John Cooper Clarke
"(I Married a) Monster from Outer Space", "Beasley Street", "The Day My Pad Went Mad" - just some of the poems which made John Cooper Clarke's reputation as the 'punk poet' and saw him become an essential part of the Manchester post-punk scene with the likes of Buzzcocks, Joy Division and The Fall. In his first heyday he released six albums, and his biting, satirical and very funny verse delivered in a rapid-fire style drew huge crowds to his live performances. After fading from view, he's back, as vital as ever, with new poems attracting a fresh audience as well as his stalwart fans. Acknowledged by Alex Turner as a huge influence on the Arctic Monkeys, John has been enjoying a big revival recently including appearances on BBC2's Culture Show and a cameo (as himself) in the acclaimed Ian Curtis biopic "Control". He'll be coming to Whitley Bay following a week-long stint at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival.
Support will be provided by Kate Fox's Hyperlexic, presenting a quickfire line up of the North East's finest stand up poets. A night not to be missed!