Linton Kwesi Johnson & Hollie McNish

Contact: festival.writingonthewall.org.uk

WoWfest 2016 proudly welcomes the return of the pioneer of Dub poetry, Linton Kwesi Johnson. Now an iconic figure within literature and reggae music, LKJ exploded onto the scene with the powerful, angry Dread Beat and Blood, heavily influencing the punk and reggae movements of that era and political thinking in the decades to follow. For LKJ "writing was a political act and poetry was a cultural weapon"; his rhythmic stories of Brixton life and the realities faced by young black people in a racist and oppressive Britain had an international resonance. In 2002 LJK became the second living poet and the first black poet to have his work included in Penguin’s Modern Classics series. In 2012 English PEN awarded him its prestigious Golden PEN Award for lifetime literary achievement, an accolade that raised a few high brows among the literary elite. During a career spanning 40 years LKJ has released 15 albums and has toured extensively as a poet and as a reggae artist with the acclaimed Dennis Bovell Band. His words are as relevant today as they were in ’78 because for many "Inglan" is "still a bitch".

Linton Kwesi Johnson has radically changed the way poetry is perceived and many young poets wouldn't be around without him. In this unique event he is joined for the first time by spoken word star Hollie McNish. The first poet to record at Abbey Road Studios, Holly won the UK Slam championship in 2013 and has published two acclaimed poetry collections, Mathematics, Nobody Told Me, and three poetry albums, Touch, Push Kick and Versus. Hollie has some high-profile fans including Kate Tempest, Tim Minchin and Benjamin Zephaniah, who "can’t take his ears off her". A night not to be missed! Hosted by Liverpool Dub Poet, Levi Tafari.

http://festival.writingonthewall.org.uk/events/10-events/16-event-two.html

Price: £10.00 / £8.00

Time: 8pm