Nigel McLoughlin at Buzzwords, Cheltenham, with Open Mic

Buzzwords: Next Sunday, 6th September, upstairs at The Exmouth Arms, Bath Road, Cheltenham.

Pascale Petit has had to postpone - she will now be coming to us in February. However, this has created a gap for Nigel McLoughlin to come and read from his new book 'Chora' and I'm delighted that Buzzwords can host the Cheltenham launch of this lovely book.

7pm Workshop led by Nigel McLoughlin
8pm - Readings and open mic

Entrance: minimum £3, £5 if you are able

Ride the Word: Camden (with open mic)

7-9.15pm, SATURDAY, 29th AUGUST 2009
The Cafe Yumchaa
Camden Lock Market
91/92 Upper Walkway West Yard
Camden, NW1 8AF
(tel 020 7209 9641)
FREE admission

Ride the Word XIV

CAST: Vincent de Souza, Sascha Akhtar, Aletta Lawson (for Catherine Eisner), Jay Merill

also Guests: STAPLE Magazine
with Editor Wayne Burrows and Fawzia Kane, Sophie Mayer, Jacqueline Gabbitas

plus limited open mic slots

Hosted by Jay Merill & Vincent De Souza
(Tube: Camden Town. Walk up to Bridge. Locate the Lock. Look up to balconied Cafe)
or 24 Bus to Camden Town, (plus many others). Phone London Transport 020 7222 1234
Google Map, and/or emailJay Merill

An Evening with Sharon Olds

7pm, Thursday 27th August, 2009
Venue: Hampstead Theatre Studio, Eton Avenue, London NW3 3EU
Tickets: £65

An Evening with Sharon Olds: The Poetry Trust is delighted to invite you to spend an evening in the company of Sharon Olds - "The woman many regard as America's greatest living poet" (The Guardian). Sharon has generously agreed to support the fundraising for this years' 21st Aldeburgh Poetry Festival by offering this rare solo London event. Only 75 tickets available.

Tickets are only available from the Poetry Trust. RSVP by 4th Sugust to msmyth@thepoetrytrust.org or call 01986 835 950.

Kitchen Garden Cafe: Poetry Bites, Birmingham

Jacqui Rowe presents POETRY BITES at THE KITCHEN GARDEN CAFE with NIGEL MCLOUGHLIN

Born in Enniskillen, Nigel McLoughlin teaches Creative Writing at the University of Gloucestershire. His latest collection, Chora: New and Selected Poems is published by Templar. Poetry Bites also includes floor spots where you can share your own poetry with an appreciative audience. Please arrive early to book a spot.

7.30pm, Tuesday 22st September, 2009 (Food available from 6.30pm)
Kitchen Garden Café , 17 York Road, Kings Heath, Birmingham, B14 7SA

£5 (£4) To reserve a place email jacquirowe@hotmail.co.uk or pay at the door.
“One of the top 10 venues for poetry in the UK” – Radio 4 poet, Susan Richardson
24th November – Poetry Bites at the Kitchen Garden Cafe with Angela France
www.jacquirowe.com

NORWICH: Luke Kennard @ The Monday Night Alternative

Monday, 24th August, 2009, 8pm-10pm, £5
Norwich Arts Centre

Luke Kennard, with support from: Sam Riviere, Jack Underwood and Russell J Turner (MC).

Nurture your inspiration by experiencing the poetry of Luke Kennard, whose first collection of poetry, The Solex Brothers, was given an Eric Gregory Award in 2005. His second collection, The Harbour Beyond the Movie, was shortlisted for the Forward Prize in 2007, making him the youngest writer ever to be nominated, and a talent not to be missed.

LEAMINGTON SPA: PUREandGOODandRIGHT

Sunday, August 23rd, 2009, 7.30pm prompt, £3 (£2 Student/OAP)
The Stables,
Newbold Comyn Arms,
Newbold Terrace East,
Leamington Spa,
CV32 4EU

PUREandGOODandRIGHT is an open mic poetry event taking place at our newish venue, The Stables, Newbold Comyn Arms, Leamington Spa. We also have great guest performance poets! Every event is an opportunity for YOU to come along and perform your poetry!!

Our special guest this month is the lovely, highly entertaining and exceptionally quick-witted
Sara-Jane Arbury. With an eye for quirk and general oddness, Sara-Jane Arbury revels in wit, word play and taking the pith out of everyday life and death to use in her poems. Since her performance poetry debut in 1995, when she was a finalist in the nation’s first UK Allcomers Poetry Slam. She has performed her poetry on TV, radio and racecourses; at arts centres, clubs and festivals; in restaurants, schools and shopping malls. She has worked as a poet in unusual locations including Leopardstown Horse Races in Dublin, The Weather Gallery in Whitehaven, as a bard on board city buses and four Oxfordshire village shops.

Sara-Jane is a co-founder of Spiel Unlimited, an organization that specializes in ad-verse ventures and hosts poetry slams around the country with her slampanion Marcus Moore. More recently, she performed in ‘Staying Alive’, dramatizing poems for performance with Bloodaxe Books and was the first writer-in-residence for Herefordshire. Having moved house for the twenty-fifth time, she now lives in Bristol (again) and directs the Voices Off programme at Cheltenham Literature Festival.

NB: Please do follow directions from the pub’s website as the postcode information is misleading if you are using GPS or multimap.

If you're planning to come along, or would like to know more about the night, please email pgrpoetryandpints@talktalk.net

Edinburgh Fringe Festival: "Understanding"

Open Mic-style event in Edinburgh, tonight!

7pm, August 22 2009
Word Power Books, 43-45 West Nicolson Street, Edinburgh
Eh8 9DB

Dionysia Press "Understanding" 2009: you are invited to attend and to read your work at this Edinburgh Fringe Festival Event.

The Poetry Prom: Suffolk

7.30pm, 25 Aug 2009
Snape Maltings Concert Hall
Snape
Suffolk
IP17 1SP

The Poetry Prom 2009: Three world-class poets from America, South Africa and the UK guarantee a thoroughly enjoyable evening of outstanding poetry:

Alan Brownjohn - National poetry luminary, loved for his subversive wit
Finuala Dowing - South Africa's finest, deeply personal and so universal poetry
Sharon Olds - 'America's greatest living poet' (The Guardian)

The Poetry Prom has for the last six years consistently attracted the biggest poetry audience in the UK nearly 800 people! and this year will be no exception. With hundreds of tickets already sold, book yours now by calling the box office on 01728 687110.

Trespass Launch: "Americana"

8:30-10pm, August 26 2009
The Enterprise, 2 Haverstock Hill, Camden, London
NW3 2BL

Trespass Magazine celebrates the launch of the 'Americana' issue by travelling North to share the love in Leeds this month, and then caps off the festivities in London with gay cabaret, performance art, brilliant poetry, short fiction and...a Michael Jackson sing-along. Join us as our band This Is It II sing (for those of you who want to get a bit of practice, although we will provide the words) such hits as Beat It, Smooth Criminal, Billy Jean and more. It really doesn't get much better than this-it really is It.

Featuring: Music from Peter Scott-Presland doing cabaret and Romy Northover performing alongside her co-creator Kiera Fox as part of the performance art duo 'Constantinoplex'. Join us as the This Is It II band (for one night only!) will also be playing for our Michael Jackson Sing-along!

As well as this we have a vast array of literary talent including: John Stiles, Sabrina Mahfouz, Heather Taylor, Henrietta Cullinan, Stephanie Petrik, Agnes Meadows, Jacqui Saphra, Anna McKerrow and more!

GLASGOW: Last Monday at Rio

Monday, August 31st, 2009, 8pm-10-abouts, FREE
The Rio Cafe,
27 Hyndland Street,
Glasgow
G11
(Kelvinhall tube, Bus 62, 9, 64 and many others)

Headline acts this month at the spoken word cabaret are

JENNY LINDSAY, fine young poet of Beat-ish tendencies with her finger on the pulse. Let's see what happens when she squeezes!

ELEANOR LIVINGSTONE, novelist, reviewer, Director of Stanza Poetry Festival, and poet herself, author of the Last King Of Fife, published by Happenstance Press.

A modest number of open mic spots are available.

CHELMSFORD: Luke Kennard @ Howl

Friday, 28th August, 2009, 8pm-10pm, £5
Cramphorn Theatre
Box office: 01245 606 505.

Luke Kennard, with support from Ross Sutherland, Scream Sunday Poets and Nathan Penlington (MC).

Nurture your inspiration by experiencing the poetry of Luke Kennard, whose first collection of poetry, The Solex Brothers, was given an Eric Gregory Award in 2005. His second collection, The Harbour Beyond the Movie was shortlisted for the Forward Prize in 2007, making him the youngest writer ever to be nominated, and a talent not to be missed.

LEAMINGTON SPA: PUREandGOODandRIGHT

Sunday, August 23rd, 2009, 7.30pm prompt, £3 (£2 Student/OAP)
The Stables,
Newbold Comyn Arms,
Newbold Terrace East,
Leamington Spa,
CV32 4EU

PUREandGOODandRIGHT is an open mic poetry event taking place at our newish venue, The Stables, Newbold Comyn Arms, Leamington Spa. We also have great guest performance poets! Every event is an opportunity for YOU to come along and perform your poetry!!

Our special guest this month is the lovely, highly entertaining and exceptionally quick-witted
Sara-Jane Arbury. With an eye for quirk and general oddness, Sara-Jane Arbury revels in wit, word play and taking the pith out of everyday life and death to use in her poems. Since her performance poetry debut in 1995, when she was a finalist in the nation’s first UK Allcomers Poetry Slam. She has performed her poetry on TV, radio and racecourses; at arts centres, clubs and festivals; in restaurants, schools and shopping malls. She has worked as a poet in unusual locations including Leopardstown Horse Races in Dublin, The Weather Gallery in Whitehaven, as a bard on board city buses and four Oxfordshire village shops.

Sara-Jane is a co-founder of Spiel Unlimited, an organization that specializes in ad-verse ventures and hosts poetry slams around the country with her slampanion Marcus Moore. More recently, she performed in ‘Staying Alive’, dramatizing poems for performance with Bloodaxe Books and was the first writer-in-residence for Herefordshire. Having moved house for the twenty-fifth time, she now lives in Bristol (again) and directs the Voices Off programme at Cheltenham Literature Festival.

NB: Please do follow directions from the pub’s website as the postcode information is misleading if you are using GPS or multimap.

If you're planning to come along, or would like to know more about the night, please email pgrpoetryandpints@talktalk.net

LONDON: The Sampler

COLCHESTER: Luke Kennard @ Wax Lyrical

Thursday, 27th August, 2009, 8pm-10pm, £5
Colchester Arts Centre

Luke Kennard, with support from Nathan Jones, Joe Dunthorne and Ross Sutherland (MC).

Nurture your inspiration by experiencing the poetry of Luke Kennard, whose first collection of poetry, The Solex Brothers, was given an Eric Gregory Award in 2005. His second collection, The Harbour Beyond the Movie was shortlisted for the Forward Prize in 2007, making him the youngest writer ever to be nominated, and a talent not to be missed.

GALWAY: Over The Edge Open Reading

Thursday, August 27th, 2009, 6.30pm-8pm
Galway City Library,
St. Augustine Street,
Galway

Featured readers are Michele Coghlan, Kevin O’Shea and Máighréad Medbh.

Michele Coghlan is originally from Kerry, but lived in Germany for over 20 years before settling in Galway in 2003. She works as a translator with an international software company. She has participated in various creative writing workshops at Galway Arts Centre and GTI under the guidance of Geraldine Mills, Kevin Higgins and Susan Millar DuMars. She says she has grown quite passionate about writing and takes pleasure in triggering a bit of laughter in the audience. She particularly likes slam poetry and took third place at the 2008 North Beach Nights Poetry Grand Slam.

Kevin O’Shea lives in Moycullen within earshot of the old Galway-Clifden Railway line. He recently retreated from the world of technology to consult the imagination and the garden. He is a survivor, reasonably intact, of multiple creative writing classes with Susan Millar DuMars and Kevin Higgins. Earlier this year he was selected to participate in the Cúirt Poetry Masterclass with Jane Hirshfield and greatly enjoyed the experience.

Máighréad Medbh was born in County Limerick. She has published four poetry collections: The Making of a Pagan (Blackstaff Press, 1990); Tenant (Salmon Publishing, 1999); Split (in ‘Divas!’, Arlen House, June 2003); and When The Air Inhales You (Arlen House 2008). Máighréad has become widely known as a poet who applies much creative energy to the presentation of her work in performance. She has also written three novels and is currently working on a four-volume fictional work for young adults. A story for children, set to music, was commissioned by Ireland’s Lyric FM radio station and broadcast in 2007 and 2008. She was awarded an Arts Council Bursary in 2008.

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. The evening will also see the announcement of the shortlist for the 2009 Over The Edge New Writer of the Year competition. For further details phone 087-6431748.

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

BIRMINGHAM: 'Rhymes' @ The Custard Factory

Thursday, August 27th, 2009, 8pm
Custard Factory Theatre
Birmingham

Poet and novelist Richard Bruce Clay with musicians Phil Cervi and Dave Mitson will be performing Grene Woddenesse, a peculiar recipe of The Wicker Man, Negotium Perambulans and HP Lovecraft with, perhaps, a tiny touch of Philip Larkin chucked in.

Roz Goddard is a poet and short story writer and former poet laureate of Birmingham. She has published three collections of poetry and works extensively as a writing tutor with adults in a variety of settings and has been featured on BBC Radio 3 and 4 including Poetry Please.

Introducing new talent Elisabeth Charis with her subtle and insightful verses.

MC Lorna Meehan

ST ALBAN'S: Luke Kennard @ Oral Cabaret

Wednesday, 26th August, 2009, 8pm-10pm, £5
The Maltings Arts Theatre,
St Alban's
Box office: 01727 844 222.

Luke Kennard, with support from Mat Lloyd (MC)

Nurture your inspiration by experiencing the poetry of Luke Kennard, whose first collection of poetry, The Solex Brothers, was given an Eric Gregory Award in 2005. His second collection, The Harbour Beyond the Movie was shortlisted for the Forward Prize in 2007, making him the youngest writer ever to be nominated, and a talent not to be missed.

PETERBOROUGH: Luke Kennard @ Speakeasy

Tuesday, 25th August, 2009, 8pm-10pm, £5
The Glass Onion,
Peterborough

Luke Kennard, with support from Jennifer Pickup, Julian Ransom and Dennis Just Dennis.

Nurture your inspiration by experiencing the poetry of Luke Kennard, whose first collection of poetry, The Solex Brothers, was given an Eric Gregory Award in 2005. His second collection, The Harbour Beyond the Movie was shortlisted for the Forward Prize in 2007, making him the youngest writer ever to be nominated, and a talent not to be missed.

NORWICH: Luke Kennard @ The Monday Night Alternative

Monday, 24th August, 2009, 8pm-10pm, £5
Norwich Arts Centre

Luke Kennard, with support from: Sam Riviere, Jack Underwood and Russell J Turner (MC).

Nurture your inspiration by experiencing the poetry of Luke Kennard, whose first collection of poetry, The Solex Brothers, was given an Eric Gregory Award in 2005. His second collection, The Harbour Beyond the Movie, was shortlisted for the Forward Prize in 2007, making him the youngest writer ever to be nominated, and a talent not to be missed.

LONDON: Ride The Word XIII

Wednesday, August 12th, 2009, 7pm-9.30pm, FREE
ICA lounge-bar
The Mall,
London
SW1Y 5AH

Featuring: Vincent De Souza, Anne Berkeley, Padrika Tarrant and Jay Merill

plus

guests Magma magazine, with editor David Boll and readers,

plus

limited open mic slots.

LONDON: Hammer and Tongue

Friday, 7th August, 2009, 9pm-6am, advance £10, on the door £12, Guest List £6
Braindrop
Hidden
101 Tinworth St
SE11 5EQ
Nearest Tube: Vauxhall

Hammer and Tongue Open Poetry Slam @ Braindrop, featuring MC Angel

Hammer & Tongue's London arm is bringing the UK's top open slam event to London's very best drum'n'bass night, Braindrop, for the very first time.

We will be turning Hidden’s garden area into a literary battleground before the main arena kicks off and we are looking for eight poets to go head to head with each other in a battle of words and wit. Crowd reaction as ever will influences the final say of the five sets of judges, who again will be picked from our very discerning audience. We also have a headline feature set from the very excellent MC Angel, Hammer and Tongue's 2009 London slam champion who recently battled Keith Allen offstage at Latitude festival.

One slammer will win a slow at Hammer and Tongue's monthly London night, held on the first Monday of the month at Camden's Green Note Cafe at 106 Parkway.

If you are interested in slamming on the night, drop Michelle an email at madsen.michelle@gmail.com. Slammers get in for free and there's a clutch of half price guest list spots for friends of Hammer and Tongue - please contact Michelle again

GALWAY: Mary Hanlon and Deirdre Kearney book launches

Thursday, August 6th, 2009, 6.30pm
Charlie Byrne's Bookshop,
Galway

Over The Edge presents the launch of two debut collections of poetry, Dear Beloved by Mary Hanlon, and Spiddal Pier by Deirdre Kearney, both published by the Belfast-based Lapwing Press.

The evening will also see the Galway launch of Chora: New & Selected Poems by visiting poet Nigel McLoughlin, which has just been published by Templar Poetry, and Transmorphosis & Other Short Stories by Boris Belony (aka Stephen Hughes), which was recently published by Stitchy Press. And there will be a short reading by David Starkey, the Poet Laureate of Santa Barbara, California, who is visiting Galway.

Everyone is welcome to attend. For further details, call 087-6431748.

LONDON: Ride The Word XIII

Wednesday, August 12th, 2009, 7pm-9.30pm, FREE
ICA lounge-bar
The Mall,
London
SW1Y 5AH

Featuring: Vincent De Souza, Anne Berkeley, Padrika Tarrant and Jay Merill

plus

guests Magma magazine, with editor David Boll and readers,

plus

limited open mic slots.

GALWAY: Mary Hanlon and Deirdre Kearney book launches

Thursday, August 6th, 2009, 6.30pm
Charlie Byrne's Bookshop,
Galway

Over The Edge presents the launch of two debut collections of poetry, Dear Beloved by Mary Hanlon, and Spiddal Pier by Deirdre Kearney, both published by the Belfast-based Lapwing Press.

The evening will also see the Galway launch of Chora: New & Selected Poems by visiting poet Nigel McLoughlin, which has just been published by Templar Poetry, and Transmorphosis & Other Short Stories by Boris Belony (aka Stephen Hughes), which was recently published by Stitchy Press. And there will be a short reading by David Starkey, the Poet Laureate of Santa Barbara, California, who is visiting Galway.

Everyone is welcome to attend. For further details, call 087-6431748.

LONDON: wordPLAY

Tuesday, August 4th, 2009, 7pm-11.30pm, £4.50/£3.50 concessions
The Good Ship,
289 Kilburn High Rd,
London
NW6 7JR

Email: wordplaylondon@hotmail.co.uk

Kilburn's favourite spoken word night returns after a great July launch with a literary line-up beyond compere (see what we did there...):

Featured writers are:

Dockers MC aka Laura Dockrill is everywhere you look. From The Guardian to Company magazine, from Latitude to the Edinburgh Fringe, this girl's hot property and it isn't hard to see why, with her perfectly-pitched delivery and genius observational patter making her a must-see spoken word artiste. Author of Mistakes in the Background and Ugly Shy Girl, both published by Harper Collins.

Welsh-born Nathan Penlington has gained a reputation as an original and inventive performer across the UK by skilfully shattering the myths that surround poets and poetry. Seamlessly fusing comedy, storytelling, and award winning magic with writing that is intelligent, accessible and entertaining he creates a unique form of literary cabaret.

Guest stars:

Ash Sarkar may be young, but she sure ain't short of a cutting put-down in her own lyrically-accomplished poetical stylee...a new voice at Latitude Festival 2009, Ash isn't just 'one to watch', she's one that's compellingly impossible to miss!

Chrissy Williams treads a blurry line betwen onomatopaeia and picturesque tableau. Her poetry is refreshingly varied and often draws unexpected parallels.

A former bookseller and editor, Stuart Evers is now a writer and reviewer. He lives in London.

Tom Sears' prose often verges on the fantastical whilst maintaining a very grounded sense of irony. He works at the zoo.