no point in not being friends

No Point will be back in September

2009-06-05T08:14:00.000-07:00

No Point in Not Being Friends will carry on in Manchester, we promise.

we're busy doing other things over the summer.

we've got a slot at the Camp Bestival festival at the end of July: more info about that soon.

we're doing a special version in October at Matt and Phred's in Manchester, as part of the literary festival: again, more info soon.

and from September onwards, we'll do some kind of monthly thing somewhere again, promise. it might be a bit smaller. maybe just two or three confirmed slots per night. there will still be open mic and things, too.

bear with us!

2009-05-06T01:51:00.000-07:00

thought it was about time we wrote on here to explain our absence... Don't be alarmed by the seeming lack of activity; like a mass of tadpoles wriggling around in the murky depths of an apparently stagnant pond, there's plenty going on beneath the surface.

To explain - after nine amazing reading nights, we're having a little break. In part, to concentrate on planning a couple of big summer/autumn events we've got coming up (Camp Bestival and the Manchester Literature Festival) but also, because No Point is going to have a bit of a format change when it emerges from its spring cocoon, we think. It may not be monthly anymore, and it might not even be in the same place, but it will definitely 'be', one way or another. And we hope, it will 'be' better than ever.

Thank you for being patient. In the meantime, you can still email us at nopointinnotbeingfriends at gmail dot com if you want to know anything, or tell us anything, or send us jokes etc. that would be nice.

no point in not being friends 9

2009-03-18T09:08:00.000-07:00

the next 'no point' night is on Tuesday, March 24th. we thought we had an extra week, and had told people 'the last Tuesday of the month'. sorry about that. it's not. it's NEXT TUESDAY.

lots of good stuff booked:

the launch of Jenn Ashworth's novel, A Kind of Intimacy

a small showcase of writers from a new magazine called Bewilderbliss

a reading by the award-winning science fiction writer Geoff Ryman

the premiere of a short film about MEN by Crispin Best and Socrates Adams-Florou

plus the usual open mic stuff, etc. more TBC.

also, it is going to be the premiere of the 'new format' which involves, 'less people booked to read' and 'more time for drinks/talking at the end/etc.'

please come. it's at the Deaf Institute on Grovesnor St, just off Oxford Rd, and it starts at 8pm-ish in the upstairs room.

Jenn is going on first, i think, as there's going to be a bookstall and things too.

[click the poster for a bigger, readable version]

february reading night

2009-02-16T04:24:00.000-08:00

there's no point in not being friends with someone if you want to be friends with them: the perfect antidote to gloomy, depressing February.

The next night is booked for Monday 23rd. After this, it will return to its regular slot on the last Tuesday of the month.

This month we've got a special guest curator, Sian Cummins, giving Chris the chance to relax and enjoy the readings without having to dart about with a dog-eared, biroed running order, marshalling wayward readers. That'll just be me and Sian. We've got some brilliant readers, including No Point favourites Tom Fletcher, Luke Yates and N.P. Murgatroyd, a video reading from Catherine Lacey, live drama, and music from the excellent Si Connor.

As always, there'll be open mic slots, too. Please email nopointinnotbeingfriends at gmail dot com if you'd like to put your name down, or bring something on the night and find me or Sian.

There'll be lots of drink on sale and lots of time between readings to buy / drink it.

It's upstairs at the Deaf Institute off Oxford Road. Doors are at 8pm, and it's free to get in.

See you there...

no point in not being friends 7

2009-01-12T04:05:00.000-08:00

the next night is booked for Jan 27th, at 8pm.

we have lots of good people booked: M.J. Hyland, Richard Milward, Steven Hall, Blake Butler (for the video reading), Aiden Clarkson, Tim Russell, Sian Cummins, Sally Cook, Jenn Ashw orth, Socrates Adams-Florou ...

it is also going to be the official 'launch party' or whatever for The Bird Room by Chris Killen.

no point in not being friends 6 - 'xmas special'

2008-12-17T04:09:00.000-08:00

hello,

if you're still in Manchester over Christmas, please come to the next No Point In Not Being Friends night -- it's booked for the 23rd of December, and starts at 8pm.

we have lots of good stuff booked: Nicholas Royle, Socrates Adams-Florou (reading from his new chapbook 'Flesh Feast: The Human Brain'), Ben (and possibly Matthew) Davis, Emily McPhillips, and lots of other people will be reading. there's also open mic slots.

the video reading this time will be by the American writer Chelsea Martin.

hooray.

there's also going to be Christmas food and drink offers (see poster) and some other things; a 'surprise present', christmas cover songs, etc.

hope to see you there ...

no point in not being friends 5

2008-11-17T04:21:00.000-08:00

Hello.

The next night is booked for Monday, 24th of November.

We have lots of interesting readers lined up: Lee Rourke, John G. Hall, Linda Chase, Matt Welton, Wayne Clewes, amongst others.

There will also be a set from singer/songwriter Thomas Western, some music/poetry collaborations, a video reading from the American writer and blogger Brandon Scott Gorrell, and open mic slots.

It's our second night in the big upstairs room of the Deaf Institute, it's free to get in, and starts at 8pm-ish. Please come down, it should be fun.

beepfest

2008-10-15T09:24:00.000-07:00

the October 'there's no point in not being friends with someone if you want to be friends with them' night is part of the one-day Beepfest festival thing.

we are putting on some people in the basement bar. there will also be acoustic sets, and bands playing in the upstairs music hall, too.

the line up is looking like this:

MAIN STAGE
3.30pm - 4pm Sea Devils
4.30pm - 5pm The Junipers
5.30pm - 6pm The Maladies Of Belafontaine
6.30pm - 7pm The Soundcarriers
7.30pm - 8pm Ten Bears
8.30pm - 9pm Magic Arm
9.30pm - 10pm The Beep Seals
10.30pm - 11pm The Answering Machine
11.30pm - Jim Noir

BASEMENT BAR, No Point Not Being Friends - Open 4pm
Thomas Western
Ivan Campo
Ian Hinton-Smith
Richard Barrett (Poetry)
Si Connor
Luke Yates (Poetry)
Jack Cooper
Chris Killen (Poetry)
Denis Jones
Joey Dudderidge
Jenn Ashworth (Fiction)
John Stammers
Socrates Adams-Flou (Fiction)
Liam Frost

it costs £10 for a ticket, and advance ones are selling pretty well, apparently. (http://www.ticketline.co.uk/artist/details/beepfest) or there should be some left on the door if you get there early.

normal free reading night format will resume in November.

Beepfest

2008-10-07T02:55:00.000-07:00

The reading night is a bit different for October...

We're going to be curating a stage at a mini day-long music festival called 'Beepfest' at The Deaf Institute on the 18th October, which is a Saturday. We'll be returning to the basement for poetry and stories interspersed with acoustic music. Socrates Adams-Florou, Luke Yates, Richard Barrett, Jenn Ashworth and Chris Killen will all be reading, plus more to be confirmed.

There are some ace bands playing upstairs, and it's £10 to get in.

As the 18th is close to the literature festival and blog awards etc, we're going to leave it at this for October, and normal (free) 'no point...' service will be resumed in November.

we'll post more details on here so keep checking.

photos of the third night

2008-09-25T06:14:00.000-07:00

here's a few photos taken on the night:

(the tiny man on stage reading from a laptop is Socrates Adams-Florou.)

tao lin's reading for september's reading night

2008-09-25T04:52:00.000-07:00

poetry reading for manchester from tao lin on Vimeo.

the third reading night happened and it was good

2008-09-25T04:48:00.000-07:00

Tuesday's reading night was the first upstairs in the big live music hall.

We were nervous. I was especially nervous because I was reading, and because the new room has a great big stage. It’s very grand. There’s a gigantic mirrorball in the ceiling. I think every reading night should have a mirrorball. We set up tables and cables and computers and candles and OHPs and things. People started to come in.

People kept coming in. The seats on the floor, the tiered seating at the back, and the mezzanine all filled up, incredibly. There was a good atmosphere. I felt better because everyone looked about a hundred times more comfortable than they did in the little basement bar.

The readers were fantastic. Sadly, Jenn Ashworth couldn’t make it because she was poorly (hope you’re feeling better, Jenn) but everyone else was present and correct. Thank you Thomas Fletcher, Sam Garrett, Nicholas Murgatroyd, Socrates Adams-Florou, Luke Yates, John McAuliffe, Joe Stretch, David Gaffney, Matthew Davis and Tao Lin, who read via special video from New York. There were stories and poems about work, shower curtains, sex, powerpoint, existence… and all manner of things in between.

What was great was that we had lots of interest in the open mic, too, despite the big scary stage, because the point in no point is that everyone can get involved, if they want to.

the third night is booked:

2008-09-15T12:32:00.001-07:00

exciting things are happening

2008-09-09T06:27:00.000-07:00

there is a lot of behind-the-scenes reading night activity going on at the moment. The last night on the 26th was generally considered a 'resounding success' by everyone involved. Thank you to all the readers, and of course, anyone who came down.

You can read a really nice review of the night by one of our readers Emma J. Lannie here.

Because of the amount of people that have shown up so far, we're getting a bit cramped in our little basement. It was very hot down there last time, and it was looking like people might start fainting. Because of this, the kind people at Trof have offered to let us use the glitzy upstairs music hall. It's got a giant mirrorball and a mezzanine floor, and its own balcony. It's pretty cool. We're really excited about there being more space for everyone to sit down and, well, just generally breathe comfortably.

We'll post a date for the next night as soon as it's confirmed. In the meantime, we're going to be updating things on here a bit more. If there's anything you'd like to see featured or you have any good links you think we should put up or you want your own reading thing plugging or you've got a book coming out and want to promote it or anything like that, let us know.

the second night is booked - Tuesday 26th August

2008-08-14T11:18:00.000-07:00

hi, please come to the second No Point In Not Being Friends night.

it starts at 8pm, in the Basement Bar of the Deaf Institute, just off Oxford Road in Manchester.

there will be fiction and poetry from: Annie Clarkson, Emma Unsworth, Zack Wilson, Richard Barrett, Emma Lannie, Chris Killen and Michael Halmshaw, a video-reading from Sam Pink, plus lots more things TBC.

and, hopefully, something from Ben Davis again.

also, if you write poetry or short stories, and you'd like to read them on the night, there will be four or five open mic slots. it won't be too scary, i promise. last time everyone was very nice and listened carefully and clapped at the end. there was no booing or heckling. to secure a slot, please email in advance, but last time only one person did, so you could just come along with something printed out in your pocket and probably get on.

it should be fun.

(also, it's free.)

short film of the opening night:

2008-08-04T08:59:00.000-07:00

[note: the film is very dark. sorry. some of it you just have to listen to. and i was a bit drunk, too, towards the end. and i forgot to film the 'open mic' slots. sorry, Tom. sorry, Francis.]

the reading night was brilliant

2008-07-30T01:40:00.000-07:00

Okay. So. The first reading night was last night. It was brilliant. After a few technical hitches before the doors opened, and a Challenge Anneka-style taxi ride to Maplins in Cheetham Hill and back, everything ran smoothly.

The readers were ace. Thank you to Tim, Tom, Sian, Martin, Jenn, Shane, Socrates, Graham, Nicholas, Peter and Ben. The standard of reading was superb. Everyone had a really nice time. And thanks also to Tom and Francis - who got up in the open mic slot and read excellent poems.

Chris took some videos, and he'll post them here soon. And once we've stopped feeling a bit sick and funny and congratulating ourselves that it worked out so well, we'll start organising the next one.

If you're interested in reading at future 'there's no point in not being friends with someone if you want to be friends with them' nights, then email us. Or if you just want to say hello or something, then email us, too.

reading night... t-minus 7 days...

2008-07-22T06:55:00.000-07:00

We've got a finalised line up for the first 'there's no point in not being friends with someone if you want to be friends with them' reading night. This is how the night will proceed, with who will be reading, and the order they will read in. Hopefully. Fingers crossed. 'If all goes to plan'.

Tim Russell
Tom Jenks
Sian Cummins
Martin Molloy
Jenn Ashworth

-break-

-open mic-

-short break-

Shane Jones
Socrates Adams-Florou
Graham Foster
Nicholas Royle
Peter Wild

-very short break-

Ben Davis (comedy)

the opening night is booked

2008-07-09T17:15:00.000-07:00

please come to the Deaf Institute on Oxford Road, at 8pm, on Tuesday the 29th of July, and buy a drink or something and then go downstairs to the basement bar (near the toilets) and hang around and maybe feel a tiny bit awkward if you're on your own, and then hear people read their poems and stories. if you have something you've written, bring that along, as there will be a few 'open mic' slots, too. maybe talk to someone about their reading afterwards. maybe go to the bar again. maybe go outside for a fag. i don't know.

so far, readers include: Nicholas Royle, Peter Wild, and Graham Foster. there will also be a stand up comedy set from Ben Davis.

please check back, as we'll post a full list of scheduled readers once they're confirmed.

in the meantime, please join our facebook group and friend us on myspace.

thanks.

2008-05-28T07:39:00.001-07:00

2008-05-23T18:21:00.001-07:00

SWANS