WILLIAM PARK - THE WORLD OF POETRY.
The Harris Library, Preston, Lancashire. September 20th. 7-8.30pm
Free event, refreshments provided. Tickets for admission from the Harris Library, Telephone: 01772 532676
William, a former Gregory poetry award winner, will discuss the poetry world, read from his poetry collection SURFACING (Spike Press, Liverpool) which is a recommended read at Preston Waterstones, and will discuss magazines and publishing. William is Magazine Listings Editor for www.incwriters.com
In addition, he will respond to comments, and answer questions from the audience on all these areas.
Friday, September 15, 2006
Thursday, September 14, 2006
Sean Kelly's PUREandGOODandRIGHT in Leamington Spa: Monday 18th September
Hello poets and fans of the ode!
Summer has gone - here's another month, so let's have another OPEN MIC night in Leamington!
We have our next PUREandGOODandRIGHT night on Monday 18th September at Toyk, Warwick Street, Leamington Spa, drinking starts at 7.30pm (or 11am if you're keen), poetry at 8pm sharp.
This month we're delighted to be host to poetry and stories from RACHEL PANTECHNICON, star of Edinburgh Fringe and too many poetry festivals to mention!
Rachel will be ably supported by some "stuff" from our mate SPOZ, who is gracing us with his poetic presence before hitting the stage (he has a play out in October!).
Of course, we'll also have as many open mikers as we can squeeze into Toyk - we're going for a record night!
Details and directions to Toyk can be found at www.kellywit.com
Hope to see you there!
Sean Kelly
Summer has gone - here's another month, so let's have another OPEN MIC night in Leamington!
We have our next PUREandGOODandRIGHT night on Monday 18th September at Toyk, Warwick Street, Leamington Spa, drinking starts at 7.30pm (or 11am if you're keen), poetry at 8pm sharp.
This month we're delighted to be host to poetry and stories from RACHEL PANTECHNICON, star of Edinburgh Fringe and too many poetry festivals to mention!
Rachel will be ably supported by some "stuff" from our mate SPOZ, who is gracing us with his poetic presence before hitting the stage (he has a play out in October!).
Of course, we'll also have as many open mikers as we can squeeze into Toyk - we're going for a record night!
Details and directions to Toyk can be found at www.kellywit.com
Hope to see you there!
Sean Kelly
Tuesday, September 12, 2006
Craig Simon-David on Drop the Beat's First Anniversary in Leith: Wednesday 27th September
Hello All!
Well it is nice to be back in the land of communication! Sorry I've been off doing other stuff for the last while that I never even got time to give my thanks to everyone who participated in the last Drop night in July. It was a fantastic night, thanks go out to Marcello and the Senzalla Capoera school (senzallascotland.com), for their wonderful display of skill in their matial art form, and also to Emma Hamilton and the meanfeat crew for their sensational break-dance display.
The fantasic poetry of Milton Balgoni (well done Sir on the recent Bristol victory!), and hilarious and touching voice of Stephen Barnaby in his 50 word stories, both went down a treat. Special thanks go to Hazel Morrison, our headline music act on that gig. Beautiful voice, beautiful lady, tremendous..ahem.. talents :0) But seriously you were fantastic!
At the bottom of this message, you'll find a couple of things probably not seen before - first there's the quick map location finder for the Queen Charlotte rooms, and secondly, especially for the journalistas, (but others may find use for the format), the listing for the next Drop...
Which brings me, rather sweetly, to the purpose for this e-mail; namely the Next Drop. This next Drop night is on Wednesday the 27th of September(8pm), and yes, if you didn't already know or hadn't guessed from the subject line, Drop is One Year New, and still managing to be unique in content, performers and of course style! So thank you all for making this work, and making it worthwhile for us to put on, it's the encouragement you've all given that keeps this a FREE event, open to all and existing for Love of our Art!
So this month, come one come all and lets celebrate this first anniversary in style!
On the bill we have the welcome return of some of those who participated in the very first Drop at Sofi's including (fingers crossed on these two) Tickle and the inimitable Paul Reekie, and Mr Relax has also happily agreed, as has Chris Cantwell whose poetry has been missed greatly by all. In the line up for music we welcome a new duo from the One O Clock Gun party, as well as Drop first timers, but professional old hands, Andy Lang and the Well. A most heartily welcomed return from William Douglas as the Headline Musician will be fantastic, and McBrandy brings the local bawd and flavour. Others will be appearing, and, with the gracious aid of Miss Hope Eternal as Mistress of Ceremony, and the customary addition of another artform, this Drop promises to exceed all expectations!
Take care all, and we look forward to seeing you on the 27th.
(Dress code: "It's a party! wear what you like, although it is getting a little chilly for birthday suits out!")
Duffy
Don't know where the venue is? Paste this link and when the map appears scroll it to find the arrow pointing to the Queen Charlotte rooms, Queen Charlotte Street, in Leith.
http://www.streetmap.co.uk/newsearch.srf?x=327750&y=675250&z=1&ar=Y&isp=200&ism=500&searchp=newsearch.srf&mapp=newmap.srf&ax=327267&ay=676188
The journalistic listing here. Thank you to all who carry this and spread the word. Your support of the last year has been invaluable!
Drop - The Beat Cafe One Year Celebration
Drop - The Beat Cafe
The Queen Charlotte Rooms, Top Floor
56A Queen Charlotte Street, Leith, Edinburgh EH6 7BT
Wednesday / 27th / September
8pm until Midnight-ish
Music from Gun Duo, William Douglas, Andy Lang and McBrandy/Poetry performed by Chris Cantwell, Rodney Relax/More poetry and story-telling and a Surprise in the mix!
All original material, Poetry, Music and Storytelling
FREE EVENT
Drop-thebeatcafe@hotmail.co.uk
QCR's phone contact: 0131 555 6660/ Fax 0131 267 6660
Drop - The Beat Cafe make's it Bi-monthly return tonight to celebrate One Year of the most eclectic and unique night in the city! Music, Poetry and Storytelling abound with another Surprise Artform. Performers to include: Andy Lang, William Douglas, McBrandy, Rodney Relax, Chris Cantwell and many more with Miss Hope Eternal taking us through the jubilation barrier as Mistress of Ceremony.
Well it is nice to be back in the land of communication! Sorry I've been off doing other stuff for the last while that I never even got time to give my thanks to everyone who participated in the last Drop night in July. It was a fantastic night, thanks go out to Marcello and the Senzalla Capoera school (senzallascotland.com), for their wonderful display of skill in their matial art form, and also to Emma Hamilton and the meanfeat crew for their sensational break-dance display.
The fantasic poetry of Milton Balgoni (well done Sir on the recent Bristol victory!), and hilarious and touching voice of Stephen Barnaby in his 50 word stories, both went down a treat. Special thanks go to Hazel Morrison, our headline music act on that gig. Beautiful voice, beautiful lady, tremendous..ahem.. talents :0) But seriously you were fantastic!
At the bottom of this message, you'll find a couple of things probably not seen before - first there's the quick map location finder for the Queen Charlotte rooms, and secondly, especially for the journalistas, (but others may find use for the format), the listing for the next Drop...
Which brings me, rather sweetly, to the purpose for this e-mail; namely the Next Drop. This next Drop night is on Wednesday the 27th of September(8pm), and yes, if you didn't already know or hadn't guessed from the subject line, Drop is One Year New, and still managing to be unique in content, performers and of course style! So thank you all for making this work, and making it worthwhile for us to put on, it's the encouragement you've all given that keeps this a FREE event, open to all and existing for Love of our Art!
So this month, come one come all and lets celebrate this first anniversary in style!
On the bill we have the welcome return of some of those who participated in the very first Drop at Sofi's including (fingers crossed on these two) Tickle and the inimitable Paul Reekie, and Mr Relax has also happily agreed, as has Chris Cantwell whose poetry has been missed greatly by all. In the line up for music we welcome a new duo from the One O Clock Gun party, as well as Drop first timers, but professional old hands, Andy Lang and the Well. A most heartily welcomed return from William Douglas as the Headline Musician will be fantastic, and McBrandy brings the local bawd and flavour. Others will be appearing, and, with the gracious aid of Miss Hope Eternal as Mistress of Ceremony, and the customary addition of another artform, this Drop promises to exceed all expectations!
Take care all, and we look forward to seeing you on the 27th.
(Dress code: "It's a party! wear what you like, although it is getting a little chilly for birthday suits out!")
Duffy
Don't know where the venue is? Paste this link and when the map appears scroll it to find the arrow pointing to the Queen Charlotte rooms, Queen Charlotte Street, in Leith.
http://www.streetmap.co.uk/newsearch.srf?x=327750&y=675250&z=1&ar=Y&isp=200&ism=500&searchp=newsearch.srf&mapp=newmap.srf&ax=327267&ay=676188
The journalistic listing here. Thank you to all who carry this and spread the word. Your support of the last year has been invaluable!
Drop - The Beat Cafe One Year Celebration
Drop - The Beat Cafe
The Queen Charlotte Rooms, Top Floor
56A Queen Charlotte Street, Leith, Edinburgh EH6 7BT
Wednesday / 27th / September
8pm until Midnight-ish
Music from Gun Duo, William Douglas, Andy Lang and McBrandy/Poetry performed by Chris Cantwell, Rodney Relax/More poetry and story-telling and a Surprise in the mix!
All original material, Poetry, Music and Storytelling
FREE EVENT
Drop-thebeatcafe@hotmail.co.uk
QCR's phone contact: 0131 555 6660/ Fax 0131 267 6660
Drop - The Beat Cafe make's it Bi-monthly return tonight to celebrate One Year of the most eclectic and unique night in the city! Music, Poetry and Storytelling abound with another Surprise Artform. Performers to include: Andy Lang, William Douglas, McBrandy, Rodney Relax, Chris Cantwell and many more with Miss Hope Eternal taking us through the jubilation barrier as Mistress of Ceremony.
Slam Poetry in Galway: Thursday September 14th
North Beach Poetry Nights
is pleased to present as Guest Poet
Michael D. Higgins
On Thursday September 14th at 9pm
in BK's Winebar, Spanish Parade, Galway
with guest MC: Dave Lordan
Michael D. Higgins is a Labour TD for Galway West and has twice been Mayor of Galway. From 1993 to 1997 he was Minister for Arts, Cultures & The Gaeltacht. He is currently Spokesperson on Foreign Affairs for The Labour Party. He has published three poetry collections, The Betrayal, published by Salmon, The Season of Fire, published by Brandon, both illustrated by Mick Mulcahy, and An Arid Season published in 2004 by New Island Books. He has read his poems on a number of radio and television programmes. He was a featured reader at Over The Edge in September 2004 and also read at the Baffle Festival last year. Michael D has always been a strong supporter of inovation in the arts, and this reading is a first for the poetry slam movement internationally. This is the first time anywhere in the world that a former Government minister has taken part in a poetry slam.
The North Beach Nights Slam is open to everyone. Newcomers are welcome.
Please bring two max. three minute performance pieces and be there early to get your name down. The prize for the winner is the honour and a bottle of red wine
generously donated by BK's Winebar.
Admission: 4 Euro
is pleased to present as Guest Poet
Michael D. Higgins
On Thursday September 14th at 9pm
in BK's Winebar, Spanish Parade, Galway
with guest MC: Dave Lordan
Michael D. Higgins is a Labour TD for Galway West and has twice been Mayor of Galway. From 1993 to 1997 he was Minister for Arts, Cultures & The Gaeltacht. He is currently Spokesperson on Foreign Affairs for The Labour Party. He has published three poetry collections, The Betrayal, published by Salmon, The Season of Fire, published by Brandon, both illustrated by Mick Mulcahy, and An Arid Season published in 2004 by New Island Books. He has read his poems on a number of radio and television programmes. He was a featured reader at Over The Edge in September 2004 and also read at the Baffle Festival last year. Michael D has always been a strong supporter of inovation in the arts, and this reading is a first for the poetry slam movement internationally. This is the first time anywhere in the world that a former Government minister has taken part in a poetry slam.
The North Beach Nights Slam is open to everyone. Newcomers are welcome.
Please bring two max. three minute performance pieces and be there early to get your name down. The prize for the winner is the honour and a bottle of red wine
generously donated by BK's Winebar.
Admission: 4 Euro
Monday, September 11, 2006
African Writers' Evening in London: Friday September 15th
Friday September 15, 2006
Start Time: 7.30pm
The African Writers' Evening welcomes writer, translator and activist Wangui Wa Goro (Kenya) for her first reading at AWE. She will be joined by Togara Muzanenhamo, a Zimbabwean poet who has just had his first collection published by Carcanet. Hosted as always by Nii Ayikwei Parkes.
Address: 22 Betterton Street, Covent Garden, London WC2
entry: £4
to reserve a seat: events [at] x-bout [dot] com
featured readers
September: Wangui Wa Goro & Togara Muzanenhamo
Biographies:
Wangui Wa Goro:
Wangui wa Goro is a writer as well as an academic social critic, researcher, translator and campaigner for human rights in Africa and Europe. She has been involved in rights for race, gender equality and democracy for over twenty years. She is a pioneer in translation of African literature and her translation of Ngugi wa Thion'o's work from Gikuyu to English brought her global acclaim. She also translates ground breaking and award winning authors from French to English.
Togara Muzanenhamo
Togara Muzanenhamo was born in Lusaka, Zambia in 1975 to Zimbabwean parents. He was brought up in Zimbabwe and studied in France and the Netherlands. His poems have appeared in magazines in Europe, South Africa and Zimbabwe. His first book of poems, Spirit Brides, is published by Carcanet Press.
Start Time: 7.30pm
The African Writers' Evening welcomes writer, translator and activist Wangui Wa Goro (Kenya) for her first reading at AWE. She will be joined by Togara Muzanenhamo, a Zimbabwean poet who has just had his first collection published by Carcanet. Hosted as always by Nii Ayikwei Parkes.
Address: 22 Betterton Street, Covent Garden, London WC2
entry: £4
to reserve a seat: events [at] x-bout [dot] com
featured readers
September: Wangui Wa Goro & Togara Muzanenhamo
Biographies:
Wangui Wa Goro:
Wangui wa Goro is a writer as well as an academic social critic, researcher, translator and campaigner for human rights in Africa and Europe. She has been involved in rights for race, gender equality and democracy for over twenty years. She is a pioneer in translation of African literature and her translation of Ngugi wa Thion'o's work from Gikuyu to English brought her global acclaim. She also translates ground breaking and award winning authors from French to English.
Togara Muzanenhamo
Togara Muzanenhamo was born in Lusaka, Zambia in 1975 to Zimbabwean parents. He was brought up in Zimbabwe and studied in France and the Netherlands. His poems have appeared in magazines in Europe, South Africa and Zimbabwe. His first book of poems, Spirit Brides, is published by Carcanet Press.
Sunday, September 10, 2006
'EXPOSED': Apples & Snakes National Tour Dates
‘Exposed’ - Apples & Snakes National Tour
Performance poetry by David J, Stickman, Polarbear, Yusra Warsama and Claire Williamson.Apples & Snakes has commissioned five artists from five regional areas to each compose a twelve minute piece on the theme of ‘exposed’. They explore issues of political, personal and environmental exposure through performance styles from hip hop through free verse to the luxuriantly lyrical. Each performance will feature the five commissioned artists as well as a local host and guest performer, unique to each venue. The artistic director is Lucy English, Bristol’s Queen of Slam.
EXPOSED is the company’s most ambitious collaborative project to date with twenty performances, sixteen partner organisations and five touring artists. This makes it the biggest national poetry tour ever programmed.
NATIONAL LISTINGS (split in to 4 regional areas – East Midlands, South West, London and the South East, North West)
EAST MIDLANDS
venue: The Y, 7 East ST, Leicester, LE1 6EY
venue: Lincoln Drill Hall
date: 27/09/06
time: 20:00
website: www.lincolndrillhall.com
box office: 01522 873 894
tickets: £5
guest acts: Guy Hudson and Dave Wright
venue: Canal House Bar, Canal Street, Nottingham, NG1 7GB ?
date: 02/10/06
time: 20:00
box office: On door
tickets: £5 / £4
guest acts: Michelle ‘The Mother’ Hubbard and Tony Hendricks
SOUTH WEST
venue: Plough Arts Centre, 9-11 Fore Street, Great Torrington, EX38 8HQ
date: 14/09/2006
time: 20:00
website: www.plough-arts.org
box office: 01805 622 552
tickets: £6.50 / £5.50 (£5 Plough supporters)
guest acts: Colin Shaddick and Frances Thompson
venue: Arnolfini, 16 Narrow Quay, Bristol, BS1 4QA
date: 15/09/06
time: 20:00
website: www.poetrycan.co.uk
box office: 0117 917 2300
tickets: £5
guest acts: Peter Hunter and Sara-Jane Arbury
venue: The Merlin Theatre, Bath Road, Frome, BA11 2HG
date: 16/09/2006
time: 19:45
website: www.merlintheatre.co.uk
box office: 01373 465 949
tickets: £6
guest acts: Elvis McGonagall and Crysse Morrison
?
LONDON AND THE SOUTH EAST
venue: The Royal Hotel Ballroom, 1 High Street, Southend, SS1 1JE
date: 24/09/2006
time: 19:00
website: www.sundownmultimedia.co.uk
box office: On door
tickets: £3
guest acts: Jo Overfield, Cherryl Scott and Simon Blackman
venue: Cherry Jam, 58 Porchester Road, London, W2
date: 28/09/2006
time: Doors open at 7pm
website: www.bookslam.com
box office: On door
tickets: £2 before 8pm then £5
host: Patrick Neate (guest poet tbc.)
venue: Whitechapel Art Gallery, 80-82 Whitechapel High Street, London, E1
date: 05/10/2006
time: 19:00
website: www.whitechapel.org ?
tickets: FREE
guest acts: Luke Wright and Byron Vincent
venue: The Vaults, University Church of St Mary the Virgin, Oxford, OX1 4AH
date: 07/10/2006
time: 20:00
website: www.hammerandtongue.org
box office: On door
tickets: £6 / £4
guest acts: Steve Larkin and Lizzie Mac
NORTH WEST
venue: The Yorkshire House, Parliament Street, Lancaster, LA1 1DB
date: 20/10/06
time: 20:30
website: www.spotlightlancaster.co.uk
tickets: £3 / £2
compere: Ron Baker (guest poet tbc.)
venue: Bickerton Village Hall, Broxton, Chester, CH3 6ER
date: 21/10/06
time: ?19:30
box office: 01829 720 440 (contact Nigel Briers)
tickets: £6
guest acts: Harry Owen and John Lindley
venue: Goostrey Village Hall, Goostrey nr. Holmes Chapel, Main Road, CW4 8PE
date: 26/10/06
time: ?19:30
box office:01477 544 467 (contact Janet Ollier)
tickets: £3.50
guest acts: John Lindley and Harry Owen
venue: Brewery Arts Centre, 122A Highgate, Kendal, LA9 4HE
date: 27/10/06
time: 20:00
website: www.breweryarts.co.uk
tickets: £5
guest acts: Marvin Cheeseman and Gill Hands (tbc)
venue: Chester University Campus, Parkgate Road, Chester, CH1 48J
date: 28/10/06
time: 19:30
box office: 01244 602 898 (contact Anne Sherman)
tickets: £5
guest acts: Harry Owen and John Lindley
venue: Contact Theatre, Oxford Rd, Manchester, M15 6JA
date: 31/10/06
time: 19:30
website: www.contact-theatre.org
tickets: £6 / £4
guest acts: Cheryl Martin and Martin Stannage
venue: Lanternhouse, The Ellers, Ulverston, Cumbria, LA12 0AA
date: 18/11/06
time: 19:30
website: www.lanternhouse.org
tickets: £4 / £3
guest acts: Ann Wilson and guest poets Jo Stoney, Ross Baxter, Jennifer Copley and Gill Nicholson
Saturday, September 09, 2006
Poet's Letter at the Poetry Cafe: Monday 11th September
The Poet's Letter Phenomenon
The Poet's Letter Poetry Performance and Live Music Series at Poetry Cafe, 22 Betterton Street, Covent Garden (nearest tube) is resuming this month on Monday, 11th September, 7pm.Everyone who loves poetry is invited to this regular evening of good poetry and music, which also provides an opportunity to meet other like-minded individuals in the friendly and intimate cafe below the Poetry Society's London headquarters.
Voice & Verse in Galway: Wednesday 13th September
This year's only Voice and Verse gig takes places upstairs in The Crane Bar, Sea Road, Galway on Wed 13th Sept, 8.30pm. Following last year's successful series, Neil McCarthy is testing the water again with an exciting line up of Niall Connolly and Dave Lordan.
Dave Lordan was born in England in 1975 to Irish parents who soon returned to Clonakilty in West Cork where he grew up. He began writing in his teens and his chapbook -18- was published by the English literature society in UCC in 1994. While at UCC he gained a reputation as a strong and dynamic reader and performer of his own work and he continues to read regularly to great acclaim. He graduated in 1998 with an MA in English Literature. In 2001 he took the Mphil in Creative Writing in TCD and in the same year was featured as part on Poetry Ireland's Introductions series. He received an Arts Council Bursary in 2004. He was runner up in the Patrick Kavanagh Award in 2002 and won it in 2005. His work has been widely published at home and abroad and been translated into Arabic and Serbo-Croat. The Boy in The Ring is his debut collection.
Niall Connolly is no stranger to Galway and performed on The Voice and The Verse last year at a packed Nun's Island Studio with Billy Ramsell. Following the success of his first two studio albums (Songs from a Corner, as tomorrow creeps from the east), Niall moved to New York to finalise his third album which is due out shortly. Described by the Village Voice in NY as 'too damn good to miss', Niall's well-crafted songs and poignant lyrics are starting to attract more and more attention. Released on the independent Cork based c.u. records label, Niall's music has already received airplay in Ireland, Toronto and Sydney. 'As tomorrow creeps from the east' has also bizarrely recorded internet sales in as yet untoured territories including
Japan and New Zealand
Doors 8.30pm
Admission 8 euro on the door.
Dave Lordan was born in England in 1975 to Irish parents who soon returned to Clonakilty in West Cork where he grew up. He began writing in his teens and his chapbook -18- was published by the English literature society in UCC in 1994. While at UCC he gained a reputation as a strong and dynamic reader and performer of his own work and he continues to read regularly to great acclaim. He graduated in 1998 with an MA in English Literature. In 2001 he took the Mphil in Creative Writing in TCD and in the same year was featured as part on Poetry Ireland's Introductions series. He received an Arts Council Bursary in 2004. He was runner up in the Patrick Kavanagh Award in 2002 and won it in 2005. His work has been widely published at home and abroad and been translated into Arabic and Serbo-Croat. The Boy in The Ring is his debut collection.
Niall Connolly is no stranger to Galway and performed on The Voice and The Verse last year at a packed Nun's Island Studio with Billy Ramsell. Following the success of his first two studio albums (Songs from a Corner, as tomorrow creeps from the east), Niall moved to New York to finalise his third album which is due out shortly. Described by the Village Voice in NY as 'too damn good to miss', Niall's well-crafted songs and poignant lyrics are starting to attract more and more attention. Released on the independent Cork based c.u. records label, Niall's music has already received airplay in Ireland, Toronto and Sydney. 'As tomorrow creeps from the east' has also bizarrely recorded internet sales in as yet untoured territories including
Japan and New Zealand
Doors 8.30pm
Admission 8 euro on the door.
Wednesday, September 06, 2006
Spoken Word at Birmingham Artsfest: Sunday 10th September
Birmingham Artsfest, Sunday 10th September
Performer: The Ex-men
(spoken word electronica)
The Ex-men are bringing their truly unique (and I mean it! – “a curveball” Richard Hodgson, Vibraphonic FM) brand of spoken-word electronica to Birmingham this Sunday as part of artsfest. They will be performing their electro-house and best-of-worlds/worst-of-worlds lyrics at The Custard Factory theatre stage at 2:30pm and Rooty Frooty’s at 5.
www.myspace.com/theexmen
This messages comes to you via Jack Sims
Performer: The Ex-men
(spoken word electronica)
The Ex-men are bringing their truly unique (and I mean it! – “a curveball” Richard Hodgson, Vibraphonic FM) brand of spoken-word electronica to Birmingham this Sunday as part of artsfest. They will be performing their electro-house and best-of-worlds/worst-of-worlds lyrics at The Custard Factory theatre stage at 2:30pm and Rooty Frooty’s at 5.
www.myspace.com/theexmen
This messages comes to you via Jack Sims
Tuesday, September 05, 2006
Writers' Cafe, Stockton: Wednesday 6th September
The Writers' Café
The Georgian Theatre, Stockton
Wed 6 Sep 2006
Featuring a presentation of Mudfog poets, including Tara Bergin, Gary
Newmarch, Syndou Diarrassouba, Shirley Hetherington and Gordon Hodgeon,
along with a number of local poets and musicians.
The Georgian Theatre, Stockton
Wed 6 Sep 2006
Featuring a presentation of Mudfog poets, including Tara Bergin, Gary
Newmarch, Syndou Diarrassouba, Shirley Hetherington and Gordon Hodgeon,
along with a number of local poets and musicians.
WORD at Bambu, starring Tim Turnbull: Wednesday 6th September in Leicester
Apples & Snakes in association with Complex Trout Productions, Bambu and Phoenix Arts present
Wednesday 6th September
FREE
@ Bambu, 21 Welford Road, Leicester (opposite council buildings)
Open floor spots available.
For more info contact Steve Carroll (07870 608875 / steve@applesandsnakes.org).
Word is Leicester's premier open floor spoken word event. It runs on the
first Wednesday of each month at Bambu café bar, and features a fantastic
guest artist as well as open floor spots.
Tim Turnbull
Earlier this year, Tim Turnbull was awarded the first Performance Poetry Fellowship from the Arts Foundation. His book 'Stranded In Sub-Atomica' (Donut Press, 2005) has been shortlisted for the Felix Dennis Prize for Best First Collection in this year's Forward Prize. He has been performing at home and abroad for over ten years. He is developing a new show entitled 'Caligula On Ice'.
For more information, visit www.timturnbull.co.uk
www.applesandsnakes.org
www.phoenix.org.uk
www.complextrout.com
WORD
8pm onwardsWednesday 6th September
FREE
@ Bambu, 21 Welford Road, Leicester (opposite council buildings)
Open floor spots available.
For more info contact Steve Carroll (07870 608875 / steve@applesandsnakes.org).
Word is Leicester's premier open floor spoken word event. It runs on the
first Wednesday of each month at Bambu café bar, and features a fantastic
guest artist as well as open floor spots.
Tim Turnbull
Earlier this year, Tim Turnbull was awarded the first Performance Poetry Fellowship from the Arts Foundation. His book 'Stranded In Sub-Atomica' (Donut Press, 2005) has been shortlisted for the Felix Dennis Prize for Best First Collection in this year's Forward Prize. He has been performing at home and abroad for over ten years. He is developing a new show entitled 'Caligula On Ice'.
For more information, visit www.timturnbull.co.uk
www.applesandsnakes.org
www.phoenix.org.uk
www.complextrout.com
Open Mic at the Rainbow, Birmingham: TONIGHT!
Wrote Under: Open Mic night at the popular Rainbow Pub in Birmingham tonight - Tuesday September 5th - starting 8pm - music, poetry, storytelling, comedy and general audience all welcome!
For more details of this and other Birmingham open mic events, contact Liz Smith at liz.smith@birmingham.gov.uk
*
Monday, September 04, 2006
Hammer & Tongue in Oxford, a monthly Poetry Slam on Tuesday evenings
Hammer & Tongue - First Tuesday each month, 7.30 pm, at the Zodiac, Cowley Rd, Oxford. Whcih means the next Slam is due to be held this Tuesday 5th September.
Monthly poetry slam on Tuesday evenings: www.hammerandtongue.org
NB: It's probably best to check these details with the organiser, Steve Larkin, before making a special trip. Visit the website for contact details.
Monthly poetry slam on Tuesday evenings: www.hammerandtongue.org
NB: It's probably best to check these details with the organiser, Steve Larkin, before making a special trip. Visit the website for contact details.
Catweazle Club: every Thursday in Oxford
The Catweazle Club: EVERY THURSDAY, 8pm, at the East Oxford Community Centre, corner of Cowley Road & Princes' Street, Oxford.
Oxford's legendary performing arts club
An intimate and magical space for musicians, singers, poets, storytellers and performance artists of every imaginable hue, who grace the stage every Thursday night. A chance to sit, to listen, to connect, to inspire and to be inspired …
Website: Catweazle Club
N.B: Next date: Thursday September 7th at 8pm
Oxford's legendary performing arts club
An intimate and magical space for musicians, singers, poets, storytellers and performance artists of every imaginable hue, who grace the stage every Thursday night. A chance to sit, to listen, to connect, to inspire and to be inspired …
Website: Catweazle Club
N.B: Next date: Thursday September 7th at 8pm
Saturday, September 02, 2006
OFF BY HEART - republishing a POF article from January 2006 on memorising your poems
OFF BY HEART - Does it make a difference if we perform from memory?
I still remember the sense of awe and stunned admiration I felt when, on an Arvon course back in the 90s, I first saw Philip Wells - the Fire Poet - perform some of his poetry. He’s a superb performer and his material is both deeply mythic and utterly contemporary, but it was not what he performed that made the most impact on me that day, but the way he performed it. For it was the first time I had ever seen somebody stand up in front of an audience and read his own work from memory. It was a wake-up call, but one I've been pushing back to snooze for the past ten years. Now that I’ve started looking more seriously at stand-up techniques in an effort to improve my own performance as a reader, perhaps it’s time to take a leaf out of Philip’s book and memorise my work.Let's face it, there are few things more terrifying than walking up to a microphone in front of a live audience and having to perform your own work, even with the poems written down for you. Just the knowledge that I’ve agreed to do that or decided to make an appearance at some Open Mic event can make me feel physically sick for days in advance. However, I used to feel like that before playing competitive snooker too, so perhaps that reaction says more about me and my own peculiar hang-ups to do with display and competitiveness than some common fear of public speaking.
It’s not always that bad, of course - small home crowds are easier to face than big city gigs packed with strange faces - but even when I think I’ve got my fear under control, it often resurfaces in some way: stomach cramps for a day or so beforehand, an inability to eat on the day, sudden cotton-mouth when I walk up to the mic, my hands no longer under my control, shaking so badly I’m sure even the ones asleep at the back must have noticed.
And my voice? Croaky, squeaky or shrill, or worse, suddenly slurred as though I’ve been propping up the bar in the interval. I’m sure I can’t be alone in finding that my tongue grows at least half an inch thicker as soon as I approach a microphone. It must be one of the laws of performance theory that you only notice how many ‘f’s and ‘s’s are in close proximity in your poems when you’re called upon to deliver a line which comes out like a drunk reciting ‘She sells seashells by the seashore.’
How much easier it would be if you didn’t have to hold a piece of paper in your hand, or a sheaf of papers, or a book. But of course, if you take away the printed word, it’s like taking away a security blanket. The usual reference point has vanished. Suddenly, the words have gone and you’re on your own. The audience is waiting. Your mind’s a blank. You don’t even remember which poems you wanted to perform, let alone how they start.
If it was terrifying before, when you had a book to hide behind, something to keep checking on while you read, nothing can describe how it feels to walk up to the mic empty-handed!
So what is the secret? How do performers like Philip Wells and many other stand-up experts manage to deal with this fear of losing the visual text? Well, I suppose the simple answer is that they can see no other way of performing and so they practise, practise, practise - alone and in front of an audience, even if it’s just the dog - until they’re word-perfect and have all those memory tricks down cold, the mnemonics or mental tags that help us remember what comes next in a verbal sequence like poetry. Nerves go with the territory, after all, and it must be liberating to feel confident enough to step up and perform from the page in your head, the open text in your memory, a text that relies on a poet’s innate sense of rhythm to keep rolling off the tongue without faltering.
Besides, text changes when it’s memorised, have you noticed that? Not in physical terms - the words are still the same on the page, still exactly where you left them - but in oral and auditory terms. The poem starts to ‘feel’ different in your mouth, starts to take on a new shape in your mind. It always makes me think of Tony Harrison’s poem 'Fire-eater': 'Coarser stuff than silk they hauled up grammar/knotted together deep down in their gut', reminding me of how you pull words and phrases, the sense and rhythm of your poem, out of your mouth as you perform, dragging them out from god knows where, some ancient inner reservoir that pre-dates the written word.
When you memorise, instead of remembering where lines end or begin, you start to think about where to draw breath, where the emphasis lies, where the silences are between words, between lines, even between poems. The memorised work starts to have a new presence, one that takes it beyond the printed page. Now it’s out there, alive in the space between you and the audience, and you can’t take it back.
But poetry can’t perform that dance, it can’t come to life in those terms if it’s just read flatly from the page, if it’s never allowed to find its own rhythm in your mouth, in the way your body moves in performance, even in your eyes, the expression on your face, the sounds rising and falling and finding their own dynamic pathways to the audience without reference to something as stolid and inflexible as print.
So yes, I think it does make a difference if we perform from memory. But it also takes courage and determination; courage to face the audience without the safety net of the page, and determination because you’re bound to make mistakes in the beginning - though most people are probably gifted with a better memory than me or are better able to hide their mistakes with some smooth ad-libbing! - and you have to deal with that possibility. Luckily, I think the adrenalin and energy that come from facing our fear are motivating factors, bringing us back to the mic empty-handed again and again.
Friday, September 01, 2006
Ekko Words Inc. in Newcastle: Monday 4th September
Ekko Words Inc.
The Sports Café, NewcastleMon 4 Sep 2006
Open mic night with readings from Keith Armstrong, Kate Fox and Martin
Bloomfield, guest slots from comedian Ken Stott and charva hating rapper
MC Gizza Tab. Plus more guests on the night.
See www.literaturenortheast.co.uk/events for more details of this and OTHER live poetry events in the region.
Dodo Modern Poets: Friday September 1st
On Friday 1st September at 8pm, you can catch the Dodo Modern Poets at the Poetry Cafe, 22 Betterton Street, Covent Garden, London and their 'September Songs' with John Citizen, Tamsin Kendrick, Patric Cunnane & Maggie Oke.
Pay £6/£5 concessions to witness the Poetry Cafe kicking off the autumnal season after a quietish August with this new poetry event. And just when you thought live poetry in London was extinct ...
Pay £6/£5 concessions to witness the Poetry Cafe kicking off the autumnal season after a quietish August with this new poetry event. And just when you thought live poetry in London was extinct ...
Thursday, August 31, 2006
Open Mic in Weston-Super-Mare: Thursday 31st August
Date 25/5/2006
Times : 7.30
Price : £ 1.00
Carlton Poets Poetry Night –
The Carlton Centre,
Carlton Street,
Weston-super-Mare
Last Thursday of each month.
All poets and acoustic performers welcome.
Ffi: junebastable@tiscali.co.uk or tel. 07748 974 942
Times : 7.30
Price : £ 1.00
Carlton Poets Poetry Night –
The Carlton Centre,
Carlton Street,
Weston-super-Mare
Last Thursday of each month.
All poets and acoustic performers welcome.
Ffi: junebastable@tiscali.co.uk or tel. 07748 974 942
Wednesday, August 30, 2006
Apples & Snakes: 'EXPOSED' National Tour 2006
Apples & Snakes’ National Tour 2006: ‘Exposed’
EXPOSED is the company’s most ambitious collaborative project to date with twenty performances, sixteen partner organisations and five touring artists. This makes it the biggest national poetry tour ever programmed.
The tour will call at Birmingham Rep, The Y (Leicester), The Plough Arts Centre (Great Torrington), Arnolfin (Bristol), Merlin Theatre (Frome), The Royal Hotel (Southend-on-Sea), Lincoln Drill Hall, Cherry Jam (London), Canal House Bar (Nottingham), Whitechapel Art Gallery (London), The vaults (Oxford), Yorkshire House (Lancaster), Bickerton Village Hall (Chester), Goostry Village Hall (Chester), Brewery Arts Centre (Kendal), Chester University Campus, Contact Theatre (Manchester) and Lanternhouse (Cumbria).
For full listings: www.applesandsnakes.org/exposed
LISTINGS INFORMATION – PREVIEWS AND LAUNCH
venue: The Door, Birmingham Rep, Centenary Square, Broad St, B1 2EP
website: www.birmingham-rep.co.uk
box office: 0121 236 4455
time: 19:45
Preview
date: 30/08/06
tickets: £5 / £4
guest acts: Spoz and Leila Rasheed
Preview
date: 31/08/06
tickets: £8 / £4
guest acts: Leeanne Stoddart and Maxwell Golden
Launch
date: 01/09/06
tickets: £8 / £4
guest acts: Simon Pitt and Kim Trusty
Performance poetry by David J, Stickman, Polarbear, Yusra Warsama and Claire Williamson.
Apples & Snakes has commissioned five artists from five regional areas to each compose a twelve minute piece on the theme of ‘exposed’. They explore issues of political, personal and environmental exposure through performance styles from hip hop through free verse to the luxuriantly lyrical. Each performance will feature the five commissioned artists as well as a local host and guest performer, unique to each venue. The artistic director is Lucy English, Bristol’s Queen of Slam.EXPOSED is the company’s most ambitious collaborative project to date with twenty performances, sixteen partner organisations and five touring artists. This makes it the biggest national poetry tour ever programmed.
The tour will call at Birmingham Rep, The Y (Leicester), The Plough Arts Centre (Great Torrington), Arnolfin (Bristol), Merlin Theatre (Frome), The Royal Hotel (Southend-on-Sea), Lincoln Drill Hall, Cherry Jam (London), Canal House Bar (Nottingham), Whitechapel Art Gallery (London), The vaults (Oxford), Yorkshire House (Lancaster), Bickerton Village Hall (Chester), Goostry Village Hall (Chester), Brewery Arts Centre (Kendal), Chester University Campus, Contact Theatre (Manchester) and Lanternhouse (Cumbria).
For full listings: www.applesandsnakes.org/exposed
LISTINGS INFORMATION – PREVIEWS AND LAUNCH
venue: The Door, Birmingham Rep, Centenary Square, Broad St, B1 2EP
website: www.birmingham-rep.co.uk
box office: 0121 236 4455
time: 19:45
Preview
date: 30/08/06
tickets: £5 / £4
guest acts: Spoz and Leila Rasheed
Preview
date: 31/08/06
tickets: £8 / £4
guest acts: Leeanne Stoddart and Maxwell Golden
Launch
date: 01/09/06
tickets: £8 / £4
guest acts: Simon Pitt and Kim Trusty
Bohemian Words in Reading: Friday 1st September
Friday September 1st –
Anyone looking for the funkiest, coolest, most literary and laid back spoken word open mic night in Reading would do a lot worse than to look in this direction. Here I hold open the floor to anyone who wants to do something with their mouth – be it poetry, comedy, storyteller or whatever takes your fancy. Also welcome are those folk who’d like to hear what the talking people of Reading have to say. It costs just a couple of quid in the hat to get in, there is, as ever, the Rising Sun’s lovely bar with organic ales and lagers and other drinks and chocolates available and now, for those who haven’t visited since the spring, now with two (count them) two loos. Never say improvement is impossible, because often it isn’t.
We start around 8 or 8.30pm, and are always on the first Friday of the month.
October’s Bohemian Words will be, to fit in with the Reading Comedy Festival which is ongoing during that month, a comedy special – so comic poems, comic comedy etc. is the order of the day.
AF HARROLD
Bohemian Words at The Rising Sun, Silver Street, Reading.
MESSAGE FROM AF HARROLDAnyone looking for the funkiest, coolest, most literary and laid back spoken word open mic night in Reading would do a lot worse than to look in this direction. Here I hold open the floor to anyone who wants to do something with their mouth – be it poetry, comedy, storyteller or whatever takes your fancy. Also welcome are those folk who’d like to hear what the talking people of Reading have to say. It costs just a couple of quid in the hat to get in, there is, as ever, the Rising Sun’s lovely bar with organic ales and lagers and other drinks and chocolates available and now, for those who haven’t visited since the spring, now with two (count them) two loos. Never say improvement is impossible, because often it isn’t.
We start around 8 or 8.30pm, and are always on the first Friday of the month.
October’s Bohemian Words will be, to fit in with the Reading Comedy Festival which is ongoing during that month, a comedy special – so comic poems, comic comedy etc. is the order of the day.
AF HARROLD
Tuesday, August 29, 2006
Poetry Showcase in Galway: Friday September 8th
Poetry Performance Showcase Reading, Galway
Over The Edge presents a reading to showcase some of the best performers on Galway’s poetry scene. It will take place at Sheridan’s Wine Bar (above Sheridan's Cheesemongers) 14-16 Church Yard Street, Galway on Friday, September 8th at 8pm.The poets taking part are Elaine Feeney, Stephen Murray, Trish Casey & Tim Emlyn Jones.
All welcome. For further details contact 087-6431748. Over The Edge acknowledges the financial support of the Arts Council and Galway City Council
Sunday, August 27, 2006
Uncut Poets, Exeter: Thursday 28th September
Devon – Exeter
Thursday 28th Sept. - 7:30 p.m. Uncut Poets.
Guest poet is C.P. Crowther.
Black Box, Media Centre, Exeter Phoenix, Gandy Street, Exeter
Box Office: 01392-667080
Fully accessible. Entry: £5/£3 concessions and open-mikers with confirmed bookings. Anyone wishing to book an open-mike slot, call James Bell on 07879 888319.
Thursday 28th Sept. - 7:30 p.m. Uncut Poets.
Guest poet is C.P. Crowther.
Black Box, Media Centre, Exeter Phoenix, Gandy Street, Exeter
Box Office: 01392-667080
Fully accessible. Entry: £5/£3 concessions and open-mikers with confirmed bookings. Anyone wishing to book an open-mike slot, call James Bell on 07879 888319.
Buzzwords in Cheltenham: NEXT Sunday 3rd September
POETRY OPEN MIC: Upstairs at The Beehive, Montpellier, Cheltenham
This Month's Guest Poet - Christopher James7pm - Writing time: Workshop led by guest poet
8pm – Guest poet reading and open mic
Come at 7pm if you want to write, 8pm if you don’t.
There will be open mic spots available; first come, first served.
Entrance: £3
Enquiries: 07855 308122
E-mail: cheltpoetry@yahoo.co.uk
www.angelfire.com/poetry/buzzwords/
Friday, August 25, 2006
Poetry & Stand-up in Digbeth, Birmingham: this SUNDAY 27th August
This Sunday sees the monthly return of the SUNDAY XPRESS at the Market Tavern, Digbeth, Birmingham. It's not far from the Bullring but parking is surprisingly free and easy in surrounding streets on most Sunday afternoons. Arrive there for about 2pm or later and you will experience the delights of an open mic afternoon in Birmingham. Poetry, prose, short stories, comedy stand-up and even music can be heard there. Also strong language! These Digbeth poets tell it like it is ...
2 - 6pmish, Market Tavern in Digbeth, Birmingham.
2 - 6pmish, Market Tavern in Digbeth, Birmingham.
Tuesday, August 22, 2006
Penned in the Margins: Wednesday 30th August
PENNED IN THE MARGINS: “leftfield poetics and live music”
Wednesday 30 August
THE SPITZ: 109 Commercial Street, London E1
Tickets £6/5, Doors 7pm
Book online at www.wegottickets.com
www.pennedinthemargins.co.uk
*
JEREMY WARMSLEY
www.jeremywarmsley.com
Take a bunch of the most gorgeous songs around, add a fistful of damn fine lyrics and a pinch of electro wizardy and you’ll be somewhere near Anglo-Frenchman Jeremy Warmsley, one of the finest singer-songwriters currently making waves in this smoky town of ours. File between Patrick Wolf and Regina Spektor in your record collection.
SUZANNE ANDRADE
www.myspace.com/invisibleinkshow
Dark, disturbing tales over scratchy vinyl soundtracks and glitchy electronica… The twisted underbelly of family life… A surreal world of cats, Edith Sitwell and silent films… Yes, it’s Suzanne Andrade, the new queen of suburban gothic.
LE COUTEAU JAUNE
www.lecouteaujaune.com
Le Couteau Jaune are the future architects of chaos, the psychological horror and scifi writings of WB McClure, the sound and visual installations of Darryl Biggs and Bjorn Hatleskog. Le Couteau Jaune is the creeping stench filling the darkness in this city.
NIALL O’SULLIVAN
www.myspace.com/niallosullivanpoetry
Pigeons, sordid train journeys and Elvis haircuts from former council gardener now best-selling author of You’re Not Singing Anymore. Niall O’Sullivan chronicles the seedy side of London life in dark, poignant and hilarious poems and anecdotes.
Wednesday 30 August
THE SPITZ: 109 Commercial Street, London E1
Tickets £6/5, Doors 7pm
Book online at www.wegottickets.com
www.pennedinthemargins.co.uk
*
JEREMY WARMSLEY
www.jeremywarmsley.com
Take a bunch of the most gorgeous songs around, add a fistful of damn fine lyrics and a pinch of electro wizardy and you’ll be somewhere near Anglo-Frenchman Jeremy Warmsley, one of the finest singer-songwriters currently making waves in this smoky town of ours. File between Patrick Wolf and Regina Spektor in your record collection.
SUZANNE ANDRADE
www.myspace.com/invisibleinkshow
Dark, disturbing tales over scratchy vinyl soundtracks and glitchy electronica… The twisted underbelly of family life… A surreal world of cats, Edith Sitwell and silent films… Yes, it’s Suzanne Andrade, the new queen of suburban gothic.
LE COUTEAU JAUNE
www.lecouteaujaune.com
Le Couteau Jaune are the future architects of chaos, the psychological horror and scifi writings of WB McClure, the sound and visual installations of Darryl Biggs and Bjorn Hatleskog. Le Couteau Jaune is the creeping stench filling the darkness in this city.
NIALL O’SULLIVAN
www.myspace.com/niallosullivanpoetry
Pigeons, sordid train journeys and Elvis haircuts from former council gardener now best-selling author of You’re Not Singing Anymore. Niall O’Sullivan chronicles the seedy side of London life in dark, poignant and hilarious poems and anecdotes.
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