ONE of the country's best-loved and most significant performance poets, John Cooper Clarke will be in Colwall village hall on Wednesday, June 18, for a one-off warm-up show.

John Cooper Clarke is as vital now as he was in the 70s. His acerbic, satirical, political and very funny verse, delivered in a unique rapid-fire performance style, resonated with the punk movement leading him to tour with all the seminal bands of time, including The Sex Pistols and The Clash.

Fast forward to 2014, and he remains a key orator of British society, as relevant now as ever, with his mark indelibly made on today’s pop culture. His influence can to be heard for example in the satirical and keen social observations of the Arctic Monkeys. Alex Turner cites him as a huge inspiration, as recently highlighted by the band’s cover of Cooper Clarke's I Wanna Be Yours’ on their critically acclaimed fifth studio album AM.

The performance, presented by Versatile Arts, begins at 7.30 with support from Manchester's Mike Garry.

To book, call The Courtyard box office on 01432 340555 or visit courtyard.org.uk