In the fantastic surrounds of Newcastle University’s Culture Lab, an eclectic set of readers dazzled an audience of poetry fans on Tuesday 3 March 2015. Opening the show was South Shields born and raised, Jake Campbell, read poems from his debut pamphlet Definitions of Distance many of which told a beautiful story of growing up in the local area.

Jake Campbell reads in Newcastle

Professor of Poetry at Newcastle University, W N Herbert, further provided a local link and took to the stage as a member of 1994’s New Generation. A lively performance included singing and readings from his latest pamphlet, Murder Bear, all of which demonstrated Herbert’s reputation as a truly experimental voice in the poetry scene.

Bill Herbert reads in Newcastle

The first Next Generation Poet 2014 of the evening was Hannah Lowe who read a number of poems about her father from her debut collection, Chick, and then a range of wonderfully interesting and evocative poems in the voice of immigrants on the ship her father travelled on, Ormonde.

Hannah Lowe reads in Newcastle

Last up on the night was Northern Irish poet, Alan Gillis, who gave a mesmeric performance of poems from his latest collection Scapegoat (Gallery Press). Merging love poetry and the contemporary world, Gillis presents his poetry and existence through an Instagram filter, and glorious it is too!

Alan Gillis reads in Newcastle