Best Performer. This category is always bursting at the seams. The legacy of John Cooper Clarke and the award winning poetry night Evidently means that Salford has more than its fair share of performers. From the comedic to the political to the Hip Hop inspired and everything in between, we have an abundance of creative talent.
Previous winners have been the outstanding Little Hulton poet J. B. Barrington and multi-talented performer and writer Brian Gorman. With such recognisable former winners, it was going to take something special to grab the prize. We are delighted that this year's award goes to the sharp, informative and uniquely off-the-wall comic poet Tony Kinsella.
However, Tony is reluctant to offer his highlights of the year..."Easier to suggest lowlights of 2019 with Trump and Johnson laying waste to civilisation, but pleased that Salford's Corbynite MP Rebecca Long Bailey held her seat" he says "And I've enjoyed watching Greta Thunberg and her children's crusade confronting the high and mighty."
Hailing from Swinton (not Eccles) Tony is a regular member of comedy activist band Bard Company. Along with Gordon Zola, Jeff Dawson and Ian Whiteley they each deliver a solo set before joining forces to make the ultimate man-band that is Bard Company.
Tony discusses a busy year... "We had awesome gigs to commemorate the 200 year anniversary of Peterloo performing on top of a fire engine, and at such festivals as 0161, Strummercamp, Green Gathering in Derbyshire and Banners Held High in Wakefield ...We also released our second CD Raising The Standards, in collaboration with John Kettle from the brilliant folk group Merry Hell."
Away from the group, Tony has created some full length shows of his own. Drawing on years of teaching experience, his performances are equally humorous and informative. He has a passion for dedicating shows to highlight the importance of some of his heroes.
Last year Tony wrote a show all about punk act The Undertones. He discussed his love for the Northern Irish rockers in a surreal and poignant manner. His comic timing was impeccable as he drew parallels between the bands life and his own. The show proved so successful that he even took it over to the group's home city of Derry.
"We got 85 people in a 100 seat theatre including three of The Undertones" he recalls "Damien O'Neil travelled from London especially to see it. We got a standing ovation. The Undertones invited us to a post gig pub and we got another ovation when we walked in. Billy Doherty, the drummer, came on a radio interview the day before the gig. It's amazing when your heroes give you so much support; very humble and decent blokes."
Sixties girl group The Shangri-Las and alternative, left-wing German club FC Pauli have also had shows dedicated to them. Tony uses quotes, songs and visual aids as secondary information to reinforce his point. Often this is conveyed via nonsensical pie charts, graphs and irreverent anecdotes.
Next year Tony has ambitious plans to take the St Pauli show on the road. "I've enjoyed collaborating with great musicians on a show about FC St Pauli, Hamburg's wonderful cult football club, a great power to the ordinary people story" he says "We performed it in solidarity with Bury FC supporters and next year we will perform it at FC United and in Glasgow. Ultimately we are looking to perform it as an English show in Germany, including a gig in Hamburg at St Pauli's Millerntor Stadium."
This year also saw Tony and Bard Company present an evening to mark the 40th anniversary of Joy Division's Unknown Pleasures. Each song was covered or re-interpreted by a different act on the night. Although, it is fair to say that Gordon Zola may well have stolen the show with his uniquely bizarre dramatic performance of Ian Curtis lyrics.
"It was a privilege to curate" says Tony "I am co-organising a follow up event to mark the 40th anniversary of Ian Curtis's death held in his home town of Macclesfield. Oh and one last thing about plans for 2020...I will be self publishing my second volume of poetry, a mix of comic and political verse called Vladimir Putin Is In My Kettle..."
Congratulations to Tony Kinsella on a successful 2019. A deserved winner of Salford Star Best Performer Award...
Words by Ian Leslie
Salford Star Award Winners
Salford Star - James 'Shinny' Davenport - click here
Best Play - Getting The Third Degree - click here
Best Act - Andy Brides - click here
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