Garyswordz

Limehouse Lizzy, Tamworth Assembly Rooms

Posted on June 9, 2013 by garylongden

Wayne Ellis

Thin Lizzy were one of the great live bands and an obvious inspiration for a tribute act. Although the tribute genre has moved well beyond the need for physical facsimiles of original performers, the unique persona of Phil Lynnot is always the stumbling block to credibility for a Lizzy tribute band. With Wayne Ellis Limehouse Lizzy solve that problem. His appearance is close enough without being caricature to Lynott, he is a hugely accomplished bass player and has the stage presence to carry off the front man role.

Tamworth Assembly Rooms is a perfect live music venue with the ghosts of such greats as The Beatles and the Rolling Stones stalking the wings. Large enough to take a crowd, but small enough to feel that you are close to the action, the acoustics are excellent A large and enthusiastic crowd gathered for a set which was divided into two halves, delivering all the favourites while shrewdly choosing less obvious songs for an airing like “Wild One” which closed the first half. I had the pleasure of seeing Thin Lizzy in their late 70’s heyday and was astonished at how they were able to replicate the live sound so faithfully.

Local Boy Tim Read

Of course the rock numbers rocked, but it was the Gary Moore penned “Parisienne Walkways” which was the stand out number of the night, a surprising choice to open the second set, it smouldered, grew and then erupted with a series of memorable guitar solos from the excellent Tim Read. A native of nearby Burton on Trent he had plenty of local support and lit up the song with runs which were faithful to the original but also improvised around them. By contrast “Are You Ready” was the killer rocker of the night, short, tight, and Lizzy’s answer to Black Sabbath’s “Paranoid” with second axe- man punching out some weighty solos and riffs.

Of course the main set had to end with “The Boys Are back in Town” ,followed by an impromptu rendition of “Sarah” as the grateful crowd demanded more, and got it. Those who want another fix from this excellent band locally will find them at The Robin in Bilston on the 22nd June.

Posted in Blog | 1 Comment

June 2013, What’s on, Midlands Spoken Word

Posted on June 9, 2013 by garylongden

Festivals

Sheffield Poetry Festival 1st-9th June
http://sheffieldpoetryfestival.com/programme/
Fri 13th- 16th June Warwick Words
http://www.warwickwords.co.uk/
Fri 14th -23rd June Worcester Literary Festival
http://www.worcslitfest.com/
Sat 15th/17th June Leamington Spa, Peace Festival
http://www.peacefestival.org.uk/
Fri 21st June -6th July Ashbourne Festival
http://www.ashbournefestival.org/
Sat 21st June- 30th, Ludlow Festival
http://www.ludlowcastle.com/pages/events.aspx

Day by Day

Sat 1st Poets Place. Yorks bakery Cafe, 1/3 Newhall st , Birmingham
An informal gathering of poets, writers and performers. Come along to meet like‐minded people, give and solicit feedback on your poetry, or just sit back and write for a couple of hours without interruption.

Sun 2nd Buzzwords, Exmouth Arms,Bath Road Cheltenham, Gloucestershire GL53 7LX, 7pm Workshop, open mic

Sun 2nd Sunday Xpress Doors 1500, Start 16:30 Adam & Eve Bradford Street, Birmingham B12 0JD Open mic
jameskennedycentral@yahoo.co.uk

Mon 3rd SW&N ClubThe Newhampton Inn, Riches Street (off Newhampton Road West) Wolverhampton WV6 0DW 8pm £3 in,Storytelling, poetry, a tune, or a song!

Tues 4th Night Blue Fruit, Coventry,7.30pm start, free in, Tony Owen hosts-open mic sign up on the night.

Tues 4th Word ,Y Theatre, East Street, Leicester LE1 6EY, just opposite Leicester Train Station7pm performers, 8pm, Audience, Open mic plus headliner. £6in
WORD! is the longest running poetry and spoken word night in Leicester. Based at The Y Theatre, Leicester, it takes place on the first Tuesday of every month, between 8.00 and 10.30pm. The evening is composed of an open mic, followed by a booked act-

Wed 5th Spire Writes, White swan, 16 St Marys Gate, Chesterfield,It’s summer at last and we’re back with poetry to entice you indoors for the evening. This month, Spire Writes will be trying out a gig at a new venue, real-ale specialist pub The White Swan for a change (and so I can bring my dog and not worry about him being in a hot car!).

We’re very excited to have a guest slot from Manchester’s Steph Pike. Steph has performed extensively across the UK and also leads poetry workshops. She runs a spoken word night in Manchester called Word Up.

We’ll also have a longer slot from Carol Robson who has supported Spire Writes from the start and whose book ‘Words of Darkness and Light’ was published last year.

As usual, it’s free entry and everyone is welcome to read a short poem at open mic – let me know if you’d like to sign up for a slot.

Wed 5th June The Vault, Church St, Rugby, CV21 3 PT, 7.30pm, £3 in, Three poets, two DJS,one musician three film shorts.

opneresistance@hotmail.co.uk

Wed 5th Speak Up ,Hare & Hounds,Kings heath Birmingham, 7.30pm
One of Birmingham’s favourite events returns, hosted by the indomitable Jodi Ann Bickley and featuring Dean Atta and John Berkavitch. There will be open mic slots for those willing to share their words, and cake for everybody.

Thurs 6th Good Impressions Spoken word, Cafe Impression, Atkins Building Hinckley, LE10 1QU,7.30pm £5in Hosted by Tom Phillips,ist Thursday Monthly

Thurs 6th Blackdrop Open Mic @ Canal House Bar, Canal Street, Nottm .8-10pm £3

Our event has an open mic, slots are approx 5mins long. Blackdrop is open to over 16s.

Poetry. Story. Comedy. Rap. Hip-hop. Song. Must be own original material. ALL WELCOME.

featuring Nottingham’s very own ALEX MOTORMOUF YOUNG!Alex will be BEATBOXING, SPITTING, FLOWING, AND DROPPING POETRY!

He’s worth every penny! Come on down and bring ya friends.

Thurs 6th Parole Parlate, Old Rectifying House , Worcester, 730 pm, £3 in:

Thur 6th The Poetry Evening, The Shrewsbury Coffeehouse,Castle Gates, Shrewsbury. 7.30pm, Liz Lefroy officiates,David Calcutt and Nadia Kingsley reading from their pamphlet, ‘Road Kill’. Also appearing: Gwen Smith, winner of the 2013 Roy Fisher Prize, and runners up Adrian Perks and Jo Flynn, and Shrewsbury-based poet Barry Tench.

Sat 8th Geoff Stevens Memorial Day ,Oldbury Theatre Langley, 2-5 7-10pm Joint winners of Geoff Stevens Memorial Poetry Prize Julie Maclean and Terry Quinn will be launching their debut collections on June 8 at Oldbury Theatre Langley, Open mic, food and writers bring your books to sell.

A double event at The Barlow Theatre bar, Langley, in commemoration of Geoff Stevens, the late, great Black Country poet and artist.

FIRSTLY:
The book launch of Terence Quinn and Julie Maclean, winners of the Geoff Stevens Memorial Poetry Prize instigated by Indigo Dreams Publishing. Doors open at 1:00 pm, with plenty of time to meet old friends and new, and the book launch commences at 2:00 pm.

Poets are welcome to bring their own books for display/sale.

Food and drink will be available.

SECONDLY:
A few days after his birthday, on the 4th June, a celebration of Geoff Stevens by his partner, Geraldine, and some of his many poetry friends.

Some of Geoff’s artwork and poetry will be on display. Selected works will be read and there will be open mic for his poet friends to add their memories and poetry readings.

It is intended that suitable arrangements will be made for the sustenance of the inner poet, prior to the evening session which will start at about 7:00 pm

Further details will appear here in due course. Details may be subject to change but should add to enjoyment of the day.

Could be irreverent and entertaining. juliemacleanwriter.com

Mon 10th Pub Poetry Nottingham The Canal house, 48-52 Canal Street, Nottingham, NG1 7EH,8pm, 2nd monday : Free in, Open micContact Nick on pubpoetry@nottscomedyfestival.co.uk

Mon 10th pure and good and right, Sozzled Sausage, Leamington Spa, CV32 4NX,
Admission £3 (£2 Student/OAP) With Special guests, Birmingham Slam Stars
From time to time we are located upstairs, so please let us know if you require disabled access before the event.
If you would like to know more about the night email: pgrpoetry@gmail.com

Tuesday 11th ‘City Voices’, City Bar, King Street, Wolverhampton. WV1 1ST 7.45pm Free admission.

Tuesday 11th ‘Mouth and Music’, the Boars Head Gallery, 39 Worcester Street, Kidderminster, DY10 1EW. 8.00pm Tickets £3.00 With Maggie Doyle and Monserrat Carbonara

Tues 10th Scribal Gathering The Crown Stony Stratford:7.30pm,Get ready for another fantastic feast of musical mastercraft and poetical proficiency, bringing together lachrymatorially lyrical local live talent and perfervid performers from perfurther afield. When: Tuesday 11th July 2012. Doors open at 7.30 for a prompt 8.00 start.
Where: The Crown, Market Square, Stony Stratford MK11 1BE.
How: Free entry. Sign up for open mic on the night. Arrive early to avoid disapproval.

Tues 11th Mouth & Music 6,Boars Head Gallery, Kidderminster 8pm, £3 in:The 6th in our monthly series of totally & utterly acoustic spoken word & music nights! Open mic sign-up from 7.30 5 minutes / 2 songs each, Admission £3 (free to performers) Presented by Heather Wastie & Sarah Tamar for kaf creatives

Tues 11th Tales at the Edge, White Lion Inn, Bridgnorth, Shropshire,Tales at the Edge is one of the country’s oldest and most established storytelling clubs, meeting in Bridgenorth on the 2nd Tuesday of every month (except August) at 8 pm.
Wed 12 th Scribal gathering Stony Stratford
Scribal Gathering is getting into the festival season with a summer showcase of superior songwriting and spoken word. With Stony Live still sounding in our hearts and Waterside waiting in the wings, what better way to keep the flame of live entertainment burning than with an evening of open mic music and poetry?

Our featured performers for the evening are David Goo, an intense, creative and intimate singer song-writer sharing his distinctive sound with audiences across London and the South-East (http://th…e150friendsclub.com/) and The Zeroes, arguably the finest, friendliest, funniest and 8th best band in Milton Keynes (https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-ZEROES/113877568149).

Along with the open ended, open minded open mic, welcoming performers of all kinds to share their creativity and showcase their talent before a supportive, receptive and surprisingly tolerant audience, Scribal Gathering brings its usual blend of live music, poetry, and an overwhelming sense of spiralling chaos once again.

Wed 12 th The Quad Derby QUAD, Market Place, Cathedral Quarter, Derby, DE1 3AS Second Wednesday 19.30 Free in, A monthly night of performed poetry for everyone, new performers always welcome or just come and listen, More details from QUAD or contact Les on T: 01332 206 734, http://www.derbyquad.co.uk
Wed 12 th Tea for Two, Stapleford, Cotgrave. 92, Derby Rd, Stapleford, Nottingham , NG9 7AD
An evening of poems and stories hosted by two local
performers – Dave Wood and Richard Young.

This time the featured act is: Jackie Brewster

Those wishing to read/perform are welcome to. Slots of approximately 5 minutes are available. Any spoken word, whether stories, poems or jokes is fine.

This a good chance to try out your writing in a relaxed environment.

Entrance : ‘buy a drink for admission’

There will be no microphones and all seating will be in the round.
Wed 12 th Flying Donkeys, Voicebox, Forman St Derby
This coming Wednesday 12th June, we have a particularly appealing treat, we hope! We are hosting a one off “pop-up” restaurant – a flying donkeys special! We usually serve teas and coffees and cake etc, but this time – for a bit of fun – we thought we would extend this to include savouries too – not quite sure what yet! But along the lines of nice breads, cheeses, cold meats, a little salad, as well as the usual home made cake, and hot drinks. I might even produce a bottle of wine or two! To cover thes…e additional costs, for this night only we are charging £10 to all comers to include all your food and drinks – and of course the entertainment!

This month the storytellers are a winning mix of your very own “flying donkeys” – myself Sophie Snell, Roy Dyson and Mel Blount in the first half – we have some fabulous new stories for you! Then in the second half we have an open slot (one teller only – already nominated – a little surprise for you!) followed by a special “hot spot” from Staffordshire based storyteller Maria Whatton and local musician Sarah Matthews, who will be bringing a taster excerpt of their new show “The Lunar Men”

So a varied, delectable night of tempting treats, we hope!

You can book ahead by emailing me (which always helps with planning) or a quick call (Tel 01332 840007) or just turn up on the night 🙂

Flying Donkeys meets at the Voicebox, Forman Street, Derby DE1 1JQ. 8.05pm start. (Parking in the Abbey Street car park or on the road is free after 8pm). Find us by picking up the Derby inner ring road, skirting round the city centre from west to east, keep going over the roundabouts along Lara Croft Way till you see a roundabout with a sign post for “Abbey Street” car park – park up there and and look for a small side road the other side of the car park – this is Forman Street. The Voicebox is at the end through a wrought iron gate into a little brick courtyard, and a double-glazed porch where either Roy, Mel or I will welcome you!

Thur 13th Big irish Night, the old crown High Street Digbeth Birmingham
Next installment of Irish centred poetry, story telling and music. Come and share your affinity for Irish culture with a like-minded group of people.

You are warmly invited to the next installment of The Big Irish Night at The Old Crown in Digbeth on Thursday the 13th of June at 7.30pm. Please come and enjoy a warm, friendly atmosphere with people who have an affinity for Irish culture.

As well as the opportunity to enjoy reading and listening to poetry, prose and music of an Irish persuasion, there will be a special guest appearance from Paul Murphy songwriter, poet, singer and front man of The Destroyers.

There are open mic slots available. If you would like to perform you can sign up on the night or contact Laura Yates in advance on 07916 269 208 . We politely ask that all poetry, readings and songs follow our theme of Irish culture and heritage. This is likely to be a popular night and open mic slots will be allocated on a strictly first come, first served basis.

Looking forward to seeing you at this very special evening.

Fri 14th Open Mic, Wednesbury Museum & Art Gallery, 7.30pm, free in

Fri 14th Worcester Poet Laureate 2013/14 Guildhall, High St Worcester, Join us for the launch of the Worcestershire Literary Festival and watch 10 poets go head to head as they compete for the title of Worcestershire Poet Laureate 2013/2014.

Judges include: current Worcestershire Poet Laureate Maggie Doyle, County Arts Officer Steve Wilson, University of Worcester’s Jane Britton and Secretary of WLF Polly Robinson.

£10.00 individual ticket, £30.00 for a group of 4 tickets.
To open the event, we will present the prizes for the Young Writer competition.

Sat 15th Scribal Gathering at the waterside, Stony Stratford noon

Scribal Gathering is hosting the open mic tent at the Waterside Festival again this year. There will be the usual combination of open mic music and poetry with featured acts, so if you want to perform at this popular community event, head over to the Scribal Gathering tent from 12.00 on both Saturday 15th and Sunday 16th and put your name on the list.

There will also be featured performances every half hour from a selection of the many fine performers of music and spoken word that we have welcomed onto our stage over the last three years.

This will be the third year of Scribal at Waterside. So established are we, we are now referred to as Stage 3. See their website for the full listings: http://www.watersidefestival.co.uk/

Sat 15th Poets place. Yorks bakery Cafe, 1/3 Newhall st , Birmingham
An informal gathering of poets, writers and performers. Come along to meet like‐minded people, give and solicit feedback on your poetry, or just sit back and write for a couple of hours without interruption.

To keep up-to date with other events and info: http://www.facebook.com/placeforpoets
sun 16th June Wocrester Literary walk On Sunday 16th June, we aim to create a Group Poem by Worcester Voices, as part of the 2013 Worcestershire Literary Festival. The poem will be written and performed in a single day, in a coming together of different poetic/dramatic voices from across the U.K.

Poets will walk and work with 2012-13 Worcestershire Poet Laureate, Maggie Doyle, and explore and write about various locations in the city of Worcester. We will work together to create a Group Poem from our writing, rehearse, and perform the finished… piece at the Parole Parlate Festival Special in the evening at The Old Rectifying House, starting at 7.30pm.

Please note this event is on the same day as Worcester’s Walk for Life so we recommend approaching Worcester from the East side (Cathedral side of the river) as many roads will be closed nearer to Castle Street / River Bridge. We will meet by the postbox by the war memorial outside the Cathedral.

We’re looking for writers who enjoy collaboration and performance to take part in this one day event. If you are interested please use the ‘Get Tickets’ link to secure your place – we look forward to sharing a wonderful day with you.

Tickets cost £15.00 each.
Sun 16th June Shrewsbury Coffee House, Castle gates, Shrewsbury 11am
British-Guyanese poet, novelist and playwright is giving an exclusive reading. Come and enjoy a lazy Sunday coffee whilst listening to wonderful poetry

Mon 17th June Wordsmiths @ warwick

In this regular monthly series, poets come together in a celebration of all things spoken, sharing secrets and tales in an intimate performance space.

If you are not familiar with the names then this is your chance to witness local, national and international poets sharing stories and opinions as they engage in no-holds-barred conversation.

Previous wordsmiths include Lemn Sissay, Zoe Brigley, Kate Tempest, Polarbear and Inua Ellams.

Wordsmiths & Co. is a collaboration between Apples and Snakes and Nine Arches Press, with support from Warwick Arts Centre and Bloodaxe Books.

Jo Bell will be with Lorna Meehan, Matt Merritt, David Morley & Luke Wright.
Lorna Meehan is an actor, theatre practitioner and playwright and has been performing poetry for about ten years. She was part of Birmingham collective New October Poets and toured various festivals, including Glastonbury. She has also worked with Apples and Snakes, both as a performer and workshop facilitator. Her poetry ranges from comic ranting to mellow introspection and she has recently been honing her Slam skills. Lorna occasional performs as her alter ego, monosyllabic American teenager Melinda Deathgoth, who recently subjected London audiences at Jawdance to her particular brand of poetic misery. She is currently part of the Decandant Poetry Diva’s who will be performing at Ledbury Poetry Festival later this year.

——————————————————————————–

Matt Merritt is a poet and wildlife journalist from Leicester. His third collection, The Elephant Tests, is forthcoming from Nine Arches, and previous publications are hydrodaktulopsychicharmonica (Nine Arches, 2010), Troy Town (Arrowhead, 2008), and Making The Most Of The Light (HappenStance, 2005). He blogs at polyolbion.blogspot.co.uk

——————————————————————————–

David Morley’s “The Gypsy and the Poet” is due from Carcanet Press in August followed next year by “Biographies of Birds and Flowers: Selected Poems”. He writes for The Guardian and Poetry Review. He judged the 2013 T.S. Eliot Prize and is judging this year’s Foyles Young Poets Award.

——————————————————————————–

Luke Wright has been described as “the best young performance poet around,” by The Observer. He writes bawdy bar room ballads about Westminster rogues and small town tragedies. His poetry stage shows have toured the world. His seventh, Essex Lion, debuts this summer at The Assembly in Edinburgh. His debut collection, Mondeo Man, was published this year to five star reviews. The Huffington Post declared it to be: “a riot of cheek, giggles, boobs, tears and Facebook.” He co-curates The Spoken Word Arena at Latitude, one of the country’s biggest poetry events.

Mon 17th June The Worcester Whitehouse Hotel, 62, Foregate Street, Worcester.
At least EIGHT and probably NINE (if the new Worcestershire Poet Laureate can make it) Poets Laureate performing together for a lively night of poetic words, fun, entertainment and whatever else they choose.
The wonderful Julie Boden, Poet in Residence at Birmingham Symphony Hall (Birmingham Poet Laureate 2002-3)
The international poet that is the one and only Dreadlockalien aka Richard Grant (Birmingham Poet Laureate 2005-6)
The incomparable Giovanni “Spoz” Esposito” – almost a citizen of Worcester! (Birm…ingham Poet Laureate 2006-7
The graceful and stylish Charlie Jordan – she of BBC Radio fame (Birmingham Poet Laureate 2007-8)
Roy Mcfarlane whose rich chocolate voice is bound to make his words last longer than an evening (Birmingham Poet Laureate 2010-11)
The current Birmingham Poet Laureate – Stephen Morrison-Burke, a young man with a different perspective on life
The thought provoking and witty, Brenda Read-Brown, current Gloucestershire Poet Laureate
Witty, poignant, funny, a tad risque plus rhyme in abundance and modest with it, are just a few things the current Worcestershire Poet Laureate, Maggie Doyle, says about herself!
and the new Worcestershire Poet Laureate, whoever they may be
Amazing poets, amazing poems, an amazing evening! £10.00 per ticket
Restaurant and bar facilities available

Wed 19th Templar Poetry, Lamb & Flag, The Tything, Worcester, 8pm; Open mic, third Wednesday, Alex officiates contact:Alex McMillen, Alex McMillen,Templar Poetry, PO BOX 7082, Bakewell, Derbyshire, DE45 9AF,Tel: 01629 582500, Mobile: 07918166975
info@templarpoetry.co.uk
Wed 19th Birmingham Storytelling cafe, kitchen garden cafe, Kings Keath
ANA MARIA LINES – our Guest for June

BARBECUED HUSBANDS

Summer is here again. Time for parties, outdoor activities and barbecue. Why not to try this unusual recipe from the Amazon?
…
The drums from the forests sound and announce the party.

From ancient knowledge the Amazon stores many secrets. Secrets of cures, secrets of the spirits, secrets of love . Its legends and myths deal with humanity’s favourite themes: Love and Hate. Questions about love, sex, relationships and the difference between the male and female mind are brought forward in the anthology of indigenous myths collected by the anthropologist Betty Midlin and retold here with humour and passion by Ana Maria Lines.

The drums from the forests sound and announce the feast.

The drums from the forests sound and announce Barbecued Husbands.

Food served from 6:30, stories start at 7:30. Tickets £7. Available on the door, from wegottickets.com or by calling 0121 443 4725

Wed 19th 42 Special Drummonds, Worcester
42 Worcester,’ the Gothic, Horror, Sci-Fi and Fantasy monthly event in Worcestershire, is delighted to announce three best selling UK Horror writers coming along to the WLF and 42 Worcester Special in June 2013.

Authors Adam Millard, Dave Jeffery and Steve Byrne will be made welcome at Drummonds Bar at The Swan with Two Nicks, 19 June 2013. They will form a panel to discuss with local writers and horror aficionados what horror writing is about and how the best writers approach it.

Steve Byrne is the au…thor of ‘Phoenix’, a dark horror novel set during the Vietnam War. He’s had a number of short stories published – the latest will appear in the anthology ‘No Monsters Allowed’. Steve was born and bred in Wolverhampton. His parents soon feared that something wasn’t right. While the other kids were reading Enid Blyton, his head was buried in a copy of the latest James Herbert.

Dave Jeffery is perhaps best known for his zombie novel Necropolis Rising which has gone on to be a UK #1 Bestseller. His Young Adult work includes the critically acclaimed Beatrice Beecham Series, BBC: Headroom endorsed Finding Jericho and the 2012 Edge Hill Prize Long-listed Campfire Chillers short story collection. His short story Daddy Dearest features in the award-winning Holiday of the Dead anthology (this is Horror Awards, Best Anthology, 2012).

Adam Millard is the author of thirteen novels and more than a hundred short stories. Probably best known for his post-apocalyptic fiction, Adam also writes fantasy/horror for children. He created the character Peter Crombie, Teenage Zombie just so he had something decent to read to his son at bedtime. Adam also writes Bizarro fiction for several publishers, who enjoy his tales of flesh-eating clown-beetles and rabies-infected derrieres so much that they keep printing them. When he’s not writing about the nightmarish creatures battling for supremacy, Adam writes for ‘This Is Horror’, whose columnists include Shaun Hutson, Simon Bestwick and Simon Marshall-Jones.

Come along to hear what Adam, Dave and Steve have to tell us about successfully publishing their work. They will value your questions and give you insight to the world of horror and publication in the genre. Tickets are just £3 on the door or can be bought online.

Thur 2oth Hit the ode, Victoria PH, Birmingham City Centre
Hit the Ode brings the most exciting poets from the region, the country and the world to the heart of Birmingham. Join us! We have poems. Poems you’ve played tag with when you were younger; poems dug up by puzzled archeologists; poems last seen racing down the ring-road on big wheel tricycles. Good poems. Come and get them.

From Birmingham, Roy McFarlane
Roy McFarlane was Birmingham’s poet laureate in 2010/11, and still works hard to make poetry fun and accessible, celebrating the vibrancy of performance …poetry as well as encouraging the beauty of poetry on the page.

From Bangor, Martin Daws
An electrifying poet whose live sets blend free musicality and innovative lyricism in a unique improvised theatre, Martin Daws’ work explores life, nature and who the hell we think we are, anyway! Martin’s poetry shows a rare breadth of style and voice, and he has also been introduced to an audience as ‘a thoroughly nice man’.

From Ireland, Abby Oliveira
A slam champion and a passionate educator, an inspired poet and a rigorous writer, Abby is one of Ireland’s most exciting performers. Abby returns to Birmingham for the first time in two years.

A very few open mic slots will be available; sign up by email (bohdan@applesandsnakes.org) or on the door.

Tickets £5

Thur 20th Matt Black at Ashbourne library,An evening with Derbyshire Poet Laureate, Matt Black. Ashbourne Library, Thursday 20th June at 7.15pm. One of a programme of events to celebrate the opening of the new Ashbourne Library.Matt will be talking about his role as laureate and reading a selection of his poems inspired by Derbyshire, including a new poem about Ashbourne.Matt will be joined by members of Ashbourne Writing Group.

Free event but please telephone 01629 533950 (Ashbourne Library) to reserve tickets.

Fri 21st The Sitting Room, Upper Galdeford, Ludlow, 7.30pm,£5 Helen Ivory and Brian Johnstone
Tickets on the door, Internationally renowned poets Helen Ivory and Brian Johnstone read a selection from their recent work. ‘Waiting for Bluebeard’ is Helen Ivory’s 2013 collection from Bloodaxe. ‘Helen Ivory creates a troubled yet beguiling world rich in irony and disquiet.’ Penelope Shuttle.

Brian Johnstone’s ‘The Book of Belongings’ (Arc, 2009) has been described by Kathleen Jamie as “A mature, elegant collection by a gifted poet.”
“The fruit of distilled meditation, with a weight of experience and thought behind it.’ The Manchester Review

Fri 21st Spoken Worlds 19:30 The Old Cottage Tavern , Byrkley St,eet, Burton-upon-Trent DE14 2JJ Open mic gajwriter@btinternet.com

Fri 21st the Shipping Forecast, The Shakespeare pub, 146-148 Gibraltar Street,Sheffield
The Shipping Forecast is back at the Shakespeare this month with 2 fantastic headliners. POET AND THE LOOPS combines spoken word with live looped electronics, while JIM HIGO’s quick wit and undeniable charm make him simply the best Old Skool Punk around. Not to be missed!

If you’d like a slot reading on the open mic, please get in touch by posting below or emailing theshippingforecast@hotmail.co.uk. The event coincides with International Music Day, so we’d especially like to encourage any musical musings you might have written!

As usual we’ll have a whole load of silliness, games and features too. Entrance £3 on the door, 7:30PM start.

Fri 21st Word Up Yorks Bakery Cafe,1-3 Newhall Street, B3 3NH
Who would have thought it? Word Up is celebrating its 1st year birthday. It has taken leaps and bounds to come this far and we hope that you’ll all be joining us in celebrating this momentous occasion.

Join us for Word Up this June at Yorks Bakery Café (www.yorksbakerycafe.co.uk) to join in the celebration. There WILL be cake. Let’s make it a night to remember – get your dancing shoes on, put on your best threads, and we’ll see you there!

Have a question? Want a slot? Message us on here (fb), email us at: word–up@hotmail.com, or tweet us: @wordup_brum

Sat 22nd Poetry and Pints, Globe Inn, Ludlow, 7.30pm, headliners and open mic, a brilliant Ludlow Festival fringe event

Sun 23nd Rhyme and Tells at the Six Bells in Bishops Castle, Shropshire,Meets every 4th Sunday of the month (except for public holidays) at 8 pm – 10.30 pm. It is free admission and an open session for poetry, prose and storytelling.
For further details please contact Mike on 01588 680685.

Mon 24th Poetry Open Mic, calahouse, Nottingham, 8pm

Tuesday 25thPurple Penumbra Open Mic, Barlow Theatre, Oldbury:7.30pm
Bring your poetry and your pals to this open mic event, or just come and be entertained.
Those with a musical bent who can fill in a gap or two with something melodic and acoustic are particularly welcome.
Enliven, enrich and enhance the experience of the famous Barlow Theatre bar with your presence, why not?

Tuesday 25 June 2nd revived Poetry Wednesbury 7.00 pm at Wednesbury Library, Walsall street Wednesbury. Brendan Hawthorne has details.

Tues 25th The Telling Space, Mythstories, *NEW VENUE* (relocated from Wem) Mythstories,The Shrewsbury Coffeehouse,5 Castle Gates, SY1 2AE,Wem, Shropshire,The club meets on the 4th Tuesday of every month unless otherwise stated. Please check the website under ‘opening hours and events’ http://www.mythstories.com or contact Dez or Ali on 01939 235500 for further information.
Meet at 7 pm for refreshments (bring food to share) or at 7.30 pm for stories. A chance to listen or an opportunity to tell. Admission is free.

Tues 25th Word Wizards Buckingham Hotel Buxton 19.30. Open mic three minute slam format More info Poetryslamuk@aol.com

Wed 26th “42″ Open Mic Night (Gothic, Horror, Sci-Fi & Fantasy) Lunar Bar, New St Worcester, 7.30, Free in:last wed monthly E-mail: 42openmicnight@42genrearts.co.uk

Wed 26thPackhorse Poets,The Packhorse Inn, Crowdecote, near Longnor,Derbys on the fourth Wednesday of each month, 7.30pm

Thur 27th Bilston Voices Cafe Metro 46 Church Street, Bilston WV14 0AH Fourth Thursday 19:00 Only booked poets perform: emmaasif@hotmail.com

Fri 28th Level Up,Fusion Centre, South & City College Birmingham, 5.30pm

Level Up – and explosive night of spoken word in performance, featuring some of the country’s very best poets alongside local rising stars. Besides sets from our special guests, you can expect open mic slots for you to share your work, poetry video showcases, and time to socialize and share your work with like-minded people. This is a chance to make your voice heard. So what are you waiting for? Write the words. Grab the mic. Level up! Featuring: Polarbear.

Lorra Lorra Laureates
Come and join us for an evening of Laureates; a one-off, never-to-be-repeated event where the spoken word is at its very best. Not one, two or three but seven laureates! Expect appearances from Dreadlockalien, Spoz, Charlie Jordan, Julie Boden, Roy Mcfarlane, Mr. Stephen Morrison-Burke, Brenda Read-Brown, Dame” Maggie Doyle and the third Poet Laureate of Worcestershire. Tickets are £10.
Monday 17 June, 7.30pm | Worcester Whitehouse Hotel | events.worcslitfest.com

Sat 29th Droitwich Live Lit, 10 am -9pm

Droitwich Festival Literary Day:
‘Live Lit’ Saturday, June 29

DROITWICH Arts Network presents a free literary day featuring an eclectic mix of performance poetry and poetry, short fiction and novel readings, complemented by music from festival artists.

The Droitwich Spa 10th Anniversary Summer Festival and Worcestershire Literary Festival post-festival event also includes book signings and an open mic section for local writers and performers.

MUSIC – from 10am to 5pm in Salters Shopping Centre

LIVE LIT – at Park’s Café, Victoria Square, Droitwich

DAYTIME (10am to 4pm) – authors and performance poets will be giving a 15-minute taster of their work, followed by a book signing and/or chance for people to ask them questions.

4PM – 5PM STORYTIME – Children are invited to bring a story to share with Sarah James (aka Sarah Leavesley) and/or listen to Malcolm Wakeman and Ann Reed tell the Pirate and the Dinosaur story complete with hand puppets. (Children must be accompanied by an adult.)

EVENING (6pm – 9.30pm) – An evening of 10-15 minute tasters of author and performance poets’ work, including a chance to buy their books and have them signed. There will also be a sign-up on the night open mic section offering a number of 5- 10 minute slots. These spots are limited, so please arrive early if you wish to sign up for one.

LISTINGS
MC – Sarah James, poet, former journalist and short fiction writer. Her poetry collection Into the Yell (Circaidy Gregory, 2010) won third prize in the International Rubery Book Award. Her website is at http://www.sarah-james.co.uk.

DAYTIME (10am to 4pm) READINGS/PERFORMERS

Andrew Owens – short fiction, published in anthologies, magazines and online.

Math Jones – poet and actor, a former bookseller who has written and performed on and off for most of his life and also performs under the stage name, Math Sams.

Antony Owen – poet, his second collection ‘The Dreaded Boy’ was published by Pighog Press in 2011 and he was a 2011 poetry competition finalist in The Wilfred Owen Story.

Catherine Crosswell – performance poet, she has performed at festivals including the Edinburgh fringe, Cheltenham, Swindon and Stratford Festival of Literature. Her website is at http://www.catherinecrosswell.co.uk.

Kathy Gee – poet, Worcestershire Poet Laureate 2011 finalist published by various magazines, anthologies and the Avoncroft Museum poetry trail 2012. Her blog is at http://www.wordstring.co.uk .

Tony Keeton – poet, his work has been performed at festivals, interpreted by local theatre companies, and won him a number of prizes. His unique output includes the literary lives of penguins, biblical histories of the common sock and the truth about kebab-meat.

Claire Walker – poet, her work has appeared in print and online publications including Ink Sweat and Tears, Hearing Voices, Be: Magazine, PIYE and the poetry trail at Avoncroft Museum.

Rod Griffiths – short fiction, a Worcestershire writer with two books to his name, ‘Aimless Fear” and ‘Side Effect’. He can be found online at: http://rod-griffiths.blogspot.com/.

NEW WORCESTERSHIRE POET LAUREATE (a spot is being kept open for the new county bard hopefully. If not, Sarah James.)

Samantha Hunt – poet, an undergraduate drama student, and freelance writer. Her poetry has appeared in various anthologies, and she has performed at events throughout the West Midlands.

Euginia Herlihy – poet, currently working on her second collection ‘The Amazing Feeling’.

William Shatspeare – jazz poet

EVENING (6pm – 9.30pm) READINGS/PERFORMERS

Sheryl Browne – novelist. Sheryl brings fabulous, funny, heart-breaking romantic comedy! She now has four books published under the Safkhet Soul imprint.

Tom Wyre – poet, shortlisted for Staffordshire Poet Laureate 2012 and a prize recipient of the Walsall Mayor’s Poetry Awards. He has performed at many festivals and open mic events across the UK.

Polly Robinson – poet, published her own collection of poetry last year. She has also been published in various anthologies and magazines in print and online.

Suz Winspear – performance poet, writes and performs poetry and gothic monologues with a distinctive visual style, has had work published in ‘Ripples’ and ‘Dark Tales’, and also a non-fiction book about the Worcester Theatre Royal.

Geraint Roberts – novelist. Winner of prizes for short stories from BBC Radio Northampton and Aber Valley Arts Festival. His website is http://www.geraintroberts.com.

Ian Bowkett – performance poet, who crowbars shamefully nerdy references into passionate pieces about love, alcohol, and that grey area in between love and alcohol.

Dan Purdue – short fiction, is a widely published and prize-winning short fiction writer, currently working on his first novel.

Lisa Ventura – poet, Worcestershire Literary Festival director and founder, who writes contemporary poetry, mainly on the news, current affairs and issues that are close to her heart.

Tony Judge – novelist, poet, short fiction, satire. His first novel, ‘Sirocco Express’, deals with contemporary people smuggling. His second, ‘The Whole Rotten Edifice’, is a historical fiction.

FULL PERFORMER BIOGS

ANDREW OWENS is a member of the Worcester Writers’ Circle and regularly performs at spoken word events throughout the West Midlands. He has had several short stories published in anthologies, magazines and online. Andrew was born and raised in Canada. He lives in Worcester, is married and has three children.

ANTONY OWEN is from Coventry and had a first collection published in 2009 by The Heaventree Press. His 2nd collection The Dreaded Boy was published by Pighog Press in 2011. Owen was a 2011 poetry competition finalist in The Wilfred Owen Story and is working on a third collection planned for late 2014.

CATHERINE CROSSWELL is a bidet doubter, lover of lists and musician. Catheine hopes to sneak much food and music into her poems while dressed as a pirate. Previously she has performed at the Edinburgh fringe, various festivals including Cheltenham, Swindon and Stratford Festival of Literature.
Catherine Lives in Malvern and is joint organizer of the ConFab Cabaret night at Re-con. For more info go to http://www.catherinecrosswell.co.uk

CLAIRE WALKER fits writing poetry around raising her young daughters. Her work has appeared in various print and online publications including Ink Sweat and Tears, Hearing Voices, Be: Magazine and PIYE. She took part in the recent poetry trail at Avoncroft Museum and is a member of the Worcestershire Stanza.

DAN PURDUE is a short story writer whose work has been published online and in print, in places including Writers’ Forum magazine, Jersey Devil Press, Defenestration, The View From Here, and The Waterhouse Review. His stories have won prizes in the 2012 H.E. Bates Short Story Competition, Flash500.com, and the Seán Ó Faoláin Prize. He was also shortlisted for the 2010 James White Award and The Guardian’s 2009 Summer Short Story competition. He is currently working on his first novel.

EUGINIA HERLIHY is a South African born lives in Worcester, Worcestershire. She’s a writer/poet, she writes poetry and Christian books. Her first collection of poems ‘The Experiences Of Life & Prayers’ was published July 2011 and her second title ‘Take a Step Right Now Towards Your Dreams’ was published January 2013. She also has some of her poems published by ‘Poetry Rivals’ 2011 and other poem was published by ‘Who is Who in Poetry’ 2012. Now she’s working on her second collection of poems ‘The Amazing Feeling’.

GERAINT ROBERTS is a novelist and winner of prizes for short stories from BBC Radio Northampton and Aber Valley Arts Festival. He wrote a piece to be used in the centenary commemoration service of the Senghenydd mining disaster. His debut novel, ‘Forest Brothers’ (Circaidy Gregory Press), is set in 1944 Estonia, about a British officer sent on a covert operation and is faced with the life and love of a previous age. His website is http://www.geraintroberts.com.

IAN BOWKETT is a performance poet from Birmingham, currently working in a Coventry Laboratory. With an academic background in science as opposed to the arts he crowbars shamefully nerdy references into passionate pieces about love, alcohol, and that grey area in between love and alcohol. He is currently working on his first recorded collection and an excuse to use a Rubik’s Cube onstage. Mouth and Music, Kidderminster, described him as “very popular with our audiences who love his clever, entertaining poetry and his stunning ability to remember the most complex pieces.” In fact, they were so blown away with his verbal agility, that they’ve snapped him up for a feature spot next autumn!

KATHY GEE started writing creatively (but secretly) in 2007 and joined the Worcestershire Stanza in 2011 when she was a finalist for the Worcestershire Laureate. Since then she has had poems accepted by various magazines and anthologies and organised the Avoncroft Museum poetry trail in 2012. Her blog http://www.wordstring.co.uk is an experimental vehicle for occasional video poems.

LISA VENTURA is the Director and Founder of the Worcestershire Literary Festival and writes poetry and short stories in her spare time. In May 2013 she had 3 of her poems published in “Ripples – Collected Works Of Friends In Verse” by Jackie Summers. She writes contemporary poetry, mainly on the news and current affairs and also about issues that are close to her heart. Lisa loves spending time with her husband Russell and her guilty pleasure is watching 80’s American soap operas such as Dallas, Dynasty and Falcon Crest.

MATH JONES is from London. He has written and performed on and off for most of his life, but he has found himself writing more and more since moving to Worcester, a few years ago. After a long time as a bookseller, he retrained as an actor in Birmingham in 2009, and now also performs under the stage name, Math Sams.

POLLY ROBINSON is a member of Worcester Writers’ Circle, secretary of Worcestershire Literary Festival, and one of three organisers of 42 Worcester, a gothic, horror, sci-fi and fantasy spoken word event. Born in Worcester, raised in Malvern, travelled a bit, returned to Worcester aeons ago. Polly returned to writing following careers in management and education and published her own collection of poetry last year. She has also been published in various anthologies and magazines in print and online.

ROD GRIFFITHS is a Worcestershire writer with two books to his name, ‘Aimless Fear” and ‘Side Effect’ . He is a regular reader at events in Worcester and was a finalist at this year’s ‘As you read it’ in Malvern. He can be found online at: http://rod-griffiths.blogspot.com/.

SAMANTHA HUNT is an undergraduate drama student, and freelance writer. Her poetry has appeared in various anthologies, and she has performed at events throughout the West Midlands, including the Library Theater, The Sunday Xpress, Smart Poets, Kitchen Garden Cafe, Birmingham Artsfest, Coffee Shop Poets and Parole Parlate as part of Worcestershire Literary Festival. Her plays have been performed at Espresso Sized Theatre, and The Crescent Theater as part of Birmingham Artsfest. She is also a mum, and advocate for the arts and mental health.

SARAH JAMES (aka Sarah Leavesley) is a poet, former journalist and short fiction writer. Her poetry collection Into the Yell (Circaidy Gregory, 2010) won third prize in the International Rubery Book Award. She has been guest poet/headlined at numerous spoken word nights and festivals and has a poem on the Polesworth Poets Trail. Her website is at http://www.sarah-james.co.uk.

SHERYL BROWNE brings you Fabulous, Funny, Heart-breaking Romantic Comedy! Her novel Recipes for Disaster, commissioned by Safkhet Publishing, was shortlisted for the Innovation in Romantic Fiction Award. Somebody to Love has been nominated for The People’s Book Prize. She now has four books published under the Safkhet Soul imprint: ‘Recipes for Disaster’ – Sexilicious Romantic Comedy combined with Fab, Fun Recipes; ‘Somebody to Love’ – Sigh with contentment, scream with frustration. At times you will weep; ‘Warrant for Love’ – Three couples in a twisting story that resolves perfectly; ‘A Little Bit of Madness’ – White Knight in Blue rescues The Harbour Rest Home.

SUZ WINSPEAR writes and performs poetry and gothic monologues with a distinctive visual style, for which she is well-known on the local spoken word scene. She has had work published in ‘Ripples’ and ‘Dark Tales’, and has also written a non-fiction book about the Worcester Theatre Royal. She lives in a disused church, has a day-job in a museum, and spends a lot of time sitting in the dark, cultivating unwholesome obsessions.

TOM WYRE was shortlisted for Staffordshire Poet Laureate 2012 and a prize recipient of the Walsall Mayor’s Poetry Awards. He has performed at many festivals and notable open mic events across the UK and has been invited to attend the prestigious O’Bheal poetry event to be held in Cork, Ireland in July 2013. He highlights worthy causes through the use of poetry and stagecraft when a guest performer at charity events. A book of new work complete with CD is planned for publication in July of 2013 to supplement his first collection Soliloquy published in 2009.

TONY JUDGE writes novels, short stories, satire and poetry. His first novel, Sirocco Express, deals with contemporary people smuggling. His second, The Whole Rotten Edifice, is a historical fiction set during the desperate defence of Moscow in 1941/2. Tony’s satires have been broadcast by http://www.radiowildfire.com. He is a member of the UK Society of Authors.

TONY KEETON’s work has been performed at festivals, interpreted by local theatre companies, and won him a number of prizes. Referred to by Gary Longden at Poetry Alight as “A master of the surreal”, Tony’s unique output has previously explored such diverse topics as the literary lives of penguins, sabre-toothed mice, the plaintive love songs of mythological beasts, biblical histories of the common sock, and the truth about where kebab-meat really comes from.

WILLIAM SHATSPEARE is a jazz poet from Stourbridge. He is forty-five years old and in reasonable condition for a man of such poor character and bad habits. He thought he’d invented jazz poetry but on googling it found this to be incorrect. Mr. Shatspeare has several books to his credit, all of them written by other people but purchased quite legitimately, receipts can be provided if required. He is a single parent with two good-sized children, Accident and Emergency. He often reads their poetry out in public and passes it off as his own. He did have a much better biography than this but the dog ate it.

Posted in Blog | 2 Comments

Quadrophenia, Tamworth Rep Co,Tamworth Assembly Rooms

Posted on May 28, 2013 by garylongden

The opening night of Tamworth Repertory Company’s much anticipated production of Quadrophenia promised much, and delivered, to a full and enthusiastic audience. Following the success of last year’s production of The Wall at the same venue, director Simon Quinn from the Fired Up Theatre Company, and assistant director and Staffs Poet Laureate Mal Dewhirst, have once again combined to produce a show of vision and panache.

Prior to the main production was a one act dramatisation of military stories with Tamworth and Staffordshire connections, ably led by Luke Comley, in a Shoebox Theatre community theatre production which drew upon fascinating source material gleaned from local newspaper the Tamworth Herald.

Two artistic creations dominate Quadrophenia, the original album and the film. The album, in full, provided the musical soundtrack, the film provided only the broadest of reference points. Musically the album is one of the more satisfying and coherent rock operas/ concept albums. Its only weakness is a lack of familiar hit singles for the uncommitted. Wisely, Green Onions , made famous by Booker T and the MG’s ,and The Who’s “My Generation” were added to the first half, to crank up the energy, and audience.

The music itself was provided by The Pinch a band who specialise in music of that era. They were excellent. Bass guitarist Matt Starr laid down the distinctive sound of John Entwhistle. Lead vocalist Jon Starr provided vocals which were authentic to Roger Daltrey, without being a slave to them, providing identity and colour to proceedings. As House Band for the evening, extravagance was not required, what was needed was a steady reliable rhythm which Tim Butcher supplied with restrained assurance. The album itself is a recorded work with significant overdubs and musical layering, the job of replicating the full sound fell to Keyboard player Tom Brookes who dextrously combined piano and keyboard work. Daz Meads , meticulously replicated Townsends lead guitar parts with care and flair. A separate guitarist, minstrel James Attwood played incidental music throughout which was complimentary and sparsely drawn.

Archive film footage of the mod era was shrewdly chosen by Mal and Jimi Dewhirst, projected onto a backdrop, greatly adding to a sense of place for the production. Emma Smith co-ordinated the choreography and fight scenes, the latter of which were always entered into with gusto by the young cast. And talking of young cast, the youngest of several Jimmy’s, Rhys Goldingay, stole the acting honours with his jaunty persona, and cheeky smile . The part of Ace was played by Michael Callow in an impressive cameo which begged for more stage-time. Playfully , Simon Callow, cast The Doctor as a woman which Ruth Huddleston clearly enjoyed playing in the role of a naughty nurse, in high heels and jump suit. The other stand-out performance came from Hayley Clark as Jimmy’s mum in a wholly credible and engaging portrayal of the part.

The device of having several Jimmy’s playing young and older incarnations as well as different psychological roles was clever, and offered numerous dramatic possibilities ,but did occasionally weigh down the narrative pace. However the production was rarely more than a few minutes away from a great soundtrack song, or energetic choreographed set piece. The Pinch were more than up to the task of executing the key pieces, The Real Me, 5.15 and Love Reign O’er Me towered in quite challenging circumstances playing always behind the staged action and with each song separated from the last by on stage drama.

Quadrophenia was a musical, stage, and community success and a fitting testament to the hard work of so many who took on the daunting challenge of producing a work rarely performed on a theatre stage, and succeeded.

Gary Longden

Posted in Blog | Tagged 5.15, John Entwhistle, Keith Moon, Mal Dewhirst, Mods, Pete Townsend, Quadrophenia, Roger Daltrey, Shoebox Theatre Company, Simon Quinn, Staffs Poet laureate, Tamworth Assembly Rooms, Tamworth Repertory Company, the pinch, The Real me, The Who | 5 Comments

May 2013- What’s On, Midlands Spoken Word

Posted on May 8, 2013 by garylongden

In Oklahoma! the cry is that “June is busting out all over”, in Midlands Poetry it is busting out in May. A combination of eight festivals, and over fifty stand alone poetry and storytelling events mean that there are some one hundred and fifty opportunities for word devotees to sate themselves this month.

The Hay festival is The Big One, but the smaller ones have much to commend them too with the Sheffield Poetry Festival opening June with another bang.

Amongst the regular events Poetry Alight in Lichfield on Tuesday the 14th looks particularly strong with headliners including multi award winning and nationally famous Helen Mort, Matt Black and River Wolton. Shindig in Leicester is similarly impressive with D A Prince, Ian Parks and Gregory Leadbetter.

A musical with poetry dimension is the Who’s Quadrophenia, being performed in Tamworth on Fri 24th and Sat 25th with original material from Staffs Poet Laureate Mal Dewhirst. If you just want to write some poetry in a conducive setting why not check out Poets place in Brum on Sat 4th at the York Bakery?

Whatever you do- you are spoilt for choice.

May Festivals

Sun 21st Apr Stratford upon Avon Literary Festival -until 5/5:

http://www.stratfordliteraryfestival.co.uk/

30th April -6th May Chipping Campden Lit Festival

http://www.campdenlitfest.co.uk/contentok.php?id=88

Fri 3rd-6th May Shrewsbury Bookfest

http://www.shrewsburybookfest.co.uk/#/whats-on/4559069123

Mon 6th-18th May Swindon Festival of Literature including youth and adult poetry slams

http://www.shrewsburybookfest.co.uk/#/whats-on/4559069123

Sat 18th May-26th Nailsworth Festival inc Poetry Slam

Home

Thurs 23rd May- 28th Audlem Festival, Cheshire including Poetry Slam on the opening night

http://www.audlemfestival.com/

strong>Thur 23rd May -2nd June Hay Festival

http://www.hayfestival.com/portal/index.aspx?skinid=1&localesetting=en-GB

Sheffield Poetry Festival 1st-9th June

http://sheffieldpoetryfestival.com/programme/

————————————Day by Day——————————————————————
Wed 1st May The Vault, Church St, Rugby, CV21 3 PT, 7.30pm, £3 in, Words, music and film shorts

facebook- Open resistance

opneresistance@hotmail.co.uk

Thurs 2nd Blackdrop Open Mic @ Canal House Bar, Canal Street, Nottm .8-10pm £3

Our event has an open mic, slots are approx 5mins long. Blackdrop is open to over 16s.

Poetry. Story. Comedy. Rap. Hip-hop. Song. Must be own original material. ALL WELCOME.

Blackdrop, the spoken word specialist, held on the first Thursday of every month will next be hosting their May monthly open mic event which will feature Stephen Morrison-Burke, Birminghams Poet Laureate.

Stephen Morrison-Burke is a Spoken Word Artist/Poet from Birmingham who has been performing for 18 months.

In that time Stephen has won multiple poetry slam competitions, taken part in theatrical projects, performed at various festivals in front of hundreds of people and has been asked to support two separate internationally renowned poets whilst they visited Birmingham on their European tour.

Recently Stephen won a regional Poetry Slam Final in Cambridge which put him through to the national final, which took place in March 2013. Stephen currently work as a Freelance Poet teaching workshops to youth offenders and young carers when not taking to the stage to perform.

AND NOT FORGETTING THE EVER POPULAR OPEN MIC …

Storytelling, poetry, comedy, hip-hop, song. Own original material please.

Thurs 2nd Good Impressions Spoken word, Cafe Impression, Atkins Building Hinckley, LE10 1QU,7.30pm £5in Hosted by Tom Phillips,1st Thursday Monthly

Thur 2nd *New Venue* “Parole Parlate : The Spoken Word”, The Old Rectifying House, North Parade, Worcester, 7pm, set bill:

“Parole Parlate : The Spoken Word” is back on Thursday 2nd May 2013 in its new home of The Old Rectifying House, North Parade, Worcester and is a dedicated spoken word and “music that tells a story” platform. If you would like the chance to read your short stories, poems, prose, try out your performance poetry or music that tells a story, this evening is for you!

Confirmed performers so far include:

7.30pm Cass Osbourne

7.40pm Timothy Stavert

7.50pm Ian Ward

8.00pm Suz Winspear

8.10pm Math Jones

8.20pm Polly Robinson

BREAK

8.50pm RaceBetwix – Dec Sharma & Kirsten Amy

9.00pm Tony Judge

9.10pm Holly Perrett, Worcestershire Young Poet Laureate

9.20pm Maggie Doyle, Worcestershire Poet Laureate

9.30pm David Calcutt and Nadia Kingsley reading from their new book “Roadkill”
ENTRY FEE AND HOW TO PAY

The entry fee for this event is £3.00; tickets are available on the door on the night of the event.

We will be having a raffle as well to raise funds for the Worcestershire Literary Festival. A strip of 5 tickets will cost £2.00.

FUTURE PP EVENTS – TAKING PART AND PERFORMING

If would like a slot to perform on one of these dates please let us know by emailing info@worcslitfest.com, leave a post on the wall of this event or visit http://www.facebook.com/worcslitfest and leave a post on the wall.

Performers get free entry for taking part.

ADVANCE INFORMATION

“Parole Parlate : The Spoken Word” is on the first Thursday of every month, so advance dates for your diary will be:

Sunday 16th June 2013 – Festival Special

Thur 2nd The Poetry Evening, The Shrewsbury Coffeehouse,Castle Gates, Shrewsbury. 7.30pm, Liz Lefroy officiates,Pauline Fisk headlines supported by Steve Thayne, Ros Trotman, Ruth Cameron, Steve Harrison

Thur 2nd Poetry Jam, Urban Coffee Company,Church St, Birmingham,7.30.We’ve made it to another month!!!

Poetry Jam is back on Thursday 2nd May and we’re ready and waiting to welcome new and old scribblers into the family!

Come Jam with us from 7pm on Thurs (starts 7.30pm) at Urban Coffee Company, Church Street.

Open mic – sign up on arrival.

More info email anisa@beatfreeks.com

Did we mention it’s free?

Look forward to Jammin’ with you then 🙂

Peace&Love,
Beatfreeks

Fri 3rd,Il Vecchio Mulino,Via Frigaglia 5, 07100 Sassari, Italy,MINOSSE,Poetry Slam Sassari ,numero zero

Venerdì 3 Maggio 2013 ore 20

IL VECCHIO MULINO
Via Frigaglia 5 – Sassari

poeti! scrittori! performer! rapper! punkrocker! trovatori! dada! improvvisatori e così via! scatenate un simpatico inferno! – dannati cittadini e cittadine di sassari, sorso, alghero, portotorres, banari, logudoro e sardegna tutta, venite calorose e clamorosi a decretare il vincitore:

tra i mitologici sfidanti in gara gli indiavolatissimi:
Lalla Careddu (Sassari)
Zianu – Stranos Elementos (Porto Torres)
Nicola Di Banari (Banari)
Gianni Tetti (Sassari)
Ignazio Chessa (Alghero)
Andrea Doro (Sorso)
Francesco Nurra (Sassari)
Frankie Fancello (Porto Torres)
Giacomo Crobe (Sassari)
Carlo Pietro Solinas (Alghero)
Luana Farina (Ozieri-Sassari)
Rossella Fanni (Sassari)
Pierluigi Manchia (Ozieri)

gran voce d’eccezione fuorigara: Clara Farina

anima la sfida: Sergio Garau

stacchetti musicali elettrizzanti: Okio – Stranos Elementos

sgomitolatore di labirinti: Giovanni Salis

locandina e grafica: Angelo Saccu

Ingresso……5,00 € con 1 consumazione
Per info e prenotazioni: 079/4920324 – 3393407008

—

ultimissime iscrizioni aperte ancora a poeti, scrittori, punkrocker, dada, trovatori e così via la sera stessa lì per lì

le regole di Minosse: testi scritti di proprio pugno (uno per il girone, uno per l’eventuale finale), 3 minuti di tempo a testa, in gara non si possono usare oggetti scenici, travestimenti, musica, ma tutto ciò che può essere fatto con la voce e con il corpo è concesso, tranne cantare, se non per un poco – non ci sono vincoli di lingua, tema, forma, sesso, età, taglio di capelli – il pubblico tutto decide chi vince.

Evento facebook: https://www.facebook.com/events/118124961719425/?fref=ts

—

di più sullo slam:
– http://www.attimpuri.it/2010/10/azioni/la-poesia-di-lingua-tedesca-sempre-piu-popolare-e-di-successo-riesce-a-stare-in-piedi-con-le-proprie-gambe-una-panoramica-sul-poetry-slam-e-qualche-domanda-di-sergio-garau/
– http://www.lellovoce.it/spip.php?rubrique15

Fri 3rd ROMP@ the BridgeInn, Rotherham S60 1RB 7.30
After our sabbatical from baby romp due to unforeseen circumstances we arrive safely home at the Bridge for lashings of the usual poetry, beer, music, and whatever else you make it… Rules? I don’t think we have any… Apart from the hat… The hat ensures equality… I like equality… 1 marble each, we won’t go far wrong… Hope you can make it. Much love…

Sat 4th Poets Place, York Bakery, 1/3 Newhall St, Birmingham,B3 3NH,4pm;n informal gathering of poets, writers and performers. Come along to meet like‐minded people, give and solicit feedback on your poetry, or just sit back and write for a couple of hours without interruption.

To keep up-to date with other events and info: http://www.facebook.com/placeforpoets

Sun 5th Spire Writes Presents: Journeys with Words, Pomegranite Theatre, Corporation St Chesterfield, 11am, Where can poetry take you? And what will you find when you get there? Whether you’re a regular performer or you’ve never put pen to paper before, this one hour workshop will get you writing with some creative exercises and give you the confidence to read at a friendly open mic session afterwards. We’ll read poems by other writers, create new poems and share them on stage. Come along for the journey…

This is a special event as part of Chesterfield Community Arts Festival, at the Pomegranate Theatre

The workshop will run from 11am-12 noon.
The open mic will run from 12 noon – 1pm

All welcome, just come for the open mic if you prefer. The workshop will be limited to approx 20 people, so please let me know if you’re thinking of coming for that part of the day.

Sun 5th Buzzwords, Upstairs at The Exmouth Arms, Bath Road, Cheltenham,Workshop, led by Angela France 7pm,
Guest readings and open mic 8pm ,Guests: Alison Brackenbury and Steve Ashley,The poet Alison Brackenbury and the singer-songwriter Steve Ashley will be bringing a carefully chosen selection of words and music to Buzzwords, with linked poems and songs alternating in each half of their programme.£5 waged, £3 unwaged
http://buzzwordspoetry.blogspot.com/

——————————
Mon 6th The Half and Half Folk and Poetry Club, The Halfway House, Hall Lane, Donisthorpe on the 2nd Monday of the month.
This is a brilliant venue – private room, very comfortable and sympathetically warm, a real proper pub with proper beer, terrific food available and a very helpful landlord!!
I do urge you to come along and sample out first night which is on Monday 13th May and henceforth the group is renamed “The Half and Half Folk and Poetry Club”

The event is hosted by Brian B. Langtry, who ran a poetry and folk club in the Black Country in the Mid 1970’s, which ran until the pub closed down. Brian has always been keen to mix the arts and has decided to give the Folk and Poetry format a revival in Ashby. As Brian’s flyer says the Performers are from the audience.

Mon 6th The SW@N Club – Spoken Word at the Newhampton, Wolverhampton, 7.30pm storytelling
Storytelling, poetry, a tune or a song, take part in the open sessions or just sit back and enjoy the variety of performance. Most sessions are open spots but approximately every three months there is a performance in the second half by a professional artist (supported through donations).

The club meets in the upstairs room at the Newhampton Inn, Riches Street, Whitmore Reans, Wolverhampton, WV6 0DW.

For further details please contact Peter Chand http://www.chandstory.com

Tues 6thSpeech BubbleCognito, Students’ Union, Loughborough University 7pm Second Mondays monthlyin term time, check for details: http://www.arts.lboro.ac.uk/

Tues 7thStories, songs and samosas,Nirankari Bhavan in Potters Lane, Wednesbury,
Poet and songwriter Brendan Hawthorne has teamed up with fellow poet Surjit Dharmi to host a bi-monthly event at the Nirankari Bhavan in Wednesbury. Stories, Songs and Samosas (Celebrating oneness together through poetic words and music) invites performers and audiences to share in the written and spoken word that reflect our culture and diversity today.
Surjit Dhami said: “This is a great opportunity to celebrate diversity. It’s also a chance to invite the world to share in its stories under one roof.” Brendan Hawthorne added: “By sharing our stories I believe we can build bridges of respect.”We are looking for traditional songs and stories from all cultures as well as newly written ones that record today’s feelings to be performed.”We also need an audience so why not come along and share in this celebration of life!”
Dates for 2013 events at the Nirankari Bhavan in Potters Lane, Wednesbury, are as follows and will take place between from 7.30 – 9.30pm: All are welcome. The events are free of charge with light refreshments being available on the night.
7 May
2 July
3 September
5 November

Tues 7th Nightblue Fruit at Playwrights Cafe Bar & Bistro-,7:30pm until 10pm.

An eclectic mix of talented regular performers plus regular new guests bring Coventry alive with verse, verve and style.
Playwrights Cafe is a friendly and welcoming Cafe with fantastic food & drinks in a lovely setting on the cobbles near the ruins of Coventry Cathedral. Now in our 10th year we continue to attract new and existing poets, some of those who have visited over the years are: Mike McKimm, Mario Petrucci, Jon Morley, Kei Miller, Jen Hadfield to name but a few !
Requests to read and perform poetry are taken on the night. We advise you arrive no later than 7.30pm to stand a good chance of reading.Lots of reasonable and free car parking nearby (tariffs often end at 6pm but please check on http://www.coventry.gov.uk/carparks

http://playwrightsrestaurant.co.uk/contact

Tues 7th Poetry Open Mic Y Theatre,7 East Street,LE1 6EY Leicester,0116 255 7066,with Jo Bell, 7pm £4in
Jo Bell is a boat-dweller and former archaeologist. Her poetry is sometimes about boats, sometimes about archaeology – and quite often about sex, friendship and the pleasures of life. She is widely published and her collection Navigation is available now. Jo was the director of National Poetry Day until recently, when the Poetry Society appointed her Canal Laureate for the UK.

http://www.leicesterymca.co.uk/y-theatre…

Wed 8th Quad, Derby, Market Place, Cathedral Quarter, Derby, DE1 3AS Open mic 19.30 Free in

Wed 8thSpire Writes Havana Whites,12 Corporation Street, Chesterfield,S41 7TP, 7.45pm Free in Second Wednesday, Helen Mort, organises.Open mic. Spire Writes facebook page

Wed 8thSpam,BAD EDIT VENUE, The Old Post Office, 12 Wedgwood Street, ST6 4Jh Stoke,2nd wed, poetry open mic

Wed 8th“Spread the Word!” Open Night. The Voicebox, Forman Street, Derby, DE1 1JQ , 8pm;Flying Donkeys are pleased to present an Open Night of spoken word and music – tales, poems, prose, monologues and acoustic music of all kinds.

Previous evenings have brought us a multutude of fabulous performers, so do come and join us – as listener or teller. Note if you are planning to tell, it helps to get in touch with Sophie beforehand to let her know as she plans the evening.

This month’s special hot spot guest teller is Pete Davis. Pete runs the very popular Storytellers of Nottingham club (based at the Broadway Cinema downstairs in the Studio Theatre). He is a very experienced teller and has a fabulous vibrant presence, with a light, jocular wit and a taste for the macabre – some of you might remember his Devil’s Drinking Game story from the March Spread the Word!

For more information about Pete, see http://www.petedavisstories.co.uk.

Sophie, Mel, Roy

Thurs 9thDown the Rabbit Holesecond thursday,Esquires Cafe, Cov Transport Museum ,Coventry,Cv1 1JD
LIVE ART * LIVE MUSIC * LIVE POETRY * LIVE COMEDY * LIVE STORYTELLING*

Coffee, tea, wine and beer available all night!

If you have anything to offer, please don’t hesitate to contact the Down The Rabbit Hole page or Kathleen/Leena/Kathy Normington at any time to opt in to sharing something – anything!

Thur 9th Spoken Weird,Sportsman Hotel,Crown Street, HX1 1JB Halifax, West Yorkshire

Come one, come all and try your best to keep your pants on: it’s SPOKEN WEIRD, Halifax’s astonishing new spoken word night!

Located at The Sportsman – a notorious live venue – Spoken Weird is an opportunity for you to check out some of the north’s finest up-and-coming spoken word artists, and to throw your own hat into the ring by taking part in our OPEN MIC – poetry, rapping, short stories, visceral rants, lists of stuff you’d do if you got drunk and stole a time machine, it’s all good!

If you’d like an open mic slot, leave a message on here, or speak to the girl at the door who’s dressed like a fairy on the night. If you’d like to just come and watch, we don’t frown upon that, you’re in for a treat either way.

And you’ll be glad to know that because this is our opening night, entry is ABSOLUTELY FREE. Don’t miss out.

Sat 11th Shock of Spring, Birmingham Miseum and Art Gallery Chamberlain Square, Birmingham,1pm

West Midlands Readers’ Network, Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery and Writing West Midlands present a readers’ afternoon with Helen Cross, Sabine Durrant, Chris McCabe and Nathan Filer. Join us for an exploration of the psychological thriller, the crime novel and the novel that unearths the underbelly of domestic life.

From Nathan Filer’s extraordinary debut novel tracing one man’s descent into mental illness, to Helen Cross’s complex cast of characters – always on the edge and threatening mayhem – these writers know how to inhabit the darker fringes around ordinary lives, drawing startling characters with deep flaws.

Book early for this afternoon of literature, discussion, and afternoon tea all in the splendid setting of Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery’s Waterhall Gallery. All four writers will read and talk about their work. The afternoon will be chaired by Roz Goddard, Co-ordinator of West Midlands Readers’ Network.

Tickets cost £9 or £8 concessions.
——————————————-
Mon 13th Pub Poetry Nottingham The Canal house, 48-52 Canal Street, Nottingham

Mon 13th The Half and Half Folk and Poetry Club

Mon 13th PureandGoodandRight , Sozzled sausage, Leamingtaon Spa, CV 32 4NX; 7.30pm: £3 Open mic poetry
with special guest Spoz;Spoz is an award winning, published, performance poet, singer/songwriter and playwright. He has been on BBC Radio 4, as well as local radio stations, and taken part in festivals, including Glastonbury.
He released his first poetry anthology ‘For the Young and Young at Heart’ in January 2009. ‘ The Day the Earth Grew Hair and Other Stuff’ is available from his website: http://www.spoz.net

‘Spoz takes run -of -the- mill and real life scenarios, beats them with a blunt instrument and flushes them down the bog of spoken word. Roger Mc Gough meets Billy Connolly.’

(Warwick Words Festival)DEFINITELY AN EVENING NOT TO BE MISSED! You can book an Open mic slot on the night!
Admission £3 (£2 Student/OAP)
From time to time we are located upstairs, so please let us know if you require disabled access before the event.
If you would like to know more about the night email: pgrpoetry@gmail.com

Mon 13th Speech BubbleCognito, Students’ Union, Loughborough University 7pm Second Mondays monthly in term time, check for details: http://www.arts.lboro.ac.uk/

Mon 13th Shindig, Westen Ph, Western rd , Leicester, 7.30pm.

FREE AND OPEN TO ALL. SIGN UP FOR OPEN MIC SLOTS ON THE DOOR. Featured writers are D A Prince, Jacqui Rowe, Ian Parks and Gregory Leadbetter.

D A Prince lives in Leicestershire and London. Her poems and reviews are published in a wide range of magazines. Her full-length collection, Nearly the Happy Hour, was published by HappenStance Press in 2008. A second collection is forthcoming, also from HappenStance, early in 2014.

Gregory Leadbetter’s pamphlet The Body in the Well was published by HappenStance in 2007. His book Coleridge
and the Daemonic Imagination (Palgrave Macmillan, 2011) won the CCUE Book Prize 2012. He teaches at Birmingham City
University. http://www.gregoryleadbetter.blogspot.co.uk

Jacqui Rowe has published three pamphlet collections, Blue, Apollinaire and Paint. Co-editor of Flarestack and a
Poetry School tutor, she works extensively as a poet with people with dementia.

Ian Parks was writer in residence at Gladstone’s Library in 2012 and is currently Writing Fellow at De Montfort
Uuniversity, Leicester. His collections include Shell Island, Love Poems 1979-2009, The Landing Stage and The Exile’s House. His anthology, Versions of the North: Contemporary Yorkshire Poetry is just out from Five Leaves.
FREE ENTRY Sign up for the Open Mic on the door.

Tues 14th City Voices, City Bar King St ,Wolverhampton, 7.30pm. Poetry with Simon Fletcher

Tue 14th Poetry Alight, Spark Cafe, tamworth St, Lichfield, 7.30pm prompt start, Arrive early , 7.30pm -10pm Free Entry “A terrific evening of poetry” – Mal Dewhirst,Staffs Poet Laureate
…
Lichfield Poets proudly present the second Poetry Alight of 2013 in this quarterly series of poetry evenings, hosted by Gary Longden . Guest Headline poets are:

Helen Mort
River Wolton
Matt Black
Elisabeth Charis

It comprises visiting guest poets and an open mic section. Great pride is taken in introducing new poets to the audience, and new audiences to poets. Open mic spots, at 3mins each, may be booked in advance, a very few may be made available on the night, e-mail: Lichfield.Poets@hotmail.co.uk

Please note that our advance slots are always over-subscribed, all requests may not be successful.

The Cafe, as well as offering coffee, teas and light refreshments is also licensed to sell alcohol and offers a range of hot food, I can personally vouch for their Cumberland sausage sandwich! The audience is encouraged to arrive early, and the Spark is ideal to enjoy a supper with friends before proceedings. The Cafe is open all day.

This month’s distinguished guest poets include:

Helen Mort- Was born in Sheffield in 1985, is a graduate of Cambridge University, a rock climber, and has a national reputation for her poetry. Her collection ‘Division Street’ is forthcoming from Chatto & Windus. She has published two pamphlets with Tall-Lighthouse press, ‘the shape of every box’ and ‘a pint for the ghost’, a Poetry Book Society Choice for Spring 2010. Five-times winner of the Foyle Young Poets award, she received an Eric Gregory Award from The Society of Authors in 2007 and won the Manchester Young Writer Prize in 2008. In 2010, she became the youngest ever poet in residence at The Wordsworth Trust, Grasmere. She is a founder organiser of the monthly poetry event Spire Writes in Chesterfield. Her blog may be followed here: http://www.poetryonthebrain.blogspot.co.uk/
Her interview with the Oxonian may be read here: http://www.oxonianreview.org/wp/in-conversation-helen-mort/

River Wolton- Writes poetry, fiction and non-fiction. She grew up in London and lived in Sheffield for twenty years before moving to North Derbyshire. She is a recent Derbyshire Poet Laureate and works as a writing facilitator, specialising in tailor-made projects for people of all ages and backgrounds. She is currently a Writer-in-Residence with Writing East Midlands and had a Hawthornden Fellowship for 2011. She is a co-author of the Route anthology of stories about mothers and daughters, Some Girls’ Mothers.

River’s first full-length poetry collection, Leap was launched at Sheffield’s ‘Off The Shelf’ Festival of Writing & Reading in 2010.

You Are Here: Travels of a Derbyshire Poet Laureate (Derbyshire County Council 2009) is available from any Derbyshire library, or directly from River. Aimed at demystifying poetry for a general audience, You Are Here contains poems commissioned during River’s laureateship as well as her responses to frequently asked questions such as ‘Why don’t poems rhyme any more?’ and ‘Is there anything a poet shouldn’t write about?’
“Her poems are accessible, create wonderful images and are a pleasure to hear. The stories bring the poems alive and make them personal.”
– Hayfield Poetry Group

The Purpose of Your Visit (Smith/Doorstop 2008) was highly commended in the Poetry Business Book & Pamphlet Competition.
“(Her) gift to us throughout this pamphlet is to allow us to better understand the personal challenges of sadness, conflict and even fear, by considering the global urgencies of war, poverty and violence.”
– Rosie Shepperd, Magma 44

Matt Black – is a writer and performer based in Sheffield. He writes poems (and occasionally fiction) for adults and children, and is a Derbyshire Poet Laureate. He enjoys commissions and collaborations with other artists, and works in all sorts of places and situations, specialising in tailor-made projects that range from the serious and educational to the crazy and sublime. His books include Swimmer (2009) and Goblin In the Fridge (2008).

“Matt Black is a poet who wears his heart on his sleeve and his skill in his pen; his poems in Swimmer show that poetry can be a healing art, a celebratory art and an art that can best illuminate the times we live in. More power to his shining work – this collection is splendid.”
Ian McMillan

Elisabeth Charis- is a thinker, writer and teacher currently living in England. She has travelled extensively and lived in China, Thailand, Australia, New Zealand and, most recently, Syria where political unrest forced her to return to the UK, her blog was an irresistible first- hand account of the disintegration of a country, her poetry about that experience moving and profound.

She has a first class honours degree in English Language and Literature and is a qualified teacher and currently teaches English and Creative Writing alongside writing a novel and a collection of poetry.
‘My writing explores our relationship with time and place; nature; freedom and responsibility; that good old fashioned notion, ‘love’; the journey we are all on within ourselves and what it means to be a woman, in our world, now. This last is also called feminism but, like the other themes, it is really just a questioning of the world from the only perspective I know. Most importantly, I try to be honest, though that can be the hardest thing.’

Tue 14th Scribal Gathering, the crown, Stony Stratford, 8pm;
Scribal Gathering is hosting an evening of awareness and fundraising in support of Ted’s Gang, a Stony Stratford-based charity dedicated to raising awareness of and research for Shwachman Diamond Syndrome, an inherited genetic condition that affects digestion, growth, immunity, bone marrow, teeth, skeletal development and a few other things besides. About 30% of those with SDS go on to develop AML, the worst kind of leukaemia. All proceeds collected on the night will be donated to Ted’s Gang. But none of the money goes to Ted – it all goes to research and education. Find out more at http://www.tedsgang.co.uk.

This month’s show brings a special headline performance from The Last Quarter and a first time featured appearance for the new Bard of Stony Stratford, Richard Frost.

There will be the usual open-minded open mic, welcoming all performers of any style, genre, medium or mindset to come and share their creativity, express themselves accordingly and entertain strangers for fun but no money. The money, of course, all going to a very good cause.

Where: The Crown, Market Square, Stony Stratford

When: Second Tuesday of every month. Always has been. But still you ask…

How: Sign up for open mic on the night. Arrive early to get on the list. Or, better still, let us go for the first hour at least with nobody on the list, then all show up at once and say you’ve been there ages.

Join us…

Tue 14thMouth & Music,BHG, Boar’s Head, 39 Worcester Street, DY10 1EW Andrew Owens, Math Jones, William Shatspeare, Chrissy Velveteen, Ryan Peters, Heather Wastie, Ian Passey, Cass Osborn, Andy Kirk & Sarah Tamar

Our reputation is building! So much so that one of our featured artists this month is travelling all the way from Manchester to be with us! We’re over the moon that

DOMINIC BERRY
“Manchester’s queer vegan poet”

has agreed to appear alongside local stars

JOHNNY GASH & THE BLEEDING CAT FACES

Dominic has been described thus: “Exuberant, lively, expressive and totally nuts, Dominic owns the stage.” (Writers Connect)

And “Johnny Gash combines the demeanour, wit, and appearance of Jarvis Cocker with the melancholic madness of Morrissey, in an unholy alchemy of the absurd” (Gary Longden)

Heather Wastie will be MC

Comments from last month’s featured performers:
“I love the Kidderminster poets & always enjoy performing there.” Ddotti Bluebell
“… the best spoken word/music evening I have been to for a long time and it was a huge privilege to headline it!”
Shambollix

Open floor sign-up from 7.30
Admission £3 (free to performers)

Get there early to book your spot. If it looks likely there’ll be a big turn-out, we’ll be downstairs rather than in the Gallery. We don’t want to alarm the Gallery floor again!!

Presented by KAF Creatives
http://www.kafcreatives.org.uk

Wed 15thStorytelling Cafe, Kitchen Garden Cafe, York rd, Kings heath, third Wed.with Ben Haggerty
http://www.kitchengardencafe.co.uk/events.php?pid=main

Wed 15th Templar Poetry, Lamb & Flag, The Tything, Worcester, 8pm; Open mic, third Wednesday, Alex officiates

Thurs 16thOuse Muse, Harpurs, 46-48 Tavistock St Bedford, MK40 2RD.Third Thursday, 7.30pm start Open mic. Ian McEwan organises

Thur 16th Hit the Ode, Victoria PH, John Bright St (Behind the Alex Theatre) Birmingham,B1 1 BN 7.30pm, £5 in
Hit the Ode brings the most exciting poets from the region, the country and the world to the heart of Birmingham. Join us! We have poems. Poems which contain small parts, unsuitable for unsupervised play; poems scored for philharmonic orchestras and rush-hour traffic; poems with wind-up mechanisms. Good poems. Come and get them.

Featuring:

Brenda Read-Brown: Gloucestershire Poet Laureate and seasoned slam veteran, Brenda shifts from the funny to the poignant effortlessly.

Ben Mellor: Poet, playwright, actor, rapper, educator – Manchester’s Ben Mellor likes to keep himself busy. Fresh off a tour of Australia, he finally brings his wit and skills to Birmingham.
http://www.benmellor.net/

Rhian Edwards: Rhian’s first collection of poems Clueless Dogs (Seren) was shortlisted for the Forward Prize for Best First Collection 2012. Rhian also won the John Tripp Award for Spoken Poetry 2011-2012, winning both the Judges and Audience award, which is the highest accolade for a performance poet in Wales. A Brum first!
http://www.rhianedwards.co.uk/

Tickets – £5

A very few open mic slots will be available on the door.

Fri 17thWriters Bloc, Boerma Bar, University of Birmingham, Students Union , Edgbaston, 7.30 free in with Ben Norris, open mic poetry, third Fri in term time

Fri 17thWednesbury Open Mic Open Mic Poetry,Wednesbury Museum and Art Gallery ,7.30 pm, £3, with Den Payne, third friday

Sat 18th Earth Hour St Johns Church, Worcester, 7pm:£7in,
Yes, the weather stopped us in our tracks last time, but not to be outdone we’re back with Earth Hour II.

A low-impact evening of music, poetry, spoken word and fun!

Transition Worcester and The Worcestershire Literary Festival have again joined hands to raise awareness of Earth Hour. (with thanks to our sponsors.)

Tickets £7 to incude drinks and buffet. £3 for under 16’s.

There is also a “green” raffle with prizes either made or recycled and environmentally friendly. We may tempt you with little snippits of what we have to raffle as we get them in…

Performers confirmed so far are: (more to be added)

Mike Alma
Amanda Bonnick
Mat Brockington
Catherine Crosswell
Susan Davidson
DAME Maggie Doyle
Myfanwy Fox
Kathy Gee
Ian Glass
Prof. Andrew Green
Jenny Hope
Math Jones
Holly Magill
Cass Osbourn
Dave Reeves & accordion
Dec Sharma and Anya
SpaceBetween
Mike Thomas
Lisa Ventura
Claire Walker
Suz Winspear
John “The Druid” Xzavian

It all starts at 7.00pm GMT at St. Johns in the Bedwardine Church, St Johns, Worcester, WR2 5BS

Parking in the church’s carpark which is on the Bromyard Road opposite the library [and use the library carpark if open, Martin will talk to the manager to see if the barrier can stay up.

Sun 19thPoems and Pints The Swan Inn,18 Stafford Street Town Centre, Stone ST15 8QW, 4-6pm, Third Sunday

————————————————–

Mon 20th Wordsmiths @ Warwick

In this regular monthly series, poets come together in a celebration of all things spoken, sharing secrets and tales in an intimate performance space.

If you are not familiar with the names then this is your chance to witness local, national and international poets sharing stories and opinions as they engage in no-holds-barred conversation.

Previous wordsmiths include Lemn Sissay, Zoe Brigley, Kate Tempest, Polarbear and Inua Ellams.

Wordsmiths & Co. is a collaboration between Apples and Snakes and Nine Arches Press, with support from Warwick Arts Centre and Bloodaxe Books.

Mon 20 May host Jo Bell returns with wonderful wordsmiths Deborah Tyler-Bennett, Joe Coghlan, Hannah Silva & Helen Ivory.

Joe Coghlan is a writer and performer who blends the rhythms and rhyme schemes of rap with the breathing space of great story telling. Joe has been performing at clubs, spoken word nights, theatres and festivals around the UK for more than a decade and has been commissioned to write, perform and deliver workshops by companies such as, Writing East Midlands, Friction Arts and Apple & Snakes. Joe is also currently being mentored by Jean ‘Binta’ Breeze MBE, as part of the ‘Final stage’ project run by Writing East Midlands and Renaissance One. The book ‘Raw light and Shadows’ will be Joe’s first collection of writing, an autobiographical work focusing on the stories of the people who have had the greatest influence on his life so far.

——————————————————————————–

Deborah Tyler-Bennett’s current collection is Revudeville (King’s England, 2011): sequences united by images from visual art. In 2010 her collection Pavilion appeared (Smokestack) set in Brighton and inspired by dandies. Her chapbook collection of three portraits in poems, Mytton… Dyer… Sweet Billy Gibson… was published in 2011 by Nine Arches Press. She works as a poet for many national galleries and museums, including workshops for the Science Museum, the National Gallery, the Collection, the Usher Gallery, recently being resident poet for Sussex Day at the Royal Pavilion’s Tearooms, Brighton. In summer 2010 she was a Poetry Lives Here resident writer at Keats House, Hampstead.

——————————————————————————–

Hannah Silva has shown her work internationally including at the Tokyo Design Centre, Krikri International Festival of Polyphony in Belgium and Poetry Hearings in Berlin. She has performed her poetry throughout the UK at festivals including Latitude, the Edinburgh Fringe, Ledbury Festival and Stanza. Her solo show Opposition toured nationally 2011-12 and was described by What’s on Stage as ‘radical, political, courageous’. Hannah has written for Radio 3 and regularly appears on The Verb. She is currently directing her play ‘The Disappearance of Sadie Jones’, touring a new solo work ‘The Total Man’ with Electronic Voice Phenomena and is Playwright in Residence at the Lady Eleanor Holles School. Her poetry is featured in anthologies from Penned in the Margins, Avalanche Books and Bloodaxe.

——————————————————————————–

Helen Ivory is a poet and artist. Her fourth Bloodaxe Books collection is Waiting for Bluebeard (May 2013) She has co-edited with George Szirtes In Their Own Words: Contemporary Poets on their Poetry Salt 2012. She teaches for the Arvon Foundation, The Poetry School and mentors for the Poetry Society. She edits the webzine Ink Sweat and Tears and is an editor for The Poetry Archive. Her poetry collection The Breakfast Machine (Bloodaxe 2012) has been praised as “mischievously dark, rich with anti-logic and harnessed to the power of something we used to call magic” (Katy Evans-Bush).

Mon 20th Gorilla Slam, The Hop, Fitzwilliam St, Sheffield,

New Venue ”The Hop” so hop on to it 🙂 Tell everyone you know so we can make it a pack out night. Great Ale, Great Drinks, Good Food and a Stage with a Microphone. The venue is big and easy to find.

Sam Rules

Each poem must be of the poet’s own construction
Each poet gets three minutes (plus a ten-second grace period) to read one poem
If the poet goes over the time, points will be deducted from the total score(half a point for every ten seconds)
Five judges will then score the poet and the points will be added up.\\The scores will range from 0.0 to 10.9, with the highest score being 54.5. The best scoring poet will go through to the next round.
To ensure impartiality, judges cannot be related in any way to the poet
If the audience disagrees with a judge’s decision on a poet’s scoring, the audience get
involved by either booing or cheering as the scores are being read out. Judges will have a
final chance to change their scores at the end of each round if they become swayed by the
audience
No costumes or props

See you all there for another great night of poetry.

WHO WANTS A SLOT?
The Hop Sheffield,Unit 14, West One Plaza, Fitzwilliam Street, S1 4JB

Check out the Slam Leader Board http://www.gorillapoetry.co.uk/w/doku.php?id=the_team

Tues 21st Purple Penumbra, Langley Theatre, Oldbury, 7.30pm.

Spoken word from some regulars and one or two others and some fine music from the very talented
Christopher Johnston.

In the Theatre Bar of The Barlow Theatre,
(Oldbury Rep) Langley, B69 4SP

Free in (donations accepted)
Bar drinks available
_______________________________________

May flowers puncture April’s soggy soil
and wisdom loses out to hormone rush
from young bright things to thrusting Casanovas
and those who should know better at their age.

Three weeks into May – the twenty-first –
spoken word performers here will burst
with verbiage of dread and joy and hope
to celebrate the birth of Alexander Pope

“But now secure the painted vessel glides,
The sun-beams trembling on the floating tides:
While melting music steals upon the sky,
And soften’d sounds along the waters die;”

Well, anyway, you’re welcome to attend
because you are a Facebook/poet friend
and, should you wish to spout or play a lyre
then all will wonder at your passion’s fire.

_______________________________________
HOW TO GET THERE:

Bus services:
126 from Birmingham to Wolverhampton, ten minutes from the Navigation bus stop, and
120, Birmingham to Dudley just two minutes from Rhodia Works bus stop, Station Road, Langley.

Train services:
6 minute walk from Langley Green railway station.

Car:
Put B69 4SP in your satnav, or…
From the M5, Junction 2,
at the big island take the 4th exit onto the A4034 (Churchbridge)
take the first right at the traffic light (slip road) B4170, Park Street/Park Lane towards Langley
at the Langley Green island, keep left on B4182, Park Lane
take the first right into Whyley Walk
The free car park is 60 metres on your left.
The Barlow Theatre, (or Oldbury Rep) is in front of you.

Tues 21st Confab cabaret 2, Re-con, 4 Church St, Malvern WR14 2AY

The return of a most fantastical night, a smorgasbord of delicious delight… Back by ridiculously popular demand! Oh, and what a luscious line-up we have for you, ladies and gentlemen.

There will be poetry, music, burlesque, a disco ball, The Silliest Raffle plus Prepare To Share for any of you with a Two Minute Talent to parade. BEWARE! One nanosecond over your allotted time and you’ll be booted off. Ever so nicely.

Also introducing our NEW FEATURE Myfanwy’s Fox Pops where you, dear audience, can tell us your most marvellous ideas for Malvern.

The marvellous line-up includes:

Brenda Read-Brown – Gloucestershire Poet Laureate
Al Barz – Walsall Poetry King With Keyboard
Rapunzel Wizard – Herefordshire Hairy Hero
Johnny Gash and The Bleeding Catfaces – Weird Warblings
Scarlett O’Sparkle – Burlesque Beauty

PLUS Star Bar Turn from Sam Ware, Resident Beardy Bar Bard.

According to SLAP magazine, Amy Rainbow and Catherine Crosswell’s first ConFab was ‘a resounding success’ and ‘a feast of spoken word and cabaret that should be double underlined in everyone’s diary’. Who are we to disagree?

Be there!

Tues 21st The Telling Space, Mythstories, *NEW VENUE* (relocated from Wem) Mythstories,The Shrewsbury Coffeehouse,5 Castle Gates, SY1 2AE,Wem, Shropshire,The club meets on the 4th Tuesday of every month unless otherwise stated. Please check the website under ‘opening hours and events’ http://www.mythstories.com or contact Dez or Ali on 01939 235500 for further information.

Meet at 7 pm for refreshments (bring food to share) or at 7.30 pm for stories. A chance to listen or an opportunity to tell. Admission is free.

The Club meets at Mythstories, the Morgan Library, Aston Street, Wem, Shropshire, SY4 5AU.

Tues 21st Stafford Knott storytelling Club, Ye Olde Rose And Crown,10 Market Street, ST16 2JZ Stafford
If you are already a lover of performance storytelling or if you’d like to find out more – or if you have a story to tell, here’s some great news! Tuesday April 23rd saw the opening of a new storytelling club and venue in one of the best pubs in Stafford. Brazilian storyteller Ana Lines and English storyteller Cath Edwards are the hosts at The Olde Rose and Crown and are thrilled with plans to welcome some wonderful tellers over the coming months.

Wed 22ndPackhorse PoetsThe Packhorse Inn, Crowdecote, near Longnor,Derbys on the fourth Wednesday of each month

Thur 23rd Bilston Voices, Cafe Metro, Church St Bilston, 7.30pm: with Marion Cockin guesting for Emma Purshouse, £3 in
Spoken word featuring Veronica Shepherd, Greg Stokes, Ian Henery, Jane Seabourne and Win Saha

Thurs 23rdUtter , Storytelling Night,Thimblemill Library,Thimblemill Rd, Bearwood,B67 5RJ 7-10pm, Cath Edwards hosts, fourth Thursday
Utter Bearwood is a new performance storytelling venue for adults in Thimblemill Library, Thimblemill Road, Smethwick B67 5RJ. 0121 429 2039 . Doors open 7pm for a 7.30pm start, until 10pm.

THURSDAY23RD, Matt Black, STRUTTS CENTRE, Derby Road, Belper DE56 1UU, 7-9 pm £5

An Evening With MATT BLACK, Derbyshire Poet Laureate + BELPER JOE, Labourer, Philosopher, Seller of Broadsheets.

Matt will read serious and humorous poems celebrating Derbyshire people and places, and poems from his sequence about Belper Joe, a local character, and his escapades during the Enlightenment and on the Fringes of the Lunar Society. Belper Joe poems include visits to the Pudding Club in Derby, his talks with Joseph Wright about light, experiments involving electric shocks being passed through 300 Carthusian monks holding hands, and how Belper Joe may have sowed the seeds for the writing of Frankenstein, whilst having tea with Mary Shelley.

Fri 24thThe Old Cottage Tavern , Byrkley St,eet, Burton-upon-Trent DE14 2JJ Open mic,7.30

Fri 24th & Sat 25th Quadrophenia at Tamworth Assembly Rooms. Pete Townsends rock opera is brought to life with the Pinch playing live and mal Dewhirst providing additional poetic material.
For the interview with Mal Dewhirst

Quadrophenia at Tamworth Assembly Rooms is previewed by poet and contributor Mal Dewhirst

For the interview with Simon Quinn

Quadrophenia at Tamworth Assembly Rooms is previewed by Director Simon Quinn

For more information on The Pinch
http://www.thepinch.net

For ticket information:

http://www.tamworthassemblyrooms.co.uk/

Sat 25th Double Spake,Lenchford Inn, Shrawley Worcester WR6 6 6TB, 7pm.
Brewers’ Troupe

present

BLACK COUNTRY DOUBLE SPAKE

Black Country life, warts and all, delivered in rhyme,
from wistful melancholy to side-splitting hilarity.

with Black Country poets

HEATHER WASTIE & BRENDAN HAWTHORNE

“Funny, poignant, gritty, blunt and surprisingly moving, Brewers’ Troupe’s interpretation of Black Country culture translates itself to anyone from anywhere because all human life is there.”
Bewdley Festival

“Great fun. Great atmosphere.”
Hope Pole Inn, Bewdley

£10 per head including food.
Faggots ‘n’ pays with mash
Bread ‘n’ butter pud with custard

Tel 01905 620229
http://www.thelenchfordinn.co.uk
http://www.brewerstroupe.co.uk
Sun 26thRhyme and Tells at the Six Bells in Bishops Castle, Shropshire,Meets every 4th Sunday of the month (except for public holidays) at 8 pm – 10.30 pm. It is free admission and an open session for poetry, prose and storytelling.

For further details please contact Mike on 01588 680685 .

—————————————————–

Tues 28th Word Wizards Buckingham Hotel, Buxton, 7.30pm, £3 in, Rob Stevens comperes

Tues 28thWednesbury Library.7pm Poems, short stories, acoustic music and poetry/music fusion and audience members most welcome with Brendan Hawthorne

Tues 28th Poetry Bites, Kitchen garden cafe , kings heath, 7,30pm,£5in The Decadeent Divas headline.

Wed 29th 42 @ Drummonds, Worcester
Waning Gibbous Moon / Dark Tales, Gothic, Horror, Sci-fi & Fantasy event “42 Worcester” last Wednesday of the month at Drummonds, Worcester 7pm for a 7:30pm start. MC Andrew Owens.

Confirmed performers include:

Maggie Doyle
Math Jones
Suz Winspear
Andrew Owens
Polly Robinson
Damon Lord
Tana Durham
Jodie Rose McLoughlin
Andy Kirk
Io Osborn
Ian Ward
Timothy Stavert
Michael R. Brush

Find the Right Words, Embrace arts, Behind Regent college, Lncaster Rd.Leicester LE1 17A, 7.30 pm,last Thursday,Two top guest poets

Zia Ahmed http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vtzZ7BycBfg

Laura Dedicoat http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eIIusO-xaNk
Ten open mic spots available, 5 before hand and 5 on the door.

£5/£4 conc entry

Fri 31st Hollie Mc Neish @ Level Up,The Fusion Center, High street Deritend, Digbeth, Birmingham, B5 6DY.5.30pm start

Okay guys, Episode 2 was AMAZING ! The quality of poets who took to the mic were phenominal … Lets see if we can top it for Episode 3 !!
Again Open Mic Slots availabe (age 12-19), FREE to attend so get sharing this event,Doors open at 5:30pm to hang out
A great chance to network , relax and enjoy !! THE PERFORMANCES will begin at 7:00 and the features are….
Damani Dennisur – Our young featured performer As well as the wonderful and truly inspirational, Hollie Mcnish – Our main featured act, This is not an episode to miss !! so please get sharing, come along with freinds/family and more importantly – GET INVOLVED !! Feel Free to invite others to this event

Fri 31st Word Up, Yorks bakery, Newhall St, Birmingham,B3 7pm,Join us for Word Up this May where we will be keeping it real! Amidst all the revision, exams, stress, and everyday-life, you NEED to take time out for this extravaganza. Because you DO have time! 😉 We’ll provide a FREE night of assorted spoken word, while Yorks bakery (www.yorksbakerycafe.co.uk) will happily indulge you in refreshments. Have a question? Want a slot? Message us on here (fb), email us at: word–up@hotmail.com, or tweet us: @wordup_brum

———————————————————————————–June Trailer————-

Sun 2nd Buzzwords, Exmouth Arms,Bath Road Cheltenham, Gloucestershire GL53 7LX, 7pm Workshop, open mic

Sun 2nd Sunday Xpress Doors 1500, Start 16:30 Adam & Eve Bradford Street, Birmingham B12 0JD Open mic
jameskennedycentral@yahoo.co.uk

Mon 3rd SW&N ClubThe Newhampton Inn, Riches Street (off Newhampton Road West) Wolverhampton WV6 0DW 8pm £3 in,Storytelling, poetry, a tune, or a song!

Tues 4th Night Blue Fruit, Coventry,7.30pm start, free in, Tony Owen hosts-open mic sign up on the night.

We’ll also have a longer slot from Carol Robson who has supported Spire Writes from the start and whose book ‘Words of Darkness and Light’ was published last year.

As usual, it’s free entry and everyone is welcome to read a short poem at open mic – let me know if you’d like to sign up for a slot.

Wed 5th June The Vault, Church St, Rugby, CV21 3 PT, 7.30pm, £3 in, Three poets, two DJS,one musician three film shorts.

opneresistance@hotmail.co.uk

Thurs 6th Good Impressions Spoken word, Cafe Impression, Atkins Building Hinckley, LE10 1QU,7.30pm £5in Hosted by Tom Phillips,ist Thursday Monthly

Thurs 6th Blackdrop Open Mic @ Canal House Bar, Canal Street, Nottm .8-10pm £3

Our event has an open mic, slots are approx 5mins long. Blackdrop is open to over 16s.

Poetry. Story. Comedy. Rap. Hip-hop. Song. Must be own original material. ALL WELCOME.

featuring Nottingham’s very own ALEX MOTORMOUF YOUNG!Alex will be BEATBOXING, SPITTING, FLOWING, AND DROPPING POETRY!

He’s worth every penny! Come on down and bring ya friends.

Thurs 6th Parole Parlate, Old Rectifying House , Worcester, 730 pm, £3 in:

A double event at The Barlow Theatre bar, Langley, in commemoration of Geoff Stevens, the late, great Black Country poet and artist.

Poets are welcome to bring their own books for display/sale.

Food and drink will be available.

SECONDLY:
A few days after his birthday, on the 4th June, a celebration of Geoff Stevens by his partner, Geraldine, and some of his many poetry friends.

Some of Geoff’s artwork and poetry will be on display. Selected works will be read and there will be open mic for his poet friends to add their memories and poetry readings.

It is intended that suitable arrangements will be made for the sustenance of the inner poet, prior to the evening session which will start at about 7:00 pm

Further details will appear here in due course. Details may be subject to change but should add to enjoyment of the day.

Could be irreverent and entertaining. juliemacleanwriter.com

Mon 10th Pub Poetry Nottingham The Canal house, 48-52 Canal Street, Nottingham, NG1 7EH,8pm, 2nd monday : Free in, Open micContact Nick on pubpoetry@nottscomedyfestival.co.uk

Mon 10th pure and good and right, Sozzled Sausage, Leamington Spa, CV32 4NX,
Admission £3 (£2 Student/OAP)
From time to time we are located upstairs, so please let us know if you require disabled access before the event.
If you would like to know more about the night email: pgrpoetry@gmail.com

Tuesday 11th ‘City Voices’, City Bar, King Street, Wolverhampton. WV1 1ST 7.45pm Free admission.

Tuesday 11th ‘Mouth and Music’, the Boars Head Gallery, 39 Worcester Street, Kidderminster, DY10 1EW. 8.00pm Tickets £3.00

Tues 11th Spire Writes, Havana Whites,12 Corporation St, Chesterfield. 7.30pm, Open Mic, Helen Mort officiates,

Fri 14th Open Mic, Wednesbury Museum & Art Gallery, 7.30pm, free in

Fri 14th Wednesbury Art Gallery and Museum, open mic poetry, 7.30pm, free admission

Sat 15th Scribal Gathering at the waterside, Stony Stratford noon

There will also be featured performances every half hour from a selection of the many fine performers of music and spoken word that we have welcomed onto our stage over the last three years.

This will be the third year of Scribal at Waterside. So established are we, we are now referred to as Stage 3. See their website for the full listings: http://www.watersidefestival.co.uk/

Join us…

Mon 17th June Wordsmiths @ warwick

In this regular monthly series, poets come together in a celebration of all things spoken, sharing secrets and tales in an intimate performance space.

If you are not familiar with the names then this is your chance to witness local, national and international poets sharing stories and opinions as they engage in no-holds-barred conversation.

Previous wordsmiths include Lemn Sissay, Zoe Brigley, Kate Tempest, Polarbear and Inua Ellams.

Wordsmiths & Co. is a collaboration between Apples and Snakes and Nine Arches Press, with support from Warwick Arts Centre and Bloodaxe Books.

——————————————————————————–

Fri 21st Spoken Worlds 19:30 The Old Cottage Tavern , Byrkley St,eet, Burton-upon-Trent DE14 2JJ Open mic gajwriter@btinternet.com

Sat 22nd Poetry and Pints, Globe Inn, Ludlow, 7.30pm, headliners and open mic, a brilliant Ludlow Festival fringe event

Mon 24th Poetry Open Mic, calahouse, Nottingham, 8pm

Tue 25th