Last night (Sunday 5th Feb), had a great gig with the Rrrants collective at the Camden Eye. I must admit (and I've never been shy to say so) it's not my favourite haunt for a number of reasons, but Ian, Paul, Donna and the crew (mostly Emma and Vicki!) dress the place and set it up very well, and there was a good number of people in, including some new faces!
It was a good night, and I would list some of the highlight performers... there was a John Hudson (very funny songs, played with real star-quality gusto), Ant Smith was good (though he was annoyed that I dared sneak out for a wee during his set. Sorry, but there are no intervals in a Rrrants night so someone has to get the "walk out"!) and it's always a delight to see Julie Mullen. And I shouldn't sound like I take The Antipoet for granted. They're always an incredible live act, joyously funny, anarchic and energetic. I don't know any other act who can consistently be the host AND the headline, and still not look like they're hogging the limelight, but keenly sharing it with professionals and newcomers alike. Damn them!
I do enjoy being introduced as the bard of Stony Stratford, but it means I feel I should (a) explain where it is and why it matters and (b) have some new/good/relevent material.
Oops. Still, I took courage from the fact that I wasn't the only person to fluff a few lines. And that I was put on early so I could leave early, although travel and weather conditions meant that I didn't reach my poor little iced-up car at MK station until 1am!
Monday has meant 2 things: I've finally sent my first dispatch to http://www.aboutmyarea.co.uk/Buckinghamshire/Milton-Keynes/MK11 where I hope to have a regular spot, and to direct people to, as it's an excellent and growing website;
Secondly, I've recorded a number of "Valentine's Day" poems and a short interview with Mark Niel to use on his Wednesday morning show on 3 Counties Radio! I'm very lucky to have such well-connected friends, and it's nice to talk about Stony, performance poetry, and the Bardship.
And with Mark Grist's recent rap-battle win on Don't Flop going viral, and Dan Cockrill joining the many Bang Said the Gun faces and voices on Channel 4s Random Acts, maybe 2012 will be the year that performance poetry reaches new heights and wider audiences.
And with that exciting thought, and the first bardic deadlines looming, I have to somehow get some sleep. Not least because of some recent late nights, and because tomorrow is my last day at the real job for a whole week!
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