Ian McMillan and Luke Wright are the guest poets as renowned spoken word night Bang Said The Gun makes its reappearance in Manchester on 28 April at the Dancehouse theatre.

Dan Cockrill and Martin Galton created the hit stand-up poetry formula in Brighton in the late 90s, before moving to London, and have entrusted performance poets Dave Viney (aka A Poet Called Dave) and Thick Richard to run the new night, which will be held on the last Thursday of every month at the Dancehouse. 

Dave Viney said: “We’ve both guested at Bang Said the Gun in London and we’ve both been there just to enjoy the night, so we’re aware of the challenge we’ve taken on. We’re committed to booking the best guests and filling the night with the kind of positively- charged energy that Bang Said the Gun is renowned for.  There’s also an open mic each month that’s filmed and made available to those who take part. We don’t share the footage unless they want us to.  Winners of the open mic win the Golden Gun Award (which has been won by many up and coming poets on their way to becoming professionals) and for the opening night in April we’re also giving away a chilled bottle of champagne.”

Bang Said The Gun Manchester was first launched in 2012 at the Old Nags Head as a weekly night. The new  Manchester night will be held monthly, at a bigger venue, just as its parent Bang Said The Gun is now staged down in London. Dave promises all the distinctive Bang accoutrements, including shakers filled with pasta to encourage applause, and the Raw Meat Stew open mic. It’s still billed as “mud wrestling with words” and “poetry for people who don’t like poetry”, but with this rider: “Don't worry, if you do like poetry, you'll like it, too.”

Background: Bang Said The Gun still firing on all cylinders