PREVIEWS

MUSIC

DAVID BREWIS: THE SOFT STRUGGLES @ THE CUSTOMS HOUSE

Words: Niamh Poppleton

On Saturday 6th May, Field Music’s David Brewis will present a live rendition of his new album, The Soft Struggles, accompanied by a ten-piece orchestral band at the Customs House in South Shields. With jazz undertones and acoustic instrumentals, The Soft Struggles is David Brewis’ first solo album created outside of Field Music, and has been compared to Van Morrison’s Astral Weeks and Colin Blunstone’s One Year. Through a change to his songwriting approach, David has created a heartfelt album that tells a story to the keen listener. Overall, The Soft Struggles is a commentary on humanity, our relationships and the importance of community. Yet the album’s core focus is its discussion of growth: ageing and self-growth throughout the course of life, as we learn to overcome the trials and tribulations of each day. Alongside the stunning lyrics, the album is aided by atmospheric strings that tenderly pluck away at the listener’s heartstrings, and serve to showcase a special talent indeed.

David Brewis presents The Soft Struggles at The Customs House, South Shields on Saturday 6th May. www.daylightsavingrecords.bandcamp.com

Image by Rachel Pony Cassells

STAGE

WHAT IS LOVE? @ ARC

Words: Kate Relton

Taking us on a journey through storytelling, music and dance, What Is Love? explores the human condition of love at ARC in Stockton on Thursday 11th May. A preview performance written and directed by North East actor, writer, director and theatre-maker Umar Butt, What Is Love? is a show about connection, drawing on the thoughts and experiences of the audience as well as the performers. Through conversation, personal stories, music and dance, Umar Butt and Alberto Dumba explore the forms love can take, its meaning, and the science behind it. The show also questions the impact of culture, heritage and religion on our expectations and experience of love. Tickets are available to prebook on a Pay What You Decide basis.

What Is Love? Is performed at ARC, Stockton on Thursday 11th May. www.arconline.co.uk

MUSIC

THE LUBBER FIEND FIRST BIRTHDAY

Words: Lee Fisher

At last month’s Lubber Fiend benefit, P7GS front man Matt Baty explained from the stage that the Fiend is the venue Newcastle has desperately needed for years. And he’s right. Run along the most ethical/community lines – inclusive, eclectic and available – it’s a blessing, something we should cherish and support. Everyone knows it wasn’t easy to get up and running – jumping through council hoops, scrabbling for money – and Lord knows, it’s still a struggle. But the Fiend celebrates its first anniversary this month and that’s a big deal. After finishing April with Semi-Precious Fest, they kick off May with a week of gigs and parties. From Mexican space rock with El Universo (Tuesday 2nd), industrial electronics from Enxin/Onyx (Wednesday 3rd – Fiend mainstay Bish supporting at that one in his Basic House guise) to heavy psych with Ecstatic Vision (Thursday 4th), and a busy closing weekend: on Friday 5th, Yank hardcore outfit Bib will tear the Fiend a new one with a strong local support, while later that night eclectic/iconic Yugoslavian DJ Vladimir Ivkovic will head a bill also including Pink Keith and Gumukki. Saturday 6th is even busier: there’s the regular Makers Market in the afternoon then a gig from Penelope Trappes, Helm and Agnes Haus and finally a Slacks Radio Residents Party with Opal Tapes DJs. All that and a gig from electronics composer Bridget Ferrill to close things out on Sunday 7th. All good reasons to support your local fiend!

www.thelubberfiend.com

Amy May Ellis by Alice Farrington

MUSIC

AMY MAY ELLIS @ THE CUMBERLAND ARMS

Words: Cameron Wright

The latest offering from promoters Wandering Oak, who continue on their mission to deliver interesting, innovative and engaging live music across the North East, is a show featuring the beautifully delicate acoustic stylings of Amy May Ellis. With a slew of singles and EPs under her belt, Amy May Ellis has been building up a reputation for her pristine, gentle folk tracks that are all encompassing and transporting, and succeed in relocating the listener to the countryside. Stripped down to the bone, her music soundtracks falling raindrops, open meadows and the babbling brooks of the countryside, focusing on the tranquillity and mystique of nature. Drenched in the majesty and folklore of the wilderness, there’s something definitively human about Amy May Ellis’ songs, the stories they tell and the worlds they build. Her melodic, lilting voice guides you through gorgeous pastures and her picked strings hold your hand at every turn. Effortlessly radiant and introspective, there’s a shining light at the heart of her melodies. Bringing her music to The Cumberland Arms on Tuesday 30th May, the Yorkshire artist should be on the radar of anyone looking for passionate emerging folk stars.

Amy May Ellis plays The Cumberland Arms, Newcastle on Tuesday 30th May. www.amymayellis.com

Image by Ricardo de la Rico

MUSIC

GWAILO @ INDEPENDENT

Words: Jake Anderson

North East hard rock legends Gwailo bring their heavy hitting sounds to Sunderland's Independent on Saturday 27th May. The band have become notorious for their live shows; get a taste for the band’s thundering rock tunes via their 2019 EP, A Thousand Masks, which flaunts all the best bits of their sound, from the shredding riffs of Suicide to the catchy hooks of the drum-heavy Maybe I’d Believe It. The gig will also feature two other fantastic rock outfits, Pretty Velvet and Kulpa. Pretty Velvet are also pretty fresh to the North East scene, only having made their voices heard at the start of the year, but they’ve hit the ground running, having released their debut single Gunmetal Hearts in April. Kulpa have a few singles under their belt, with the band’s already unique alt. rock style being praised on platforms like BBC Introducing. Their latest banger, Bloodshot, features anthemic choruses and big riffs that’ll properly prepare you for the energetic night ahead.

Gwailo, Pretty Velvet and Kulpa play Independent, Sunderland on Saturday 27th May. www.facebook.com/gwailouk

STAGE

CLEAN AT 17 @ NORTHERN STAGE

Words: Amy McGarahan

Award-winning actress Katie O’Brien brings her autobiographical one-woman show Clean At 17 to Northern Stage on Friday 12th May. The show tells a humorous, self-reflective, taboo-defying story of O’Brien’s road to addiction recovery which began at the ripe age of 17. Addressing addiction must be extremely difficult at any age, but especially in your teenage-hood, and Clean At 17 shows how Katie O’Brien stopped drinking before it was legal for her to have even started. Taking audiences through the ups and downs of her 23-year sobriety and process of recovery, from 12-step programmes to

self-exploration, the show is comedic, sincere, and has interactive elements, so be prepared to immerse yourself in O’Brien’s journey. Creator of feminist performance group The Muffia, O’Brien found her feet in political, socially engaged comedy and theatre, and Clean At 17 is the latest addition to her roster of comedic stage performance.

Clean At 17 is performed at Northern Stage, Newcastle on Friday 12th May. www.northernstage.co.uk

MUSIC

MARRAPALOOZA @ VARIOUS VENUES

Words: Claire Dupree

Marrapalooza is the latest multi-venue shindig to emerge post-pandemic to satiate all your live music needs and, while we’re all for a drunken extravagant party (thanks Urban Dictionary), we’re more excited about the opportunity to see so many amazing live acts across a two day period. Taking place on Friday 19th and Saturday 20th May in Ouseburn Valley venues including The Cluny, The Cumberland Arms, Little Buildings and Star & Shadow Cinema, the aim of Marrapalooza is to introduce audiences to new DIY artists from across the UK as well as pay homage to some of our region’s most successful acts. The brainchild of promoters Portions For Foxes, Flat Four Records, Conviction Records and Little Buildings, the weekend’s roster is so good it looks like a clash-checker nightmare waiting to happen. Of particular note for fans of angst-driven indie punk will be a headline set from Durham faves Martha, who top the bill at The Cluny on Friday 19th alongside an as yet announced support line-up. Performing at venues on the Saturday from 1pm will be hard-hitting fuzz rockers Pit Pony, Edinburgh-based indie rocker and regular face in the region Withered Hand, quirky noise makers The Wave Pictures, Sheffield’s witty popsters Trust Fund, anti-folk artists Crywank, Sunderland’s oddball rock outfit SLUG, alt. lo-fi duo Mouses, power pop punks bigfatbig, folk punk trio Toodles & The Hectic Pity, riffy guitar band Feeble Strength, indie punks Good Grief and many more.

Marrapalooza takes place at various venues in the Ouseburn Valley, Newcastle on Friday 19th and Saturday 20th May. www.instagram.com/p4foxes

Image by Helen Murray

STAGE

I, DANIEL BLAKE @ NORTHERN STAGE

Words: Emily Ingram

When I, Daniel Blake first hit our screens in 2016, its gut-wrenching story offered a stark reflection of a country that couldn’t possibly get any worse. But, of course, it has: with 14.5 million people in the UK now living in poverty, it feels more important than ever that Ken Loach’s original vision is re-imagined for these unprecedented times. This is exactly what director Dave Johns plans to do with his stage adaptation, which will be arriving at Northern Stage from Thursday 25th May-Saturday 10th June. “I wanted to update the story for 2023… exploring more of single mum Katie’s journey and the family unit she forms with Daniel.” Explains Dave. “I wanted to show the kindness, compassion, humour, and hope that can help us through the toughest of times.” The production will feature David Nellist – star of West End productions of The Pitmen Painters and Billy Elliot – in the titular role, with Bryony Corrigan supporting as Katie. Ross Millard of the Futureheads will also be providing an original soundtrack, having been moved immeasurably after seeing the film at Tyneside Cinema back in 2016. With real passion evident in every corner of this production, I, Daniel Blake promises to be as iconic and urgent as the original.

I, Daniel Blake is at Northern Stage, Newcastle from Thursday 25th May-Saturday 10th June. www.northernstage.co.uk

FILM

THE NORTHERN FILM FESTIVAL @ ARC

Words: Liv Aldridge

On Thursday 25th May The Northern Film Festival will collaborate with ARC for a screening of the five showcase film pieces from BA (Hons) students of Film, TV & Theatre Production at The Northern School of Art. From interrogating loneliness in The Intricate Innards Of A Human Being (Kyle Flynn and Erin Johnson) to marrying the possibilities of speed dating with bloodshed in Making Your Acquaintance (Ella Patience), and a thrilling kidnapping ride through the British countryside in Indication (Alys Laurence and Leo Bradley), the festival programme features unusual thematic concoctions. There is also something for those with a classic taste, with 519(Kieran Erdis and Eve Colpitts) featuring an inquest in the aftermath of murder. The audience will also witness a play on perspective and the ontology of cinematography in As Far As The Eye Can See (Sarah Webber), where the audience will see through the lens of someone in the aftermath of an abusive relationship. The event provides a great opportunity to encounter a range of new ideas in film, and will be followed by discussion with the creative team about their processes.

The Northern Film Festival takes place at ARC, Stockton on Thursday 25th May. www.arconline.co.uk

MUSIC

SAUL ADAMCZEWSKI @ THE CLUNY 2

Words: Jonathan Coll

Peckham’s Fat White Family have been a fixture of the British indie scene for over a decade, having released three critically acclaimed albums and earning a reputation as one of the country’s most thrilling live acts. Now the band’s frontperson Saul Adamczewski is looking to further this musical legacy by embarking on a solo project, and is going on tour following the release of the future cult classic Adventures In Limbo. The album, which is out now, was recorded back in 2019. This was following a period of heavy introspection for the band, who have since been incredibly open about their battles with addiction and the pitfalls of success in the music industry. Thankfully, each member of the band is now thriving, and the multi-talented guitarist, songwriter and producer will be bringing his new live show to Newcastle’s Cluny 2 on Monday 8th May. Saul’s influences have often come from his fierce interest in abrasive music and extreme culture; recent project Two Patheticists Can’t Be Wrong! is suitably experimental for a figure who has often been described as a tortured genius, with the recent Patheticist Manifesto being a bizarre, otherworldy soundscape of static, spoken word and brutality.

Saul Adamczewski performs at The Cluny 2, Newcastle on Monday 8th May. www.instagram.com/saul.adamczewski

Chewy She by Noemie Reijnen

MUSIC

CHEWY SHE’S MOTH POPERA @ COBALT STUDIOS

Words: Jonathan Coll

Electro disco project Chewy She was born shortly after French vocalist and creator Garance Louis was visited by David Lynch in a dream, before performing in one of his clubs a short while later. It’s a suitably unusual origin story for one of the more exciting and ethereal performances out there right now, which seeks to blend a punk attitude with electro, bass and disco grooves, with a unique slice of chaos added in for good measure. Chewy She will find a comfortable home at Newcastle’s Cobalt Studios on Friday 26th May, where they will present The Moth Popera tour; a series of immersive live shows which incorporate theatre, comedy, fashion and art. The tour follows the release of their debut EP Run After Boyz, which was an ode to freedom, sex positivity, spirituality and feminism, and will include a multi-disciplinary performance from the band who collaborate with costume makers Ellie Oldfield and Emily Rees-Hayne, director Paulina Lenoir and choreographer Patricia Langa to incorporate electrifying musicianship, performers and backing dancers all served up with a heap of irony and theatrics. In short, it’ll be like nothing else you’ve ever seen – don’t miss out.

Chewy She’s Moth Popera is at Cobalt Studios, Newcastle on Friday 26th May www.chewyshe.com

MUSIC

COMFORT @ THE CUMBERLAND ARMS

Words: Cameron Wright

What’s Bad Enough is the debut album from Comfort, the Glaswegian siblings who have been making waves with their fusion of electro and punk. Loud, assertive and euphoric, Comfort make sounds that engage them; the brother and sister have clearly held two fingers up to any rhetoric, and this is extremely tangible in their songs, with each track swelling up into an extraordinary and proud ‘fuck you’. At its heart, the music is constantly trying to break the mould, as oscillating synth patterns fly over jaunty drum beats and spoken word passages are battered over this disjointed, dissonant wall of sound. Where defiance is rooted within the music, the lyrics are equally commanding, yet the focus here is on acceptance. The duo are vocal members of the LGBTQ+ community, with their music taking a staunch stance on the side of love, acceptance and understanding. Never shying away from addressing the politics, phobias and hate that marginalised communities experience, Comfort are all about openness and fighting back against stigma or intolerance. Capturing the heart of a new generation, Comfort are headlining a bill of queer acts at The Cumberland Arms on Sunday 28th May, with sets also coming from Fashion Tips, M-G Dysfunction and Sorority Grrrls.

Comfort release What’s Bad Enough on 5th May via Fatcat Records. They play The Cumberland Arms, Newcastle on Sunday 28th May with Fashion Tips, M-G Dysfunction and Sorority Grrrls. www.linktr.ee/comfortglasgow

STAGE

SEASON OF SURVIVAL @ LAUREL’S THEATRE

Words: Michael O’Neill

Tucked away in the heart of Whitley Bay’s town centre, multi-purpose venue Laurel’s houses a 75-seater fringe theatre which is proving to be a dynamic and enthralling addition to a town which has spent the last few years going from strength to strength. The venue is playing host to a unique season of plays and productions centered around an enthralling and challenging theme: survival. Co-founder and artistic director Jamie Eastlake explains: “This season is a celebration of survival. Of how to survive day to day [and] in our region, from the local social club to the survival of our species and the planet. It’s about artists striving, venues surviving, stories thriving.” The season begins with Chris Singleton’s deft exploration of loss and divorce How To Be A Better Human: Grief, Loss and Spoken Word (Thursday 4th-Friday 5th May); a one off performance of The Halls of Ridiculous from comedians Chris Lumb and Phil Allan-Smith (Saturday 13th May) and rounded off with a premiere run of Miles Kinsey’s It’s All In Your Head (Tuesday 16th-Saturday 27th May) which uses, of all things, the villainous Tweedy family of Chicken Run infamy as a springboard to explore marital toxicity, and whether cruelty is learned or inherited. All this, plus much more besides, makes the venue more than worth seeking out.

www.laurelswhitley.co.uk

Haru Nemuri

MUSIC

HARU NEMURI @ COBALT STUDIOS

Words: Laura Doyle

Back in the dark ages before the internet, an artist had to reach a certain level of notoriety to be in with a real shot at becoming a global phenomenon. But this isn’t the dark ages before the internet: and for all the less-nice things it’s done, you can’t deny the opportunities that creative folks across the globe can now access thanks to the wonderful world wide web. Haru Nemuri definitely didn’t envisage international fame when she first started putting out her idiosyncratic punk rock stylings, instead anticipating a decidedly more inter-Japanese reach. The thing about good music, though, is that you can’t keep it bound by geographical, cultural, or language barriers. Incorporating influences from both sides of the Atlantic, be it J-rock or the punk and nu-metal movements of the 2000s, Haru Nemuri makes music that is as universally comprehensible as it is critically acclaimed. Whether it’s the fury-fueled feminist anthem Anger Anger (ft. Jaguar Jonez) or the melodic metal of Never Let You Go, she embodies a controlled energy that is at once emotive and empowering. Bringing her captivating and contemplative show to Cobalt Studios on Thursday 25th May, Haru Nemuri is not a performance to be missed.

Haru Nemuri and Mayshe-Mayshe play Cobalt Studios, Newcastle on Thursday 25th May. www.harunemuri.love

COMEDY

JOHN KEARNS @ THE STAND

Words: Cameron Wright

Winning either Best Edinburgh Newcomer award or the Fosters Edinburgh Comedy Award at the notorious comedy festival is a badge of honour that thousands of comics a year strive towards, yet only one performer has won both and he did so back to back, in consecutive years. That comedian is John Kearns. Garnering a reputation amongst comics, John’s stage persona has been shaking up the system for a decade now. Launching his name into the public eye, the comedian recently completed a hilariously hapless run on Taskmaster, where his shambolic attempts and self-deprecating charm endeared him to the nation. Due to this well deserved summit in notoriety, Kearns’ latest tour has been extended further. Having already played to a sold out Newcastle crowd, Kearns is returning to The Stand on Sunday 14th May. The Varnishing Days may be a shock to those who learnt of Kearns through Taskmaster or his co-hosting role on Comedy Central’s Guessable?, not least due to his attire. Arriving onstage with a dishevelled wig, false teeth and exaggerated spectacles, the comic is quick to establish his stage persona as a separate character, a vessel for exploring the philosophical and the infantile in equal measure. With an air of poetry, the stage persona waxes lyrical and gets lost in the mythology of art, age and identity. Balancing the humour with a sense of poignancy and tragedy, John Kearns is one of the greatest comedians you are yet to hear of, and an exceptional watch.

John Kearns performs at The Stand, Newcastle on Sunday 14th May. www.johnkearnscomedy.co.uk

MUSIC

KOMPARRISON @ MIDDLESBROUGH TOWN HALL

Words: Jay Moussa-Mann

Before they take over the summer festival circuit across the UK this year, fiery pop quintet Komparrison are to perform at Middlesbrough Town Hall on Thursday 18th May in a brand new series of performances in partnership with BBC Introducing. Having enjoyed plaudits across the board for their 2022 released debut EP, You Say She’s Satisfied, Komparrison will bring their feel-good observational songs of life as a working class woman in the North East, alongside brat-pop duo ZELA and retro funk band Moon Wax. Music management Quiet Crown and independent promoter The Kids Are Solid Gold will work with BBC Music Introducing on Radio Tees and Middlesbrough Town Hall for a series of showcase gigs, with a different regional promoter co-promoting each one. May’s amazing line-up will be followed by more local talent in September, with Notion and Shin Gigs co-promoting Middlesbrough pop artist Finn Forster. Quiet Crown’s Henry Carden says: “We’re going to be working closely with other local music industry folks like Press On Vinyl and FairSound, as well as some of our favourite music photographers and videographers shooting each gig. We’re very much of the school of thought that if we pool resources and all join forces, we can make more of an impact for the artists involved.”

Komparrison, ZELA and Moon Wax play Middlesbrough Town Hall on Thursday 18th May. www.linktr.ee/komparrison

The St Pierre Snake Invasion by Ania Shrimpton

MUSIC

ST PIERRE SNAKE INVASION @ BOBIKS

Words: Matt Young

Welcome one and all to The St Pierre Snake Invasion, the ferocious Bristol five-piece eager to demolish Bobiks on Saturday 6th May. Not literally of course, but hey who knows? The unflinching command of the band on stage and their uncompromising heavy sound might shake the walls to dust! Their performances always hold the promises of delivering a truly memorable show that will leave you wanting more. Frontman Damien Sayell’s screaming vocal presence, mixing satire and social commentary, is backed up by the band’s truly exciting energy. TSPSI’s reputation proceeds them and in the relatively intimate Bobiks setting things could get very sweaty indeed when they launch into songs like the chaotic Braindead and the dark intensity of Casanovacaine, they’ll have you by the throat. As if the headliners weren’t a mouth-watering enough prospect (we know they are) things start cooking far sooner with supports coming from Brighton’s El Moono, who are known for their sludge-heavy soundscapes and catchy melodies, and Newcastle’s own Shower of Teeth launching their own frenetic screamo, fret bothering and skin pummelling manifesto. Expect an evening of dynamic, explosive energy.

The St Pierre Snake Invasion, El Moono and Shower of Teeth play Bobiks, Newcastle on Saturday 6th May www.tspsi.bandcamp.com

MUSIC

CLT DRP @ ZEROX

Words: Jake Anderson

One of the best examples of why genre barriers are becoming obsolete is the hard-hitting CLT DRP (and yes, that is pronounced ‘clit drip’). Self-described as “electro-punk renegades”, the group have created a style that is uniquely theirs, with their sound blending in elements of punk, electronica and pop. This smorgasbord of sounds is shown perfectly on the band’s single Aftermath. Opening with a spoken word introduction over some techno horror synths, it then incorporates angelic sounds until the song comes to its thundering culmination as lead vocalist Annie Dorrett screams over the roaring instrumentation. However, TORX might be more up the street for punk fans, with the single’s shouting vocals over a biting guitar riff leaning heavier into their punk roots. The band will bring their high energy sound to Zerox on Saturday 6th May as part of their EU and UK tour. Also performing will be electro-punk juggernaut Straight Girl, who guarantees to cause chaos during their live performance thanks to bass-driven assaults and grin inducing dance-fuelled merriment.

CLT DRP and Straight Girl play Zerox, Newcastle on Saturday 6th May. www.cltdrp.bandcamp.com

Eliza Hull

MUSIC

RUTH LYON & ELIZA HULL @ SAGE GATESHEAD

Words: Niamh Poppleton

Having connected over a shared experience of being disabled artists working in the music industry, Ruth Lyon and Eliza Hull are performing an intimate ‘Access All Areas’ event at Sage Gateshead on Thursday 25th May as part of their overall UK tour. Though the two women have a combined goal of celebrating and supporting disabled artists, they each diverge into separate musical genres. Australian musician and author Eliza Hull’s contemporary songs are inspired by her life experiences; Eliza has been writing songs and performing gigs since the age of 14, and through a calm, relaxing atmosphere and heartfelt lyrics her songs have an almost cathartic effect upon the listener. Newcastle singer-songwriter Ruth Lyon, however, has been inspired by Regina Spektor, Fiona Apple and Aldous Harding, and brings soothing, melodic, chamber pop/anti-folk songs to the stage. Her songs discuss the weighty topics of insecurity, self-doubt and the arduousness of coping with people’s expectations, allowing the listener to thoroughly relate to her songs. The event is part of Sage Gateshead’s From The Glasshouse series of shows, meaning tickets are priced ‘pay what you decide’.

Ruth Lyon and Eliza Hull perform at Sage Gateshead on Thursday 25th May. www.sagegateshead.com

Image by Anthony Robling

STAGE

LORD OF THE FLIES @ NORTHERN STAGE

Words: Jon Horner

An exciting new production of Lord of the Flies is coming to Northern Stage from Wednesday 3rd-Saturday 6th May. Director Amy Leach (Macbeth, Oliver Twist) and her creative team are set to bring William Golding’s 1954 classic story into the 21st Century, reflecting the world we live in now while remaining faithful to his fascinating, thought-provoking central premise of a group of boys shipwrecked and trying to survive and achieve rescue on an island with no adults. The story seems almost topical in a fractured modern world of populist politics, as its central themes of tribalism and fear begetting aggression gain weight daily. In a fascinating twist, the set will be black and white with the colour red introduced gradually as the island paradise descends into a savage hellscape. Leach has expressed her excitement at the “unmissable opportunity for us to all come together and explore what it means to be human and what we are capable of in challenging times.” A diverse, dynamic company of actors have been cast in order to enable younger audiences to “see themselves, their struggles and their strength reflected back at them from the stage.”

Lord of the Flies is performed at Northern Stage from Wednesday 3rd-Saturday 6th May. www.northernstage.co.uk

Ut

MUSIC

UT @ DISGRACELAND/ THE LUBBER FIEND

Words: Lee Fisher

For those of us who were into the atonal, forward-thinking, often punishing end of things in the eighties, Blast First releases were invariably essential – releasing or licensing everyone from Butthole Surfers to Sonic Youth, Dinosaur Jr to Big Black. And, of course, there was Ut: already scene veterans by the time they started putting out records on Blast First in the mid-80s, the trio – Nina Canal, Jacqui Ham, and Sally Young – appeared during the insanely fertile No Wave era in New York and by 1981 were based in London in time for the post-punk boom here. Their fertile blend of free jazz, noise, improvisation and radical politics was to some extent at odds with the often quite macho noise scene and their handful of albums – In Gut’s House, in particular – were remarkable. They finally split in 1989 and aside from a handful of reunion gigs have been dormant since. Until now. With their entire back catalogue being made available again after a long time, the trio will be playing three UK dates, including shows at Middlesbrough’s Disgraceland on Friday 26th and Newcastle’s Lubber Fiend on Saturday 27th May.

www.utmusic.net

ART & LIT

NEWCASTLE POETRY FESTIVAL @ NORTHERN STAGE

Words: Kate Relton

The seventh annual Newcastle Poetry Festival comes to Northern Stage from Thursday 11th-Saturday 13th May. Exploring the theme of community, the festival brings together writers, readers and publishers from across the world while showcasing talent from the North. Featuring readings, panel discussions, workshops and school events, the festival plays host to poets, filmmakers, professors and playwrights including Jamie Hale, Ahren Warner and Carol Ann Duffy. Highlights of the weekend include the T S Eliot showcase featuring two poets shortlisted for the T S Eliot prize; Born Lippy, the North East’s leading spoken word open mic night; a celebration of contemporary voices in 100 Queer Poems with Mary Jean Chan; and a performance of poems by Carol Ann Duffy and Imtiaz Dharker accompanied by musician John Sampson. The festival also includes the Northern Poetry Symposium 2023, which will unite the poetry community for a day of discussion, celebration and performance. A range of practical workshops will offer a chance to dig deeper into writing about people, exploring form and structure, and the history of the ghost poem, alongside much more indeed. Check the website for full listings.

Newcastle Poetry Festival runs from Thursday 11th-Saturday 13th May at Northern Stage, Newcastle. www.newcastlepoetryfestival.co.uk

Novelty Island by Jack Hope

MUSIC

NOVELTY ISLAND @ THE CUMBERLAND ARMS

Words: Jonathan Coll

Novelty Island is the creation of Liverpoolbased singer and songwriter Tom McConnell, who earned rave reviews for the stunning debut album How Are You Coping With This Century. Tom brings the project to The Cumberland Arms for the Newcastle leg of their 2023 tour on Saturday 13th May, which will also feature tracks from their brand new record Wallsend Weekend Television. The success of their debut album would lead Novelty Island to perform at Glastonbury, support local heroes The Pale White and embark on a UK tour of their own. Having been heavily influenced by the sounds native to his home city, the debut album was a suitably fantastic blend of surreal pop, melody, harmony vocals and wry humour. The follow-up is altogether more adventurous, though it was initially planned to be the first record they released, and takes the form of a conceptual TV channel. GoGo is an excellent slice of indie rock, whereas Sea Miner is dripping with synth pop joy. This all augers incredibly well for the forthcoming live shows, and being able to see such a talented outfit in a venue as intimate as The Cumberland Arms is not an opportunity to miss, particularly when the support includes winsome outsider popsters Dog Years and spoken word electro artist Faithful Johannes.

Novelty Island, Dog Years and Faithful Johannes play The Cumberland Arms, Newcastle on Saturday 13th May www.novelty-island.com

COMEDY

ALASDAIR BECKETT-KING @ THE STAND

Words: Cameron Wright

I first became acquainted with Alasdair Beckett-King through his extensive collection of YouTube sketches, each ranging from 30 seconds to two minutes tops. The short bursts of comedy are overflowing with personality, parodying various genres of comedy, cinema and TV. What captured my eye was the level of nuance and detail in his sketches, and how specific the observations in each parody were. Others may be more familiar with the comic through his appearances on the final few series of Mock the Week, where he displayed a brilliant speed and penchant for wordplay, as well as the absurd. Bringing all his comedy prowess, as well as his signature ginger locks, to The Stand on Tuesday 16th May, the tour will demonstrate Beckett-King’s knack for twisting astute observations into the whimsical and aloof, but also his passion for multimedia. The Interdimensional ABK explores a series of timelines, fighting to make ours the best. Focused on happiness and overcoming misery, the comic leaps into the obscure and the random with ease, plucking out hilarious anecdotes, aided by his equally stylised illustrations. Expect a night of idiosyncratic animations, hilarious storytelling and fantastic comedy.

Alasdair Beckett-King performs at The Stand, Newcastle on Tuesday 16th May. www.abeckettking.com

Rivkala

MUSIC

GENERATOR’S FIRST NOTES SHOWCASE @ THE CUMBERLAND ARMS

Words: Tom Astley

Sunday 14th May sees live music on the terrace outside The Cumberland Arms from Generator’s roster of First Notes young musicians, who will perform brand new music. With free admission, live music from 2.30pm until 8pm, DJs and food trucks (not to mention the Cumberland’s usual array of refreshments), the gig promises an early start to the festival season. All that would be enough to make it a grand afternoon out, but the music makes it a ‘must not miss’. The musicians are all artists on the Youth Music funded First Notes programme at Generator, and this gig will offer a laid back platform to introduce new compositions. Highlights of a packed running order include Maius Mollis, whose new track Feel It Hard has a fragile sincerity in the lyrics over a just-contained backbeat and electric guitar, when it comes to the live performance Maius Mollis strips back her folk-inflected songs to just guitar and voice, giving them a whispered power to fill any space; talented songwriter Cosial offers confessional bedroom pop with grunge inflections; Tia Leoni provides some smooth RnB; up-and-coming singer-songwriter Rivkala fuses soul and disco; ukulele-driven pop musician Borrelle; alongside brand new artists Jenali, Claire and Purle. The eclectic mix of artists not only makes for an excellent line-up, but also showcases the exciting, diverse music being made in the region.

Generator’s First Notes Showcase takes place at The Cumberland Arms, Newcastle on Sunday 14th May. www.generator.org.uk

Larry Achiampong, WayFinder2022. Feature-length single-channel 4K film with stereo sound. Commissioned by Turner Contemporary with MK Gallery and Baltic Centre for Contemporary Art © Larry Achiampong. All rights reserved, DACS/Artimage 2022. Courtesy the artist and Copperfield, London

ART & LIT

LARRY ACHIAMPONG: WAYFINDER @ BALTIC

Words: Caleb Carter

Reformulating patterns of Britain from the vantage of somewhere within its very coughing mosaic, Wayfinder madlibs the collective unconscious to excavate the relation between who speaks history and who controls it. Docking at Gateshead’s BALTIC just as Hew Locke’s Procession packs its bags, Larry Achiampong also challenges the othering of displacement by relocating its nomadic multitudes, but unlike his peer, he prospects the shores of digital art, alongside his debut feature film audio work and a ‘games room’. Speaking with Turner Contemporary (who commissioned the titular centre film), Achiampong cited his urge to “think about the things that aren’t being said or that should be said.” So continues the work of this artist-cum-archaeologist, whose career has been an odyssey enchanted with the jewels of testimony. Wayfinder illuminates the junkyard almanac of history whilst confronting its colonial encryptions, darning the weave of an isle whose divisions are intrinsically geographical to observe that when a country closes its borders, a historian closes its text, or an artist closes its frame, they then become relics. With the kind of cultural acquisition in the migrant experience, and like Zelda traversing a bitrate ruinscape, Wayfinder accrues these artefacts like powers that might unlock previously foggy corners of maps.

Larry Achiampong: Wayfinder is at BALTIC, Gateshead from Saturday 20th May–Sunday 29th October. www.baltic.art

MUSIC

HECTOR GANNET @ SAGE GATESHEAD

Words: Jon Horner

Fans of Hector Gannet’s gorgeous debut album, Big Harcar, may or may not know that some of the music from that album came from pieces they wrote to accompany archive footage relating to the industry and culture of the North East coast for a film with North East Film Archive (NEFA) and the British Film Institute (BFI). Performances of the film and live soundtrack sold out arts venues across the country, and now Hector Gannet have been granted exclusive licence by NEFA for a one-off performance of the soundtrack to the film at a fittingly grand venue, Sage Gateshead’s Hall 2, taking place on Saturday 6th May. Aaron Duff, lead singer and songwriter with Hector Gannet said: “This is amazing news. We performed the live soundtrack a few years back in small venues which was great, but to perform with the film on a huge screen in a world-renowned and purpose built venue like the Sage is massively exciting, me and the full band really can’t wait to do this.” They will also perform songs from their excellent new album The Land Belongs To Us.

Hector Gannet perform at Sage Gateshead on Saturday 6th May. www.hectorgannet.com

ART & LIT

FIONA CRISP: WEIGHTING TIME @ SUNDERLAND MUSEUM & WINTER GARDENS & NGCA

Words: Liv Aldridge

Artist and photographer Fiona Crisp’s two-part survey exhibition Weighting Time opened at Sunderland Museum & Winter Gardens last month, and continues at NGCA from Saturday 6th May. Fiona Crisp has held residencies in historically and geographically significant places such as The British School in Rome and the Vinstra Region in Norway, and her work often echoes something specific to place. The survey exhibition offers a diverse, well-researched array of photographic and film work and includes a large-scale public artwork that is made for Sunderland’s Mowbray Park. The Sunderland Museum show revolves around Crisp’s engagement with framing a ‘view’whether that be visual, political or philosophical. As is typical with Crisp’s work, preoccupations with the thresholds between public and private, light and dark, come to the fore. Whilst the NGCA show is centred around Crisp’s work made in the other-world of underground and enclosed spaces including mines, theatres, laboratories and catacombs, and also includes a film installation set under the North Sea, offering a multi-media exploration of how the camera moves between spaces, from the formation of galaxies to the Big Bang.

Fiona Crisp’s Weighting Time is at Sunderland Museum & Winter Gardens until Saturday 3rd June, and at NGCA from Saturday 6th May until Sunday 3rd September. www.fionacrisp.com

Ulrika Spacek by Eddie Whelan

MUSIC

ULRIKA SPACEK @ ZEROX

Words: Jonathan Coll

Ulrika Spacek made their long-awaited return to the touring circuit in November 2022, with the alt. rock outfit having been on hiatus since 2018. They had previously enjoyed critical acclaim for each of their two full length albums, The Album Paranoia and Modern English Decoration, and their live performances had drawn praise too, for both Rhys Edwards’ gentle vocals and the band’s hypnotic solos. The good news is that as well as their forthcoming tour, which drops in to Zerox on Tuesday 23rd May, the band have brand new album, Compact Trauma, to show off. Ulrika Spacek themselves were originally formed back in 2014 but the band’s roots date all the way back to 2002, when Rhys Edwards, Joseph Stone and Ben White formed The Enigma Project. Following a period of flux with the name and composition of the band, they began to make a name for themselves with a blend of abstract rock and hazy vocals. Their new album is an impressive return, and one which directly addresses their prolonged absence. Opening track The Sheer Drop speaks to the pressures of the music industry itself, while serving as a timely reminder of what makes them such a vital band on the DIY circuit.

Ulrika Spacek play Zerox, Newcastle on Tuesday 23rd May. www.ulrikaspacek.com

MUSIC

HOUSE OF ALL @ THE CLUNY

Words: Laura Doyle

If any of the faces in House of All look familiar, it’s because they should. Mancunian punk outfit The Fall may effectively be no more since the passing of founding member Mark E. Smith, but one benefit of an almost revolving door of band members means there’s plenty of choice when it comes to ambitious reunion projects. You can now find co-founding member (and original vocalist) Martin Bramah joining forces with fellow Fall alumni: House of All’s line-up consists of longest serving bassist Steve Hanley alongside drummer and brother Paul, fellow ex-Fall-drummer Simon Wolstencroft, and last but not least The Fall’s final guitarist Pete Greenway. With a membership which stretches the entire lifespan of their previous collective, House of All definitely has a well-rounded skill set to draw from. And wouldn’t you know it – they already have a self-titled album out marking their efforts as a team. With relentless chords and philosophies wrapped up in Bramah’s purring Mancunian drawl, House of All claims to take its space amongst its predecessor’s finest. While this unlikely fivesome may not have shared a stage as The Fall, fate has given them all this chance to come together to make sweet music on their own terms: witness it live at The Cluny in Newcastle on Monday 22nd May.

House of All play The Cluny, Newcastle on Monday 22nd May. www.houseofall.bandcamp.com

Richard Hardisty

COMEDY

RICHARD HARDISTY @ GALA THEATRE

Words: Liv Aldridge

After great success at Edinburgh Fringe in 2022, rising star Richard Hardisty is touring his show Silly Boy, and will be making a stop at Gala Durham on Friday 19th May. This soul-wrenchingly raw show chronicles an unusual life and experiences of mental illness such as anorexia and bipolar disorder as well as drug addiction. What seems common in reviews and audience responses is the way in which the show (despite covering dark territory) provokes swathes of laughter in the audience. Hardisty has already got two sell-out performances of Silly Boy in New York and London under his belt, and counts peers like Simon Amstell and Richard Gadd as fans. His work radiates the promise of authenticity, nerve and paradox and Hardisty’s show has not only been praised for its quality as comedy, but for its educational value: he was even invited to perform in front of 150 therapists at an NHS conference. If you want to witness how all these elements come together in a one-man show, get your tickets asap.

Richard Hardisty performs at Gala Theatre, Durham on Friday 19th May. www.richhardisty.com

MUSIC

LOST IN THE WOODS 10TH ANNIVERSARY @ THE STUDIO

Words: Jake Anderson

10 years is a long time in the music industry, and for any promoter to stick at it – particularly after such a tough few years – is surely a mark of tenacity and passion for the cause. Promoters of psychedelic wonders, Lost In The Woods reach this very milestone on Friday 5th May, and they’ll be celebrating in style with a pretty great show at The Studio in Hartlepool. The night will be headlined by much-loved local space-disco duo Warm Digits, whose sound weaves elements of post-punk, Krautrock vibes and considerable heft in the synths-meets-beats department. Also on the bill is Black Helium, a psychedelic rock band from London who promise to captivate their audience with fuzzy and occult sounds; Newcastle outfit TV Death, who are known for their grungy and noisy rock and roll; and rounding off the line-up is Frog Dylan, Merseyside-based newcomers who wear their Velvet Underground influence with pride, as they strike that balance of heartbreaking songwriting and brash rock.

Lost In The Woods celebrate their 10th anniversary at The Studio, Hartlepool on Friday 5th May. www.facebook.com/inthefreakyforest

Magic Castles

MUSIC

MAGIC CASTLES @ THE COMMON ROOM

Words: Matt Young

American neo-psychedelic rockers Magic Castles make a pretty rare appearance in the UK this month when they arrive to mesmerize the crowd at The Common Room on Monday 8th May with their blissed-out blend of psychedelic rock and dreamy soundscapes. Drawing inspiration from the 60s psychedelic era, 80s indie, 90s shoegaze and beyond, they create a unique sonic experience with a sound that is comfortably familiar and yet completely their own. Showcasing music from their critically acclaimed albums Sky Sounds and Starflower, along with their 2021 release Sun Reign, the Minneapolis-based band has an uncanny knack of creating cohesive audio landscapes that are immersive and transportive. Led by main songwriter Jason Edmonds whose vocals, often buried beneath layers of reverb and distortion, add to the sandstorm of swirling guitars and hypnotic rhythms give it a lush, ethereal feel. Existing fans and newcomers, whether into dream pop, ambient pop, swooning harmonies and wall of sound guitars washing over them, will love the immersive nostalgia Magic Castles evoke. If you’re into Slowdive, Galaxie500, Sonic Boom, Panda Bear or Beach House you’ll appreciate the many touchstone references here, but then equally embrace Magic Castles on their own terms and get lost in their music.

Magic Castle play The Common Room, Newcastle on Monday 8th May www.linktr.ee/themagiccastles

Image by Matthew McHale

STAGE

HAPPY PLACE @ NORTHERN STAGE

Words: Jon Horner

After a successful run at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival 2022, Forget About The Dog bring their signature trademark of outrageous comedy, puppetry, physical theatre and live music to Northern Stage on Friday 26th May. Happy Place is a comedic show commenting on society’s perception of what it means to be happy in a world where technology continues to evolve. It has been described as a Black-Mirror-meets-Monty-Python-meetsJumanji adventure, exploring happiness, friendship and the role technology plays in our world. In a near dystopian future, corporations have commodified happiness into virtual reality booths called Happy Places, costing just the price of a coffee for limitless experiences. Follow four strangers on an extraordinary journey as they find themselves locked inside their own Happy Place. As reality and fantasy start to merge, this unlikely quartet will have to traverse mountains, fight their demons and navigate customer services if they are to stop their happiness turning into a nightmare. Hexham raised company member Jordan Larkin said: “This is our fourth show as a company and it’s certainly our biggest yet. Creating this show has been a vessel for discovery for us all and alongside it being an imaginative, engaging and humorous production we also deeply believe in the message and meaning within it.”

Happy Place comes to Northern Stage, Newcastle on Friday 26th May. www.northernstage.co.uk

MUSIC

DEAD KENNEDYS @ THE BOILER SHOP

Words: Matt Young

Legendary controversial, satirical, but first and foremost punk-defining rock band Dead Kennedys are set to ignite the stage at Newcastle’s Boiler Shop on Friday 12th May. Unfortunately this time it’ll be without Jello Biaffa or sadly departed D.H. Peligro, but founders East Bay Ray and Klaus Flouride are on hand to blitz the place with new band members. For the uninitiated, Dead Kennedys are known for their politically charged lyrics, blistering guitar riffs and energetic live performances which carved out the American punk rock scene since their formation in the late 1970s. Transport yourself back to the golden era of punk rock, if you will; moshing and bellowing along to songs like Holiday in Cambodia, Too Drunk to Fuck and California Uber Alles. If only the same issue weren’t still a current nightmare for the world – crisis, corruption, political deceit – the Dead Kennedys have railed against it all, and it’s as relevant today as it was when they last released any new music back in 1986 on Bedtime For Democracy. Not that new material matters a great deal, honestly – you come for the attitude and the hits. The band’s rebellious spirit still renders the critical, virile sounds of their youth, despite the passing years.

The Dead Kennedys play The Boiler Shop, Newcastle on Friday 12th May www.deadkennedys.com

ART & LIT

FLUXUS FIELDS @ THE CLUNY

Words: Los Ruis

The art gallery in Newcastle venue The Cluny is positioned in between the main bar and the toilets which feels fitting for Fluxus Fields, an exhibition inspired by the late 1960’s Fluxus artists and their attitude. In that moment between making the piss and taking the piss, or as you are en route to create your own loose but robust movement, you can enjoy new artworks inspired by Fluxus. Fluxus was an international, interdisciplinary community of artists, composers, designers and poets who during the 1960s and 1970s engaged in experimental art performances that focused on the ideas and the process of creating, rather than being obsessed with the final product, and who most importantly of all, never took themselves or the art world too seriously. The exhibition will showcase new works and site specific art that invites the proletariat to engage with art without feeling intimidated or self-conscious, and the elite to loosen the fuck up, stop overthinking and actually permit an emotional rather than cerebral response. When you have finished with the art and you actually make it to the bogs, remember that ultimately Duchamp and his readymades are responsible for all this irreverence and sign your shitter or urinal R. Mutt before you leave.

Fluxus Fields exhibition is at The Cluny, Newcastle from Friday 19th May-Friday 30th June. www.instagram.com/fluxus_fields

Humour

MUSIC

SONGS FROM NORTHERN BRITAIN @ THE GEORGIAN / THE GREEN ROOM

Words: Jake Anderson

Tees Music Alliance and The Kids Are Solid Gold have joined forces once again for the ninth iteration of Songs From Northern Britain, which will take over The Georgian Theatre venue and bar as well as neighbouring Green Room on Saturday 13th May. Since its inception the mini festival has prominently featured some of the most talented acts from the North of the UK. Headlining this year will be Edinburgh’s Swim School, who’ll be playing tunes from their upcoming sophomore EP. The three-piece group are familiar faces on Teesside, with the band having enjoyed a rave reception for their noise and dream pop concoctions at Stockton Calling last year. Another Scots act on the line-up are Glaswegian punk outfit Humour, whose visceral sound has already made a strong impression. Closer to home, Teesside’s own Sarah Johnsone also performs; a quickly rising star in the North East’s indie pop scene, Sarah’s knack with hook-filled melodies and impressive vocals make her a real joy to watch live. Also on the bill are alt. rockers The Joy Hotel, the escapist pop of Rudi Zygadlo, the powerful folk rock of Hector Gannet, soulful Americana artist Ren Lawton, melancholic songwriter Michael Timmons and legendary Tyneside gothic rock legends Ghost//Signals.

Songs From Northern Britain takes place at The Georgian Theatre & The Green Room on Saturday 13th May. www.georgiantheatre.co.uk

MUSIC

AND SO I WATCH YOU FROM AFAR @ NEWCASTLE UNIVERSITY STUDENTS’ UNION

Words: Kate Relton

Fresh from a sell-out run in Ireland, instrumental rockers And So I Watch You From Afar bring their raw energy and power to Newcastle University’s Student Union on Wednesday 24th May. Touring relentlessly for nearly two decades, the Irish four-piece have gained a cult following around the world, and have become known for their experimental and euphoric sound which refuses to be pigeonholed in any genre or style. After the success of their homecoming show in Belfast last year, their appearance at Newcastle University Student’s Union is just one of a packed schedule of dates, taking in cities across Europe and the UK. An overwhelming riot for the senses, And So I Watched You From Afar’s live shows are renowned for delivering thrilling escapism and joy.

And So I Watch You From Afar perform at Newcastle University Students’ Union on Wednesday 24th May www.asiwyfa.com

Abigail Hampsey, An Allegory of Life and Time, Oil on Canvas with Mixed Media, Bronza and Plastic, 170x160cm, 2022

ART & LIT

X – CONTEMPORARY BRITISH PAINTING @ NEWCASTLE CONTEMPORARY ART

Words: Claire Dupree

The painting art form covers such a broad spectrum of mediums and disciplines that to put all work in the same category almost seems reductive. A new exhibition at Newcastle Contemporary Art seeks to demonstrate some of these many and varied approaches to the art form, and brings together the work of over 80 artists in a vibrant exhibition which is ambitious in its scope. Running at the Newcastle gallery from Saturday 20th May to Saturday 17th June, X – Contemporary British Painting explores everything from photorealism to gestural abstraction, tiny intimate studies to big bombastic works, and paintings that come off the wall and make you question what you’re looking at. Included in the exhibition are several award-winning artists including Narbi Price (who also curated the exhibition), John Moores Painting Prize winners Paula MacArthur, Nicholas Middleton and Mandy Payne, Venice Biennale exhibitor Phil Illingworth, and British Academy awardee James Quin alongside prizewinners and nominees of the Turner Prize and members of the Contemporary British Painting collective, an artist-led group which seeks to promote current trends and artists through group exhibitions and supportive activities. Other names of note include George Shaw, Andrew Grassie, HUSH, Biggs & Collings, Gordon Dalton, Abigail Hampsey, Laura Lancaster, Rachel Lancaster, Ellen Ranson and Paul Smith. The launch event, which coincides with The Late Shows, will also include DJ sets from Opal Tapes founder Bishop, and Maximo Park frontman Paul Smith.

X – Contemporary British Painting is at Newcastle Contemporary Art from Saturday 20th May-Saturday 17th June. www.visitnca.com