Anarchists and Trots, Commies with capital C's, red-greenies, peaceniks and aging beatniks; republican socialist Welshies and left Nat's, born again animal rights atheists and even old Labourites. Expect to come across all of these and more besides at the launch of the latest issue of 'Red Poets' magazine ( no. 16) at the Old Orleans, Church St., Cardiff on Sunday, Sept. 12th, kicking off at 7.30 pm.
As venues go, it seems really good. I did a reading there as part of the now defunct 'Poetry On Tap' series organised by Mab Jones and Ivy Alvarez (both of whom have poems in this issue). It's an intimate upstairs room with a real mic.! Acoustics seemed totally unimpaired by the busy bar below.
Venues can be so vital. A few years back we were unfortunate to hold our launch at Clwb-y-bont in Ponty when it was undergoing refurbishment. An imposing pool table dominated the room and acted as a barrier between audience and performers. The whole place was dark and dusty and a sad comparison to the same room where we'd launched the very first magazine, so lively and welcoming. We just caught it at the wrong time.
The Toucan Club in Cardiff wasn't the best place either : an elongated room, where the audience would've required theatre glasses to see the poets. It didn't help that someone grabbed the mic. near the end and slagged us all off! Chapter, on the other hand, was one of the most successful : we had to keep bringing in more chairs during the readings to meet demand.
Our two most regular and definitely superior venues have been Blackwood Miners' Institute and the Dylan Thomas Centre in Swansea. The 'Stute bar has been perfect for Red Poets with its open, relaxed atmosphere, with bar always available for beer-supping bards. Hopefully, we'll be reading in the DT Centre in the New Year as part of a 'little magazines' evening, but this year they couldn't accomodate our actual launch.
The cover of our latest issue is an arresting colour photo of Pontypridd High St. by Dave Lewis, who also has a poem in it. Alun Hughes contributes an article on Chartist songs, as well as two fascinating translations from Russian poet Maximilian Voloshin and Peruvian Blanca Verala ( new names to me).
As editor in charge of selection, the most pleasure is gained from publishing material by poets for the first time, such as David Steer, Clare Saponia and Carlos Nigueiras. Many contributors will be reading at the launch, including former winners of the John Tripp Award for Spoken Poetry, Ifor Thomas and Emily Hinshelwood.
There will be an acoustic set from fellow Bluebird Paul Rosser, who used to front the Rhondda band The Watermelons and a chance for anyone to join in on the Open Mic. session. Can't be 'bard' for £4, which includes a copy of the mag.
As my co-editor Marc Jones says on the back cover - 'Poetry before profit.' Any pennies we make go back into producing the next issue.
SHOULDN'T HAVE BEEN ME
I should've moved to London
to make it Big,
I should've died young
and pissed in my prime;
should've got myself an agent
(maybe 007!).
Should've done more 'creeping and leaping'
as Swift puts it in 'Gulliver',
attended to nod at committee meetings,
recanted my Redness like Nicky Wire.
Should've sent off scripts that time
for that soap on ITV.
Basically,I shouldn't have been me.
As venues go, it seems really good. I did a reading there as part of the now defunct 'Poetry On Tap' series organised by Mab Jones and Ivy Alvarez (both of whom have poems in this issue). It's an intimate upstairs room with a real mic.! Acoustics seemed totally unimpaired by the busy bar below.
Venues can be so vital. A few years back we were unfortunate to hold our launch at Clwb-y-bont in Ponty when it was undergoing refurbishment. An imposing pool table dominated the room and acted as a barrier between audience and performers. The whole place was dark and dusty and a sad comparison to the same room where we'd launched the very first magazine, so lively and welcoming. We just caught it at the wrong time.
The Toucan Club in Cardiff wasn't the best place either : an elongated room, where the audience would've required theatre glasses to see the poets. It didn't help that someone grabbed the mic. near the end and slagged us all off! Chapter, on the other hand, was one of the most successful : we had to keep bringing in more chairs during the readings to meet demand.
Our two most regular and definitely superior venues have been Blackwood Miners' Institute and the Dylan Thomas Centre in Swansea. The 'Stute bar has been perfect for Red Poets with its open, relaxed atmosphere, with bar always available for beer-supping bards. Hopefully, we'll be reading in the DT Centre in the New Year as part of a 'little magazines' evening, but this year they couldn't accomodate our actual launch.
The cover of our latest issue is an arresting colour photo of Pontypridd High St. by Dave Lewis, who also has a poem in it. Alun Hughes contributes an article on Chartist songs, as well as two fascinating translations from Russian poet Maximilian Voloshin and Peruvian Blanca Verala ( new names to me).
As editor in charge of selection, the most pleasure is gained from publishing material by poets for the first time, such as David Steer, Clare Saponia and Carlos Nigueiras. Many contributors will be reading at the launch, including former winners of the John Tripp Award for Spoken Poetry, Ifor Thomas and Emily Hinshelwood.
There will be an acoustic set from fellow Bluebird Paul Rosser, who used to front the Rhondda band The Watermelons and a chance for anyone to join in on the Open Mic. session. Can't be 'bard' for £4, which includes a copy of the mag.
As my co-editor Marc Jones says on the back cover - 'Poetry before profit.' Any pennies we make go back into producing the next issue.
SHOULDN'T HAVE BEEN ME
I should've moved to London
to make it Big,
I should've died young
and pissed in my prime;
should've got myself an agent
(maybe 007!).
Should've done more 'creeping and leaping'
as Swift puts it in 'Gulliver',
attended to nod at committee meetings,
recanted my Redness like Nicky Wire.
Should've sent off scripts that time
for that soap on ITV.
Basically,I shouldn't have been me.
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