Comrade Jane McKie, winner of the 2011 Edwin Morgan Poetry Prize, has a new poetry pamphlet coming out next month.
It’s called “Garden of Bedsteads” and is published by Mariscat Press.
The launch is at 6.30 for 7 on December 7th at the Scottish Poetry Library, all friends welcome (free and unticketed).
Thursday 27th October 2011, from 8pm
Canon’s Gait, 232 Canongate, Edinburgh, EH8 8DQ
Admission: £4.00, £2.00 concessions
10 years of soviet lunacy
Comrades,
To mark 10 years of Writers’ Bloc spoken word performances you are invited to the launch of our new 10 year plan:
Better Read Than Dead
Favourite stories from the past 10 years, plus new initiatives forged in the heat and sweat of the bars of Edinburgh. Presented by comrades old and new.
Highlights include:
Not so much a 10 year plan as a way of life
Long live the revolution!
Writers appearing at Better Read Than Dead will include: Kirsti Wishart, Andrew C. Ferguson, Jane McKie, Andrew J. Wilson and Gavin Inglis, new members Helen Jackson, Stuart Wallace, Bram E Gieben, Mark Harding.
Plus a special appearance of comrade Stefan Pearson.
http://illicitink.net/ has a new interview with our very own Andrew C Ferguson up…
I’m pleased to announce…
…drumroll…
…the members of our Electric Lit Orchestra!
On the words, we have: Morag Edward, Andrew C. Ferguson, Bram E. Gieben, Mark Harding, Gavin Inglis, Helen Jackson, Stuart Wallace, Andrew J. Wilson and Kirsti Wishart.
And, providing the music, there’s:
The multi-talented Andrew C. Ferguson.
The equally multi-talented Bram E. Gieben aka Texture.
The wonderful Charlotte Halton on sax teaming up with Kenny MacKay (perhaps best known for being in the Architects of Fear with Andrew J. Wilson?).
More from Charlotte Halton in collaboration with Mark Allan (of Isaac Brutal and Shock and Awe) and Kelly Brooks (of Tribute to Venus Carmichael).
The amazing Yann Seznec, aka The Amazing Rolo with a new soundscape composed specially for the show.
Singers from two brilliant Edinburgh choirs: the Wildfire Women’s Choir and Protest in Harmony.
Electric Lit Orchestra, Tuesday 23rd August 2011, 9-11pm, Charlotte Square Spiegeltent, Edinburgh International Book Festival. Why should the story stop when the band comes on?
Here’s the lastest listing of August activities for the Writers’ Bloc comrades, starting with a Tribute to Venus Carmichael gig tonight:
It’s entirely possible that more shows will be announced, so keep an eye on our events pages for the latest information.
The Writers’ Bloc comrades will be keeping busy in August. First up, two new Bloc shows:
The Writers’ Bloc Think Tank – Wordpower Books, Sunday 14th August 2:30pm, FREE
Following on from Mr Big Society, we present another show of spoken word and unlikely social policy.
Havers and Blethers – Captain’s Bar, Friday 19th August 7:30-8:30pm, FREE
Including a sneak preview of some of the material for Electric Lit Orchestra
And, don’t forget:
Electric Lit Orchestra – Unbound, EIBF, Tuesday 23rd August 2011, 9-11pm, FREE
This is our main show for August and it’s going to rock! Why should the story stop when the band comes on?
Bloc will also have a table at:
Edinburgh Zine & Small Press Fair – The Forest Cafe, Sunday 7th August, 12-5pm, FREE
For one day only, The Forest Cafe will be turned into a bookshop – featuring rare and hand-made zines, chapbooks, books, CDs and other ephemera.
As if three Writers’ Bloc shows and a book sale weren’t enough, we have confirmation of the first few other shows that will include appearances by Bloc comrades. There will be more to add to this list, so check the Comrades in August 2012 page for the latest updates.
Venus in Eclipse – Captain’s Bar, Friday 12th August 7:30-8:30pm, FREE
Hear parts of the legendary singer-songwriter Venus Carmichael’s life story with performances of her songs by Tribute to Venus Carmichael. Featuring Andrew C Ferguson, Helen Jackson and Kirsti Wishart.
Andrew J. Wilson – The Last Man in Space – The Banshee Labyrinth, Tuesday 16th August 9:30-11pm 9:50-10:50pm, FREE
For one night only, Scottish spacemen, doo-wop devil worshippers and quite possibly the end of the world as we know it. Part of the Free Fringe.
Edwin Morgan international poetry prize – EIBF, Wed 17th August, 7-8pm, £10/£8
Jane McKie has been shortlisted in the prestigious Edwin Morgan International Poetry Competition. The prize ceremony, which will include readings, is part of the Edinburgh International Book Festival.
The programme for Unbound is out so it’s time to tell you about our next event! Unbound is the Edinburgh International Book Festival‘s late-night Spiegeltent series.
Writers’ Bloc will be performing Electric Lit Orchestra on Tuesday 23rd August 2011, 9-11pm in the Spiegeltent in Charlotte Square. Here’s what the Unbound brochure says:
Electric Lit Orchestra
Why should the story stop when the band comes on? This local ‘spoken word performance collective’ are modern day champions of the often overlooked Scottish literary tradition – the fantastique. Edinburgh collective Writers’ Bloc presents an evening of new fiction about, and set to, music. Expect hidden nightclubs and soul trades, celestial harmonies and ram raids in this event where anything literal could literally happen.
Unbound events happen every night from 14 to 29 August in the Spiegeltent in Charlotte Square Gardens as part of the Edinburgh International Book Festival. All Unbound events are FREE and unticketed. To get in, simply turn up and walk in. All events start at 9pm so arrive early to get a seat and the bar will be open until 1am.
There are some great events in Unbound, so pick up your programme in The Skinny, or check out Unbound on the EIBF website.
Another quick shout-out for Inky Fingers. This month’s Open Mic night features comrade Jane alongside the multi-talented Alan Bissett.
Inky Fingers Open Mic featuring Jane McKie and Alan Bissett
Tuesday 28th June, 8 – 11pm, Forest Café, FREE
We want to hear from everybody. We want your poems, your rants, your ballads, your short stories, your diaries, your experimental texts, your heart, your mind, your body. We want the essay on your summer holidays you wrote when you were four, your adolescent haiku, and extracts from your eventually-to-be-completed epic fantasy quadrilogy. We want to hear your best new work as well. And we want people to care about the way words are performed.
Our featured performers this month are Jane McKie, award-winning poet and Knucker Press publisher, and Alan Bissett, novelist, playwright, and all-round banterer.
More details at http://inkyfingersedinburgh.wordpress.com
Our fellow travellers over at Inky Fingers have two reminders this week:
Inky Fingers Readeasy
Thursday 9th June (sign up by the 8th!), 6 – 9pm, Forest Action Room, FREE
The READeasy Writers’ Group is a safe and encouraging space for writers to meet up, hear their words read, and get constructive critical feedback. It’s open to writers of any style, experience, identity and genre — but places each month are limited. See the Writers’ Group page for full instructions (including length limits).
Inky Fingers August Minifest
Deadline for Proposals: Friday 10th June
Calling writers, performers, poets, storytellers, spoken word artistes, linguistic experimenters, and everyone who cares about putting beautiful words in a beautiful order!
Inky Fingers, Edinburgh’s live-lit organising collective, is programming a spectacular wordly mini-fest at the Forest Café, 8th – 13th August 2011, and is looking for proposed events and readings from writers around the country.
Check the Minifest Callout for full details and send in your ideas by Friday!
Mr Big Society is tonight: 8pm at the Wee Red Bar, Edinburgh College of Art. If you move quickly you can still book your ticket online for a discount and a free Mr Big Society badge. Or, it’s £4/£2 on the door.
Bloc is presenting an all-new illustrated Mr Men story, featuring appearances by several characters you may not remember from the first time round. Other stories feature improvised weaponry in Asda, warring troops of worthy youth organisations, William Burroughs, rooftop gardens, eerie doors, rage, and Edinburgh City Council. The lineup is:
Gavin Inglis reads Mr Big Society
Stuart Wallace reads Break On Through
Morag Edward reads Eat Your Greens
Helen Jackson reads Banana Republic
Gavin Inglis reads Mr Big Society
Bram E. Gieben reads Small Utopias
Mark Harding reads 28 Minutes Later
Gavin Inglis reads Mr Big Society
Andrew C . Ferguson reads Die Hard by George
Kirsti Wishart reads Operation Fairycake
