Gigs, news and other views - 15th October 2011

Dear all;

Sorry for the quietness as always but here is what I have been up to in little bullet sized points etc:

1) First of all, helped Jeffarama (aka Jeff Dawson) with Guitar and Verse on Thursday 6th October 2011 at the Crescent, Salford. Although perhaps a little quiet (made noiser by me missing the step getting onto the stage and nearly knocking myself out - lol), the night had two good headliners Indigo from the Open Mike Collective who read a particularly diverse set I felt of material that certainly went far beyond just straight poetry in places AND as a headline act, the Vanity Project who I felt for a new band (I believe they formed only maybe six months ago) played some top notch folk pop tunes and who I felt are really are a act to watch. check out their website and listen to their tracks in particular 'We will rise' which in an world of any justice should crack the top ten alone!

2) After that, I've also been over to Write Out Loud's monthly Stockport night at Stockport Art Gallery on Monday 10th October. Considering, the weather was so poor it was sickening and there was a book launch on in Withington and another in Chorlton and another open mike night on in the centre of Manchester, the night attracted enough people to allow us all to have a good laugh and I read out two new poems, a brand new revision of a very old poem, Heather (who barely contained anything from the first version and was also read out at Guitar and Verse the previous week) and Catalogue Number (which was a dig I guess at somebody I used to know a long time ago)

3) Bury also had a night on last friday just gone also 14th October 2011 called Bury Light Night which was a lovely Autumn night out and there was tons of events with loads of people out. I performed at a special open mike night run by Gemma Lees, author of A method in my madness (which I need to review too) where I
read out 'Revenge is a dish best served cold' from my first book Return to Kemptown, 'Before the Curtains Open' from the upcoming second book 'A means to an End' and a brand new one wrote specially for the occasion 'The Best holiday I never went to'. It was a good fun night with some good poets on - Rod Tame, Charlotte Henson and Katie Haigh been the ones I know been top notch and tons of others I didn't know who were mostly really good too.

4) Little Lark Press also have a collection of poetry coming out next year on the theme of Addiction. I am pleased to announce that one of my pieces, Heather has been accepted for this.

Next up, news wise..

5) Guitar n Verse! 4 Tyldesley - Martin Ian, Gordon Zola & Bob Kettle -

Simply Tasty Too Cafe, Elliott St, Tyldesley M29 8DR on Saturday 22 October 2011 - 19.00 - 23.00.. Tickets are £3 in advance off Jeff Dawson

The End of Summer (IV)

Coastlines and Arcades

turn grey

and shutters on gates

dangle in the wind

like clapping hands.

Leaves carry themselves

across the road

like they are mourners

looking for a funeral,

until the nights and days

sink into one

making it appear

that nothing will rise above

the tip of the horizon.

Nothing


Nothing but the coldness
of the air
which makes the kiss
of young lovers 
in the distance 
seem like 
a necessarily sacrifice. 

Gigs news and other bits and pieces of news - Week Commencing 03/10/2011

Dear all;

Not really had tons of time recently for news update as I have been running round with interviews, keeping up with other half and writing in general.

In bullet sized points anyhow as I enjoyed doing this last time..

1) My band 'A Means to an End' did a top notch set at Didsbury Arts Festival on Monday 26th September 2011 where we did a near two hour set to a fairly packed pub of say 60 or so people, and was pretty pleased with the way it came out all in all. (Photos on previous entry on blog - thanks to Amanda and Cathy for displaying such eagle eyeness on the cameras)

2) Straight after two nights later, last minute I ended up doing a near 15 minute set for the Open Mind Collective at TV 21 in the Northern Quarter in Manchester. Although I do generally prefer doing things with my band nowadays, I like to think I did okay with this and managed to plug Guitar and Verse (will talk about this in a minute) and also about my and Jeff's forthcoming book. Lots of good acts on there including Miscach, a young poet from WOL Stockport I know and Anna Percy, a regular on the Manchester Poetry Circuit did good too. Highlight of the night however was a urban / pop duo called The Serpahims who may not have been my usual cup of tea music wise did a really good set and rightly got offered a hour long set headlining in February next year which will worth watching I bet.

3) Last night (Monday 3rd October 2011) I did a support slot for Bury Poet Gemma Lees for her first book 'Method in my madness'. I'd known Gemma for a few years or so I guess, and had always liked her and her writing but was really pleased how much her performance had come on last night - she simply was brilliant last night and I certainly look forward to reading her book (Review to follow). Other poets that stuck in my mind last night that was really good too were Charlotte Henson who was only 17 but had such a natural gift in her writing that had my Cathy saying on the way back, she was almost as good as Gemma, Katie Haigh who read a really moving poem about her hometown (which made Cathy say it really reminded her of her hometown and she lives no where near there) and Val Cook an experienced writer who I hadn't seen in ages and ages from Bolton.

4) Next up aside from rehearsals with Jeffarama tonight for 'a Means to an End' is Guitar and Verse this thursday at The Crescent in Salford, featuring headline acts 'The Vanity Project' who kept reminding me of a classic English acoustic / folk group and Indigo from Open Mind Collective as a poet. I am not sure what I will be doing there yet, but I will probably be doing a few poems from the 'A Means to an End' book.

5) After that, it's over to Write Out Loud, Stockport this Monday coming (Monday 10th October) at Stockport Art Gallery where I should have ready by then around 4 or 5 brand new poems (Wrote a lot last month) for road testing etc.

6) Gemma Lees's Write Out Loud Middleton night is decamping to Bury on Friday 14th October for a one off, so that may end up getting a visit that night (Need to double check where) too which will be fun if I can go.

More gigs are in the pipeline too, which I'll announce in due course and other news are lots of things are under discussion and in the planning stage.

Pictures from 'An Means to an End's gig at Didsbury Arts Festival, 28th September 2011