The Salford Star Award for Best Regular Event...
Evidently
Salford boasts so many interesting and unique events and nights out; it really has something to cater to all tastes. If you're into meeting up with like-minded souls and have an interest in anything from rock music to traditional folk, jazz or performance poetry you will find a great regular evening that will provide all you require.
There really are too many of these incredible events and passionate hosts and organisers to list. There are groups that encourage all manner of creatives including new actors, scriptwriters and comedians. There is even an event - Language Exchange at the Salford Arms - that helps new city residents make new friends, gain language skills and exchange stories. In a nutshell, there is get-together to provide an outlet and support for all, whether you're into hiking or hip-hop.
Having attended quite a few of these evenings, we are well aware of the hard work and drive of Salfordians to make these happenings, well...happen. A wide range of interests are represented and we doff our cap to all of our nominees. These events bring people together and provide warm and welcoming environments to all comers. Many come from beyond the region to sample the passion and friendliness of these nights.
The increasing popularity of Evidently made it impossible to ignore. Put together by Ella Gainsborough and Kieren King, Evidently is cracker of an event. They have perfected the formula and present an evening that has to be experienced. Hosted by Kieren and filmed by Ella, Evidently features two headline acts and a popular open-mic section.
All of the performers are given the option of having their poem go online. It is an entertaining watch for fans of spoken word and comedy, and a useful tool for those looking to improve on their skills. A plethora of plucky poets have their work available to view on the Evidently Youtube Channel.
A broad spectrum of talent is represented, from those starting out to the experienced headliners including JB Barrington and Tim Wells. I grabbed a word with Kieren and Ella about the undeniable brilliance of category winner Evidently...
Congratulations. What makes Evidently so popular?
"Evidently is a poetry night with an emphasis on entertainment, we want to challenge the preconception that some people have that poetry can be a dry subject. We started Evidently on a drunken whim, but have been committed to creating a warm and welcoming atmosphere for all performers, be they first timers or seasoned professionals but also the audience too. We feel that what shines through is that we absolutely love what we do; we encourage a lively atmosphere from our audience, but the sense of community we now feel is something that has grown organically and that what makes us really proud!
"One of the things that we feel makes us a little different is that we seriously consider what the audience may want as well, so plenty of breaks and sweets as well as high quality guests and open mic'ers are on the agenda! We are also really lucky to collaborate with other amazing people over the past few years, for example Guy Garvey of Elbow fame asked us to curate a show for his Meltdown Festival at the Southbank show: that was an experience. Also, all the staff at the Eagle Inn for the continued, unwavering support, Bark Media for all their hard work with our trailer and videos and Twisted Dredz for our logo to name just a few people that have helped us on the way."
What were your 2017 highlights?
"2017 was a truly special year in terms of the guests we got, and as went through some changes in our personal lives, the support and love we received from our community was overwhelming. So a special thank you to everyone that has attended, performed or generally supported us over the past four years."
Is it rewarding to see Evidently performers grow in confidence?
We absolutely love seeing performers grow with confidence, it's a privileged position to think that we may be encouraging people to speak in public, or share their thoughts which they may not have done without Evidently. We are lucky enough to have invited people who may have performed their first ever poem at Evidently to come back and do a guest slot, that always gives us a warm glow."
What does 2018 have in store?
"2018 looks set to be a cracking year; we already have guests booked up until October, so it's going to be jam packed..."
Congratulations to Kieren, Ella and all the Evidently crew for providing such a great night. It's a top night and proved to be an extremely popular winner. Don't miss out on a wonderful event...
Evidently runs on the second Monday of every month 7:30pm-10pm at the Eagle Inn, Collier Street M3 7DW - £3 entrance
See also previous Salford Star article on Evidently - click here or check the Evidently Facebook page – click here
The next Evidently event is on Monday 12th February 7:30pm at the Eagle Inn starring Malaika Kegode and Roma Havers - see Facebook event page - click here
The Salford Star Awards
Best Play - Joe O'Byrne: The Haunting of Blaine Manor - click here
Best Performer - JB Barrington - click here
Best Band - The Moods - click here
Words by Ian Leslie
Photos by Gareth Lyons
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