 |
| Kim Moore |
Lancaster’s popular Spotlight Club is back at The Storey on Friday 20th May, offering a heady mix of music, poetry and comedy.
Come along at 7.00pm to grab your five minutes of fame. Read a poem, sing a song, tell a story – Be experimental – Do your own thing! Spotlight encourages diversity. Every genre of writing is welcomed from the comic to the cosmic.
After the open-mic session, Spotlight – compered by Simon Baker – will showcases four different writers and two music acts featuring some of the best live-writing and musicianship in the region.
Prize winning poet Kim Moore will headline on the night.
‘Spotlight was where I read a poem in public for the first time,” she says. “This was how I got my first paid poetry reading. It meant everything to me. That moment at Spotlight, when I was offered encouragement and a paid gig was a turning point in my life.
“Eight years on and I’m working as a writer, running workshops and reading at festivals. The mentoring and workshop programme Spotlight offer have been hugely beneficial to me over the years.”
Kim Moore’s first collection The Art of Falling was published by Seren in 2015. She will be reading from this collection and new work from a collection-in-progress called All the Men I Never Married.
 |
| Kriss Foster |
Comedian/ musician Kriss Foster will be offering a taste of the Edinburg Fringe at the event.
“Spotlight has been irreplaceable in my development,” he enthuses. “They gave a stage where it was possible to try anything and also see anything.
For the last three years, I have taken a new show up to the Edinburgh fringe and perform around the country at events and festivals. If Spotlight had not helped me when I was starting I genuinely believe I would not be doing this.”
Kriss will be showcasing the new show he is taking up to the Edinburgh Fringe: ‘Kriss Foster and the Very Small Museum’ in which he tells stories and performs songs about taxidermy, the Pencil Museum and Vimto.
 |
| Sam Steele |
Making the move from Open mic to main bill, Sam Steele is a first year English Lit student, writing poetry with a strong sense of rhythm and rhyme.
Spending most of his time juggling creative projects, Sam also directs short films and music videos that have been screened at the Southbank, Florida, and even Glastonbury, as well as rocking out in pop band Girls Girls Girls.
 |
| Billy Pook |
The first music spot on the night is taken by Billy Pook, who has performed at various clubs and festivals including radio over the years.
“I’m really looking forward to my spot and will be joined on stage by Rob Lowe who will accompany me with squeeze box,” he reveals. “This gives you some clue as to the nature of what I will be doing which is literary items with music. These will range from the present refugee crisis to Morecambe Prom to Indian song and Australian myth.”
 |
| Ron Sowcroft |
There’s more poetry on the bill from Ron Scowcroft, winner of the McLellan Prize, Ron is widely published in magazines and prize anthologies. His poems have been highly commended in the Yorkshire Open and by Magma, shortlisted in the National Poetry Competition and commended by Strokestown. Ron has worked in collaboration with visual artists John M Morrison and Jayne Simpson.
His poem ‘Peninsula’ was featured in a video by Morph Films. Along with Carole Coates and Mike Barlow, he is a founder member of Lancaster’s April Poets.
Poet Rachel McGladdery was winner of the Liverpool Lennon Performance Poetry prize in 2010. She is published in magazines, online publications and anthologies, including the ‘Mother’s Milk’ (mother’s milk press) and the ‘Live From Worktown’ anthologies.
• Doors open 7.00pm. Open Mic session 7.15 – 7.45pm. Open Mic – 7.30 – 8pm. Event ends 10pm
Find details of this month’s line-up at: www.spotlightlancaster.co.uk
Admission £5 / £3 (conc.)
• To book your 5 minutes in advance or for information about Spotlight events call Spotlight on 01524 381642 or e-mail: spotlightclub@btinternet.com. Open mic performers admitted half-price!