Bard from the pubs and clubs of Salford again

Evidently Chickentown and countless other acerbic yet sharply funny odes to Northern working class life established John Cooper Clarke as undoubtedly the most important and exciting poets of his generation.

Now the Bard of Salford is on his way back to Lancashire with a show at The Arena, in Blackpool Winter Gardens later this year.

Cooper Clarke will be in the resort on June 20, with tickets going on sale tomorrow from 10am. The announcement follows news of headline dates at London’s O2 Shepherd’s Bush Empire and Leeds Town Hall.

Recent years have seen the work of Clarke – the original ‘punk poet’ who toured with the giants of that movement, including the Sex Pistols, The Clash, Buzzcocks, The Fall and Elvis Costello – revisited and re-evaluated by a new generation of writers and musicians.

His much imitated rapid-fire delivery, snarling Salford brogue and shrewd, astute use of language clearly resonated with the young punk crowds, and soon enough JCC was selling records and filling venues with his name at the top of the bill.

At one time he was regularly supported by iconicManchester new wave band Joy Division and New Order later opened for him on their first Australian tour.

Today, his legacy is perhaps more widely acknowledged than at any time in his 40+ year writing career.

Notable fans include Alex Turner, who admits the poet’s huge influence on his own band the Arctic Monkeys.

Describing the famously wiry wordsmith as “a huge inspiration”, Sheffield’s world conquering indie rockers even recorded a version of Cooper Clarke’s dark romantic poem ‘I Wanna Be Yours’ on their recent hit album AM.

UK rapper and film maker Plan B also asked John to appear in his directorial film debut Ill Manors, and their duet Pity The Poor Fellow appears both in the movie and on the soundtrack.

A rare opportunity to see a unique talent in a garnd setting quite worthy of his talent.

Book at gigsandtours.com // 0844 811 0051 or blackpoollive.co.uk // 0844 856 1111.