Past Events at Morden Tower
Frank Reeve - Poetry and Jazz: Friday 10 July
As a young man Frank Reeve drove combine-harvesters in the Midwest wheat fields and worked as a longshoreman on the Hudson River docks. In the 1960s he worked in Moscow and translated for Robert Frost when he met Nikita Khrushchev
On his first visit to Tyneside, he will be reading from his new book The Blue Cat Walks the Earth, backed by jazz duo John Lake and Phil Paton. The Blue Cat is a cross between Top Cat, Puss in Boots, The Cat in a Hat and Schrödinger’s Cat. He’s a trickster, a prankster, an illusionist and an illusion. Of course, he’s telling the truth. And of course, you don't have to believe him. Nine lives out of ten, the truth is unbelievable.
Start: 8.00pm
Entry: £2.00
Remember to bring your own booze
MeandthetwinS: Thursday 2 July
MeandthetwinS return to play a low key gig at Morden Tower, with support from Rachel and Paul playing their solo material
"MeandthetwinS are an instrumental band that started out in 1998 when Rachel, Laura and Paul met at art college in Hartlepool. They began playing a mix of noisy feedback and quiet acoustic music inspired by a mutual love of Low, Aerial M, Pavement, Mogwai, My Bloody Valentine and Sonic Youth among many others. Their sound changed and became bigger after relocation to Newcastle, when Narbi joined the band to play drums around 2001. Their approach was to make simple, ego-free music that evolved according to its own logic and had a life of its own, allowing songs to come from long practices playing around with different combinations of sounds and feelings. What resulted was a cinematic mix of sounds that could switch from sweet to foreboding in the breadth of a chord change.
Start: 8.00pm
Entry: £4.00
Remember to bring your own booze
Rhodri Davies, Posset, Hapsburg Braganza: Saturday 25 April
Rhodri Davies (electric harp), Posset (tapes), Hapsburg Braganza (laptop and instrument) play as an improvising trio for one night only.
Rhodri Davies has been engaged with improvised music for over fourteen years. He plays harp, electric harp, live electronics and builds wind, water and fire harp installations.
He has performed and recorded with diverse artists including: Derek Bailey, Luc Ferrari, Philip Corner, Jim O'Rourke, Keith Rowe, Evan Parker, Christian Marclay, Sachiko M, Otomo Yoshihide and John Zorn. He also performs and researches contemporary music. He has commissioned new works for the harp by: Carole Finer, Catherine Kontz, Michael Parsons, Tim Parkinson, Ben Patterson, Mieko Shiomi and Yasunao Tone.
Hapsburg Braganza manipulates haunted field recordings, surface noise crackle and plays beautiful guitars with breathy harmonium. He has recently collaborated with the world’s finest esoteric drone musicians Jazzfinger.
Posset has been playing around with small portable tape recorders for the last six or seven years developing his quiet noise. Expect a cranky racket, full of liquid squelches and fast forward scree.
Start: Watch out! This is an early show. Doors open at 7.30pm. Music starts at 8.00pm. All finished by 9.00pm.
Entry: £3.00
Remember to bring your own booze
British Haiku Society:N.E Group. Haiku Workshop: NEW DATE Sunday, 24 May.
Please note the new date for Haiku Workshop - now Sunday 24 May 2.00pm - 5.00pm
on the tree stump
waiting to be eaten
a ripe plum
Fred Schofield
If you'd like to know more about haiku, or wish to improve your haiku-writing skills, come along to a friendly, informal, haiku workshop in the spectacular Morden Tower. Peter Mortimer, founder and editor of Iron Press, will lead the afternoon. Novice and experienced writers welcome.
For further information and to reserve a place, please contact Chris on 0191 421 6694 or chrisphil79@hotmail.com
Start: 2.00pm - 5.00pm
Entry: £3.00 and £2.00 (conc)
Skaters, P.A.R.A., Monopoly Star Child Searches, Charles Dexter Ward: Friday 8th May
NO-FI Presents; Genius US duo SKATERS return to the UK with "their hallucinatory power-vision of channelled vocals inhabiting spectral environs transmuted via the imagined thought-forms of Sun Ra, Angus MacLise, Basil Kirchin and Brion Gysin...two of the most original and consistently mind-blowing underground thinkers". In support comes Labanna Bly and her P.A.R.A. project (check her 'Mermalien' lp on Olde English Spelling Bee) and Spencer 'Skater' Clark's MCSS alter-ego. Opening proceedings will be our own Terry Riley-infused rock cosmonaut Charles Dexter Ward.
Visit www.no-fi.org.uk and the NO-FI RECORDINGS group on Facebook
Start: 8.00pm
Entry:£5.00
Advanced tickets from Alt Vynl, RPM and BeatDown
Tall Tales and Short Stories present "A NIGHT WITH THE VAGABONDS: Friday 20 March
Following the success of National Storytelling Days "WinterTales"; TallTales and ShortStories will host another evening of tales to delight, amaze, shock and enlighten you! Once again the lovely MordenTower will host the unlocking of our wordhoard!
Also featuring music from Paul Martin and Nuala Dalton! Bring your own drink, Sit yeself down and I'll tell ye a tale....
Visit Tall Tales and Short Stories website for more info www.talltalesandshortstories.co.uk
Start: 8.00pm
Entry:£3.00 and £2.00
Haiku Workshop: Sunday, 15 March
another continent
a different bird
starts the dawn chorus
Jane Sunderland
A haiku is, on the surface, a simple poem of (usually) three lines; on looking more deeply, however, you can be rewarded with a feeling so intense that it "knocks your socks off".
Come along to a friendly, informal, haiku workshop in the turret of the spectacular Morden Tower in Newcastle. The afternoon will be led by Fred Schofield and Martin Lucas, both widely published haiku poets.
For further information and to reserve a place, please contact chrisphil79@hotmail.com
Start: 2.00pm - 4.30pm
Sunday School Adventure Club - E.P Launch + support: Saturday 14th March
With support from Frankie and the Heartstrings www.myspace.com/frankieandtheheartstrings and Leon Millar www.myspace.com/leonmillar
Sunday School Adventure Club are a six piece influenced by other indie starlets with good harmonies say Beatles, Kinks, Modest Mouse. Setting themselves apart from every other lush orchestral indie band by introducing both sax and noise to their twee pop ditties along with inventive harmonies and catchy melodies echoing groups of the 60's and 90's.
Join them at the tower for their EP party 'Songs About Other People' www.myspace.com/sundayschooladventureclub
Start: 8.00pm - 11.00pm - Bring Your Own Booze
Entry: £4.00 includes EP
Country Teasers live + support from Les Cox (Sportif) & Stink Taps: Saturday 7th March
Country Teasers Love and hate, beauty and degradation, humour, horror, poison and antidote - all are implicit in the great musical art of the Country Teasers, and they have been delivering the truth to us and revelling in it now since 1993. Led by enigmatic singer/song smith B R Wallers , early Country Teasers albums have been described as sounding like 'William Burroughs leading Joy Division and The Fall through an art damaged set list of country and western songs'
Les Cox (Sportif): Three guys fresh off the hebridean folk circuit take time out of their hectic ceilidh schedule to play something a little more, how shall we say, American? Making the leap from the tabor to the more conventional drum kit is old Harrovian Christo Wallers, while Michael J Patterson swaps his viola for an electric guitar, bass and keyboard, and Chris Rollen (who usually 'calls' and dances for a living) plays electric guitar and sings. In a sense they play 'modern' folk songs, taking tales from everyday life. Of course, punk has happened, so folk can never be the same again, a fact which this band have tried to understand and accommodate in their music. www.myspace.com/lescoxsportifs
Stink Taps: Dave Illing is from York, England. His music is released on Sea Records.
Start: 8.00pm - Get there on time and bring your own booze
Entry: £5.00
Helictite: Friday 6 March
Helicitite, Newcastle's largest free-improvising orchestra descend on Morden Tower for a night of acoustic scrimshaw and heavily knotted tones. For the first time in their history Helictite are playing without the aid of mains electricity. Expect the pitter-patter of hand percussion and the gentle strum of guitars, the timeless bleat of goat pipes and enough gongs to sink a longboat. Supporting Helictite the regal Hapsburg Braganza uses dark arts to open a series of worm-holes. Watch out! The Horse Loom warms the cockles with tales of far-off lands and exquisite fingering. www.myspace.com/helictite
Start: 8.00pm - Entry: £ 3.00
Tall Tales and Short Stories present "WINTER TALES: Tuesday 3 Febuary
An evening of tales to celebrate National Storytelling Week and warm the soul. Also featuring traditional songs of Lindsay Hannon and Paul Martin. View poster here
Bring your own drink!
Start: 8.00pm - 11.00pm
Entry:£3.00 and £2.00
Locked in Beauty - a Wor Language Event: Saturday 13 December - 3.00pm - 9.00pm
Join us on Saturday when we celebrate the life and work of Bill Griffiths. Friends and admirers come together in the Morden Tower to share their memories, read from his and their own work in tribute to a much loved friend, poet and promoter of the Geordie vernacular.
Introduced by Bill Lancaster who will talk about the 'Wor Language Project' and Bill Griffith's extraordinary contribution to the region's awareness of its dialect inheritance.
Follwed by contributions and readings form Clive Fencott, Lee Hall, Alan Halsey, Trevor Joyce, Peter Manson, Maggie O'Sullivan, Tom Pickard, John Seed and Colin Simms promises to make this a rich and memorable tribute to Bill Griffiths.
A wide selection of Griffith's publications including poetry and dialect will be on display from 3.00pm and available for purchase
Light refreshments will be available at the Tower
Start: 3.00pm - 9.00pm
JOSEF VAN WISSEM and C JOYNES with Phil Tyler, Thursday 6th November. NO-FI
English instrumentalist C Joynes - described by Second Layer as "Without doubt the most promising post-Takoma guitarist doing the rounds right now".
Dutch lute player Josef Van Wissem , who's famously taken this mediaeval instrument and kicked up various intricate storms in the company of Gary Lucas, Tetuzi Akiyama and others. Occuring in the hallowed and intimate confines of Morden Tower and opening proceedings will be Phil Tyler (he of our wonderful Cath and Phil....), kicking off the night with his sublime banjo playing.
Start: 7.30pm. Entry: £6
Tickets on sale now from Alt Vynl 61-62 Thornton Street (just off Westgate Road) 0191 222 1213 Map to Alt Vynl Also available from RPM in Newcastle City Centre - 0191 2210 201 Map to RPM and BeatDown
iVAMOS! 2008 FESTIVAL OF LATIN & LUSOPHONE CULTURE: Literature Evening. MON 14 JULY.
In 1936 the Spanish fought to defend their democratically elected government, but were beaten by Franco (with backing from Hitler and Mussolini).
Join us for an evening of readings from 'To Make The People Smile Again' (previously broadcast on the BBC World Service), George Wheeler’s memoir of his experience of the Spanish Civil War. Author Lewis Mates will talk about the role the North East played.
This event is part of the VAMOS! 2008 festival of Latin and Lusophone culture, which runs from 11-20 July. You can learn more about their program of free and ticketed events by visiting www.vamosfestival.com
Start: 8pm
Entry: £3 (proceeds go to International Memorial Trust) book your ticket at www.northernstage.co.uk
KEVIN HEARLE:CALIFORNIAN POET: TUESDAY 10 JUNE
From our earliest days in the life of poetry on the West Walls, Morden Tower has connected with some of the great poets from American West, Ferlinghetti, Creeley, Hirschman, Harper,Hawkins, Meltzer, Duncan. So it is with great pleasure we announce a reading by KEVIN HEARLE. who will be reading in the Toon on the 10th of June.
Hearle is a powerful poet, teacher, a democrat and an outstanding Steinbeck Scholar and editor of Mary Austin. A descendant of the 49ers he has been described as a "genuine poetic talent "appearing in anthologies; 'California Poetry:from the Gold Rush to the Present'. and more locally 'The Poetry Cure' Bloodaxe Newcastle. He will be reading from his book 'Each Thing We Know is Changed Because We Know it' which was a finalist in the National Poetry Series.
Start: 8pm.
Entry: £7 £4 (concs)
LES COX (SPORTIFS) NEVERHEED RELEASE PARTY. Saturday 7 June
With support from Trev Gibb and The Cornshed Sisters, plus full live set from LCS ( as well as your chance to get your mits on you know what ) LIVELIVLIVEEBUYBUYBUY.
Spawned by the spirit of the Star And Shadow cinema, Les Cox Sportif avoided the cull of the foot and mouth epidemic, and have since mutated into musical genius. With a night class certificate from the D.Boon international school of word cram, Les Cox' will rock your socks off, then back on, then back off again with sick knowing pleasure' www.myspace.com/lescoxsportifs
Nee bar, so bring your own Booze! (or you looze).
Start: 8pm Prompt - First performance 8.30pm
Entry: £2 - standard (boring) or £5 + NEVERHEED album (good) or £10 NEVERHEED + Hand printed lCS T shirtx, Strictly Limited. (V.Good)
THE POETRY SCHOOL: TWO EVENINGS OF POETRY. TUESDAY 3 JUNE & WEDNESDAY 4 JUNE.
Two Evenings of Poetry introduced by Collette Bryce.
Tuesday 3 June Featuring: Lindsay Balderson, Jo Colley, Kate Fox, Beda Higgins, Celia McCulloch, Susannah Pickering and Elizabeth Tate.
Wednesday 4 June Featuring: Pat Borthwick, Joanna Boulter, Joan Hewitt, Ally May, Pauline Plummer, Stevie Ronnie, Sue Rylance and Annie Wright.
Start: 8pm.
Entry: Free (donations to the Tower welcome.)
R.B. MORRIS & VIESSELMAN: DOUBLE BILL. MONDAY 2 JUNE. Jumpin Hot Club
R.B. Morris out of Knoxville in the mountains of East Tennessee. He’s a singer-songwriter, poet, playwright & grew up on old-time music and rock 'n' roll, but an older brother pointed him to other influences— Southern writers, the novels of Joyce, Arthur Rimbaud and the music of Bob Dylan. He played his way through the clubs and honkytonks of the mountains, first with bands with old-time fiddlers and then later with groups that rocked. He’s been described as a cross between an urban Woody Guthrie & a rural Tom Waits
Kreg Viesselman American songwriter' - that's Kreg's preferred description of himself. He's an artist who consciously sidesteps being labelled or categorized, but his career as restless troubadour and observer of life places him firmly in the classic US songwriter tradition that stretches back to the 1960s, and beyond. Kreg's albums, demonstrate that his music's developed from stripped-down folk-blues to a warm, rich blend of styles - a hint of Southern gospel/soul here, a Celtic lilt there - and with his latest “The Pull”, the music reaches full maturity.
Start: 8pm. Tickets: £8 Advance £10 on the door.
All Tickets on Sale from The Cluny Tel: 0191 2304474 (The Cluny) & RPM in Newcastle City Centre & online www.ticketweb.co.uk
Malcom Holcombe plus Elaine Palmer Thursday 8 May Jumpin Hot Club
Not quite country, somewhere beyond folk, 52 year old songwriter from Asheville USA Malcom Holcombe's music is a kind of blues in motion, mapping backwoods corners of the heart.Only Sam Baker is anywhere near in the same songwriting league as Malcom Holcombe - No Depression Bittersweet, country-folk music with a raging man at its core that reminds us there is no one on the contemporary scene like Mr. Holcombe - Wall Street Journal.
The wondeful local songbird Elaine Palmer supports. She has some new cds to sell too...yes 'With a beautifully conversational voice, an unerring sense of melody and a bittersweet and wistful repertoire, Elaine Palmer is undoubtedly a talent.' MOJO
Start 8pm: Tickets £10
All Tickets on Sale from The Cluny Tel: 0191 2304474 (The Cluny) & RPM in Newcastle City Centre & online www.ticketweb.co.uk
NEW WEIRD FOLK with Fiona Sally Miller, Dirty Diamonds and Richard Dawson: Wednesday 23 April.
Inspired by Moondog, the Carter Family and the Incredible String Band, the latest New Weird Folk night will feature the quirky realism of Fiona Sally Miller, oestrogen-powered ukulele/banjo due Dirty Diamonds, and Tyne Delta folk hero Richard Dawson.
www.myspace.com/fionasallymillermusic
www.myspace.com/richardmdawson
Start 7.30pm: Tickets £4 on the door
PETER WALKER & Rhodri Davis: Thursday 24 April. No-Fi
In the words of the fabulous Tompkins Square label: "Guitarist Peter Walker came up in the Cambridge MA and Greenwich Village folk scenes of the Sixties. He recorded two albums for the Vanguard label in the late Sixties in a style best described as American folk-raga. more
www.tompkinssq.com/peter_walker
Rhodri Davis originates from Cardiff and has recently relocated to the North East. You may have seen his almost painfully minimal set with Terry Day at last year's Music Lovers Field Companion, or his sublime collaboration with Ingar Zach at Instal a couple of years ago. more
Start 7.30pm: Tickets £6
All Tickets on Sale from RPM Music Tel: 0191-221-0201. - Beat Down & Alt Vynl
CAROLYN MARK Trio &Fishfinger Frank & Nina Violet (Willy Mason's Band) 31 Jan Jumpin Hot Club
Vancouver based songwriting-guitar picker Carolyn Mark was born to make music. In the early 90's Carolyn formed her first band,all-girl surfy twangsters, The Vinaigrettes. This was the beginning of a love affair with music, musicians and the road that, even after 15+ years of crazy hard work, still puts the petrol in her funny car. Summer 2007 marked the release of Carolyn’s 6th album, Nothing Is Free. Along for the ride were vivacious violinist and vocalist, Diona Davies (from Po' Girl ) & Paul Pigat (Guitar/Bass) who make up this trio. Plus local hero Mr Fishfinger Frank PLUS Wonderful young songstress Nina Violet, who was in the uk last playing in Willy Mason's band
Start 8pm: Tickets £10
All Tickets on Sale from The Cluny Tel: 0191 2304474 (The Cluny) & RPM in Newcastle City Centre & online wwwticketweb.co.uk
MORDEN TOWER XMAS REVELS: COMEDY FOLKLORE & POETRY: Friday December 7th
John Hegley, the country's most innovative comic poet, returns to gladden the Tower and host our xmas revels with Tom Pickard reading from his latest book 'Ballad of Jamie Allan'. Based on the eighteen-century piper and legendary rogue described by Ange Mlinko-Poetry Foundation as 'the most thrilling book of poetry'. The evening will also feature some of Tynesides allstars and new talent Ellen Pheathan and Stevie Ronnie. Visit Morden Tower Blog for pictures of John's last visit to the Tower
Doors Open 7.30: Entry £8.00 and £5.00 (concs)
Jumpin Hot Club Morden Tower Christmas show:Thursday 13 December
LAURA CORTESE - from Uncle Earl (USA) + NEIL CLEARY (USA): A lovey Double bill for our Christmas Morden Tower gig Two top American songwriting multi- Instrumentalist's Neil Cleary played a few shows for us in The Tyne a few years ago and is a very special talent. He's played with Essex Green, Erin MacKeown & his brand of Country/indie roots rock is unmissible. Laura Cortese will have played for us with Uncle Earl before she goes solo for this Christmas special. She deftly strums, plucks and chops her fiddle behind her raw and rootsy voice. Cortese's mix of modern and traditional folk styles creates an explosive sound that favors melody and rhythm over overtly technical performances.
8.00pm Start - Tickets £8.00 in advanced. On the door £10.00
NAKED CITY: Friday 26th October 8pm
RENSE SINKGRAVEN (Groningen) and NICK J SWARTH (Tilburg) are both official City Poets from the Netherlands. NEV CLAY (Newcastle) PAUL SUMMERS (Newcastle) two of the North East's finest
Please join us for the launch of Naked City Poems (Tilburg, Netherlands: tele xpress 2000) Nick Swarth's new collection of city poems translated into English by WILLEM GROENEWEGAN
Doors open at 7.30pm. Tickets price £2.50
Entrance fee is redeemable from cover price of Naked City Poems
GRAYSON CAPPS ( USA ) + Bob Frank and John Murry: SUN 7 OCTOBER Jumpin Hot Club
New Orleans songster Grayson Capp’s stunning performance in the Tower in late Jan was so good; we’ve had to bring him back!Like a whiskey-soaked, back alley poet sired by Tom Waits and Robert Johnson, Capps' stripped-down blues is rooted in the dark side of the Delta." - Razor Magazine
UNCUT Magazine called veteran songwriters Bob Frank & John Murry's new album “a dazzling collection of blasted country folk and grimly haunting murder ballads, shot through with harrowing images of death, damnation and eternal suffering
Start 8pm: Tickets £10
ERIC TAYLOR ( USA ) + Eric Hisaw & Chrissy Flatt: WED 3 OCTOBER Jumpin Hot Club
People have been talking about Eric Taylor and his poetic songs since the early 70s, when he was part of a Houston songwriting scene with Townes Van Zandt & Steve Earle, Taylor is simply one of the most influential songwriters to ever come out of Texas & has had a profound effect on many many artists including Nanci Griffith, Lyle Lovett & Robert Earl Keen.
Bluecollar barroom country rock with a dark heart. Anybody who thanks the spirits of Gene Clark, Eddie Hinton and Doug Sahm for inspiration has good taste And that's Eric Hisaw
Start 8pm: Tickets £10
DIALECT DAY Saturday 8th September
Morden Tower joins the Heritage Open Days Project with another opportunity to learn about Dialect with the Durham and Tyneside Dialect Group. Make a recording, browse and explore and buy books. Hosted by Bill Griffiths .
Bill Griffiths is a poet and Anglo-Saxon scholar. In 1987, he obtained a Ph.D. in Old English from King's College London. He has since published a number of editions and translations of Old English texts. Griffiths is a prolific poet and has published widely in Britain and the United States. His most recent publication is Pitmatic: The talk of the North East Coalfield.
All day event 10am - 4pm
Free entry
WYCKHAM PORTEOUS and support: Thursday September 13th Jumpin Hot Club
Wyckham Porteous is an acclaimed singer/songwriter from Vancouver Canada.
"A lyrical genius," Great words, great music, great singer. what more could you ask" and ‘an exceptionally talented songwriter; equal parts Tom Waits, Robbie Robertson, and Boz Scaggs’ are just a few of the recent quotes. Bob Harris played his version of 'Please, Please Me' and received an amazing response. Andrew Loog Oldham (Rolling Stones etc ) is his manager.
Start Time 8.00pm. Tickets £8.00
All Tickets on Sale from The Cluny Tel: 0191 2304474 (The Cluny) & RPM in Newcastle City Centre & online wwwticketweb.co.uk
A New Writing Group with Laura Burdon: Next meeting Thursday August 16
If you're writing furiously and have no forum for getting your work heard, then you might be interested in a new writing group that will be meeting fortnightly over the summer at Morden Tower. It's going to be an open-floor arrangement, and a chance for people to share original stories and poetry; it's also open to anyone who just wants to go along and listen. See our calendar for all dates.
For more information on the LIPS Writing Group contact Laura Burdon
7pm-8.30pm. Entrance £2.00 includes drinks.
Les Cox (Sportif), Twentymen and Rachel Lancaster:Friday August 3rd
Les Cox (Sportif) Spawned by the spirit of the Star And Shadow cinema, these three boys avoided the cull of the foot and mouth epidemic, and have since mutated into musical genius. With a night class certificate from the D.Boon international school of word cram, Les Cox' will rock your socks off, then back on, then back off again with sick knowing pleasure. Join Les' and friends for their farewell-for- now concert, in the place were it all began. www.myspace.com/lescoxsportifs
Twentymen 'A man who walks like he is twenty men'. Brothers in arms James and Jock Mooney bring in the hits 'Ikea Society', 'The Two Backed Beast', 'Gosforth Mums' and more. Brilliant, operatic, Lothian beasts. www.myspace.com/twentymenmusic
Rachel LancasterRachel is more commonly known as 1/3 of instrumental heart breakers Chippewa Falls and Me And The Twins. Rachel returns to the tower to debut new material of her own, and some achingly gorgeous covers. www.myspace.com/chippewafalls
Entry £3.00 on the door
Doors Open 7.30pm starts 8pm don't be late
BRING YOUR OWN BOOZE
JOHN HEGLEY: Edinburgh Preview and Workshop: August 1: Presented by Morden Tower
A real treat at Morden Tower on August 1st when one of Britain's top performing poets John Hegley will be performing his Edinburgh Preview. We are pleased to announce he will also be running one of his writing and performance workshops. If you would like to take advantage of this rare opportunity learn from one of Britain's most well known poets - come along. Places are limited so don't leave it to long
John Hegley is widely known as one of the country's most innovative comic poets with seven best-selling volumes of poetry to his name.
Performance Starts 7.30pm. Tickets £8 and £5
Workshop Starts 12am -2pm. Ticket £10 - age range double figures
Tickets available from Alt Vynl
61-62 Thornton Street (just off Westgate Road) 0191 222 1213
Map to Alt Vynl
And The Cluny, 36 Lime Street, Ouseburn Newcastle NE1-2PQ -0191 2304474
Towers and West Walls Sunday 29th July: City Guides
City Guides Walking Tours will be offering a guided tour "Towers and West Walls". Starting at St Andrews Church Newgate Street. The tour will include visits to Durham Tower, Heber Tower and Morden Tower. A lovely opportunity to learn about these medieval towers.
Meet at St Andrews Church 2.30
Tickets £3.00 and £ 2.00 consessions
All Tickets on Sale Tourist Information Centre, Market Street and Guild Hall or available on the day
Tourist Informatio Centre 0191 2778000
JOHN HEGLEY Sunday July 1: Presented by Morden Tower
West Walls in Wonderland - Come and see John Hegley at Morden Tower. He is working in Sunderland in the last week of June, but is squeezing in a gig at Morden Tower on July 1st. - So come and get squeezy with John Hegley.
John Hegley is widely known as one of the country's most innovative comic poets with seven best-selling volumes of poetry to his name.
Start 7.30pm . Tickets £8 and £5
All Tickets on Sale from The Cluny Tel: 0191 2304474 (The Cluny) & RPM in Newcastle City Centre & online wwwticketweb.co.uk
AJ ROACH TRIO ( USA) & Jack B Burness Tuesday 26 June: Jumpin Hot Club
AJ Roach was raised in the deep hollows of mountainous
Scott County, Virginia, USA, home of such legendary acts as
The Carter Family. He’s a fine singer and
hugely accomplished musician whose well-crafted,
thought-provoking songs are a pleasing sour mash of
Appalachian country, folk, &bluegrass. Roach is a deep woods
troubadour with a cunning wit and a southern
gothic spiritualism that sounds older than voodoo.
Start 8.00pm. Tickets £8.00.
All Tickets on Sale from The Cluny Tel: 0191 2304474 (The Cluny) & RPM in Newcastle City Centre & online wwwticketweb.co.uk
Morden Tower Birthday Saturday 16th June: Presented by Stevie Ronnie
"THIS MUST BE THE PLACE"
Join us for poetry, music, and (bring your own) booze at the birthdelicious Morden Tower, with a stunning line up of local and national writers arranged for your aural pleasure:
Andy Croft
Andy has been active for many years in community writing projects in Middlesbrough , where he lives. His books of poetry include Nowhere Special, Gaps Between Hills (with Mark Robinson), Headland , Just as Blue, Great North and Comrade Laughter. He has edited the anthologies Red Sky at Night (edited with Adrian Mitchell), North by North East (edited with Cynthia Fuller), Not Just a Game (with Sue Dymoke) and Speaking English. He runs Smokestack Books and writes a regular poetry column in the Morning Star. Read more.
Kate Fox
Kate makes a living as a writer, performer and workshop leader. Her book of comic poems "Why I" was published by Zebra in 2005 and her non comic collaboration with a Finnish poet "We are not Stone" by Ek Zuban in 2007. She won the Andrew Waterhouse Award in 2006. She is learning to play the ukulele. Be afraid. Kate Fox My Space
Linda France
Linda was born in Newcastle upon Tyne. After some time living away, she moved back to the North East in 1981. She currently lives close to Hadrian's Wall in Northumberland. Her poetry collections, published by Bloodaxe Books, include The Simultaneous Dress (2002) and The Toast of the Kit Cat Club (2005), a biography in verse of the 18th century traveller and writer Lady Mary Wortley Montagu. Linda also edited the acclaimed anthology Sixty Women Poets (Bloodaxe 1993). She has worked on a number of collaborations with visual artists and musicians and over 20 Public Art projects. Linda currently teaches Creative Writing at the University of Newcastle. www.lindafrance.co.uk
W.N. Herbert
Born in Dundee in 1961, and studied English at Oxford . He adapted his postgraduate thesis into his study To Circumjack MacDiarmid (OUP, 1992). He is a highly versatile poet in English and Scots, capable of both tender lyricism and phantasmagorical satires, often wreaking havoc with cherished myths. His collections include Forked Tongue (1992), Cabaret McGonagall (1994), The Laurelude (1998), The Big Bumper Book of Troy (2002) and Bad Shaman Blues (2006), all from Bloodaxe. He was a New Generation Poet in 1994. He teaches creative writing at the University of Newcastle. 'A weird mix of Desperate Dan, MacDiarmid and Dostoyevsky…a rare and fantastic voice' – Fiachra Gibbons, Guardian. Read more
Joan Johnston
Joan was born and lives in Newcastle-upon-Tyne. She worked as a teacher and as a playworker with young people and community groups in Tyneside for almost 20 years. She has been writer-in-residence in hospitals, women's refuges, prisons and day-centres and works as a writer in schools and further education. A chapbook collection, What You Want, was published by Diamond Twig in 1998. Read more.
Luke Wright
Luke is a writer, performer and creative producer of live literature. In 2000 he founded the Aisle16 collective. In 2006 his solo stage show, the arrogantly entitled Luke Wright, Poet Laureate, debuted at the Edinburgh Fringe to critical acclaim before playing a sell out UK tour. He also programmes all poetry at The Latitude Festival, which is the biggest gathering of live poetry in Britian. His first book, Who Writes This Crap? will be published by Hamish Hamilton in November 2007. He lives in Norwich with his wife and cat. www.lukewright.co.uk
Admission Free - 7.30 Start
TEITUR (Faroe Islands) and Nev Clay Sunday 13th May: Presented by Jumpin Hot Club
From the Faroe Islands. Teitur (pronounced 'tie-tor') describes himself as 'acoustic/folk rock/alternative' but in truth his hauntingly beautiful, spine-tingling songs will seduce anyone with an ear for classic song-writing. There are similarities to M Ward and Ron Sexsmith in Teitur's voice and vision - and also in the quality of his songwriting and guitar- piano playing. Which we imagine must be why he has already toured with the likes of Aimee Mann and Rufus Wainwright. "Teitur’s music makes for a fine traveling companion for late night drives and rainy Sunday afternoons" Popworlds mag
Tickets £10.00 - 8pm Start
KATY MOFFAT (USA) and Elaine Palmer Tuesday 22nd May: Presented by Jumpin Hot Club
Katy Moffatt has never broken through to the country mainstream, but has earned a substantial cult following among roots-music fans and plenty of critical respect for her blend of country, folk, rock, pop, and blues. The younger sister of singer/songwriter Hugh Moffatt, she has been working nearly 40 years with the likes of Willie Nelson, John Prine, Tanya Tucker, and Lynn Anderson, among others. If ever there was the perfect singer/songwriter, it is Katy Moffatt. Her voice is perhaps the most searingly beautiful thing you'll ever hear. Daily Express Lots of musical artists write moving, poignant lyrics. Lots of others interpret them well vocally.. But very few artists do all of the above as well as Moffatt.- . The Oklahoma Gazette Katy Moffatt is an obscure country music vocal genius.- Blackwell Guide to Recorded Music