REVIEW: Dr John Cooper Clarke, The Fire Station, Sunderland.
John Cooper Clarke’s return to the North East found him in fine form — and in a venue that’s fast becoming one of the region’s best.
The Fire Station in Sunderland has firmly established itself as a classy, characterful setting for performers, bands and spoken word alike.
With its mix of modern polish and industrial charm, it’s the kind of space that makes you listen harder.
The night began with Manchester poet Mike Garry, a long-time friend and warm-up for Clarke. His set was heartfelt and witty, combining sharp rhythm with emotional depth — a fitting lead-in rather than just an opening act.
Then Clarke strutted on the stage, his inimitable style that fans across the north east have come to see is as distinctive as ever. Shabby chic, long unruly, black hair. Dark glasses, and stick thin legs in dark jeans.
His trademark wit and machine-gun delivery are legendary, but this show revealed something different: a measured pace and clearer diction, giving his words more weight.
Much of the new material came from his recent collection What? New Poems, and the change in delivery suited it perfectly.
In Thug, for example, every line landed cleanly, each phrase spat out with theatrical precision.
The slower rhythm turned it from a rapid-fire recital into a true performance. Clarke’s timing, tone and sheer presence proved why he remains unmatched on stage.
Of course, the classics were there too — I Wanna Be Yours and Evidently Chickentown drew knowing smiles and roars of approval. His trademark social commentary, still laced with dark humour and northern bite, hit just as hard as ever.
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It’s clear Clarke has nothing to prove, but everything still to say. The addition of new poems shows he’s far from coasting on reputation — he’s evolving, experimenting, and still utterly himself.
And The Fire Station? It’s become a serious player. The sound was crisp, the atmosphere spot-on, and the crowd fully engaged.
By the end, Clarke left to an ovation — proof that, decades on, the Bard of Salford still commands a room, still gets the laughs, and still makes people think.
David Bootle
