Meet the man behind Manchester’s electric new poetry night

Kieren King is a Manchester-based spoken word artist with 17 years of performance experience. In that time, he has performed at venues and festivals across the UK and Europe, including Glastonbury and Kendal Calling, and for organisations including Amnesty International and Musicians Without Borders.

Kieren was one of the hosts of Bang Said The Gun: Manchester and the creative mind behind the acclaimed spoken word nights Evidently and the Word War Slams.

He is a Great Northern Slam champion and a four-time UK National Slam finalist (Hammer & Tongue – 2016 & 2017, Farrago – 2023 & 2024). During the Edinburgh Fringe run of Stand Up & Slam, he was undefeated in a competition pitting poets against stand-up comedians.

He was commissioned by Guy Garvey of Elbow to curate a spoken word event as part of his Meltdown festival at the Southbank Centre.

His latest gig is hosting Slamchester, a night which celebrates spoken word, as you watch 8 poets go head to head at 53two next month. We caught up with Kieren to find out more.

Where did your journey into Spoken Word begin?

When I was about 15, my parents dragged me kicking and screaming to a gig at the Bridgewater Hall. They were into punk growing up, and the gig featured the likes of Pete Shelley and Howard Devoto from the Buzzcocks and Mark. E Smith of The Fall. But the one that stood out for me was John Cooper Clarke. He had a rowdy crowd of old school punks in the palm of his hand, and I remember thinking, “Wait… poetry can do this?”

I didn’t start writing myself until I was 28 and a friend of mine dared me to get up onstage at a cabaret night at a place called The Green Room (It’s Gorilla now). I only had to fill a minute, but I can’t sing or play an instrument, so I read out a poem that I’d written in a style very much inspired by JCC. I was amazed by how well it went, the audience really responded, and the venue kept inviting me back to do longer and longer sets. Eventually, I ended up headlining.

When did you realise it was something you could explore as a career?

I could say the first time I got paid to perform – getting handed £20 and a pint in exchange for a few poems. But the real shift came after I started making waves on the slam scene. Winning the Great Northern Slam Championship helped people take me seriously. From there, the invites started rolling in. It’s not the most traditional career path, but there’s something gratifying about earning a wage from something you have created from scratch.

If someone wants to get involved with Spoken Word, how can they start?

Start small. Go to local open mics, not even to perform at first, just to listen. Get a feel for the vibe, the different voices and styles. There’s a brilliant community in Manchester, and loads of welcoming spaces where you can find your voice. Two I always recommend are Verbose at The Kings Arms and Rhyming Words at The Rat & Pigeon. Once you’ve soaked that in, start writing. Don’t worry too much about structure or rules. When you’ve got a piece that feels right, sign up for an open mic. You don’t need to be a “poet”; you just need something to say. And remember: your voice matters. One of the beautiful things about spoken word is that there’s no “right way” to do it. And if you are under 25, definitely check out Young Identity. They run workshops that help you develop as a writer and performer. A lot of the most exciting voices on the scene right now have come through YI. 

How did Slamchester come about?

Slamchester was born out of a genuine desire to celebrate a scene I care deeply about. Manchester’s spoken word community is packed with incredible talent, and I wanted to create a night that brings some of the city’s best voices together under one roof for an evening that’s as entertaining as it is powerful. I used to co-run a slam night called Word War, which had a great run before the pandemic. After stepping back for a while, I found myself itching to build something new, something fresh that captures the energy of the scene today. When I started talking to 53Two, it all fell into place. This first Slamchester is a one-off to test the waters, but the long-term vision is to grow it into a regular event that champions local voices and creates a real buzz while doing it.

You were commissioned by Guy Garvey to curate a Spoken word event in London’s South Bank. What was that like?

It was surreal! I co-ran a spoken word night at the Eagle Inn called Evidently, which had developed a bit of a cult following. As luck would have it, the venue was just down the road from the studio where Elbow record their albums, so Guy would occasionally pop in. When he was curating the Meltdown Festival at the Southbank Centre, he got in touch and invited me to put together an Evidently event as part of the programme.

At first, I couldn’t quite believe it. Programming that show was a huge honour. I assembled a line-up of some of my favourite poets from across Manchester, and we packed out the space. Performing in one of the country’s most iconic venues, knowing that the singer from Elbow had personally chosen us, was unforgettable. More than anything, it felt like a moment of validation. That poetry, and especially Northern voices, can hold their own in the biggest artistic spaces. It felt like we were putting our region’s voice on a national stage, and that meant a lot.

What do you love about Manchester?

First and foremost, it’s the people. A city is just bricks and concrete without its community, and Manchester’s got a beating heart like nowhere else. There is a creative pulse too; the music, comedy, and spoken word scenes are all brimming with talent – you can’t swing a cat without hitting someone who moves in at least one of those circles.

And then, of course, there’s the weather. You’ve got to really love what you do to keep performing in the rain. But I think it gives Manchester’s artists a unique edge – That’s what makes them special.

Why should people come to Slamchester?

Because it’s going to be electric. Eight of Manchester’s best poets, all on one stage, going head-to-head with nothing but their words and voices. Add a headline set from Jardel Rodrigues – in my opinion, one of the most captivating performers in the country right now – and the incredible venue that is 53Two, and you’ve got something that feels more like a gig than a traditional poetry reading. 

Expect to laugh, cry, cheer, shout – maybe all at once – and leave thinking about it for days. If you’ve never been to a poetry slam before, this is the one to start with. And if you have, well… you already know.

Tickets for Slamchester at 53two

Slamchester is at 53two on 22^nd June and you can book here.