Two Crows proudly present an evening with musician Mark Hoyle spotlighting his critically acclaimed book Swerve.

Featuring a Q&A, signing and readings from the book – including his account of the infamous Joy Division gig in The Met’s Derby Hall, 45 years and a day since it happened!

Mark will be interviewed by our very special host, renowned Manchester poet Tony Walsh.

Dive into the pulsating heart of Manchester music with this spellbinding memoir. Swerve provides intimate, eye-witness access to all the haunts and people associated with its golden era, both the icons and the ones less celebrated, from the early days of punk to the frenzy of Madchester. Mark Hoyle is in the middle of it all.

Plunged into the UK care system following the death of his mother, Mark escaped aged sixteen to find a surrogate family in the wider musical community that was exploding on his doorstep. Whether as a dedicated member of the Manchester Musicians’ Collective, working at the Haçienda, or living amongst the creative chaos of Hulme’s notorious crescents, we witness an artist developing in the raw. Against this backdrop, Mark’s band Dub Sex emerge, into which everything flows.

Open, gripping and powerfully optimistic, Swerve is a portrait of the artist as a young man, Manchester style, where music isn’t just a soundtrack but a lifeline.

The evening will be hosted by Manchester poet Tony Walsh. Tony is a patron at The Met and a massive music fan. He is a regular on tv and radio and was the official poet in residence for Glastonbury Festival in 2012. Increasingly a song-writer himself, a poem of Tony’s featured on the recent UK number 3 album from rising indie stars The K’s. From performing at huge stadium and arena gigs and bringing his poetry to the main stages of Bluedot and Kendal Calling, to lurking around Manchester’s gig scene since the tail end of punk, Tony brings a unique and knowledgeable perspective to what is sure to be a fascinating event.