On Friday night, I didn’t have a pizza, didn’t watch the rugby, instead I went to a poetry and acoustic music night at Hull Uni. I would never normally go to such a gathering. However my sister was launching her first book of poetry ‘Plans To change and Other Fables’. The turn out was good for a student Uni bar, considering the students were away. There were about 30 people there, mainly made up of family and friends.
My sister had some good talent supporting her from Alex Stork, Fudgey, and Tom Gorringe. There was a good mix of original material and some choice covers like Dolly Parton’s Jolene (Fudgey), Tom Gorringe did three that stuck out, Paolo Nutini’s New Shows, Green Day's Time Of Your Life and Elton John’s Your Song. Alex Stork was in the Hull Daily Mail this weekend, as he won a contest to appear at a Bob Dylan tribute festival.
My sister had some good talent supporting her from Alex Stork, Fudgey, and Tom Gorringe. There was a good mix of original material and some choice covers like Dolly Parton’s Jolene (Fudgey), Tom Gorringe did three that stuck out, Paolo Nutini’s New Shows, Green Day's Time Of Your Life and Elton John’s Your Song. Alex Stork was in the Hull Daily Mail this weekend, as he won a contest to appear at a Bob Dylan tribute festival.
As part of the open mic Mike Watts, was king. He has a real way with words, I would describe him as a kind of street poet come rapper. It was quite refreshing that he took pride in been from Hull and had a passion for the city. My brother Steve and his friend Bob got up and did a turn. My brother did a pretty good cover of Dire Strait's Sultans Of Swing and an original song about Kiefer Sutherland’s 24 character Jack Bauer. Bob aka Bob Cassidy of the Sheffield band The Interiors performed 2-3 self-penned tracks, before he lost the battle of keeping his guitar in tune.
My sister of course did some readings from her book. I was quite surprised; she didn’t come across as nervous and had plenty of confidence on stage. I think she has done a few readings previously at poetry weekends. Her banter between poems was first class as she tried to add context to some of the poems. The best was trying to explain what an ankle pit was, she thought it should be a word and that it should be in the dictionary. Or possibly an anatomical medical dictionary and it would read: The Ankle Pit, like an armpit, but located somewhere around the ankle. She had us laughing, as if she was a comic. It has to be said, she has a comedy style all to her self. I think she should have recorded the gig, to give to those that couldn't make it, or to sell on her site or giveaway with the rest of the books.
My sister has been writing and saving up the money for the book for two or three years now. She published the book herself through an online publisher and got 250 books printed up. She even has a few copies in the Hull branch of Waterstones. To help sales on the night she offered a free cookie with the book. I think she was confident judging by the pile of cookies, I think she made about 200. That is easiest the biggest pile of cookies I have ever seen. She had spent the best part of a day baking them. We are still eating them now. By the way my sister is a vegan, so they were vegan cookies, and I have to say they tasted very good, considering; they didn’t have any eggs or butter in them.
Here is my favorite poem by my sister, it’s got a bit of piss and vinegar or simply punk rock attitude about it, which is probably why I like it.
Let Your Hair Down
O Rapunzel, Rapunzel with your long
Glistening locks of L’Oreal hair,
Because you think you’re worth it
F*ck off and get yourself a criminal mastermind
To free you or your fortress of solitude and misery,
With your confining chains of brick and stone
And lock and key, bolted from the outside and in,
This free riding stranger is mine alone
And I don’t appreciate compromise, or time wasting,
After all it’s one and the same,
And to the death I fight, with fire and fright,
So I warn you girl,
And I’ll say it only the once
If you toss that main once more
I’ll scalp it off your head
To keep you away from my man and me!
Batting those baby blues
Like some caged, foreign fiend
Disguised as fragile things,
But if I were you girl
I’d stay up in that tower of yours,
As you have been warned
And it’s one strike and you’re out
For the Count
Who won’t ever get this deep underground,
While I’ll ride off with the Knight
That won’t ever be yours,
For I called dibs first on his wares,
And you best not cross me
Or that tower will be the least of your worries,
And it’ll seem like heaven up there
Glistening locks of L’Oreal hair,
Because you think you’re worth it
F*ck off and get yourself a criminal mastermind
To free you or your fortress of solitude and misery,
With your confining chains of brick and stone
And lock and key, bolted from the outside and in,
This free riding stranger is mine alone
And I don’t appreciate compromise, or time wasting,
After all it’s one and the same,
And to the death I fight, with fire and fright,
So I warn you girl,
And I’ll say it only the once
If you toss that main once more
I’ll scalp it off your head
To keep you away from my man and me!
Batting those baby blues
Like some caged, foreign fiend
Disguised as fragile things,
But if I were you girl
I’d stay up in that tower of yours,
As you have been warned
And it’s one strike and you’re out
For the Count
Who won’t ever get this deep underground,
While I’ll ride off with the Knight
That won’t ever be yours,
For I called dibs first on his wares,
And you best not cross me
Or that tower will be the least of your worries,
And it’ll seem like heaven up there
Compared to me and my ways!
If you like it check out her website for some more poems or you can buy the book for: £9.50 inc P+P
http://www.hollyroach.com/
http://www.hollyroach.com/
Here is a list of sites for the support artists, check them out cos they are very good
Alex Stork
Alex Stork
Fudgey
Tom Gorringe
Mike Watts
or on YouTube
You can also find Bob Cassidy’s band The Interiors on MySpace
Posts
1 comment:
Sounded like a successful night. Sorry we couldn't be there. I'm looking forward to receiving my book. Maybe a signed copy. Not bothered about a vegan cookie though!
Post a Comment