Record

Performance TitleA Hip Mass: The Superjam - First International Poetry Day
Performance Date7 July 1996
Performance DaySunday
Performance Time13:30
Main PerformersAllen Ginsberg,
Heathcote Williams,
Valerie Bloom,
Ifgenija Simonovic,
Mahood Jamal,
Kazuko Shiraishi,
Brendan Kennelly,
Roger McGough,
Grace Nichols,
Inge Elsa Laird,
John Agard,
Miroslav Holub,
Waterson: Carthy,
Carol Ann Duffy,
Shusha,
Patti Smith,
Paul Durcan,
Jackie Kay,
Gwyneth Lewis,
James Fenton,
Adrian Mitchell,
Patience Agbabi,
Andrei Voznesensky,
Progress with Zila,
Caroline Coon,
James Berry,
E J Thribb,
Perry Benson,
Moondog,
Nick Cave,
Warren Ellis,
Christopher Logue,
Simon Armitage,
Hanif Kureishi,
Mark Fisher MP,
Nerys Hughes,
Gerard Presencer,
Fran Landesman,
Damon Albarn,
Trevor Laird,
Michael Horovitz,
John Hegley,
John Cooper Clarke,
Ray Davies,
Kylie Minogue - speakers
Orchestra or BandThe Broadside Band,
Stan Tracey Quartet,
The Macusi Players,
Evelyn Tubb and The Broadside Band
Set List13:30 Heathcore Williams, Valerie Bloom, Ifigenija Simonovic, Mahood Jamal, Kazuko Shiraishi, Brendan Kennelly,
14:30 Roger McGough, Grace Nichols, Inge Elsa Laird, John Agard, Miroslac Holub,
15:30 Waterson: Carthy, Carol Ann Duffy, Shusha, MC Justine Frischmann,
'To the Reader' (Patti Smith),
'The Passenger M' (Patti Smith),
'The Throw' (Patti Smith),
'Staff of Life' (Patti Smith),
'Magua' (Patti Smith),
'Charity Boy' (Patti Smith),
'Beneath the Southern Cross' (Patti Smith),
'Farewell Reel' (Patti Smith),
16:30 Paul Durcan, Jackie Kay, Gwyneth Lewis, James Fenton, The Macusi Players,
17:30 Adrian Mitchell, Patience Agbabi, Andrei Voznesensky, Progress with Zila,
18:30 James Berry, E J Thribb, Perry Benson, Moondog,
'Dead Joe' (Nick Cave with Warren Ellis),
'Black Hair' (Nick Cave with Warren Ellis),
'The Mercy Seat' (Nick Cave with Warren Ellis),
Kylie Minogue:
'I Should Be So Lucky',
19:30 Evelyn Tubb and the Broadside Band, Christopher Logue, Simon Armitage, Hanif Kureishi, Mark Fisher (MP),
20:30 'Under Milk Wood', Dylan Thomas (Nerys Hughes, Stand Tracey Quartet ft. Gerard Presencer), Fran Landesman, Damon Albarn, Trevor Laird,
'Essex Dogs' (Damon Albarn),
A Song' (Damon Albarn),
'Waterloo Sunset' (Damon Albarn),
'Parklife' (Damon Albarn),
21:30 Michael Horovitz, John Hegley, John Cooper Clarke, Ray Davies,
Allen Ginsberg
Performance NotesThis was an all day, nine hour poetry event, with over 45 performers, at which notably Kylie Minogue shook off her Stock, Aitken and Waterman pop image and performed a tongue-in-cheek spoken word version of 'I Should Be So Lucky' at Nick Cave's suggestion. ‘Indie Kylie’, the NME star, was born.

The event was devoted to specific themes including jazz poetry, translations, singer-songwriting, young people's and children's poetry, musical arrangements and settings of poetry, readings and performances of verse. There were nine sessions or 'heats' of roughly 45 minutes each, with an interval of 10-15 minutes between them, in this grand finale to the first Poetry Olympics Weekend (POW!) Festival.

"The event began with a female performer singing in Japanese to her own echo, followed by another female performer chanting "Steve Biko...Ken Saro Wiwa...". Michael Horowitz blew on a small horn which he called his 'anglosaxophone' to announce his part in what he called "this Bardstock", and announcing, "let's levitate this place!". Brendan Kennely read from his then new collection of poerty called 'Poetry My Arse'. Patti Smith when on stage asked, "Should I start counting the audience?" due to the small crowd the event had gathered. Nerys Hughes performed 'Under Milk Wood' with the new Stan Tracey Quartet."
(The Guardian 8 July 1996)
Related Archival MaterialProgramme (RAHE/1/1996/),
Handbill (RAHE/6/1996/19),
Poster (RAHE/2/1996/16)
URLhttps://thirdlight.royalalberthall.com/pf.tlx/LfFLB40L5wKQq
https://thirdlight.royalalberthall.com/pf.tlx/RuRr5yRrSkP5p
Catalogue
Ref_NoTitleDate
RAHE/2/1996/16MegaGig of the Century7 July 1996
RAHE/6/1996/19A Hip Mass: The Superjam - First International Poetry Day7 July 1996
Work
Ref NoTitleNo of Performances
Cpab_Zowh_ViezA Hip Mass: The Superjam - First International Poetry Day1
Performers
CodeName of Performer(s)
DS/UK/4930Horovitz; Michael (1935-2021); OBE; German-born British poet, editor, artist and translator
DS/UK/3140Minogue; Kylie (28 May 1968); AO, OBE; Australian singer-songwriter, actress
DS/UK/26Davies; Sir; Ray (21 June 1944); CBE; English singer songwriter and musician
DS/UK/9815Clarke; John Cooper (1949-); English performance poet
DS/UK/4928Albarn; Damon (23 March 1968-present); OBE; English musician, singer songwriter and producer
DS/UK/12168Ginsberg; Allen (1926-1997); American poet, philosopher and writer
DS/UK/14831Duffy; Carol Ann (1955-); CBE, FRSL; Scottish poet and playwright
DS/UK/12172McGough; Roger (9 November 1937); CBE FRSL; English poet, poet, broadcaster and playwright
DS/UK/16738Cave; Nick (22 September 1957); AO; Australian singer songwriter, screenwriter and composer
DS/UK/19317Smith; Patti (30 December 1946); American singer songwriter, musician, author, and poet
DS/UK/15481Logue; Christopher (1926-2011); CBE; English poet
DS/UK/15480Mitchell; Adrian (1932-2008); English poet, novelist, playwright
DS/UK/19322Williams; Heathcote (1941-); English poet, actor, playwright, artist
DS/UK/19318Hegley; John Richard (1953-); English performance poet, comedian, musician, songwriter
DS/UK/19319Kureishi; Hanif (1954-); CBE; English playwright, screenwriter, filmmaker, novelist
DS/UK/19320Armitage; Simon (26 May 1963); CBE FRSL; English poet, playwright and novelist
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