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EVENTS
Outspoken: A Night Of Poetry and Live Music
RnB/Hip Hop | Tuesday 24th September 2013 | Shay
The Star Of Kings is a pretty little gem within the industrial setting of York Way. Down a dark staircase, you will suddenly be graced with the warmth of an intimate basement. With a selection of talented performers, the night took you on a journey from humour to melancholy; from live music to serious spoken word. With an earthly setting and welcoming atmosphere, pianist Karim Kamar inspired the crowd, becoming one with his keys and enchanting the audence with his melodies.
Anthony Anaxagorou, who runs the night alongside Ruby Kid, performed powerful pieces. The silence in the room was intense, with every face engrossed in his words. His book "A Difficult Place To Be Human" has been successful and a must for your collection. If you are new to spoken word, this is a perfect night to experience a range of styles and you are guaranteed to enjoy your experience. One of my favourite performers was Ehi Joshua Idehen - he has a band, Benin City, however he did a poetry set on Saturday evening. I listened to, laughed at and enjoyed his introductions and his interaction with the crowd just as much as his poems. I never thought I would enjoy a poem about Gandalf as much as I did!
Headlining the night was MOBO nominee Ayanna Witter-Johnson, who, with with grace and class, topped the event with atmospheric cello and her own songs which were full of emotion and story. She interacted with the audience, sharing with them personal memoirs and taking you into each song with a smile.
Other fantastic artists included Joelle Taylor, Eliza Shaddad and The Ruby Kid. Mista Gee took us into the later hours with a DJ set, where people got to dance and catch a vibe. A great Saturday night event, I look forward to the next one on October 29th!
Check out Outspoken's Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/outspokenldn and follow them on Twitter @OutSpokenLDN
by Shay D
@shayduk
