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There's only a few tickets left for the Sept 30th 'Special'...see below

'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 LIVE from The Lamp Tavern, 116 High St, Dudley, West Midlands, DY1 1QT. Tel: 01384-254129.

Fri 30th Sept - 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 -

Perry Foster...The 'Big Daddy of British Blues'; 'The Old Maestro'...these are just a couple of the descriptions fellow musicians have given to Perry Foster. Even one of Charlie Musselwhites US Blues band thought he was listening to someone from Mississippi or Texas when Perry's second CD Star Spangled Sidewalk was played backstage after one US festival that Perry took part in. But Perry he ain't from across the pond - he's from DUDLEY and proud of it. Many blues enthusiasts who remember the great blues package tours of the early Sixties will be sure to recognise the raw, immediate Delta style of the solo acoustic Country/Blues they are likely to hear in Perry Fosters sets. During the Sixties - down in London, Perry was associated with the original Yardbirds and also played sets alongside The Rolling Stones. He took any opportunity of meeting and playing alongside such greats as Howling Wolf, Rev Gary Davis, Sonny Terry & Brownie McGhee, Sleepy John Estes and of course Sonny Boy Williamson - for whom Perry acted as a 'minder' for a while and was given a blues harp by the blues great which Perry still plays today. Perry became to budding Midlands based musicians a figure similar to that of Alexis Korner in London - he took and nurtured some future international stars under his wing - most notably Led Zeppelins Robert Plant and Traffics Chris Woods when Perry's Delta Blues Band were blowing up a storm around Midlands venues. Perry caused a sensation when he featured in a Granada TV documentary about the Burnley Blues festival called 'Burnley Sings The Blues' and as also featured on BBC TV & Radio over the years. He has played at every major blues festival in the UK and has toured Europe and the USA - recently touring with his old 'pupil' Robert Plant. Perry's full blooded, gritty vocals and driving slide guitar create an atmosphere redolent of the old bluesman, but stamped with his own, inimitable personality and irrepressible Black Country humour. DO NOT MISS.

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. For details visit http://www.gojo-music.co.uk/

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 and national press (Times Supplement even). He is endorsed and supported by local Historian and BBC Radio WM Broadcaster Dr Carl Chinn. Billy has a CD collection of his poetry on sale - check it out. For details visit www.kateshillpress.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk

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. Brendan has an excellent collection of his poems published by Bluechrome Publishing - under the title of Urban Dawn. For further information please visit http://www.poetrywednesbury.co.uk/

Literature Readings from -

Anthony Cartwright... Stunning literary debut from this Dudley writer with the critically acclaimed and award winning The Afterglow - a story set around the Kates Hill Estate and Dudley area. The book received excellent national reviews such as...'This is a novel you want to let speak for itself, so passionately concerned is it with voice and taboo, with the pressure of the unsaid on the said, with collective and individual utterance. With great tenderness, Cartwright reveals the tentative dreams and aspirations for a better life that underline the seeming heartlessness of his quiet heroes.' Michele Roberts - Independent On Sunday. 'Combining sharp social observation and compassion with a compelling narrative focus...this is a most impressive debut.' The Guardian. 'This is one of those rare novels which gives us the real thing...an excellent read, told with style and pace.' Alan Sillitoe. 'Cartwright’s real achievement is his virtuoso ear for Black Country dialect. His cleverly wrought phonetic dialogue is by turns comic, angry, poignant and poetic.' John Murray. Anthony made his 'Alternative Black Country Night Out' debut at our first night in Wolverhampton's Newhampton Inn back in June of this year. This is his first appearance at the home of the ABCNO - The Lamp Tavern, in Anthony's home town of Dudley. For more info please visit http://www.tindalstreet.co.uk/

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 http://www.kateshillpress.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/

PLUS...FOR ONE NIGHT ONLY...'UNCLE' DES STOKES ...(Dudley's answer to Tony Hancock)...storyteller / monologues in a Black Country tongue...old school style...a one off...

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...aer kid.'

For further info on the event please contact 0121-520-5259 or 01384 - 255973

Well you all know about the VIOCES project broadcasts on BBC Radio during the month of August that Gary O'Dea took part in (see the posting for Aug 22nd) - but the origins of Gary's input to the project go back to September 2003, when Gary and his mate Steve Greenfield were contacted by one of the original researchers into the project before the BBC took it on board. This was one Esther Asprey who was part of a team from Leeds University working on a three year project for the Leeds Archive of Venacular Culture.

Esther produced her PHD on the Linguistic and Regional Identity in the Black Country. She has spoken about her work in many academeic settings and her research has obviously been a great success. With the BBC broadcasts her work is now complete. I was contacted by letter from Esther to thank me for my input back in Sept 2003 - she also added this comment about her time in the Black Country doing her research which I thought I'd share with you:-

' It was a lovely experience to work in the Black Country. I have been welcomed, fed, given gifts, given countless cups of tea, and many pieces of cake, and in all cases made to feel that what I was doing was genuinely interesting.
I thank you many times over for your hospitality, interest and friendliness, and for the kindness I was shown by the people of the Black Country - whoever they may be and wherever they may live, and I think all of us aren't quite sure where that is!!!

With very best wishes

Esther Asprey'

Esther comments sit very nicely along side the comments from the lovely Johanne Savoie on her visit to the region and the Alternative Black Country Night Out back in July (see this link A Canadian In Dudley). I think the warmth and friendliness of Black Country people is one of our 'natural exports' - and when people ask me 'where the Black Country is' - me myself I tell them it's in the soul and it's a magical place - like Brigadoon (ha ha).

Gary O'Dea.