In Which I Get Back on the Horse

Not an actual horse, mind. Given the state of my nether regions recently any actual equestrian activity would be a one-way ticket to a world of insufferable pain. I'm being metaphorical, here. And what I'm being metaphorical about is the business of gigging.

I've decided to do more gigs. There. I've said it. Regular readers of this blog will be aware that my attitude to performance and praise is somewhat complex, to say the least, but, following the reception I got for reading a single poem at the Ink Festival, I've decided to start going out and actually performing a bit more on the scene. This Thursday, I'm joining the excellent Steve Urwin and Jenni Pascoe at  a Poetry Jam at the Waddington Street Centre in Durham. I think this is one of the first poetry gigs they've done at this venue, so the nature of the gig is somewhat unpredictable: it could be a really big audience or the more traditional three people and a daschund called Colin. Either way, the important thing is to get more performing time in. Regular gigging for the performance poet is like regular fighting for a boxer (though I don't think poetry necessarily has to be a competitive activity, which is one reason I generally don't do my best work in slams - well, that and all the testosterone flying about...): you can overdo it, true, but the only way to increase your chances of bringing your A-game on any particular night is to ensure you're doing it as much as possible on any other night you can.

To that end, I will also be attending Jibba Jabba on the tenth of July, which event, taking place as it does in the most excellent Trent House, will probably be somewhat livelier than the Durham gig...which, again, is good, because I need to get some practice in performing in different environments and for different types of audience.

Further gigs are being set up for later in the year, and I'll have more on those on this blog closer to the time. As always, do come if you can. Apparently I'm quite good, or that's what people are saying, anyway.