Our final regional LIVEwire date was originally scheduled to take place at Colchester Arts Centre on 29 April. But we all know what happened. So, we’ve decided to take it online instead. It’ll be streamed live on our Facebook page from 8-9.30pm UK time on Thursday 23 July.
Continue reading “LIVEwire Colchester (online) on 23 July”Events
5th birthday party gig on 29 April
onThis month marks five years since Nymphs & Thugs was formed. Since then, we’ve established ourselves as the UK’s leading spoken word record label. To celebrate, you’ll be able to see all of our acts on the same bill for the first time ever!
Continue reading “5th birthday party gig on 29 April”Matt Abbott’s brand new monthly The State of the Arts column
onYou may remember that a fair while back, I wrote a monthly spoken word round-up for The State of the Arts. Unfortunately the round-up simply became too time-consuming as projects developed behind the scenes, but my new monthly poetry column serves up a completely different flavour.

On the 1st of every month, the column will provide features, interviews, spotlights and more from the spoken word poetry scene, at home and abroad. One of the aims of Nymphs & Thugs has always been to showcase dynamic and alternative poets, regardless of where they are or how well we might know them directly.
The first column is online here. Ahead of our next big announcement, I’m using this column to provide a bit of a ‘story so far’ for Nymphs & Thugs as a spoken word poetry organisation, and to underline who we are and where we want to be in the future. It’s just over 4 years since the idea was first conceived, and it’s been a bloody good journey so far.
Anyway, I won’t keep you – have a read of the column, and stay tuned for a major announcement from Nymphs & Thugs HQ in a fortnight’s time. See ya then…
Toria Garbutt with Dr JCC in Sep
onOne of the most electrifying duos on the UK spoken word scene continue to hit the road together, as Toria Garbutt announces some more tour dates with the iconic Bard of Salford himself, Dr John Cooper Clarke.
Toria has been touring with Dr JCC since last spring, and it’s safe to say that she’s been going down a storm with his audiences. You’ll be able to purchase copies of Toria’s debut album ‘Hot Plastic Moon‘, as well as her debut poetry collection ‘The Universe and Me’.
LIVEwire at Seven Arts on 13 Sep
on‘LIVEwire at Seven Arts’ No.3
Our quarterly ‘LIVEwire at Seven Arts’ night returns to Leeds on 13 September with another stunning line-up for you. We’re delighted to welcome Nafeesa Hamid and Gemma Baker to Seven Arts, with Matt Abbott on hosting duties and open mic performers as usual.
LIVEwire at Byline from 24-26 Aug
onN&T presents the ‘LIVEwire Salon’
After going down a storm at the very first Byline Festival last June, we’ve been invited to return with our #LIVEwire Salon for 2018’s festival.
Join us at the Backline Stage on the Friday and Sunday nights, as we present a relentless wave of fiery, political and cutting-edge spoken word poetry. Curated by Byline’s Poet Laureate Salena Godden and N&T founder Matt Abbott.
‘Two Little Ducks’ UK tour
onOn the road from 5 Oct-16 Nov
Following a successful run at last summer’s Edinburgh Fringe, and some one-offs culminating at Roundhouse’s Last Word Festival, Matt Abbott‘s ‘Two Little Ducks’ show is set to embark on a 22-date UK theatre tour.
The tour will be accompanied by a collection on Verve Poetry Press, which is available to pre-order here. Copies of the book and also a new album will be available on all of the tour dates, which are listed below.