and now resident in Sunny Devon, Sophie grew up in Yorkshire, she’s not only the funniest Northerner around but also, in no subjective terms whatsoever, one of the absolute funniest women out there

Dave Florez - young, new stand-up comedian and comedy writer/performer. Acted in the British Comedy Films ’Rabbit Fever’ and ’Fakers’ and BBC2’s comedy spoof series ’Z For Fake’. Dave is a regular on the London stand-up circuit. Two-time Comedy Cafe New Act Winner, Laughing Horse New Act Semi-Finalist, Mirth Control. He has written sell out shows at The Albany and Hen & Chickens in London, including his one-man character comedy show Borderline Personality Disorder. Dave is a professionally produced and published playwright and is represented as an actor by Tim Scott Associates. He will be taking a show to Edinburgh this year!!
http://www.myspace.com/dave_florez

Graham Buchan - Born in Germany to an English mother and Scottish father. His peripatetic childhood involved seven schools and thirteen homes. He graduated in Chemical Engineering but decided on a freelance career in the film industry instead. He has published poetry, short stories, travel writing and film, art and poetry appreciation. “…. proves that he is a master of ‘viral poetry’ – words that infect the reader with their anger, cynicism and intelligence.” Agnes Meadows review of Graham's second book: ‘There is Violence in these Vapours’

Mo Foster - Novelist & Playwright. Her first novel: “A Blues for Shindig” which is a tale of sex 'n drugs in the Soho of the fifties. Has had several plays produced professionally & a few of her 'menopausal punk' poems have been published. In spite of being friends with William S. Burroughs and Alexander Trocchi it never occurred to Mo to put pen to paper until she went on a second chance for women course aged 40 and the first thing she wrote, she sold to the Guardian..

Reading some rather racy excerpts from the the novel A Blues for Shindig will be actress Nina Ludovica Smith whose last reading in Berlin in December at East of Eden bookshop was a great success . Nina is an actor, part of 'Kindle', and presently creative director of Eat Your Heart Out at the Old Vic Tunnels

There will be copies of A Blues for Shindig for sale at this event
website www.mo-foster.co.uk

LONDON: New Hammer and Tongue gig

Monday, February 7th, 2011, 7.30pm
The Vixctoria,
Queensbridge Road

Hammer and Tongue is starting a whole new shiny night of slam and feature poetry of the very highest calibre. Sign up on the door from 7.30pm for a place in the slam and .... yes.... finally we have got the ball rolling for the H&T national slam final... more about that later.

Saturday, February 05, 2011

CHELTENHAM: Buzzwords Poetry Night

Sunday, February 6th, 2011, Workshop 7pm, Readings 8pm
The Brown Jug,
242 Bath Road
Cheltenham,
Gloucestershire
GL53 7NB

Guest poets:
Nine Arches Press presents Luke Kennard and Matt Merritt

Luke Kennard writes poetry and short stories. He holds a PhD in English from the University of Exeter and lectures in creative writing at the University of Birmingham.
He won an Eric Gregory award in 2005 for his first collection of prose poems The Solex Brothers (Stride Books) which has since been re-issued by Salt. His second collection of poetry The Harbour Beyond the Movie was shortlisted for the Forward Prize for Best Collection in 2007 making him the youngest poet ever to be nominated for the award. His third book, The Migraine Hotel, was published in by Salt in 2009 and was a critical and commercial disaster, leading Kennard to conclude that his star was decidedly sinking. His criticism has appeared in Poetry London and The Times Literary Supplement. He is currently reviewing fiction for The National.

Matt Merritt’s second collection is hydrodaktulopsychicharmonica. His debut full collection, Troy Town, was published by Arrowhead Press in 2008, and a chapbook, Making The Most Of The Light, by HappenStance in 2005. He studied history at Newcastle University and counts Anglo-Saxon and medieval Welsh poetry among his influences, as well as the likes of R.S. Thomas, Ted Hughes and John Ash. He was born in Leicester and lives nearby, works as a wildlife journalist, is an editor of Poets On Fire, and blogs at Polyolbion.

Friday, February 04, 2011

BRISTOL: Brizzlemania 7 - The Midlands Meltdown

February 16th, 2011, 8pm, £3
The Arts House,
Bristol

BRIZZLEMANIA 7: THE MIDLANDS MELTDOWN

The Brizzlemania Poetry slam comes home, bringing some superfly talent with it. Featuring:

From Warsaw via Warwick, word-rainer
BOHDAN PIASECKI

From Bristol via Birmingham, star-writer
JAMES BUNTING

Last month's Slam Champions
SAM DREW AND LYDIA BEARDMORE

plus OPEN POETRY SLAM: Gig and prize for the winner.

Come have a bostin' good time with us.

Thursday, February 03, 2011

LONDON: Ver Poets

Friday, 4th February, 2011, 7pm (doors open 6.30pm), £5/£4, WINE
Trinity United Reform Church,
1 Buck Street,
Camden Town
2 mins. Camden Town tube

Ruth O'Callaghan presents Ver Poets Chris Delaney, Kaye Lee, Val Taylor, Carol De Vaughn and Rik Wilkinson.

Poets from the Floor Very Welcome (some longer spots available)
Please bring a copy of the poem if you wish to be considered for the new anthology which will be edited by Ruth O'Callaghan.

Wednesday, February 02, 2011

LONDON: BEAT

Monday, 7th February, 2011, 8pm
Charlie Wright's
45 Pitfield Street
N16DA

As you know, at BEAT, we spare no expense at your expense. We bring you the best out there for no extra charge - how about a night of: Ben Graham, Amy Acre, Graham Buchan, Dave FLorez, Mo Foster, Sophie Cameron and actress Nina Ludovica Smith.

plus live music from TJ Owutsu!

Ben Graham – Brighton based Ben Graham is a writer, poet and music journalist. Self-published novel, 'Nowhere To Go,' written in 1998, available from September 2010. Poetry collections (also self-published), include 'Written in Mono' (2009), 'Shouting at the Sea' (2007) and 'Destroy All Angels' (2000). Ben also writes about music regularly for the free national music paper The Stool Pigeon and for the website the Quietus- www.thequietus.com. He’s written previously for The Fly, Brighton Evening Argus, The Brighton Reporter, News From Nowhere and the Halifax Evening Courier. His short story, 'Weekday Service' was the only contribution from a previously unpublished author to feature in the notorious "chemical generation" anthology of new fiction 'Disco Biscuits' (Sceptre, 1997), alongside Irvine Welsh, Alan Warner, Alex Garland, Jeff Noon etc. He was singer and songwriter in Spectre (Brighton, 2000-2005), Guilt Trip (Halifax, 1993-1996), and The Disney Twins (London, 1990-91). Other previous bands include The Mumbles, Mad Dogs Lick Forks and Jude The Obscure.

Amy Acre - When not doing ad work as a copywriter she writse and performs poetry, mostly about things like sex, toothpaste and Ikea. She recently won a Golden Gun award forher performance at Bang Said the Gun, as well as being the Farrago Poetry March 2010 SLAM champion. She also picked up a Best Soul Poem trophy at Glam Slam 2010.

Sophie Cameron - a performance poet in that breaks the boundaries between poetry and stand up comedy. With a degree in English Literature at Royal Holloway University of London, and now resident in Sunny Devon, Sophie grew up in Yorkshire, she’s not only the funniest Northerner around but also, in no subjective terms whatsoever, one of the absolute funniest women out there

Dave Florez - young, new stand-up comedian and comedy writer/performer. Acted in the British Comedy Films ’Rabbit Fever’ and ’Fakers’ and BBC2’s comedy spoof series ’Z For Fake’. Dave is a regular on the London stand-up circuit. Two-time Comedy Cafe New Act Winner, Laughing Horse New Act Semi-Finalist, Mirth Control. He has written sell out shows at The Albany and Hen & Chickens in London, including his one-man character comedy show Borderline Personality Disorder. Dave is a professionally produced and published playwright and is represented as an actor by Tim Scott Associates. He will be taking a show to Edinburgh this year!!
http://www.myspace.com/dave_florez

Graham Buchan - Born in Germany to an English mother and Scottish father. His peripatetic childhood involved seven schools and thirteen homes. He graduated in Chemical Engineering but decided on a freelance career in the film industry instead. He has published poetry, short stories, travel writing and film, art and poetry appreciation. “…. proves that he is a master of ‘viral poetry’ – words that infect the reader with their anger, cynicism and intelligence.” Agnes Meadows review of Graham's second book: ‘There is Violence in these Vapours’

Mo Foster - Novelist & Playwright. Her first novel: “A Blues for Shindig” which is a tale of sex 'n drugs in the Soho of the fifties. Has had several plays produced professionally & a few of her 'menopausal punk' poems have been published. In spite of being friends with William S. Burroughs and Alexander Trocchi it never occurred to Mo to put pen to paper until she went on a second chance for women course aged 40 and the first thing she wrote, she sold to the Guardian..

Reading some rather racy excerpts from the the novel A Blues for Shindig will be actress Nina Ludovica Smith whose last reading in Berlin in December at East of Eden bookshop was a great success . Nina is an actor, part of 'Kindle', and presently creative director of Eat Your Heart Out at the Old Vic Tunnels

There will be copies of A Blues for Shindig for sale at this event
website www.mo-foster.co.uk

LONDON: Grey Hen Press reading

Wednesday, February 16th, 2011, 7pm-8.30pm, FREE, wine and nibbles
Waterstone's,
220-226 Chiswick High Road,
London
W4 1PD

A reading from the Grey Hen Press anthology Cracking On with Connie Bensley, Joy Howard, Angela Kirby, Wendy Klein, Gill Learner and Ruth O'Callaghan.

LEICESTER: Nottingham Poets Reading

Friday, February 11th, 2011, 7.30pm
Friends Meeting House
Queen's Road
Leicester

Leicester Poetry Society is playing host to Nottingham poets Alan Baker and Jeremy Duffield. Free to members, small admission fee for temporary members joining for the night.

Tuesday, February 01, 2011

BIRMINGHAM: Luke Kennard / Nine Arches Press launch

Thursday, 3rd February, 2011, 7pm-9pm, FREE
The Priory Rooms,
40 Bull Street,
Birmingham
B4 6AF

Readings from Luke Kennard, David Hart, Milorad Krystanovich and Simon Turner.

Celebrate the launch of Luke Kennard’s new Nine Arches Press pamphlet, Planet-Shaped Horse, with a host of readings from the new pamphlet and from a selection of Birmingham’s finest poets.

 About Planet-Shaped Horse:
Luke Kennard’s Planet-Shaped Horse is an unhinged black-comedy poem-play from one of contemporary poetry’s most unique voices. When the (anti) hero of the piece is enduring a somewhat ‘enforced’ stay at Fouracres halfway house, entanglements ensue. Both terrible and beautiful things happen. Hermits and doctors are not what they seem and neither Miranda nor Simon seem capable of reining in or reforming their unreliable narrator…

LONDON: Lumen Poetry Series

Tuesday, 15th February, 2011, doors open 6.30pm for 7pm, £5/£4, WINE
LUMEN
88 Tavistock Place
London
W.C.1
Tubes: Russell Square , Kings Cross, St Pancras.

Ruth O'Callaghan presents Ward Wood poet Sue Guiney. Poets from the floor very welcome. Some longer spots available.