Somewhere between the neon-lit restaurants and sticky-floored karaoke rooms of New Briggate, there’s a cluttered dive bar called Wax. Boasting an extensive cocktail menu and blaring new wave classics by the artists plastered all over the walls, the venue packs in a eclectic mix of patrons each weekend while the smoking area spills out into neighbouring bars. It’s become a sort of unofficial home to the music scene in Leeds (at least, post-1am), and, more recently, an official home to Small Distractions’ literary salons.
“It’s coming up to a year of Small Distractions in its current iteration,” shares organiser Rhiannon Kane over a cup of tea, “so I’m doing lots of very camp and dramatic one-year celebrations.” The project started as a way to share interviews with musicians about their reading habits, but has since become something else entirely – a space for community and connection and a French Martini or two. Since their inaugural event at Leeds Lit Fest last year, Small Distractions have been reviving and revamping the literary salon, inviting people from bands to take to the tiny stage at Wax and read their private musings aloud.
“We had this idea that a lot of people in bands had writing lying about, and that maybe they could read it out,” explains Rhiannon. “I was thinking of other ways that we could get all of these people in a room, thinking about writing and music and reading, but for it to still feel like a party, for it to still feel vulnerable and different to gigs.”
The events were also inspired by a desire to get to know artists on a different level. Taking the advice of Brudenell Social Club owner Nathan Clark, Rhiannon ran with the idea that, often, the most interesting thing to talk to artists about is their side interests, their preoccupations outside of the realm of music. Johnny Marr’s taste in tea, for example. “It’s all an extension of that concept.”
From Neve Cariad’s sickly screenplay to Angus Rogers (Opus Kink)’s ornate poetry, the literary salons pull out parts of musicians you’d never expect from their usual on-stage presence. “It’s also an opportunity for us to see artists who seem so solid in what they do get really uncomfortable,” Rhiannon adds, “Seeing Tiss Vampiric shaking while reading his beautiful poem, when you’re so used to his cabaret performance. Everyone’s nervous.”
The cramped nature of Wax Bar – which Rhiannon terms the “second best venue in the world” – only adds to that intensity. Each time an artist takes to the stage, crumpled up paper or notes app in hand, attendees flood back in from the smoking area (aka the street) and fill the venue wall to wall. There’s no escape from the gaze of the audience, no green room or side-stage to hide in.
“It’s tiny,” explains Rhiannon, “so anyone who gets up on stage has to push past every single person in the room to get there. And then when they get off-stage, they have to walk back past everyone. Every single person talks. It’s such a leveling experience. It takes the elevated, hierarchical aspects of a gig and just flattens it out.”
Luckily for those antsy artists-turned-poets, Leeds is famously friendly. With no guestlist and a decidedly limited number of tickets, Small Distractions ensure that everyone at their literary salons really wants to be there. They gather especially to hear artists spilling their secrets and dreams, they laugh at the right moments and stay silent at others. “People are cheering and shouting people on throughout, and holding them while they do this really nerve-wracking thing.”
Despite the daunting, exposing nature of it all, Small Distractions already have returning readers. The warm glow of Wax is palpable, emanating not only from the bright orange walls or the forced sweaty closeness of the place, but from the people within it, especially on a salon night. It cultivates friendships, conversations about culture leaning over the bar, reminders to write and create and to share things even in their imperfect states.
Between steins of beer and stories of pingers and panic attacks, the grassroots is happening. “This is real life stuff,” adds author Adelle Stripe, who spoke about her book Base Notes at one of the salons, “a true literary happening with actual writers, musicians and readers who are enthusing about books and culture. It’s not pretentious or “up its own arse” as they’d say in Leeds, but seriously engaged with words and music.”
The salons even emboldened PJ Johnson, vocalist for Bug Teeth, to submit their work for publication. “With the support of the environment, the (liberally flowing) French Martinis, and the industry presence there, I was able to finish my manuscript, acquire a literary agent, and have my work sent for submission in less than a year.” Without the welcoming nature of the space, PJ claims, they would have struggled to push themselves to do so.
It’s a space to celebrate the scene on a wider level, too. English Teacher frontwoman Lily Fontaine, who has contributed her poems and talents behind the decks to several Small Distractions salons, shared that the events have reminded her of “the beauty and importance of community and people and scenes and passion and authenticity in Yorkshire.”
Small Distractions opens up the world of poetry to those who might not consider themselves literarily inclined, combining it with Leeds’ love for DIY music and a truly great night out. “People are dancing one minute, doing shots, and then hearing the darkest poem possible, and then the next one is a story about eating a pinger off a Maccies toilet floor and everyone’s pissing themselves laughing,” Rhiannon recounts.
“The next one is about grief, and the next one is about someone ripping their skin off and running down the street, and in between all of that people are just having their daily catch-ups and chatting to other people in the scene. It’s just a real experience.”
“It kind of looks like this big Renaissance painting of everyone being lovely to each other.”
Small Distractions hold their next salon on 11th June, with readings from Jacob Cracknell (Green Gardens), Liv Britton (Gloria), and Eszter Vida, as well as returning guests Neve Cariad and Ben Parry (cyclist).