Latest News and Views - 21st February 2011

Dear all;

Last week ended up been a bit of a damp quid for me as I went down with

A throat bug and cold that my little nephew has got, and resulted in me

Going off sick which wasn’t very pleasant at the end of the week.

This week as I am not 100% better – I don’t think there will be a lot happening

But I am certainly looking forward to band rehearsals on Tuesday with Jeff

As I am going to try out a possible Keyboard piece with him for future band

Work (Watch this space) and also carrying on work on our latest band 

Piece ‘Before the Curtains Open’.

I am also chairing a writing discussion group on Wednesday night called

‘Poetica’ on Wednesday night at Manchester City Library on Deansgate

In Manchester. I’ve been going to Poetica more off than on nowadays I will 

admit, but I used to go regular certainly from the Middle of 2007 to 

last year, but it can prove a helpful poetry discussion group for writers 

with their work.

Anyway, it starts at 6.30pm and will run onto around 8.00pm or something

So I believe.

Friday this week although I won’t be attending is ‘Friday Night Live’

With my guitarist and partner in Half Evil Promotions, Jeffarama

Over at Butterflies in Bolton fronted by the wonderful Second Hand

Wings who were last time I saw them a three piece female led group

Who really are well worth checking out.

Next Week however will be Guitars and Verse which’ll be fun

As always.

Latest News and Views - Week Commencing 14th Feb 2011

Dear all;

Sorry for the lateness in this week’s posting, but I got a little busier

than I expected in the beginning of the week and never really

caught up with myself then.

But anyway to business, I have already been to two nights (Sunday

and Monday) both Write Out Loud related nights in Bolton and Stockport.

The Bolton one was ran by my good friend and guitarist in my band,

Jeffarama who even persuaded me to go and do some MCing for him

(which I had done twice before over the past few years but never

really felt comfortable doing), and had a really top time doing.

The art that Jeff is developing so, so well at  W.O.L. Bolton

is the encouraging factor for all ages and all ability.

In some ways, it reminded me of the way ‘Freed Up Poets’ in

Manchester back in 2008  when I first started going as you didn’t

know what was going to happen from performer to performer.

All in all, here there were 19 performers here and I think 32

or 33 in the audience in total and for a small bar like Butterflies

in Bolton, that is good going.

I myself read ‘Memories of Moss Side (1981) with Jeffarama

which is our latest piece about my memories of the Moss Side

riots (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jg114E1oBN0)

and then ‘Before the Curtains Open’ complete with cuddly toy

(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kfsIJhWeh8Q)

Monday, I went over to W.O.L. Stockport. Stockport in total

contrast to Bolton is a lot, lot quieter and I think attracts maybe

12 people or so (It got 14 I think that night) and is read around

in a circle.

It wasn’t anywhere near as good as W.O.L. Bolton to put it

honestly as I am not convinced the standard of writing is

anywhere near as good, but I enjoyed road testing two brand

new pieces there ‘Peterloo’ which is about a massacre in the

centre of Manchester in 1819 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VaPjFHLuM04)

and another new one about witnesses to a murder called ‘Witness’.

bit of early days for both of these to decide what happens

next with them, but if they go well in rehearsal next few weeks

they may appear on other nights either with my band or solo.

No plans for any more performances now until Guitars and Verse

in March, but I will be active doing other stuff next week too

(More news to come).



Week Commencing 7th February 2011

Week Commencing 07 Feb 2011

God, where has the year gone already – only seems

Like a few days since Christmas and we are always

Well heading into February.

Last week itself was the usual rehearsals with Jeffarama

For ‘A Means to an End’ which tightened up our

Newest piece ‘Memories of Moss Side (1981) which

Jeff has produced a very Peter Hook Bass-line onto

It which gives it a pace like running footsteps which

I think works really well with the piece.

We performed it at the 6^th Guitars and Verse event

Last Thursday at Butterflies @ Bolton which was

Certainly the busiest of the 6 nights we have

Done yet, and without bragging too much got 18

People / acts on the open mike and a excellent

Injin Joe who was only little more than a kid

But were mega talented and an audience of

Over 45 at its peak, which pleased me a heck of

A lot.

This week as it stands, I won’t be doing much

As I am back in work after a few days off although

I do have more band rehearsals on Tuesday, where

I hope to have finished a new piece called ‘Peterloo’

(Google it if you are interested as it’s a forgotten

Piece of Manchester history) and we’ll jam around

With a few things and maybe perform at Write Out

Bolton next Sunday. 

Latest Views and Chills - Week Commencing 30th January 2011

Dear all;


After the lateness of last week - I thought I would type up this week coming's
news and views before I go to bed and no doubt then totally forget about it
until about Thursday again.

First of all - my band did a couple of songs at the beginning of my guitarist
Jeffarama's new band 'Acoustic night at Butterflies' Friday just gone. If I
am honest - it was a very difficult couple of songs to do, but when you
are in a new band (or newish here), everything is a experience and a noisy,
drunken crowd is just one of those things you have to put up with sometimes
and I came away with drafts of three new poems (or was it four) that looked
quite promising which I need to sit down and have another look at.

Week-end otherwise I ended up seeing Cathy and suffered watching the
Manchester City today which wasn't that clever but it's one of the perks
I have following Manchester City. This week however, I have the now
regular rehearsal night for 'A Means to an End'. We rehearsed out a
new number last week 'Memories of Moss Side' which I am looking
forward to exploring further with.

If this goes well - am hoping to have a crack at performing this at
my guitarist's Jeff night at Butterflies 'Guitars and Verse' which I think
is starting to go great guns now. According to the Half Evil Promotions
blog (which me and Jeff are part off - http://halfevilpromotions.blogspot.com/2011/01/guitar-n-verse-with-injun-joe.html), a gent called Injun Joe who I don't know personally
but have been told is a excellent young singer songwriter is headlining
so am hopeful it'll be another excellent night.

Rest of the week - I will be waiting patiently in the post when
not in work hoping for the arrival of my valentine's present I ordered
online last week. If it comes out like I think it will, I'll have a announcement
to make over the next few weeks.

And ontop of that, I am looking forward to exploring these new poems again.

Have fun

Andy N

Latest News as of 27th January 2011

Dear all;

This week has gone somewhat quicker than I expected,

as I planned to type this originally on a Sunday night

and next thing I know it’s Thursday afternoon.  

Anyway, first of all – Half Evil Promotions have

a gig on this Friday coming featuring the beautiful

and talented singer songwriter from Isle of Man,

Clara Barker headlining with able support from

Danny Lipbody and Kate Hannah.

It’s on this Friday 28^th January 2011 at Butterflies

bar in Bolton, starting I think at 7.30pm and

admission is a £1 (Get there early enough and

You may well see my new band ‘A Means to

an End’ play a few numbers too).

I know also there is a Guitars and Verse gig

coming up the following week with a headline

act whose name I currently forget on Thursday

which I’ll mention when I next write.

Monday Night was quiet, but Tuesday night

was the latest rehearsal for my band also. Can’t

say too much too yet, but we had the beginnings

of an excellent, excellent piece on the way too

called ‘Memories of Moss Side (1981)’ which

is about the riots in 1981.

Have also now confirmed an additional Half

Evil related event for April 16^th 2011 also

in Droylsden.. More details to follow shortly.

And I am also finding time for work on

a new piece about ‘Peterloo’ (which if you don’t

know what this is, research it as it’s interesting

history).

So all go as normal.

A Means to an End - Live Paradox January 2011 Pictures

New Poem 'Before the Curtains Open'

My latest poem 'Before the Curtains Open'
can now be read on Write Out Loud on:

http://www.writeoutloud.net/public/blogentry.php?blogentryid=18744