GNE CONTENTS
WELCOME TO EDITION 001 OF
05 MEET THE NORTH
GIGS NORTH EAST’S BRAND NEW
06 GNE RADAR
QUARTERLY MAGAZINE DEDICATED TO BRINGING YOU THE FRESHEST MUSIC NEWS, EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEWS AND INSIDER KNOWLEDGE FROM THE NORTH EAST’S MUSIC SCENE.
PUBLISHER: Gigs North East EDITOR: Dominique Daly FOR GNE EDITORIAL: dominique@gigsnortheast.co.uk FOR GNE SALES: conor@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: Adam Hutchinson, Bethan McConnell, Christopher Bishop, Darran Moore, Dominique Daly, Dorian Kelly, James Alexander Reay, John Patterson, Johnathan Ramsay, Johnny Rodgerson, Lauren Stewart, Matthew Thomas, Nick Roberts, Paul Broadhead, Tessa Bury, Victoria Ling 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.
We’re thrilled to step out from the web and onto the page and even more excited to say that our first edition is brimming with amazing content from indepth chats with legendary cover star Tim Burgess, a getting to know you session with experimental post-rockers Mogwai and a catch up with rising indie-upstarts The Sherlocks. Also, don’t miss out on regional pride with articles celebrating local achievements from The Cluny’s 15th Anniversary to Lindisfarne Festival’s kick-starter success. Not to mention an exclusive The Charlatans pull out which 100 lucky readers may open to find a signature from Tim Burgess himself. Flick ahead to page 22 to find out if you’ve found a golden copy! We’ve come a long way in the past two years and we couldn’t have got there without all our wonderful contributors, their hand-crafted words and pictures you’ll find inside if you read further than my mundane introductions. We also wouldn’t be here without you, our readers. Your hunger for music is a passion we share and we can’t wait for you to delight at what we’ve got in store. So go on, what are you waiting for. Dive in. Big love, Dominique GNE Editor
08 CATFISH & THE BOTTLMEN ANNOUNCED AS HEADLINE ACT FOR INAUGURAL THIS IS TOMORROW FESTIVAL 11
GNE NEWS
16 TIM BURGESS FROM THE CHARLATANS CHATS TO GNE 22 CHARLATANS ART - IS YOURS SIGNED BY TIM?... 24 ON THE ROAD WITH MOGWAI 26 WHAT’S THE CRAIC WITH SAM FENDER 28 SINGIN’ IN THE STREETS WITH THE SHERLOCKS 31 BBC INTRODUCING ONES TO WATCH 2018 32 FIFTEEN YEARS OF THE CLUNY 33 GNE LOOKS FORWARD LOCAL PREVIEWS 37 LINDISFARNE FESTIVAL SECURES FOURTH YEAR THROUGH CROWDFUNDER 39 NUE NORTH EAST 40 GNE GALLERY 41 GNE LOOKS BACK LIVE REVIEWS 43 GNE’S GUIDE TO AN ALTERNATIVE CHRISTMAS
25.05. 2 01 8 .
AL RROW FESTIV THIS IS TOMO . NEWCASTLE.. N HE BOTTLEME T CATFISH AND EVERYTHING EVERYTHING S LITTLE COMET SAM FENDER ON NNOUNCED SO MORE ACTS A
PEACE ANNOUNCED FOR MEET THE NORTH B-TOWN BOYS PEACE HAVE BEEN UNVEILED AS THE HEADLINER OF MEET THE NORTH 2018. THE BAND FILL THE BOOTS OF 2017’S INAUGURAL HEADLINERS LITTLE COMETS.
The band, who rose to fame in 2012 with ‘Bloodshake’, went on to release two albums; debut album ‘In Love’ (2013) which came in at number sixteen in the UK album charts and ‘Happy People’ (2015). Celebrated for their infectious energy, live shows across the UK and the US saw the band share stages with the likes of Miles Kane, Cabbage and Rat Boy. Peace have completed a string of 2017 festival slots and are expected to drop new material in 2018. Meet the North organisers praised Peace as the ‘perfect Meet the North headliner’, their success standing as a beacon to up and coming bands that ‘making it’ is possible. Meet the North takes place on 5th May 2018 in various venues across Newcastle.
F I V E T H I N G S YO U G O T T A ’ K N OW A B O U T S H A D OW L A R K SPARKING EXCITEMENT WITH THEIR FRESH COMBINATION OF 80’S SYNTHS AND MODERNDAY INDIE POP, SHADOWLARK ARE TO HEADLINE THE FIRST OF A SERIES OF HIT THE NORTH PRE-PARTIES IN DECEMBER. BUT WHAT DO WE REALLY KNOW ABOUT THE BAND? THEY’RE FROM LEEDS The band met while studying at
Leeds College of Music over ten years ago and started writing music under their current guise a year ago. ONE OF THEIR FIRST GIGS WAS AT LIVE AT LEEDS FESTIVAL Shadowlark’s list of gigs may be
short, but that’s because they only play the very best including cutting their teeth at the industry-leading, metropolitan music festival. THEY’VE RECORDED IN A CHAPEL BUILT IN 1260
Vada Studios in Alcester to record with producer Dan Austin. THEY BELIEVE IN GHOSTS The band have admitted that Vada Studios is ‘haunted by the ghost of a little girl’ but that the ghost left them alone because it ‘liked their sound’. THEY FOUND THEIR NAME IN A DREAM The
band say their name came out of a ‘weird dream about a mythical creature’. Shadowlark play Think Tank? Underground on 6th December 2017. Tickets available via www.gigsnortheast.co.uk
05
GNE
trips into the neighbour’s gardens to pick up broken whiskey bottles. Less said the better I think.
RADAR
Any hot tips for new Irish bands we should keep an ear out for? Yes indeed. We’re big fans of Thumper, Rusangano Family and Oh Joy. Check ‘em out!
listening. Spotify has been such a huge platform for us and has given us the opportunity to release our music to so many people and places around the world.
OTHERKIN
We also noticed when taking a little snoop on your socials that the man, the myth, the legend Mr Christopher Walken has endorsed the band. Lucky you guys, eh? But who’s been the strangest person that you’ve found out to be a fan of your music? The strangest for us is that Peter Crouch and Abbey Clancy are fans. They’ve seen us at a few shows now after they caught us supporting Abbey’s brother’s band ‘Judas’, and they’ve been so great and supportive. They are such nice people. We’re all huge football fans, and Crouchy is a bit of an England legend, so it’s crazy seeing him in the crowd!
Irish punk’s Otherkin took a punch and are now seeing stars as they quickly rise to the top of the Irish charts and expectations. We chatted to them about their debut album, touring and picking up the pieces.
We love the ‘Wild Front Bangers’ playlist; who’s your favourite new band right now? We’re really digging Pinegrove at the moment. Definitely, ones to check out!
Firstly, massive congratulations for hitting #2 in the Irish charts above Ed Sheeran and Shania Twain, which is pretty amazing! How did you feel hearing the news? It was amazing! We didn’t really have those kind of expectations for the album; we were just looking forward to putting it out and having people get their ears on it. For so many people to buy it was great to see, it’s nice to know that people are getting behind it.
Wild Front come to Think Tank? Newcastle on 5th December 2017. Tickets available at www.gigsnortheast.co.uk
WHETHER YOU’RE DOWN WITH THE KIDS OR STRUGGLING TO KEEP UP, GNE’S RADAR HAS GOT YOU COVERED FOR MUST-SEE HYPE-BANDS HEADED TO THE REGION…
You announced recently that you’d be hitting the road with UK rockers The Amazons, are you fans of the band? Yeah, we’re massive fans of the guys, their album is killer, and they’ve also put out some of the best singles of the year. We get on really well with them ‘cos we’re all similar guys. You started out by playing gigs at house parties and college dorms, that must have gotten pretty messy at times? Yeah, pretty messy. There have been many late night talks with the guards [Irish police] and early morning
Otherkin play Surf Café, Tynemouth on 8th December 2017. Tickets available at www.gigsnortheast.co.uk WILD FRONT Southampton’s Wild Front chat impressive numbers and famous fans. You recently hit 100k streams on single ‘Southside’, how does it feel to know that many people are listening to your track? It’s crazy really, when we sit and write these songs in our little rehearsal space in Joe’s garden, we never really think about where the songs are going to be heard. It’s really humbling to be honest that so many people are
‘WITTY, SEX Y, GIM MIC KY AND GLA MOU RO US’ MUS IC AND AR T’S OVERLAPS AR E E NDL ESS AN D I T IS FR OM TH IS C HEM IST RY THA T THIS IS TOM ORR OW FES TIV AL IGNI TES W ITH AN EXP LOS IVE FI RST
THIS IS T O M O R R OW FESTIVAL ANNOUNCE CATFISH AND THE BOTTLEMEN AS FIRST HEADLINERS
HEADLINE R A NNO UNC EME NT IN CATF ISH A ND THE BOT TLE MEN .
Heading to Newcastle on the 25th, 26th and 27th of May 2017, This Is Tomorrow Festival plans to bring the unbridled, youthful joy of a full-blooded Catfish and the Bottlemen live show to a virtually untouched part of the city. Born out of the cutting edge legacy of ‘Father of Pop Art’ Richard Hamilton and his vision of pushing the boundaries of what is expected, this brand new music festival is planting it’s roots in Newcastle with an ethos of experimentation, daring and down right defiance of the norm. To honour the great, late, artist Richard Hamilton, who lectured in fine art at Newcastle University and moulded the mind of Geordie music hero Bryan Ferry, the Festival finds it’s name from the 1956 Art Exhibition ‘This Is Tomorrow’ at Whitechapel Gallery. The exhibition featured Richard’s seminal work ‘Just what is it that makes today’s homes so different, so appealing?’ and is revered as one of most influential gatherings of pop-art minds of the era. Returning to Newcastle Upon Tyne for the first time since their electrifying sell-out show in 2016 at Live From Times Square, Catfish’ encapsulate This Is Tomorrow’s sense of unapologetic ambition. The last 18 months has seen the band claim their place as a bona fide arena band at home, adding dates at Wembley Arena to
08
their impressive list of conquered stages, and also fully establish themselves as live favourites in South & North America, Japan and Australia. Preparing fans for a raft of new music to follow their 2016, gold-selling album, ‘The Ride’, the band is led out of the studio and onto yet bigger stages by unshakable frontman and songwriter, Van McCann, Benji Blakeway (bass), Bob Hall (drums) and Newcastle’s own Johnny Bond (lead guitar). This is Tomorrow festival is the brainchild of SSD Concerts in the wake of previous and continuing successes Live From Times Square and Hit The North Festival. The festival runs across three days with each day encompassing a stand alone event with huge headliners and multiple stellar acts in support. Organisers have confirmed that further details and ‘Major’ line-up announcements for This Is Tomorrow Festival will be made soon. Ticket announcements are to follow and will be available via www.ticketline.co.uk Dorian Kelly
THIS IS THE FUTURE. THIS IS UNMISSABLE. THIS IS TOMORROW.
GNE NEWS LO O K I N G FORWARD
MOULETTES 15TH DECEMBER - THE CLUNY, NEWCASTLE
OTHERKIN 8TH DECEMBER - SURF CAFE, TYNEMOUTH
Think early Pink Floyd, Bowie and Radiohead with a touch of Kraftwerk to the likes of Field Music and Laura Mvula, and you’re onto the tracks of Moulettes. The current line up of Hannah, Raevennan, Oliver and Jim are bringing their progressive, psychedelic-folk-rock sounds and multiinstrumentalist skills to The Cluny on 15th December.
Brave the cold this December and head over to the coast to catch Irish punk rockers Otherkin, you won’t be disappointed. The young Dublin lads are out to prove punk is very much alive and kicking; after touring the UK with legends of the punk scene the Dead Kennedys earlier this year, Otherkin have learnt from the best. They’ve got that classic punk attitude with a modern edge.
Moulettes are busy touring their current album ‘Preternatural’ which has seen them trek across Europe and Canada. Next month they are wrapping up this celebration with a date in Newcastle before taking a well earned break. A Moulettes show has been described as breathtaking so make sure you grab a ticket to one of the last shows of this chapter; a brilliant way to make sure the festive season keeps up with party season. Victoria Ling
Their debut album ‘OK’ hit #2 in the Irish charts above Ed Sheeran and Shania Twain, which is pretty amazing for a new band within the genre. Make sure you come and see what all the fuss is about in the best small venue the North East has to offer. Johnathan Ramsay THE HUNNA 8TH JANUARY - O2 ACADEMY, NEWCASTLE Within a seemingly interchangeable genre, The Hunna manage to separate themselves with their unique arenaready sound. So far this has seen them secure headline sets at Reading and Leeds on the Festival Republic stage, tour with Jimmy Eat World and release a top 20 UK album in the form of their critically acclaimed debut album ‘100’. The Hunna’s UK tour in January 2018 is set to be the band’s largest touring venture yet with the run of shows climaxing on a sold-out celebration at Brixton’s O2 Academy. After playing Hit The North earlier this year, they will be bringing their anthemic sound to the North East again on 8th January headlining the O2 Academy. Adam Hutchinson
11
THE CRIBS 25TH JANUARY - THE EMPIRE, MIDDLESBROUGH
MARMOZETS 9TH FEBRUARY - RIVERSIDE, NEWCASTLE
The Cribs are going back in time to the beginning of their career as they embark on a tour of exclusively intimate venues, including Middlesbrough’s Empire on 25th January 2018. This announcement follows the release of their 7th studio album, ‘24-7 Rock Star S***’, during the summer of 2017.
Marmozets are back and ready to launch an assault on your eardrums once again. Returning with a bang, they will head to Newcastle on 9th February 2018 at Riverside.
The band have previously been dubbed ‘the biggest cult band in the UK’, this tour further demonstrates that. This is your chance to get up close and personal with one of the biggest bands of the 2000s. Expect a non-stop show packed with bundles of energy and huge hits such as ‘Men’s Needs’ and ‘We Share The Same Skies’. Johnny Rogerson
ISAAC GRACIE 1ST FEBRUARY - THINK TANK, NEWCASTLE
After a sell-out headline tour in the summer, Marmozets have announced that their second LP, ‘Knowing What You Know Now’, will be released on 26th January 2018. The first two tasters from the new album have been released, in the form of ‘Play’ and ‘Habits’. Chaotic, intense and raucous, Marmozets mix angry vintage rock and grunge with Rebecca Macintyre’s popsounding vocals. It is this rare mix that makes them stand out. They have the effortless ability to turn violent rock into something accessible. Returning with a bang, the Bingley-born outfit head to Newcastle in the new year. Johnny Rogerson
Isaac Gracie is no stranger to the North East, having sold out Tynemouth’s Surf Café last spring and quickly following it up as support to Michael Kiwanuka at the Wylam Brewery a few months after. Gracie returns to Newcastle next year to headline at Think Tank on 1st February off the back of his recent mini UK tour.
12
Having been on many musical radars as a ‘one to watch,’ and with three highly acclaimed EPs, Gracie’s smoky and majestic vocals have been taken in by both his peers and music fans alike. When he first started, Gracie gave us heart-wrenching acoustic songs and although some of the subject matter may still be there, his sound is now heavier and harder. It will be interesting to hear this translate onto the stage in February. Victoria Ling
GNE NEWS LO O K I N G FORWARD
92mm w x 128mm h
D E S P E R A T E LY SEEKING SOLUTIONS: TIM BURGESS
The band has managed to retain integrity while others from the era walk a ‘reunion route’ dining out on the hits after lengthy hiatus. “I suppose to do the reunion thing you have to split up and we’ve always felt we’ve no need to do that”, Tim reflects speaking from his recording studio. “I can understand why other bands have, it’s not an easy lifestyle at times and the antics of touring and recording can take their toll. But then you paint the garden fence for 7 years and the temptation to get back together arises. There’s never really been grievances with us.”
GNE INTERVIEW THIRTY YEARS ON FROM THEIR INCEPTION, THE CHARLATANS HAVE RELEASED THIRTEEN ALBUMS, INCREASINGLY PUSHING TO DELIVER NEW AND INNOVATIVE MUSIC WHICH FEELS BOTH DISTINCTLY MODERN AND TIED TO THEIR ROOTS. FOR SOME, IT’S A HARD PATH TO WALK, BUT FOR THE CHARLATANS’ TIM BURGESS, IT’S BEEN A BREEZY STROLL ALONG A CREATIVE STREAM.
That’s not to say it’s been plain sailing; The Charlatans have faced an uphill struggle along the way which saw them rise as a beacon of resilience where many before them have been unable to continue. Facing two deaths and mental health battles the band has continually and intellectually balanced themselves. Morphing into something new, something stronger and something more thoughtful to the credit of their bandmates before them. Returning in 2017 to subtly mark their 30th Anniversary as a group, despite sad departures, The Charlatans unleashed ‘Different Days’ upon the world. The album stands as a new time and head space for the band as Tim joyfully tells: “It really felt like a party where we’d invited our friends. Our previous album was made after we lost Jon and we did that on our own in our studio, and that was the way that album needed to be made. For ‘Different Days’ we wanted to switch it up a bit.” A flurry of famous voices, skilled penmanship, and captivating spoken asides meld together to form a decidedly intriguing piece of music with some familiar faces making a return appearance in the liner notes.
17
Speaking fondly of the involvement of tortured genius Anton Newcombe of Brian Jonestown Massacre fame, Tim explains how the two musicians are creatively drawn to one another. “I gravitate towards the people I really respect.” Undeterred by distance, ‘Not Forgotten’ came together from across the globe, “we sent him an early version of ‘Not Forgotten’ and he really got it and sent it back with keyboards and handclaps, and we loved what he’d done with it.” Letting us in on some exciting news, Tim alludes to further releases from the ‘duo,’ “Since then he’s remixed it [‘Not Forgotten’] a couple of times, and I think we’ll be putting those remixes out,” he teases with no specifics. With a thirty-year career span, you’re sure to rack up a Rolodex (do people still use those?) with an impressive number of cards to pull when it comes to collaborations. ‘Different Days’ features not only Anton but many other musical heroes like Johnny Marr who joins on ‘Plastic Machinery’ and Paul Weller who brings smooth 70’s R&B to ‘Spinning Out.’ However, most notably, the presence of poignant spoken word interjections on ‘Different Days’ stand the album apart from other ‘Charlatans works. Drafting in the talented hand of Ian Rankin and the vocal stylings of Kurt Wagner, these pieces fit into the album like a jigsaw, not immediately or intentionally, but naturally coming together to make something beautiful. “I’d worked with Ian on a short story he wrote, we released it on vinyl, and I wrote some music for it,” Tim says, looking back on the process of bringing in the
18
“...STORMZY IS N OW A - L I ST E D ON RADIO 2 AND HE CAN KEEP HIS SAME CREDENTIALS WHILE HAVING A PLATFORM TO INSPIRE A GENERATION”
crime writer. “He really encouraged me when I was writing my first book and invited me to an event he was putting on at The Edinburgh Literary Festival. Then he wrote the foreword to Tim Book Two. It wasn’t like I was thinking I should pay him back but when we were planning the new album, I sent him the ideas and early lyrics for a couple of songs and asked him to write a few paragraphs if they set anything off in his mind. He could have just said that it wasn’t really his thing but what he
sent back really stopped me in my tracks. In my head, the words were said with his voice, and so we asked him to record them.” Timing was on the side of ‘Different Days’ and The Charlatans’ decision to include spoken word on the album, but this isn’t their first dance with the art-form. “I have a record label, called O Genesis and we released some poetry on vinyl, a guy called Jack Underwood which was maybe 4 years ago and we released work by Emily Berry too”, Tim tells me. “We knew it was going to remain quite an underground thing but it really fitted with our label, and we really enjoyed working in a world where we’d not had much experience.” However underground it remains, the art form appears to be having a bit of a renaissance with acts like Sleaford Mods taking poets on as tour supports and huge banking corporations using the art form as a misleading ploy to make them seem credible (see Nationwide ‘Voice of The People’ ad campaign). Tim’s optimism is refreshing in his view of art-forms being used for capitalist gains, providing a new perspective on the advancing of struggling genres. “Sometimes it can be a two-way street” he explains, “with underground music being able to make it to the mainstream where it can do valuable work. I’d say grime has been co-opted by big brands, but that has the result that Stormzy is now A-listed on Radio 2 and he can keep his same credentials while having a platform to inspire a generation. Long gone are the days
“ I T R E A L LY F E LT L I K E A PARTY WHERE WE’D INVITED OUR FRIENDS. OUR PREVIOUS ALBUM WAS MADE AFTER WE LO S T J O N A N D W E D I D T H A T O N O U R OW N I N O U R ST U D I O, AND THAT WAS THE WAY THAT ALBUM NEEDED TO BE M A D E . F O R ‘ D I F F E R E N T D A YS ’ WE WANTED TO SWITCH IT U P A B I T. ”
“I THINK VINYL IS BECOMING LESS DAUNTING FOR KIDS TO G E T I N TO A N D R E C O R D S TO R E D A Y AND AFFORDABLE TURNTABLES R E A L LY H E L P T H A T.”
20
when The Clash refused to play the game by going on Top Of The Pops - now it’s about kids getting sync deals and using the income to keep going.” Interpretation is one of Tim’s talents, that and his ability to weave soundscapes and stories together to be interpreted in numerous ways by the listener. He tells of his enjoyment in interpretation and preference in his work when I confess that continually I found myself returning to album track ‘Solutions’. “It’s funny but people’s favourites take in every track which is really pleasing when you make a record. I love how ‘Same House’ kind of really splits people, it bugs some and others love it the most” he laughs. The track [‘Solutions’] for some takes on a new meaning when considered within the context of the recent political and mental warfare between the US, et al, and North Korea. Lyrics like ‘Offering solutions, Desperately seeking solutions’ seem to embed a real sense of the frustration and urgency felt by millions around the world to what seems a looming and monumental crisis. Digging in deep, possibly by surprise but luckily to his enjoyment, Tim sets about righting the worlds ills upon my request with his own solutions. “There’s definitely a solution with Trump and that’s to remove him. I’m no expert but I think that process may have started already. He’s like a villain in a comic book - they used to seem so far-fetched but he’s kind of made that madness into
some kind of reality. My solution would be to build a whole set up for him with his cronies and let them think they’re running everything but replace them with some responsible adults. Let him play out his fantasy and pander to his needs and demands in some padded room in a basement of Trump Tower - he has such a slim grip on reality and a high opinion of himself that it might just work. He can whack the fake nuclear button with a rubber mallet all day long while showing off about the great words that he knows, all while playing crazy golf.” This seems the most sensible idea we’ve heard, Tim Burgess for President 2020? Outside of his musical creations, Tim has taken on literary exploits in recent years. ‘Telling Stories’ (2013) a frankly honest rock-memoir and ‘Tim Book Two’ (2016), which sees Tim delve into the world of his friend’s record collections, sending himself on a musical quest for discovery across the globe. He openly admits however that the format does divide people who in the modern world of music consumption may be too used to a digitised collection of music, “Vinyl’s not for everyone and I know there’s maybe even a backlash at times”, Tim says. However, it is the format closest to his heart, his gateway into music. “Our parents all had record collections, and there’d be a record player in most houses. There’s a ritual to playing a record, the skip function is more analog - you have to get up and go and physically lift the arm off the record. So you maybe
listened to albums all the way through, or at least a whole side”, Tim details. “I think vinyl is becoming less daunting for kids to get into and record store day and affordable turntables really help that.” It would be foolish to suggest that for Tim Burgess anything other than music could be the most significant factor in his life. As a collector of vinyl, he reckons that his hoard amounts to 8,000 records. However, there’s a possibility he may have lost count. An avid reader Tim tells of how his collecting habits never stand to much other than musical escapades, never able to draw himself from his love for too long. “[I collect] books, but they tend to be about music or art which kind of crosses over with music - but I’ve not got a collection of military vehicles - Stephen Morris has though. I’ll stick to records.” The Charlatans play 02 Academy, Newcastle on 5th December. Tickets available via academymusicgroup.com Dominique Daly
21
MOG WA I 24
ON THE ROAD AGAIN
When Scottish post-rock outfit Mogwai announced their extra date at Newcastle’s Northumbria Institute in late October, many were shocked. What type of selfpunishing mad men complete a gruelling world tour, reach the glory of the finish line, only to jump straight back into touring. Do not pass go. Do not collect $200. Mogwai head to Northumbria Institute on 1st February 2018. But are they really that dedicated to the road or just gluten for punishment perhaps? Neither it turns out as Barry Burns told us when we chatted with him about the upcoming show. “We wanted to add a few more shows in the UK” he explains, “you know before it becomes a totalitarian state and music is banned forever.” The multi-instrumentalist (guitar, piano, synthesizer, vocals), who joined the band just before the recording of their second album ‘Come On, Die Young’, predicts a dystopian future for the UK that sounds about as bleak as one of the bands monumental soundtrack albums. Perhaps, in fact, the perfect soundtrack for that very concept would be 2016’s ‘Atomic’ composed for ‘Atomic, Living in Dread and Promise’, a documentary directed by Mark Cousins. However, it’s not always the bleakness that draws Mogwai to their projects, but rather the credentials. “Mostly we choose to be involved in these things when we either read scripts or find out who is directing and producing the films/shows” Barry states frankly.
Fans of Mogwai’s soundtracking talents will be glad to hear that 2018 holds more from the band, whose current album tally stands at an impressive 19 combined. “We’ve just finished another one for a film that comes out next year, and I think there will be more next year, hopefully”. This news is particularly impressive when you consider that in 2017 the band released a brand new album in ‘Every Country’s Sun’ and completed a 42 date world tour. Apparently, Mogwai’s days contain more hours than regular people. For the recently released ‘Every Country’s Sun’, Mogwai travelled to America to record with Dave Fridmann (‘Rock Action’). The reunion brought about a change in Mogwai’s sound as the band explored lighter soundscapes. Barry attributes this change to working with Dave, “It was another one of the special times that we’ve had as a band, and it’s a special place for us. Dave is a phenomenal person and producer” he recalls fondly. “I think it was just where our heads were at the time and the excitement of going back to Tarbox [Dave Fridmann’s studio].”
“WE WANTED TO ADD A FEW MORE S H OWS I N T H E U K , YO U K N OW B E F O R E IT BECOMES A TOTALITARIAN STATE AND MUSIC IS BANNED F O R E V E R .” BARRY BURNS
Once described as ‘the great survivors of post-rock and the Glasgow music scene’, Mogwai’s dedication to their city continues to shine brightly. “It’s always been strong and continues to be. I think that sort of pride in creativity fuels itself because once you have something that people think is worth something, there’s a strong desire to keep it going.” As a parting gift and a final hat-tip to his fellow Glaswegians, Barry gives his tips for a great new Scottish music soundtrack “Happy Meals, The Twilight Sad, Sacred Paws, Out Lines, RM Hubbert.” Better get searching… Mogwai bring their new album ‘Every Countrys Sun’ to Northumbria Institute on 1st February 2018. Tickets are available via www.gigsnortheast.co.uk/listings Dominique Daly
25
WHAT’S THE
it’s not too deep. I don’t think I ever really write anything particularly, like, hard to understand or anything. It’s just kind of the more I look at things and write about what I see. So for that one, it’s more about human nature really. It’s just kind of a point I’m making about the way we are as a race of people *laughs*, without it sounding too wanky. It’s just kind of about human nature really and history as well really. It’s actually not picking on something in particular. I don’t look at it as something that’s happened in the news or anything like that. I’m just kind of like trying to describe it as a whole, us as a whole.
CRAIC WITH SAM FENDER RISING STAR AND NEWCASTLE NATIVE SAM FENDER IS CARVING OUT A PATH TO THE TOP AT AN ALARMING RATE. WITH A SOLD OUT CLUNY SHOW, FOLLOWED BY A EUROPEAN TOUR WITH MINI-INDIE POSTER BOY DECLAN MCKENNA AND NOW A MAMMOTH HOMETOWN DATE AT RIVERSIDE ON 7TH DECEMBER, HE MAY JUST BE UNSTOPPABLE. HE’S YOUNG, BRIGHT AND MAKING MUSIC FOR HIS GENERATION. WE HIT UP SAM TO TALK THE HUMAN CONDITION, KIDS MAKING MUSIC AND BANDS HE’S CURRENTLY DIGGING… Your lyrics tend to exhibit a lot of social awareness. Particularly on your latest single ‘Start Again.’ What was your inspiration for this track? I think it’s pretty self-explanatory. It’s just one of them...
“...IT’S GREAT FUN TO PLAY AT HOME. WE HAD SUCH A G R E A T C R OW D AT THE CLUNY LAST TIME, AND IT WAS JUST SUCH A WO N D E R F U L G I G .” On ‘Millennial,’ you look at some of the struggles and criticisms young people currently face. Do you think there’s increased pressure on young artists to use their platform to write songs about social issues? I don’t think we’re under pressure to do anything. In fact I think it’s more like there isn’t really that much pressure on kids to become musicians. I think like music’s not really at the forefront of education- and it never was anyway- but it’s getting cut further and further. You hear about school music classes getting axed because of funding. So I don’t think that there actually is as many kids doing music as there used to be. I mean I don’t know, everyone’s got a laptop, and everyone’s a
producer. I don’t think there is any pressure on people writing social commentary stuff. You’re currently busy supporting Vant but will be doing a headline show at Riverside on December 7th. How does playing hometown shows in Newcastle differ to when you’re performing on the road? The home shows are probably a bit more nerve-wracking for us because well we’re [The band] all from Newcastle. The bass player’s French but he lives here, so all of us are probably nervous because there are people that we know that are at the shows. But obviously it’s just lovely, it’s great fun to play at home. We had such a great crowd at the Cluny last time, and it was just such a wonderful gig. Having a bit of time at home is nice because we’ve kind of just been dotting all over the shop. So it’s going to be exciting to come back and do riverside on the 7th to end the year off, have a party and see some friends and family. That’s what I think we’re all looking forward to. Where have you not performed yet but would like to in the future? Yeah, the states obviously. I’d like to do the states, and I would like to do just more of Europe and even further afield. Anywhere, anywhere that is somewhere I haven’t been. There’s nowhere in particular, I’d play anywhere. I’d like to play anywhere I haven’t been before. I’m up for that. Which other artists are you excited about at the moment? If I was going to go modern, I thought Loyle Carner’s album was sick, and I thought that Sampha’s album was awesome as well. I just like them two because they were mercury nominated and both really, really good. I’ve been listening to a band called Pinegrove and I’ve been listening to a lot of The War On Drugs. Sam Fender plays Riverside, Newcastle on 7th December 2017. Tickets available via www.gigsnortheast.co.uk/listings Interview: Tessa Bury
THE SHERLOCKS HAVE SUBVERTED THE NORM WHEN IT COMES TO FINDING SUCCESS; THEY’VE BEEN A STAPLE OF FESTIVAL LINE-UPS AND INDIE CLUB PLAYLISTS FOR THE LAST THREE YEARS, DESPITE ONLY RELEASING THEIR DEBUT ALBUM ‘LIVE FOR THE
SINGING IN THE STREETS WITH THE S H E R LO C K S
MOMENT’ IN AUGUST THIS YEAR. The lads seem to be onto a winner straight from the off, with this first effort finishing at no.6 in the official UK album charts. “The album had been a long time coming. We had been building our fan base for around four years until we had to release an album. It was great to finally get it out there. The hardest part about finally putting the album out was probably choosing which songs to put on it. We recorded extra songs in the studio, they all sounded unreal. So we had to whittle it down to just 12.” The boys from Barnsley are currently touring the US, hitting cities like Los Angeles and Seattle, a stark contrast from the humble English venues where they made their name. “Being in the US for a tour has been an absolute dream! The people are so into their music. The biggest difference between UK and US is the sheer scale of things; everything is larger than life and exactly like the films you watch growing up. The drives between shows are a lot longer too, we’ve done a couple of 7/8 hour drives.”
28
Next year the band make their way back across the pond for their biggest UK headline tour to date in February. “The fans will have had around six months to really digest the album by then. Our September tour was insane; we had fans singing on the streets to us from a dressing room
window long after the gig had finished. We already know that February is going to hit a new level!” “We’re particularly looking forward to playing the Manchester Victoria Warehouse because it’s the biggest gig we’ve ever done. It’s absolutely huge, and it’s also the last gig of the tour. Manchester will always have a special place in our hearts, it was one of the first cities to start things off for us – it has a vibe, and the people love guitar music!” Not long after finishing their UK tour, the four-piece will be joining Mancunian brit-pop legend Liam Gallagher on his European tour. The former Oasis frontman met the boys at Leeds Festival this year and seems to have taken a liking to the young upstarts. “Liam’s a top bloke. We were put forward to potentially support him just like probably a few other bands... so we can only assume he enjoyed our company and liked our tunes as there’s plenty of other bands he could pick if he wanted. So, we owe him a big thanks for having us; it’s great to see him back doing what he does best.” Touring with someone as infamous as Liam Gallagher must be a daunting prospect, but The Sherlocks are well up for hitting the road with one of their heroes. “We had a drink with him and the band backstage at this year’s Leeds fest, and he had us belly laughing with his stories and advice – he’s a living legend.” The Sherlocks play Middlesbrough Empire on Wednesday 14th February. Tickets are available from www.themiddlesbroughempire.co.uk/ Johnathan Ramsay
“THE HARDEST PART ABOUT F I N A L LY P U T T I N G T H E A L B U M O U T W A S P R O B A B LY CHOOSING WHICH SONGS TO P U T O N I T. W E R E C O R D E D EXTRA SONGS IN THE STUDIO, T H E Y A L L S O U N D E D U N R E A L .” 29
THE PALE WHITE The Pale White have been
unstoppable recently. They’ve had huge love from BBC Introducing at Radio 1. Playing not only the intro stage at Glastonbury but also Leeds and Reading. They also found time to headline Intro North East’s stage at Lindisfarne and release their debut 12” EP. Major label interest followed.
JAMILAH We first heard from Jamilah a couple of years ago. After spending time down in London she hooked up with Ebenezer and Bobi Lewis who worked with her on ‘Insta’, the first track to drop from her forthcoming EP. Now back in the North East the Jarrow lass has found herself on the 1 Xtra BBC Introducing Playlist. BROOKE BENTHAM ‘Heavy and Ephemeral’ was a game changer for Brooke Bentham. Picked up by Radio 1’s Huw Stephens as his Introducing Discovery of the week. Radio X’s John Kennedy’s also a fan. Brooke played the Intro Stage at this year’s Leeds and Reading Festivals. New EP ‘This Rapture’ coming soon. JAMES LEONARD HEWITSON James Leonard
NICK ROBERTS ONES TO WATCH 2018
SAM FENDER Sam Fender has had a great 2017. Spring saw the release of his debut ‘Play God’. This immediately excited Radio 1, Misterjam and Huw Stephens both wanting first play. He played a storming set of BBC Intro NE at the Surf Café, Tynemouth. Followed by a first headline show at The Cluny. December sees Sam headline the Riverside.
Hewitson’s described as a ‘Very good Hartlepudlian’ and who am I to argue? Think of a cross between Graham Coxon and Jarvis Cocker. Hearing him talk is almost as amazing as listening to the tunes. He’s had a track featured on Made in Chelsea. It’s old school indie played by his odd ball band. 6 Music’s Tom Robinson is a fan.
31
years as local acts. But the simple fact that it takes a little more effort to get to sets it apart from certain aspects of Newcastle’s infamous nightlife. It takes an especially drunken stag or hen to stumble this far along the river…
FIFTEEN
36 Lime Street hasn’t always been the place to be seen and heard, its humble beginnings coming about in 1848 when it first opened as a flax spinning mill. It wasn’t until the building was taken over by a Scotch whiskey bottling plant that it became known as The Cluny. In 2002 it first became a live music venue, when it was taken over by the Head of Steam Limited and it hasn’t looked back since. This October and November it celebrated its 15th anniversary with a string of gigs by the likes of local heroes Eat Fast, Cornshed Sisters and The Lake Poets.
YEARS OF THE CLUNY FAR AWAY FROM THE ROWDY BIGG MARKET AND TUCKED AWAY AROUND THE CORNER FROM THE BRIGHT LIGHTS OF THE QUAYSIDE, LIES A LITTLE VENUE THAT HAS BECOME THE MAINSTAY OF THE NEWCASTLE MUSIC SCENE OVER THE LAST FIFTEEN YEARS. The epicentre of the Ouseburn Valley, The Cluny is the place to be for local musicians and gig-goers alike. It’s hardly a best-kept secret, with as many well-known international touring bands playing the venue over the 32
... THE LEGENDARY GLAM-PUNK BAND N E W YO R K D O L L S BECAME THE NEWCASTLE DOLLS FOR A THREE NIGHT R E S I D E N C Y. . . One band that have come to regard The Cluny as a second home are local electronic alt-pop outfit Twist Helix. The band launched their debut EP and filmed
their first music video at the venue. “For us, musically or socially, The Cluny will always feel like home,” confirms singer Bea. The first show drummer James attended at the venue was Richard Dawson back in the summer of 2009. “The Cluny has a knack for hosting emerging acts on the cusp of taking off,” muses James. It isn’t just acts on the cusp of greatness that are attracted to The Cluny. The legendary glam-punk band New York Dolls became the Newcastle Dolls for a three night residency in September 2010 when they located to Blast Recording Studios to record ‘Dancing Backward In High Heels’. It was at The Cluny that I discovered Let’s Buy Happiness for the first time in the summer of 2010, a band I would see there regularly until they sadly disbanded in 2014. “Our first show at The Cluny was (supporting) Temper Trap,” recalls former LBH guitarist Graeme, now of Pet Deaths. “Me and Brown (former LBH bassist now of Eat Fast and Apologies) were in school on the daytime, and I don’t think I’d ever been so excited for something at that point in my life! The Cluny really supported us so much from then on.” Watching LBH evolve over those four years were some of the best times of my life and the summer days drinking on the grass outside the venue waiting for the shows seemed to last forever. “I would probably say that my best memory of The Cluny is our last gig,” ponders former LBH vocalist and artist, Sarah. “We had so much support and doing the gigs at The Cluny was a huge part of it… It was a really sweet moment to end it where it had all started.” Bands may come and go, but for fifteen years, The Cluny has gone from strength to strength. The main bar receives endless plaudits for its food and wide selection of real ales and world lagers. On any given night, you can wander in and find the next New York Dolls. Just don’t tell the stags… Paul Broadhead
digital graduate academy BOOST YOUR CV AND OPEN DOORS IN THE DIGITAL SECTOR
Half Page AD
Half Page AD
The Academy is made up of four bootcamps, allowing 92mm w x 128mm h you to choose which one you’d like to join based on your interests. Each has their own blend of industry-relevant topics that will give you a different perspective of the digital-tech sector. They are:
92mm w x 128mm h
If you are a degree-level graduate looking to enter the digital-tech sector, this is the perfect opportunity for you.
• BUILDING INFORMATION MODELLING • CREATIVE AND DIGITAL • DEVELOPER BOOTCAMP • PROJECT MANAGEMENT Find out more, visit newcastlecollege.co.uk/graduate-academy
Leave with an industry-recognised qualification Bootcamps take eight weeks to complete Pay for your course with an Advanced Learner Loan Three start dates throughout 2018
G N E LO O K S FORWARD LO C A L P R E V I E W S
THE PALE WHITE - 27TH JANUARY - RIVERSIDE, NEWCASTLE The Pale White are the spearhead of the North East’s rapidly growing rock scene, and they are ready to make a statement. The boys will be back in the Toon on January 27th playing their biggest headline show to date, at Riverside. It has been a stellar year for the hometown boys. They opened the main stage at the inaugural Hit The North festival, played Glastonbury and released their debut EP. With punishing drum beats and huge choruses they have all the ingredients to go to the top. Riverside on 27th January 2018 will be a celebration of just how good music in the North East is right now. Johnny Rogerson 34
FEVA - 2ND DECEMBER - JUMPIN’ JACKS, NEWCASTLE FEVA are set to play their first Newcastle headliner next month at Jumpin’ Jacks. The local four piece have recently released their debut single, titled ‘Blind,’ which received a massively positive reception. They have shared stages this year with artists like Anteros, The Strypes and our ‘local heroes’ The Old Pink House. They also performed at Neighbourhood Festival and Hit The North. FEVA will be supported by a new up and coming band by the name of Savana.
EAT FAST - 16TH DECEMBER - LITTLE BUILDINGS, NEWCASTLE Flying the flag for everything fuzzed out and garage-y, Eat Fast have been delivering short, sharp and hellish bangers for nearly two years now. Fast becoming one of the most talked about North East bands on the alternative circuit, the boys are often found skulking around the pages of DIY Magazine.
Their large local following managed to sell out the event in just 4 hours after tickets went on sale. If you didn’t manage to get tickets to this show, you can catch FEVA supporting Otherkin on December 8th at Tynemouth Surf Cafe. Bethan McConnell
So, whether you’re a fan of roots music revival or simply enjoy supporting the thriving local music scene – I’d recommend getting yourself along to the Ouseburn this December. John Patterson
This year they performed at Twisterella Festival, Middlesbrough, and Male won the Alan Hull Award at the Community Foundation which recognises songwriting talent in the North East. However, Cape Cub are also getting attention from further afield. Their 2015 single ‘Swim,’ received a widespread positive reception after actress Chloë Grace Moretz tweeted about it. Cape Cub will be playing old favourites and new material including their recent single ‘Flowers.’ Tessa Bury
ROB HERON & THE TEA PAD ORCHESTRA – 14TH DECEMBER - THE CLUNY, NEWCASTLE Local ragtime sensation Rob Heron & The Tea Pad Orchestra are heading back to their old stomping ground for what’s sure to be a hell of a show at The Cluny on 14th December. With five years of touring their own brand of swinging blues across the UK and beyond, they’ve developed a reputation for delivering room-shaking, must-see performances. Claiming influences that include Django Reinhart and Cab Calloway, the folksy five-piece have carved out their own sound, bringing traditional tunes storming back into relevance as well as releasing three stellar albums of original material.
CAPE CUB - 23RD DECEMBER - THE GEORGIAN THEATRE, STOCKTON Cape Cub began as a solo project for Teessider Chad Male that has since evolved into a fully fledged band with a loyal North East following.
Uniting a motley crew of some of the best off-beat bands Newcastle has to offer, Eat Fast are throwing a pre-xmas bash at Little Buildings where the Buckfast is sure to be flowing. Joining the band are jangly dreamers Headclouds, DIY post-punk outfit Luxury and an extra special reunion performance from Canyons. Dominique Daly
35
LINDISFARNE FESTIVAL SECURES A FOURTH YEAR THROUGH C R OW D F U N D E R
NORTHUMBERLAND’S OWN LINDISFARNE FESTIVAL HAS BEEN GIVEN A NEW LEASE OF LIFE AFTER A SUCCESSFUL CROWDFUNDER CAMPAIGN SECURED ITS FOURTH YEAR. Launched in 2015, the festival was created to bring together a host of amazing talent in a stunning location. The setting of Beal Farm in Northumberland, with views of Holy Island and Bamburgh Castle, gave the event a unique spin when compared to the featureless fields that many major UK festivals call home. This, as well as an enviable first line-up which included Reverend & The Makers, Craig Charles’ Funk/Soul DJ Set and Public Service Broadcasting, drew an impressive 2000 music fans to its first outing. In its sophomore year, Lindisfarne already seemed unstoppable. Adding an extra night, confirming solid headliners (Reef, British Sea Power) and throwing the BBC’s Introducing Stage into the mix they further established themselves as a credible, crowd-pleasing event.
However, there were rumblings of the issues to come as the festival website followed 2016’s weekend of music and hedonism with a sober request that people buy the next year’s tickets in advance to allow them to continue growing. Titled ‘THE FUTURE IS IN (Y)OUR HANDS’ the post juxtaposed the ‘much loved intimate and community vibe’ with a very real need for funding to make it happen. Any doubts were quickly cast aside when 2017’s festival not only went ahead, but brought indie darlings The View and The Fratellis in to headline the Friday and Saturday slots. Since then the capacity has grown further still, the acts have become larger and more diverse and it has made a respected name for itself amongst a widening field of boutique festivals. Everything seemed to be looking up for Lindisfarne once again until, in early October of this year they announced that they were in desperate need of funding to carry on the party.
Thanks to the organisers’ marketing savvy, what could have been a sad loss for the region has turned into an unmitigated success story. As of 31st October, the campaign raised £74,936 – almost £5k more than its target thanks to contributions from 421 supporters through the Crowdfunder site. An initial line-up has already been announced featuring local favourites Bessie & The Zinc Buckets and Hip-Hop Hooray as well as bands from slightly further afield like Perth-based folk duo Mad Ferret, with headliners and additional acts to be disclosed ahead of time. It’s fantastic news to see such an outpouring of support for a homegrown festival and we hope to see it rocking Beal Farm for many years to come. John Patterson
Although 2017’s festival saw a 38% increase in attendance, with almost 3500 people descending on the Beal Farm site, the financial reality was laid bare by the organisers who stated that they needed £70k of funding to cover the upfront costs and ensure that Lindisfarne could run for another year. Taking to Crowdfunder and banking on the generosity of festival-goers, they offered incentives ranging from a festival hoodie for a £30 donation up to a £10k pledge that offered local businesses a custom sponsorship package. The campaign drummed up a great deal of interest, with coverage in media outlets ranging from local publications (ChronicleLive, Northumberland Gazette) right up to national broadcasters (ITV News, BBC) relaying the news of a festival in jeopardy to eyes and ears across the UK.
37
NUE NORTH EAST THE OLD PINK HOUSE - NECK DEEP The Newcastle lads hit again with their cosmic pop crusade. ‘Neck Deep’ opens on swirling riffs and soaring synths as The Old Pink House once again deliver a slick slice of psychpop that can’t help but get you moving. Rising quickly, these four might just be the next big blow up from the North East. SEEING HANDS - TAKE ME BACK Seeing Hands, are back and bringing with them a darkly brooding, off-kilter-pop record in ‘Take Me Back,’ a track which is far more rooted in reality than day dream.‘Take Me Back’s’ lashings of reverb hit you like strong, disorientating waves, pulling you under into their world of nostalgia and longing. Fans of the band will be happy to hear the return of distinctive jangly guitars, psych-tinged synths, and slacker-love song lyricism.
HEADCLOUDS - SEEN IT BEFORE ‘Seen It Before’ is veritable earworm that will stick with you for days. Picking up support from heavy hitters like Phill Taggart, the un-assuming, lo-fi slackerism of ‘Seen It Before’ shimmies along with pleasant 60’s surf harmonies and building choruses that leave you feeling kissed by the sun.
FEVA - BLIND Straight-laced indie rock tune ‘Blind’ landed FEVA a sellout show in just a matter of hours. Sticking to their guitar-rock roots with simple but driving bass lines and huge, swirling sing-along choruses, ripe for chanting by beer-fueled fans. Feva fit neatly into a rising trend for guitar rock bands in the region and wouldn’t sound out of place on a playlist alongside heavy hitters like Kasabian.’
BROOK BENTHAM HAVE TO BE AROUND YOU Brooke’s latest release ‘Have To Be Around You’ from upcoming EP ‘This Rapture’ is simply divine, recalling artists like First Aid Kit and Laura Marling in her emotive, lamenting and captivating vocals. Speaking about the release, Brooke has said that it tackles the ‘wavering uncertainty of a new relationship.’
39
GNE
GALLERY CAPTURING THE ENERGY OF A LIVE SHOW IS WHAT WE’RE ALL ABOUT HERE AT GNE, BUT SOMETIMES IT’S BEST TO LET THE PICTURES SPEAK FOR THEMSELVES WITH THESE ACE SHOTS FROM SOME OF THE BEST SHOWS OF THIS QUARTER
Clockwise left to right: The Amazons - Riverside, Newcastle | Lauren Stewart, The Big Moon - Westgarth Social Club, Middlesbrough | Darran Moore, Rationale - The Cluny, Newcastle | Darran Moore, Fickle Friends - Riverside, Newcastle | Lauren Stewart
40
G N E LO O KS B A C K LIVE REVIEWS
THE JESUS AND MARY CHAIN -24TH SEPTEMBER - THE EMPIRE, MIDDLESBROUGH The set list slivers from classic to modern as the new album, ‘Damage and Joy’ gets an outing. Opening with ‘Amputation’, a track that already feels like it’s been around for a few years. Their glacial and majestic set tonight proves this; projecting something beautiful and otherworldly, time has only enhanced the plethora of songs the band possess. New songs showed a different direction to the band, in particular, the mellow fuzz-rock of ‘Mood Rider; and the bittersweet ‘Always Sad’, combining nihilistic lyrics and noisy indie-rock effortlessly well. Every single aspect of the band is so enticing, and the venue’s, dark, ‘grungy’ nature only improves the aura and adds to the atmosphere. Matthew Thomas PP ARNOLD - 23RD OCTOBER RIVERSIDE, NEWCASTLE PP Arnold’s list of collaborations reads like a who’s who of Rock ‘n’ Roll and she wastes no time delving into the history books of her fifty-year career in music, opening with ‘Whatcha Gonna Do,’ one of the songs she performed as an Ikette backing Tina & Ike Turner in the late 1960’s.
Following it with ‘River Deep Mountain High’ feels apt, these are the songs that brought a young PP to the UK and swinging ‘60’s London, a place that for so long she made her home. Backed by Steve Cradock of Ocean Colour Scene fame’s young touring band, she is jovial and dead set on entertaining the crowd, and she deserves a bigger one. The venue is far from a sell-out – but those in the know realise the part she’s played in Rock ‘n’ Roll history and respect her for overcoming trials and tribulations that would have buried artists with less self-belief and determination. She leaves the stage a true Soul survivor, but if tonight’s anything to go by, then the story is far from over. Paul Broadhead
DECLAN MCKENNA - 27TH OCTOBER NORTHUMBRIA INSTITUTE, NEWCASTLE The set opened with ‘The Kids Don’t Wanna Come Home’ a fan favourite, and I understand why. It proved an excellent choice and ended what seemed like a never-ending chant of ‘Oh Declan McKenna!’ as he went into ‘Make Me Your Queen’ and ‘Bethlehem’. Even though Declan was ill, he didn’t want to let the crowd down, so he swapped places with his drummer Gabi King as she had a go of crowd surfing in true Declan McKenna style, letting him show off his drum skills. If you want to see one of the UK’s best-rising indie stars, I would 100% recommend Declan McKenna. His lyrics are clever and honest, not to mention he is unquestionably talented. Lauren Stewart PP Arnold: Christopher Bishop @PicturesbyBish
41
GNE’S GUIDE TO AN A LT E R N A T I V E CHRISTMAS
FOR BETTER OR WORSE, THE FESTIVE SEASON HAS BEEN THRUST UPON US. CHRISTMAS ADVERTS ARE EVERYWHERE, AND THE TOWN IS LITTERED WITH TWINKLING LIGHTS. Traditional christmas isn’t for everyone, however, so if you prefer something a little more off-beat than hearing silent night belted out for the 10,000th time, we’ve got you covered.
Better Days ‘Christmas Show’ - 1st December - Riverside, Newcastle Geordie pop-punk lads Better Days kick off the festive season with their biggest headline show to date – in their hometown no less! The four-piece have been making waves this year, opening the Rock Sound Breakout Stage at Slam Dunk Festival and touring across the country – it’s time for a Christmas homecoming party! Christmas with Cattle and Cane - 16th December - The Old Cinema Laundrette, Durham Taking things down a notch, folk-pop aficionados Cattle and Cane may be just the band needed to give you that warm Christmassy feeling. With four out of five band members being family, C&C have a unique chemistry that’s allowed them to craft such a beautiful, harmonious and relaxing sound.
Lilliput ‘The Last Xmas’ - 23rd December - Independent, Sunderland After years of warming our heartstrings with harmonies and charm, Sunderland band Lilliput are calling it a day. To celebrate the end of an era, they’re coming together for the last of what has become a seasonal favourite, the Lilliput Christmas show. Expect all your favourite Christmas crackers with a few originals thrown in there. Smoove & Turrell’s Christmas Cracker - 23rd December - Boilershop, Newcastle Following a sell-out show in 2016, Smoove & Turrell’s Christmas Cracker returns to the Boilershop on 23rd December. Bringing with them a host of guests including Fletcher Jackson, DJ Deja Brew and DJ Chris Mojaxx Brackley, you can expect a jampacked evening of funk, soul and Christmas cheer. Johnathan Ramsay & Dominique Daly
43