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ROB JOHNSTON – MAESTRO AT THE GUITAR – WOOS WRITE ANGLE AUDIENCE

Rob Johnston, May's guitarist/singer/songwriter extraordinaire, creates a 'kind of orchestra' using a lume – that accompanies his playing – which produces a massive grand sound-scape - not that his music needs enrichment but he likes experimenting – bringing new sounds and surprising his audience. It's hard to know where he'll go next. His music is exhilarating, as he makes each note as important as the next. He is a maestro and holds his audience mesmerised.

His first song, 'The little Voice'...comes from voices in his head. 'Sometimes the voices are good and sometimes they're not, he admits, mischievously. He played an eco song saying 'Maybe we're not as important as we think we are as a species', adding - not a song that will please everyone. He beats his hands like a drum against the guitar. His music has classical range. This reader could listen to him forever and it's pretty obvious Rob could easily go that same distance!

Drawn to Irish jigs, Rob really brought out the flavour. His brother Paul then joined him. They both sang and played Rob's song, 'Picture Postcard Day';- how a big city can be amazing, but it also can bring alienation, isolation. - very lyrical...'.aeroplanes circling around the day'...Again, his lyrics come unexpected, making them exciting to follow. ...He then sang 'Chasing Cars', an Irish rock song, and the audience joined in. Then, from his vast repertoire, came jazz – a variety of sounds...lovely to listen to. Ethereal and emotional...'My heart is broken'...by both brothers. They are magic....if only we could have cut out the tunings...but 'that's what good guitarists must do – to get it perfect! The evening went on till almost 11 – everyone, transfixed by Rob's music.

The Open Mic brought Tony Dee, with a poem about his old mum, 'Holding Sylvia'. 'Her son now her mum again'. 'I think of her warm brow..before I kiss it cold once more'..Tony finds himself reflecting, 'we all live and we all die' – the poem, 'Privilege'. 'Uncut diamonds buried so deep, and snow men do die, and pets die and people die. The privilege and luck to love and be loved'. Richard Peirce followed with 'I'm not teaching on Tuesday eves so I can come to Write Angle. I've been made redundant'. Said humorously, the audience laughed with him – He, too, spoke of coming to terms with loss and life's meaning. 'Wabi Saki';- learning to live a modest life style in tune with nature. 'On the way back from the gym, I set down my bicycle on the beach..sparkle from the water hurts my eyes but draws me to its beauty'. Then, 'Orchard', about staying at a harvest farm in Turkey. 'You are pouring tea into tear drop glasses'. onto the Philippines – The poor. 'Landfall Takiliban Central Philippines 8th November 2013. 'Hold on to each other. Hold on tight.

Newcomer and first time at a poetry open mic, - but you wouldn't know it - Brendan O'Connor, (actor) did 'Good Night God and Teddy too; 'His feet are tucked. His arms are folded. He's fought the dragon and saved the land. He thinks of the morning and what to do. Then, 'Charlatans', 'Will you come and join the circle'. 'Lady Jane has visions of Satan'. Interesting poems, 'taken from the box at the bottom of the closet'. (We hope he comes back again) .Barry Smith's 'Jumping Jack'., jumps forward a generation to save the local hospital.' Then, 'The dancing figure emerges from the mist',- a medieval mystic. A nun walled up with food passed through an opening.. then a poem inspired by audi maserati. 'The Bargain'. She offered him an almond in exchange for his silver bike. 'Where will your almond take me that my bike won't go'. You can suck, lick, crunch it...or stay with it on the treadmill for life..

JeanAnne Naumcyzk, announcing her friends showed up to heckle her, read, 'Old, I'm not old. Learned to wear those killer heels...I'm a working housewife, mother and a grandma all in one..' you'll find me still beating on those drums' . Then, 'The Mist of Time' about dementia, sadness. We said we'd be together and together we would stay. There is no recognition. In my eyes you're fading. You no longer know me but still together, side by side'..

audi maserati announced he wasn't going to play the ukulele, then read some lovely poetic works, 'Meditations on an Imaginary Mountain'. He'd just spent his 60th birthday in Cornwall. 'The Overture'. I climbed so high I was almost running out of mountain. 'Learning to know 'this is' and not needing to know 'how'. Then, when he lived in a caravan overlooking the beach. '...empty and suddenly, 'it is high summer and all roads lead to the beach. Mr and Mrs everyday are strong and beautiful. 'all the people, kids, shapes, figures, charcoal, holes dug in sand, kites flown, noses stuck in books, photographs are taken, the lost child is found, the kites things to a trickle...and the dreamers ...everything ends to the sound of beating waves'.

And, poets who accidentally slip in famous names to make themselves important. 'Day': 'I was reading Jean Paul Sartre, Simone de Beauvoir, a billion elegant fish and me'' It's been a strange day a long day, remembering when things just simply happened...with Ginsberg, Woodie Guthrie, Stravinsky, Kafka, Kerouac, Christina Rosetti, It's been a strange day, a day for looking at things in a different way..Walt Whitman, building a woman out of sand. TS Elliot, Philip Larkin Dostoevsky, Bertold Brecht, Kurt Weil, No wonder Audi's always a favourite!

Richard Hawtree then did a poem about a stone in County Cork. Reference to the Emergins from Galicea. 'Catching Breath' about you, nothing luminous intrudes. As his foot touched soil, he recited the first poem. The Amergins considered themselves the true kings of Ancient Ireland.' Very interesting poem, well done. John Gleadall, another newcomer, (writes Rock Musicals) rocked the room with his jazz guitar and strong voice. He performed two love songs. 'Tiger Eyes' and one of a girl he knew who ended their love affair And went to California, leaving him, 'The Thank You Letter'. A powerful and praised performer. (from the audience reaction).

It was good seeing Michael Usuwana, busy performing all over the country. He spoke, in his inimitable way, – about 'A Secret admirer' … a coward...who wants to approach his love, but hasn't got the courage. Caroline Blackburn performed two poems. The first, a love poem, then 'Circus'. I am a joker wearing two masks....'. She's theatrical and a good performer. Leah did 'Possimist' (optimist and pessimist), Big Cities & Orange Lipstick. A really good evening that went on way past its bedtime and probably could have gone on longer!

A lucky winner walked away with two free three-course meals at the Half Moon, Sheet and the evening came to an end with positive comments galore!

 

 

 

 

 

   
   

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