Sarah L Dixon Writer

Friday – Dave Rowntree

Dave talked about his new book, No-one you know, a photo history of the early days of Blur. His talk was shaped around some photos from the book and anecdotes of his time in Blur. A fascinating journey and charismatic chat with his old mate, Dave Travis, who used to be one of their promoters back in the day.

Well worth legging it across town for with 3 bags, arriving out of breath for a bag search… a theme that was to continue on the Sunday evening for Stuart Maconie, but more about that later, we have a full weekend to enjoy first.

Saturday morning – travel section

This seemed to be the travel section of my festival. I enjoyed the stories of Daniel Stables telling us about his history in writing Rough Guides and his most recent book, Fiesta, meant he travelled to find the most outlandish and interesting festivals in the world and he illustrated this by sharing photos. The book does not have any photos and I am wondering if they are anywhere online to access when reading the book as they did add a lot to the stories.

Ben Aitken then talked about his book celebrating breaks in unsung cities, including Wolverhampton.

Saturday – music section

Steve Pottinger

Due to a cancellation because of illness Steve stood in with his debut of his new show, Sweat and Mugs and RocknRoll about a his life in the music industry.

Steve took us on a journey with him, from voluntary crew work to touring with Chumbawamba for eight years to stage managing massive and complex gigs. Steve’s storytelling, honesty and some of the tracks he used to link these made me cry six times in one show. A beautiful, raw and unflinching hour. I felt I could connect with so much of this from much time spent other side of the barrier. Gave me renewed respect for all those who work hard to make the events that bring joy and music to our venues and make the events run smoothly. Thanks Steve.

Donald Jenkins

From Steve’s anecdotes of a life lived behind the scenes to a show I have been trying to catch for quite some time, my friend, Donald Jenkins’ show, Still raving in your 40s. My most recent book is about a different 90s to that Donald was living at around the same time. Donald takes us to sweaty dancefloors, we rise to heady highs with him and crash through the floor with him as the lows hit. This is on at Sale Waterside on 14th March but I will be dancing to EMF at Huddersfield Parish that night. Do get along to one or the other if you can, they will both be nights you take with you into the next week, a joy, a bounce, an energy. (Oops! I hope you made it to either of these. EMF gig was excellent fun, bound and joy with friends, fan and band and I am still grinning from the weekend which also included a Jim Bob gig)

Stars of Slam Event

The stars of slam event was one of my highlights of Wolves Lit Fest 2025 and the variety, emotions and humour in this event equalled that of 2025. I loved this.

Sunday

Cal’s Stourbridge murals

I was delighted to be able to see the Stourbridge murals. I have wanted to make the pilgrimage to see the murals completed by @calartist and these were bigger and more striking than I expected. My friend, Bea, drove us across to see the murals. I had almost made it over earlier, but always in the middle of a Lit Fest or Fringe Fest and never with quite enough time to bus it over and back. Thanks Bea!

There is a particular reason I wanted to see these murals on this weekend, but more about that later, first a quick visit to the park…

I am interviewing Cal Artist for the Morecambe Fringe podcast soon.

Emma Purshouse

Emma’s new book, Unsung, tells us of the lives of Black Country figures, gives them voices, a history and a space to belong in Wolves Art Gallery for an hour.

Jonn Penney event with Robin Ince as interviewer and guest poet, me!

So, I could have done without Wolves playing from home Saturday as everywhere was loud with shouting and music until 2am and then the fire alarm of my apartment block went off for an hour at 3am. Should have gone out clubbing after all.

After the murals, park and Emma’s show, I took an hour out to run through my poems and catch my breath and then went to the green room to meet up with Jonn and Robin.

I had met Jonn three times before and talked a little each time – when we both had gigs the same day at Wolves Lit Fest in 2017 and then after an event in Manchester at Night and Day in Manchester (my last gig before lockdown).

We emailed a little about an event when his book was originally due to come out early 2025 and Jonn generously gave me some words for the back of my book. We then met again at Gigantic last year and we had a quick catch up, hug, chat about Shine and Steve Lamacq (a situation that brought the giddy fifteen year old Sarah to the surface, not that she is ever that far from the surface, especially as guest poet of Jonn’s book event).

I first met Robin at Morecambe Lit Fest in September 2024 where he was friendly, chatty and honest. Then, we spent an hour at Wolves Lit Fest in 2025 chatting about everything along with Steve Pottinger in the cafe before an event where Robin interviewed Jim Bob. Robin was again at the Morecambe Poetry Festival. He missed my show as he knew me as my Instagram name @90sindiekid and hadn’t linked my name with the show, he apologised for being in a bookshop when he should have been at my show and bought me a drink to apologise. So, it was a delight to be in a green room with them both and catching up.

Then, too fast it became time for the event. I performed/read 8 minutes of poetry at the beginning and closed the event with 3 short pieces. I am grateful to friends for taking photos and sending them over to me. I have lost track of who took which but I know Sarah Bant, Vickie and Bea took some for me.

So, the event was such a great experience and the photos of Jonn and Robin watching so intently, thoughtfully with amusement and looks and nods of connection also mean so much.

Then, Jonn chatted to Robin about his new book, Self-ish. The book is almost out and I am so excited to get my hands on it. Partly, because I love Neds songs, energy and crowds and a lot of the lyrics but I couldn’t tell you what many of them mean, I was happy to sit back and watch and listen for the main event. Once the book is out and I have had chance to read it I would love to interview Jonn on Zoom though.

Jonn talked a lot about the history of the band, the songs, the Stourbridge scene and told us about tartan tattoos and read us a section of the book. I didn’t take many photos as I was side on and didn’t want to be too distracting to Jonn and Robin and I had remembered how Jim had looked to me for reassurance a few times in the Robin interview the year before so I wanted to be available for that too.

I do totally get that as I feel exactly the same being a poet at a music festival. A musician at a literary festival is unsure how the audience will receive them and it is very different to be talking to one person than fronting a band with the sound and the other band members behind you. I am finding it really interesting to discuss this difference with musicians who have also read/performed at book events.

Thanks to Phil Turner for the invite to the festival.

After the event Jonn and I went to the signing desk and Jonn generously signed sections of his manuscript headed with song titles and we spent about an hour at the desk chatting to fans and friends. We chatted between us and with people wanting signed lyrics or books from me and many had brought albums and prints for signing too.

Someone asked for ‘Not sleeping around’ and I told Jonn I have now written a poem using that title as inspiration. The person who had requested that lyric said ‘I love this, this between you is my new favourite relationship!’ Aw!

I also love the connections I am making with musicians who have been important to me for so long, especially because I can use my poetry as a way to thank them for the years of joy they have given so many fans.

Robin Ince

So, we were a little late for the start of Robin’s event. We took our stuff back up to the green room and had a chat and then sneaked in the back of the gallery to watch Robin be interviewed by Phil Turner who had not done this before and did a grand job of it.

Robin talked about the importance of beginning to write poetry and through it he found a way to write out what he feels and thinks better than any other way he has done before. He mainly talked about his new book, Normally Weird, Weirdly Normal and as I have so many books from the festival I have not read this yet. Maybe I will include a mini review of it in a future blog. What I can tell you is that there were a lot of people nodding in the event (including me) as we recognised ourselves in the weirdness Robin discussed.

After Robin’s event I went back to the green room with Jonn to say goodbye until Skegness Shiiine On – we are both on early on Sunday – I am on at 11am and Jonn’s book event with Steve Lamacq interviewing is at 1330 (maybe the quiz inbetween?) so I am hoping we can catch each other and maybe catch up in the green rooms.

Jonn signed one of the sections of his book to me, I told Jonn a lot about how I am weird on the way up to the green room, I think hearing someone talk about things in an interview, both Jonn and Robin, means you have lots of ways in which you feel connected to both people. I apologised for talking so much but Jonn was lovely about it and I said ‘Can you tell I run on adrenaline?’ He said ‘Never!’

Then, we said our goodbyes, I gathered my bags and joined the queue for Robin, and realised I had misread the time of the Stuart Maconie event so ended the weekend in the same way I had started it. I legged it across Wolverhampton to the final event with 3 bags again and the same man who did my bag check on the Friday when I arrived out of breath laughed when I turned up in the same state again with many bags!

Stuart Maconie – A Little help from their friends

Stuart’s chat with Dave Travis was interesting and Stuart talked about many of the people who had been part of The Beatles story and I am looking forward to reading this book too. My book pile is massive right now and I was already half way through about a dozen books – Robin talks about starting a book you are enjoying and then getting distracted and putting it down for possibly years and then returning to it, I have many books I am part way through like that and thousands I have not yet started reading. The ones from poetry and literature festivals tend to stay near the bed until they have been read along with others that sneak in inbetween.

I returned with a weekend full of great memories, a pile of books and exhausted but buzzing.

My next festival is Shiiine On at Skegness Butlins. There will be a blog!