I’ll tell you what it is. Blues is a bodily emotion. Hey, if you listen to classical or jazz or even rock when you’re feeling really down, it won't likely do much for you. Maybe a little distraction. But put some blues on, turn it up, and you get right into the rhythm, the soulful sound, the sadness made cheerful, AND your sad self gets right into the rhythm, the soulful sound, the sadness made cheerful and there you suddenly are: cheerful. And if you listen to it when you’re feeling good, it’ll keep you feeling good. Blues is a very emotional music. You move to it. It lives there with your emotions, not somewhere else, in some stratosphere where they should be but aren’t.
Tim Woodcock is what is known in musical circles as a “triple threat“ because of his extraordinary blues guitar, classic Chicago-style blues harmonica and powerful vocal stylings.
Born in Brantford, Ontario in October 17, 1952, Tim has been living and playing blues music in the London Ont. area for over 30 years. During the 70’s and 80’s when other musicians were playing disco and top 40, Tim was busy honing his skills with bands like The Little Boy Blues Band and T.W. & The All Stars. He has backed up many blues luminaries such as Hock Walsh (Downchild Blues Band ), Hubert Sumlin ( Howlin’ Wolf’s guitarist ) , harmonica great Michael Pickett and local blues diva Cheryl Lescom. Tim and Cheryl have worked together since the early 1980’s .
Tim continues to perform at a consistently high level and in 2009 was chosen to compete at the International Blues Challenge in Memphis Tenn. representing the Great Lakes Blues Society. He also received the Jack Richardson Music Award for best Blues and R & B artist in London Ont. in 2009 and 2011. Tim was personally chosen to perform the opening set for George Thorogood and The Destroyers at Centennial Hall in February 2009.
Whether he is playing solo or with his latest project, you want to get there early and get a good seat because Tim Woodcock lets the good times roll !!
And I want to very seriously remind everyone to COME EARLY BECAUSE THIS EVENT WILL BE PACKED. My interview comes out in The Yodeller only days before, and, as well, we are featuring four senior UWO poetry students, who, going by social media rumblings, will not be coming alone. Don’t say I didn’t tell you so.
THE EVENT
WHERE: All of our reading events except the April one are held in the Mykonos Restaurant at 572 Adelaide St. North, London, Ontario. The restaurant has a large, covered terrace just behind the main restaurant, which comfortably holds 60 poetry lovers. Mediterranean food and drinks are available. Overflow parking is available across the side street and in the large lot one block north, in front of Trad’s Furniture.
LIVE MUSIC opens each event, at least by 6:30. There is also an intermission with live music and usually more music at the end of the event.
THE FEATURED POETS begin their rounds of readings at 7:00, followed by a Q&A.
OPEN MIC: Following the featured poets, there is about 1.5 hours of open mic, ending about 9:00 pm. Each poet has five minutes (which is about two good pages of poetry, but it should be timed at home). Sign up on the reader`s list, which is on the book table at the back. First come, first served.
RAFFLE PRIZES: Anyone who donates to London Open Mic Poetry Night receives a ticket for a raffle prize, three of which will be picked after the intermission. The prizes consist of poetry books donated by Brick Books and The Ontario Poetry Society. Donations are our only source of income. We still haven't paid off our initial debt.