Spring Velvet Tongue 2013! Thanks!

Wow, what can one say about Velvet Tongue (Late) Spring 2013? 

Amazing that London's erotic literary soiree just keeps getting better and better! 

And it is not so much blowing one’s own trumpet (so to speak) as being blown away by the consistently outstanding performers and the amazing vibe created by the ever so supportive and sexy audience. 

Velvet Tongue often has one or three surprises in store (even for the promoter) and, my, did it deliver last time...! 

Thanks to all contributors (in both sections), to the venue (Bar Kick) for the continued support and, let's not forget it, to the audience for being so hot.

A review of the night:

http://afterglowart.com/the-velvet-tongue-experience/

Contributors in order of appearance were:

Pippa (on the door), Ernesto Sarezale (host and poet), Amy Neilson Smith, Shaun Levin, Season Butler, Rene L'Amour, Michael Darling, Van Roberts, Dan Oakey, Andi Jarrett-Johnson, Jay Walker, Audrey Bird, The Hanging Gardener of Babylon, Ant Smith, Graham Bucham, Cathy Flower, Shen Ahjin, John Jazzman Clark, Errol McGlashan. 

See a picture of each participant below (in order of appearance):

(more pictures coming soon)

London WNBR (poem premiered at Velvet Tongue, June 2013)

London World Naked Bike Ride
(by Ernesto Sarezale)

The organisers have a deal with God.

Or so it seems. Because every year,

at 3pm sharp, on the second Saturday

in June, the clouds dissipate and the sun

shines glorious… marking the cue for

the spirited granddads eager to take off

their briefs, proud they’re the first to be free,                            

joined by a Belgian nude activist.

They urge us all to face the human barricade:

a wall made of journos, gawkers and wankers, 

unsuspecting tourists just walking past

and the cops and their vans a few yards away.

This Hyde Park spot is rarely quite so busy.

When a wigged hippy goddess flashes a nipple

or two, the barricade crumbles and twists:

it snakes up, bends south, twirls east past the trees,

to reconvene and surround the fit lady,

brutally pushing against bikers who

get in the way when… her knickers come off.

Let’s just not forget the gentlemen who

would kill to get the best view of the boy

with the bubbly butt and perfectly formed

genitalia. Apparently he’s from Brazil.

And the boys with pink wigs join the girls with

white wings and those in-between painted green.

“PEDAL POWER” “ONE LESS CAR” “BIKES ARE FUN”

This stream of naked skin is captured by

video cameras, digital cameras,

vintage cameras, disposable cameras,

mobile phone cameras, smart phone cameras,

tablet cameras, cutting edge cameras,

SLR cameras, Polaroid cameras,

replica cameras, pink bling cameras,

silver cameras, profesional cameras,

long zoom lens cameras, cameras, cameras,

cameras with tripods or hand held,

cameramen clothed, semi-clothed or undressed…

(And by ambulant CCTV)

When the naked bike riders reach Waterloo,

grey clouds start to show and the breeze gets cold.

But two drops of rain will not spoil the mood.

Music, camaraderie. And naked goths!

The chefs come out of their kitchens to laugh

at the green curly wigs, the mankinis,

the top hats, the Prince of Edinburgh masks,

and the “RENEWABLE ENERGY” banner:

an arrow pointing to the cyclist’s penis.

“LESS CARS MORE ARSE” “BURN FAT NOT OIL”

The smokers outside pubs grin… but don’t bare it.

Families wave and smile, football fans bark.

Bankers in suits, shop assistants and waiters

stare, look away, snap, snigger, greet, shout, blush...

as do amused visitors on tourist buses.

My favourite are those who keep on walking,

just looking ahead with a poker face.

So many of the banners are on skin:

“MIND THE GAP”, pointing at a biker’s arse.

“BORIS PROTECT CYCLISTS” “MEND YOUR FUELISH WAYS”

And the plain clothes policemen? Or rather

the plainly unclothed policemen who are

also joining the ride incognito?

Near Aldwych, Lizzie from Clacton-on-Sea

is gobsmacked when she sees cousin Phil

wearing nothing but pink nipple tassels,

carelessly cycling on a Boris bike.

Covent Garden shoppers push through bikers

to promptly reach their cars, parked nearby.

London landmarks: Westminster, Buckingham

Palace, Piccadilly, Trafalgar Square…

The last sprint back to Hyde Park… feels glorious!

We gather there brotherly, sisterly. Fun.

We smile, sing, dance (or form voyeuristic rings).

If the sun still shines we lie on the grass.

Exhilarated, we feel we’re all one…

(…except for the guy with the padlock hanging

from his scrotum… when he gets an erection

and is thus told off by the organisers).

“PEDAL POWER” “ONE LESS CAR” “BIKES ARE FUN”

Ernesto Sarezale, http://www.sarezale.com - 3 June 2013

Velvet Tongue, 3rd June 2013 (Spring edition)

Now that spring has finally kicked in (or so it seems), we are ready to announce the details of this season's Erotic Literary Soiree in London! 

FEATURED authors and performers for SPRING 2013 are: 

• SEASON BUTLER

• SHAUN LEVIN

• AMY NEILSON SMITH

• MICHAEL DARLING 

…and a special appearance by VAN ROBERTS, all the way from Australia

Plus the usual 5min Open Mic slots.

NOTE: The pre-booked open-mic quota for this month's Velvet Tongue has been met, which means that anyone requesting a spot after the 2nd of May will go onto a "waiting list". There are usually drop-outs on the night, so most of those on the waiting list will probably have the chance to read/perform anyway (and will get in for free).

VELVET TONGUE at Bar Kick, 127 Shoreditch High Street, E1 6JE, London. Entry: £5 / £3 conc. / free to participants. Doors open at 7pm; show starts at 7.30pm.Hosted by Erotic Award winning poet, Ernesto Sarezale (http://www.sarezale.com/)

THINGS PEOPLE ARE SAYING ABOUT VELVET TONGUE:

"Velvet Tongue had the perfect mix of engaging and mesmerising wordplay and pure hilarity" Thisiscabaret.com"I was really impressed with the night in total. I feel like I expanded my mind, took in some culture and best of all got inspired." thingsipickedupontheway.blogspot.co.uk/

"For literature really laid bare, poet Ernesto Sarezale’s Velvet Tongue in Shoreditch is just the titillating ticket." metro.co.uk"Fun, diverse and so sexy!" (Five stars) Remotegoat.co.uk

"Whether you're a performer, a poet, or just like listening to other people's fantasies, Velvet Tongue offers a place to hear and be heard." Erotic Review Magazine

"Velvet Tongue is the word-spinning sister of the burlesque revival that has stormed London - humorously titillating with tongues very firmly in cheeks" "...a wonderfully entertaining way to spend the night" thisislondon.co.uk

"...exploratory literary night of performance and poetry with a raunchy edge" Time Out 

“It's the perfect place to try new work and show off your talent with a room buzzing full of writers and fans of poetry and word. It's not simply readings though, the performers that it attracts are hands on, hansom and props and interaction with the audience often occur...” eroticmeet.net

Velvet Tongue is dedicated to erotic writing and performance, with poetry, fiction, spoken word, plays, stand-up, comic strips, cabaret, monologues,… Velvet Tongue celebrates the hot, the sweet, the viscous, the carnal, the sexy, the racy, the provocative, the lustful, the voluptuous, the libidinous, the playful, the flirtatious, the teasing, the suggestive, the explicit, the cheeky, the bold, the brash, the brassy, the flashy, the risque, the pervy, the licentious, the queer, the depraved and the downright kinky.

First Velvet Tongue of 2013! Thanks!

Flooding, flogging, bondage, skinny waltzing, naked stand-up, sensuality, beauty, audience participation and general misbehaviour,...  just an average night at Velvet Tongue, London’s Erotic Literary Soiree. 

Well, we could have done without the stench from the sewage leaks…. but, in spite of the sinking Titanic moments (and a couple of unsavoury back-stage incidents), the return of Velvet Tongue in 2013 was SPECTACULAR thanks to a fantastic parade of performers/readers and a very lovely, sexy, audience. Thanks also to the staff at Bar Kick for their support in difficult circumstances.

(Apologies to those who could not read because of the "sewage problems" - get back to me: I will give you priority when we return to Bar Kick for the spring edition on 3rd June).

Two reviews of last Monday’s edition:

"Velvet Tongue had the perfect mix of engaging and mesmerising wordplay and pure hilarity" http://www.thisiscabaret.com/review-velvet-tongue/

"I was really impressed with the night in total (...). I feel like i expanded my mind, took in some culture and best of all got inspired." http://thingsipickedupontheway.blogspot.co.uk/

The contributors were (in order of apperance): Coffe+Sponge, Roz Kaveney, Ernesto Sarezale (also hosting), Rene L'Amour, Steven Pottle, Gideon K, Al Cowie, Tom Bland, Jay Walker, Poeterry, Graham Bucham and Cathy Flower.

A few photos  

(of Pippa at the door, the audience and all the performers in order of appearance)
(More photos here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/sarezale/sets/72157633050121421/)

VELVET TONGUE, 25 FEBRUARY 2013

London's Erotic Literary Soiree will be back in February 2013 - a few days after Valentine's - for some romantic eroticism. 

At Bar Kick, 127 Shoreditch High Street, E1 6JE, London. Entry: £5 / £3 conc. / free to participants. Doors open at 7pm; show starts at 7.30pm.

Hosted by Erotic Award winning poet, Ernesto Sarezale 
(http://www.sarezale.com/)

RSVP on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/events/417035618366071/?fref=ts


OUR FEATURED AUTHORS AND PERFORMERS FOR FEBRUARY 2013 ARE:

• Coffee+Sponge
• Steven Pottle
• René L'Amour
• Roz Kaveney

NOTE: The pre-booked open-mic quota for this month's Velvet Tongue has been met, which means that anyone requesting a spot after the 3rd of February will go onto a "waiting list". There are usually drop-outs on the night, so many of those on the waiting list will probably have the chance to read/perform anyway (and will get in for free).

Velvet Tongue is dedicated to erotic writing and performance, with poetry, fiction, spoken word, plays, stand-up, comic strips, cabaret, monologues,… Velvet Tongue celebrates the hot, the sweet, the viscous, the carnal, the sexy, the racy, the provocative, the lustful, the voluptuous, the libidinous, the playful, the flirtatious, the teasing, the suggestive, the explicit, the cheeky, the bold, the brash, the brassy, the flashy, the risque, the pervy, the licentious, the queer, the depraved and the downright kinky. 

THINGS PEOPLE ARE SAYING ABOUT VELVET TONGUE:

"For literature really laid bare, poet Ernesto Sarezale’s Velvet Tongue in Shoreditch is just the titillating ticket." metro.co.uk

"Fun, diverse and so sexy!" (Five stars) Remotegoat.co.uk

"Whether you're a performer, a poet, or just like listening to other people's fantasies, Velvet Tongue offers a place to hear and be heard." Erotic Review Magazine

"Velvet Tongue is the word-spinning sister of the burlesque revival that has stormed London - humorously titillating with tongues very firmly in cheeks" "...a wonderfully entertaining way to spend the night" thisislondon.co.uk

"...exploratory literary night of performance and poetry with a raunchy edge" Time Out 

“It's the perfect place to try new work and show off your talent with a room buzzing full of writers and fans of poetry and word. It's not simply readings though, the performers that it attracts are hands on, hansom and props and interaction with the audience often occur...”  eroticmeet.net

More reviews here:
http://velvettongueuk.blogspot.co.uk/2012/07/reviewspreviews-and-reports.html

Velvet tongue in the Metro (free daily) - today

Velvet Tongue gets a mention in the Metro today! 

http://www.metro.co.uk/lifestyle/918576-fleshing-out-the-story-the-rise-of-erotic-book-clubs

...and don't forget we are back in February 2013!

Autumn Velvet Tongue, Thanks!

Wow, yet again, Velvet Tongue, London's Erotic Literary Soiree, surpassed all expectations. 

Beauty, death, sex, pain and humor mingled seamlessly last Monday.

Thanks to the amazing readers and performers, the accommodating & atmospheric venue and the sexy audience for contributing to an outstanding Velvet Tongue... just two days before Halloween!

Velvet Tongue will be back in 2013. Probably on Monday 25th of February.

Many photos from the night can be found here:

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10151102291526401.431292.571036400 (SFW)

http://www.flickr.com/photos/sarezale/sets/72157631896183592/ (NSFW)

The contributors were (in order of apperance): Anthony Howell, Ernesto Sarezale (pt1), K. D. Grace, S. P. Howarth, Ernesto Sarezale (pt2), Rubyyy Jones, Tom Bland, Rene L'Amour, Dave McGowan, Steven Pottle, Jazzman John Clarke, Ant Smith, Cynth Icorn, Kevin Moore, Almaz Ohene, Alain English, Gideon K, Andrew Fiver and Koel Mukherjee.