Blog - Page 8 of 11

DIY POETS’ DIARY DATES – November 2015

9 November, 2015 Andy Szpuk

While some people grow facial hair during the month of November, DIY POETS find themselves with a growing diary. Dates are sprouting like sideburns chemically enhanced by steroids, some of them DIY POETS events, plus others attended regularly by the collective. I’m assembling this lot from the back of crumpled fag packets and faded biro scribble from the back of my hand, so it may be incomplete, but nonetheless it’s a neatly trimmed, well groomed web post: – DIY POETS Quarterly…

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Another Frank McMahon Book Launch – Dec 4th @ Nottingham Writers Studio

9 November, 2015 Andy Szpuk

It’s remains to be seen whether Frank arrives on the night in a pair of chunky platform boots and clip on ginger sideburns, but he says he’d like to sing like Noddy Holder, and that’s understandable – that Black Country barrel house bellow is awe inspiring. ‘I Wish I Could Sing Like Noddy Holder’ is Frank’s 5th or 6th book. I’m losing count. I know some people are waiting for the box set, but when poetry of this quality is…

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DIY POETS BEST OF – Available Now!

26 October, 2015 Andy Szpuk

When it comes to content, any selection by the members of DIY POETS is likely to contain material across a broad range of themes, and in that respect DIY POETS BEST OF does not disappoint. In no particular order, the collection includes observations about crucifixion, funerals, longing for yesterday, tooth fairies, chocolate bunnies, penne pasta and loads more. Nelson Mandela lands on the same page as Doctor Who, and the reader gets a lesson in punctuation from Stephen Hawking. Political…

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DIY POETS AT The Hop Hideout, Sheffield, Sunday 18th October

28 September, 2015 Andy Szpuk

The festival season never seems to end! Fresh from their well received appearance at the Splendour Festival in August, where the beer ran out early, DIY POETS have found the perfect solution – an appearance at a beer shop, and unless our drinking habits suddenly become massively prodigious, the beer will flow all afternoon, along with the words, combining to intoxicate visitors in a unique way. The event is WORD DROP, the venue is the Hop Hideout on Abbeydale…

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DIY POETS @ ‘We Shall Overcome’ Event – Running Horse, Nottingham, Friday 2nd October

27 September, 2015 Andy Szpuk

It’s part of a weekend of solidarity against government cuts that is taking place not only up and down the UK, but also in a total of 8 countries, across 3 continents. The latest figures show that on the weekend of October 2/3/4 there will be a total of 243 gigs in 121 towns. DIY POETS will be there, and proud to be a part of so many performers coming together to show that yes, we do have a voice….

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DIY POETS PRESENT @ The Maze – Thursday, Nov 12, 7:45 pm

12 September, 2015 Andy Szpuk

You know you’ve been in the gimp suit too long when you need some verse to ease your chafing soul, so get yourself down to the Maze, Nottingham in November for the DIY POETS quarterly. We’ve got a new format to tantalise, with timekeepers flashing big lights, while poets sweat through every second of a precious seven minutes. Doors will open at 7:45 pm. Entry £3, a bargain! Chris Page (aka The Dark Lord) will be our headlining poet….

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DIY POETS @ Splendour 2015 – The Video

28 July, 2015 Andy Szpuk

Many thanks to Keith Turner for producing this, it certainly captures the essence of the show:

DIY POETS’ Splendid Day Out

21 July, 2015 Andy Szpuk

Write up by Lytisha: On Saturday 18th July, DIY Poets shared the bill with James, The Specials and Bananarama, amongst others. We took to the stage at Splendour Festival, Wollaton Park. Okay, not the main stage, but we let Roots Manuva use that to warm our audience up. Andy Szpuk introduced the set on the Fringe stage and we found the audience to be in fine voice through a bit of call and response audience participation. Next, Clare Stewart took everyone on…

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DIY Poets at the Splendour Fringe 2015

14 July, 2015 Andy Szpuk

Thanks to Lytisha’s application and subsequent bargaining, we have a crew lined up to perform at the Splendour Festival Fringe, Saturday 18th July, 4pm, somewhere near the main stage. Okay, we’ve only got half an hour to squeeze in as many poets as we can, but we’ll make the most of that and to be sharing the bill with The Specials, James and er Bananarama adds a certain spring to the whole thing. We’ve got one or two surprises in…

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DIY POETS Quarterly Gig @ The Maze, Nottingham, August 13th 2015

8 June, 2015 Andy Szpuk

The crotchet bikini is expected to be the fashion hit of the summer, but one of the highlights in August is the regular stitching together of verse and rhyme by DIY POETS, unravelling their collections of technicolour patchwork lexicon quilts. The evening will be sewn up by the music of Mr Ford and Mr Gibbs, but before that, headline poet, the legendary Miggy Angel will be weaving words of well worn wisdom. Better than sitting at home knitting.