Fire & Dust – open-mic

For our latest event news –
please check out our
Facebook page…

TBCB Logo

Poetry and storytelling open-mic poetry evening at The Big Comfy Bookshop

FIRE & DUST meets Claire Walker and Andy Conner

Wednesday  9/12/2015 – Doors open 7.30pm

Poetry and storytelling open-mic poetry evening at The Big Comfy Bookshop

Open-mic slots available!
Profile photo (1)
 
Claire’s poetry has appeared in magazines and websites including The Interpreter’s House, Ink Sweat and Tears and And Other Poems and in anthologies such as Crystal Voices and Restless Bones. Her first pamphlet, The Girl Who Grew Into a Crocodile, is published by V. Press.
  AC
 
Andy is a Birmingham-based poet, with a long track record of performing his work locally and nationally. His credits include BBC Radio 4’s ‘Poetry Please.’
 
His work ranges from the humorous to the very dark. Many of his poems are for young people. Some of these have been written to help children of all ages deal withissues such as bullying and domestic violence.
 
West Midlands Police used Andy’s poem ‘Remanded In Custody’ as part of their campaign aimed at preventing domestic violence over the Christmas period. A number of poems are concerned with anti-bullying in general, and homophobic bullying in particular. Some of these appear on the educational website www.the-classroom.org.uk
 
Andy’s work is published by Dynamic Press. Further examples of his work can also be found at www.andyconner.com
 
 Venue details:
 
The Big Comfy Bookshop
Fargo Village
Far Gosford Street
Coventry
CV1 5EA
 
Learn more about shop-owner, Michael McEntee and the creation of shop on his blog:
 
http://thebigcomfybookshop.blogspot.co.uk/
A special edition of FIRE & DUST – Coventry Peace Festival 2015 -featuring special guests – Simone Estridge and Roy Mcfarlane – open-mic slots available!

Cov Peace Fest

Wednesday  4/11/2015 – Doors open 7.30pm – FREE

Poetry and storytelling open-mic poetry evening at The Big Comfy Bookshop

https://www.facebook.com/events/435741316617470/

Special guests

Simone Estridge

DSC_9798

Simone is a published poet who has been awarded special merit in the Pendle War Poetry competition. Simone thrives when blending poetry with music and has achieved this through her band Lead Strings, who often gig at events around the UK.

You can find Lead Strings on Facebook: www.facebook.com/leadstrings
Instagram: Leadstrings
Youtube: www.youtube.com/leadstings
(By the way its lead as in the pencil lead)

Roy Mcfarlane

roymcfarlane2

Roy was born in Birmingham of Jamaican parentage and now living in the Black Country. He has held the role of Birmingham Poet Laureate and Starbuck Poet in Residence.

Roy’s writings have appeared in magazines, Under the Radar, The Reader and The Undertow Review. His poems have also been included in anthologies, Out of Bounds (Bloodaxe 2012) and he’s the writer and editor of Celebrate Wha? (Smokestack 2011).

A regular on the stage he’s performed almost anywhere where there’s words and an audience, often working in collaboration with other poets, musicians and other artistes.
Roy’s an experienced workshop leader and is presently Poet in residence for Warwickshire Poetry Voices and is looking forward to his debut collection Beginning with your last breath to be published by Nine Arches Press in summer 2016.

Venue details:

TBCB Logo

 

The Big Comfy Bookshop
Fargo Village
Far Gosford Street
Coventry
CV1 5EA

Learn more about shop-owner, Michael McEntee and the creation of shop on his blog:

http://thebigcomfybookshop.blogspot.co.uk/

Find out more about:

HCE magazine – www.herecomeseveryone.me

Silhouette Press – www.silhouettepress.co.uk19/8/

FIRE & DUST meets Al Hutchins & Derrick D

– open-mic slots available!

Poetry and storytelling open-mic poetry evening at The Big Comfy Bookshop​

Wednesday  16/9/2015 – Doors open 7.30pm – FREE

Featuring…

Al Hutchins

by Pete Ashton
by Pete Ashton

Writes poems mainly about buses, romance and death in the West Midlands.

Over the years Al’s supported- in no particular order- Steve Tasene’s “Klepto” (Bham Rep), Malika Booker, the late great Hovis Presley, Simon Munnery, John Hegley and Francesca Beard; performed with The New October Poets at The Poetry Cafe and Ledbury Poetry Festival.

Birmingham-based poet and howler in John Peel-endorsed grinesters THE COURTESY GROUP-whose album received 4 stars in MOJO, and from Stewart Lee in “The Sunday Times”.

John Cooper Clarke is a fan.

http://welovebandsandbooks.blogspot.co.uk/

Derrick D

Birmingham Radio presenter Derrick D kicked off his poetry composition and performances during the 90s thanks to the encouragement of his creative writing tutor former Birmingham Poet Laureate Chris Morgan, as well as recognition from The International Library Of Poetry ‘A Lasting Calm’ edition who published one of his early writings entitled ‘Game Of Life’.

During 2011 after 3 years performing as a duo with bassist Mick Jeynes, Derrick formed the first incarnation of his own band called ‘Derrick D And The Backbones’. Original members Mick Jeynes and drummer-vocalist Catherine R, are still present. The band, mixing energetic poetry, narratives and songs, have performed at such venues as Coventry’s Road House, as well as appearing at such festivals as: Birmingham Blues and Jazz festival, Arts Fest, Bridgenorth Arts and Music Festival.
As well as collaborating with others, Derrick enjoys performing as a solo poet. Recently he performed at such venues and organisations as Ort and Howl. He feels that any composition he writes must be able to stand on its own accord without the accompaniment of music.

To get a reading spot, please arrive early and we’ll add you to the list.

All writers are welcome for readings of poetry, spoken-word performances and flash fiction (keep them brief!)

Come with an open mind and an open ear.

Venue details:

The Big Comfy Bookshop
Fargo Village
Far Gosford Street
Coventry
CV1 5EA

Reuben Woolley

me at restless bones

Reuben Woolley has poems published in Tears in the Fence, Domestic Cherry 4, The Stare’s Nest, Ink Sweat and Tears, Nutshells and Nuggets, Yellow Chair Review,  Bone Orchard Poetry and the Screech Owl, among others. His first collection, the king is dead was published in 2014 by Oneiros Books.

king-front-cover

In November 2014 he started I am not a silent poet, an online magazine for poetry and artwork of protest about abuse in all shapes and forms – https://iamnotasilentpoet.wordpress.com/

not a silent poet

Ruth Stacey

ledbury-readingsmall

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ruth Stacey studied English & Creative Writing at Bath Spa university and recently completed a distinction level MA in Literature: Politics and Identity at Worcester University. Her pamphlet Fox Boy was published by Dancing Girl Press, July 2014. She lives in Worcestershire http://ruthstacey.com/

Her most recent book is Queen, Jewel Mistress from Eyewear Publishing (2015)

bookcover

ft. MC Ultra set

10841954_1415775072071322_1851939805597563733_o

Coventry hip-hop duo will close the evening with raucous and righteous rhymes!

Find out more – https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100009165298496

To get a reading spot, please arrive early and we’ll add you to the list.

All writers are welcome for readings of poetry, spoken-word performances and flash fiction (keep them brief!)

Come with an open mind and an open ear.

Venue details:

The Big Comfy Bookshop
Fargo Village
Far Gosford Street
Coventry
CV1 5EA

Fire & Dust meets…Matt Black and Al Hutchins

Wednesday 8/7/2015 – Doors open 7.30pm – FREE

Matt Black

Holywell Music Room, Book Launch with the Nonsense Orchestra
Holywell Music Room, Book Launch with the Nonsense Orchestra

Matt writes for adults and children, for publication and for performance. He was Derbyshire Poet Laureate (2011-2013), and his poems are published in magazines such as Staple, The Rialto, The North and Magma. He has performed at numerous festivals in this country and abroad.

www.matt-black.co.uk


Al Hutchins

by Pete Ashton
by Pete Ashton

Writes poems mainly about buses, romance and death in the West Midlands.

Over the years Al’s supported- in no particular order- Steve Tasene’s “Klepto” (Bham Rep), Malika Booker, the late great Hovis Presley, Simon Munnery, John Hegley and Francesca Beard; performed with The New October Poets at The Poetry Cafe and Ledbury Poetry Festival.

Birmingham-based poet and howler in John Peel-endorsed grinesters THE COURTESY GROUP-whose album received 4 stars in MOJO, and from Stewart Lee in “The Sunday Times”.

John Cooper Clarke is a fan.

http://welovebandsandbooks.blogspot.co.uk/

To get a reading spot, please arrive early and we’ll add you to the list.

All writers are welcome for readings of poetry, spoken-word performances and flash fiction (keep them brief!)

Come with an open mind and an open ear.

Save the Date! Next F&D – Weds, 19/8/2015

Venue details:

The Big Comfy Bookshop
Fargo Village
Far Gosford Street
Coventry
CV1 5EA

Learn more about shop-owner, Michael McEntee and the creation of shop on his blog:

http://thebigcomfybookshop.blogspot.co.uk/

Find out more about:

HCE magazine – www.herecomeseveryone.me

Silhouette Press – www.silhouettepress.co.uk

FIRE & DUST special guest – open-mic slots available!

Poetry and storytelling open-mic poetry evening at The Big Comfy Bookshop

Thursday, 21/5/2015.

Doors open 7.30pm – FREE

Featuring…

Leanne (back from the edge) Bridgewater!

LB

http://www.leannebridgewater.co.uk/

And…

Emilia Moniszko!

Emilia

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCnQMtrt9VT2mVSL_YJMcn3A

To get a reading spot, please arrive early and we’ll add you to the list.

All writers are welcome for readings of poetry, spoken-word performances and flash fiction (keep them brief!)
Come with an open mind and an open ear.

Venue details:

The Big Comfy Bookshop
Fargo Village
Far Gosford Street
Coventry
CV1 5EA

Learn more about shop-owner, Michael McEntee and the creation of shop on his blog:

http://thebigcomfybookshop.blogspot.co.uk/

Find out more about:

HCE magazine – www.herecomeseveryone.me

Silhouette Press – www.silhouettepress.co.uk