SEPT 2010
Sex, Wales & Anarchy
Hello World.
I performed at Sex, Wales & Anarchy at The Coal Exchange, Cardiff yesterday. I’m sad to say I didn’t see much of any of these in the event but I did see plenty of corsets and heaving gothtastic bosoms once I’d fought through the herd of goth/punk/metalheads smoking outside. The Coal Exchange is a great venue, but fo some reason this year the spoken word had been shifted from the main stage area to a small room down a long corridor that usually works as The Dressing Room. ‘You have to see this,’ says fellow poet and performer of the day Jack Pascoe. ‘It’s like my Nan’s living room!’ and minus the signed, framed band posters it probably is. For my 20 minutes of the spotlight I focused on the SEX aspect of the festival and rather appropriatelt read some extracts from The Art of Contraception spliced with poems about sex and drinking and boys sat in an easy chair holding the stand-less mic. I read to a full small room of people cramming bums on sofas and carpet and into small crannies, backs gainst the wall/door/lamp. ‘I rename this ‘The SEX Room,’ says former Torchwood star and event organiser Gareth David-Lloyd. ‘There aren’t enough chains,’ mutters a booted vixen to my right. Afterwards a couple of people I’ve never met before – or bribed – came up to me and said they were going to buy my book. Happy Days. A photographer gathered the poet-types (Mab Jones, Sion Tomos Owen, Patrick Jones, Nick Fisk, Sue Hamblen and myself) together for some professional snaps. We were placed amongst the exhibition of erotic art. Specifially he lined us up beneath Helen Finney’s ‘Gagged’ painting. I was draped over an ornate armchair. I’m not sure I managed to stop laughing. The photos will soon reveal all.
In other news, I wrote a new blog for Mslexia about Deborah Kay Davies’ book launch and other brilliance.I also wrote the ‘My Cultural Weekend’ column for yesterday’s Western Mail. They used an old photo. I met someone last night who recognised me from reading it. That was strange.
This year’s Bay Lit festival line-up is looking fantastic. Apart from the wonderful BYT event on the 30th October, I am also looking forward to the innovative poetry experiment on 27 October featuring Leeum J and Byron V. Find out all about the festival and events over at http://baylit.co.uk/
The Bright Young Things are now on Twitter. Follow us and we’ll follow you. That sounds creepy. It isn’t.
Happy Sundays all. Time for me to indulge in the papers and some good food.
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