The artistic mélange that is Cityscape Presents returns to the BNT on Saturday 20th June with two welcome returns - and a radical departure.
The welcome returns are headliner Kirsty McGee and opening act Alex Hulme, both back by popular demand after wowing audiences at the Cityscape nights in December and February respectively.
The radical departure isn’t a music act at all but a short play for voices written in homage to Bolton comedian and poet Richard McFarlane, aka Hovis Presley, and performed to mark the fourth anniversary of his untimely death.
This is what Brad had to say abou the next event “We’ve had some great evenings and this one promises to be something special. Kirsty and Alex both went down incredibly well when they performed here before and I’m looking forward to hearing them again. The addition of Hovis in Wonderland will add an extra element to the night and be a great tribute to a very funny poet.”
Cityscape Presents has brought an array of intriguing acts to the Octagon - perhaps none more so than Kirsty McGee. McGee’s original songwriting, with its tender yet dark textures, has won her a considerable following including Radio Two DJ Bob Harris who describes her as “absolutely superb.”
An inveterate traveller and “human scrapbook”, her songs of vagrancy and restlessness are so difficult to categorise that people have been forced to coin new terms to describe them. Her style has been described as folk noir, ‘hobopop’ (the name of her record label) and even vaudebilly. In short, you have to hear it for yourself.
Sandwiched between the two musical acts is, appropriately enough, Hovis. Hovis In Wonderland is a play for voices written by Dave Morgan incorporating the words of Richard McFarlane’s alter ego Hovis Presley. Hovis filled the space between stand-up, performance poetry and alternative cabaret. Interest in his work and sales of his collection Poetic Off Licence were both stimulated when he was the subject of a Radio Four documentary presented by Mark Radcliffe. Since then the play has been widely toured and was evenperformed at last year’s Latitude festival in Suffolk.
Dave Morgan said: “This will be the first time we’ve appeared at the Octagon which makes the event extra special. The cast are determined as ever to do justice to the wit and wisdom of a wordsmith who is sorely missed.”
Opening up proceedings is precocious talent Alex Hulme (see him in all his glory here). Recently signed to Cityscape, the 18-year-old’s songwriting is pitched somewhere between the folk of Nick Drake and the poppier stylings of Get Cape Wear Cape Fly. He’s on the road this summer performing at local festivals such as Riversway Festival in Preston and Cockermouth Rock Festival amongst others.
We are pleased to welcome back Katie Mulgrew as compere for the night.
You can download tracks from all the artists here.
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