Since I've been active in UK poetry Manchester has been a succinct, but powerful scene for avant garde work, and has had an immense effect on me and my direction as a poet. One an point to over two dozen amazing poets / performers, presses like knives forks and spoons, if p then q, zimzalla, like this press, carcanet, erbacce, department, reading series like the Other room, organisations like Mercy. More than that there is an absolute lack of posturing or politics, and that has directly informed my curating of the Maintenant & Enemies events. Moreover, this is not motivated by an idealism that is bound to crush under its own weight. It is founded an an urbane sense of humour and an enjoyment of the activity of poetry, as well as the poetry itself. It is s scene without pretension that ensures its own longevity by being both diffuse and exact, by being approachable yet complex. It is driven pu putting people before poetry. I said all this when i read at the Other room - Tom Jenks published my first poem in Parameter magazine, Alec Newman published my 1st collection. My family is actually entirely from the northwest, which is probably why I held it at arms length before poetry brought me back. Now it's a second home.
Enemies of the North - March Saturday 30th at the Cornerhouse in Manchester
http://www.cornerhouse.org/ - 5.30pm to 9pm in the Annexe room – entrance free
A special Camarade event, a day of original collaborations in poetry, sonic art and visual art, celebrating the resurgent energy of the northwest innovative poetry scene. Enemies in the north will also see the launch of Gilles de Rais (by David Kelly and I) & the Estates of Westeros (by Ben Morris and I), two books in boxes, published by Like This press www.likethispress.co.uk as well as Elephanche (by Marcus Slease and I), a book of poemplays, published by Department presswww.departmentzine.blogspot.co.uk The event will feature:
Zoe Skoulding & Robert Sheppard
Richard Barrett & Nathan Thompson
Sarah Crewe & Jo Langton
Michael Egan & Bobby Parker
Steven Waling & Matt Dalby
Adam Steiner & Eleanor Rees
Alec Newman & Ryan Van Winkle
James Byrne & Sandeep Parmar
SJ Fowler & Marcus Slease
Daniele Pantano & David Kelly
Tom Jenks & Chris McCabe
& Ben Morris