Week Commencing 11th July 2011



After the franticness of the past few weeks, it was only natural

You would think it was only natural with it’s been the heart

Of the summertime, I would be quietening things down somewhat.

Last week wasn’t the case of course.

Tuesday first of all involved the latest in band rehearsals with Jeff.

Things are going great guns there at the moment as Jeff’s guitar playing

is really picking up at the moment I think and we are both producing

good lyrics. Touch wood on new members coming onboard

soon also too.

Wednesday, besides heading over to Cathy’s.. I also popped

into doing a gig at Manchester City Library called

‘Poetica: Bring your Knitting II’. Poetica is a well established

writing discussion group there since 2006 or 2007 or something

and the group meets there regularly and does the occasional reading.

In this case, in 2009 as part of the Not Part of Festival, they did a

reading where besides the regular poets, they openly encouraged

people to bring along their knitting to knit. Sounds crazy?

Well, the first one was a major success.

Two years later, they decided to do it again and it had quite a

good attendance if I am honest of certainly around 40 odd people.

Besides of time, I had to go on first and leave at half time, but it

was quite a enjoyable reading and I read out two poems,

One brand new called ‘Dying Slowly’ and the other one I

sometimes do with my band ‘Ghosts of Manchester Victoria’.

The following night, I was over at ‘Guitar and Verse’

@ Butterflies Bar, Bolton – the night I co-run with Jeffarama.

This attracted a similar-ish crowd I guess, but was a good deal

harder by certain acts shall we say be either stupid or arrogant

(I won’t name who) but the night went fine. I read out one very

short poem called ‘Incomplete Jigsaw’ which went down okay

I guess.

This week coming, I’m over at ‘Read Out Loud’

@ Stockport Art Gallery today from 7.15pm. Places are very

limited on this one so it’s best to book in advance on

0161 474 4453. Not sure what I am going to read yet, but it’ll

probably be ‘Ghosts of Manchester Victoria’ and ‘Leaving Belfast’

(Maybe more if I get time).

Tuesday will be band rehearsals again, where touch wood

we will be trying out a possible third member for the gang.

From Wednesday, I will on leave for a week and a half where I

intend resting as much as possible and for a last gig on

Thursday of this week before a summer break, me and

Jeff will be doing probably three pieces on ‘The Revolution’

cabaret night by Arthur Chappell  This is at Cord Bar, in the

Northern Quarter in Manchester and should be good fun

Have a good week all, folks.

Lots more news to follow next week when off.

Cheers

Andy N

P.S. - The picture was close to where I was yesterday lunchtime
at Manchester Victoria where it really, really threw it down.