The Word and Sound

New Year, New Words and Sounds

2012-02-10T04:59:00.000-08:00

Hello everyone, and a belated happy new year to you all.

We may have been a little quiet at The Word and Sound, but we are still about and currently formulating plans to be back later (but not too late) in the year with some more Word and Sound open mic and acoustic music gigs. Watch this blog and we'll post our plans as soon as we're able to.

It's here!

2011-06-17T03:59:00.000-07:00

It's a busy day for Worcestershire1 The first Literature Festival starts today, and over the next 10 days there are 100+ events in and around Worcester/shire. Check out their website for more info:http://www.worcslitfest.com/

Also Be: Magazine is offially launched today and is open for submissions, poetry, prose, articles etc, Be: Inspired and submit: more infomation here: http://www.bemagazine.co.uk/

And the final of the Poet Laureate for WOrcestershire is tonight in Worcester Cathedral, starting at 7.30 with doors open from 7.00 - come along and enjoy the occasion. http://www.worcslitfest.com/a-bard-for-worcestershire/

Back to the Blog

2011-06-08T12:36:00.000-07:00

Well, the Word and Sound is back as part of the first ever Worcestershire Literary Festival, we're holding an evening of Midsummer Madness on Friday, 24th June in the Cellar Bar at Worcester Arts Workshop, time 7.30pm for an 8.00pm start, and if you're a poet, story-teller, acoustic musician and would like a slot come along on the night to sign up, slots are 5 mins/3 poems for spoken worders and 10 mins for musicians, though please always bring extra. It's £5 or £3 for performers. Address is to the left of this post.

Also at the Worcester Arts Workshop are two family-friendly poetry workshops with local poets Sarah James and Jenny Hope. These are part of the Worcestershire Literary Festival, the first "When Daddy fell into the pond" (or was he pushed - sorry) is this Sunday, 10.00 - 11.30, cost is £2 in advance or £3 on the door. You could make a day of it and stay on for Worcester Arts Workshop's monthly Lazy Sunday and relax with a glass of wine or beer, sumptuous food and listen to music from local DJs and bands. Free entry

The second family-friendly workshop is on Saturday 18th June, 2.00-3.30, and is called "In the Family Tree." Cost is also £2 in advance and £3 on the door.

And don't tell her we've told you, well go one then, but Sarah James, one of the aforementioned Workshop Poets is one of ten talented poets shortlisted for the Bard of Worcestershire. The final is on Friday, 17th June, at Worcester Cathedral and is e to start at 7.30pm until 10.00ish, cost is £6.00 in advance or £7.00 on the door. As well as the wonderful Sarah James (also known as Sarah Leavesley), five other friends of the Word and Sound are shortlisted, step forward Fergus Mcgonigal, Maggie Doyle, Heather Wastie, Catherine Crosswell and Amy Daffodil Rainbow. The Word and Sound will be there, whooping and cheering, come along and join us.

Tickets for the poetry workshops and the Bard of Worcestershire final can be bought on the door at both events or in advance from the Worcestershire Literature Festival website: http://www.worcslitfest.com/

For more details on Lazy Sunday, please visit Worcester Arts Workshop's website: http://www.worcesterartsworkshop.org.uk/

30 poems in 30 days!

2011-03-31T14:34:00.000-07:00

April sees the start of National Poetry Writing Month where you're invited to write a poem a day. There's a prompt exercise to get you started on their website - link below, keep logging on for more inspirations.

http://www.napowrimo.net/

Tyger, tyger, burning bright...

2011-03-04T13:40:00.000-08:00

EVENT: Tiger Tiger
VENUE: Bloxwich Library Theatre events
ADDRESS: Elmore Row, Bloxwich, West Midlands, Bloxwich, West Midlands, WS3 2HR
BOX OFFICE:
START DATE: 05 March 2011
FINISH DATE: 05 March 2011
OPENING TIMES: 7.30pm -9.30pm

A unique poetry event staged at Bookmark Bloxwich, featuring highly acclaimed poets from across the country; including former Birmingham poet Laureate Julie Boden, Born Free poet in residence Richard Bonfield, novelist and playwright David Calcutt, poet Jacqui Rowe, and award winning journalist Sarah James. The aim of the event is to raise awareness of the tiger’s fight for survival in the face of drastically declining numbers across the world. ALL proceeds will go to the World Wildlife Fund ’Save the Tiger.’

Doors open 7.30. Event will be hosted by founder of the Tiger, Tiger campaign Helen Calcutt.

To book, please call 01922 653183

For more info please em@il thewrittenimage@hotmail.com

http://www.britevents.com/whats-on/west-midlands/bloxwich/tiger-tiger/345414/

Learning: Eating: Performing

2011-02-20T13:43:00.000-08:00

The Word and Sound were back at the Worcester Arts Workshop today for Learn: Eat: Perform, which was a wonderful poetry workshop run by The Worcestershire Literature Festival with guest poet Aoife Mannix. http://aoifemannix.com/

The workshop covered performance tips which were easily accessible. Aoife also had some wonderful writing exercises which freed up the imagination: how to dress for a ball on Venus. Some very elaborate outfits saw the light of day. The drafts saw the beginnings of many poems for the participants.

After a break for lunch with fantastic food at on-site Cafe Bliss, an open mic followed to enable tips to be put into practice. Check out the menu here:

The next Learn: Eat: Perform: is on Sunday 20th March with guest poet Lucy Engish. £6 in advance or £7 on the door. There are 15 places. For more details and how to book visit the Worcestershire Literature Festival's website: http://www.worcslitfest.com/sunday-20th-march-2011-learn-eat-perform-with-lucy-english/

The John Denton Award

2011-02-16T06:24:00.000-08:00

Saturday saw the presentation of a new award at The Word and Sound. The John Denton Award is awarded at the first Word and Sound of the year, to the most popular act of the previous year. It's named in honour of John Denton who founded the Word and Sound in 2010 and who left the Worcester Arts Workshop in December. John Denton was the first recipient.

We could not, not mention

he contribution by John Denton

to the Worcester Arts Workshop

and last year – it stopped

So about the man. An enigma?

Blues guitarist and a sapphire singer

A thinker, a listener, with political conscience

That’s lucky, he’s put up with, a fair bit on nonsense

We of course were not shocked

to hear last week Great Malvern rocked

to his Delta rhythm and blues 12-bar.

He held that crowd, with his new guitar

What did his wife say?

She said listen, don’t be late

No more than six pints

The long-suffering but very loving Kate

Perhaps we should move on

Perhaps we should

Is there one like him

In every neighbourhood?

We’ve got something for John Denton

We are of one accord

The Word & Sound

have a new award

So ladies and gentlemen – listen up

We introduce the John Denton Cup

Awarded to the most popular act of the previous year

That had to be you, John, dear lad, come here….

Heart-felt Words

2011-02-16T05:58:00.001-08:00

Saturday 12th February saw the first Word and Sound of 2011. The theme, given its proximity to Valentine's Day was Heart-felt Words, (as opposed to the slightly more obvious "love.") As usual there was no previous programme as The Word and Sound love the spontaneity and unknown quantity of not knowing who is going to get up on the night!

Performers musically were The Brothers' Grimm, a.k.a John Denton and Adrian Mealing; Colin Baggs; Russell Marshall.

Poets and Spoken Word Performers were Amanda Bonnick, Math Jones, Sarah Tamar, Fergus McGonical, Matt Brockington, Gary Carr, Lea Roy Haworth, Ruth Stacey, Jenny Hope