Lit Up Inside poetry reading/gig with Sir Van Morrison, as part of the 25th Annual Aspects Festival, Belfast, Northern Ireland 21 Sep 2016

On the 12th March, Sir Van Morrison asked me to take part in the Lit Up Inside event. He asked me to choose lyrics from his book published by Faber and Faber. I already knew this book very well. In Christmas 2014, one of the books Jimmy Page gave me was Lit Up Inside. So it proved to be talismanic.

Astral Weeks is one of my all time favourite albums, my parents played the vinyl of it when I was a child a lot and I've continued listening to it in adulthood. I chose The Way Young Lovers Do, as it is so evocative of the first flushes of infatuation, love and sex, getting high off someone's breath, and also the beauty and absorption of nature, those are the images that come to me when I listen to that song. In addition, I selected On Hyndford Street, a song I hadn't known before discovering it in Lit Up Inside.

On the page it is so concise, and you are immediately dropped into the Belfast Van Morrison grew up in. His summer memories, the books he read, tuning into Radio Luxembourg, and conversations with like minded people. But also I took from it a degree of isolation, and remoteness in his surroundings, how he hungrily seeks out and soaks up whatever culture he could tune into, again this is something that resonated with me, that I identified with from my own childhood.

The event was held in Belfast, at the Culloden Hotel. It was my first time visiting Belfast, a city steeped thickly in history, poetry, and music. I very much wanted to do the best job I could, out of respect to Sir Van, and to the people of Belfast that would be attending. It felt like a serious thing to so, reading his lyircs in his home town. I was joined by an illustrious list of fellow readers, Pulitzer Prize winning poet Paul Muldoon, writer Ian Rankin and the wonderful actress Kim Cattrall, the evening was hosted by Dr. Eamon Hughes. Not having met before, my felllow readers and I were all united in our love for Van Morrison's words and music. The event was sold out, with nearly 400 people attending. First up, Sir Van Morrison was interviewed on stage by Ian Rankin.

Kim Cattrall then joined Sir Van on stage and gave a wonderful rendition of Someone Like You and The Meaning Of Loneliness, accompanied by Sir Van on the guitar. Once they left, I took to the stage, I read On Hyndford Street first, aware that I was listing the places many people in the audience knew well. I then gave my rendition of The Way Young Lovers Do. I felt extremely emotional, the room was so full and the atmosphere was palpable, and I really enjoyed being on stage. Paul Muldoon then took to the stage to give his reading which included a very moving rendition of Madame George. During the interval I signed copies of my books Rocking Underground and The Lock And The Key, I was able to speak with members of the audience and I was really overwhelmed at their response to the reading. Afterwards, we were all treated to a performance from Sir Van of songs from his new album, Keep Me Singing.

I am so glad to have been part of such a magical evening. Sir Van Morrison had seen me do a poetry reading at The Troubadour in May 2015, and I am truly touched and honoured that, from that he decided he wanted me to take part in his event.

Whilst in Belfast, I enjoyed visiting a great independent bookshop called No Alibi, they were the official stockists for the Aspects Festival, everybody working in the shop was so passionate and engaged, it was a real pleasure to get to know . I hope to return soon to Belfast to give a reading of my own.