The Literary and Musical Line-Up at this week’s Spotlight Club at the Storey is as diverse as ever – so why not put £4 aside for entry and head up there on Friday night?
Poet Jo Blog had, she says, a tragically ordinary childhood.Escaping into writing to allay the boredom she discovered a talent for poetry.Jo is a performance poet who entertains with her sometimes funny, sometimes sad,but always wry observations on life the universe and everything.She aspires to one day earn enough from her poetry to buy a Dyson.
Roger Allen is 66 and still writing poetry, a habit he began in his undergraduate days at Lancaster Universityduring the 60’s. “I was lazy during my teaching days and only produced stuff in fits and starts,” he says. “However the last decade or so has seen me working consistently. Catching up you would say.As for theme, ‘people’ I suppose is as good a title as any.”
Originally from Kendal, Lauren Dowell is a student of English and Creative Writing at Cumbria Univerisity. She recently made her debut at the Spotlight Open Mic and is making her first appearance on the main Spotlight bill.
19-year-old Joe Cooper started writing when he found out that making up poems and going to bars ismuch more fulfilling that say, studying or being productive or anything. “Crucially going to bars I feel, that really makes up the majority of my literary experience in life. My poems are about anything I find at least vaguely interesting in life, which is mainly how people think and behave.”
The night also includes music from Cartoon Food, who have been together three months and comprise Ian Wright, Singer/guitar Shaun Elliott, bass, Pete Wright, mandolin and Jez Jackson on cajon (wooden box).
Vocalese are the totally brilliant Sue Parish, Di Okey and Eliza Ramseyably assisted by Jon Moore (guitar) Paul Guppy (bass) and Andy Whitfield (vibes). “We love the close harmonies of the be bop era and will besinging some Monk tunes, some Horace Silver andother neglected gems.”
Compere is the redoubtable Simon Baker.
• Spotlight (www.spotlightlancaster.co.uk) Friday 20th April Doors Open 8.00pm Open Mic 8.30 – 9pm (£4 / £2 students/unwaged/concessions ) @The Storey, Lancaster