FIBBERS was packed for John Cooper Clarke, and it was no surprise to learn that his fanbase has grown since his poetry debuted during the 1970s punk rock movement.

Having released albums in the 1970s and ’80s, his work has permeated several mediums and spread a lyrical influence, to the extent that in 2013 Cooper Clarke received an honorary doctorate of arts from the University of Salford.

Sunday’s crowd were of a vast age range, showing how popular Cooper Clarke is today, as well as when he first started.

After a brilliant opening set from Mike Garry, whose poems dealt with dark subject matter from a deeply personal and heartfelt place, Cooper Clarke took to the stage. He has a natural flair for chatting slowly with the audience, even if some of his jokes seem well-trodden material by now. When it comes to his poetry, however, he rattles through as speedily as an auctioneer.

His older material is clearly jam-packed with fan favourites, and the audience were encouraged to finish the final line of Cooper Clarke's infamous tirade against romantic verse.

While this atmosphere was highly enjoyable for those familiar with the veteran of modern poetry, it may be somewhat alienating to any newcomers.

Cooper Clarke ended on Evidently Chickentown and I Wanna Be Yours, two classics from his repertoire. Although the repetition of expletives in Evidently Chickentown may have lost its controversial edge, it was a sign that Cooper Clarke still has fire in his belly, and will go on performing for years to come.