Slam at Leominster: Friday 15th June

Poetry Slam at Leominster Library

On Friday 15th June at 8pm Leominster Library will be having it's first ever Poetry Slam- a fast-paced, fun-filled performance poetry competition.

Leading UK slampresarios Marcus Moore and Sara-Jane Arbury host proceedings as a dozen diverse versifiers vie for the slam champ accolade. Random judges mark the quality of the writing, quality of performance and warmth of applaudience. Three three-minute rounds narrow the field and heighten the tempo. More tense than Tennyson, keener than Keats, huger than Hughes and, yes, poetry in Motion!

It will be an exhilarating exciting evening and will even appeal to teenagers and adults who think poetry isn't for them. Tickets are only £3 and include wine and soft drinks. For more info call Anne-Marie Dossett 01432 260646 or email amdossett@herefordshire.gov.uk

See more at: http://www.libraries.herefordshire.gov.uk/"

PUREandGOODandRIGHT in Leamington Spa this Sunday June 17th

Click to enlarge image (so you can actually read the blinkin' thing).

Jude Simpson is the Guest Poet at PUREandGOODandRIGHT this coming Sunday night, June 17th, at the Fox, Clarendon Avenue, Leamington Spa in the Midlands. The event is an open mic and you'll need to arrive by 7pm if you want to read your own work, or even earlier. It's about £3 entrance, I think, and will be hosted this month by the witty Dani Carbery, in Sean Kelly's absence.

Broadcast Special at the Poetry Café: Saturday 23rd June

Broadcast Special (not to be confused with a Blue Plate Special)

Saturday 23rd June
7.30pm - 9pm (note early start - readings begin at 7.30 sharp)
Poetry Café, 22 Betterton Street, Covent Garden, London WC2

A BroadCast Special event: poems about popular music with poets
reading their own and favourite poems about pop, rock, soul, reggae and jazz, featuring:

Julia Bird / Patrick Brandon / Judy Brown / Matthew Caley / Catherine Carter / Annie Freud / Roddy Lumsden / Amy Key / Imogen Robertson / Wayne Smith / Camellia Stafford / Ahren Warner / Tim Wells / Dean Wilson

Poetry at CB1 Cambridge: Tuesday 12th June

CB1 Cafe, Cambridge

32 Mill Road, Cambridge, CB1 2AD, 01223 576 306
Tuesday 12th June
8pm
£4 / £3 concessions

KATHRYN SIMMONDS was born in Hertfordshire in 1972 and now lives in
north London where she works as an editor. She won the 2006 Poetry
London competition, her pamphlet Snug came out recently from Smith
Doorstop, and her first collection will be published next year.

HUW JONES was born in Birmingham in 1973 to Welsh parents. He moved
first to Manchester, then to Cambridge in 1997. His poetry has been
published in Coffee House Poetry, Anon, and more recently in Poetry
Wales. A selection of his work appeared in Seren Selections, published
by Seren in 2006.

DEBBIE (KEARAN) WILLIAMS was born in Flintshire, North Wales in 1960.
She now lives in Cottenham, and works in Cambridge as a librarian. Under
the name Kearan Williams, her poems have appeared in Poetry Wales, The
Rialto and Critical Quarterly, and she has been a Bridport prizewinner.

Poetry Shack, London: Tuesday 12th June

Poetry Shack, London

The Old Crown, 33 New Oxford Street, London WC1
Tuesday June 12th 2007
7.30pm
£5

Poetry Shack celebrate their third birthday with a line up featuring Phil Jupitus, Disparate Housewives, Liz Hayward and Carol Moskoron.
Hosted by Brett Van Toen and Jack Shamash. Floor spots are especially welcome on the subjects of birthdays and anniversaries. Contact the organisers first:

brettvt@btinternet.com
www.thepoetryshack.com

Poetry in Newcastle at the Lit & Phil: Wednesday 13th June

Poetry at the Lit & Phil, Newcastle

Venue: The Literary and Philosophical Society of Newcastle upon Tyne, 23 Westgate Road, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 1SE
Start 7pm
Wednesday 13th June 2007

A reading of poems by members of the seminar group run by the Poetry School and led by Sean O'Brien. Readers include Tara Bergin, Stevie Ronnie, Lindsay Balderson, Lizzie Whyman and Joyce Hodgson.

Admission free.

Tel: 0191 232 0192
Email: library@litandphil.org.uk
WWW.LITERATURENORTHEAST.CO.UK

Slounge at the Jam Factory, Oxford: Monday June 11th

Slounge at The Jam Factory

This Monday June 11th you will be presented with three diverse performances from the worlds of visual art, music, and spoken word. The spoken word element is provided by Hammer & Tongue and this event sees a performer whom I consider to be the most exciting new artist that this country has produced for many many years in the form of Byron Vincent. Byron is an extremely intelligent and hugely amusing wordsmith. See him now whilst you can still afford to!

There will be music from Colleen, who uses viola da gamba, clarinet, music boxes & chimes to create minimalist and melodic pieces.

Composer and film-maker Nicholas Brown presents "An Audience with the Trees", an installation that turns Vivaldi's 'Four Seasons' into birdsong, and "The Rainbow Book", a film about colour with live musical accompaniment

All this takes place in the relaxing atmosphere of The Jam Factory on Park End Street, Oxford, which opened up recently as a cafe/gallery/bar.

There is a 'meet the artist session' from 5pm and performances start at 7pm.
£4 door charge
Booking 01865 305305
ocmevents.org

Poets' Cafe in Reading: Friday June 15th & other dates

Poets’ Café

South Street Arts Centre, South Street, Reading.
8pm doors, 8.30pm poetry.
£6/£4

Monthly open mic in Reading with a full set from special guests, hosted by A.F. Harrold.

June 15th – Jane Holland (that's me, folks!)
July 20th – Aoife Mannix
August 17th – Open Mic special
September 21st – Neil Rollinson

Poetry & Spoken Word in Oxford: Summer 2007

Hammer and Tongue Oxford: Open poetry slam with guest performers on the first Tuesday of every month. July 3rd Oxford Hammer & Tongue Summer Cabaret with The Bold and Spiky Poetry Show, Magic Cafe, Magdalen Road

*

The Catweazle Club: Oxford’s weekly performance space for music, poetry, story, song and All Manner of Acoustic Artistry, since 1994.
Tuesdays, 8pm, Risinghhurst Community Centre, Kiln Lane, FREE
Thursdays, 8pm, East Oxford Social Club, Princes Street
£5/£4 Performers FREE (sign up before 8.30)
http://www.catweazleclub.org
Please note: there will be no Catweazle Club in August.

*

Hear the Word: Bi-monthly evening of poetry and storytelling with musical interludes, organised by Ruth Williams. At the Gardeners Arms, Plantation Road, Oxford. 21st May 8pm onwards, music by Zoe Bicat.

*

Back Room Poets: Monthly open mic poetry evening held on the third Monday of each month 8pm onwards. Far From the Madding Crowd, Friars Entry, Oxford.

*

Sparky's Flying Circus
Every Thursday evening at Joe Ryan's Half Moon
Poetry and Music from 9pm onwards at this fine pub
St Clements, Oxford

*

Anything Goes at Mangos: Every other Tuesday Evening at Mangos
Poetry and Music from 9pm onwards
Mangos Cowley Road, Oxford

*

Do remember that with regular live poetry events, it's important to contact orgnaisers beforehand if making a special trip, especially over the summer months or public holidays when events may be taking a break. Most of these events will have websites that can be tracked down via Google if no contact details are given here.

Big Word Summer Slam: Thursday 21st June in Edinburgh

THE BIG WORD SUMMER SLAM

Thursday 21st June
@ THE JAZZ BAR, CHAMBERS ST, EDINBURGH.
DOORS 7.30, SLAM 8 - 11PM.
£5/4 concs.

Hosted by Jenny Lindsay, with special guests WILLIAM DOUGLAS & MILTON BALGONI

25 poets battle it out through heats, semi's and the final to be crowned The Big Word Slam Champ! Highly competitive, wildly diverse, the Big Word slams "are such an intense experience they should feature on everyone's 'things to do before I die' list," (The Scotsman.)

The Scottish slam poetry scene is one of the healthiest in Britain. The Big Word is largely responsible for this, and continues to promote the best performance poets and spoken word artists both here and on the national stage. The Big Word slam team took back all the honours at the Three Nations Slam in September 2006, and The Big Word organiser and host Jenny Lindsay recently won the Scottish heats for the BBC Radio 4 slam and will take part in the semi-finals in London on the 1st of July.

Come to the Jazz Bar and see both veteran slammers and the new generation! To sign up, or for more info contact jennylindsay@gmail.com Rules can be found at www.myspace.com/jennylindsay

An Afternoon of Poetry & Music in Maida Vale: Sunday June 10th

Poetry & Music at the Amadeus Centre

This poetry reading is in conjunction with a music event called 60x60, and the whole thing kicks off at 3pm. It'll be an hour of poetry and an hour of music.

The readers are:
Barbara Marsh
Liane Strauss
Anne Cammon
and Katy Evans-Bush*

The details:
Place: The Amadeus Centre, 50 Shirland Rd, London W9
Time: Sunday June 10, 3pm
Admission: free (probably)

* Check out Katy Evans-Bush online at Baroque in Hackney www.baroqueinhackney.blogspot.com

Poetry in Cork: Monday 11th June

The Revival ‘Trio’ Series at Ó Bhéal

Monday 11th June
8.30pm

Paul Casey is the Ó Bhéal MC
Tigh Filí Literature Officer

085 712 6299
www.obheal.ie
BLOG: www.obheal.ie/blog
map: www.obheal.ie/map

Ó Bhéal is held at the Tigh Filí gallery in the Cork Arts Theatre, Carroll's Quay, Cork, Ireland. Poets Noel Harrington, Edward O Dwyer and Gerard Sheehy will read from their new collection.

Shortfuse: Edinbugh Fringe work-in-progress shows

Over the next few weeks at SHORTFUSE - London's only weekly fusion of
stand-up poetry, performance comedy, and spokenword - we bring you a fine
crop of Edinburgh Fringe Festival work-in-progress shows, featuring some
of the top names in comedy and performance as they gear up for the biggest
arts festival in the world. This is your chance to catch some fantastic
performances in an intimate setting...

Thursday 7th June
Scott Capurro
A feature length set and Edinburgh Fringe warm up show from the infamous
stand-up ...
"He's evil and should be forced to leave the country." The Daily Mirror

Ali Cook
Star of Channel 5's 'Monkey Magic', Channel 4's 'Dirty Tricks', and Sky
One's 'The secret world of magic'.
"Fast gaining a reputation as Britain's coolest illusionist" - Daily Express.

Angela Cleland
Subtle and honest performance poetry from one of London's up and coming
performers.

Thursday 14th June
A feature length set from star of 'Fist of Fun' and 'This morning with
Richard not Judy' Richard Herring. Expect stand-up and bit from his
forthcoming Edinburgh Fringe show.
Plus poetry from Canadian Poet Randy Jacobs, and Newcastle's own queen of
stand-up poetry Kate Fox.

Thursday 21st June
Oh, yes, the second Bards in Their Eyes event. After the success of last
year's event once again poets will enter through the magical smoky doors
only to return as...a dead famous poet. Come and join the excitement as
Heather Taylor, Guy Jackson, Martin White, John Citizen and your host
Nathan Penlington get transformed in front of your very eyes...

Thursday 28th June
A feature length Edinburgh Preview from comedian and poet Liz Bentley.
Plus the sonic chaos of Andrew Bailey, and the brilliant singer song
writer Gavin Osborn.

Thursday 5th July
A feature length performance from the forthcoming Edinburgh Fringe show by
acclaimed stand-up Tony Law. Plus the people's favorite poet and
children's author Rachel Pantechnikon, and Poetry Idol 10 winner Alison
Brumfitt.

Thursday 12th July
A feature length show from Amused Moose Comedy Hot Starlets - as we lend
our stage to welcome the latest generation of stand-ups.

Thursday 19th July
OUR LAST SHOW OF THE SEASON
Nathan Penlington hosts a feature length performance from the forthcoming
Edinburgh Fringe show by the other star of 'Fist of Fun' and 'This morning
with Richard not Judy' Stewart Lee. Plus American poet Jamie Kilstein, and
the fantastic troubadour poet and comedian A.F. Harrold.

After tonight SHORTFUSE returns
on 13th September 2007.

With Resident Host:
NATHAN PENLINGTON-
'A natural performer, witty, inventive, stylish and original' - Rob Newman
'The best qualified performance poet in the country' - BBC Radio 3, The Verb

Every Thursday @ The Camden Head, Camden Walk, Islington, London, N1
Tube: Angel.

Doors: 8.30pm. Admission: £5 waged / £3 concessions.
www.myspace.com/shortfuselondon

Poetry in Galway: Friday June 15th

Los Angeles Poet Joins Galway Writers at Sheridan's Wine Bar

Over The Edge presents a reading by John Menaghan, Mary Madec, Gary King & Mags Treanor at Sheridan’s Wine Bar, 14-16 Church Yard Street, Galway on Friday, June 15th, 8pm.

There is no entrance fee. All welcome. For further information contact 087-6431748.
Over The Edge acknowledges the financial support of the Arts Council and Galway City Council. Information.

John Hegley in Edinburgh: Wednesday June 27th

John Hegley at the Scottish Poetry Library

Wednesday 27 June, 7.30pm
The wildly popular poet returns to the SPL. Catch a sneak preview of his Festival show, plus bonus poems written in response to some of those on the Scottish Poetry Library’s shelves.

Advance booking essential – please book at Scottish Poetry Library reception, reception@spl.org.uk, call 0131 557 2876
£6 (£4 concessions and SPL Friends)

Scottish Poetry Library, 5 Crichton’s Close, Canongate, Edinburgh

Book now to be sure of your place!

Poetry Festival in Leeds: Wednesday June 6th

Barefoot in the Park: POETRY FESTIVAL

on Wednesday June 6th 2007 at 2.00pm
in Leeds
at Hyde Park (Woodhouse Moor)
Entry: £5 (£4 with NUS card)

11.45am - Doors open
12.30pm - tbc
1.00pm - tbc
1.45pm - 1st Open Mic Session
2.30pm - Poetry Recording of Langston Hughes
3.00pm - Story teller Matthew Bellwood enchants us with modern tales
3.40pm - Video recording of Benjamin Zephaniah
4.15pm - James Place acoustic set
4.40pm - tbc
5.20pm - David Ward Maclean acoustic set
6pm - open Slam battle
7.30pm - Local poet Fiona Durance performs
8.10pm - Leeds student Chris Kreinczes lulls us with an acoustic set
8.40pm - Manchester poet Tony Walsh performs http://www.applesandsnakes.org/artists.php?contact_ref=37408
9.20pm - 2nd Open Mic session
10pm - Acoustic band + drumming tbc
11pm - End of festival.

Add on to all of this:
some cooling and scrumptious refreshments
cushions and rugs and throws and all manner of comfy seating... (as well as chairs for the less rough and ready!)- all interspersed with DJ sets...

PLEASE contact Vicky Ellis (evickyellis @ hotmail.co.uk) if you want to get involved, musically, poetically, or both, PARTICULARLY IN THE SLAM BATTLE, or want more information!

Julie Boden & an Evening of Poetry and Music in Leamington Spa

Nightmare on Clarendon Street: AN EVENING OF POETRY AND MUSIC

Symphony Hall’s Poet-in-Residence, Julie Boden accompanied by Adrian Moore (organ)
Gabrielle Byam Grounds (flute and keyboard)
Steph West and Sam Fox (harps and voice)
Jazz musician Dutch Lewis (bass clarinet and sax)

WEDNESDAY 6 JUNE
Holy Trinity Church, Beauchamp Avenue, Leamington Spa
7.30pm

As the performance will be recorded live, it would be appreciated if you would please arrive promptly.

Tickets: £5 or £3 concessions can be reserved or bought in advance by emailing julie@julieboden.co.uk or by telephoning Rachel Middleton (01926 831581).
Tickets will also be available at the door from 7pm onwards. It is anticipated that the performance will finish at 9.15pm.

Parking available in Beauchamp Avenue and Holy Trinity Church car park off Trinity Street. This is a HT160 event – all profits will go towards the HolyTrinity PCC Ramp and Railings Fund. A temporary ramp will be in place on the evening to ensure access for all

Leith Festival: A Plethora of Details from Craig Duffy

Leith Festival is now well underway and we're right in the thick of it at the Queen Charlotte Rooms. If you haven't already picked up a programme for all the Festival info, we've have some, and you can book tickets and pick up a programme at the Vegas Trailer on the Shore or at the Festival office on Duke Street.

Here's a taster of things on at the Charlotte Rooms and some associated events;
• Monday 4th of June: Drop - The Festival Beat Cafe. Come and celebrate this unique event with the very best that the country has to offer in Poetry, Music and Spoken Word. 8pm £4/£3conc.
• Monday 4th to Wednesday 6th of June: 'Best of the Fest' Gallery. Come see a collection of the exhibitions taking place all over Leith in one Place! Open From 12pm all days. Best of the Fest ticket £5 which allows entry ALL Three days and gives concession price ticket on all the other events shown with a concession price.
• Tuesday 5th of June: 'Best of the Fest' Singers and Songwriters. The pick of Leith and Edinburgh Singers and Songwriters. A fantastic evening of music from the very best artists performing throughout Leith Festival. With Poetry from the extremely talented and wonderful Robin Cairns. 8pm. Best of the Fest ticket £5 which allows entry ALL Three days and gives concession price ticket on all the other events shown with a concession price.
• Wednesday 6th of June: 'Best of the Fest' Bands. The Cream of the Crop of the bands performing all over Leith and Edinburgh, a very special event with the wonderful Greame Mearns Band (Head-lining), if you haven't heard these guys, then get out of the cave and come join us! Plus special guests. 8pm. Best of the Fest ticket £5 which allows entry ALL Three days and gives concession price ticket on all the other events shown with a concession price.
• Thursday 7th of June: Nueue Liebe Cabaret - "It's the new Love!" The tremendous cabaret club returns for it's second outing at the Queen Charlotte Rooms. With a classy and politically sophisticated concoction of Poets, Singers, Clowns, Burlesque Dancers, Musicians and MORE! The evening is guaranteed to intrigue, titillate and unhinge rusty cabinets in the mind and Pandora's boxes of the heart. £6/£5conc. 8pm.
• Thursday 7th of June: AMMENDMENT TO FESTIVAL PROGRAMME: RAB HOWITT AND THE SUNSHINE BAND, CHANGE OF DATE AND VENUE: NOW THURSDAY 7TH OF JUNE @ LEITH DOCKERS CLUB (Venue 15, Academy Street, Leith). The Edinburgh Legend Lives on with this special Leith Festival Gig, Rab and The Sunshine band are here to rock your socks off! A favourite of many Edinburgh fans, here to bring Sunshine to Leith. 8pm. £8.
• Friday 8th of June: The Magical Mystery Tour. Be amazed, amused and bewildered on this fantastic Mystery tour raising funds for the Childrens' Hospice Association Scotland and Leith Festival. Meeting at the Port 'O' Leith Bar, Constitution Street (Venue 47) at 7pm. Taking in a Leith Festival Event, Then being whisked to the middle of nowhere for a musical interlude from the wonderful Sabai, drink (provided in ticket) and party-game, then back on the bus to the mystery venue where you'll be wowed by the fantastically talented Ex-Men in their inimitable Electronica/Spoken-Word Styling, DJ Paris entertains all, Raffle and a buffet to fill your boots! Back to Leith for 12:30 and a very special after-party! Ticket price £10.

Tickets available at the Queen Charlotte Rooms and reservations can be made by telephone: Craig Duffy : 07916 184 792.

Wishing you all a wonderful Leith Festival 2007, and don't forget... Leith Festival Pageant and Gala Day celebrates it's 100th Anniversary, Saturday 9th of June. Leith Links from 11am, with the Parade 'Walking the Walk' from Pilrig Street to the Links at 12:30pm. Come and join the fun!

New Poetry at the Troubadour: this Monday, June 4th

New Collections at the Troubadour

Monday 4th June 2007
Readings 8-10pm
£6 / £5 concs

Brand-new poetry collections from well-known poets Chris Emery, Maggie Butt, Elizabeth Cook, Daljit Nagra, Jane Routh, and Maurice Riordan.

The Troubadour
263-7 Old Brompton Road
London
SW5 9JA

Tel. 020 7370 1434
Fax. 020 7341 6329

Poets' Cafe in Reading

Poets’ Café

South Street Arts Centre, South Street, Reading.
8pm doors, 8.30pm poetry.
£6/£4

Open mic with a full set from special guests, hosted by A.F. Harrold.

June 15th – Jane Holland.
July 20th – Aoife Mannix.
August 17th – Open Mic special.
September 21st – Neil Rollinson.

Poetry in Leicester this Summer

SLAM SEASON PREVIEW

Leicester Libraries live literature programme continues through summer with SLAM, a season of spoken word events. Heading the programme is the Freedom Showcase, marking the abolition of slavery in the words of nine of the regions most talented spoken word artists. Top quality storytelling features in Twisting Field, stopping in Leicester as part of its national tour. The Brighterside presents Leicester’s first ever Slam competition to find the city’s best poet and Mehfil-E-Shayeri celebrates its first year with multilingual poetry and singing. Plus WORD presents Giovanni ‘ Spoz’ Esposito, the Birmimingham poet laureate. For a full listing of the SLAM season see: www.leicesterliterature.wordpress.com

WORD WANTS FRIENDS!

WORD, Leicester’s premiere spoken word open mic. and showcase has gone rocketing into the twenty first century with its very own MySpace page. This is the first of many developments with WORD that will be taking place over the next six months. To keep up to date with the latest WORD news then become a friend of WORD by requesting to be linked to the new MySpace page. You will then receive updates on future events, guest artists and opportunities.
www.myspace.com/wordleicester

Poejazzi in London: Tuesday June 5th

POEJAZZI

Tuesday June 5th
6.30pm doors open, start 8pm prompt
Volupte Bar, No 9 Norwich Street, off Furnival Street, EC4A 1EJ
(Close to Chancery Lane tube , after McDonalds)

£10 ticket reservations: please call 0207 8311622
or email lordgokal@hotmail.com leaving name, mobile number and number of seats you'd like

PoeJazzi will be having it's finest night ever on Tues, 5 June. An untouchable line up of Spoken Word and Acoustics: Haley Glennie-Smith, Ventriloquist, Yamit Mamo and Kate Tempest. Check out myspace to listen to the acts.

There will also be a drinks bar and smoking area upstairs; so come on down, alone or with friends. Relax yourself, and enjoy.

Very limited spaces available so please book early!

Makar Press Poetry Picnic: Sunday 3rd June

Makar Press Poetry Picnic

Sunday 3 June, 12pm – 2pm
Building on the success of their Poetry Picnic at Culzean, the Makar Press poets (Rowena M Love, Jim Hughes, Sheila Templeton and Michael Malone) are now bringing the format to Arran. They provide the poetry and you bring along your own picnic, tartan rug etc. There is to be a marquee laid on should a wet weather alternative prove necessary. For more information about the Makars, their books and other events see their website: www.makarpress.co.uk.

Free (but subject to usual NTS entry charges)
Brodick
Brodick Castle Gardens, Isle of Arran KA27 8HY

Drop Festival Fundraiser, Edinburgh: 3rd - 4th June

Drop Presents the Best of the Fest, Edinburgh

The Queen Charlotte Rooms, Leith

Sunday 3 June, 4pm-10pm
Monday 4 June, 7pm-midnight

"Over two days and over all 3 floors of the Queen Charlotte Rooms there will be all the very best poets, writers, plays, an exclusive art gallery and every single tremendous musician that Drop and Leith Festival have to offer.

So why not come along and bring all your friends? This is to be a fundraising event for Leith Festival and two very important children's organisations, so not only do you get two great days, you can rest in the knowledge that your entire ticket price is going to a good cause."

£3.50 concs/£5 for a one day ticket
£7 concs/£10 for a two day ticket

Over the Edge Poetry Reading in Galway: Friday June 15th

Poetry Reading at Sheridan’s Wine Bar, Galway
(opposite St. Nicholas’s Church)
FRIDAY, JUNE 15th, 8pm

with Los Angeles poet, John Menaghan,
& Galway writers, Mary Madec, Gary King & Mags Treanor