The April 'Alternative Black Country Night Out' gig (Fri 22nd April) @ The Lamp Tavern in Dudley - is now sold out. The performance roster for the night features music spots from

GOJO' MUSIC and Rachel Mainstone

Poetry spots from Billy Spake Mon and Brendan Hawthorne

Literature spots from Paul McDonald and Greg Stokes.

The next 'Alternative Black Country Night Out' gig taking place at The Lamp Tavern is on Fri 20th May...see below for information.


'An Alternative Black Country Night Out...An Alternative Night Out in the Black Country.'

Creative co-operations present another evening of cool contemporary arts culture from the Black Country region at The Lamp Tavern, 116 High St, Dudley, West Midlands, DY1 1QT.
Tel: 01384-254129.

Fri 20th May - tickets on sale now @ £5 each. Tickets can be purchased from the Lamp Tavern (details above) or by contacting either Greg Stokes via kateshillpress@blueyonder.co.uk - tel: 01384- 255973, Gary O'Dea via garysing1@aol.com - tel: 0121-520-5259 or Brian Dakin via dakinbrian@hotmail.com - tel: 0121-552-4201.

The evening will once again be a fusion of music, poetry and literature from the region.

Featuring live acoustic sessions from -

GOJO' MUSIC... Tipton Troubadour Gary O'Dea and magic fingered side kick Garry Oliver perform wonders with acoustic guitars.' Andy Mabbett - Birmingham Alive web site. 'Superb...blend together the musical genres of blues, funk, soul and reggae.' Graham Radley - World Unlimited.

Dan Bradley... Classically trained Cello player and professional musician who has toured with The Midland Festival Orchestra, The English Philharmonic Orchestra, numerous touring theatre productions performing in venues such as The Royal Albert Hall, The Festival Hall, The NIA and NEC as well as local TV appearances. Dan performs with Cello and Acoustic guitar. His influences drawn from the classical realms of Mendelssohn, Schubert, Hayden etc...but Dan has another string to his bow (pun intended) - his own song writing talent and his adaptation of classic pop and rock songs, his influences drawn from Iron Maiden to Crowded House to Public Enemy. DO NOT MISS (he's got great legs as well).

Performance Poetry from -

Billy Spake Mon... Billy Spake Mon is the stage name of Brian Dakin. He is passionate about the Black Country dialect - the history of it and more importantly the future of it. His book 'Chant Of The Mutha Tung' (published by Kates Hill Press - Dudley) is dialect poetry at its best. Brian has featured many times on local radio, TV and in the local press. He is endorsed and supported by local Historian and BBC Radio WM Broadcaster Dr Carl Chinn.

Brendan Hawthorne... Acclaimed contemporary Black Country Poet, from rock n' roll to poetic soul - Brendan draws on influences ranging from Jim Morrison and Patti Smith to the Industrial Heritage of his native Black Country. A new collection of his poems has been published by Bluechrome Publishing - under the title of Urban Dawn. For further information please visit http://www.poetrywednesbury.co.uk

Barry Morris... Author of the hard hitting account of the Vietnam War - Ghost Voices (published by Kates Hill Press Publishing - Dudley) reflects on Barry's part as a United Nations Observer with 2 Bravo 6 Platoon Royal Marines. The book is championed by Amnesty International (to which all monies from this title are donated). Barry has written across many styles of writing all with the same high standard (as you'll hear tonight). He has a collection of short stories to be published by Kates Hill Press later on this year. He's also travelling down from Liverpool to perform at tonight's show (because he knows that Black Country audiences are the salt of the earth) so show your appreciation (as ever).

Greg Stokes... Kates Hill Press Publishing is an independent small press publishing company based in Dudley, West Midlands, that was formed by Greg and Carol Stokes in 1992. They are committed to producing short runs of fiction and social history books with a West Midland theme or by a West Midlands writer. Their catalogue includes Novels, Short Stories, Social History, Poetry and Black Country Classic Stories. Greg Stokes has written across many writing styles that include titles such as A Witness For Peace - a hard hitting powerfully written account of a working class life that ends in a tragic death, with a forward written by Lenny Henry. He's also produced a collection of 29 short stories under the title of The Gulf - stories are based in the Black Country and the United Arab Emirates and there's also the spoof detective novel A Pack Of Saftness set in a fictitious Black Country Republic. For further information please visit www.kateshillpress.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk

This is an 'Alternative' Black Country night out - spotlighting the wealth of original contemporary creative output in the Arts genres of music, poetry and literature in the area. It's passionate, in your face - and a whole lot of fun. We want to raise the profile of these genres. We feel that recognition to 'contemporary original works' is something that has been (and is) undervalued and drastically overlooked in our area. The areas rich historical / industrial heritage is well and truly chronicled - we want to profile the fact that we also have a rich, diverse contemporary arts culture as well. This event will be performance arts - by the people - for the people. Please note: 'Prawn sandwiches will once again not be available...ar kid.'
For further information on the event please contact 0121-520-5259 or 01384 - 255973