During the Summer I have attended the charity events at Oswaldtwistle Mills featuring a host of entertainers from around the North West . It has been my pleasure to meet many of the artists who are members of this site  one of them is Dominic Collins from Manchester . Dominic is a Post Man by day but has for a few years now has been working hard to crack the Lancashire circuit  at Ossy Mills Dom told me a bit about himself and his  latest big break--- So Ladies and Gents ,Boys & Girls---Dominic Collins  A STAR ON THE UP
 

Dominic Collins  was brought up in East Manchester (Ancoats) and this proved to be the inspiration for quite a lot of Dominic’s  earlier songs writing about his childhood and upbringing in East Manchester and things he done as  a kid .

He  started doing this by accident as he  was learning to play the acoustic guitar some 5-6- years ago when I turned up very nervous to play at an acoustic open mike night he  only wanted to play some Beatles / Eagles songs but the man  who was running the night would not let him  play as It was a songwriters night and you had to write your own,stuff  he  was bitterly disappointed .

So he   went home and wrote a song about him called "You can't write covers on acoustic nights" and he  very quickly knocked out 2 more so he  had 3 songs ready for the month after  he also wrote some comedy introductions just to invite people into his new found world of songwriting, He  knew on the very 1st night by listening to the other 8 performers that what he  had set out to do was something different and that was all that mattered to him was  people were asking for CDs on the very 1st night so Dominic  knew he was on to something so he  started looking round for other open mike nights and the song ideas started to flow and within 6 months Dom  had recorded his  1st CD called"Canadian geese over Ancoats Skies"

Dominic  also noticed that he  was getting a small following as the songs kept on coming as demand grew and he  found that because he was writing comedy people wanted a new CD ASAP so he  set his stall out to try and produce a new CD every 12 months and to date 4 years down the line this has been the case with his  next one No5 being recorded as I write this.  Dominic  got a break when Comedian and new BULLSEYE presenter Dave Spikey saw me play and described me on Granada TVs Chasing the dream as "A breath of fresh Air"

He then went on to invite him  to play  at The Manchester Opera House with him on his 1 man show, he  then got a support gig for John Cooper Clarke at The Lowery Theater in Salford, . Around 6 months ago Dominic  decided it was time to take what he does to another level and instead of going out as a singer songwriter who tells a few jokes he  went out as a comedian who sings a few songs this re-invention has turned out to be the best move  he has  ever made, he  started to going out to club-land and cutting his teeth as comedian in this very tough world but he always knew that his songs were funny and that would set him apart from the rest.

He started playing showcases for entertainment agencies all over the North West and beyond and take it from me it's not always been a bed of roses. He  received a call a few months ago at 3-00pm from an agency in Blackpool who he  had done an audition for some months previous they asked him to come to Blackpool that night for 7-00pm and after being up since 04-30am doing his proper job as a Manchester Postman he really didn’t want to go but he did and it turned out to be the best move he  have made so far, After his 20 min set he had a quick introduction to HRH Entertainments in Blackpool and there owner who is a gent  called Tony Jo a comedian and ex Grumbleweed.

Tony loved what Dominic did   and has said it's the freshest thing to hit Blackpool in 10 years Dom  has now signed up with HRH and has just been offered a summer season for 2009 at the top 3 Choice Hotels in Blackpool The Viking The Cliffs The Claremont every Tuesday & Wednesday from May - Nov 2009,it seems a long way from getting turned away from the 1st acoustic night but now at the age of 52 he now  has a whole new career in front of him  and a summer to look forward to in 2009.

So if your are in Blackpool  try and catch up with Dom under his  comedy name of “Dominic Dry”

Dom will also be appearing 30th NOVEMBER  with FRANK CARSON , MICK MILLER ,and others at the BURNLEY MECHANICS --Watch out for  another great MEMBERS ONLY  competition to WIN TICKETS TO THE SHOW -----

 Why not take  look at Dominic's own  website and maybe get yourself a CD --and as Dom says -----I promise that all proceeds from my CDs will go straight into the wife's purse .