Nerve Launch Event

Nerve Launch Event

Courtroom Cafe, Liverpool
27th May 2016

Reviewed by Colin Serjent
Photographs by Steve Lamb

In the convivial setting of the Courtroom Cafe, based next to the Liverpool Small Cinema in Victoria Street, Nerve magazine held a launch of its new issue (No. 26).

MC’d by John Owen, first up on stage was Arthur Adlen (guitar and vocals) who sang four songs, accompanied by Ritchie Hunter on guitar. They were ‘Shit Always Rolls Downhill’, ‘Warfarin Blues’, ‘Land Of Plenty’, and This Land Is Your Land (Arthur’s UK version).

Ritchie then sang his own composition, ‘Undercover Bob’, which was inspired by the book ‘Undercover: The True Story Of Britain’s Secret Police’ by Paul Lewis and Paul Evans.

Minnie Stacey then read some of her poetry and poetry set to music, along with Graham Casey.

Further poetry was read by Darren Guy, ‘Where The Fuck Is Superman?’, ‘War Years’ and’ Mauthausin Concentration Camp’, followed by Rob Harrison doing an acoustic guitar set, featuring his songs ‘Too Close To Capitalism’, ‘New Year Song,’ ‘Joe Hill’s Will’ and Rats Dad.’

Poet Susan Taylor then took to the stage, with Becky ‘Cuts’ following with a passionate plea about the plight of the refugees stranded in Calais.

Self-composed song ‘Girl Of Hiroshima’ was rendered by Tayo Aluko, with Geoghegan Jackson (comprising Helen Jackson and Sue Geoghegan) – former members of the band Hoodwink – concluding the performances with six songs.

During the evening it was announced that the Nerve website www.catalystmedia.org.uk has been revamped. Nerve web designer Paul Hunt (Dusty) said, “The website has finally, after 10 years of procrastination, been updated to a jazzy new website with lots of new features and better ways of navigating around it and even a donate button, just for Darren. The old website is still there with all the articles so if you’ve written for Nerve in the past don’t panic. We’ll be adding new stuff all the time and improving on it as it’s a work in progress.”

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