<a href="http://strangeattractor.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/Jolly_Lad_cover_web.jpg"><img class="alignright wp-image-5082" src="http://strangeattractor.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/Jolly_Lad_cover_web.jpg" alt="Jolly_Lad_cover_web" width="250" height="390" /></a>

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<b>John Doran writes about his forthcoming  reading tour <em>An English Trip</em></b>

"For the entire month of May I'm undertaking a 31 date reading tour of England called <i>An English Trip</i>. I'm going with my good pal Kjetil Nernes - the brains &amp; brawn behind Årabrot - who is creating music for me to read over while we do shows in high security prisons, schools, libraries, record shops, bars, churches, village halls, book stores, cinemas, theatres and gig venues.

This ill advised, poorly thought out, risible adventure is, as you have almost certainly realised in quicker time than I did, part of a burgeoning mid-life crisis (triggered by a common or garden case of bi-polar disorder).

However, despite how anxious I've become about it now that I'm less mad and I've had some time to think it over, I've got to say, it's been quite exciting to plan. I bought a large fold-out road map of the UK from a petrol station to lay out on my living room floor. And as I started placing small star stickers (stolen from one of my son’s <i>Thomas The Tank Engine</i> magazines) over various towns and cities, I tried to pin down where this idea had originated as I marked Salford, Eastbourne, Plymouth, Manchester, Bristol, Stockton-on-Tees, Durham, Sunderland, Sheffield, Taunton, Liverpool, Rochester, Cambridge, Leeds, Bradford, Birmingham, Totnes, Nottingham, Northampton, Worcester, Brighton and other destinations.

Each of the small, colourful circles of paper had been placed over the site of a gig location. Every marker stood for an opportunity I was taking to collaborate with various artists, poets, musicians, writers and filmmakers along the route."

<strong>More, including an extract from <em>Jolly Lad</em>, can be found <a href="http://thequietus.com/articles/17544-jolly-lad-extract-an-english-trip-tour-john-doran" target="_blank">here</a> </strong>

<strong>DATES FOR </strong><strong>MAY</strong>

Fri 1: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/events/766685946772598/" target="out">The Coach House, BRIGHTON</a> - featuring Verity Spott. Full line up TBA

Sat 2: Star &amp; Garter, MANCHESTER - Full details TBA

Sun 3: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/events/1478276432414211/" target="out">Gecko Cafe, HASTINGS</a> - with Louise Taylor, Natasha Soobramanien and Luke Williams. Full line up TBA <a href="https://www.eventbrite.com/e/an-english-trip-john-doran-aka-jolly-lad-book-tour-tickets-16332372566" target="out">TICKETS AVAILABLE HERE</a>

Mon 4: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/events/242596099244112/" target="out">The Vinyl Frontier, EASTBOURNE</a> - full bill TBA <b>FREE ENTRY</b>

Tue 5: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/events/412149125632670/" target="out">The Book Hive, NORWICH</a> - full bill TBA <b>FREE ENTRY</b>

Wed 6: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/events/1586872254891800/" target="out">Pop Recs Ltd. SUNDERLAND</a> - with King Ink <b>FREE ENTRY</b>

Thu 7: Sound It Out Records, STOCKTON ON TEES - full bill TBA <b>FREE ENTRY</b>

Fri 8: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/events/354175051437764/" target="out">Picture House Social, SHEFFIELD</a> - with Adrian Flanagan &amp; Dean Honer of Eccentronic Research Council &amp; Keely Forsyth <a href="https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/login/?referrer=/edit%3Feid%3D16376571767" target="out">Tickets available here</a>

Sat 9: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/events/450638791751942/" target="out">MK Art Gallery, MILTON KEYNES</a> - with Chrononautz and Cantaloupe

Sun 10: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/events/703401343118866/" target="out">Callow End Village Hall, CALLOW END</a> - with Josephine Dickinson and Sarah Angliss<a href="https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/if-wet-22-josephine-dickinson-sarah-angliss-john-doran-arabrot-tickets-16366359221" target="out">Tickets available here</a>

Mon 11: NN Cafe, NORTHAMPTON - with Roger Robinson, Falling From Cloud 9 &amp; Alistair Fruish

Tue 12: Broadway Cinema, NOTTINGHAM - with Nik Void &amp; The Quietus At Leisure Films

Wed 13: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/events/823834201036833/" target="out">Drift Records, TOTNES</a> - with The Undertakers <b>ENTRY BY DONATION</b>

Thu 14: The Lexington, LONDON - with Krautrock Karaoke and Roger Robinson

Fri 15: The Adelphi, HULL - with Andy Kirkpatrick &amp; The Patron Saints

Sat 16: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/events/1438097256483267/" target="out">Black Cat Records, TAUNTON</a> - with Henry Blacker - <b>FREE ENTRY</b>

Sun 17 DAYTIME: <a href="http://www.rise-music.co.uk/events.php?event=331" target="out">Rise Records, BRISTOL</a> - full bill TBA <b>FREE ENTRY</b>

Sun 17 EVENING: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/events/644886608978180/" target="out">The Cube, BRISTOL</a> - with ANTA &amp; Bronze Teeth <a href="http://www.bristolticketshop.co.uk/events.aspx?v=14" target="out">Tickets available here</a>

Mon 18: The Kazimier, LIVERPOOL - with Krautrock Karaoke &amp; Barberos

Tue 19: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/events/1400001993651264/" target="out">The Billabong, ROCHESTER</a> - with Punching Swans Full line up TBA <a href="http://www.wegottickets.com/event/315263" target="out">Tickets available here</a>

Wed 20: The Exchange, LEICESTER - full bill TBA

Thu 21: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/events/1552675868327694/" target="out">B Arts, STOKE</a> - full bill TBA <b><a href="http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/1423744" target="out">FREE EVENT BUT ENTRY BY TICKET ONLY...</a></b>

Fri 22: Eastside Gallery, BIRMINGHAM - with Chrononautz &amp; Roger Robinson

Sat 23: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/events/442671449232033/" target="out">South Records, SOUTHEND</a> - with Martin Newell <b>FREE ENTRY</b>

Sun May 24: <a href="http://www.bradfordthreadfest.com/" target="out">Threadfest, BRADFORD</a> - with Chrononautz, Richard Dawson &amp; more... <a href="http://reconfest.co.uk/events/bradford-threadfest-bradford-playhouse-2015-05-22" target="out">Tickets available here</a>

Mon 25: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/events/1567129443568075/" target="out">Outlaws Yacht Club, LEEDS</a> - with Chrononautz <b><a href="https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/the-quietus-presents-an-english-trip-chrononautz-live-tickets-16393633800" target="out">FREE ENTRY BY TICKET</a></b>

Tue 26: DATE TBC

Wed 27: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/events/915333371831489/" target="out">Memorial Unitarian Church, CAMBRIDGE</a> - with English Heretic and the Cambridge Counter-Culture Research Group

Thu May 28: DATE TBC

Fri 29: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/events/384985688340025/" target="out">Underground, PLYMOUTH</a> - with Knifed Out Of Existence, Steve Strong &amp; Richard Thomas. Full line up TBA

Sat 30 DAYTIME: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/events/442671449232033/" target="out">South Records, SOUTHEND</a> with Martin Newell

Sat 30: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/events/1570215849923347/" target="out">The Old Police House, GATESHEAD</a> - With Chrononautz Full line up TBA

Sun 31: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/events/1568961970023749/" target="out">Islington Mill, SALFORD</a> - with GNOD &amp; Krautrock Karaoke <a href="http://fatout.co.uk/ticket-shop/4554689482" target="out">Tickets available here</a>