GNE CONTENTS
05 NEWS LIVE FROM TIMES SQUARE 06 NORTHERN ELECTRIC FESTIVAL 08 GNE LOOKS FORWARD TOURING PREVIEWS 12
WHAT’S THE CRAIC WITH… RASCALTON
13 5 THINGS YOU GOTTA KNOW ABOUT JEFF BUCKLEY’S GRACE 15
FESTIVAL SEASON IS HOTTING UP AND AS WE
20 REMEMBERING HIT THE NORTH
ENTER THE BUSIEST PERIOD OF THE MUSICAL
22 LARKINS INTERVIEW
YEAR, AND OUR FAVOURITE ONE FOR THAT,
27 GNE GUIDE TO NARC. FEST 2018
WE’VE BEEN LOOKING BACK AT TWO OF THE
30 GNE TALKS LAST TRAIN HOME FESTIVAL
BEST EVENTS TO HIT THE REGION THIS YEAR.
PUBLISHER: Gigs North East EDITOR: Dominique Daly FOR GNE EDITORIAL: dominique@gigsnortheast.co.uk FOR GNE SALES: leanne@ssdconcerts.co.uk FOR GNE STOCKIST ENQUIRIES: dominique@gigsnortheast.co.uk TO JOIN OUR TEAM: dominique@gigsnortheast.co.uk DESIGN & ART DIRECTION: solutiongroup.co.uk CONTRIBUTORS: Lauren Stewart, Tessa Bury, John Patterson, Adam Hutchinson, Johnny Rogerson, Bethan McConnell, Johnathan Ramsay, Dean Hindmarch, Matthew Thomas, Adam Taylor, Victoria Ling, Jack Blenkinsopp, Paul Broadhead GNE is published by SSD Music Ltd. All material copyright (c). All rights reserved. This publication may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form, in whole or in part, without the express permission of GNE. Disclaimer: While every effort is made to ensure the information in this magazine is correct, changes can occur which affect the accuracy of copy, to which SSD Music Ltd. holds no responsibility. The opinions of contributors do not necessarily bear relation to those of GNE or it’s staff and we disclaim liability for those impressions. Distributed regionally.
THIS IS TOMORROW
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it The North stormed into 2018 and took over the city with such a feverish excitement that we just couldn’t help but dedicate some more time to it. In this issue, we look back at some of our favourite sets from the weekend. We’re also casting an eye back on something of supersize proportion- if you didn’t attend This Is Tomorrow Festival you’ve missed something big! But it’s not all about nostalgia so put away those rose-tinted glasses for just a second and let’s get hyped about whats to come: Sunniside Live, Northern Electric Festival, Hardwick Live, Live From Times Square, Twisterella, Last Train Home and more to boot! Sounds ever so slightly overwhelming, right? Well, don’t worry. GNE has got you covered with our ultimate festival guide. So you’ve got less time arguing with your mates about where to go and more time for sipping cocktails in this glorious summer sun! Big love, Dominique Editor
32 GNE’S GUIDE TO FINDING YOUR PERFECT FESTIVAL 35 MOUSTIVAL 36 GNE LOCAL PREVIEWS 38 NUE NORTH EAST 39 ALBUM REVIEWS 41
GNE LISTINGS
NEWS
classic sound, formed in the mid-1970’s. With several chart-topping tracks including ‘Don’t Turn Around’ and ‘Shine’ they will be the perfect support for a great night.
l i v e from times square RETURNS FOR 2018
British musician, producer and DJ Simon Green, better known by his stage name ‘Bonobo’, will headline the next of the Live from Times Square shows on August 23rd. After a sold-out performance at The Sage, Gateshead in 2017, he will return to the North East bringing his 2018 Migration Live Tour, after the release of the top five UK album Migration last year.
KICKING OFF... ARE ENGLISH REGGAE AND POP LEGENDS UB40, NEXT ON THE LINEUP IS ASWAD. BONOBO WILL HEADLINE THE NEXT OF THE LIVE FROM TIMES SQUARE SHOWS ON AUGUST 23RD
2018 IS THE THIRD YEAR OF THE LIVE FROM TIMES SQUARE EVENTS - THE BIGGEST INNERCITY MUSIC EVENT NEWCASTLE HAS EVER SEEN!
nominated for ‘Best British Group’ at The Brit Awards in 1984 and have achieved international success. An unforgettable performance is guaranteed.
Last year over 40,000 music fans attended the seven shows which saw Times Square packed out and headlined by the likes of Jake Bugg, The Libertines and Manic Street Preachers, and this year promises to be just as amazing as the last.
They will play the Square on August 22nd, after the release of their album A Real Labour Of Love in March of this year coming in at Number 2 on the official album charts. Of course, we should expect to hear this new material, but we can’t forget about the classics including ‘Red Red Wine’, ‘Kingston Town’ and ‘(I Can’t Help) Falling in Love With You’ as well as songs from their number 1 albums Labour Of Love released in 1983 and Promises And Lies from 1993.
Kicking off this run of shows are English reggae and pop legends UB40 featuring founding members Ali, Astro and Mickey. Formed in December of 1978 in Birmingham, UB40 went on to sell over 70 million records worldwide, were nominated for four Grammy awards as well as
Also on the lineup is Aswad, another British reggae group, noted for adding strong R&B and soul influences to the
Grammy-nominated for ‘Best Dance Recording’ for ‘Bambro Koyo Ganda’ and ‘Best Dance / Electronic Album’ for Migration this year, Bonobo appeared on the music scene in the early 2000’s debuting a trip-hop aesthetic. He has since developed a more upbeat sound experimenting with jazz and world music, recreated by a full 13 piece band during his live performances. Having collaborated with several artists, earned a massive following and with six albums under his belt, he continues to rise in the EDM world with a more subtle, distinct and different sound. With more amazing world-class artists to be announced for this year’s run of shows, 2018’s Live from Times Square will be an unmissable summer festival right in the heart of the North East. With both artists having a strong history of sell-out shows, it is advised to grab tickets asap to avoid huge disappointment. Lauren Stewart Tickets available from www.livefromtimessquare.co.uk
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NORTHERN ELECTRIC FESTIVAL
NORTHERN ELECTRIC FESTIVAL RETURNS TO THE OUSEBURN VALLEY FOR A THIRD YEAR ON 20TH AND 21ST JULY. Taking over a host of venues including Cluny2, Cobalt, The Cumberland Arms, Tanners, Tyne Bank Brewery and Little Buildings, the weekend is promising to shine a well deserved light on the furthest corners of the North East electronic music scene. 2018 sees an expansion for the festival, which has now added longtime electronic music supporters Cosmic Ballroom to their list of venues. Teaming up with Kaneda Records, the city centre venue hosts an opening party rave on Friday 20th July. Slink Radio and Backdrop co-founder SIMON will be topping the bill at Cosmic, joined by Kaneda Records artist Buhl / Daughters. Expect minimal techno and ambient future sounds to kick off the weekend. Cluny 2 hosts some of Northern Electric Festival’s most hotly anticipated acts. Headlining the Cluny 2 stage on Friday night is Tyneside rapper Kay Greyson. Kay’s
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brutally honest and inescapably captivating poetics fuse with a flavour of nineties beats and a star-like personality to make for something really special. Kay is joined on the Cluny stage by Shamu whose smart alt-electronica has been making waves in Newcastle for some time. Recently teaming up with previous Northern Electric Festival act Sagaböi, Shamu have released their latest cut ‘Up In Arms’. Elsewhere, Friday night sees neo-psychedelic five-piece Behold A Pale Horse top the bill at The Cumberland Arms. Behold A Pale Horse fuse elements of electronica with garage rock and neo-folk to create something utterly mind-blowing. Breaking down walls and expectations with their dense blend of diverse sounds, BAPH is one set not to miss. Venture further into the valley on Friday night you’ll find the darkly mysterious and wholly wonderful stylings of Jennifer Walton at Little Buildings. The electro songwriter creates intricate and booming soundscapes like 2017’s apocalyptic ‘Oranges’ or the more recent ‘Shy’. Another act on the LB stage worth getting down early for is purveyor of pagan pop, Mother Night. Hailing
from Scotland, Mother Night is new to the North East scene but has been making some serious ear catching noise around town. Mixing electronica with wavy psychedelic sensibilities and R&B style, Mother Night is the one-man-band that has the whole town talking. Saturday’s event sees even more venues join in on the fun with Cobalt Studios bagging firm favourites for the day, Grey Tapes. Describing themselves as ‘More electronic than most live bands and more live than most electronic bands’, Grey Tapes are an enchanting collective of North East producers who strive to bring their sound from the record to the stage, completely. What you hear is what you get with this band who boast ‘no clicks, sequencers or backing tracks’, just humans. Elsewhere, find the electronic shoe gaze perfection of Parastatic who are topping the Cumberland Arms bill, experimental-looping drone-folk from Me Lost Me in Little Buildings, Tunnel Club DJs at the Tanners and Quest 808 at Tyne Bank Brewery. Catch all this and much more for just £10 for the entire weekend of music. Tickets available from www.seetickets.co.uk/tour/ northern-electric-festival-2018
G N E LO O K S FORWARD TOURING PREVIEWS
Oh Sees - July 12th - Boilershop Thee Oh Sees are working under yet another new guise. Prepare to behold: Oh Sees! They are making an appearance in Newcastle at Boiler Shop on July 12th. The show comes almost a year after the release of the band’s latest album Orc. Oh Sees are famed for making garage rock and psychedelic rock cacophonies. Although just like their name and lineup, the band’s sound is ever-evolving. Oh Sees currently comprises of its founding member John Dwyer (vocals,flute, keyboards and guitar), Tim Hellman (bass), Dan Rincon (drums) and Paul Quatrone (also drums). Be there when they hit Newcastle this summer! Tessa Bury 08
Bad Manners - 3rd August - 02 Academy
Hobo Johnson - 3rd August - Riverside
A lethal dose of ska is heading to the O2 Academy Newcastle this August, in the form of two-tone legends Bad Manners.
2018 has seen the deserved instantaneous rise to fame of Frank Lopes, better known as Hobo Johnson. Whether you’ve seen his Live At Oak Park series of unrefined sedated ballads or heard his critically acclaimed full-length debut The Rise Of Hobo Johnson, he is indisputably one of the most popular idiosyncratic talents of the past couple years.
Led by frenetic frontman Buster Bloodvessel, the band has been active since 1976 and reached lofty heights in the 80s alongside other ska groups like Madness and The Selector. 42 years on and they show no signs of slowing down, continuing their tradition of energetic live shows packed to the rafters with classics like ‘Lip Up Fatty’ and ‘Special Brew’. Bad Manners will be supported by Special Sorta Beat The UK’s No.1 Tribute to The Specials and The Beat. John Patterson
Tickets for his long-awaited summer UK tour dates, with his band The Lovemakers, sold out within the first day of release and with his audience expanding day by day, it’s easy to envisage the heights he can reach in the coming years. Adam Hutchinson
Pianos Become The Teeth / Foxing - 15th August - The Cluny
LA GUNS - 2nd September - Riverside
Mid-August brings Baltimore post-hardcore band Pianos Become The Teeth across the pond following the release of their hotly anticipated album Wait For Love.
Hard Rock heroes L.A GUNS hail from, well, L.A, funnily enough. The band have been going in varying line-ups since inception in 1983 and currently consists of Tracii Guns (lead guitar), Phil Lewis (lead vocals), Johnny Martin (bass guitar, backing vocals), Shane Fitzgibbon (drums), and Johnny Monaco (rhythm guitar, backing vocals).
Honing their reputation as ‘post-hardcores most deadly serious band’, Wait For Love has been received well with critics calling the effort ‘Durfey’s most accomplished singing yet’. Pianos Become The Teeth belong to a new generation of post-hardcore bands known as The Wave dedicated to creating and performing with “emotionallycentred lyrical content, dual musical emphasis on both melody and distorted intensity.” Sharing the headline spot at The Cluny will be fellow post-rock US travellers, Foxing, who bring cuts from their 2015 album Dealer and 2014’s The Albatross. Both bands will co-headline The Cluny on 15th August. Dominique Daly
HONING THEIR REPUTATION AS ‘POST-HARDCORES MOST DEADLY SERIOUS BAND’, WAIT FOR LOVE HAS BEEN RECEIVED WELL WITH CRITICS CALLING THE EFFORT ‘DURFEY’S MOST ACCOMPLISHED SINGING YET’.
The years haven’t been too kind to a band who have seen numerous bust-ups, fall-outs and line-up re-jigs, including founding member Guns leaving to form the hard rock supergroup Brides of Destruction with Nikki Sixx of Mötley Crüe in 2002. But, LA GUNS as they are now, reunited in 2016 and in 2017 released new material in the form of new album The Missing Piece. Dominique Daly Pussy Riot - 20th August - Riverside Prepare for guerrilla-like political pop rock as Pussy Riot head across from Moscow to Newcastle’s Riverside. Expect brightly coloured dresses and balaclavas to accompany this notorious group as they rock out on the Tyne. Pussy Riot are anything but shy. Infamously known for performing their anti-government songs in Moscow’s Cathedral in 2011, this was just one of many instances where the group containing 11 variable members got themselves into trouble with the police. Their pop-sounding instrumentals reel you in before they infiltrate your mind with their political messages. With the Hawaiian sounding acoustic melodies on ‘Make America Great Again’ and the Charli XCX-esque feel on ‘Police State’, Pussy Riot are anything but a conventional punk band. You’ll see why at Riverside on August 20th. Johnny Rogerson
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The The - 3rd September - Newcastle Students Union
Steve Davis & Kavus Torabi - 7th September - Riverside
The The are returning to the live circuit after a year full of surprises, where they released three unique LPs. The post-punk band led and directed by Matt Johnson will be bringing their undoubtedly eclectic set to Newcastle University’s Students Union.
An explanation of Steve Davis & Kavus Torabi’s live DJ experience is hard to pin down. The former snooker player and the psychedelic musician may seem about as odd of a couple as they come, however, their life journeys have brought them together to share a broad wealth of rarities and weirdness to crowds ready to embrace the left-field.
Johnson is the only member left from the original line up as The The changed their cast considerably over the years, once even containing The Smiths’ Johnny Marr. Sonically, their sound has developed considerably, as expected with significant line-up changes. Starting as a synth-infused, dance-pop band with hints of country sounds throughout, they have now developed into an alternative experimental group as the three LPs released last year show. This set is already promising to be one of the most intriguing shows of the summer, so don’t you dare miss it! Johnny Rogerson
Steve Davis was a successful snooker player in 1980’s, and although his time in the sporting world spotlight may have passed, his later years have found him exploring a hobby to great fruition. That hobby turned to great passion when Steve’s collection of left-field records from around the globe found their way into his presenting a weekly Radio show on PhoenixFM and monthly residency on NTS Radio with Kavus Torabi. Davis’ and Torabi’s, shows champion new, experimental, avant-garde, far out, underground, electronic, pop, folk, psych, rock and classical music. Dominique Daly Garbage - 12th September - Northumbria Institute Garbage are set to return to Newcastle after what seems like an eternity, to showcase their 20th-anniversary tour of ‘Version 2.0.’
G N E LO O K S FORWARD TOURING PREVIEWS
Featuring smash hits like ‘Push It’ and ‘I Think I’m Paranoid,’ the 1998 release pushed Garbage further into the scene than ever before. The indented celebrations were only expected to be held in Brixton’s O2 Academy, but high demand and a lot of fan complaints lead to vocalist Shirley Manson making the decision to turn it into a 10 date UK tour with an additional Brixton Academy show. Garbage will play Northumbria Insitute with Estrons on September 12th. Bethan McConnell
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Glasgow’s Rascalton are hot on the heels of Baby Strange to take the medal for best new Scottish punk band. With the release of their new EP and a long list of festival dates on the horizon, including a turn at Hardwick Live Festival in Durham, we caught up with the lads to get inside their heads…
WHAT’S THE CRAIC W I T H . . . R A S C A LT O N Your EP is launching this weekend with a celebratory show in Glasgow, what can people expect from the debut? We’ve worked hard on this EP and tried to incorporate fast and slow, hard and soft, aggressive and less aggressive songs into it. We don’t want to be a one trick pony so we’re showing we can have songs to please all. The sound of this EP is the best we’ve had yet and it’s something we gave a lot of attention to when working with Johnny Madden (Baby Strange) and Chris Marshall (7 West Studios). It’s a group of songs which have been written because it’s music we want to hear. We’re not trying to impress anyone except for ourselves and I feel this has a good impact on the music we put out. Your most recent single release is called ‘Police’; have Rascalton ever had any nasty scraps or near misses with the coppers? We’re 4 boys who grew up in Glasgow so of course we have *Laughs.* Nothing too incriminating, but most weekends would end in a chasey from the boys in blue. For some reason they don’t like the young ones
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drinking Buckfast down the park after dark. The song was written just to remember all the good old days of being out for days on end without seeing your parents and trying to make up lies for the black eye you came back with. If you weren’t in the position yourself I’m sure most people will know people who have been. You’re lined up to play a bunch of festivals including Hardwick Live in Durham later this summer, what are your festival survival tips? Wear suncream and get a good breakfast before you go because you’re undoubtably not going to eat for the rest of the day/weekend and you don’t want to be KO-ing before the headliners. I’m speaking from experience here. You’re known for your raucous live shows, what can fans expect from a Rascalton festival show? Just the same as any other show we play. We always put our all into our shows and try for them to be as energetic as possible and it doesn’t change from gig to gig. If you want to know what Rascalton is really about a live show is where to see it.
The UK music scene is still reeling from the loss of Scott Hutchinson from Frightened Rabbit, as a fiercely Scottish band how do you think the Scottish music community has taken the news? Very, very sad news about Scott and all our love goes to his family, friends, band and fans. Since he went missing at first all I saw over social media was people sharing the missing person link and since then it’s been all over the place. Obviously being such a big inspiration for a lot of bands in Glasgow it’s been a hard one for everyone to take in. I think it’s opened a lot of people’s eyes on mental health issues within the music industry. I saw a mural has been unveiled in Glasgow City Centre which is a nice gesture. Any other new Scottish acts we should keep our eyes out for? So many bands coming out of Scotland – Pleasure Heads, The Dunts, Voodoos, Gallus, Shredd, Lucia, Declan Welsh and the Decadent West. The list goes on but most bands coming out of Glasgow are killing it just now. Want to see Rascalton at Hardwick Live on 18th - 19th August? Tickets are available from www.gigsnortheast.co.uk Dominique Daly
MANY MUSIC LOVERS ENCOUNTER JEFF BUCKLEY’S MASTERPIECE LP ‘GRACE,’ AT SOME POINT. THE FACT THAT IT’S THE ONLY ALBUM BUCKLEY RELEASED IN HIS LIFETIME FURTHER ADDS TO ITS MYSTIQUE. HERE ARE FIVE INTERESTING FACTS ABOUT THIS SEMINAL RECORD...
5 THINGS YO U G O T T A K N OW ABOUT JEFF BUCKLEY’S GRACE
Bowie was a fan. ‘Grace,’ has been cited as one of David Bowie’s favourite albums of all time. He supposedly even said that it is the one record he bring along to a desert island. Jeff Buckley REALLY didn’t like one of his own album tracks. Buckley couldn’t stand his track ‘Forget Her.’ Initially the song was axed from the album but it tends to be included in posthumous reissues, usually as a bonus track. Its title track is educational. The song ‘Grace,’ might be iconic but it also brings back bad memories for people who were forced to study it for GCSE Music in the UK. If you are into Jeff Buckley’s ‘Grace,’ then catch Start To End perform it in full at Think Tank? on July 8th.
Its popularity wasn’t immediate. ‘Grace,’ is often regarded as one of the greatest albums of all time due to Buckley’s spellbinding vocals, musicianship and presence. Upon release the album wasn’t necessarily the hit you’d expect though. Sales were slow and commercial success didn’t come until much later. It’s a mixture of covers and original compositions. The album includes three cover tracks but they could easily be mistaken for being Buckley’s own thanks to his distinctive renditions. ‘Lilac Wine,’ ‘Corpus Christi Carol,’ and ‘Hallelujah,’ were all penned by other artists.
Tickets available from www.gigsnortheast.co.uk Tessa Bury
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ON THE OLD EVOLUTION FESTIVAL STOMPING GROUND OF SPILLER’S WHARF, THE STAGE WAS SET FOR THE FIRST DAY OF NEWCASTLE’S FIRST EVER THIS IS TOMORROW FESTIVAL…
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fter weeks of sunshine, the heavens opened just in time for opener Sam Fender’s set. Despite the weather, local lad Sam got the show off to an incredible start with his raspy yet soulful Geordie tones and ability to tell a compelling story through accessible indie pop. If anything, the wet weather only added to the atmosphere of Sam’s set. His deeply emotional songs and gritty lyricism are definitely best enjoyed drenched in a car park on the Tyne as opposed to on a sun-drenched beach in Spain. With the rain passing, what the This Is Tomorrow Festival crowd needed was a little bit of sunshine to get themselves dried off. That wasn’t happening, but Little Comets were on hand to bring some much-needed sonic sunshine to the sold-out crowd. Another act that are more than familiar with Tyneside, Little Comets have been at the forefront of Newcastle’s music scene for years now – and for good reason. The five-piece quickly got the crowd jumping with their signature skippy guitar plucking and sing-a-long harmonies. A song that almost everyone of a certain age had on their Sony Ericsson phone at one point, “One Night In October” topped off a joyous set and injected a shot of energy into the crowd, energy that they’d desperately need for the next two acts. Sporting a neon orange trench coat, Everything Everything frontman Jonathan Higgs strutted onto the This Is Tomorrow stage with a confidence that said ‘we are going to steal this show’ – and they almost managed it too. The most unique act on the bill, in terms of their heavily
electronic sound and Higgs’ falsetto vocals, Everything Everything could have been received either way by the expectant indie rock loving TITF mob. However, as soon as Higgs hit the first key on his synth he had the crowd mesmerised, inspiring dancing for the entirety of the set. As the sun set over the quayside, thousands of fans waited eagerly for the arrival on stage of one of the biggest bands around right now: Catfish and The Bottlemen. After playing cage fighting announcer Bruce Buffer’s famous “IT’S TIME” introduction, followed by Helter Skelter by The Beatles, Catfish took to the stage. They were met by an enormous roar. The crowd erupted in movement as the four-piece dived into the first two tracks from their debut album ‘The Balcony’: ‘Homesick,’ and ‘Kathleen.’ What followed for the next hour was a tour-de-force of passion, energy and also the ability to work a crowd. Frontman Ryan “Van” McCann swung his guitar around like it was the weight of a feather, giving his absolute everything to put on a breath-taking performance. Every song on the setlist felt like a highlight, all of them sang word for word by the adoring fans in attendance. Acoustic ballad ‘Hourglass,’ felt like the stand out song of the night. Despite only McCann being on stage at the time, he a 15,000 strong band facing him that sang every lyric, leaving him only the job of being an overwhelmed backing vocalist. “Thank you so much, this is absolutely incredible Newcastle” McCann remarked more than once during the set – and we couldn’t put it any better ourselves, the opening day of This Is Tomorrow was absolutely incredible. Johnathan Ramsay Photography by Dean Hindmarch
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SATURDAY 26TH MAY SAW THE SECOND DAY OF THE THIS IS TOMORROW FESTIVAL IN SPILLERS WHARF ON NEWCASTLE’S QUAYSIDE, FEATURING ONE OF THE MOST INCREDIBLE LINEUPS OF LIVE MUSIC THAT THE NORTH EAST HAS SEEN. After the first night of the festival saw Catfish and the Bottlemen headlining, I was excited to see what Thirty Seconds to Mars could do on the huge outdoor stage. Bringing their ’The Monolith,’ tour to the North, the band were performing in support of their 2018 album release America. It’s been nearly 5 years since brothers, Jared and Shannon Leto came to the North East for a headline show- and they have been missed. But before they started their set we heard some more great live music. First up were local band Ground Culture who must have loved playing on such a big stage. It came after only playing their first ever show as a band 2 weeks ago. Since then however, they have been announced to play a number of other big festivals over the summer. Next to the stage another North East four piece, Boy Jumps Ship, who provided the growing crowd with a great indie rock
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vibe. They have an upcoming headline tour around the country lined up for October with a hometown date at O2 Academy Newcastle. It’s great to see local talent being given a chance to play massive shows like this and supporting some incredible artists – it really puts our city on the map when it comes to live music! Marmozets were next up, a female fronted rock band from West Yorkshire, and lead singer Becca Macintyre gave an awesome performance. Don Broco were the last band up before we got to see Thirty Seconds to Mars and they were outstanding. After their headline show back in Feb at Northumbria Institute, it was clear they have a big North East fanbase. They played a set of original music from a mix of their 3 albums, and as they led us in to ’T-Shirt Song’, hundreds of people in the crowd got on their friends shoulders and were swinging their T shirts in the air! They really got the atmosphere at Spillers Wharf going and ready for the headliners. The festival feel was in full flow and the Spillers Wharf crowd was filled with people of all ages. Just after 9pm we got to see what we were all waiting for when the Leto Brothers appeared on stage. Opening their set with crowd pleaser ‘Up in the Air,’ and then ‘Kings and Queens,’ Jared and Shannon ooze a palpable charisma that every musician wants to have. As Thirty Seconds To Mars played, the crowd became part of the show. Jared invited many audience members
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up on stage. During the performance of their newest single ‘Rescue Me’ he invited another four fans up to dance with him. Massive flags were handed out which gave the opportunity for those people given them to go on stage for the final song – I really liked how they really included the audience in their performance, it would have been a very memorable moment for the lucky fans. Their set was a perfect mix of songs we all know such as ‘The Kill’ and ‘This is War’ and some of their newer material which all sounded incredible. Overall, Thirty Seconds to Mars made it a thoroughly enjoyable night on the banks of the River Tyne. A great atmosphere, a packed crowd and some incredible live music made This Is Tomorrow Festival a great addition to the North East live Music scene. It’s about time we had a massive outdoor festival in our city! Lauren Stewart Photography by Dean Hindmarch
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– a cut from their debut album In Love – that inspired a singa-long that wouldn’t finish until Peace stepped off the stage.
REMEMBERING HIT THE NORTH HIT THE NORTH 2018 DELIVERED A BARE KNUCKLE BLOW THAT WE’RE STILL NOT QUITE RECOVERED FROM. With a full weekend of insane music taking over Newcastle City Centre, from explosive openers with Jungle, Circa Waves and Drenge, to sparks of undiscovered talent at Meet the North, and the sweet, sweet sugar that was Sunday’s extravaganza, there was so much to enjoy. It’s hard to pinpoint just a few moments out of what was one of the best weekends of the year but we’ve set aside a few sets that still ring in our ears and make us think: Bring on Hit The North 2019!
QUEEN ZEE AT THINK TANK (MEET THE NORTH) Queen Zee stomped their way through their set in Newcastle early on Saturday afternoon. They are a brave band who take risks and aren’t afraid to be in your face, even if it is 3.30 in the afternoon. The crowd were not quite awake enough to provide the energy Queen Zee thrive off, but the band did not care and made it their duty to wake everybody up and spark their weekend festivities into life. Their music is loud and angry, full of political messages, but they ensure not to take themselves too seriously and have fun on stage, with the band regularly dancing in sync with each other during the instrumentals, and their bassist even throwing some Irish dance moves every once in a while. Johnny Rogerson Photography by Dean Hindmarch PEACE AT RIVERSIDE (MEET THE NORTH) Headlining what was an incredible day of Northern talent were Birmingham’s happy-chappy indie quartet Peace. Confronted by a packed-out Riverside, the boys went for the jugular from the start, kicking off their set with “Wraith”
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Peace didn’t deliver the slickest performance, with amateurishly long pauses between tracks, but this rough around the edges approach makes Peace all the more lovable. Their set list was armed with inspirational kick the door down indie rock, each track appearing to hit the mark with the young rowdy audience – even cuts from their new album were welcomed with the same appreciation as Peace classics. Peace are on a mission to make kindness cool again, and given the love shown to them by Newcastle’s MTN throng, that mission is just about accomplished. Johnathan Ramsay Photography by Dean Hindmarch PALE WAVES AT RIVERSIDE (HIT THE NORTH) Having enjoyed a meteoric rise since signing to Dirty Hit Records and supporting The 1975 on their headline US tour, Pale Waves arrived in Newcastle Riverside riding on a crest of anticipation and reverence. Pale Waves are all about atmospheric textured synths, drenched in lyrics that offer delicate uncertainty that charts the narrative of the majority of teenagers in their search for foundation and security in love and themselves. Tonight’s brief setlist is littered with nonchalant eye-rolls and a delicate vocal performance. ‘Television Romance’ is a joyous ride synonymous with The Cure’s more joyous and youthful efforts. The track showcases an ever-improving approach to dream pop songwriting. There’s plenty of juvenile vulnerability wrapped up in their brief half an hour set. However, it’s undeniable that Pale Waves will be a name floating around the very top in years to come. Matthew Thomas Photography by Adam Taylor
is space, melancholy, and a slow-moving tranquility. The Great Skua is arguably a highlight of the weekend. A rallying cry of instrumental that evokes a variety of emotions throughout its duration. Band and audience combine in a triumphant ending and a fitting way to end a jubilant display from a band on top of their game. Matthew Thomas Photography by Victoria Ling THE HORRORS AT BOILERSHOP CABBAGE AT 02 ACADEMY (HIT THE NORTH) Cabbage took the O2 Academy back to the glory days of punk at Hit The North, with a rip-roaring set that was punctuated by frontman Lee Broadbent’s entrancingly mad performance.
The Horrors arrive onstage for the headline slot wearing their Summer Collection – all black, with black leather jackets and black leather trousers. They’re brilliant at this sort of festival set, and now have four albums worth of shoegazemeets-dance-meets-industrial-noise-rock to choose from
(five if you count their daft but fun debut Strange House, which seems like the work of another band now). All of their songs are shuddering, colourful walls of sound, with singer Faris Badwan snarling, crooning and muttering lines about whatever it is Horrors songs are about – insects in amber, doomed romance, scarlet fields. They open with ‘Hologram’ and an excellent ‘Machine’, both from their 2017 album V, then play a sped-up version of early favourite ‘Who Can Say’. The new material is strong, but it’s often the songs from 2011 career highlight ‘Skying’ that really stand out, particularly a colossal ‘Still Life’. The Horrors have been making this kind of music and playing this kind of gig for nearly a decade now, but they remain very, very good at it. Jack Blenkinsopp Photography by Dean Hindmarch
Broadbent pogoed, gyrated and air punched his way through each song with no sign of slowing down – his dancing was like Bez crossed with Johnny Rotten and his vocals like Johnny Rotten crossed with Shaun Ryder (with added screaming for good measure). Without needing to have mohawks or dress in leather, Cabbage and Broadbent put on an authentic modern punk show; the message hasn’t changed, it just looks a bit different nowadays. Johnathan Ramsay Photography by Lauren Stewart BRITISH SEA POWER AT RIVERSIDE BSP has developed into the fully fledged and revered alternative rock band whilst staying true to their influences and most importantly, themselves. Maintaining their experimentation into the abnormal and the theatrical, Cumbrian natives plunged the audience into a world drenched with celestial images and astronomical influences. Between the walls of guitars textures, there
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WE CHAT FILMING ON THE STREETS OF PORTO, KILLING IT AT ULTIMATE FRISBEE AND CRAVING LIFE ON THE ROAD WITH MANCHESTER ANTHEM MAKERS LARKINS BEFORE THEIR SET AT SUNNISIDE LIVE IN SUNDERLAND IN JULY…
LARKINS INTERVIEW How’s the reaction been for new single ‘Something Beautiful’ so far? It’s been immense for us. The response has possibly been the best yet and it’s a track we are extremely proud of. We knew from the very beginning that this track was going to take time and patience, especially as the sound we had in our heads was so complex. However, with the help of the guys at Sugar House and Chris Zane we’re really happy with the outcome.
throughout the video, you can see us travelling along it towards the sea where the fresh water meets the salt water. The bridge that crosses the estuary was also used in the video and we had to time our shots within 5-minute windows as the bridge is a live tram track, starting from early in the morning. It was a crazy shoot! It’s a beautiful city, a lot like Lisbon, but seems to have kept a lot more of its traditional architecture and streets. I hope we get to go back and maybe play some shows there.
WE WANT TO BLOW PEOPLE AWAY WITH THESE NEW SHOWS AND TRY AND SHOW PEOPLE SOMETHING THEY MAY NOT HAVE SEEN BEFORE IN A LIVE SETTING.
Your latest video for ‘Something Beautiful’ was filmed in Porto, any particular reason you chose to shoot there? Although we love Manchester the weather can be a little grey at times and ‘Something Beautiful’ just felt too bright and summery to shoot a video at home. Our videographer also lived in Porto for a year and as soon as he heard the track he said ‘I know where to go!’ We loved shooting out there and it was refreshing to do a video without instruments and therefore we choreographed a small dance routine. As we were a little apprehensive, as you can imagine, but we had a laugh with it, and so did the locals watching us. We had practised it the night before the shoot in this small apartment in the heart of the city, the tenant’s downstairs must have hated us! During your time there you shared a lot of pictures of the band enjoying the sun, what was your favourite part of the city? The estuary that runs through Porto is called the Douro and it’s beautiful. It’s a protected wildlife reserve and
I
The event is sponsored by JD Sports, but if Larkins were to go to the Olympics for GB, which sport would you win gold in? As a team we would win at Ultimate Frisbee, we’re brilliant at that if we do say so ourselves. We take a frisbee wherever we go on tour. Individually Henry is really good at Squash and Joe plays a bit of football. We all try and stay fit on tour but the long drives usually end up with an inordinate amount of empty Pringles tubes and chocolate wrappers. I don’t think you’ll be seeing Larkins at the Olympics any time soon unless we’re playing at the ceremony. Are you ready to get back out on the road for your tour? What can people expect from these upcoming shows? We’re craving it actually and cannot wait to get back touring. We have some new songs to play and have played around with some tracks we haven’t played in a while. We want to blow people away with these new shows and try and show people something they may not have seen before in a live setting. We want people to see a show and sing their hearts out. We’re raring to go! Being a Manchester band you must have your ear to the ground for great new bands, anyone from the area we should keep an ear out for?
It’s been announced that Larkins will be playing The British Sound Project with The Cribs and Franz Ferdinand. Are you excited to play with these two huge indie bands? We saw Franz Ferdinand play at Kendal Calling last year and couldn’t help but dance to their huge hits. We’ve loved The Cribs since ‘Men’s Needs, Women’s Needs’, so can’t wait to play with them for the first time as well. The venue is going to be rocking and we cannot wait!
Local to us is a band called Foxglove who we really enjoyed recently. We always keep an eye on Bang Bang Romeo as they’re awesome and Marsicans are killing it at the minute. We’re currently obsessed with the debut Flyte album, it’s sensational! Larkin’s return to the North East to play Sunniside Live festival in Sunderland on 7th July 2018. Tickets are available from www.gigsnortheast.co.uk Interviewer: Dominique Daly
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Mark Williams Trio @ The Cluny 2
GNE GUIDE TO NARC. FEST 2018
Since 2006 the Mark Williams Trio have been wowing audiences around the UK with their unique lounge style Jazz compositions that will be sure to get your fingers clicking and toes tapping - being one of the most experienced performers on the bill, Mark and Co. aren’t to be missed. Knight Knight @ The Tanners
THIS YEAR’S NARC. FEST BOASTS ONE OF THEIR MOST DIVERSE LINE-UPS TO DATE; WITH ARTISTS FROM EVERY CORNER OF MUSIC, SOME HAVE BEEN AROUND TWO MONTHS AND OTHERS 12 YEARS. WE’VE TAKEN A LOOK OVER THE FESTIVAL’S SEVEN VENUES AND PICKED OUR TEN BANDS THAT YOU MUST SEE IN OUSEBURN THIS YEAR.
Knight Knight are one of the wildcards on this year’s Narc. Fest line-up, they’ve only released one track to date and reveal very little about themselves online. Debut single “BOY” is a well-produced synth heavy electronic number, punctuated by eerie vocals about an anonymous boy who is ‘the one to beat’. Trigger Thumb @ Tyne Bar Bradford based rockers Trigger Thumb describe themselves as ‘a tightrope balance of ADHD and moronism’ – we don’t know what that means either, but we do know they’re exciting. With early Bring Me The Horizon-esque vocals and bone shattering breakdowns, these boys are a throwback to MySpace era post-hardcore that’ll make you want to break out your skinny jeans and go wild. Waves of Dread @ The Tanners Despite what their name suggests, glitter faced five-piece Waves of Dread are far from the stuff of nightmares. Their dreamy psychedelic rock makes you feel like you’re floating on a candyfloss cloud through a pink sky of rainbows; WOD’s debut single “Flying” repeats the line ‘you got me living in a dream world’ and that’s exactly where their music transports you. 27
The Buffalo Skinners @ The Cumberland Arms Toe tapping, knee slapping folk rock paired with Paolo Nutini like vocals and the catchy lyricism of The Beatles – what is there not to love about The Buffalo Skinners?
GNE GUIDE TO NARC. FEST 2018
J Frisco @ The Cluny 2 J Frisco are without a doubt one of the most interesting acts on this year’s line-up; the three-piece look to push the boundaries of Jazz in order to create improvised soundscapes that aim to take their listeners on a journey whilst exploring political and gender issues. New Horror @ The Tanners Post-punk four-piece New Horror make music that simultaneously makes you want to dance and cry – it’s a strange feeling. Their lo-fi reverb clad sound captures the ‘happy-sad’ vibe of The Cure combined with the depressive head bopping melodies of Joy Division, topped with Morrissey-like croons drowned by fuzzy guitar riffs.
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Tiny Mind @ Tyne Bar Geordie boys Tiny Mind are set to turn Narc. Fest into an absolute riot with their quintessentially post-hardcore sound that’ll get you throwing yourself into a mosh pit before you can say ‘I’ve lost my pair of checkered Vans’. Behold A Pale Horse @ The Cumberland Arms After recently releasing their eponymous debut EP, Behold A Pale Horse have been receiving much praise for their ambitious sound that looks to mix influences from Psychedelia, Krautrock, Neo-Folk and Rock ‘n’ Roll together in order to create something entirely unique. Twist Helix @ The Tanners Twist Helix feel like all the best things about 80’s electro pop packaged into one great band; their sound brings synth pop into 2018 with a refreshing new take on the genre – get your angular shades out and catch these guys live before they jump back into the time machine that brought them here. Johnathan Ramsay
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GNE TALKS LAST TRAIN HOME FESTIVAL
YOU MAY HAVE HEARD RUMBLINGS OF A BRAND NEW FESTIVAL HEADING TO THE NORTH EAST, AND I SUPPOSE AT THIS POINT THAT’S NOT NECESSARILY SOMETHING NEW - AS DEMONSTRATED BY THE EXPANSIVE GREAT EXHIBITION OF THE NORTH, THE NORTH EAST HAS WENT FROM POST-INDUSTRIAL CULTURAL WASTELAND TO OVERFLOWING, MULTIDISCIPLINARY WONDERLAND IN A MATTER OF DECADES.
P
roblem being, cultural highlights tend to cling to cities, finding their feet and support far quicker among the bright lights and the big streets of the ‘capitals’. Newcastle and Sunderland are a never ending party and although this is a marvel, sometimes those on the outskirts of the scene feel a little bit left behind.
Enter the tracks trio, David Saunders, Rob Irish and Sarah Wilson to be precise, who have envisioned a new festival for the North East which sets about celebrating the cultural excellency not of Newcastle, Sunderland or the bigger of the surrounding towns, but the much overlooked Darlington. The trio and their small team had one mission: prove Darlo’s got what it takes to be
a hotspot for cultural action worth hitting the rails for. And with that, Last Train Home was born. Already fiercely dedicated to the cause with projects like Noisey Daughters and Music Box, the Tracks organisation was boosted in both spirit and ability earlier this year when they received funding from Arts Council England to make their dream a reality. We chatted to Dave and Rob from Tracks to find out a little more about Last Train Home Festival.
When did the idea for Last Train Home festival come about? David: About four years ago the whole Bowie thing of art being influenced by your surroundings was reverberating around my head (it was at that time myself and Rob tied in the town’s heritage with our The Black Sheep Frederick Dickens project) and so I thought wouldn’t it be good if people were greeted with artistic celebration when they left the train station instead of the gritty realism of run down buildings, a cattle market and pigeon poo. That said, it’s an area on the up and with all the developments such as the business park, bioresearch centre and Hippodrome/Hullabaloo Theatre we saw there was potential for the area to be a happening little part of Darlington (a cultural quarter of sorts) and LTH can contribute to that. There’s been a few eyebrows raised about the location of the festival, but starting something from scratch that can make an up and coming area and local music scene more vibrant is really exciting.
What did receiving the arts council funding mean to Tracks and Last Train Home’s progression? David: It meant there was a belief from a ‘higher power’ (a governing body) that Darlington could be a cultural hub as opposed to a reactive, commercially submissive, conservative Northern town. It meant our hard work over the past four years had been acknowledged and rewarded... And it meant of course that our idea of Last Train Home was able to be realised.
Anyway about two years ago we sought help from the Tees Music Alliance and Creative Darlington who helped us set up Tracks and apply for funding. With one eye on the bi-centenary of the Darlo - Stockton railway coming up I find it nice that a Darlington and Stockton cultural organisation have worked together to allow us to put on a train themed music festival.
Can you give us any insight into what venues will be involved? Rob: We’ve mentioned the idea of welcoming people to the town as they “step off the train”, either literally or proverbially, and we’re trying to do exactly that - exploring the area surrounding Banktop station for all the most interesting spaces we can find, big or small, and bringing them all together to host as much amazing music and comedy stuff as we can cram in.
Where does the name ‘Last Train Home’ come from? David: A want of Darlington to realise its potential as a leisure destination through its transport links, as well as a nod to the town’s railway heritage. Bands will finish before last trains to Newcastle, Teesside, York, etc to encourage people from outside the town to come down and enjoy the day. Rob: Darlington’s one of the few major stations on the East Coast mainline, and so is blessed to be a hub with many spokes on the North East transport network, yet it often finds itself missing out on the fun. So it’s not so much a case for us of “putting Darlington on the map”, as it is just highlighting its potential by putting on something cool that celebrates the town’s burgeoning cultural vibrancy.
Rob: We’ve run so many little events and festivals on a shoestring in the past, and although we try to make those the best we possibly can, having a bit of funding behind us takes some of the pressure off, and is allowing us to focus on creating something of even higher quality for people to enjoy. It’s also nice to have the feeling of validation, that funding/governing bodies are behind what we’re doing, and we’re not just a bunch of crazy people in a room thinking up ridiculous schemes. Although we are totally that as well.
David: We’re including a wide variety of venues, including unrealised and potentially fantastic performance spaces, such as St John’s (the Railwaymen’s church), CAMRA cider pub of the year - The Old Vic, the brand new Hullabaloo theatre, Legacy Skate Store, Hogans’ massive function room, The Greyhound Pub and hopefully the train station itself. Can we expect mainly local acts or national artists also? / When will line-ups be announced? David: A bit of both - a big part of what we’re trying to do with Tracks is showcase local talent, but also put them on a bill with emerging national talent and a few established acts, to hopefully inspire Darlington’s musicians into action. Rob: These sorts of events are not only a time for people to let loose and have fun, but gathering so many
musicians together in one place, they’re also an amazing place for musicians, promoters, photographers, journalists, and generally people with good ideas, to meet, make friends over a few drinks, and go on to do more wonderful things far beyond the festival, and make the world a more connected and beautiful place. By curating a diverse bill, not only is it good to be able to bring in some great music from out of town for people to enjoy, and make the event as dynamic as possible, but putting young local artists on the same stage as more established ones, it’s a brilliant way to give them experience, reach new audiences, and get paid/have fun doing it. Tracks have a record of supporting female musicians/ artists through your noisy daughter’s program, will that ethos carry over into this new project? David: Of course... We always actively keep an eye out for exciting female musicians to programme in our events. However because there’s so many good female/mixed gender acts about this year, we’ve ended up booking them without really thinking about it. With a limited number of early bird tickets currently on sale and first act announcements expected within weeks, it’s an exciting time for Darlington, Tracks and Last Train Home. Keep your eyes out for something seriously exciting. Early bird tickets are available from www.skiddle.com
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GNE’s guide to finding your YES
PERFECT F E S T I VA L
YES
S TA R T
YES
DO YOU DREAM OF THE HALCYON DAYS OF THE 90S?
YES NO
A R E YO U O N A TIGHT BUDGET?
G N E G U I D E TO. . . N E F E ST I VA L S E A S O N
The UK festival circuit is alive and well, with so much to choose from you may be left slightly frazzled staring down the barrel of train, plane or automobile journeys cross-country to see your favourite acts. Little did you know, there’s enough right here on our doorsteps to satisfy that festival fever. Whether you’re a city slicker or fancy the fields, Gigs North East’s guide to the NE festival season will help you pin down your number one destination. 32
DOES TWO STRAIGHT DAYS OF 90S NOSTALGIA BUCKET HATS AND NEON GLOWSTICKS SOUND LIKE PERFECTION TO YOU?
ARE POP-TASTIC SUPER STARS AND BOYBANDS MORE YOUR FAVOURITE SQUEEZE?
NO
DO WARM CIDER CANS, W ELLIES AND MUDDY G RASS SOUND LIKE A G REAT DAY OUT?
YES
HELL YES
ARE YOU WILLING TO GO THE DISTANCE FOR YOUR FESTIVAL FUN?
HOW ABOUT CROSSING A TREACHEROUS SEA (RIVER)?
NO WAY I’D NEVER LEAVE NEWCASTLE!
YES HELL NO!
T R A I N TO D U R H A M SURE DOES
SOUND EASY ENOUGH? DO YOU PREFER THE BUSTLE OF BIG CITIES OR THE LOCAL ATMOSPHERE OF SMALLER TOWNS?
YES
TOWNS ALL THE WAY
SUNN IS ID E LIV E
SUNNISIDE LIVE, SUNDERLAND - 6 & 7TH JULY Sunniside LIVE returns to Sunderland City Centre for another huge year of live music. Earlier this year, festival organisers announced two wonderful headliners in Soul II Soul and Lightning Seeds; both days will also feature a full line-up of supporting acts. Sunniside Live also offers a wealth of food and drink options for festival goers as well as fun for all the family with kids weekend tickets available. Dominique Daly
SO U TH TYN ES ID E FE ST IVA L Darran Moore
LINDISFARNE FE STIVA L
Darran Moore
HARDWICK LIV E
TWISTER E LLA
SOUTH TYNESIDE FESTIVAL, BENTS PARK - 8TH, 15TH, 22ND & 29TH JULY The huge open air concerts at Bents Park will be headlined by Pixie Lott on July 8th, The Vamps on the 15th, Scouting for Girls on the 22nd and Heather Small and Atomic Kitten on 29th July to close the run of shows. The festival is completely free of charge but fans can purchase priority tickets for all of the shows which guarantee early entry for just £5 each. Lauren Stewart
LINDISFARNE FESTIVAL, HOLY ISLAND – 30TH AUGUST – 2ND SEPTEMBER Lindisfarne Festival is back for its fourth year, boasting 150 acts over nine stages. The epic four-day celebration of music, comedy and holistic therapies takes place on Beal Farm, overlooking the beautiful Holy Island. Headlining will be Madchester legends The Happy Mondays. The festival captures a relaxed atmosphere like no other modern music festival, think Woodstock 1969 in a field in one of the most scenic areas of the UK. Johnathan Ramsay
L I VE FR O M TIM ES SQUA R E
Scott Spock Photography
Victoria Ling Photo
LIVE FROM TIMES SQUARE - 22ND & 23RD AUGUST 2018 see’s the third year of ‘Live from Times Square’ with the shows commencing on August 22nd, which see’s English reggae-pop band UB40, featuring Ali, Astro & Mickey and on August 23rd is Simon Green, better known by his stage name Bonobo. On Bank Holiday Sunday, August 26th, Elrow will be heading to the Square for a huge 10-hour party. Tickets are available now for the unmissable string of shows. Lauren Stewart
HARDWICK LIVE FESTIVAL, CO DURHAM – 18TH & 19TH AUGUST Situated in the grounds of the picturesque Hardwick Hall Hotel near Sedgefield, Hardwick Live Festival is being dubbed the biggest music festival in the North East. Expanded to a two-day event for the first time, indie rock giants the Kaiser Chiefs will be headlining Saturday 18th August, followed by Happy Mondays and Shed Seven headlining the Sunday. Other highlights of the weekend are Echo & The Bunnymen, Feeder and Rascalton. Johnathan Ramsay
Grange Photography
TWISTERELLA FESTIVAL, MIDDLESBROUGH - 13TH OCTOBER Now in its fourth year, Twisterella Festival utilises a number of Middlesbrough’s best venues. Scattered around Bedford Street, Baker Street and Linthorpe Road including The Westgarth Social Club, Teesside Uni’s SU, and TSOne. The festival is ran by two Teesside based promoters, The kids are Solid Gold and Pay for The Piano. They have pulled together a mighty lineup featuring Estrons, Boy Azooga, Avalanche Party, Llovers and Shy-Talk. Tessa Bury
WORLD CUP
FAN ZONE
STREET FOOD & DRINKS OFF ERS
F R O M JUNE 1 5 TH UNTIL JULY 1 5 TH
SHOWING EVERY GAME LIVE
MOUSTIVAL 11TH AUGUST - GEORGIAN THEATRE, STOCKTON If you get the chance to see Mouses, a brilliant twopiece band from Billingham, anywhere, then I strongly recommend that you do so. But where better to see them than at their very own ‘Mousetival’, a celebratory all-day gig at the place they call their ‘spiritual home’, the Georgian Theatre in Stockton, on the 11th of August. Joining Mouses on the bill are COWTOWN, PET CROW, Milk Crimes, Ghost Guilt, Dressed Like Wolves, Nim Chimpsky, Swine Tax, Slurs and The Noise and the Naive!! I’d never heard of Mouses before their recent show at Hull’s Polar Bear pub, but it was as joyous a gig as I’ve seen in the last few years: they have short, catchy songs, delivered with frantic energy and a sense of humour, and singer and guitarist Steven Bardgett ended up climbing around on the bar for the last song. They’ve drawn comparisons to Weezer and the Jesus and Mary Chain, and there’s a bit of Kathleen Hanna in there too at times, but Mouses don’t really sound like anyone else (that I’ve heard, anyway). Mousetival will be a load of great local bands, at what looks like a perfect venue, featuring a really excellent and charismatic headline act singing about Doris Day and the Pope. What more could you want? Jack Blenkinsopp
IT WAS AS JOYOUS A GIG AS I’VE SEEN IN THE LAST FEW YEARS 35
GNE LO C A L PREVIEWS
NO TEETH @ THINK TANK - 4TH AUGUST
THE OLD PINK HOUSE @ THE CLUNY - 18TH AUGUST
After returning earlier this year with a brand new sludgy EP, No Teeth take up a well and truly deserved headline spot at Think Tank on 4th August. ‘Black Butter’ the new EP from the band, released back in May, saw the noise punk outfit delve deeper into the depths of their sound and pull back something darkly cavernous yet mesmerisingly more melodic than ever before.
Our very own rising local stars The Old Pink House have recently announced their largest headline show in Newcastle yet. Described on occasion as having ‘glittery synth lines’ and a seriously captivating vocalist, the guys will share The Cluny stage with their unannounced support acts. Previous shows have seen them play Hit The North, Bingley Live and Times Square respectively, with artists such as Manic Street Preachers and The Cribs. TOPH are a band who have illustrated that the most important factor in live music is the work you put in, and we hope they get as much back. Bethan McConnell
Joined by new members and a stellar support line up of Femur, a Grunge/ Psych Rock four piece from Sheffield, Lovely wife and Natures Irresistible Love. Dominique Daly
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LLOVERS @ WESTGARTH SOCIAL CLUB, MIDDLESBROUGH - 7TH SEPTEMBER Dream-pop favourites Llovers take on their biggest headline show to date at Westgarth Social Club this September. The Teeside quintet have had a impressive year so far with tracks on hefty Spotify playlists and support from the national music press. With their arsenal of shimmery summer tunes Llovers have the power to stretch out those summer months for a little longer and have the whole room feeling warm and fuzzy. Dominique Daly
FEVA @ NORTHUMBRIA INSTITUTE 2 - 8TH SEPTEMBER Hot on the heels of fellow Newcastle rockers The Pale White, FEVA have managed to gather a pretty dedicated following in their short time as a band. They return in September to cause a riot at Northumbria Institute’s smaller ‘2’ venue. Expect big guitars, manic movements and all round recklessness from the four piece who have sold out their previous two headline shows in Newcastle. It’s a lot to live up to but FEVA have it covered. Don’t miss out as it’s looking like a hat trick of sell-outs for the boys. Dominique Daly
NUE
Llovers - Second With You Ah, young love, we’ve all been there, right? The long nights, the never-ending summers, the sparks, the fights…it’s all just a whirlwind of emotion, and one that Darlington natives Llovers have managed to sum up perfectly on their latest track ‘Second With You’.
NORTH EAST
Idle Hands - Swarm of Fear Fans of Canyons rejoice! Idle Hands, a brand new band for the North East rise from the embers of the dreamy ensemble that have been slowly disappearing since the band called it a day last year. Soham De - Brave You may know the name Soham De already, the young artist who originally hails from Kings Lynn but makes his new home in Durham, has been wowing audiences up North for the past few years. It seems sheer word of mouth and talent has got Soham to where he deservedly is now. There’s not much that needs to be said about Soham De’s first offering other than it’s utterly breathtaking. Wracked with pain and exploding with poignancy, De’s soft fingerpicking style and subtly gruff vocal swells into an all-consuming storm of enveloping soul. Equally stunning is Soham’s choice of cinematic accompaniment, a heartbreaking tale of a survivor of an acid attack. Touching and apart from the crowd, a perfect pick for Soham De. 38
‘Swarm of Fear’ the debut single from the four-piece (cat not included), is a deeply personal introduction to the band. Idle Hands manage to wrap up the lofty and emotive subject matter with fresh flowery acoustic guitars and touches of melancholy strings, delivering a comfortingly soft serenade. Speaking about the track with Obscure Sound, Idle Hands have explained their motivations: ‘Swarm of Fear’ is a deeply personal song that is informed and inspired by the conflict, pressures and emotions felt by Helen through her work as a caregiver and psychiatric nurse and the struggle of trying to stay creative and passionate whilst working in high-pressure environments. The song considers these elements from Jim’s perspective; as a partner concerned about the strain of an emotionally strenuous vocation on a loved one and the challenge of switching off and offering affection or thoughtfulness when you have already given so much to others.
Explaining the song to Line Of Best Fit, co-frontman Jack Brookes explained: “The track is about my own disproportionate response to normal things in everyday life. I think most people my age romanticise so many things. “The intention of the track was to celebrate the positively naïve nature of youth, while also poking fun the reality of the outcome, which is actually something that’s just a bit oddly obsessive.” Complete with throwback reference to previous track ‘Feeling Sound’, Llovers explore their naivety and mature on record with every note.
Imogen- White Lines Imogen brings her stunningly matured sound to the forefront in ‘White Lines’, the first single to be taken from her forthcoming EP ‘Faze Green’. Formerly known on the local circuit for her delicate vocals and carefully crafted lyricism, Immy Williams a.k.a IMOGEN took up her place at one of London’s prestigious music schools a few years back. Trading the Ouseburn for Shoreditch, her presence has been sorely missed on the local circuit whilst she hones her craft in the big smoke. 2017 saw a rebrand and a burst of ambient and effortlessly cool electronica injected into IMOGEN’s sound and new track ‘White Lines’ is a perfect example of her stunning ability to balance vocal led compositions with more left-field sound waves. ‘White Lines’ sends pangs of melancholia shivering down the spine with Williams’ depth carrying through both her exceptional vocal and her jarring lyricism.
ALBUM REVIEWS
and whilst there’s nothing wrong with songs like Incoming Waves, the epic depths of introspection can at times be overbearing and ten tracks may well have proven suffice. But then there’s the brattish and snotty punk of Buzzkill that reminds you of the kids from County Down who made our youths so enjoyable, ensuring there’s no chance of a break-up between Ash and their fanbase. Paul Broadhead ARCTIC MONKEYS TRANQUILITY BASE HOTEL AND CASINO Anticipation has a habit to set you up for disappointment, and those expecting a straightforward follow-up to 2013’s massive AM after such a long wait may be disappointed by Arctic Monkeys’ eccentric, inspired new album Tranquility Base Hotel and Casino. The riffs and big choruses are almost entirely absent, replaced by smooth piano, sci-fi synths and organs, and dense streams of consciousness.
ASH – ISLANDS (3.5 / 5) Ash’s Tim Wheeler has always possessed great ability in writing instantly catchy pop-punk songs and little has changed on this, their first studio album in 3 years. Dealing with the break-up of his relationship with Emmy The Great, there is inevitably a great deal of reflection, but tracks like Annabel and Somersault are old school Ash; three chords, an unshakeable hook and gorgeous melodies. The synth-heavy Confessions In The Pool is reminiscent of We Are Scientists whilst the ambitious Did Your Love Burn Out sounds like Nick Cave rehashing Leadbelly’s Where Did You Sleep Last Night. It’s a highlight along with All That I Have Left, 2018’s answer to Goldfinger, showing Ash are not afraid to mix it up some 26 years into their career. Would anything here make an Ash Greatest Hits? It’s debateable
The conceit is something like this: Arctic Monkeys are the house band for a luxury resort on the moon, and a host of characters lead the listener around this lunar establishment, which occasionally feels more like Los Angeles, or the Internet, or the inside of Alex Turner’s head. There are so many words and ideas that it’s a bit much to take in on first listen, but after a while it just clicks (particularly when listening through headphones, wandering around and feeling like an undercover space crooner). The transition from ‘One Point Perspective’ into album highlight ‘American Sports’ is breathtaking, and the title track sees Turner playing a receptionist named Mark and singing about ‘the moon’s sideboob’. Sort-of single ‘Four Out of Five’, a mournful anthem about a fairly well-reviewed lunar taqueria, gets better and catchier every time I hear it, and
‘The Ultracheese’ is a lovely closing ballad that sounds quite a lot like ‘Que Sera, Sera’. The album evokes Nick Cave and Serge Gainsbourg, but also mid-70s Bowie, and is similarly alienating, similarly interested in mixing authenticity and plasticity. It’s more than the sum of its parts: there’s only a few on here that I’d put on a playlist of my favourite Arctic Monkeys songs, but as a whole TBH+C works brilliantly, and contains some of Turner’s funniest and most revealing lyrics. It’s very ambitious, often fantastic, and may be their most satisfying reinvention yet. Jack Blenkinsopp LINDI ORTEGA – LIBERTY Lindi Ortega’s latest release, Liberty, is a threepart concept album with all the flair and swagger of an on-screen Western. In fact, the opener to each of the sections - ‘Through the Dust: Parts I, II & III’ are very reminiscent of the soundtrack to classic Sergio Leone movies scored by Ennio Morricone. Ortega wrote half of the album tracks herself – drawing from very personal experiences including her battle with Body Dysmorphic Disorder. The rest were provided by co-writers including John Paul White (The Civil Wars). There is a distinctly Southern Gothic feel running throughout Liberty - a stirring combination of emotional vocals, slide guitar and dark drama dripping from Ortega’s lyrics. This isn’t to say there isn’t plenty of variety to be found, listeners are spoilt for choice with this sprawling soundscape. For instance, when you compare ‘You Ain’t Foolin’ Me’ and ‘Comeback Kid’, straight-up no-nonsense country rock songs, to softer tracks like ‘Darkness Be Gone’ and ‘Gracias A La Vida’ – it’s a testament to her talent as an artist that they come together as a whole record so seamlessly. 39 John Patterson
ACT OF DEFIANCE Monday 30 Jul, Think Tank? Newcastle
HOBO JOHNSON Friday 03 Aug, Riverside, Newcastle
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GHOST SIGNALS Friday 03 Aug, Underground, Newcastle
UB40 FEATURING ALI, ASTRO AND MICKEY Aswad Wednesday 22 Aug
BONOBO SUNNISIDE LIVE FESTIVAL Soul II Soul, Lightning Seeds, Reverend and the Makers Friday 06 - Saturday 07 Jul Sunniside Gardens, Sunderland
RADAR - BALTIC Suspects & JAKJAK.
Saturday 07 Jul, Think Tank? Newcastle
NO TEETH Femur, Lovely Wife, NIL Saturday 04 Aug, Think Tank? Newcastle
FOXING / PIANOS BECOME THE TEETH Kamikaze Girls Wednesday 15 Aug, The Cluny, Newcastle
Thursday 23 Aug
EPIC BEARD MEN SAGE FRANCIS + B.DOLAN Friday 24 Aug, Think Tank? Newcastle
HOT TICKET THE OLD PINK HOUSE Saturday 18 Aug, The Cluny, Newcastle
GOMEZ - 20 Year Celebration of Bring It On Friday 24 Aug, O2 Academy Newcastle
START TO END PERFORMING JEFF BUCKLEY Sunday 08 Jul, Think Tank? Newcastle
HARDWICK LIVE Kaiser Chiefs, Shed Seven, Happy Mondays Saturday 18 - Sunday 19 Aug, Hardwick Hall, Co. Durham
PSYCHOSTICK Thursday 12 Jul, Think Tank? Newcastle
PUSSY RIOT Monday 20 Aug, Riverside, Newcastle
HELLIONS Thursday 26 Jul, Think Tank? Newcastle
LOWLIVES Tuesday 21 Aug, Think Tank? Newcastle
LA GUNS Jared James Nichols & Stone Trigger Sunday 02 Sep, Riverside, Newcastle
THE DEVON ALLMAN PROJECT Special Guest: Duane Betts Thursday 06 Sep, Riverside, Newcastle 41
STEVE DAVIS & KAVUS TORABI Friday 07 Sep, Riverside, Newcastle
THE CORAL Wednesday 03 Oct, Riverside, Newcastle
GARBAGE Version 2.0: 20 years Paranoid Estrons Wednesday 12 Sep, Northumbria Institute, Newcastle
WILD FRONT Friday 05 Oct, Think Tank? Newcastle
SIKTH Loathe Thursday 13 Sep, Think Tank? Newcastle
DRAPER & MAN WITHOUT COUNTRY Friday 14 Sep, Think Tank? Newcastle
DETROIT SOCIAL CLUB Saturday 22 Sep, The Cluny, Newcastle
HOLLIE COOK Sunday 07 Oct, Riverside, Newcastle
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Wednesday 10 Oct, Northumbria Institute, Newcastle
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PARIS MONSTER Friday 28 Sep, Think Tank? Newcastle
EVIL BLIZZARD Saturday 29 Sep, Think Tank? Newcastle
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Saturday 13 Oct, Think Tank? Newcastle
LUCY SPRAGGAN Tuesday 16 Oct, Northumbria Institute, Newcastle
SICK JOY Tuesday 16 Oct, Think Tank Underground
TOM GRENNAN
LAUREL Sunday 23 Sep, Think Tank? Newcastle
AGAINST THE CURRENT Thursday 27 Sep, Riverside, Newcastle
RADAR
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THE STORY SO FAR Citizen & All Get Out
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Hit The North_ returns 2019 Early bird tickets onsale_ now exclusively at_ www.gigsnortheast.co.uk