A couple of performances coming up, please come along if you are free! Images & Words: A Double Bill, Manipulate Festival, Saturday 9th February, Traverse Theatre, 6pm You’ll get to hear Hail of Bright Stones, the new version of James’ and my poetry and music band, Opul, and see some amazing footage by the scientist […]
Category Archives: Music
Music, Poetry and Creative Learning
The Festival of Creative Learning is just about to kick off and we are bouncing with excitement as we have over 130 extraordinary events taking place across the University. I will be going to a witchcraft spell zine creating workshop, AI film screenings, an introduction to contemporary circus, an event exploring the refugee crisis through […]
A Visit to a Land of Sea and Song: Poetry on North Uist
It was such a delight to spend a few days on North Uist with the poet Pauline Prior-Pitt at the end of March. She kindly invited me to visit her and the writing group she nurtures at the Taigh Chearsabhagh Museum and Arts Centre. Thanks to support from the Scottish Book Trust’s Live Literature Fund, I was […]
YOU ARE THE FIRE
I’m running a poetry workshop on Monday for some amazing students on the MasterCard Foundation Scholars Program at the University of Edinburgh. We’ll be responding to the work of Upile Chisala, following on from a recent visit she made to read for the students. I’m feeling very inspired by Upile’s fire! Also coming up: VINEBOX I’m super excited […]
AFTER ECONOMY Launch
AFTER ECONOMY a new collection exploring the fine line between abundance and apocalypse Out now! Get your copy here, and book here for the After Economy Edinburgh launch at Talbot Rice Gallery. More details below. It would be lovely to see you there. After Economy | JL Williams Book Launch Talbot Rice Gallery 3 May 2017 […]
A Libretto Comes to Life
I’ve always been interested in collaborative art forms. Some of my very early and most joyful memories are of being taken by my wonderful mother, grandmother and uncle to see plays, musicals and ballet. The magic of words, music and movement coming together to stupendous effect at these performances has continued to inspire me throughout […]
Flint & Pitch plus 12-Hour Action Group
Hello there! So much has been happening, and is happening… here are details and invitations for you: I finished up at the Scottish Poetry Library in November and will be starting at my new job as Projects and Engagement Coordinator for the Institute for Academic Development at the University of Edinburgh next week – exciting! […]
Flint & Pitch
I’m honoured and delighted to have been asked to be part of the second ever Flint & Pitch Revue at the Bongo Club on 2 December… what a line up, what a treat! More details here.
Events: Summertime & the Living is…
A little summary of the handful of events I have coming up… would be wonderful to see you at one, some or all if you can make it along. OPUL is performing at Click Clack tomorrow night (Friday 29) at Henry’s Cellar Bar, 7-10pm Catherine Street and I will be performing a new piece called […]
A Word in Your Shell-Like
I have not been an actual performer in the Edinburgh Fringe for some time, but I get a chance this year as part of this lovely wee poetry event, which also features my SPL colleague and wonderful poet Georgi Gill. There is an open mic element to it so please come and join us to […]
CLICK CLACK: A little poetry and music…
Kick off the festival season with a little music, more music, and poetry and music. OPUL (the marvellous James Iremonger and me) will be playing some new pieces, showcased thus far only in distant and beautiful Montreal at the Le 17e Festival de la poésie de Montréal. I haven’t had the pleasure of seeing Snibbo yet but I […]
Two Minute Manifesto
There’s a delicious collection of minds and hearts – David Greig (new Artistic Director of the Lyceum Theatre!), Zinnie Harris, Tiffany Jenkins, Dominic Hinde and Chrissy Barnacle – all on stage at the Traverse tomorrow night for the newest instalment of Two Minute Manifesto – and me doing a poem or two. Do join us! […]
JL Williams reads at Neu Reekie @ Fruitmarket, 19/10/14
What fun it was to perform at the special Jim Lambie Neu Reekie event at the Fruitmarket Gallery last year. Here is a video with evidence of the sparkle!
Jerwood Opera Writing Programme
Another piece of marvellous news just came along. I have been accepted onto the 2014/2015 Jerwood Opera Writing Programme. For a long time now I have been working with amazing composers and musicians such as James Iremonger to explore how poetry and music can combine to produce new creations, and this feels like the next […]
Neu! Reekie! at the Fruitmarket
I’m thrilled to be reading at Neu! Reekie! A Salute to the Jim Lambie Generation, on Sunday 19 October, 7.30pm at Fruitmarket Gallery. There are many delightful treats in store.
Sound and Light
Exciting event coming up in Glasgow next week — Sound and Light : More fusion and fission with music and spoken word. JL Williams & James Iremonger; Mairi Lafferty & Lila Matsumoto; Tim Cooper & Sam Tongue; Alexander Hutchison & Special Guests.Wednesday, 3 September, 8pm, Glasgow City Halls. More info here.Tickets available here.We’ll be performing a […]
Catherine Street & JL Williams present Declaration at 12-Hour Jamming Symposium
It was fabulous to be part of the 12-Hour Jamming Symposium recently, so many fabulous artists and thinkers involved. Here is our performance, but please do have a look at the website for more information and to see more videos from the day: STUDIO JAMMING
Auld Enemies: Summerhall
Jess and I reading our new collaborative poem ‘Tenderbox’ inspired by the Hans Christian Andersen story ‘The Tinder-Box’.
Continuum
Lovely interview by Annie Rutherford with Catherine Street that came out just before our recent Continuum performance. You can read it on The Poetry Round.
Filmpoem Festival and Continuum
It is August so no surprise that there are a multitude of exciting events to populate your diaries with. Let me add a couple of options, in case you’re in the mood. It’s wonderful to be a part of these events curated by good friends and amazing artists. Hope to see you there if you […]
Terry Deary and Moray Council Make Me Sad
It makes me so sad to read of ignorance like this and like this. I went to school. I even got to read poetry in school, and it was wonderful. But it was in my local public library where I first remember falling in love with a book of poetry; taking it home, cherishing the words, […]
The Burning Sand at Jim Lambie’s Poetry Club
What an amazing time we had last night at the first ‘The Burning Sand’ night at Jim Lambie’s delicious new Poetry Club in Glasgow. The beautiful Sarah Lowndes invited me to read there and it was a real honour to kick off the night with some poems about sand, love, burning sand, burning love and… […]
Opul at Click Clack Club – 20 February – Henry’s Cellar Bar
We’re excited! Opul has been invited back to the deliriously melodious Click Clack Club, which is moving to our favourite old haunt Henry’s Cellar Bar. Hope to see you there on Wednesday 20 February, 8pm-11.30pm.
Rally & Broad!
I’m so delighted to be reading tomorrow night (Friday 18 January) at Rally & Broad along with those marvellous gentlemen Ryan Van Winkle and Alan Bissett. I’m also delighted as it will be my first time back at the Counting House since the halcyon days of SiLENCiO, beloved cabaret of my youth… feels a little like […]
Continuum at Generator
I was lucky enough recently to be one of the performers at artist Catherine Street’s Continuum show, along with Catherine herself, Martin Parker and Owen Green. It was hosted at the super cool Generator Projects in Dundee. It was very cold, but very thrilling. I’m very pleased that Catherine will be showing some of her amazing films […]
Black Lantern Music: BLM 50
Download the Black Lantern Music BLM 50: Raise the Black Lantern here, a celebration of a year of amazing music!
The Poetry Round @ cafebabel.com
Lovely Annie has posted this very nice article on cafebabel.com — Collaborative Poetry with JL Williams — thanks Annie! Hope you enjoy.
Anatomy #3 and QABALALA!
Opul is super super excited to have two gigs coming along in December, hope to see you at: Anatomy #3 at Summerhall on 14 December and Qabalala! at the Leith Cricket Club on 21 December. James just got a Kaoss pad, so it should be particularly banging.
Catherine Street and Continuum at Generator
So delighted to be working on a collaboration with artist and writer Catherine Street for the Continuum event happening on the 10th of November at Generator in Dundee, all details here. Come if you can! It features a number of amazing artists and I think it’s going to be really special.
Neu! Reekie! JL Williams Drawing by Artist Jenny Soep
Gorgeous drawing by the artist Jenny Soep who was at Neu! Reekie! at Jim Lambie’s Poetry Club in Glasgow when I read there recently. I love how she incorporates quotations from the poems into the drawing — super cool.
Interview with Poet Judy Brown on the SPL Podcast
My first SPL Podcast is now out; an interview at the Wordsworth Trust with the poet Judy Brown. Music by James Iremonger. Hope you enjoy.
Vile He is, Vile He is Not
The very not-vile Mr Gareth K Vile not only recently hosted Opul on his wonderful radio show on The Vile Arts Radio Hour on subcity, but also wrote this very nice post on his blog about my work and an upcoming event: The Vile Blog. Ode to Daffodils Gold stars with tit-shaped mouths, you gurgle […]
StAnza 2012 – Alastair Cook’s Filmpoems
I’m delighted and honoured to have been asked to read my poem with Luca Nasciuti’s live electroacoustics as part of Alastair Cook’s Filmpoem event on March 16th at this year’s StAnza Festival. Hope to see you there if you can make it. We recently did a trial run of this at Alastair’s wonderful opening at […]
