Review: Pearls and Tractors
John Mackie, Haworth Hodgkinson and friends perform poetry with music
Lastbus Works Canteen, New Pitsligo
[Map]
A double launch of new chapbooks by John Mackie and Haworth Hodgkinson, two of the
North East's most popular poets, took place in this absolutely wonderful venue nestling
at the edge of New Pitsligo.
This was an excellent evening of collaborations, which married poetry to music with
highly successful results: John Mackie, reading from his new chapbook Pearl Diving
by Moonlight, proved a compelling performer, taking us on a poetic tour
from Morocco over to North-East Scotland, via Paris, mapping the landscapes of love
and death variously accompanied by the great songwriter Gavin Sutherland on acoustic
guitar, Drew Jarvie on Miles Davis-esque flugelhorn, Kris Orskov on sarod and "folk
festival regular" and "weel kent face" Clive on flute and thumb piano.
I thoroughly enjoyed his performance of The Waters of Islam with repeated
lines lending a meditative quality to the poem, reminding me of Van Morrison's vocal
lines on Astral Weeks, the eastern theme of the poem being heightened by
the sarod playing of accompanist Kris.
John Mackie is an enigmatic poet and is a gracious compere of his own performances,
thanking each guest musician in turn like a true rock'n'roll veteran.
Haworth Hodgkinson performed Tractor Bastard in its entirety accompanying
himself on gongs, djembe, melodica, musical tubes, and a variety of woodwind and
percussion instruments.
If John Mackie is in thrall to jazz, blues and folk influences, it could be said
that Haworth Hodgkinson is inextricably welded to the avant garde. His quirky delivery
suits his material very well, and his choice of instrument suits the mood of each
poem. He excels with poems like Sleepsong, a chilling lullaby based on a
Picasso painting, and the tar black humour of Fidelity Test, a poetic tale
of dogskin buoys.
I particularly enjoyed Stone to Ice where Catriona Yule performed the poem
while Haworth created a cacophonous soundscape with the variety of gongs.
A special mention goes to the video Roller Ghoster, a collaboration between
Fiona Soe Paing and Zennor Alexander, which was shown in the middle of the show.
Featuring the electronica-based soundtrack from Fiona Soe Paing and artwork from
Heather Wilson that graces Haworth's chapbook cover, the image of the child's face
popped up continually throughout the video, as we hurtled at breakneck speed on
our phantasmagoric rollercoaster ride, bypassing cut-out shapes, clouds, tunnels
and landscapes. Phew, it was amazing!
What an evening, an inspired collaboration between poets, musicians and a film maker,
and, not forgetting, a stunning venue.
Review by Mark Pithie
Photos by Cal Wallace
North East Writers and its partner organisations undertake to produce
all events in the New Words festival as advertised, but we can accept no liability
for details that are changed due to circumstances beyond our control.