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tell it slant at Locavore

Review Pat Byrne, February, 2025

Carla Woodburn and Christie Williamson were the hosts at a very enjoyable night of poetry and music – Express Yourself, Tell It Slant at Locavore on Glasgow’s South Side.

Locavore has a long association with tell it slant – back in April, 2014 the poetry bookshop of that name opened as part of the Project Cafe collective with Locavore at 134 Renfrew St in Glasgow City Centre.

Tell It Slant was the brainchild of Ellen McAteer and her partner Mat Loryman back in 2013: ‘“Mat and I were talking to each other about setting up a bookshop, and Gerry Loose suggested specialising in poetry. Kathrine Sowerby and Sam Tongue and I were discussing it at the fourfold launch, when suddenly a free space became available and it became a reality faster than we could have imagined.’ (Tell It Slant Bookshop Launch)

Alasdair Gray and Abla Oudeh

I enjoyed many fantastic events there including Tell it Slant: A Bird is Not a Stone; launch of the book of the same name with poetry by Palestinian poets and poets writing in Scots and English. Performers included the wonderful Alasdair Gray. Liz Lochead – and Ellen McAteer.

It was great to hear Ellen read once again at the event at Locavore, where she paid tribute to her good friend Gerry Loose, sadly recently deceased. I am sure Gerry will be long remembered.

On a brighter note, it was marvellous to see so many McAteers up from London for the event and accompanying Ellen were her brother Peter, partner, Rowena, husband Mat and her talented, Glasgow based, singer/songwriter brother Jim McAteer, who treated us to some lively music.

Also gracing the stage were: poetry and Callander bookshop owner Sally Evans; Jim Ferguson, awesome as ever and both Carla and Christie treated us to some of their poetry.

Other performers were:

Finola Scott, Chris Tait, Wendy Miller, Katherine Metcalf and George Colkitto.

Music

Jim Byrne and friends, Lesley O’Brien, Kate Kramer and Graham Macintosh

Jim Byrne and Friends: Lesley O’Brien (vocals, percussion),  Kate Kramer (fiddle) and Graham McIntosh (guitar and banjo) were the special music guests; performing a set of original compositions then a surprise second set.  I always enjoy the band but may be biased – however, they went down well with the crowd as enthusiastic applause and much clapping along seemed to indicate.

It was a cold night but thee was a super turnout for tell it slant and great atmosphere  – long may it continue to flourish in Glasgow.

Pat Byrne, February, 2025

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