Monthly Archives: June 2011

Not the Place’s Fault – Philip Larkin in Umbrella Magazine

NOT THE PLACE’S FAULT  Philip Larkin  From Umbrella (Magazine) 1.3 (1959)  Published by Coventry Arts Umbrella  Edited by T.C. Watson This essay is from the “Obscure Coventry-based magazine – Umbrella” as Andrew  Motion termed it.  According to biographer Andrew Motion’s … Continue reading

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Umbrella – Coventry Literary Journal c1959 – 61

UMBRELLA MAGAZINE was edited by Terence Watson for the Coventry Arts Umbrella in Coventry in the late 50’s and early 60’s. Philip Larkin was published in one issue. More of that in another post on this site. Two issues of Umbrella are available below as pdf files.Click on … Continue reading

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Transcendental Cauldron 1969 (Umbrella Fringe Arts Fest)

The Transcendental Cauldron was an underground fringe arts festival or ‘happening‘, to take place during Halloween, which it’s organisers hoped would bring the Umbrella more in line with what was happening at places like The Arts Lab in Drury Lane. The Programme … Continue reading

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Music Marathons – 1969 and 1971

Umbrella Club Music Marathon weekend  21st to 23rd November 1969 Following the successful Transcendental Cauldron at the end of the previous month, another weekend event was planned. This time focusing entirely on the local underground music scene. This was the … Continue reading

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Umbrella Band Nights 1970 / 71

After the successful mini fests – Transcendental Cauldron and Music Marathon, the Umbrella began to  feature regular / semi regular band nights on a Friday 9pm to 11.30 with a late night disco often lasting until 2pm run by Al … Continue reading

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The Neol Davies Jam Session 1970 – And Some Roots of Two Tone.

Picture from The Broadgate Gnome 1970 On face-value, this might seem to be an obscure Umbrella event happening 9 years before the Specials and Selecter put Coventry on the high altar of rock n roll but it hides some subtle developments in early … Continue reading

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Coventry’s First Folk Club – at the Umbrella Club

According to an article in FOLKS magazine (edited by Pete Willow c 1979) and written by Ben Arnold, the Coventry Arts Umbrella Club hosted Coventry’s very first folk club. Ben Arnold ” It wasn’t until 1962 that moves were made to … Continue reading

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Jazz and Poetry at the Belgrade Theatre

The Jazz Scene was a major part of the Umbrella Club up until about 1969, and this quote from Jazz Journal indicates it’s importance as a venue – “Jazz Journal are once again sponsoring a jazz symposium at the Umbrella … Continue reading

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The Umbrella Poets

According to Martyn Richards the Umbrella once boasted over a thousand poets… In the late 50’s and early 60’s the Umbrella was known for it’s quality literary journal UMBRELLA to which Philip Larkin had contributed an article (as you may … Continue reading

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Geoff Pegg’s Knotted Sheets – Poetry at the Belgrade Theatre

In 1970 Geoff Pegg was one of the leading poets at the Umbrella Club and Chairman of it’s Drama and Literary Committee. In that year his chapbook of poetry – Knotted Sheets – was published by Outposts. Now a presenter … Continue reading

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