HIT THE ODE@ The Victoria

The 25th of November 2010, it's probably going to be cold, dark and perhaps damp but now thanks to the opening night of 'Hit the Ode' it promises to be rather special.

Brought to you by Apples & Snakes, "Hit the Ode" is a new spoken word night bringing the absolute best poets from the West Midlands, the rest of the UK, and the world to The Victoria in Birmingham. If you love poetry, you already know this is not to be missed. If you think poetry is boring, come and experience this heady mix of comedy, drama, wordplay and emotion, then tell us that you haven't changed your mind!

This inaugural edition brings together three amazing poets (and one musician): here's a rare chance to see Birmingham's Kim Trusty, Manchester's Tony Walsh, Canada's Ian Keteku (reigning poetry slam world champion) and ukulele maestro Brad Morden rock the stage together.

Note: if you write and perform poetry yourself - there will be a (very) few open mic slots available, so get there early on the day to sign up!

For more information: bohdan@applesandsnakes.org

Here is the line-up:

Kim Trusty - a Birmingham-based poet from beyond the Atlantic, Kim entices audiences with her on-stage charisma and masterful wordplay. Kim has toured England with the spoken word shows Word Temple and Temptation, and has appeared as a guest artist at many venues nationwide, including the Southbank Centre, Soho Theatre, Ways with Words Festival, Latitude Festival, and the Big Chill.

Tony Walsh - a true giant of the Manchester scene, Tony Walsh takes audiences on a rock and rollercoaster ride from comedy to tragedy, from the deadly serious to the seriously deadly. Tony has shared a stage with many top UK and international performance poets and has been published in magazines and anthologies alongside works from Simon Armitage, Benjamin Zephaniah, Roger McGough and Adrian Mitchell.

Ian Keteku & Brad Morden - straight from Canada comes poet & MC Ian Keteku, the reigning poetry slam World Champion! Ian uses his voice to speak for the voiceless, and inspire messages of critical thought. He has shared the stage with artists such as Ursula Rucker, members of the Wu Tang Clan, and Saul Williams.

Ian is joined on his European tour by his compatriot, Brad Morden, a ukulele-wielding bard whose musical and poetic travels have taken him from Sarajevo to Little Corn Island in the Caribbean.

So tootle on down The Victoria for 7.00 pm and bring a fiver for entry and you shall be entertained by some of the most electrifying and innovative spoken word poetry by some of the best performers from around the corner - and around the world.