Bradford-based writer and poet Nick Toczek is this weekend appearing at a live music night.

The versatile performer, who is also a well-know lyricist and radio broadcaster, is headlining at Glyde House, Glydegate, Bradford, on Saturday, supported by Shipley band The Delvaux And The Brightside DJs.

“It is performance poetry for adults, with magic, too,” he says, “Glyde House is a regular live music venue with a bar and a great performance area. The magic I perform will depend upon the numbers in the audience.”

Born and raised in Shipley, Bradford Grammar School pupil Nick – who has been described as ‘the most exciting visual performer we have this side of Benjamin Zephaniah” – has worked as a writer for 40 years and Nick has had 40 books of poetry published.

“I’ve sold about three-quarters of a million books of poetry – most of these being children’s books,” he says. He tours as a writer-in-schools, having visited thousands of schools across the UK and carried out school tours to countries spanning the globe, from Canada to Indonesia, to Azerbaijan. In the past year he has visited countries including Malaysia, Cambodia, Brunei and Germany.

As a lyricist and vocalist with bands, he has released numerous tracks, most recently a CD EP Bavariations, with Bradford label Sound Shack. The label has also recently released Motormouth, a CD album of Nick’s poetry, and he features on their new vinyl-CD-magazine package of Bradford artists, The Hare and The Bull. “I have also had my lyrics used by other artists, most notably Pete Doherty’s Babyshambles,” he says.

As a classical librettist, Nick has a published musical and pantomime, both of which are performed regularly. He has produced two cantatas and, most recently, an opera, all of which premiered at major London venues including the Royal Albert Hall and South Bank Centre.

The 63-year-old grandfather who lives in Greengates with his photographer wife Gaynor, is also performing his one-man Million-Miles-An-Hour show at a family event on Saturday June 21 at Bradford Library, City Park. It forms part of the Poetry in the City event, which is part of the World Curry Festival. He will also be involved in two Ready Steady Poem appearances in the theatre marquee between cookery presentations by top chefs.

Listeners to BCB Radio can hear Nick’s show InTOCZEKated every Sunday from 8pm to 9pm.

The free gig at Glyde House, Glydegate is on Saturday, starting at 7pm. The family event on Saturday, June 21, at Bradford Library is from 2.30pm to 3.30pm.