20 November, 11 December — The Forest, 3 Bristo Place — 2pm
Fancy a poetry chat? Nothing But The Poem is a relaxed and informal way to meet and discuss poems. Moderated by ECL / SPL Reader-in-Residence Ryan Van Winkle.
* We read a poem * We discuss the poem * Only the poem we’ve read. * No Jargon * No experience needed * Nothing to fear * Nothing but the poem.
I’ll be reading from my new book (that’s the cover there) live and in person.When that is done, you can join me for a party at The Forest with Jed Milroy, Hailey Beavis, Billy Liar and Black Diamond Express all playing! So, Edinburgh friends, fetch your diaries this book is coming!
When: Nov. 18th, 6.30pm
Where: Blackwells, South Bridge, Edinburgh
&
After Party @ The Forest – 8pm ish
Does it cost?: FREE
“Tensions and exchanges between the generations, together with a fearless scrutiny of the self, distinguish this driven and forceful collection. Here is a new and authentic voice with a punch in the language.” Penelope Shuttle
“Speakers recount memories that haunt them, as they seek forgetfulness or redemption. The filmic clarity of Van Winkle’s narrative shows they will be granted neither. These are thrilling poems in a confident and rich collection.” Tom Pow
“Van Winkle is a straight-talker with a good heart. This collection cuts through the fluff and gets to me, these poems are like hearing what you already know to be the truth.” Withered Hand
“It’s like Allen Ginsberg come back to life, beard and all. Van Winkle lights a Tom Waits light-bulb in these melodic snapshots, an elegy to the loved, the lost, the fallen, and to America itself.” Emily Ballou
“This luminous collection begins with the workings of the author’s ghost and ends on a bar stool contemplation of days lived and quietly lost. In between is all the richness and wonder of things. Like a ghost, he returns again and again to concern himself with the workings of the dead, gravity, the passage of time; growing up and growing old. If he had picked up a guitar rather than a palette, these are the songs Edward Hopper would have sung. They are songs of the season past, of the waning day, of the half lived life. But there’s nothing melancholic about this book – far from it – the poems are shot through with light, with a determined joy. Van Winkle’s strength as a poet lies in his ability to focus on the quiet epiphanies that transform loss into wonder and wonder into art.” John Glenday
I’ll be reading from my new book (that’s the cover there) live and in person. That means you’ll be the first people in the world to be able to buy and hold and look for typos in my first ever book. Also, there will be some of the other Crashaw Prize Winning poets there all hanging out, making merry and reading poems. You should come. Because I like seeing you and we will have fun.
When: Nov. 11th, 7pm
Where: Phoenix Artist’s Club, at Charing Cross Road, London
Does it cost?: Nobody has told me yet.
“Tensions and exchanges between the generations, together with a fearless scrutiny of the self, distinguish this driven and forceful collection. Here is a new and authentic voice with a punch in the language.” Penelope Shuttle
“Speakers recount memories that haunt them, as they seek forgetfulness or redemption. The filmic clarity of Van Winkle’s narrative shows they will be granted neither. These are thrilling poems in a confident and rich collection.” Tom Pow
“Van Winkle is a straight-talker with a good heart. This collection cuts through the fluff and gets to me, these poems are like hearing what you already know to be the truth.” Withered Hand
“It’s like Allen Ginsberg come back to life, beard and all. Van Winkle lights a Tom Waits lightbulb in these melodic snapshots, an elegy to the loved, the lost, the fallen, and to America itself.” Emily Ballou
“This luminous collection begins with the workings of the author’s ghost and ends on a bar stool contemplation of days lived and quietly lost. In between is all the richness and wonder of things. Like a ghost, he returns again and again to concern himself with the workings of the dead, gravity, the passage of time; growing up and growing old. If he had picked up a guitar rather than a palette, these are the songs Edward Hopper would have sung. They are songs of the season past, of the waning day, of the half lived life. But there’s nothing melancholic about this book – far from it – the poems are shot through with light, with a determined joy. Van Winkle’s strength as a poet lies in his ability to focus on the quiet epiphanies that transform loss into wonder and wonder into art.” John Glenday
If you like your poetry topical, funny and chatty — this is the podcast for you. Kate Fox very kindly took a break from Edinburgh Book Festival activities to speak with me about her poems and performances. I think the charm and cut of her wit is apparent. Do enjoy.
In another podcast recorded at this year’s Edinburgh International Book Festival, Ryan speaks with poet Kate Fox about her Fringe show Kate Fox News, the trials of standup comedy and her literary work in the North East of England including the marvellous Durham book festival. Presented by Ryan Van Winkle. Produced by Colin Fraser of Anon Poetry Magazine. Music by Ewen Maclean. Twitter: @byleaveswelive & @anonpoetry. Mail: splpodcast@gmail.com
Listen now…
Or download as MP3.
First published Friday 17 September, 2010
Kate Fox has been described as like Victoria Wood channeling Sylvia Plath. The poet Roger Robinson recently said “Kate Fox isn’t the new Pam Ayres, she’s the new John Hegley”. To which someone else replied that she’s not the new anyone, just herself.
She tends to perform funny, quirky poetry with a heavy pop culture/news edge but also writes less funny poetry that’s been published in Magma, Rising, Aesthetica and various other places.
I was lucky enough to spend a few days up in the Black Isle recently. I went up to talk to school kids about poetry (and they were brilliant and lovely and engaged which was so nice!) and then got to spend a few days hanging about at the Black Isle Words Festival which was a good time because I got to see a whole bunch of poets I didn’t know who were outstanding and I even got to indulge in reading a few of my own. I think you can tell from this series of podcasts how warm and wonderful it is up there. If you get a chance – go visit. It is a beautiful place with beautiful people. Check out the podcasts if you are unconvinced.
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Storyteller and poet Margot Henderson who works in Findhorn chats to Ryan about her preoccupation with nature, traditional folk stories from the area and dialect… |
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In the second of our Black Isle trilogy, Chris Powici, editor of Northwards Now, discusses his magazine with our intrepid Ryan in Residence while they were both up in the Black Isle last month… |
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Poet, novelist and short-story writer Angus Dunn, one of the founders of the Black Isle Words Festival talks to Ryan about how his work comes from a sense of feeling at home in the Black Isle, why he eschews publishing a poetry collection and we also get to hear a few of his poems. |
The Bosnian poet Faruk Šehic and I are meeting in Belgrade, then training to Macedonia and Istanbul to do readings, blog, translate and meet other poets as part of the fantastic Word Express programme. You can read some of the Macedonian writers’ work in English, French and German translation in the current issue of Transcript, Literature Across Frontier’s online magazine. And you can learn more about the Word Express and Literature Across Frontiers project here.
I’ll be reading in Serbia for the first time ever on Monday the 25th of October!!! If you have friends in the area, please let them know. It will be an amazing line-up of new international poetry featuring: U?estvuju:
Faruk Šehic (Bosna i Hercegovina), Ana Ristovic (Srbija), Jasmina Topic, Milan Dobri?ic & Dejan Matic.
The event takes place: UK Parobrod, Kapetan Mišina 6a, Belgrade, Serbia at 19.00
Okay – I really love Vicki Feaver and it was such a pleasure to talk to her that I hope you’ll listen to this podcast and then go buy all her books. I first saw her read when I was doing my Creative Writing Masters at Edinburgh University. I loved her work so much that I wrote her a fan letter. I never write fan letters. I write complaints. Anyway, I said, basically — she’s everything good about poetry. She’s sharp and brutal and accessible and funny and just a totally wondrous poet whose books are nearly perfect and really, you should just read all of her stuff and fall in love with her too so I can stop gushing because it makes me feel like an idiot. Enjoy. And sorry for the lame pun.
On this week’s podcast, we have the great pleasure to chat with acclaimed poet Vicki Feaver. She delights Ryan with her refreshing outlook on the poetry world, her fantastic work and her very infectious sense of humour. Presented by Ryan Van Winkle. Produced by Colin Fraser of Anon Poetry Magazine. Music by Ewen Maclean. Twitter: @byleaveswelive & @anonpoetry. Mail: splpodcast@gmail.com
Listen now…
First published Friday 15 October, 2010
Vicki Feaver moved to Dunsyre, South Lanarkshire in 2000. She previously taught creative writing at the University of Chichester where she is now Emeritus Professor. She has published three collections of poetry, Close Relatives (Secker 1981), and The Handless Maiden (Cape 1994) and The Book of Blood (Cape 2006), both short-listed for the Forward Prize Best Collection, with The Book of Blood also shortlisted for the 2006 Costa (formerly Whitbread) Poetry Book Award. Her poem ‘Judith’ won the Forward Prize for the Best Single Poem. She has also received a Heineman Prize, a Hawthornden Fellowship, an Arts Council Award and a Cholmondeley Award.
I love Hidden Door. It is a festival of music, art, experimentation, words, film — everything you could possibly love about Edinburgh in one beautiful, tricked out space. The people who make it are amazing. The people performing are amazing. And I’m very proud to have a small part in this year’s festivities. I’ll be reading some poems Sunday evening and hosting the literary sessions in the afternoons / evenings till 8 o’clock. If you are in or near Edinburgh I highly suggest you get yourself some cheap tickets and join the festival fun. If you are into finding out who will be readings — Go here for Saturday listings and here for Sunday listings.
22nd October 2010, 7pm – Midnight
Friday Evening – Buy tickets
Main Space
19:00 – Tokamak, Lipsync for a Lullaby, The Foundling Wheel, Dead Boy Robotics, American Men (LuckyMe)
19:15 – Tokamak
20:00 – Lipsync for a Lullaby
20:45 – The Foundling Wheel
21:30 – Dead Boy Robotics
22:15 – American Men (LuckyMe)
Roxy Room
19:15 – Yusuf Azak
20:15 – Lady North
21:15 – John Knox Sex Club
22:15 – Washington Irving
Please Note: Hidden Door will open with a spectacular film and music event featuring a collaboration between 5 bands, the audience and the film makers. For this reason we ask that you are there for the beginning of the event. Latecomers may not be admitted after 7.30pm!
23rd October 2010, 1pm – 8pm
Saturday afternoon
Poetry listings here
Main Space
13:15 – Open Swimmer
14:00 – Aki
14:30 – Alastair Cook and Luca Nasciuti
15:00 – Bear Bones
15:35 – John Kellock
15:50 – Kieron Maguire
16:30 – John Kellock
16:45 – Now Now Club
17:15 – White Heath
18:30 – Social Services, Jo Mango, Open Swimmer and Bear Bones
19:10 – Elle Es Aich
19:35 – Iliop
23rd October 2010, 6pm – Midnight
Saturday Evening
Main Space
17:15 – White Heath
18:30 – Social Services, Jo Mango, Open Swimmer and Bear Bones
19:10 – Elle Es Aich
19:35 – Iliop
19:55 – Asthmatic Astronaut
20:40 – Digital Jones
21:25 – Pooch
22:10 – RBRBR
Roxy Room
19:15 – Small Feet, Little Toes
20:15 – Jo Mango
21:15 –Lewis Gibson and the Midas Touch
22:15 – Endor
24th October 2010, 1pm – 8pm
Sunday Afternoon
Poetry listings here
Main Space
13:45 – Kieron Maguire
14:30 – SILENI
15:00 – Tom Adams
15:45 – Esperi
16:15 – Alastair Cook and Luca Nascuiti
17:30 – Winter Greens
18:15 – Iona Marshall
19:00 – Social Services
19:45 – Chris Bradley
24th October 2010, 6pm – Midnight
Sunday Evening
18:15 – Iona Marshall
19:00 – Social Services
19:45 – Chris Bradley
20:30 – Urban Farm Hand
21:15 – Hidden Orchestra
22:20 – Lipsync for a Lullaby, The Foundling Wheel, Tokamak, American Men (LuckyMe) Dead Boy Robotics
Roxy Room
19:00 – Mighty Moth Magnets
19:55 – Fueldiva
20:50 – Comma
21:45 – House of La
22:40 – Black Diamond Express
The nice people at Cargo publishing asked if I’d like to read some poems at the Arches in Glasgow. I said yes. There is a great line-up of readers, bands, djs and it sounds like The List will be doing what it does best. Throwing a great party. So, if you happen to be in Glasgow on Friday the 22nd come say hi. I’ll be reading around 9pm but check below for all the hot details. My set is minor compared for the planned extravaganza!
Tickets are on sale now from Ticketmaster for The List: 25 Years.
Bands / DJs / Spoken Word
The Arches, Glasgow, Fri 22 Oct 2010
8pm-3am
The List goes live! After 25 years we’ve decided to put on our own event … and it’s been worth the wait. We’re taking over The Arches for one Friday night only, showcasing the best of Scottish culture, including many of our favourite bands, DJs and writers. The line-up so far:
Errors
King Creosote
Den Haan
Come on Gang!
RM Hubbert
Human Don’t Be Angry (Malcolm Middleton)
Graeme Ronald (Remember Remember)
Alasdair Roberts
Adam Stafford
JG Wilkes (Optimo/Sub Club)
Kris Wasabi (Wasabi Disco)
Joe Howe (Ben Butler & Mousepad)
Pretty Ugly DJs
Christopher Brookmyre
Ewan Morrison
Ryan Van Winkle
Sophie Cooke
Robin Cairns
Jenny Lindsay
Andrew Raymond Drennan
Anneliese Mackintosh
Tawona Sithole
Allan Wilson
Check back here for more details, or on The List Facebook page or on Twitter.
Tickets are £12 and can be bought via Ticketmaster from The Arches
Errors
Their music is instrumental, electronic, ambitious, exploratory and excellent. And it gets on the radio too. Releasing records through Mogwai’s Rock Action label, they’ve been carving out a reputation over the last 4 years as a great live spectacle, thanks to some great live shows, including a tour support slot with Underworld. It’s a reputation reinforced by the material from their storming second album Come Down With Me.
www.myspace.com/weareerrors
King Creosote
Kenny Anderson has earned himself the status as a lynchpin of the Scottish music scene. Alongside his fellow label-running crew, rather than go out to hammer away at the doors of a pre-existent ‘scene’ or industry, The Fence Collective created their own. With all this on his CV, it’s easy to forget that he also makes music. Well, he does, and it’s great.
http://www.fencerecords.com/artists/king-creosote/
Den Haan
Optimo-approved cosmic electronica from Glasgow. Andrew Gardiner and Matthew Aldworth are a couple of adventurous creative minds aspiring to produce innovative and unique dance music. Their debut album Gods From Outer Space is due out later this year.
http://www.myspace.com/denhaan
Human Don’t Be Angry
Malcolm Middleton recently debuted his spellbinding solo project at Fence’s Away Game festival, and The List has been hooked on Malc’s newly obtuse, noodling guitar work ever since. He has commented that it’s difficult to avoid doing a slow head-shake like Knopfler on those suspended guitar notes. www.malcolmmiddleton.co.uk
Wasabi Disco
Kris Wasabi’s club night is a regular fixture at Sneaky Pete’s in Edinburgh, giving the capital a monthly shot of weekend electro-disco. Kris cut his teeth DJ-ing with electronic outfit xvectors and DJ duo Optimo, and is expected to showcase his expertly eclectic style. www.myspace.com/wasabidiscoclub
JG Wilkes (Optimo/Sub Club)
One half of the legendary Optimo team, JG Wilkes has been loving your ears for over a decade. Having concluded Optimo (Espacio)’s fruitful Sub Club residency, the pair have continued developing their brand, with the Rizla Riverboat Shuffle, a string of international tour dates and new Sub Club night Hung Up! counting as just a few of their successes. Expect a diverse range of tunes, all of which will get your body and mind moving.
www.optimo.co.uk
Alasdair Roberts
The man formerly known as Appendix Out is one of Scotland finest folk musicians, who’s best recognised these days for taking traditional songs and infusing them with his own twisted mythology. Listen out for bawdy ballads from latest album Too Long In This Condition, or indeed more morbid fare from death ballads album No Earthly Man.
www.alasdairroberts.com
Come on Gang!
Since drummer/singer Sarah Tanat-Jones appeared beaming on our cover back in February we’ve been firmly fixated CoG! fans, and were particularly buoyed by the recent release of their excellent ‘Fortune Favours the Brave’ single.
www.comeongang.co.uk
Graeme Ronald
Graeme Ronald, who records as Remember Remember, released his self-titled debut album in 2008 – a tremendously lovely mix of looping samples and twinkling instrumentation. New EP ‘RR Scorpii’ is released on Rock Action, 1 Nov. The EP launch party is at Stereo, Glasgow on Fri 5 Nov and will feature a newly formed seven-piece band. He plays solo for us.
www.myspace.com/rememberremember
RM Hubbert
Not since Extreme slapped their way through ‘More Than Words’ have a guitar’s percussive abilities been more ably demonstrated. Glasgow’s Hubbert – guitar virtuoso, bleak-banter peddler, creator of the ‘will play for food’ scheme – captured our hearts with his fancy fretwork on debut LP First & Last.
www.rmhubbert.com
Joe Howe
Synthesizer maestro, proud geek and prolific to boot, Joe Howe not only plays a part in Gay Against You, Germlin and Ben Butler and Mousepad, he also found the time to collaborate with alt-pop legend Momus (album title: Joemus – of course). Expect the best-sounding synth music you’ve never heard before and whatever else he damn well feels like.
http://joe-howe.com/
I’ve been kindly invited to read poems with a great bunch of international writers. Why not take a trip and come see us. Macedonia is beautiful this time of year.
27th October, 2010
MKC, Skopje
7pm
Poets Ryan van Winkle (Scotland/USA) and Faruk Šehi? (Bosnia) travelling direct from events in Belgrade will join hosts Xhabir Deralla and Kalina B Isakovska and local writers Jovica Ivanovski, Aleksandra Dimitrova, and Elizabeta Bakovska for an evening of poetry and debate. The writers will then be travelling on to Istanbul for Word Empress’s anniversary events.
You can read some of the Macedonian writers’ work in English, French and German translation in the current issue of Transcript, Literature Across Frontier’s online magazine.
