Northern Cheer: Tony Walsh, Longfella, with the Lancashire Dead Good Poets

Thanks to the Try Reading initiative, which aims to promote reading and rugby, thanks to Arts Council Lottery funding, and the Blackpool Libraries team, the Lancashire Dead Good Poets are hosting the renowned Manchester poet, Tony Walsh, Longfella, on Wednesday 20 November at the Number Five Cafe.  After spending the afternoon leading a rugby-themed workshop with students at Blackpool and Fylde College, Tony will be joining the Dead Good Poets from 6pm to present a 45 minute set of some of the very best performance poetry around.

Tony is a familiar face at Glastonbury Festival, he has been their website Poet in Residence, as well as having performed at Ledbury, Strokestown and StAnza festivals.  His work has been published internationally and he has been commisioned to write for BBC television and radio.  His poetry is described as ‘accessible, musical poems; influenced by the songs which soundtrack our lives; brimming with northern warmth and humour; and propelled by passion and compassion as their bassline and their beat.’

This video is hugely entertaining and features a small amount of swearing.  If you are offended by naughty words, please don’t click play:

Praise for Tony Walsh:

“Fired and inspiring.’ John Hegley

‘Fabulous stuff…’ Irvine Welsh

‘A call to arms….’ Billy Bragg

‘He is the real deal!’ Benjamin Zephaniah.

‘Absolutely brilliant!’ Sir Alex Ferguson

‘Absolutely beautiful!’ Cerys Matthews, BBC6Music

‘Excellent!’ Jo Whiley, BBC Radio 2

The event on 20th November will feature open mic slots available on the theme of ‘Northern Cheer’ which are going fast.  To get your name on the list, contact the Lancashire Dead Good Poets via their Facebook page.  The Lancashire Dead Good Poets have been hosting open mic events, with occasional guest poets, for over five years.  They welcome new poets, who might be reading for the first time, as well as more experienced performers and the audience is always warm and attentive.

The Number Five Cafe in Cedar Square boasts a superb menu of hot and cold food and serves excellent coffee as well as bottled beer and wine.  The surroundings are contemporary and these poetry events are consistently welcoming and uplifting.  Northern Cheer starts at 6pm and goes on until 8pm.  It’s going to be a celebration of everything that’s grand about words, sport and The North.  For poets who are in a league of their own, join the union on 20 November and try, in vain, to resist the charm of a reet good evenin’ out.

Northern Cheer at Number Five Cafe is a FREE event.  It is suitable for those aged 16+.