Well done the staff at The Huntingdon Hall, Worcester – made for a great evening.
The staff did a great job as usual, and made a good evening better …having said that the quirky venue was an ideal setting (intimate enough) for the amazing artists.
Dr. JOHN COOPER CLARKE – get at least one of his books here
supported by (or perhaps better is co-starring)
Mike Garry – get his brilliant album
I think to sum it up …doors opened for a 7:30pm start and they haven’t closed for a while as the audience who very quickly got caught up in the flow and rythm, will recall the atmostphere, ambience and whit of these two.
I spoke to only one audience member that was ‘upset’ by Mike’s “patronising” way when he explained who “Tony Wilson” was because she was in Manchester a loooonnggg time. I suggested that
a) if she found him patronising, why was she not living in Manchester now and
b) perhaps he has had to explain who Tony Wilson was to the “soothan bastads” who didn’t realise what a foreward thinking, encouragment he was to local artists.
I mean …in the post-punk time of The Smiths (Morrisey = major barf – personal opinion), New Order, Simply Red, The Stone Roses, Happy Mondays and Black Grape [out of interest, we saw Shaun Ryder (Facebook) at the Huntingdon Hall only a few weeks before], it was Tony Wilson running the [in]famous Haçienda Club that was dedicated to Manchester’s music and arts culture, that gave young poets like these two a break …and kept that break going as he re-booked them time and time again.
So – we came to the start of the evening with Mike Garry. Not heard of him? Neither had we but he took us back to nostalgic recollections of the Manchester life, people, culture that we may only have heard of but got to know through his singing and poetry. You could imagine what it was like to be around the people and the places. Not somewhere for the faint-hearted and even his happy poem had raw truths that touched you.
That made it sound kind of sad but it was the opposite – like Oral History, it took you to a place before now that gave us where we were there to see/hear.
Then after a short break (note: best to order your drinks for half-time before the start – saves on queing) we got the man himself. Do I sound like a groupy-like-fan? Well maybe I am but you’ll get it when you see/hear him. Again, we saw him in his – unofficially named “Get me while I’m alive” tour – at the Bristol Beacon.
“Literary phenomenon John Cooper Clarke is a British cult hero. Known as the ‘Godfather of Punk Poetry” and the original people’s poet, John’s cultural influence spans literature, music and fashion. …”
The Bristol Beacon
“A totally wired wordsmith of age-defying bebop cool and a beat generation survivor who still lives in the now.”
Louder Than War radio
Dr. John Cooper Clarke’s delivery was smooth, slick, and very, very quick. Even the links between poems were lyrical and rhythmic. Another poem, then another, then another. Some we knew, many we didn’t, but each one was like the first time you’d heard it. The audience increasingly hooked into the same ‘vibe’ as him, and whether they were long or short (one poem was shorter than the title!), it was a humorous, witty, and fast-flowing insight into what makes the “Dr. John Cooper Clarke” character that we think we know, hitting you in the face with raw Manc truth… ish :)
A great evening finishing on his probably his most famous poem (and the one we had at our wedding) – Let me be yours.
Thank you Dr.J and look forward to seeing you soon. It won’t be the same playing in front of 20,000 people for you as you are in this tour, but you are very welcome back.
When there, we also recognised about 1/4 of the audience – that’s the wonder of Worcester. So many #Arbonauts were there (3rd row rabble …you know who you are!) and we spotted the ex Lord Mayor…
…and Mark Hogan of the fantastic SLAP magazine (on Facebook too)
All in all, a great evening. Next for us is Andy Hamilton and a whole slew of other great artists so if the #ArboMassive and other #Arbonauts want in, we will meet you there – The Huntingdon Hall list of artists is here – there is some competition for Worcester MishMash there.
Chestnut Community Action Group 