NARC. #188 October 2022

On a day in mid-September I realised that I had actually breathed properly for the first time in several weeks. I was stood in an arboretum in North Yorkshire, and as I gazed around at the tall trees and took a deep breath of crisp Autumnal air, I literally felt something in my chest expand and my mind calmed. Whether this is forest bathing or friluftsliv (the Swedish term for loving nature, and yes I googled it, so sue me), all I can tell you is that over the last several weeks – and for many more to come – I’ve been overworked, stressed out and anxious. Trees, it seems, help.

Earlier in the year I took a trip to Washington Wetland Centre (it’s mint, you should go!) and found comfort in an instruction on how to engage in mindfulness – “observe one of the ducks, imagine what it’s thinking” – since my insane workload has stopped me from leaving the house lately, I’ve practised this method with garden birds, and have observed that they’re probably mostly thinking about food (same, TBF). So, whether you wanted this brain dump or not, I’m here to tell you that nature helps. So does music, actually. And this month has been soundtracked by the pissed off sass of Self Esteem and the fearful/joyful noise of cover stars Martha. I hope you find something within these pages to calm your mind, and help you breathe a little more easily.

PREVIEWS

4 HIGHLIGHTS

The pick of the in

6 OCTOBER PREVIEWS

Live music from Xeno & Oaklander, Ren Lawton, Ruth Lyon, The Snuts, BCUC, Maximo Park, Amateur Ornithologist, Dystopian Future Movies, beabadoobee, Penetration, Naima Bock, Peaness and loads more; plus exhibitions Hinterlands and Jala Wahid at BALTIC and Peter Hanmer at Newcastle Arts Centre; comedy courtesy of Luisa Omelan at Tyne Theatre & Opera House, Sean McLoughlin at The Witham and a whole host of post-Fringe goodies at The Stand; there’s a bumper crop of theatre at Northern Stage, with productions A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Noughts & Crosses, The Importance of Being Earnest and Quiet Rebels gracing the stage, plus gobscure’s Heartfelt at Live Theatre, Utopian (ts&cs apply) at ARC, Menstrual Rage at Hartlepool Town Hall amongst much more!

PREVIEWS

OCTOBER’S DIVERSIONS INCLUDE FOODIE DELIGHTS MIXED WITH LIVE MUSIC, AN EPIC SOUND AND LIGHT INSTALLATION, TOP NOTCH LOCAL COMEDY AND MUCH MORE!

ART & LIT

UNTIL SUNDAY 15 JANUARY JANINA

SABALIAUSKAITE:

SENDING LOVE

The first solo exhibition by the Lithuanian-born, Newcastle-based artist, photographer, researcher and curator, Sending Love is a love letter to her transnational LGBTQ+ community, showcasing portraits of friends and chosen family, with the intention of making Queer feminist lives visible. Northern Gallery For Contemporary Art, Sunderland www.instagram.com/ janinasabaliauskaite

EVENTS

SATURDAY 1

THE GREAT MARKET CAPER

Expect a night of first class entertainment from rapper Kema Kay, rhythm and blues group The King Bees and songwriter extraordinaire Martin Stephenson. Plus there’s stand-up comedy, line and belly dancing, DJs and vegan tacos from Cantina Newcastle alongside other food offerings. Grainger Market, Newcastle www.thecaper.co.uk

STAGE

WEDNESDAY 12

LIFE BY LUXMURALIS

A sound and light installation which encourages the viewer to contemplate the human impact on our planet. Taking the viewer from sunrise to sunset, digital installations will be projected onto the architectural features of the cathedral, making for a thought-provoking explorative journey. Runs until Sunday 16th October. Durham Cathedral www.durhamcathedral.co.uk

SATURDAY 1

WHAT SONGS MAY DO

Created by Rendez-Vous Dance artistic director Mathieu Geffré, What Songs May Do is an inclusive dance duet which exposes the fractured relationship of a once romantic couple as they delve into their past in an attempt to rebuild their future together, told through a soundtrack of Nina Simone’s songs. Gosforth Civic Theatre, Newcastle www.rendez-vousdance.com

MUSIC SUNDAY 2

THE EARLY PURPLE

Having taken the roof off Gosforth Civic Theatre when they supported Efterklang last month (their first ever gig, incidentally) this headline show from The Early Purple as part of North Sea Weekender will be a great opportunity to catch the melodic Fleet Foxes-meets-Midlake folk rockers. Support comes from songwriter and multiinstrumentalist Maius Mollis. Watch House Museum, Tynemouth www.linktr.ee/theearlypurple

MUSIC THURSDAY 13

NICK HART

With a rapidly growing reputation for producing nuanced English folk, multiinstrumentalist and award-winning songwriter Nick Hart brings his captivating sound to The Globe. Having released an album of traditional folk songs recorded during lockdown, he’s been praised for his respectful treatment of tradition and atmosphere. The Globe, Newcastle www.nickhartmusic.com

MUSIC FRIDAY 14

TREETOP FLYERS

Having been compared to the likes of Midlake and Fleetwood Mac for their brooding West Coast pop rock style, Treetop Flyers’ highly melodic and instantly classic tracks are rooted in British rock ‘n’ roll. Recent album Old Habits takes influence from the likes of the Faces, Van Morrison, The Who and George Harrison. Old Cinema Launderette, Durham www.treetopflyers.co.uk

Dyke Power from Gender Nonconforming Lesbian Visitibility series, 2021. Courtesy of the artist

Image by Mickael Mocoeur

SATURDAY

NORTHERN STAGE IS

CURIOUS

Curious Arts present a night of theatre, comedy, performance and more from Queer Northern talent.

Hosted by performance legend and ‘anti-drag’ queen David Hoyle, expect feminist lip sync from cabaret artist Mama Rhi and spoken word fused with soundscapes, ritual and song from Bordello Collective. Northern Stage, Newcastle www.northernstage.co.uk

STAGE

TUESDAY 18

OUT OUT

Developed as part of Joana Geronimo’s recent work as Alphabetti’s Reaction Artist programme, Out Out is a joyful and lyrical celebration of the connections we make when our hands and minds aren’t tied up in our phones. Runs until Saturday 5th November. Alphabetti Theatre, Newcastle www.alphabettitheatre.co.uk

MUSIC FRIDAY 21

ROSALIE CUNNINGHAM

Expect a dazzling display of classic psych rock, prog and folk complemented by a live show which fizzes with energy. Singersongwriter and multi-instrumentalist Rosalie Cunningham has a Mercury-nominated album and countless ‘best album’ accolades under her belt – recent album Two Piece Puzzle has been hailed as a total triumph. The Georgian Theatre, Stockton www.rosaliecunningham.com

COMEDY

SUNDAY 23

SI BECKWITH: BRICKS

The lovable Geordie comedian returns to The Stand with his new show Bricks, which celebrates his role as a new step-parent and what family means, in a thoughtfully personal and hilarious hour of stand-up. Expect sharp wit, a bit of silliness and some stories about Lego.

The Stand, Newcastle www.sibeckwith.com

STAGE THURSDAY 27

JOE QUINN’S POLTERGEIST

A special reading from the graphic novel by celebrated North East author David Almond and Dave McKean, this evening of spine-chilling storytelling set to a Halloween soundtrack is a poetic and personal tale of haunting and grief. Runs until Sunday 30th October.

Live Theatre, Newcastle www.live.org.uk

COMEDY THURSDAY 27

DAVE TWENTYMAN HAS ADHD

Affable comedian Dave Twentyman has honed his smart patter to a fine point, telling relatable tales with a charm and wit that has seen him grace festival stages and some of the finest clubs in the land. After a recent diagnosis of ADHD, he turns his comedic attention to the condition, with insight and warm humour.

The Forum Music Centre, Darlington www.hilaritybites.co.uk

MUSIC

MUSIC FRIDAY 28

CROWLEY

We predict big things for this North East all-female group, whose hard rock sound is fuelled by a fascination with the occult and their classic rock roots, as they comprise members of Thieves of Liberty, Sing Again Syren and Lyxx. Support comes from alt. rock band Into The Deep and mathy rockers Blame Yourself. Independent, Sunderland www.facebook.com/crowleybanduk

MUSIC FRIDAY 28

MY BABY

MY BABY rewrite the gap between rock and dance music, chucking in layers of additional sound informed by gospel and blues, with singing and playing fused with ancient folk melodies. They promising a hypnotic and highly danceable show which has been praised for its innovation and panache. Cobalt Studios, Newcastle www.mybabywashere.com

FILM

SATURDAY 29

HALLOWEEN ALLNIGHTER

The Tyneside’s legendary all-night cinema fest returns with a celebration of horror, ghosts and ghouls running throughout the night. Expect a spine-chilling selection of 16 films including classics like The Shining and Dracula; J-Horror like Ringu and Dark Water; found-footage gems The Blair Witch Project and Spree; and a mystery selection of 35mm treasures.

Tyneside Cinema, Newcastle www.tynesidecinema.co.uk

Image by Jake Robson

Image by Adam Kennedy

David Hoyle

MUSIC BEABADOOBEE @ NX NEWCASTLE

Words: Cameron Wright

With each project, beabadoobee creates her own world that exists without time or rules, and the artist brings her upbeat, dreamy passion project to the newly opened NX Newcastle on Tuesday 11th October.

2020’s Fake It Flowers was the kickstart of the beabadoobee hype. The record is a very petite, jagged project, matching sweetness with a cynical callousness. Openly bolstering an obvious 90s alternative influence, the release felt filled with everything the artist could give, as every emotion of lust, anger and heartbreak battled against each other. The messy montage of adolescence is what resonated with audiences, as jangly guitars and scrappy vocals were delivered with conviction and energy.   beatopia, the 2022 follow-up, is a brilliant step forward musically, while stepping back

emotionally.  If the debut was a depiction of the dynamic teenage years, beatopia steps back into childhood. The entire album is a whimsical, joyful romp through a nostalgic meadow, imbued with love, innocence and truth. The feel good project is an extremely gentle, smiling release that pays homage to the sugar-coated glamour of 00s bubblegum pop, delivering a sickly sweet portrait of youth’s simplicity and potential.  beabadoobee plays NX Newcastle on Tuesday 11th October.

www.beabadoobee.com

Image by Erika Kamano

MUSIC DYSTOPIAN FUTURE MOVIES @ STAR AND SHADOW CINEMA

Words: Michael O’Neill

For as I long as I live and breathe, and my ears continue to function, I will always hold a torch that burns brightly for musicians who refuse to allow the concept of genre to allow them to rein in their art. Dystopian Future

Movies are a prime example of the riches that await: discordant guitars, atmospheric swells and colossal heaviness coalesce to form a singular sound that takes in elements of doom metal, noise rock and folk, which has been acclaimed from the likes of The Quietus through to Kerrang!

The outfit bring their tour to Newcastle’s Star & Shadow Cinema on Saturday 22nd October to support their upcoming third LP, War Of The Ether, which is a marvellous continuation of their signature sound, with lead single The Veneer brilliantly setting the tone with tightly controlled dynamic shifts and soaring vocals from Caroline Cawley.

Support comes in the form of Bad Amputee, the North East’s premier source of slow-core delight, who channel the spirit of that genre’s experimental thrills whilst still bringing something fresh to the table. Alongside them is Heat Death Of The Sun, a murky trudge through the world of electronic music, from minimal ambience through to hefty techno wobblers. All in all, a staggeringly diverse and enthralling line-up!

Dystopian Future Movies, Heat Death Of The Sun and Bad Amputee play Star & Shadow Cinema, Newcastle on Saturday 22nd October. www.dystopianfuturemovies.com

MUSIC

AMATEUR ORNITHOLOGIST ALBUM LAUNCH @ THE CENTRAL BAR

Words: Ali Welford

If Birdwatching, Daniel Clifford’s debut as Amateur Ornithologist, suffered something of pandemic-induced soft-launch, the South Shields songwriter is ensuring no such half-measures befall its follow-up. Quickfire in its arrival and showcasing a brighter, ripened sound, Building The Bird finds Clifford belatedly spreading his wings, liberated from those initial restraints of socially distanced recording and online livestream events. As such, this ostensibly solo project has expanded to a full band – and when better to introduce the new incarnation than on the evening of the album’s release, with a special show at Gateshead’s Central Bar on Friday 21st October?

With ebullient melodies spanning a gamut of influences – from post-punk’s artier fringes, to the harmonic sounds of ‘60s psych-pop –Building The Bird’s vivid realisation juxtaposes a more reflective lyrical tone, inspired by a recent autism diagnosis and Clifford’s subsequent shift in outlook. Lead single Hermit Phase is the perfect stall-setter, boiling a lifetime’s worth of social and productivity anxiety into two-and-a-half minutes of chiming guitar pop glory, celebrating rather than bemoaning the contrasting quirks of our diversely wired brains. Along with the lushly arranged Weird Walking and intimately smitten synth ballad The Willows, it’s a mightily seductive advert for the album’s launch gig, which also sees performances from fellow indie pop connoisseurs Reservoirs and

viola-sporting electro artist Madeleine Smyth. Mark the date in your diaries!

Amateur Ornithologist launches Building The Bird at The Central Bar, Gateshead on Friday 21st October.

www.amateurornithologist.bandcamp.com

MUSIC REN LAWTON @ BOBIK’S

Words: Matt Young

Drawing on a strong lyrical tradition of hard working communities with lots to say, Ren Lawton is taking his compelling tales and engaging melodies on the road this month with his first national headline tour, which visits Bobik’s on Sunday 9th October for what promises to be an intimate musical experience.

London-born but now calling Newcastle home, Lawton will showcase songs from his debut album Today Today Tomorrow, which is a genre defying mix of poppy bops, Thinking About You in particular, and more airy, folk-infused tunes like Come All You Mourners and Willow.

He’s an artist who sometimes defies pigeonholing under the often overused ‘folk’ moniker, allowing the narrative to lead the way and set the tone, whether he’s accompanied by piano, guitar or plaintive harmonica – sometimes all three together.

This results in an eclectic mix of musical touchstones, sometimes playful and upbeat, or soothing and contemplative but always packed with personality and emotion.

At heart there’s a yearning passion at work in Lawton’s best music and that’s ultimately what makes it connect more deeply. He fills the space with his sound and if you immerse yourself fully it’s a hugely rewarding listen. Ren Lawton plays Bobik’s, Newcastle on

Sunday 9th October. www.renlawton.com

STAGE SAMSARA @ NORTHERN STAGE

Words: Helen Redfern

Samsara: the circle of life without beginning or end. The never-ending wheel of life: birth, everyday life, death and re-birth. Never without suffering.

Drawing on the thinking and imagery of Samsara at the heart of Buddhist philosophy, Aakash Odedra Company and Bagri Foundation invite you to enter the world of Samsara. Two extraordinary dancers Aakash Odedra (UK/ India) and Hu Shenyuan (China) use their disciplines of Kathak, Chinese folk, ballet and contemporary dance to explore this important Buddhist notion of our very existence.

Inspired too by the classic Chinese novel Journey To The West, this spellbinding performance traces the steps we take, both forward and backward, in search of our higher selves. It’s a compelling journey of self-development, as fear and love trace a path across the stage, across lands and through time.

Co-presented with Dance City and Gem Arts, this thoughtful work merges mythological storytelling with a depth of personal experience from the two globally opposite perspectives of the dancers.

A seductive, astonishing journey that explores in such a beautiful way the compelling idea that if we let all attachments go and allow the light in, we may ultimately find a place of truth and peace. We may glimpse that place in this performance.

Samsara is performed at Northern Stage, Newcastle on Friday 14th October. www.northernstage.co.uk

Amateur Ornithologist by Jenny Rohde

JALA WAHID: CONFLAGRATION @ BALTIC

Words: Michael O’Neill

Working with sculpture, film, sound, writing and installation, Jala Wahid’s Conflagration (her first solo show at the BALTIC, opening on Saturday 22nd October) is an enthrallingly innovative multi-disciplinary exploration of themes as broad and urgent as nationhood, diasporic living in the UK, cultural identity, migration, cultural traditions and intergenerational connections.

Wahid seeks to explore the relationship between Britain and Kurdistan, taking inspiration from the vast London Kurdish Cultural Centre’s archive as a means to go beyond binary understandings of colonialism, to better and deeper articulate the problematics of nationalism within a stateless people. It’s an exhibition that also seeks to educate on the staggering impact that the discovery of the Baba Gurgur oil well, which culminated in the formation of new nation states, and a damaging monopoly in the

region’s oil resources.

It’s another innovative step forward from the renowned artist, who, since graduating from Goldsmiths in 2014, has gone on to exhibit her work prolifically, from London to New York, constantly using her creative expressions as a means to more deeply explore topical and historic issues affecting marginalised communities the world over, with the works contained within Conflagration being a compelling and boundary-pushing affirmation of her singular approach and voice.

Jala Wahid: Conflagration is at BALTIC, Gateshead from Saturday 22nd OctoberSunday 30th April 2023. www.instagram.com/jalawahid

MUSIC WARGASM @ WYLAM BREWERY

Words: Cameron Wright

There’s something really, honestly euphoric and cathartic about a band, film or piece of art that’s just unapologetically excessive. Stumbling upon a project that’s the sonic equivalent of a Tarantino fight scene, WARGASM are that audible bloodbath, and it’ll

be a joy to be immersed in that carnage when the duo perform at Wylam Brewery on Sunday 23rd October.

It would be a tough sell trying to argue that songs like Fuckstar or D.R.I.L.D.O are powerful and discerning social commentaries that will be used to detail the cultural zeitgeist of the time, nor would it be easy to convince someone that the duo are writing layered and textured masterpieces, full of subtlety and nuance. But I’ll be damned if they’re not fun. Loud, crass and dangerous, the aptly named Explicit tour is set to be pure, high voltage chaos. Slamming the thundering beats and aggressive synths of The Prodigy against the snarled, violent choruses of a metal juggernaut like Jason Butler, their crunching guitar riffs bring to mind early Slipknot, where the interplay between gentle, lilting vocal passages and destructive, potent anarchy is reminiscent of Poppy.

Ultimately, WARGASM are shamelessly outrageous and indulgently fearless fun, fully dedicated to serving the moment and delivering nothing but an explosive adrenaline rush.

WARGASM play Wylam Brewery, Newcastle on Sunday 23rd October.

www.wargasm.online

Installation view, Jala Wahid, Sophie Tappeiner, Frieze. Photo by Tim Bowditch

MUSIC XENO & OAKLANDER @ THE LUBBER FIEND

Words: Matt Young

Prolific purveyors of synth pop and darkwave sounds, Xeno & Oaklander are currently airing their back catalogue of minimal electronics and cold wave inspired music on a world tour that’s due to visit Newcastle’s Lubber Fiend on Thursday 20th October.

For the uninitiated, the Brooklyn-based duo of Liz Wendelbo and Sean McBride have been creating uniquely icy tunes and expounding their love of analogue synth sounds for almost 20 years, and are as prolific and creative as ever. Songs from last year’s Vi/deo album attempt to melodically convey the nature of synaesthesia – scents and perception of the world via obsolete technologies – presents an immediate melancholic canvas over which the pair dab liberally with shining cinematic moments. Half remembered noir movie backdrops and soundtracks, with flickering tunes catching the ear, dreamlike. Xeno & Oaklander world-build with their sound, creating an aural experience designed to be absorbed into the human core. What better way to do this than as part of a crowd of like-minded souls’ eyes fixed forward, transported into the ether of a collective womb, like a dream of witnessing the mothership in Close Encounters. Expect intimacy, fantasy and bittersweet reverie. Xeno & Oaklander play The Lubber Fiend, Newcastle on Thursday 20th October. www.xenoandoaklander.art

STAGE THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING EARNEST @ NORTHERN STAGE

Words: Laura Doyle

It’s 2022, but still if anyone dares include LGBTQIA+ people or people of colour in popular media, especially period pieces, loads of people love to get up in arms… Even though these groups have existed since like, ever. That’s their problem, though, because the English Touring Theatre’s production of infamously Queer writer Oscar Wilde’s The Importance of Being Earnest shouts its inclusivity from the rooftops at Northern Stage from Tuesday 4th-Saturday 8th October. Its all-Black cast consists of exceptional established and up-and-coming talent –including House of the Dragon star Phoebe Campbell in her theatre debut and RuPaul Drag Race UK alumni Daniel Jacob (Vinegar Strokes) as the stiff-upper-lipped Lady Bracknell. This play already pushed the boat out in its heyday, sticking the Victorian equivalent of a middle finger up to trivial social hierarchy and expectations. After all, its central character is a bit of a fibber, the woman of his desires a little shallow, and the culmination of its plot seems to reward these shady actions in Victorian society which was exceedingly concerned with morality. Wilde’s satirical tale of mistaken identity and petty misgivings continues to translate effortlessly to modern audiences, and retains its subversity even in a modern age that is supposedly more tolerant of the one in which its writer lived and died.

The Importance of Being Earnest is at Northern Stage, Newcastle from Tuesday 4th-Saturday 8th October. www.northernstage.co.uk

FILM TEES VALLEY INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL @ ARC

Words: Mera Royle

The brainchild of Darlington-born film producer Michael Luke, Tees Valley International Film Festival is the first of its kind to bring global attention to the Teesside film scene. Taking place at ARC in Stockton from Wednesday 26th-Saturday 29th October, the festival is full of opportunities to gain inspiration, share knowledge and build connections between like-minded people and to share their passions.

Founded by Michael to attract those who wouldn’t normally attend a film festival or arts centre, Tees Valley Film Festival aims to encourage interest and enjoyment for film. On his motivation, he says: “I’m convinced there’s a wealth of undiscovered talent in the region that just needs an event of this type and scale to give them and their work a bigger stage and a springboard to more.”

The event is filled with workshops, screenings, in-depth interviews and audience Q&As which invite attendees to hone and develop filmmaking knowledge and skills. Culminating in an In Conversation event with three Teesside acting legends – Mark Benton, Bill Fellows and Stephen Tompkinson – who share their stories on how to make a mark on the big screen. Expect a variety of films, from documentary and music to animation, LGBTQIA+ and comedy, and be prepared to learn and network with minds from the local film scene in Teesside and beyond.

Tees Valley International Film Festival takes place at ARC, Stockton from Wednesday 26th-Saturday 29th October.

www.arconline.co.uk

Xeno & Oaklander by Liz Wendelbo

MUSIC LADY NADE @ THE GLOBE

Words: Jake Anderson

Being named one of Bristol’s most influential women, Lady Nade has been a key part of the South East music scene. Having released three albums since her debut in 2016, Lady Nade is taking to the road again to play tracks from her newest release, Willing, with a stop off at The Globe in Newcastle on Thursday 6th October.

Willing has a very nostalgic instrumentation, and feels like an album unearthed from a forgotten decade. Lady Nade extends herself above the tracks, flexing a truly impressive vocal range and very intimate writing that truly captures feelings of loss and love with an eclectic Americana folk vibe. It’s a release that pulls at the heartstrings, and makes these carefully crafted narratives a must-see live.   Joining her on her tour will be Simeon Hammond Dallas, a singer-songwriter from London. Taking inspiration from a vast array of genres, such as blues and Americana, Dallas has crafted her own unique style in a plentiful

genre. She recently released her EP, Make It Romantic, which features lush vocals over gentle guitar melodies, carrying a fun amount of momentum to it.  Joining them is the North East’s own neo-soul chanteuse Georgia May, whose style is both poetic and thought provoking.

Lady Nade, Simeon Hammond Dallas and Georgia May play The Globe, Newcastle on Thursday 6th October. www.ladynade.co.uk

STAGE MY VOICE WAS HEARD BUT IT WAS IGNORED @ VARIOUS VENUES

Words: Steve Spithray

Presented by Red Ladder Theatre Company, My Voice Was Heard But It Was Ignored is an urgent interrogation of racial identity which will be performed at a variety of venues in the region this month. Fifteen-year-old Reece is roughly accosted by the police outside Marks

& Spencer; his teacher Gillian can only watch as his face is pressed into the wet gravel with a policeman’s knee in his back, frozen out of fear for her own safety. The next day Reece locks them both in her classroom, refusing to relinquish the key. He wants her to pay and to fully understand the pain her inaction has caused.

Written by Nana-Kofi Kufuor, an EnglishGhanaian scriptwriter from Stockport who is Associate Artist at Oldham Coliseum and previously nominated for a Theatre Uncut Political Playwriting Award, My Voice Was Heard But It Was Ignored is directed by Dermot Daly.

Red Ladder Theatre Company has become one of Britain’s leading national touring companies since founding in London in 1968, and pride themselves on being a deeply principled but radically motivated production company.

My Voice Was Heard But It Was Ignored is performed at Alnwick Playhouse on Tuesday 4th-Wednesday 5th, Queen’s Hall Hexham on Thursday 6th and Durham Gala Theatre on Friday 7th October. www.galadurham.co.uk

Lady Nade by Alec Bowman Clarke

MUSIC LIM ORION @ NE VOLUME MUSIC BAR

Words: Liv Aldridge

PinDrop Events are hosting a ‘pay what you decide’ acoustic gig on Saturday 29th October at NE Volume Music Bar which spans home-grown folk and ambient pop. The event is headlined by Cara Sebastian’s multimedia project Lim Orion; Sebastian is

otherwise known as a vocalist and guitarist in the rock band Shade Ray. Listeners unfamiliar with Lim Orion will be in for an ambient, roomy sound alternating between folk shapes and poppy abstraction. Sebastian’s lyrics combine elements of the rudimentary poetic and the instrumental: promising a performance that is sonically and linguistically articulated, the sound shifting between an atmosphere of folky and narrative coherence and total abstraction. The emphasis on texture is key to Sebastian’s music and lyrical matter. Lim Orion will be supported by Natasha Graham, a Saltburn-based singer-songwriter

with a memorable voice and songs more rooted in the folk lyric. The overlap between Graham and the headliner is a geographic, elemental preoccupation: ‘beaches’, appearing in Graham’s lyric and aesthetic and similarly sea and light being at the forefront of Orion’s album titled Cosmic Salt. The line-up also includes a performance by young artist Jasmine Weatherill.

Lim Orion, Natasha Graham and Jasmine Weatherill play NE Volume Music Bar, Stockton on Saturday 29th October.

www.limorion.bandcamp.com

An astonishing true story THEATRE, THEATRE

By Ric Renton

MUSIC HANNAH MOULE & THE MOULETTES @ COBALT STUDIOS

Words: Maria Winter

Revered multi-instrumentalist and English art rockers The Moulettes will bring their evocative and experimental sounds to Cobalt Studios, Newcastle on Friday 14th October. Autumn is the perfect season to encapsulate the enchanting nature of Hannah Moule and The Moulettes’ haunting musical qualities.

Composer, vocalist and cellist Hannah Moule brings together a selection of remarkable musicians to perform a series of beautiful alt. folk songs that capture the imagination through alluring vocal embellishments and intricate melodies. Their combined love of string music has always been at the centre of their work, taking classical ensemble traditions and eradicating all limitations to create a brand new sound.

By embarking on a UK tour, Hannah and The Moulettes will challenge expectations by sharing their new experimental project: Xenolalia. As an astounding 55-piece musical set, this collection of songs discussing communication will be told five ways for five ensembles: Strings, A Cappella, Horns, Electronica and Electric – proving to be the ultimate showcase of exceptional musical collusion and production. The Strings tour, which pops up at Cobalt, push the boundaries of the chamber ensemble using a variety of stringed instruments.

Hannah Moule & The Moulettes play Cobalt Studios, Newcastle on Friday 14th October. www.moulettes.co.uk

EVENTS THE WORD @ PINEAPPLE BLACK

Words: Michael O’Neill

It’s safe to say that there are few creative and cultural revolutions that can claim to have gestated in a stockroom, however Pineapple Black are looking to shake things up with Middlesbrough’s new “open collective” The Word, with their first event taking place on Saturday 22nd October.

This inaugural event is the result of intense organisation from curators Sadie, Wil and Bobby, who are launching the event with the aim to remove the barrier between audience and performers.

Each live event will use a particular theme as the impetus for a night of rampant creation, acting as a loose jump-off for any creatives wanting to get involved, with the first event being curated by Pineapple Black’s existing team of artists, musicians, writers, poets and videographers, taking place across two stages with no pre-existing schedule.

At every step of the way, it is clear that PB have no interest in presenting any boundaries or creative obstacles for those wanting to participate, with the main onus being on ensuring that everyone, from actors and drag queens, to poets and musicians, get a chance to make the evening their own. For those interested, there’s a pre-event social on Saturday 1st October to find out more.

The Word launches on Saturday 22nd October at Pineapple Black, Middlesbrough. www.pineappleblack.co.uk

MUSIC PENETRATION @ POP RECS LTD.

Words: Evie Nicholson

It’s half a century since Penetration defined a movement with Don’t Dictate. Unapologetically rebellious and outspoken, Pauline Murray’s vocals carried punk rock through its heyday and beyond. On Thursday 27th October, the North East punk veterans once again take to the stage at Sunderland’s Pop Recs Ltd.  I hadn’t actually been following Penetration’s recent movements. The ageism and rapid-turnover of the music industry can make it easy to overlook bands that are synonymous with a bygone movement. In an interview Pauline recognised this, noting that we are living in very different times to the late seventies when the band first hit their stride. After their iconic 1978 debut they had a stint with Factory Records in Pauline Murray and The Invisible Girls – collaborating with John Cooper Clarke and Vini Reilly. 2015 saw the band release Resolution – more alt. rock than angsty punk. Their 2021 album, Drifter Amber is their most experimental iteration to date. So different in fact, that I had to double-check whether it was even them. Stripped back, instrumental, bordering on dance beats and trip-hop; it’s exciting.

What defines Penetration is their stamina and versatility. Ironically, their lack of PR-funded commercial success and refusal to sell-out and move down South means that they’re still authentically making music long after their contemporaries quit the game. For Penetration, every cloud has a silver lining.

Penetration play Pop Recs Ltd., Sunderland on Thursday 27th October.

www.penetrationband.com

Hannah Moule & The Moulettes

MUSIC

BANTU CONTINUA UHURU CONSCIOUSNESS (BCUC)

@ COBALT

Words: Lee Fisher

Isn’t it always the way? You get into a new band and then discover they played at a venue a vigorous stone’s throw from you a few weeks before. So it is with Bantu Continua Uhuru Consciousness, who played Cobalt four years ago, before The Awfulness slowed down their world-beating ascendancy and before their take on old gospel standard Nobody Knows became my track of the year.

But the good people of Cobalt have done us all a solid by getting them back as part of a short UK tour in October. And you really need to be there on Sunday 23rd October, because BCUC are one of the most thrilling, funky, in-your-face acts of recent years, regardless of genre. Described as “emo-indigenous Afro psychedelic fire from the hood” by vocalist Kgomotso Mokone, which seems about right, this bass/drums/voices/ politics/punk energy outfit hit you in the brain, the heart and the feet with a rhythm-driven sound that’ll get your blood up. They’ve been winning over crowds all summer and the footage shows they’re getting better and better. Get yourself to Cobalt and witness the truly indestructible beat of Soweto.

Bantu Continua Uhuru Consciousness (BCUC) play Cobalt Studios, Newcastle on Sunday 23rd October.

www.facebook.com/bantucontinua

STAGE UTOPIAN (T’S&C’S APPLY) @ ARC

Words: Laura Doyle

Performance art is one of the greatest things the human race has created, because literally anything goes. Case in point: multidisciplinary movement artist, cabaret performer, drag king and Guinness World Record holder for “longest duration on high-heeled skates whilst hula-hooping” Symoné’s UTOPIAN (t’s&c’s apply), which heads to Stockton’s ARC on Thursday 6th October.

Many people might ask themselves what a utopia might entail, either on a personal level or within wider society, but not enough of them decide to explore the topic via a surrealist circus pop culture experience complete with strobe lighting, sexually explicit content and balloons. Symoné uses their circus skills talents not only to entertain, but also to provoke thought regarding some of life’s least queried but most important questions – like “Why do people abuse power roles?” It’s such a tantalising topic to explore, especially from one who may or may not have some autobiographical cult experience to share with the class, and one that’s certainly never been covered in this way. But why not delve into these complex and potentially controversial topics with complete gall and gumption? It would certainly be more captivating than the dusty political lectures which are usually responsible for their coverage. And after this, there may be a real demand for more big social questions to be answered by hula-hooping

circus performers on rollerskates. UTOPIAN (t’s&c’s apply) is at ARC, Stockton on Thursday 6th October.

www.symoneperformingartist.com

MUSIC

DIVORCE @ THE SHOOTING GALLERY

Words: Jake Anderson

Two genres I never thought I’d see crossed would be country and grunge. But would you believe it, and I hope you will, some mad lads from Nottingham have done it.

Divorce are a four-piece ensemble, having put their debut single Services out in February; it’s a song which leans heavier towards the country aspect of the group’s sound, while second single, Pretty, saw the band flourishing with the more anthemic and dirty aspects of their noise. Scruffy guitar riffs and brash basslines start the song, eventually leading to the track crescendoing with an all-out attack of their instruments. It’s a balance that some artists would find difficult, but the band have really come into their own and their unique style makes them one of the most unique acts from the past year.

This unusual hybrid is brought to the live stage and blasted across Newcastle Quayside from Zerox’s The Shooting Gallery on Friday 7th October.

Divorce play The Shooting Gallery at Zerox, Newcastle on Friday 7th October.

www.facebook.com/divorcehq

Divorce by Alice Ashley

STAGE MENSTRUAL RAGE PRODUCTIONS @ HARTLEPOOL TOWN HALL

Words: Lizzie Lovejoy

Local feminist theatre company Menstrual Rage are back in their town of origin to perform two of their shows which cover the realities of

female lived experience in all of its rage and glory. Hartlepool Town Hall welcomes the group for a showcase of AND ME on Tuesday 4th October and GET LOUD! on Wednesday 5th October.

After learning about the statistic that 97% of women aged 18-24 have experienced sexual harassment, Menstrual Rage took action and reached out to their followers online to learn about their experiences. This informed the show AND ME, which uses a mix of spoken word, movement and music to share the stories of what it is to be part of a harassed majority. GET LOUD! meanwhile follows the fight of four

girls against the patriarchy in an unapologetically feminist show filled with punk music. This show considers the strength and value of female friendship as well as the varied definitions of home.

Both stories explore female empowerment and what it is to take up space and make noise in a place that has often denied you the chance. Menstrual Rage present AND ME and GET LOUD! at Hartlepool Town Hall on Tuesday 4th and Wednesday 5th October respectively. www.menstrualragetheatre.co.uk

HINTERLANDS @ BALTIC

Words: Joseph Spence

The climate crisis, custodianship of land and our renewed connection to nature owing to the pandemic are just a few themes that a selection of artists will question in a new group show Hinterlands, which is due to open at BALTIC from Saturday 22nd October. The examination of our complex relationships to the land are demonstrated through existing and new works from a selection of 12 artists based in the North East of England, with the show focusing on the land away from the coast and banks of the river. Of note are interdisciplinary artist Emily Hesse, whose work takes material fragments of industrial Teesside to give thought to the social and political dynamics of clay as a material for sculpture; artist, researcher and creative producer Laura Harrington will present a new performance piece which was developed alongside people in Gateshead, and is a re-visit of the artist’s previous project Rivers, a collaborative opera of the River Tyne; Sheree Angela Matthews considers the histories and

futures of the Black body and the North East landscape; Michele Allan’s work explores ancient woodland in Gateshead’s Team Valley, and Dawn Knox uses live ferns to consider the removal of toxic residues of human activity in coal mining. In addition, a series of public events, performances and workshops will be situated inside Sabina Sallis’ remarkable Multispecies Visionary Institute, which will focus on future sustainable practices. Humanity’s relationship with the land and ecosystems will be the main focus of this exhibition substantiated through novel and radical methods of thinking with, rather than through, the North East’s landscape. Hinterlands is on display at BALTIC, Gateshead from Saturday 22nd October 2022–Sunday 30th April 2023.  www.baltic.art

MUSIC ACID MOTHERS TEMPLE @ STAR & SHADOW CINEMA

Words: Tom Astley If you know about Acid Mothers Temple,

chances are this gig has been on your radar for a while now. If not, chances are you’ll hear their howling psychedelic sounds floating through Shieldfield on Wednesday 12th October anyway, as the Melting Paraiso U.F.O. lands at the Star & Shadow Cinema.

The band formed in Japan in the mid-90s by guitarist Kawabata Makoto have been making live and studio albums at an alarming rate ever since, a constellation of members and collaborative artists adding sound under a litany of variegated monikers. The current iteration of AMT are meandering their way through the UK this October, playing venues as esoteric as the band themselves, and the Star & Shadow will no doubt be the ideal place to wade into their celestial presence. With influences spanning the psychedelic rainbow from prog rock, noise music, Krautrock and musique concrète, expect an evening of intense, sky-splitting noise that’ll leave your head full of cotton wool and your brain in multicoloured pools at your feet.

Support comes from North East trio The Type Five, whose psychedelic power rock makes them a great addition.

Acid Mothers Temple and The Type Five play Star & Shadow Cinema, Newcastle on Wednesday 12th October.

www.acidemothers.com

Sabina Sallis, Multispecies Visionary Institute, 2021. Installation shot. Courtesy the artist

COMEDY

LUISA OMIELAN @ TYNE THEATRE & OPERA HOUSE

Words: Maria Winter

Expect cow impressions, thigh gaps, Mary Magdalene and relationship boat analogies as comedian Luisa Omielan returns to Tyne Theatre & Opera House on Friday 21st

October.

As the very first comedian to win a BAFTA Breakthrough for stand-up, the brilliant Luisa Omielan will be making audiences cry with laughter as she takes her ‘best of’ show on tour.

Ten years ago Luisa created her first iconic one-woman show, What Would Beyonce Do!?, receiving wonderfully positive reviews across the board. For her upcoming tour, Luisa will carefully intertwine the best bits of every five star show since – including Politics For Bitches, Am I Right Ladies?! and God Is A

Woman.

With a seriously infectious wit and an ability to instantly capture the audience’s emotions through relatable content, Luisa’s repertoire is cutting-edge. Endless hilarious topics will keep you on your toes, eagerly anticipating the next wildly unexpected choice of thematic subject matter.

Luisa Omielan is at Tyne Theatre & Opera House, Newcastle on Friday 21st October. www.luisaomielan.com

MUSIC

PIT PONY/PAVE THEJUNGLE/EVE COLE @ INDEPENDENT

Words: Cameron Wright Sunderland’s Independent welcomes a night of high octane rock reverence as three superb local artists take to the stage on Friday 7th October.

Local lady Eve Cole starts the night, showcasing her indie pop sensibilities and proving why she was this years winner of the

Alan Hull Award. With her momentum beginning to accelerate, Cole will be backed by a full band, making her opening set something special to watch!

Hailing from Newcastle, Pave The Jungle take the stage next. With Blank Studios producing their debut EP,  their sound feels as euphoric as it is explosive. Hitting the ground running, the fuzzy rock duo have automatically began churning out arena-sized anthems that ooze confidence and swagger. Dynamic and endearing, the charming and brash vocals of Rachael Whittle pair perfectly with Scott Jeffrey’s punching drums.

Turning the guitars up a level still are the night’s headliner; Pit Pony are set to bring the

fire. Caustic, racing and full of force, there’s an unrelenting energy with each Pity Pony chorus that explodes with pent up, Northern heart, crackling with themes of discontent, anxiety, rebellion and paranoia. Manic guitars and crunching drums pave the roads, but it’s the vocals that strap you in and fire you across them.

Certainly a night for those who love loud and local sounds.

Pit Pony, Pave The Jungle and Eve Cole play Independent, Sunderland on Friday 7th October.

www.independentsunderland.com

Pit Pony by Nigel John DANCE THEATRE

MUSIC KATE CLOVER @ THE SHOOTING GALLERY

Words: Cameron Wright

If the two musicians you cite as your musical north stars are the imitable and illustrious Iggy Pop and Patti Smith, it’s no surprise that Kate Clover’s career is shining bright.

The California songwriter had lived a life on the fringe, revelling in a culture surrounded by outsiders, misfits and creatives. Raised in a space just adjacent to the norm, her normality was much more akin with the innocence and love of the dissatisfied youth that she met through the surfing and skating splinters of counter-culture.

It wasn’t until stumbling upon photographer Glen E. Friedman’s book Fuck You Heroes that the stars aligned and Clover understood the music, attitude and confidence of rock ‘n’ roll. With everything falling into place, Clover’s career really set into motion. Indebted to the salvation of the genre, Clover’s live shows are as dynamic, energetic and riotous as those which inspired her, fuelled by spiky, punching

guitar riffs and pounding drums; all of which audiences in Newcastle can witness for themselves at Zerox’s The Shooting Gallery on Thursday 20th October.

Cutting her teeth on the road, the spirit of modern rebellion and tenacious unrest caught the eyes and pricked the ears of audiences, as Clover then released her debut record Bleed Your Heart Out. Simple and effective, Clover carries with her the essence of Californian freedom.

Kate Clover plays The Shooting Gallery at Zerox, Newcastle on Thursday 20th October. www.kateclover.com

STAGE HEARTFELT @ LIVE THEATRE

Words: Lizzie Lovejoy

It would be great to know all of the risks before we make a decision, wouldn’t it? Especially about what we put into our bodies. Theatre maker gobscure presents heartfelt at Live Theatre on Wednesday 19th October, a show developed after a side effect heart attack from

prescribed medication, and a psychiatrist’s flippant response of “whoops, yes, I wondered when that was going to happen, I suppose we should have warned you..”.

heartfelt urges audiences to consider what we could learn from everything around us, particularly other creatures, to reframe, relearn and develop new perspectives on the world and our places in it. gobscure uses tragic and deeply personal experiences to create a show that is as educational as it is engaging.

This hour-long production is a low-tech performance with some hard hitting commentary and an undertone of bleak yet poetic humour which has been used as a coping mechanism. This show refuses to shy away from the complex, political and humane, which breaks down the aftermath of ‘side effects’ and explores the things that we could learn from the all emotional and hyper intelligent octopi.

gobscure performs heartfelt at Live Theatre, Newcastle on Wednesday 19th October.

www.gobscure.wixsite.com/info

Kate Clover by Allan Wan

MUSIC JIM GHEDI @ THE CUMBERLAND ARMS

Words: Lizzie Lovejoy

Prepare for a night of folk-based story telling with Jim Ghedi and Yakka Doon on Sunday 9th October at The Cumberland Arms. Originally from South Yorkshire, Jim Ghedi not only uses traditional local folk but pushes

boundaries to explore experimental performances, with unique compositions that don’t sit the way you would expect. The violins in recent single What Will Become of England have an electric energy, blurring the lines of acoustic sounds until they take on a new power entirely. The narrative of folk is never lost, it’s carried not only through his words but with a voice that holds its strength in lower notes. Jim Ghedi’s performance will showcase the work of his most recent album In The Furrows Of Common Place.

Yakka Doon will beautifully contrast Jim Ghedi by sharing her own unique brand of quiet and subtle folk. Yakka Doon’s reserved style brings focus back to the elements that are traditionally loved about folk music; it’s storytelling full of every emotion a person can feel, but in this case especially the bittersweet combination of hope and loss.

Jim Ghedi and Yakka Doon perform at The Cumberland Arms, Newcastle on Sunday 9th October.

www.jimghedi.com

MUSIC THE SNUTS @ MIDDLESBROUGH TOWN HALL

Words: Maria Winter

One of the most thrilling live bands in the UK right now, fast rising Scottish indie rockers The Snuts are set to perform at Middlesbrough Town Hall on Friday 14th October, having just completed main stage slots at both TRNSMT and Glastonbury. With a hard rock edge and unparalleled on-stage energy, The Snuts will guarantee a night of rollicking tunes and compelling stage presence.

Latest single The Rodeo continues the band’s penchant for writing impactful social and political lyrical content. Having risen to prominence since releasing their debut album W.L. in 2021, the band have established a unique sound which hits hard in all the right places, and their highly anticipated new release, entitled Burn The Empire, is due on 7th October.

The band’s vocalist and guitarist Jack Cochrane has said of the album: “The universe delivered us time to create a record where we finally felt we could address some of the topics, be it societal or spiritual, that we have been dying to scream out.”

Support comes from Newcastle multiinstrumentalist Heidi Curtis, whose own star is in the ascendancy thanks to high profile support slots with the likes of Sam Fender. The Snuts and Heidi Curtis play Middlesbrough Town Hall on Friday 14th October.

www.thesnuts.co.uk

ART & LIT

TYNESIDE CINEMA ARTIST COMMISSIONS

Words: Claire Dupree Newcastle’s venerable Tyneside Cinema turns the ripe old age of 85 this year, and they’re marking the milestone with a series of artist commissions which reflect on the independent cinema’s past.

Simon Drysdale, Interim Chief Executive of Tyneside Cinema, explained: “We have a really fascinating archive here at the cinema which includes everything from papers dating from the 1930s, when the cinema first opened, to photos from events across the years. Despite all this information, there are gaps in the story of Tyneside Cinema and the way it has been told over the decades, so we invited artists to help us reveal some of the hidden stories and voices from our past.”

Artists Adina Nelu, Sofia Barton, Colette Whittington and Tim Brunsden were given access to this vast archive to interpret. Manchester-based film composer, producer and creative sound designer Adina Nelu has created three audio visual works which celebrate the women who have played a role in the cinema’s story; Newcastle-based visual artist Sofia Barton has produced 10 poster prints which chart the cinema’s history, utilising a bright colour palette inspired by her Punjabi culture; while Liverpool-based artists Colette Whittington and Tim Brunsden have created two installations which reveal the voices of the cinema.

Artworks will be on show from Saturday 1st October.

www.tynesidecinema.co.uk

MUSIC BLACK MIDI @ NX NEWCASTLE

Words: Cameron Wright

black midi are fascinating. With their debut album instantly turning heads, the band had produced something daring and confusing, melding odd time signatures with dissonant and jarring changes of tempo and dynamic. Taking their distorted world of sound and pumping it into their live shows, MIDI created an atmosphere which felt alien and supernatural, as huge tidal waves of sound crashed down on their audience, unprovoked and unexpected.

Follow-up Cavalcade tightened the band’s formula, enslaving it to a sense of narrative and direction which allowed the project to feel theatrical and visceral; while 2022’s Hellfire is a terrifying blast of militant rigidity, spiralling out against a forceful descent into madness, and showing the band at their most affecting and emotive. Maintaining the heart of black midi’s twisted adventure, the album explores new land but now with a deranged smile etched across its face. One can only imagine the band’s tour, which drops into the newly opened NX Newcastle on Saturday 29th October, will be a magnificent, scathing experience and not one to be missed.

black midi play NX Newcastle on Saturday 29th October.

www.bmblackmidi.com

The Snuts

MUSIC PEANESS @ COBALT STUDIOS

Words: Hope Lynes

Celebrating debut album World Full Of Worry, indie pop band Peaness bring their deliciously tongue-in-cheek take on coping with life in your 20s to Newcastle’s Cobalt on Saturday 15th October.

Their first EP came out just over seven years ago, so their debut album has been

long-awaited. Bolstered by a vast series of festival appearances this summer, which have included left-wing festivals, female-curated line-ups including BitchFest and a tour with our very own Maximo Park, their forthcoming slot at Cobalt will go down nicely.

Tracks from World Full Of Worry are upbeat despite the often angst-ridden subject matter, celebrating the band’s own blend of indie, pop, rock and feminist post-punk. The likes of recent single How I’m Feeling uses cheeky lyrics to create a dancier track amid prominent harmonies. The band say of the song: “In an unfulfilling job? Need a shake up with

Image by Marieke Macklon

something in your life or you’ll go mad? Well, that’s How I’m Feeling and it can’t be ignored anymore! Amongst self loathing and melancholy there are sparks of determination and a belief that you deserve more. I hope it works out.”

This versatile band takes pride in their ability to create music that is honest, powerful and ultimately, a positively fun listen.

Peaness play Cobalt Studios, Newcastle on Saturday 15th October. www.peanessband.com

MUSIC KYLA LA GRANGE @ THE CLUNY

Words: Jake Anderson

Watford born Kyla La Grange is back on the road in support of her new album While Your Heart’s Still Beating and the singer will be bringing her array of sombre and dark pop ballads to Newcastle’s Cluny on Sunday 23rd October.

The self-proclaimed gloomy pop star’s latest album is a big deal, with it being eight years since her previous release. In that time the pop music landscape has changed completely, but La Grange has managed to adapt to the new sonic environment, having found a home within the synth pop style that has become so popular over the past couple years, with the ghostly and groovy Neverland being a perfect representation of this.

While Mancunian alt. indie artist Lindsay Munroe will be supporting for the whole tour, Newcastle gig goers will also be treated to a set from Dayna Leadbitter, formally the front person of Badmind and now venturing down a

solo path. She’s been using her R&B inspired pop to explore the troubles young people face daily, with recent single Time’s Up projecting a confident sound alongside stomping instrumentation.

Kyla La Grange, Lindsay Munroe and Dayna Leadbitter play The Cluny, Newcastle on Sunday 23rd October. www.kylalagrange.com

MUSIC KATHRYN JOSEPH

@ GOSFORTH CIVIC THEATRE

Words: Ali Welford

With three stunning albums under her belt, Kathryn Joseph’s name ought to be ever-present in any conversation concerning the great singer-songwriters of our times. As it is, reverence for the Scot’s fragile, tumultuous brilliance bubbles bafflingly beneath the radar. An injustice, perhaps – yet one which affords an extended opportunity to experience her rare, heart-stopping talents in the kinds of

intimate spaces they flourish the most. One such venue is Gosforth Civic Theatre, which Kathryn visits on Thursday 13th October on tour with her newest masterpiece, For You Who Are the Wronged. Dedicated to victims of abuse – be it of power, love or access – this latest collection is an expression of quiet, visceral power, underpinning raw desolation with a hitherto untapped sense of simmering, righteous fury.

Sure to constitute the bulk of her set, the record recently saw Kathryn complete a hat-trick of Scottish Album of the Year nominations – and for all that wider recognition remains elusive, it seems a strong bet to add to the award scooped for her debut, 2015’s remarkable Bones You Have Thrown Me and Blood I’ve Spilled. Buy a ticket, bring a tissue and order yourself a strong glass of wine; now more than ever, Kathryn Joseph shows aren’t for the faint of heart.

Kathryn Joseph plays Gosforth Civic Theatre, Newcastle on Thursday 13th October.

www.kathrynjoseph.co.uk

Kyla La Grange

MUSIC RUTH LYON @ THE CLUNY 2

Words: Laura Doyle Newcastle-based alt. pop artist Ruth Lyon has a busy Autumn approaching; new EP Direct Debit To Vogue is on the horizon in November, and she’s gearing up for a spate of headline shows up and down the country, and she’ll drop into The Cluny 2 on Saturday 29th October. As great a venue as it is, it’s certainly no match for the Texan media mecca SXSW Festival, which is where Lyon spent some of her summer, performing to new audiences and participating in disability visibility panels.

With this unprecedented focus on disability visibility at such a prestigious event, Lyon was inspired to look closer at her own experiences as a wheelchair user when writing the follow-up to her debut EP, 2021’s Nothing’s Perfect. In a perfect world, no one should have any duty to act as a spokesperson for their community – but this isn’t a perfect world. Lyon instead used these discussions with her peers and a wider audience to create a record that is as gut-punchingly honest as it is a hauntingly beautiful extension of Lyon’s discography. She’s never been a passive witness to her own life, but with Direct Debit To Vogue, Ruth Lyon takes complete control of her narrative to help guide those on a similar personal journey. Get an early listen of the release at what promises to be a special show indeed.

Ruth Lyon plays The Cluny 2, Newcastle on Saturday 29th October. Direct Debit To Vogue is out on 26th November via Pink Lane Records. www.ruthlyonmusic.com

EVENTS BLUEPRINT FESTIVAL @ VARIOUS VENUES

Words: Steve Spithray

Blueprint Festival: The Festival of Radical Ideas, takes place throughout Middlesbrough from Wednesday 19th-Sunday 23rd October and offers an opportunity to peek through the many cracks in society to create an easier, more efficient, more joyful and evolved place to be. The programme includes workshops that challenge what doesn’t work through discussions with others to find out what might, with the ultimate goal to create a vision of how the Tees Valley could be better.

This year’s line-up has been developed by community worker Emily Treadgold and Community Connectors Teesside, a grassroots activism network, who have said. “We want Blueprint Festival to be a celebration of all the fantastic people, projects and communities that make up our area.”

Educational sessions, talks, skill sharing, creativity, entertainment and music are all on the agenda, and the festival will use local venues around Middlesbrough including cafes, council-owned and public spaces, as well as The Exchange (a community hub in the town’s Hillstreet Centre) with others still to be confirmed. The fully inclusive and interactive event has sustainability, cohesion, interconnectivity of place and strong communities at its core, and aims to be a celebration of all the fantastic people, projects and communities that make up the area.

Blueprint Festival takes place at various venues in Middlesbrough from Wednesday 19th-Sunday 23rd October. www.teesconnectors.org.uk/blueprint

STAGE

A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM @ NORTHERN STAGE

Words: Michael O’Neill

Poor old Shakespeare. We really take him for granted. As a survivor of the British education system, I appreciate how difficult it can be to disassociate yourself from all the lengthy double English lessons spent trying to fathom why they all talk so strangely, the exhaustion of having to take a scalpel to every scrap of dialogue, the true struggle to appreciate the fact that we still talk about him for a bloody good reason.

However, as Baz Lurhmann’s bank account will attest, there’s a lot of fun and revelations to be had when one takes the Bard’s texts as the foundation for their own unique vision. Enter Matthew Dunster and Jimmy Fairhurst (part of Warrington-based, award-winning theatre company Not Too Tame) who are taking their unique vision of the iconic comedy A Midsummer Night’s Dream to Northern Stage from Saturday 29th October-Saturday 12th November. Taking in influences as broad as Dismaland, Nick Cave and working-class identity, the duo’s production boasts a diverse mix of emerging and experienced actors that was whittled down from an overwhelming 2,000 auditions, including the legendary Mercury Prize-nominee Nadine Shah in her debut theatrical performance as Titania, and David Morrissey providing the voice of Oberon.

A Midsummer Night’s Dream is performed at Northern Stage, Newcastle from Saturday 29th October-Saturday 12th November.

www.northernstage.co.uk

Ruth Lyon by Tasha Barker

MUSIC COURTING @ KU BAR

Words: Jake Anderson Liverpool has one of the richest music scenes in the UK. Home of The Beatles, Echo & The Bunnymen, Frankie Goes To Hollywood, Dead or Alive...the list goes on. One of the more recent additions to the list of acclaimed Liverpool acts is Courting.

The band’s 2021 EP was heavily praised for its rebellious and political tone, along with its fresh post-punk sound, adding some sarcasm and humour to a genre that can, at times, be very serious. Fan-favourite track, Crass, is a stand-out and a must see live, featuring an ever growing instrumental, building its drum-led energy, placing on an already iconic line about potentially spending the evening with Kanye West.

The band’s debut album, Guitar Music, was released in September, and features some very

art-punk heavy tracks, such as the noisy and brash Tennis, which will go down a storm at Stockton’s KU Bar on Saturday 22nd October.   Joining them will London’s UGLY, whose latest track I’m Happy You’re Here is a slow meandering song that explores folk sounding guitars, until exploding into a full-on indie rock banger within the last stretch.   Courting and UGLY play KU Bar, Stockton on Saturday 22nd October. www.courtingband.com

Image by Alex Bex

MUSIC

ZELA @ THE CLUNY/ TWISTERELLA

Words: Leigh Venus

On October 18th 2020, mere days after new Covid-19 restrictions kicked in, ZELA tweeted, “WE. WANT. TO. TOUR.”

Fired off from what was surely a soldier of an iPhone – a tequila-splashed, screen-cracked hero forged in countless nights of sweaty ecstasy by the side of the North East’s premier

brat-pop siblings – the demand was finally, thankfully, acquiesced to and here we stand on the cusp of the electrifying band’s first ever UK headline tour.

Unstoppable since the pandemic got out of their way, ZELA remain a riot on stage and off. Leaving a trail of scorched earth behind them with indelible performances at Lindisfarne Festival, Generator Live and Stockton Calling, 2022 also saw the duo deliver a floor-melter of a homecoming gig at The Cluny, where they’ll return for their headline show on Saturday 1st October, pitching up at Twisterella in Middlesbrough the following week on Saturday 8th.

Image by Brian Nicholson

With their live experience hailed as exhilarating and unapologetic, this is a band with style AND substance, the smouldering, vinyl-wrapped iconoclast Liv and her brooding, impeccablycoiffed brother Max offering a show like no other.

Loaded with new songs alongside an ecstatic, frenetic back catalogue, the tour promises dark and imaginative attitude-laced alt. electronic pop and earworms to burn.

ZELA play The Cluny, Newcastle on Saturday 1st and Twisterella Festival, Middlesbrough on Saturday 8th October.

www.linktr.ee/thisiszela

MUSIC MAXÏMO PARK @ O2 CITY HALL

Words: Jake Anderson

Being a person who’s into music, North East born and someone who speaks to people from lots of different backgrounds thanks to being at Uni, I’m often asked about regional bands that are worth checking out. High on that list, along with Sam Fender and Richard Dawson, is Maxïmo Park.

The indie rockers hit the mainstream with their killer debut A Certain Trigger back in 2005, as the Tyneside band blended garage rock with the new wave of indie that was blooming. Nearly two decades later the band have continued to develop, as their latest album Nature Always Wins brings a lighter and synth-heavy twist on that iconic Maxïmo Park sound.

The band will be utilising that two decades back catalogue for a greatest hits show at

Newcastle’s O2 City Hall on Friday 14th October. Labelled as the Singular Tour, there’ll be a focus on all the hits from their seven studio albums and they’ve described it as ‘a show like no other’.

Joining them on the night will be Pip Blom, a Dutch indie pop quartet known for their guitar-led, fun melodies. They’re a rising band on the indie scene, with the energy they bring to their live shows being praised for its danceability.

Maxïmo Park and Pip Blom play O2 City Hall, Newcastle on Friday 14th October. www.maximopark.com

COMEDY SEAN MCLOUGHLIN @ THE WITHAM

Words: Michael O’Neill

Self-appointed International Microstar Sean McLoughlin has quite the CV: Time Out consider him the best comedian you haven’t heard of,

Maxïmo Park by Em Cole

he’s opened for the likes of Ricky Gervais and Bill Burr in arenas and at the Royal Albert Hall, he’s been nominated for a Chortle Award, has performed six acclaimed solo shows at the Edinburgh Fringe, and has been transported the globe over with his singular brand of acerbic wit. Even with all these accolades, I still feel like I’m doing him a disservice. One thing is clear: the lad hardly ever stops to stand still.

If you’re curious to know why he’s all over the shop, Funny Way To Be Comedy have you sorted, as they’re bringing the acclaimed jokester to Barnard Castle’s The Witham on Friday 28th October for a dose of his scintillating new stand-up show. As reviews of his recent Fringe solo show, So Be It, will attest, you will be left in sheer disbelief that you aren’t having to deal with paying £15 for a pint in a cold corporate arena to witness his infectious patter in the flesh.

Sean McLoughlin performs at The Witham, Barnard Castle on Friday 28th October. www.seanmcloughlincomedy.com

MUSIC NAIMA BOCK @ THE CUMBERLAND ARMS

Words: Mera Royle

The stunning radiance of Naima Bock has entranced audiences across the UK and beyond, with a sound which captivates with its holistic and distinctly contemporary style. Bock brings a spellbindingly new aural landscape to the indie folk music scene thanks to delicate vocals and poetic lyrics, with shows that are often sold out to eager listeners, which makes her forthcoming gig at The Cumberland Arms on Sunday 23rd October an enticing one indeed.

Naima Bock is touring to promote her debut album, Giant Palm, which was composed in collaboration with producer and arranger Joel Burton and over 30 instrumentalists. Giant Palm weaves Bock’s Brazilian heritage with her passion for European folk music, combining the beauty of ancient melodies with modern, electro sounds. Joining Bock for the evening is Junior Brother, nominee for 2019 RTÉ Radio 1 Folk Awards, for Best Folk Album, as well as indie folk artist Melanie Baker, a singer-songwriter who has

formerly performed as a support musician for major pop artists such as Dodie and Maisie Peters. Expect a spectacular event of woozy energy, eclectic styles and undeniable musical mastership.  Naima Bock, Junior Brother and Melanie Baker play The Cumberland Arms, Newcastle on Sunday 23rd October. www.naimabock.com

STAGE QUIET REBELS @ NORTHERN STAGE

Words: Helen Redfern White working-class women who married Black men of the Windrush generation were the quiet rebels, the silent heroes of the time. These courageous women crossed the colour line to marry men arriving in the UK on boats from Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago and other islands between 1948 and 1971 to help fill post-war UK labour shortages. Defying race and class prejudice and social stigma directed against them and their families, this quietly rebellious generation of women are a key part of the foundations of today’s multi-cultural communities, shaping a new generation of

‘dual heritage’ children. And their stories have rarely been told.

In Quiet Rebels, Julie McNamara, Hassan Mahamdallie and their creative team explore these forgotten stories against the unexpected backdrop of a dystopian England. This powerful dramatisation blends film, movement and soundscapes with integrated creative access to bring this dystopian future to life.

In this imagined world, Aileen Burnett – a white woman who married a Black man – has been murdered, and it’s up to Detective Shade to investigate the crime. Burnett is a convicted race-traitor with four children, having served time for ‘miscegenation’.

To solve this murder, Shade must travel the Multi-resistance’s Underground network to the Northern Free Zone. There she is confronted with her past, and everything she thought she knew about herself and her world is challenged.

Quiet Rebels brings a challenge. The performance contains references to experiences and impacts of racism, as the fictional setting frames the harsh truths of these quiet rebels’ daily lives. Let us not forget.

Quiet Rebels is performed at Northern Stage, Newcastle from Wednesday 12th-Thursday 13th October.

www.northernstage.co.uk

Naima Bock by El Hardwick

ART & LIT

PETER HANMER: SEEKING ARMAGEDDON @ NEWCASTLE ARTS CENTRE

Words: Ben Lowes-Smith

Seeking Armageddon brings together over 10 years of apocalyptic musings in sculpture, installation and ink from award-winning North East-based visual artist Peter Hanmer. After recently exhibiting in venues such as the BALTIC, The Cheeseburn Sculpture Gardens and Mall Galleries London, Hanmer presents intricately crafted miniature worlds together for the first time alongside new revelations in his debut gallery solo show at Newcastle Arts Centre from Saturday 15th October-Saturday 12th November.

Evoking the spirit of Gulliver’s Travels, Hanmer blurs the line between fantasy and reality; like static theatres, these works frame apocalyptic narratives and immerse the audience in them. A beaked prophet promises salvation from a tub, masked gentry play with fire, skeletons march and a rubber duck poses as the source of divine power or divine irony. Hanmer’s

inimitable style is humorous and provocative, colourfully satirical and grotesque, forcing the viewing of society’s ills through the carnivalesque. His work is comparable to that of Belgian artist James Ensor, and he draws inspiration from the writings of Plato, John the Elder, Rousseau and Žižek. Seeking Armageddon stages very human apocalypses; ecological, technological and democratic.

Peter Hanmer: Seeking Armageddon is at Newcastle Arts Centre from Saturday 15th October-Saturday 12th November. www.peterhanmer.com

MUSIC ME ME ME PRESENTS... @ WORLD HEADQUARTERS

Words: Claire Dupree

The region’s experimental dance scene is in rude health, and arguably artists like Geoff Kirkwood – aka Man Power – is at the forefront of its success. Also operating under the Me Me Me label moniker, on Saturday 8th October at World Headquarters he presents a free live showcase of some of the region’s

most exciting talents.

Topping the bill is current Sage Gateshead artist in residence Late Girl, who uses warped samples, classical composition techniques and found sounds to create experimental electronic programmed beat music. Through her music she attempts to externalise cultural observations with a personal take and irreverent approach. Also performing is Golden Shield, aka collaborators Suade Bergemann and Steve Legget, whose microscopic attention to found sounds and field recordings coupled with an intrinsic knowledge of sound synthesis combines to create explorative cinematic soundscapes.

Geoff himself will be performing under his Bed Wetter alias, which he undertook for his Sage Gateshead residency last year. A vehicle for Geoff to explore his working-class identity, he’ll present an AV presentation of his debut album as Bed Wetter, which will get a full outing at Sage Gateshead on Friday 11th November alongside Royal Northern Sinfonia and arranger Fiona Brice.

Late Girl, Golden Shields and Bed Wetter perform a free showcase at World Headquarters, Newcastle on Saturday 8th October.

www.facebook.com/mememerecords

Peter Hanmer, Keep Your Distance

MUSIC THE PEOPLE VERSUS @ BOBIK’S

Words: Laura Venus

Sometimes bands and their self-proclaimed styles can come across as hyperbolic, yet indie folksters The People Versus truly live up to their mantle of ‘haunting folk fairytales powered by sheer pop euphoria’.

Enthralling and beguiling, when I first heard the voice of lead Alice Edwards I jumped out of

Instagram mid-scroll and downloaded the band’s entire back catalogue.

Listening to 2021’s album Live At St Pancras Old Church felt like opening a haunted storybook. As their audacity and talent fused with palpable energy from the crowd, harmonies danced around Shakespeare and Greek mythology, lesbians and coastal erosion combined in unexpected ways, and the song Witch sneaked through the back window to live happily rent-free in my brain for weeks.

2022 has seen The People Versus getting busy filling tents, playing intimate gigs with Sofar

Sounds, popping up at a slew of festivals, getting spotted by the ever-reliable BBC Introducing and making a name for themselves as one to watch on the folk scene. Landing at Bobik’s on Wednesday 19th October as part of a sixteen-date tour, we lucky folk in the North East now have the chance to experience their dreamy and beguiling tales of longing, love and loss. And sea monsters. Did I mention there are sea monsters too?

The People Versus perform at Bobik’s, Newcastle on Wednesday 19th October. www.thepeopleversusmusic.com

UNFOLDINGTHEATREIN ASSOCIATIONWITHLITTLEMIGHTY

COMEDY

POST-EDINBURGH FRINGE SHOWS @ THE STAND

Words: Steve Spithray

Ever wondered what it might be like to live in Edinburgh and have all those great Fringe events on your doorstep every year? Well, Newcastle comedy club The Stand is here to give you a taster, with a string of great comedians throughout October. The highlight of which might well be the excellently named The Delightful Sausage, who present their show Nowt But Sea (Sunday 9th) fresh from their sold-out and ‘best show’ nominated debut in Edinburgh. The comedy duo (Amy Gledhill from the Emily Atack show and Chris Cantrill from C4’s Don’t Hug Me I’m Scared) present a relentlessly hilarious, if horrifying tale of when Amy and Chris receive a mysterious letter inviting them to the private island of elite celebrity agent Cedric L’Shay (Paul Dunphy of sketch duo Larry & Paul). However, when they arrive it quickly becomes clear that there’s more going on than meets the eye…

Elsewhere throughout the month The Stand hosts Troy Hawke’s Sigmund Troy’d take on psychotherapy (Friday 7th); Lauren Pattison’s loosely scripted It Is What It Is (Saturday 8th); Home Truths by Kiri Pritchard-McLean (Saturday 15th); Elf Lyon’s horrifying comedy show Raven (Monday 17th); local lassesdone-good Your Aunt Fanny present their hilarious sketch show Muff Said (Tuesday 18th); and NARC.’s very own Si Beckwith debuts his new stand-up show Bricks, about the trials of becoming a step-parent and the ever present tribulations of errant Lego bricks (Sunday 23rd). All that, plus a double header with Christine Fekete and Brian Patafie (Monday 24th); Helen Bauer’s ode to self-care

Madam Good Tit (Thursday 27th); Sarah Keyworth’s poignant and powerful Lost Boy (Friday 28th) and veteran comic Tom Stade’s The High Road (Sunday 30th). www.thestand.co.uk

STAGE NOUGHTS AND CROSSES @ NORTHERN STAGE

Words: Helen Redfern

Based on the acclaimed series of young adult novels by British author Malorie Blackman, Noughts And Crosses has been successfully adapted for stage and television. Winner of Excellence in Touring at the UK Theatre Awards 2019 and adapted by Sabrina Mahfouz, this absorbing production from Pilot Theatre explores love, revolution and what it means to grow up in a divided world.

In this present day alternative history of racial and social divides, a captivating romance as gripping as Romeo And Juliet unfolds. Sephy is a Cross and Callum is a Nought. Whilst slavery has been abolished, segregation continues to operate. The Crosses (dark-skinned people) are firmly in control of the noughts (lighter-skinned people). And yet Sephy and Callum sit together on a beach. They are in love. And it is forbidden. Beyond the all-consuming reality of their deep love for one another, there is danger all around. This segregated society teeters on a volatile knife edge. As pressure mounts to take sides, Sephy and Callum draw even closer to each other. In their world, it is not safe for them to be together. And yet they cannot be apart.

It turns out that this work of speculative fiction is not so very far from reality. As Albert Camus said, “Fiction is the lie through which we tell the truth.” In Noughts And Crosses, the truth is

clear to see.

Noughts And Crosses is at Northern Stage, Newcastle from Tuesday 18th-Saturday 22nd October.

www.northernstage.co.uk

MUSIC

ROCKING ALL OVER CANCER @ THE CLUNY

Words: Tracy Hyman

Rocking All Over Cancer sees some of the most well-loved and talented North East bands coming together to celebrate the life of Donna Forster, who tragically passed away in October last year following a brave fight against ovarian cancer.

This all-dayer at The Cluny on Saturday 29th October is a chance to raise money for Ovacome, an ovarian cancer charity close to Donna’s heart. Sunderland rockers The Futureheads headline the bill, after a successful Summer of festival appearances at the likes of Y Not and The Big Feastival, amongst others. South Shield’s Minotaurs play their first ‘gig proper’ in over six years in Donna’s memory, bringing their beautiful, melodic, folk-based guitar pop to the live scene. Genre busting artist Me Lost Me also features, with her wonderful melting pot of sounds, electronic effects and experimental delights. Plus, there’s sets from The Lake Poets, who brings his beautiful and heartfelt songs to proceedings; the infectious art rock trio Cat Ryan; the experimental noir pop of one-man band The Shooting Of; singersongwriter John Egdell and a variety of DJs. A great line-up for a very worthy cause.

The Futureheads, The Lake Poets, Minotaurs, Me Lost Me, Cat Ryan, The Shooting Of and John Egdell play The Cluny, Newcastle on Saturday 29th October.

www.thecluny.com

The Delightful Sausage by Ed Moore

INTERVIEWS

“We feel like we are more powerful than we’ve ever been.” There’s a laugh from Martha’s sibling rhythm section Nathan Stephens-Griffin and Naomi Griffin as Nathan says this, but that doesn’t mean what he’s saying isn’t true. Three years after their third record Love Keeps Kicking, Martha are back this month with their new album Please Don’t Take Me Back. A joyous collection of riffs underpinning songs of despair and defiance, it’s got a legitimate claim to being considered their best work yet.

For a band whose music is so frequently influenced by the (usually awful) events going on in the wider world around

them, Martha haven’t exactly been short of source material over the last couple of years. Indeed, the horrorsphere we live in is writ large in their new songs. As Nathan explains, “The first record was about growing up punk, the second record was about grown-ups who stayed punk and the last one was about matters of the heart. If I had to summarise this one, there’s a song called Total Cancellation Of The Future and a lot of the themes of the song are about feeling like we’re living in wild, bleak times and the things we were promised we should be able to expect have all been taken away.” Their passion and unwillingness to compromise are key in what

MUSIC

initially attracts people to Martha, but what makes them stick around is just how much fun the band make it all feel. And it helps that they’re a gang, the kind of band you couldn’t really ever imagine replacing a member. Naomi acknowledges: “Making a music video, going on tour and making an album, they’re all ways for us to hang out and have a nice time together, so as much as songwriting can be really cathartic and give you a space to reflect on quite difficult things, the activities we get to do are really motivated by hanging out with your mates.” Nathan expands: “I think there was probably a point 10 years ago where we were like ‘should we try and be cool…?’ I’m happy that we’re goofy and we can make a serious point and also just have a daft laugh. The goofiness is very much part of the package.”

Martha have always tried to shine a little light into the dark, and Please Don’t Take Me Back represents another attempt to do that. The title is a pretty heavy hint, but they’re keen not to fall into the trap of longing for the good old days (indeed, as the album’s title track reminds us, “The old days were bad”). Nathan clarifies the context: “We need to try and somehow envisage a future that is better and imagine and try to build the world we wanna see in the wreckage that we’re living in. It’s about not romanticising the past which we shouldn’t just accept as good enough, ‘cos the more things get worse, the more it feels like ‘oh if we could just go back to that’... But actually, no, since bloody

forever, things haven’t been good enough and they need to get better.”

Four albums is an atypically long lifespan for a DIY punk band, and the fact Martha are still here a decade after their first album is testament to their commitment to the cause. It can also make a band a little lonely when they outlive their peers, especially coming out of a period when everyone’s been forced indoors for so long. They once told us to Move To Durham And Never Leave, but it’s clear that their home city is a different place now. As Nathan says: “We’ve not really got a space in Durham any more. We’re very lucky we’ve got Pop Recs Ltd. in Sunderland. We were very much part of a scene when we started and now, locally, nationally, globally, whatever… For me, I feel a bit more disconnected just because of how long we’ve been quiet. Three years is a long time for people in bands – it’s the entire life of some bands – so I want this tour to be a chance to reconnect and see what’s going on everywhere.” After such an insular spell, it’s understandable why the band seem particularly excited to be back on the treadmill and ‘veterans’ or not, they’ve got no intention of dialling anything back. Naomi says: “I wanna try and go places and see people, see people we’ve never seen, see people we haven’t seen for a while. For me that’s the main thing, just getting about a bit more.”

Nathan is in agreement. “For a band as old as we are, we feel like we’re in a rich vein of creative form. We’re desperate to go on tour and we’re desperate for people to hear the record. We’ve had a version of the record for a long time, but I think it’s our best record. I’m happy that people have liked what we’ve put out so far, and I hope that it reaches more people, but even if it doesn’t, I’m just dead keen to get out and play.”

The chance to be in a room with Martha in such an eager frame of mind, and armed with such an invigorating and infectious set of songs, is a true privilege. After everything everyone’s been through, this band and their new record represent pure hope. Their two December dates at Pop Recs Ltd. promise to be highlights in the North East music landscape for 2022, and an early Christmas present for the region. I’d urge you to take a trip to Sunderland to catch our greatest band on the form of their lives.

Martha release Please Don’t Take Me Back via Specialist Subject Records on 28th October. They play Pop Recs Ltd., Sunderland on Thursday 1st and Friday 2nd December. www.martha-punx.com

A LOT OF THE THEMES OF THE SONG ARE ABOUT FEELING LIKE WE’RE LIVING IN WILD, BLEAK TIMES AND THE THINGS WE WERE PROMISED WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO EXPECT HAVE ALL BEEN TAKEN AWAY

New Writing North presents the esteemed Durham Book Festival at venues throughout the city this month, with accessible options via live streaming available for many events. Local libraries will stock festival titles, and the Big Little Read initiative allows for the distribution of free books. Opportunities to fully experience a guided walk, talks, performances, readings, films and commissions exclusively prepared for the festival abound.

The announcement of the winner of The Gordon Burn Prize, a celebration of fiction and narrative non-fiction which challenges convention, is among several exclusive events; this years shortlisted authors are Margo Jefferson, David Whitehouse, Preti Taneja, Graeme Macrae Burnett and Lea Ypi (Gala Theatre, Thursday 13th). Internationally bestselling crime writer LJ Ross has written new short story for the festival, The Mystery Of The Vanishing Mayor, 3,000 copies of which will be distributed around the county and she’ll be in conversation with Dr Jacky Collins (Gala Theatre, Saturday 15th).

In 2019, DBF declared a climate emergency, drawing attention to the troubled relationship between writing and the climate crisis. As part of that initiative, New Writing North’s climate writer in residence, poet Linda France, creates projects which aim to start conversations and encourage us all to respond to the climate crisis. The launch of her new book, Startling, draws on writing from her three-year residency (Collected Bookshop, Friday 14th). France also invites the public to write their own letter communicating their feelings about the climate crisis: a selection which will be displayed in a Clayport Library installation.

Also high on the list of recommended events is an in conversation with contemporary fiction writers Natasha Brown and Jessica Andrews, who discuss their acclaimed novels (Gala Theatre, Saturday 15th); music fans will delight in a talk from Bob Stanley about his new book, Let’s Do It: The Birth of Pop. The journalist and member of indie dance band Saint Etienne paints a wonderful aural picture of pop music’s formative years (Gala Theatre Studio, Friday 14th); feminist writer and activist Laura Bates will tell us more about her new book on systemic and institutional prejudice, offering concrete paths forward (Gala Theatre, Friday 14th); there’s a showcase of work by three exceptional poets, Zaffar Kunial, Don Paterson and Degna Stone (Gala Theatre Studio, Sunday 16th); and novelist and editor Kit De Waal will speak about her new memoir Without Warning & Only Sometimes, set in an amalgam of Irish, Caribbean and British worlds of 1960s Birmingham (Gala Theatre, Saturday 15th).

Three groundbreaking non-fiction writers, Helen Mort, Nina Mingya Powles and Amanda Thomson introduce their work in the spheres of nature writing and memoir (Gala Theatre Studio, Sunday 16th); for those with a leaning towards modernist poetry, broadcaster and writer Jeremy Vine will talk about W.H. Auden and County Durham landscapes (Gala Theatre, Saturday 15th); for the visually minded, Lisette Auton and Rob Irish present the closing film in the DBF commissioned Writing The Missing trilogy, which will be followed by a discussion between New Writing North’s Claire Malcolm and Auton herself (Gala Theatre, Saturday 15th); and in a scientific light, Professor Jeroen van Hunen and Dr Charlotte Adams will present research about the role of abandoned mines in decarbonising heat and the impact these historic structures could have on Green Energy for the North East (Gala Theatre Studio, Saturday 15th).

Durham Book Festival takes place at various venues in Durham from Thursday 13th-Sunday 16th October. www.durhambookfestival.com

L-R, T-B,: Helen Mort by Jan Bella, Kit de Waal by Sarah M Lee, Zaffar Kunial by Geraint Hill, Nina Mingya Powles by Sophie Davidson

The sell-out and critical success of Music Inspired by The Gallows Pole, the debut album by Durham’s The Shining Levels, suggested a genuine public interest in musical collectives who make interesting compositions and look to find new artistic spaces.

Drowned in rural folk, loops and electronics, the companion piece to Ben Myers’ novel The Gallows Pole, showcased a musical collective with huge amounts of talent and raw power; moving through an artistic journey that took in literature, soundscaping and a desire to write and record on the edge of England’s Northern Moors.

A couple of years on and the collective return, looking to further push their sound into new directions; this time being inspired by fellow Durham resident and Booker prize-winning author Pat Barker and her novel The Silence of the Girls. Whilst the use of literature again provides the impetus for creation, the book choice proves particularly important, as songwriter Davey James explains. “When you’re using a great work as your well to draw from, it is very easy, you just pick a thread and then spin it.”

“It seemed the perfect fit, here is a book giving voice to the voiceless women.” Vocalist Laura Smith expands. “We have three women fronting our band and we knew it was great material. As a mother of young children the subject matter really resonates too; I have a baby boy, in the book he would have been killed and my young daughter would have been enslaved! I can really sing about that!”

Bringing the project’s narratives to life through ethereal harmonies, flutes, fiddles and other acoustic instruments alongside vintage synths and electronics, the album has the

www.theshininglevels1.bandcamp.com SHINING HAVE A BABY BOY, IN THE BOOK HE WOULD HAVE BEEN KILLED AND MY YOUNG DAUGHTER WOULD HAVE BEEN ENSLAVED! CAN SING ABOUT THAT! THEIR NEW PROJECT WHICH INSPIRED

mark of a band continually pushing and stretching themselves; looking to create new and interesting atmospherics.  Released on limited edition vinyl by Darlington’s Butterfly Effect Records (and pressed at ‘Boro’s Press On Vinyl), the album will be available following a live launch performance at Durham Book Festival on Saturday 15th October at Old Cinema Launderette. The momentum of The Silence of the Girls is already on the move, with Davey particularly happy with both the end product and the launch venue. “It’s really fantastic to be working with Butterfly Effect, they always put together a beautiful piece of vinyl. We had such a great time playing at Old Cinema Launderette for our last album that it seemed the perfect fit to try and do it again. The venue itself is wonderful and was voted the best independent venue in the country by The Guardian. And let’s not forget, Pat Barker, the reason we’re able to bring out this album, is a Durham writer.”  You’d be hard pushed to find a more outstanding example of North Eastern music and literature in one event!

The Shining Levels perform Music Inspired by The Silence of the Girls at Old Cinema Launderette, Durham on Saturday 15th October as part of Durham Book Festival.

WRITING THE MISSING

FILM

Did you know that 25% of people in the North East are disabled? This statistic led Darlington-based writer and creative practitioner Lisette Auton to question why this 25% are not represented within creative culture and ponder the question how has everyone gone missing? Commissioned by Durham Book Festival, Lisette Auton and filmmaker and producer Rob Irish collaborated to create the third in their series of films entitled Writing The Missing: Folding Water, which is premiered at the festival on Saturday 15th October. Lisette spoke about defining the Missing and taking care of the Missings gifted to her: “It started with people telling me their Missings. It can be anything…what’s missing in your life, a loss. Something that you once had that you don’t any more. Some are funny, some are heartbreaking, some are so intimate and personal…It’s just grown and expanded from there.

“Collecting people’s Missings, it feels like an absolute privilege and an honour, sometimes a weight…maybe they’ve never told anyone before and I’ve made beautiful handmade books [to keep their Missings] and they live in there. Every single one of those Missings has also been written on to origami paper and folded into stars.”

As a disabled artist creating work that tackles cultural access, Lisette discussed the recent back-and-forth shifts in accessibility. “It was marvellous how the world adapted when it needed to [in the pandemic]. Suddenly, all the things that we’ve been asking for so long really could happen and then when everyone doesn’t need them as much any more they disappear.

“I think that’s why I love working with New Writing North and Durham Book Festival. They have been brilliant making the festival online, in person and using venues where stage text can be used…It’s often the smaller organisations or the ones that have less money who are making the big changes and being bold. Accessibility is not a kindness, it’s a right. You don’t have to reinvent the wheel, there’s loads of amazing stuff out there to use.”

Lisette explains how her and Rob worked together to create a rounded experience with this film. “I don’t believe everybody with

different impairments and access needs can come to the same piece the same way without risking spoiling it…But I do want anybody who is visually impaired to have similar journeys. The music is really clever [to match and translate the visuals]. Rob and I had loads of discussions about this and he’s a genius in turning discussions into reality. The depth of sound can cause vibrations, anybody could access that, if you are deaf or hearing impaired, you feel that vibration just the same way… Sue Lee was incredible with BSL, directing her was a dream because we talk about the meaning. BSL is a different language with different grammar and ways of expressing things.”

Writing The Missing represents 25%, but it helps everyone learn, grow and understand with kindness, so that people don’t feel the need to apologise for who they are.

“[In the previous films] I tried showing ‘we are who we are, roar!’ and then I realised that maybe I was lying a bit, and although I believe that, the truth is that sometimes it’s really hard to not apologise...I don’t want to be one of those pretty kind of films. I’d rather say maybe it is hard but I want to try and maybe we can try together.”

Writing The Missing: Folding Water by Lisette Auton and Rob Irish is premiered at Gala Theatre Studio, Durham on Saturday 15th October. Lisette also leads a disabled artists’ networking event on the Saturday morning. www.lisetteauton.co.uk

Lisette Auton by Rob Irish

ACCESSIBILITY IS NOT A KINDNESS, IT’S A RIGHT. YOU DON’T HAVE TO REINVENT THE WHEEL, THERE’S LOADS OF AMAZING STUFF OUT THERE TO USE

The Unthanks have teased us recently with talk of their upbeat pop album, but to some extent it’s true. “It’s more hopeful and warm, less melancholy, which isn’t to say there’s no deaths! But I think we were drawn to songs that gave us comfort and made us feel more hopeful,” explains Rachel Unthank. “There’s not quite as much outright despair.”

Rachel is open about finding lockdown difficult, the isolation and the lack of opportunity to sing communally. All of this fed into the developing of songs for Sorrows Away. “We were really drawn to songs that gave us comfort or reminded us of singing with other people, that’s such a big part of our lives. We’ve run singing weekends on the Northumberland coast for the last ten years and we’ve sorely missed those, so some of those songs like The Great Selkie of Sule Skerry, we’ve sung on the beach with lots of people, and recording it reminded us of that. Or Waters of Tyne, I never really thought I’d put that on an album but I live right near the Tyne and in lockdown, the kids would go and explore the river and I’d be thinking about how it connected me to friends and family further down in Newcastle or my mum on the coast, and it took on new resonances. Sorrows Away is the sort of thing we’d normally sing together in a pub, with the line “since we’ve learned a new song to drive sorrows away”. When we decided to record it, it made sense of all the other songs.”

Although Sorrows Away is as ambitious and lush in its arrangements as Mount The Air, it didn’t start that way. “It always come from the songs. We actually always think we’ll not use a massive band because it’s ridiculous to tour! Really fun and really expensive.” She explains. “Becky and I would get together and practice our harmonies in the woods! Then we’d usually bring those songs to Adrian, and he dreams up all sorts

of wonderful arrangements.”

Although there have been lots of Unthanks releases in the nearly eight years since Mount The Air, the band do consider Sorrows Away to be the next ‘proper Unthanks album’, “where we sit and think about songs that we want to sing and the stories we want to share with people” and it includes a couple of songs that have been part of Rachel’s life for a long time. The Sandgate Dandling Song appears in a gorgeously arranged form: “Adrian [McNally] says it’s the first song he ever heard me sing, he’s always been a bit obsessed with it, and I’ve always sung it unaccompanied.” And there’s Sorrows Away, which on their recent tour elicited an audience singalong reaction that felt like “an incantation…we were all singing our sorrows away. And people really meant it as well. People are looking for that, audiences are coming with open hearts and wanting to connect. The first couple of times we did it, I burst into tears and couldn’t sing any more.“

The Unthanks release Sorrows Away on 14th October. They play The Fire Station, Sunderland on Wednesday 12th and Queen’s Hall, Hexham on Sunday 23rd October. www.the-unthanks.com

Rachel & Becky Unthank by Sarah Mason

The festival experience has always been something utterly unique. The magic can’t ever be put down to one aspect; the atmosphere, the anticipation, the crowd belting out lyrics in unison, bonded by music. The euphoria of stumbling into something beautiful and fresh is the impetus behind Twisterella; returning to venues in Middlesbrough on Saturday 8th October, the annual success is ready to put on a dazzling show from beginning to end.

The award-winning festival has turned heads for its celebration of shiny new music, cultivating a bustling hive of live music right in the heart of the town. Winning the AIF Independent Festival award for its ‘forward thinking bookings’, Twisterella is constantly diving into the future, plucking a veritable feast of talents from across the globe, as well as straight from the streets of the North East; each act that graces any of the six stages is brimming with potential, talent and energy.

Co-promoter Andy Carr is eager to jump into action: “Twisterella returns this October with an action-packed line-up featuring with some of the most exciting new and emerging artists around. We can’t wait for fans to discover and make an early connection with their new favourite act, and all of this right in the heart of Middlesbrough. It’s going to be another brilliant year!”

Venues including Teesside University’s Student Union, The Townhouse, TSOne and Westgarth Social Club host performances alongside pop-ups in some of Middlesbrough’s coolest bars over in Baker Street and Bedford Street.

As for the line-up, expect local legends like power pop five-piece Komparrison; the jazz-inflected indie of Sarah Johnsone; angsty noise makers Benefits; fuzz rockers Pit Pony; Teesside rapper Shakk; affecting songwriter Jodie Nicholson; alt. indie artist Lizzie Esau; brat-pop firebrands ZELA; punchy rockers Onlooker; soulful songwriter Sisi; punky pop artists

bigfatbig; the spoken word electro of Faithful Johannes and Teesside bedroom popster Cosial.

Plus, there’s a host of critically acclaimed artists from outside the region, including Edinburgh’s indie poppers Swim School; dance/rap hybrid Noisy; gentle lyricist Cara Rose; alt. rock project Tummyache; indie four-piece The Royston Club; all-female indie alt. rockers Prima Queen; Welsh punks Panic Shack; noise pop band Sick Joy; Leeds post-punks Treeboy & Arc; genre-bending hip-hop collective Nukuluk; York singer-songwriter Phoebe Hall and many more.

Despite the festival giving a platform to those names less known, co-promoter Henry Carden hints at one act that may be a potential standout: “We’ve confirmed Little Quirks as a headliner and we couldn’t be more excited. They’re coming over from Australia for their first ever UK tour and they’ve recently signed to the legendary Glassnote Records in New York; expect them to follow in the footsteps of their label-mates Mumford & Sons, Daughter and Aurora over the coming years.”

The surplus of talent that floods from each of the 40 “brightest and best emerging artists” at the festival means the £20 ticket is a no brainer for anyone keeping their fingers firmly on the pulse of new music.

Twisterella Festival takes place at various venues in Middlesbrough on 8th October. www.twisterella.co.uk

L-R, T-B,: Benefits, Little Quirks, Panic Shack, Swim School by Rory Barnes

Conducting the interview from the comfort of a Berlin coffee shop, there was an immediate candid charm that emanated from flautist Mauricio Velasierra and soprano and guitarist Heidi Heidelberg, aka Witch ‘n’ Monk. As conversation bounds off into discussions that equally balanced the whimsical and philosophical (covering everything from coffee, tiaras and smiling), it become quickly clear that everything the duo do is bound in the realm of the surreal and bizarre.

This may seem like a trivial introduction to the band but it’s paramount in understanding the kinship and singlemindedness that encompasses the duo; an endless source of creativity that feels always evolving, expanding and entertaining.

Unravelling The Mind is the next step on their artistic voyage, a show that unites the existential with the exciting, questioning our understanding of entertainment and art, as well as the very nature of understanding itself.

They explain: “Humans place a huge emphasis on intelligence, that’s how we distribute a life’s importance. We put ourselves above those things we see as less intellectual. We see ourselves at the top of the food chain in that regard, but maybe we have a very limited knowledge of what intelligence is. Reading into the practices of indigenous tribes like the Ashaninka or the Kogi, learning how they communicate with the world around them, accurately harvesting specific plants for herbal remedies and knowing exactly how to treat each leaf in a way that produces the perfect medicine, simply by listening to the plant. We read into single cell organisms that are bizarrely intelligent, thwarting puzzles that have baffled humans for centuries. There must be intelligence beyond the parameters of however we’ve come to define it. That’s what the show is built on, amplifying the voices of these unheard intellects.”

The production, which comes to Sage Gateshead on Saturday

15th October, challenges the conventions of performance art; the duo deliver something beyond the limitations of the audible. Becoming a sensation that aims to involve the ears, the eyes and the nose, pushing the audience out of the comfortable confines of the usual experience and forcing us to connect on uncharted territory. “The live experience is building a space, building something that can’t be replicated. The live experience is people – being, doing, feeling. You can’t describe the taste of a mango, you just have to taste it and experience it. That’s what we’re wanting to provide. Something sensory and new. Exploring those deep sensory perceptions of intelligence is integral to the show’s themes, what can we learn through our body that we haven’t capitalised on yet, how can we communicate with the world around us?”

With the show originally based around contextualising the origins of jazz culture, the performance has found its own path and importantly has its own story to tell, though through the searing and incendiary shunning of Western norms, combined with free-flowing, improvised melodies, the of the genre is still alive throughout.

Witch ‘N’ Monk present Unravelling The Mind at Sage Gateshead on Saturday 15th October. www.witchnmonk.com

Image by Annemarie Sterian

Founded in 2015, Sunderland Shorts makes its big screen return from Monday 17th-Saturday 22nd October and is dedicated to bringing the best short films from across the country and internationally to audiences in the North East, while also supporting and developing the skills of local screen talent. There will be over 130 short films and music videos making up fifteen screenings across six days at The National Glass Centre, Pop Recs Ltd. and Empire Cinema, with each screening showcasing a different genre of film from comedy and horror to drama and documentary. The festival also includes dedicated screenings for young, emerging and student filmmakers, as well as a North East showcase to support the work of the next generation of cinema. For the first time the line-up also includes two music video screenings supported with a gig by We Make Culture’s Young Musicians Project and held at Pop Recs Ltd. Also on the agenda are a number of prestigious guest screenings including OSKA Bright, the leading international awardwinning Learning Disability Film Festival, at The National Glass Centre and a Film Hub North curated evening of some of the ground-breaking short films they have helped bring to the big screen, at the same venue.

Along with filmmaker Q&As accompanying each screening there will also be a networking event at the Mayor’s Parlour at Sunderland City Hall, a chance to connect with local filmmakers, students and recent graduates along with other

industry professionals, local institutions and production companies.

Films worth looking out for include Jon Olav Stokke’s Deloping, a dark period drama set in 1792; Matthew Ride-Smith’s Hopper And Gundel – River Police; China In A Box from Irish singer-songwriter Niall McNamee about a loving, honest, yet fragile relationship and how these connections with a loved one should be cherished; and A Town Called Panic: The Summer Holidays – School is Over. Vincent Patar and Stéphane Aubier tell the story of Indian and Cowboy who decide to build a boat and set out in search of adventure. With the help of the animals, they finally manage to inaugurate their proud vessel.

Elsewhere, Secret Life of Tom Lightfoot reveals how we can learn to live with the secrets of our hearts; One Like Him, in which a Jordanian man must find a way to tell his first love the truth about what happened twenty years ago, when a single moment changed both their lives; Luke Bather’s Bald tells the heart-warming tale of how the baldest man in the world accidentally starts a moon-worshipping cult in South Wales; Type is a stop motion animation about a young woman growing up with chronic allergies that isolate her from the world and stars Jodie Whittaker and David Bradley, and is directed by Lesley-Anne Rose; and Funke Alafiatayo’s Everything’s Fine follows an empathetic young woman as she struggles to find space for her own care.

The top films in each genre category will be eligible to win a range of awards, including cash prizes provided by the University of Sunderland, ensuring the festival nurtures and inspires young filmmakers in the future. Sunderland Shorts Film Festival takes place at various venues in Sunderland from Monday 17th-Saturday 22nd October. www.sunderlandshorts.co.uk

L-R, T-B: Secret Life of Tom Lightfoot, A Town Called Panic - The Summer Holidays, China in a Box, Deloping

We Tibetans are an alternative rock four-piece from Stockton, comprising of Luke Evans (vocals), Ben Curry (lead guitar), Danny Spooner (bass) and Marty Bennett (drums). The band released their debut single Running Away in March this year, and are finally following it up with a new track, White Knuckle Ride, this month.

The group trace their formation back to 2017, as front-person Luke explains. “We had Matty Chipchase on lead vocals and I was the drummer for a bit – along with my brother Mark on guitar. The band never really got going, we did a few gigs and it sort of fizzled out.” Then came the death of Young Rebel Set frontman Matty in 2019. “We obviously had to deal with the loss of our dear friend Matty, which brings all sorts of emotions.”

Luke and Danny eventually found themselves talking at a party, where We Tibetans was reborn. “We were talking about how good the demo songs are and how we should revive the band. He suggested I should be the singer this time as he knew a better drummer, and he thought I had it in me too. I went along with it, and the rest they say is history…”

Getting the band back together also brought an element of solace to the group. “We still sing and perform the songs Matty worked on with us, which brings a sense of comfort, knowing we are still getting unheard original music out there which he contributed to.”

While this new era for the band has been challenging, Luke added: “The band takes everything in its stride now. We are not exactly spring chickens these days, and we all have external responsibilities, but we meet up every week to write, practice and have a laugh. It’s a hobby for us and an enjoyable one at that.”

Despite the band modestly calling it a hobby, they’ve found success over the past 12 months. From selling out shows to playing Stockton Calling. Luke’s proudest moment, however, has been the recording of White Knuckle Ride.

“For me, it was going in to record our second single at a fully functioning music studio. We went up to The Chairworks in Leeds for a few days. This was a really proud moment for me. I never thought I would get the chance to work in a studio like that again. I guess this time round, I know to appreciate the moment more and really savour the best times, as I know they are few and far between.”

White Knuckle Ride is shaping up to be a very exciting release for the band. “I think everyone in life is on their own personal journey and us four are no different.” In between the anthemic choruses and the heavy guitar-driven instrumentation, is some very heavy lyricism tackling themes such as men’s mental health. “It’s all based around Danny’s personal journey over the last two years. The song is very much heart-on-the-sleeve stuff, but it does have a positive message too. Danny is a poster boy now for how far people can come when you learn to respond and not react, as the song would suggest.”

We Tibetans release White Knuckle Ride on 21st October, with the single launch gig taking place at Middlesbrough’s Base Camp on Friday 28th October. www.wetibetans.com

Image by Jodie Canwell

DILETTANTE

CAMERON WRIGHT DISCOVERS THE MULTI-FACETED TALENTS OF FRANCESCA PIDGEON, AKA DILETTANTE

A melting pot of ideas, genres and inspirations, Dilettante is the freshest pop aficionado gracing the circuit.

Multi-instrumentalist Francesca Pidgeon brings her quiver, filled with each of its distinct musical arrows, to Bobik’s on Friday 14th October, where a tour of musical experimentation to celebrate her new album, Tantrum, begins. “We’ll all be exceptionally giddy and excited, despite how stressful the live experience can be. Almost every song has looping in it and if you get one detail wrong in a loop, you have to live with or fix it!

It’s a lot of mental gymnastics as I try running around trying to play every instrument onstage! There’s nothing more fun than when it works though, plus it’s a whole lot cheaper than employing six saxophonists and 12 backing vocalists!”

As the musician elaborates deeper on the musical tapestries that would make up the evening, she alludes to the five guitars (three electric, nylon and acoustic), bass, drums, three alto saxes, clarinet, alto clarinet, flute, cello, three synths, piano, trumpet, trombone and violin plus three loop pedals that make up her collection, claiming an addiction to learning new instruments. Although Francesca wryly puts this obsession down to a sense of megalomania, it is a clear testament to the artist’s unyielding passion for the craft.  “It’s so exciting to start making sounds. Being totally self taught at everything means I approach every instrument with naivety, just making noises I like the sound of, never worrying too much about the ‘correct’ way to play them.”

This passion for evolving and growing, pushing herself with new tasks and challenges, is an active mindset the artist understands, as she deliberately tapers a sound distinctly hers. Despite studying avant-garde composition at university, Dilettante’s new album is delightfully accessible, fun and free. Finding flavours from across the spectrum, there’s

I TEND TO THINK OF MY STUFF AS ALTERNATIVE MUSIC DRESSING UP AS POP SONGS, IT’S NOT QUITE EITHER

something both tangibly familiar and somewhat alien about the sounds of Dilettante. “Where previously I may have tried too hard to just be clever, something my co-producer really helped me with was giving me a license to write pop songs! The music I love is basically pop songs with a bit of edge. They’re not reinventing the wheel but they’re putting a new spin on it (pun intended) which in a way I think is a harder line to tread. I tend to think of my stuff as alternative music dressing up as pop songs, it’s not quite either.”

The songs in Dilettante’s oeuvre do exist in that space between pop and alternative, but there’s more nuance than those labels may suggest. With her earliest memories being soundtracked by Sinatra, Billie Holiday and the Ink Spots, there is a purity and heart to her harmonies, instrumentation and chord sequences that feels hand picked from the 40s. Further down the timeline, the influences of the Pixies, Deerhoof and Fiona Apple make a resounding impact, the latter of which can be heard most prominently through the honest, truthful writing. “Fiona Apple was the first artist I heard absolutely laying her soul bare and the vulnerability made me fall in love with her. Listening to her and falling for the rawness of grunge is what stopped me becoming a Micheal Bublé tribute!”

Dilettante launches Tantrum at Bobik’s, Newcastle on Friday 14th October.

www.linktr.ee/dilettantesongs

Jack Mylchreest is an alternative country singer-songwriter from the North East who is poised to release his debut EP, In My Stride. Jack has spent the past five years as a working musician and the new EP shows him bringing together an eclectic range of influences and showing off his development into a confident country artist.

He describes his decision to write and record country music as “the perfect genre to express myself…Whether that be a really heavy guitar-driven track, or a really delicate and gentle ballad. The music that excites me now mainly comes from modern country artists like Morgan Wade, Luke Combs and Brothers Osborne to name a few.”

He explains that his biggest songwriting inspirations come from artists like Tom Petty, Bryan Adams and Chris Stapleton, whose sound provided a real lightbulb moment for Jack. “Inspiration comes from various genres including country, pop, rock and blues. I’ve always been into heavy guitar based music, but then I came across Jimi Hendrix and Rory Gallagher and realised I wanted to experiment with blues.”

In My Stride reflects this versatility, from the opening country rocker Sober, to the contemplative ballads Wait (featuring Lauren Shaw) and Homesick, and to indie pop Tryin’ (which sounds plenty country to my ears!). The EP covers a full range of musical and emotional ground, from loss and heartbreak to insecurity, exemplified by Jack’s first single Safe With You. “The thing that links all these songs together is that they were written at a time where I felt inspired to start writing again. Some songs are autobiographical and some revolve around observations of others.”

Jack has refined his craft, describing his process: “If I get an idea I play around with the melody and lyrics with an acoustic guitar, probably spending an hour or so on that before I record

a little demo on my phone. I would usually then leave it for a week or so to see if I can remember it, if it’s memorable I know it has potential.”

The creativity doesn’t end there, as the band play around with it up to the point of recording in the studio. For instance: “While drummer Sophie Purvis was laying down her parts for my song Tryin’, she played a half time groove in the middle eight which was never on the demo.” The musical direction of Wait changed from a country ballad to a piano-based track after keys player Lyndon Philliskirk played the song’s opening.

Jack hopes that on hearing the EP, people are able to find common ground with the subject matter. “I hope people connect with these songs and apply them to their own situations, realising that they are not alone in what they’re dealing with… whether it be heartbreak from a relationship, missing a loved one, struggling with anxiety, or even seeing someone they care about lose their way.”

Just as Jack regularly feels comfort in listening to other people’s songs, he hopes others can find comfort in his.

Jack Mylchreest releases In My Stride EP on 30th September. He plays Prohibition Cabaret Bar, Newcastle on Thursday 29th September, Bari Bar in Sunderland on Saturday 1st and Stack Seaburn on Friday 14th October. www.jackmylchreest.live

BOSOLA

MARIA WINTER SPEAKS TO VOCALIST AND GUITARIST TIM COX FROM ECLECTIC LOCAL ALT. ROCK BAND BOSOLA THE INFLUENCES BEHIND THEIR NEW EP

Image by Harley Kuyck Cohe MUSIC

“My songwriting is a gritty self-examination with a bit of light at the end of the tunnel. Whether that’s in the lyrical content, or where the music is set in juxtaposition.”

Newcastle-based indie rock band Bosola release their brand new EP, Thomas & Judas, on 7th October. Featuring moments of folk, country and indie inflections, these four songs are ultimately woven together by a golden thread of alternative rock – the trio’s signature sound. Comprised of Tim Cox (vocals and guitar), Pete Waldock (bass) and Emma Anderson (drums), these musicians create a truly eclectic ambience. Having already released three songs from the EP as singles, Bosola strived to establish themselves as a versatile band, and Tim wanted to make sure he released music that he loved, not what he thought others wanted to listen to. Despite already having the songs almost fully formed in his mind, during the recording process Tim let these flow and subsequently flourish amongst the chemistry of the band. “There’s a folky side that comes out in some places and an alternative rocky side that comes out in others,” It’s safe to say the musical assimilation of each track both compliments, and in some places beautifully challenges, the thematic choices.

Religion has always been an immense part of Tim’s life, and this EP has proven to be a significant outlet for discussions surrounding his inner emotions and various struggles with the topic. Me On A Good Day lyrically represents an individual

losing their faith, appearing mentally exhausted. Yet, set to a rather upbeat accompaniment of echoed guitar riffs and prominent drums, the track similarly evokes a sense of hope and positivity – that light at the end of the tunnel. Tim notes: “These songs aren’t religious in nature, but it comes from my inner religion. I like displaying that melancholy feel with a touch of grandiose.”

They say it’s best to keep your work and personal (in this case musical) life separate, but for Tim, his professional role as a psychologist only enhances his songwriting abilities when composing, as it allows for an alternative lyrical perspective.

“My job is to have empathy and really think how others feel,” explains Tim. “Although I don’t bring other people’s stories into my writing, it does help me to think about narratives and creating alternative endings.” Through Tim’s astute storytelling skills, this EP demonstrates a powerful liminality between introspection and a sense of metaphysical perception, all wrapped up in a musical blanket of indie rock.

Bosola have crafted an EP of carefully constructed tracks, examining the relatable dilemmas of relationships and self-growth. With meticulous musical moments and toe-tapping beats, Thomas & Judas will be performed live at The Lubber Fiend in Newcastle on Saturday 8th October, with special guest performances from Honeyflux, Cat Ryan and Pet Rock.

Bosola release Thomas & Judas on 7th October. They play The Lubber Fiend, Newcastle on Saturday 8th October. www.bosola.bandcamp.com A OF LIGHT AT THE OF THE

The story of Chumbawamba is a fascinating, exciting, powerful one, especially when you get to the point in 1997 when they had a bona fide pop hit and ruffled some anarcho-punk feathers by signing to EMI (“it wasn’t THAT EMI”, as Dunstan Bruce points out). It’s a story worthy of a great film, which Bruce – former Chumbawamba and latterly Interrobang‽ singer – has made. And it’s brilliant. But while Bruce and his co-director Sophie Robinson were grappling with licensing and distribution and that whole hellscape, lockdown came along and Bruce wondered what the hell to do next.

“Interrobang‽ couldn’t get it together to write a second album and I had all these lyrics I wanted to do something with. So I started doing this one-man show that was only about 25 minutes long, The Existential Angst Of Dunstan Bruce. It just wasn’t cut out for the gig environment, but Sophie said, ‘Look, make that 50 minutes long and I’ll direct it!’ We started developing it in lockdown, introducing ideas about how to present it. If you were to draw a Venn diagram of the film and the show, there’d be quite a large overlap of the two, but it’s less about Chumbawamba and more about one man’s personal journey – ‘what do you do when you reach middle age, when you still want to remain relevant and visible, you’re still angry. Where’s your place in the world?’”

Bruce admits theatre was outside his comfort zone.

“Chumbawamba had a big theatrical element but that was never really my role in the band. I didn’t want to do stand-up or ‘An Evening With…’, I wanted to do something that was poetry and prose and music, I use a lot Interrobang‽ songs in the show and obviously I reference Tubthumping. I’ve never felt any sort of ill will towards that song, it’s never been an albatross. I feel as though that song liberated me in a way, to do a lot of things I would never have been able to do.”

As someone who’s keen on reinvention and challenging himself, Bruce admits it’s a massive adrenaline rush. “I think it’s brilliant at my age to be experiencing something new, it makes me wonder what I’m going to do I when I get to 70. I’ve no desire to go skydiving or deep-sea-diving or anything like that.”

From the beginning, Interrobang‽ were always quite theatrical. “I made a decision right at the beginning of the band to not engage with the audience, because I wanted to present the whole thing as one piece. I wasn’t interested in banter or asking people how they were. And that’s what you do in theatre, you’re not supposed to break the fourth wall.” Writing outside the Chumbawamba collective has also been an important step for him. “Interrobang‽ was the first time that I had complete control over the lyrics, and that was a really liberating experience. It enables me to expose myself, it’s more personal. With Chumbawamba, it was never from a personal point of view, but now you get the vulnerability and the humanity as well, not just the anger all the time.”

Dunstan Bruce performs Am I Invisible Yet? at The Exchange, North Shields on Friday 7th and Saturday 8th, and at The Georgian Theatre, Stockton on Sunday 9th October. The film I Get Knocked Down should appear in 2023. www.aiiy.co.uk

By the time you read this, Newcastle’s own Charts And Graphs will have played perhaps their most prominent gig to date supporting Jesus Jones. The day before this however I catch up with Dan Greener, the band’s vocalist and guitarist, to talk all things music related, having fun and recording their two albums, the latest of which, No Dive Bombing Or Heavy Petting, is out this month.

The elevator pitch for the band goes as follows, “Talking Heads being force-fed Gang of Four while repeatedly running around the park listening to LCD Soundsystem on a Walkman”. It’s a snappy soundbite and also happens to be very accurate. Anyone familiar with these bands will connect with the jerkily riffed guitars, bouncing basslines, motorik drumming and the mix of David Byrne’s wired vocals and those of Jon King and Andy Gill.

So, what’s the fascination with the new wave/post-punk era? It’s a lengthy story, as Dan explains, he and fellow bandmate Ross’s (bass) love of ska music, The Specials, The Clash and Madness et al, led to their initial foray into the music business as The Toy Guns.

After a lengthy stint in the capital recording and touring, that band ran its course and members went their separate ways. Returning to the North East, older and with new priorities, Greener kept writing and making music but hadn’t touched a guitar or sung in years when he reconnected with Ross to work on some new material together, wanting “to keep things really simple”. Coincidently, the planet locked down at this point in

time so 2020 found the pair sharing files. Electronic and bass parts coalescing, adding guitar and vocals and creating drum patterns, the duo produced album Run It Neil in 2021. The release and a steady presence online garnered attention from BBC Introducing and from that point it was full steam ahead. There’s an authenticity about the band’s live sound they want to capture, much like their new wave counterparts. Dan says that initial ska interest seemed to slip forward a few years and they found themselves smack bang in the late 70’s/early 80’s.

With material written they entered Newcastle Blast studios and recorded all the drums before doing what they love best, collaging the music around these drum tracks in Dan’s basement, collectively piecing their parts together and recording live before finally adding vocals.

“Lyrics are always the final piece of the puzzle,” says Dan, “I never start writing thinking about a subject, but prefer instead to come up with nice phrases, lines that can refer to five different things in a couple of sentences.” He cites Shaun Ryder’s biography explaining that the Happy Monday’s lyrics are meaningless, stream of consciousness. This could appear disingenuous given the new album touches on many obvious subjects, but these are fleeting never settling for too long.

Armed with this musical ammunition I ask what’s next, what does the future hold? “Just have fun, see where things go,” is the answer. That might change, I think it’d be prudent to check Charts & Graphs out soon, because the band could go way beyond their own ambitions.

Charts And Graphs release No Dive Bombing Or Heavy Petting on 31st October.

www.chartsandgraphs.bandcamp.com

PHIL TYLER & SARAH HILL

It’d be impossible to chart every project and partnership spawned from Newcastle’s long-running folk nights; the kinds of communal events where passions are shared, connections forged and ideas and traditions alike passed among generations. It’s wholly unsurprising then, that it was at two of these nights – Sacred Harp Singing, then based at St. Oswald’s Hospice, and The Cumberland Arms’ Come All Ye – where the seeds of Phil Tyler and Sarah Hill’s friendship and eventual collaboration were first sewn.

“I think we met around 2008, when I started coming to Sacred Harp Singing,” Sarah recalls. “I wasn’t really learning folk songs at all back then, but after a while when we all started going to Come All Ye, Phil began suggesting things we could do together.” Now based in Brighton, it’s a period she evidently regards with a tinge of nostalgia. “I miss it so much!” She bemoans. “I was at Come All Ye just last week!” Phil interjects. As one of the local circuit’s most prolific and recognisable stalwarts, this particular quip almost went without saying. Now, almost a decade and a half on, the duo’s perfectly pitched harmonies are finally documented on their first joint full-length, What We Thought Was A Lake Was A Field Of Flax. Was its sudden release the result of a creative boom, or a pandemic-inspired urge to reconnect? Not exactly…

S: “The whole record was done in two sessions at the end of 2016…”

P: “I thought it was all done before you left?”

S: “I left 10 years ago! I know it was 2016 as I was pregnant with my daughter at the time!”

P: “I don’t think I’m the most reliable recounter of any of this!” “We’d originally wanted to do more, but it all ended up being swept under the carpet,” Phil admits, having regained his bearings. “It was a very slow process. I’d almost forgotten about it – but heard it again after a long break and thought: ‘Actually,

this isn’t bad. Maybe we don’t need new songs’.”

Three of the album’s 11 tracks are originals: banjo instrumental Tarwater; Sweet Lemney, whose traditional words are set to a novel tune; and Golden Lads, whose lyric was borrowed from friend and Come All Ye organiser Jo Ellis. Otherwise, Sarah’s crystal-clear delivery and Phil’s earthy tones coalesce in an ode to those formative folk nights, and some of the gems they took away with them.

“It’s like standing outside with a big net, and catching some of the tunes which fly by,” Phil says of the pair’s selection process.

“There are some traditional songs I’ve never thought of doing myself – but then I’ll hear another version which completely changes my mind. It can be more about the singer than the song itself.”

“For me it’s a lot more about the histories of these pieces and honouring them,” Sarah offers. “That’s what I enjoy the most about singing traditional songs – there’s always that thread connecting back to their origins, yet every time you perform them it’s about the here and now.”

With the record finally out in the wild, and vague plans to reunite live somewhere, sometime in the future, these numbers – previously popularised by the likes of Shirley Collins, Martin Carthy and Peggy Seeger – feel poised to draw their latest clutch of admirers.

Phil Tyler and Sarah Hill’s What We Thought Was A Lake Was A Field Of Flax is released on 7th October via Ferric Mordant.

THERE’S ALWAYS THAT THREAD CONNECTING BACK TO THEIR ORIGINS, YET EVERY TIME YOU PERFORM THEM IT’S ABOUT THE HERE AND NOW

LISTINGS

THE BEST OF THE REST...EVEN MORE ALTERNATIVE MUSIC, THEATRE, COMEDY, ART AND FILM TAKING PLACE THROUGHOUT THE NORTH EAST THIS MONTH

SATURDAY 1ST OCTOBER

BLACK TOP WITH MARIAM REZAEI

Part of Newcastle Festival of Jazz & Improvised Music, this showcase features the inimitable talents of turntablist Mariam Rezaei, paired with Orphy Robinson (xylosynth and electronics) and Pat Thomas (piano and electronics) to provide an evening of sonic delight // The Lit & Phil, Newcastle

NICOLE MITCHELL

Award-winning flautist, composer and bandleader. Part of NFOJAIM // The Lit & Phil, Newcastle

MI MYE

Songs of empathy and hope served up in a contemplative and emotive style. Supported by Nel Unlit and Carpet // Westgarth Social Club, Middlesbrough

NINEBANKS

Up-tempo catchy pop rock, supported by Kid Punk // Independent, Sunderland

TEN EIGHTY TREES

The North East alt. rockers celebrate the recent release of their new single The Incubator. Support from Headcage and Lull // Bobik’s, Newcastle

THE DOLL’S HOUSE

Award-winning, Durham-based Elysium Theatre Company brings Ibsen’s landmark drama about marriage, love and the need to be true you yourself in a sensational new production // The Exchange, North Shields

FEATURED // Rimaldas Vikšraitis

Daily Rituals of Work and Play is the first major survey exhibition in the UK of Lithuanian artist-photographer Rimaldas Vikšraitis which explore creativity and disability and challenge gender roles // Northern Gallery For Contemporary Art, Sunderland

SUNDAY 2ND OCTOBER

GEORGE BOOMSMA

Exquisite North Yorkshire songwriter, with support from Philip Jonathan // The Engine Room, North Shields

HELEN ANAHITA WILSON

Critically acclaimed pianist, composer and multi-instrumentalist. Part of NFOJAIM // The Lit & Phil, Newcastle

SHIFA

Improvised experimentalists, supported by Bex Burch & Leafcutter John and revered bassist Farida Amadou. Part of NFOJAIM // The Lit & Phil, Newcastle

MONDAY 3RD OCTOBER

AFFLECKS PALACE

Four-piece psych band from Manchester, support from Pastel and Vega Rally // Independent, Sunderland

LIFE

Pop sensibilities and effortless guitar hooks // The Cluny, Newcastle

PUBLIC SERVICE BROADCASTING

Surging electronic rock // The Fire Station, Sunderland

TUESDAY 4TH OCTOBER

GRACE PETRIE

Protest singer and activist // The Cluny, Newcastle

THURSDAY 6TH OCTOBER

CIRCUIT

Independent’s new music night, featuring sets from joyous Australian DIY band Little Quirks and North East indie rocker Holly Rees // Independent, Sunderland

GIGGLE WATER COMEDY CLUB

A night of comedy featuring Raul Kohli, Catherine Young and more // Prohibition Cabaret Bar, Newcastle

HOLD ON LET GO

A poignant, personal meditation on the gaps in our memories // Gosforth Civic Theatre, Newcastle

LUKE SITAL SINGH

Atmospheric songwriter // The Cluny 2, Newcastle

FRIDAY 7TH OCTOBER

!!! American rock band // Newcastle University

COCO & THE BUTTERFIELDS

Indie pop (Also at The Cluny 2, Newcastle the following night // NE Volume Music Bar, Stockton

PULLED APART BY HORSES

Leeds-based exciting rockers // Pop Recs Ltd., Sunderland

ROB HERON & THE TEA PAD ORCHESTRA

Razor-sharp Northern Eastern swing // The Forum, Darlington

SHOE CAKE COMEDY CLUB

Featuring Rob Mulholland, Elaine Robertson and Julian Lee // The Georgian Theatre, Stockton

THE STRANGE BLUE DREAMS

Otherworldly pop music combining doo wop, Bollywood and Spaghetti Western themes // The Globe, Newcastle

TURIN BREAKS

Folk rock band // The Fire Station, Sunderland

WOR LASSES

A techno night for women only, Wor Lasses features DJs Amy Warehouse, CCM, Kaytee Bee and Silent Mess // The Globe, Newcastle

SATURDAY 8TH OCTOBER

BEND & SHAKE

Sister Shack’s Queer party Bend & Shake returns for a night of RnB, house, disco, pop, soul, techno and more from DJ Awkward Black Girl, Samara, Kitty, Ffog, Azula Bandit and Ivorything // The Old Coal Yard, Newcastle

BIG MOUTH COMEDY CLUB

Featuring President Obonjo, Peter Brush and MC Matt Reed // Middlesbrough Town Hall

HARRIET KEMSLEY

The comedian takes a long hard look at the beauty industry // ARC, Stockton

LOST VOICE GUY COMEDY SHOWCASE

The BGT winner brings some of his favourite comedians to the North East // Gosforth Civic Theatre, Newcastle

NO TEETH

Noise wave band, with support from post-punks Roxy Girls and revered songwriter Nev Clay // Star & Shadow Cinema, Newcastle

SARPA SALPA

Indie dancefloor fillers // Bobik’s, Newcastle

SUNDAY 9TH OCTOBER

WREST Scottish indie rockers // Independent, Sunderland

TUESDAY 11TH OCTOBER

NATURE TV

Self-confessed door-to-door heartbreak salesmen, with support from Mt. Misery // Bobik’s, Newcastle

WEDNESDAY 12TH OCTOBER

THE CAVEMEN

Wild garage punks from New Zealand, supported by Moron-o-Phonics // Trillians, Newcastle

THURSDAY 13TH OCTOBER

A COSY NIGHT IN…

Join Anna Hughes and Jessie Howard, Calum Howard and Fraser Smith for a night of music and song // The Cumberland Arms, Newcastle

LET’S EAT GRANDMA

Experimental pop duo // The Cluny, Newcastle

FEATURED //

The Human Spaceship –Upon the Moon

Sunderland artist Helen Schell continues her investigation of 21st Century space exploration in a series of paintings which have been made in collaboration with space scientists and use geometric optical illusions and colour manipulations // Vane, Gateshead

TREVOR SEWELL

Internationally recognised blues

singer-songwriter // Harbour View, Roker

FRIDAY 14TH OCTOBER

COOPS

Soul-infused hip-hop // The Cluny, Newcastle

TONY BENGTSSON BAND

Local Americana/folk artist with hook-laden songs // The Exchange, North Shields

THE SKINNER BROTHERS

A riotous, rebellion fuelled indie band with an arena-sized sound // KU Bar, Stockton

TWISTER

Irrepressible local rock and rollers, support from Takeaway Thieves and Coral Snake // The Georgian Theatre, Stockton

SATURDAY 15TH OCTOBER

A DOLL’S HOUSE

Henrik Ibsen’s landmark drama about marriage, love and the need to be yourself // Gosforth Civic Theatre, Newcastle

THE BURNING HELL

Garage folk oddballs, supported by Toby Goodshank & Mathias Kom and Nev Clay // The Cluny, Newcastle

SUNDAY 16TH OCTOBER

LADY KOO’S GOOD VIBRATIONS

DJs spinning vintage pop, Northern soul, ska, reggae and more // The Cumberland Arms, Newcastle

THEA GILMORE

Folk songwriter // Wylam Brewery, Newcastle

WHERE IS THE FRIEND’S HOUSE

A Kairostami quest film, but one that subverts type and plays with the human dilemma of trying to find somebody when you don’t know where they live // Star & Shadow Cinema, Newcastle

MONDAY 17TH OCTOBER

CURRENT AFFAIRS

80s-tinged post-punk from Glasgow, with support from Ceramic, Boy Latex and Zoe Kendall & Company // The Lubber Fiend, Newcastle

THE AMAZONS

Rock band // Boiler Shop, Newcastle

TUESDAY 18TH OCTOBER

HANYA

Dream pop/art. rock // The Shooting Gallery, Newcastle

THURSDAY 20TH OCTOBER

NERINA PALLOT

Classically trained pianist with a folk leaning sound // Sage Gateshead

THE MAGPIES

Transatlantic folk // The Globe, Newcastle

FRIDAY 21ST OCTOBER

HEAT WRAYS

Driving indie rock from Leeds, supported by Irked // The Cumberland Arms, Newcastle

HILARITY BITES COMEDY CLUB

Featuring Paul ‘Silky’ White, Phil Chapman and MC Lee Kyle // Bishop Auckland Town Hall

INDIA ARKIN

Indie songwriter // Bobik’s, Newcastle

FEATURED // Redcoat

Meet Lewis, he’s a Redcoat. He’s living the dream and living it large in Bognor Regis. He likes to smile and show you a good time. But what happens when you’re having an ‘off day’? And you tell Barney the dinosaur to piss off (in front of a load of kids)? // The Exchange, North Shields

WILD AT HEART

David Lynch’s darkly comic, surrealist road trip into the American psyche is a deliriously unhinged love story, starring Nicolas Cage and Laura Dern // Star & Shadow Cinema, Newcastle

YUNGBLUD

Pop-punk star launches his new album (early show, 4pm) // Boiler Shop, Newcastle

SATURDAY 22ND OCTOBER

CEIL

Indie rock trio, supported by Sarah Johnsone // Bobik’s, Newcastle

FUNKE & THE TWO TONE BABY

Folk anthems with blues riffs // Little Buildings, Newcastle

HOLIDAY IN TOKYO

Lo-fi indie funk, with support from Wax-Tree-Cast, Polyvinyl and Silk Road // The Globe, Newcastle

JENNY LASCELLES

The songwriter and pianist celebrates the one year anniversary of her latest album A Little Louder. Support from Elizabeth Liddle and Hot Mess // The Cumberland Arms, Newcastle

SUNDAY 23RD OCTOBER

KATHRYN TICKELL & THE DARKENING

Northumbrian pipes maestro Kathryn Tickell brings her wonderful band to conjure tales from ancient Northumbria with new compositions and world-class musicianship // The Fire Station, Sunderland

TUESDAY 25TH OCTOBER

MELTS

Alt. indie band // Head of Steam, Newcastle

TERRIFYING TALES OF TYNESIDE

An immersive theatrical experience about North Tyneside’s scary past. Runs until Monday 31st October // Laurel’s, Whitley Bay

WEDNESDAY 26TH OCTOBER

THE HUNNA

Alt. indie trio, supported by Kid Capichi and Lucy Deakin // Boiler Shop, Newcastle

THE OUTTAKES

Experimental rock band, supported by Cause For Concern and Violectric // Little Buildings, Newcastle

FRIDAY 28TH OCTOBER

BLACK BALLET

Presenting two new works by the pioneering company // Gala Theatre, Durham

CATCH 22 COMEDY CLUB

Featuring Daisy Earl, Jimmy McGhie, Percy Savage and MC Nina Gilligan // ARC, Stockton

LOS COYOTE MEN

A Halloween special will see the garage rockers playing spooky versions and ghoulish rock ‘n’ roll. Supported by Razerbills and Haunted Hair // The Globe, Newcastle UNSANE

Legendary noise rock champions, supported by Cassels and Ballpeen // The Lubber Fiend, Newcastle

SATURDAY 29TH OCTOBER

ANGELOS EPITHEMIOU

Cult favourite comedian // Customs House, South Shields

IRIS BRICKFIELD

The synth rock band launch their brand new EP // The Cumberland Arms, Newcastle

FEATURED // Joe Ramsey/Marketplace

A great double-header from two of the region’s most exciting artists, expect affecting songwriting from Joe Ramsey and edgy indie pop courtesy of Marketplace // The Georgian Theatre, Stockton

MOON WAX: FUNK & SOUL HALLOWEEN

Featuring performances from the retro funk band themselves, along with neo-soul artist Frankie Jobling // Independent, Sunderland

SUNDAY 30TH OCTOBER

DEMONS

Italian horror in which a group of people go to a mysterious film screening to find themselves trapped in the cinema with ravenous demons // Star & Shadow Cinema, Newcastle

MONDAY 31ST OCTOBER

JOHN CALE

Rescheduled show from the avant garde musician // Playhouse Whitley Bay

REVIEWS

THE WEATHER STATION, LUTALO @ GOSFORTH CIVIC THEATRE (01.09.22)

Words: Ali Welford

In demand like never before, Tamara Lindeman and her chief songwriting vehicle return to UK shores as critical darlings, hot on the heels of two vastly acclaimed albums in the space of 13 months. Though 2021’s Ignorance proved the more potent crossover hit, it’s moments such as Song from this year’s bare bones How Is It That I Should Look At The Stars which find their calling on the live stage –certainly in an auditorium as intimate as Gosforth Civic Theatre, whose audience hangs enthralled on the Canadian’s every utterance. By contrast, the likes of Loss and Tried To Tell You never quite measure up to the sparkle and grandeur of their recorded counterparts, even while their core folk pop hooks remain as golden and memorable as ever. The Robber is the exception which proves the rule. Infused with an effervescent percussive spontaneity, its unpredictable verve is the wildcard in a set which otherwise thrives at its most minimalist. A word too for Lutalo, an emerging Vermont-based artist who captivates early birds with songs of gentle melodic allure. Their first ever performance outside of North America impresses mightily, enriched by an authoritative, soulfully wizened vocal which adds extra credence to musings on humanity’s collective failure and apparent contempt for their own descendants. One to keep an eye on…

KATY J PEARSON, NAIMA BOCK @ THE CLUNY, NEWCASTLE (18.09.22)

Words: Ali Welford

It’s 8pm on the dot, and The Cluny has fallen deathly silent – not for the latest round of enforced national mourning, but rather in appreciation for Naima Bock’s bewitching support slot. These echoing acoustic vignettes offer but a taste of the lush sounds distinguishing the ex-Goat Girl member’s solo debut Giant Palm, yet even skeletal sketches of Early Morning and Enter The House prove spellbinding – all the more reason to be present in October, when she returns with her own full-band headliner at The Cumberland Arms.

Unfortunately, latecomers don’t offer the same courtesy to Katy J Pearson, who elects to abandon Sound Of The Morning after obnoxious chatters interrupt not one, but two attempts. It’s to their immense credit,

then, that the Bristol songwriter and her fabulously fulsome five-piece band never miss a beat thereafter – even with Pottery’s Tom Gould filling in for one night only on lead guitar duties. Pierced by Katy’s crystal clear vocal, the tense motorik pulse of Confessions is a beefed-up standout, rivaling the climatic singalong Fix Me Up and one of 2022’s finest choruses in the form of breakout single Alligator. Her recovery culminates triumphantly during Return; an impeccably observed acoustic encore, which given earlier events nevertheless feels a lot bolder than it perhaps ought to. Do better, Newcastle.

DEADLETTER, WITNESS PROTECTION PROGRAMME, AMATEUR TREPANNING @ HEAD OF STEAM NEWCASTLE (16.09.22)

Words: Dominic Stephenson

An array of sprechgesang-styled vox and their disparate sounds had aligned for DEADLETTER’s first Newcastle gig. First up were Amateur Trepanning, as wiry post-punk guitar lines were met with juts of 80s electronica and erratic noise. It all felt a bit muddled and that they’re still searching for their best formula.

Witness Protection Programme provided more focused support, with the local quintet (on the night) whipping up an angsty yet melancholic furore. Drawled vocals and crashing guitars conjoined with touches of 00s post-hardcore and gothic punk of more recent times.

I’d been waiting ages to catch DEADLETTER, after a couple of other North East gigs fell through. A bold setlist omitted ‘hit’ Pop Culture Connoisseur and a few earlier bangers, adding to the intrigue, as the sextet uncoiled into a sax-steered number known only as Hysterical. New single Binge followed, an urgent track written in 25 minutes which was made for a live setting. Twin guitars chopped into Hero as the aura of the room inflamed, with frontman Zac Lawrence and bassist George Ullyott vying for command of the stage, unloading buckets of energy. Lawrence’s lyricism is drenched in acidic wit, while Poppy Richler’s Viagra Boys-esque horn, most notably on Kingdom, swerved into the realms of punk jazz. Fit For Work ensured every torso was swaying, and closer Zeitgeist trod a razor’s edge before collapsing in on itself in chaotic fashion. An enthralling performance and an insight into where the evolution of so-called post-punk is heading next.

The Weather Station by Victoria Wai

HOOVERIII, YES CHEF @ THE CLUNY 2, NEWCASTLE (14.09.22)

Words: Dominic Stephenson

There was another mid-week psych-jam helix to be absorbed in the depths of Cluny 2.

Supporting Hooveriii was the Ouseburnian, new noise peddlers of YES CHEF. The brainchild of Callum Church and birthed in the belly of lockdown, they’ve since blossomed into a sprawling five-piece. Self-described as “fart rock” by some members, this tag does them a disservice; their set traversed through garage-infused melody and plunged into the cavernous world of post-rock. However, just seconds later they would flutter into dream pop territory, before dissolving into a psych maelstrom at the climax. An increasingly frequent opener in these parts, expect to see them at the top of the bill before long. There must be something in the water over in L.A. Their music scene contains some of the finest shreddery in the business and none are better than Hooveriii. Fresh off the back of an extensive U.S. tour and a performance on the legendary KEXP, the troupe nosedived into opener Destroya with slicing guitars and tumbling rhythm. The space-krautrock number Hang Em High followed, before they showcased their glossier, psych pop leanings on See and Twisted And Vile, both from new LP A Round Of Applause and overflowing with hooks. Shrieking riffs and winding melody are the meat and bone of their sound, but relentless percussion and belching synths texturise this psychedelic expedition. There was still time for the meandering, hallucinatory fuel of Cindy and gleaming new track The Pearl has to be one of the best of the year. A second outing of psych-jam wizardry is why they’ll always be firm favourites whenever they visit Newcastle.

RISEFEST @ NORTHUMBRIA UNIVERSITY, NEWCASTLE (10.09.22)

Words: Laura Doyle

A festival’s first year is something of a trial by fire, but the team behind RISEFEST applied their organisational know-how from years of Grey Street club nights to pull together an exceptional debut – even down to the dietarily inclusive food trucks outside. Second stage openers Kidpunk showcased the well-rounded pop-punk sound that won them their slot. Downstairs, things got decidedly rowdier with Liverpool goth rockers Death Blooms’ moody music complete with nihilistic lyrics and piggy squeals. Static Dress were as happy to be there as their audience, and their joyous attitude alone makes them a must-see. If only Glasgow’s finest Vukovi hadn’t suffered technical difficulties, but sadly a

dodgy mic really detracted from Janine Shilestone’s epically melodic vocals in these catchy pop-rock tunes. Props to the incomparable Creeper, though, who committed to their appearance despite being down their lead vocalist: backing singer Hannah Hermione took to the centre stage with her husky, powerful vocals which are very different from usual frontman Will Ghould’s, yet still blended uniquely with Creeper’s punchy rock anthems. Boston Manor have come a long way from their pop-punk routes: the rockier tracks that secured their popularity are best enjoyed live. Angsty punk rockers Frank Carter & The Rattlesnakes are not for the fainthearted, with most band members finding their way from the stage to the centre of a mosh pit at some point in the set. An unexpected, and potentially alarming change of pace happened when band namesake Carter video chatted his mother to sing her happy birthday. Punks gotta do what punks gotta do, I guess.

DOUG STANHOPE @ TYNE THEATRE & OPERA HOUSE, NEWCASTLE (14.10.22)

Words: Cameron Wright

For the uninitiated, the lost look in Stanhope’s eye as he shuffled on stage in an oversized suit and a tie dangling down to the ground could easily be seen as the first red flag of the night, then the brazen and hapless nonchalance of his opening line “I’m high as shit” could certainly provide the next.

It took no time at all for the flags to stack up, from the haphazard ramblings and the clunky segues to the ever blurring line between improvised and scripted material, the contents of which was some of the most potent and dazzling I’ve seen grace the stage. With the mounting pile of flags ever growing, it was only at the show’s apex when it dawns on you that every choice is deliberate; Stanhope is placing each flag himself, calculating his way to build the perfect tower of carnage.

The chaos which filled the night was unparalleled, with razor sharp observations slicing open the sordid underbelly of society.

Unapologetically ugly, the show shone as pedestal for a new age Bukowski, as whiskey-soaked assassinations on the imperfect cast a cruel and wickedly entertaining shadow.

Undeniably divisive, unrelentingly terrifying and overwhelmingly funny, Doug Stanhope showcases  once again what makes comedy so special

Vukovi at RISEFEST by Scarlet Kane

FAYE HIELD @ SAGE GATESHEAD (10.09.22)

Words: Damian Robinson

Notwithstanding a couple of pandemic-related delays, Fay Hield makes good on her promise of bringing lovingly crafted folk to Sage Gateshead. Delivered as a three-piece, Hield’s set takes in a variety of folk movements and instrumentations, allowing the evening to move across a blend of covers of folk standards, to some impassioned playing of original compositions including pieces from her most recent album Wrackline. Opening with a cover of Tom Waits, sung in a delicious three-part harmony, Hield moves in a relaxed manner on stage, explaining each song in loving detail and in a manner that shows her clear deep love for the folk traditions.    Humorous (including various in-jokes about Kim Wilde, who is playing in Hall One of venue this evening) and a natural storyteller, Hield’s context provides a fine entry point into her songs; none more so on the explanation of Swirling Eddies, one of two songs taken from Wrackline, which tell the tale of the Selkie legend. Moving through a combination of violin, haunting vocals and some mesmerising accordion lines, it’s maybe the standout song of the evening.    A couple of moments of crowd sing-along interactions, and some fine versions of folk standards (the humorous Tarry Trousers, Sweet William’s Ghost and Pretty Nancy of Yarnmouth standing out) keep tonight’s structure lively and dynamic.  It may have taken some time, but it’s been worth the wait.

DAVE STEWART @ THE FIRE STATION, SUNDERLAND (09.09.22)

Words: Damian Robinson

As tonight proves, you’d be hard pushed to find more of an all-round artist than Sunderland’s Dave Stewart. Filled with conversation, song and the most extraordinary footage from his life, tonight’s gig is a real celebration of a life filled with songwriting, stagecraft, production, philanthropy, fashion, film work and musicianship. It’s also a demonstration of how to celebrate your roots whilst acknowledging that you have never outgrown them. Where some with similar impact and status may have spent the night bragging about past achievements, Stewart stays away from singing his own praises; often missing out on some of the loftier moments of this life in favour of recollecting about his North Eastern childhood and love of football.

Soundtracked by moments of sensational musicianship, Stewart and his six-piece band drive through past highlights, and future releases, of his career. Spine-shivering versions of Here Comes The Rain Again, When Tomorrow Comes and Lily Was Here provide great entry points into both Stewart’s career and guitar proficiency, whilst some soon-to-bereleased work (including a Sgt Peppers sounding Ebony Mcqueen) prove that whilst he may be in his later years, there’s serious art still to come. Given the footage on display, and the sheer power of the band, it would be a shame if this show was a one-off; but if it was, then what a treat for those who saw it.

WARMDUSCHER, NO TEETH @ NEWCASTLE UNIVERSITY STUDENTS’ UNION (01.09.22)

Words: Lee Hammond

Having recently released their fourth album At The Hotspot, Warmduscher arrive tonight in high spirits, especially after No Teeth have suitably livened up this crowd for them, with their distinctive brand of genre-defying music. Shouted vocals, blasts of trumpet and mind-bending gearshifts kick things off in ecstatic fashion.

That ecstasy and excitement is gleefully maintained by the arrival of Warmduscher, who are in fine voice as they take to the stage. There’s a few noticeable sound issues which are quickly worked out, but that doesn’t impede this disco punk juggernaut from ploughing through in emphatic fashion. Lead singer Craig possesses an infinite amount of swagger, particularly during Burner as he takes on Kool Keith’s role in impressive style.

Both Twitchin’ In The Kitchen and Fatso are the standouts from At The Hotspot, with both going down particularly well alongside the band’s more familiar tracks like Standing On The Corner and the ever-brilliant Disco Peanuts. The undeniable highlight though is I Got Friends, and this seething track ignites the dance floor.

Tonight’s set is packed with incredible enthusiasm, an undeniable groove that turns the crowd into a swell of people behaving more like they’re at a rave. There’s a complete disregard for genre as the band flit between garage rock, disco, funk and punk with incredible ease. Warmduscher are a truly incredible party band!

Dave Stewart by Victoria Wai

DEMOS

WORDS: TOM ASTLEY

DEMO OF THE MONTH

Blame Yourself – Insects

Blame Yourself prove that the ‘Midwest’ in Midwest emo is not geographically determined, and that the North East of England is just as capable of producing an absolutely perfect iteration of the genre. If this is your genre, Blame Yourself might be the band you’ve been waiting for. If you’re wanting to make some mixtapes for angst-ridden Autumn nights, then Insects will scratch your itch

The Inklings – In The House of the Fathers

Teesside’s The Inklings have self-recorded a pounding rock track here. With an intro that evokes Metallica’s Enter Sandman, verses that stalk through dark lyrics about shallow graves and being abandoned by God, and a chorus that stokes up the melodic elements with a really interesting organ sound, there are some really beguiling influences that make this track stand out. The vocals have a sort of drawled growl that places the track almost in that dark Americana, even desert rock, sort of soundworld. The prominent use of a 60s organ sound gives just a little flavour of The Doors as well. A really interesting blend of sounds. www.facebook.com/theinklingsuk

KITES – Witch

Kicking off with an ominous riff, KITES’ new track Witch is a full-throated rock song. Driving distortion, open hi-hats, a complex bass that does more than just ground the track and a vocal with enough grit to cut

with precision, interlocking trebly-chiming guitar parts, cri de couer lyrics sung in a desperately good voice always on the cusp of falsetto. Not quite as introvert and delicate as American Football, but welcomely less scream-laden and bombastic than the likes of Tiny Moving Parts, Blame Yourself have burrowed out their own niche within the familiar surroundings of the genre. Emo, but not overly-dramatic. Dextrously melodic, but not overdone. Excellent. www.linktr.ee/weareblameyourself

through the mix. It’s heavier than much of the indie rock around – there’s even a song-stopping, distortion-laden guitar solo in the middle, something most guitar bands still seem to be vaguely ashamed of doing. When it arrives, it absolutely makes the song complete. There’s a melodic bravado within the track too, especially in the chorus, which elevates the track above the usual lad rock. With their wider array of influences, KITES have produced something that sounds refreshingly retro.

www.facebook.com/kitesbanduk

Jordan Caygill – Heaven’s Stairs

I can honestly say that Jordan Caygill’s track Heaven’s Stairs sounds like no other demo I’ve heard. It is visceral and honest. Which sits a little at odds with the polished production that arrests the attention on first listen. The track has that emotional RnB sound down pat. The autotune on the vocals, the reverb-soaked piano, tripping hi-hat rhythms and kick drum, all immediately expected, all delivered perfectly. Caygill writes that he has used

music as a way to overcome speech impediments, a fact that makes the work admirable. But the quality of the backing track, the attention to detail and the richness of the sound, in a genre that thrives on such production, is what makes it worth a listen.

www.instagram.com/jordan_caygill_

The Collectors – Don’t Be Afraid

For someone of my vintage, it can be hard to accept that Britpop is now a nostalgic genre which can influence bands from a historical distance. So it is with Stockton’s The Collectors, who have embraced the Britpop sound fully and unabashedly, with all the bravado and swagger the genre demands. Don’t Be Afraid sounds like vintage Definitely Maybe-era Oasis, replete with Liam-spat lead vocals and Noel-intoned backing vocals in the chorus. The chorus in particular captures that classic Oasis melodic turn (the chords are F, F minor, C and E7 for those playing along at home). All in all, a perfect realisation of the genre.

www.facebook.com/thecollectorsband

WE WANT YOUR MUSIC!

IF YOU’RE AN UP AND COMING BAND OR MUSICIAN, AND WOULD LIKE YOUR MUSIC REVIEWED IN OUR DEMO SECTION, EMAIL A TRACK TO NARCMEDIA@GMAIL.COM AND TELL US MORE ABOUT YOURSELF!

TRACKS

RESERVOIRS

WARSAWA

Words: James Hattersley

Work sucks – I know. This follows me through every workday and makes me grimace that nothing has changed since 1999. This is the sentiment of new County Durham upstarts Reservoirs and their jangly slice of modern life frustration, Warsawa. The band wear their influences on their sleeves; taking the eccentricities of 80’s alt. pop which flirts with that mid 2010’s bedroom pop sound and dusted off with a modern indie sheen. Deliciously effects-drenched guitars carry a delightful melody that cascades like a waterfall – backed by a knee jerking rhythm that keeps the whole song from lifting into the clouds. Warbles of being overwhelmed with your career and the longing to just be anywhere else complete this ode to complete job dissatisfaction.

Released: 13.10.22

www.facebook.com/reservoirsmusic

HUMAN TOOTH BEARPARK EP

Words: Michael O’Neill

An engulfing wave of buzzsaw guitars and guttural vocals burst through the speakers like a tidal wave crashing through a bolted door. It doesn’t let up for 15 minutes, sweeping you up in its path and throwing you full tilt into the frenzied soundworld of Durham-based multi-instrumentalist Scott Davidson who, as Human Tooth, follows up his debut EP, 2020’s Bedroom Wreck, with a five-track dose of beautifully murky and glorious scuzz rock.

From the jaw-dropping title track, through to the tense OvSto and urgent Imagine On Teeth, Scott succeeds in throwing everything but the kitchen sink at your ears whilst never outstaying his welcome; it’s an exhilarating clinic in the power of glorious noise.

Released: 05.10.22

www.facebook.com/humantooth

REVIEWS OF SINGLES AND EPS BY NORTH EAST ARTISTS.

WANT YOUR MUSIC FEATURED? EMAIL NARCMEDIA@GMAIL.COM

(PLEASE TRY TO GET IN TOUCH 8-6 WEEKS AHEAD OF THE MONTH OF RELEASE)

EVE COLE HYPOPHORA

Words: Michael O’Neill

It’s been quite a momentous couple of years for Eve Cole. Having once bagged a Demo of the Month with the fantastic Tesco, she’s since gone on to win this year’s prestigious Alan Hull Award, and seen her recent release Nice Guy Syndrome shortlisted for the BBC Introducing Live Lounge competition.

Hypophora is a brilliant new chapter in her fledgling career, seeing Eve take on a hard-edged alternative sound that brilliantly showcases her phenomenal talents as a songwriter, with the widescreen-sound production breathing life into the song’s raw exploration of a toxic relationship that never veers into cliché, with the urgent piano, militant snares, tense guitar and snaking bass perfectly matching the conflict contained within the track.

Released: 07.10.22

www.instagram.com/pudmusic

CATCH THE SPARROW FAREWELL - HERE’S THE TENDER COMING

Words: Cameron Wright

This is a gentle, tender affair. Although there’s no official definition, the mark of good folk music has always been linked to communicating the most while doing the least, never overstating or embellishing, yet weaving a tapestry where every thread fits perfectly. Farewell – Here’s The Tender Coming captures that with ease, encapsulating the heart of the genre in a way that’s imbued with heart.

Although the track may take a moment to find its groove, as the opening minute provides an almost a capella, naked atmosphere, it’s when the instrumental begins to swell that the track truly shines.  As a gorgeous, lilting vocal dances gracefully over the strings, this stellar interpretation does the song every piece of justice.

Released: 07.10.22 www.catchthesparrow.nl

Image by Victoria Wai

LAUREN ARMOUR GIRL CODE

Words: Cameron Wright

Girl Code is a spacey piano piece written as a plea, lyrically reminiscent of a modern Jolene, crashing over an array of synths and damning vocals. Spliced with heartbreak and bitterness, the sentiment behind the song is instantly relatable, even if it doesn’t turn this relatability into anything profound. With a big, repeated chorus and a generally striking hook, the song shares the same shortcomings as the lyrics, bringing forward something harmlessly enjoyable and incongruous, but falling just shy of anything unique or personable. Too familiar for its own good.

The penmanship shows an ability to tap into something current and real, but the instrumentation feels more akin to a pastiche of the ballads of the early 10s. It’s clear that Lauren Armour has something to offer, but this may not be it.

Released: 07.10.22

www.facebook.com/laurenarmourmusic

RAMÉ KARI 80 WATTS

Words: Michael O’Neill

Arriving fresh on the heels of their debut release Lil Lighty, 80 Watts is another urgent and engaging transmission from the Stockton-based hip-hop outfit, whose infectious passion for their craft radiates through every bar of their 808-deep sound. They see music as more than just a creative pursuit, but their destiny, with a mission to bring about positivity and joy through their releases. 80 Watts is more restrained, but once again reinforces just how capable they are of doing so, with the infectious lyricism brilliantly showcasing the breadth of their talent and the wide-ranging influences that inform their approach. All in all, it’s another top-class release from a group with a huge amount of promise.

Released: 14.10.22 www.ramekari.carrd.co

GONE TOMORROW

BARCELONA

Words: Cameron Wright

There’s a snarl locked in the vocals that couples perfectly with the crunchy guitar that speaks of a scrappy, youthful vengeance. An adolescent anger, which hinges on that tangible sense of destruction and pain that comes from the insignificant parts of life, which fuels the teenage years.

The lyrics aren’t exactly sculpted into any real mould, but the song never tries to imply that the lyrics are the selling point.

What you get with Barcelona is a chorus with a song attached to it. The incendiary chorus explodes, firing off with wonderfully repugnant vocal fry and a solo flying off into the heavens.

Until the chorus, the track maybe underwhelming, but when it strikes, it strikes with purpose.

Released: 07.10.22

www.linktr.ee/gonetomorrowband

GEORGE BOOMSMA

WHAT’S LEFT BEHIND EP

Words: James Hattersley

Turn off your mind, relax and float downstream while you envelop into the delicate world created by George Boomsma and his latest EP release, What’s Left Behind. Each track breathes and feels like an elongated respite. There are pains and doubts just below the surface but they are navigated beautifully and with much majesty. An evolution of Boomsma’s previous work – his sympathetically plucked guitar is backed by a tender-hearted string quartet which fully immerses you into his world and is further amplified by his velour-soaked vocals. The journey of relationships, self-acceptance and finding a path forward despite uncertainties are painted in a word tapestry that will leave you questioning what came before you, how did you get here and what is lying ahead.

Released: 06.10.22

www.georgeboomsma.com

SAM NIX

A GIRL I MET ON THE TUBE LAST WEEK

Words: James Hattersley

Ever wondered what would happen if you spoke to that person opposite you on your daily commute into your mundane job? Sam Nix answers that that question and more with his latest single: the Anglo-twisted piece of Americana, A Girl I Met On The Tube Last Week. A blissfully paced regale of a chance meeting on public transport, the minimalist arrangement of acoustic guitar and sparse drums meanders and saunters like cigarette smoke in a pub. This never steals focus from the melancholic and elegant vocals and the story they tell. Heartfelt, wistful, juxtaposed with a hopefulness, Nix ultimately dishes out the lesson; next time your eyes meet on the train, take that chance. It might be the best thing you ever do.

Released: 07.10.22

www.samnixmusic.com

CHARLIE THOMAS SUMMERS LIKE THIS EP

Words: Liv Aldridge

Charlie Thomas’ new EP is a sudden departure from his arguably richer folk sound, where his velvety voice is a focal point. Always stands out as the most abstract and alluring of the tracks, and on this and Special Person the drum machine produces a beat that is unyieldingly sharp on the ear, but perhaps this is Thomas’ intention, and with its distorted vocals the release calls to mind the likes of Joy Division. What’s missing are the truly catchy moments in the songs and lyrical matter, I am looking for a sideshift or an out-of-place word that wrenches the distortions into true weirdness. Right now they sound too clean to be entirely memorable. Hear the tracks performed at Disgraceland in Middlesborough on Friday 4th November and see for yourself.

Released: 26.09.22

www.charliethomas2.bandcamp.com

HEAD OF LIGHT ENTERTAINMENT SICK & TIRED EP

Words: Niamh Poppleton

The almost uncategorisable Head Of Light Entertainment are back with a new EP, Sick & Tired, full of their usual eclectic excellence. From the blistering, rhythmic intensity of the title track, through to the witty critique of negative people in Bricks In A Suitcase, each song weaves its own unique and intriguing narrative, often echoing the feelings of the nation in the current climate.

Arguably the standout track is Tell Me What I’ve Done Wrong which, in all of its electronic punk perfection, displays the hardships of one individual struggling within the turmoil of a broken friendship. In Sick & Tired, Head Of Light Entertainment’s ability to not fit into one box is again clearly evident. Please never change!

Released: 01.10.22

www.facebook.com/headoflightentertainment

FINE NIGHT ELEMENTS SOMEBODY NEW

Words: Ewan Gleadow

Jangle pop influences and a steady, tough voice strike through on Somebody New, the latest track from North East rockers Fine Night Elements.

Frontman Kristian Whatcott engages with the out of body experiences that come from the “thoughtless shell” he sings of coolly. What surrounds Somebody New is a collection of crashing drums and well-worked guitar sections that give plenty of creative ground across this three-minute track.

A piece that feels equally measured as a reflection of the self and as an out-of-body piece of freedom, Fine Night Elements offer up a delicate, short track of reflective beauty and quality musicianship.

Released: 14.10.22

www.linktr.ee/finenightelements

ALBUMS

DRY CLEANING STUMPWORK (4AD)

Words: Jason Jones

Dry Cleaning are a bit of an incongruous beast, a sort of microbial science fair experiment that feels as if it has mutated in the Petri dish, gaining in the process sentience and mastery of a billowing tongue powered by a brilliantly bizarre mind.

The South London four-piece came into being in 2018, and in the years since have progressed from enthusiastically-endorsed post-punk curio to fully-fledged darlings of a thriving scene with admirable haste.

For the uninitiated, the quartet have carved out their niche with an alchemical blend of savvy, hypnotic, looping instrumentals and spoken word vocals that are as surreal and soothing as they are intangibly moreish.

Cynics might argue that Dry Cleaning’s originality only runs as deep as your personal acquaintance with The Fall or Annette Peacock, but rarely have comparable blueprints been delivered with front-woman Florence Shaw’s undying devotion to nonchalance, or with lyrics this evocative and downright scatterbrained. Imagine a cartoonishly disinterested call centre worker reciting passages of Bob Dylan’s Tarantula, and you might be halfway there.

Established advocates will be pleased to hear that sophomore album Stumpwork continues to uphold many of the tenets that have served the band so well thus far, but there are signs of growth here too. Standout track Kwenchy Kups, for instance, brings to mind The Smiths had Morrissey been a bored woman at a zoo dealing in see-sawing monologues about otters, rather than a bequiffed baritone with a morbid eye for double decker buses. Elsewhere, lead single Don’t Press Me is a short, sharp stab of acerbic, gaming-mouse-related avarice, with a chorus that flirts with that most precious of Stumpwork’s commodities – something almost approaching an actual melody – while Hot Penny Day sleazes along like the score to an ‘80s detective show about a coven of loquacious witches.

All of this is to say that there are bright moments littered throughout, not least in Shaw’s lyrical musings, which constantly prickle with the nagging suspicion that she picks them at random from a Dadaist tombola drum.

Personal taste will dictate whether or not you find all of the monotone to be a little too monotonous, but for those with a stomach for witty nonsense and the bewitchment of post-punk’s more repetitive tendencies, Dry Cleaning have once again proven they are a captivating proposition.

Released: 21.10.22

www.drycleaningband.com OUT THIS

WOOLCRAFT Y.Y.U.Y.B (SELF-RELEASE)

Words: Robert Nichols

Musical match making from Michael Baines, Y.Y.U.Y.B marks the seventh album on his Woolcraft solo journey. The head boffin of Tees avant-garde art rockers Werbeniuk has sampled percussion from all sorts of sources, ranging from records to film scores, and paired them up with improvised tunes and words.

First track Fizzy River paints a picture of wildlife despair from the Glastonbury brook polluted by Class A drugs. Michael always has an ear for a tune and second song Dingalinga builds into pure 70s TV Spy Thriller escapism. In contrast, final track And My Mom And Michael is the cut up, murky confusion and occasional clarity of Michael caring for his mother with vascular dementia. Spice up your Autumn with avant-garde-ning from Woolcraft.

Released: 10.10.22 www.woolcraft.bandcamp.com

MARTIN FRANCIS TROLLOPE TRIALS AND ERRORS (HARBOURMASTER RECORDS)

Words: Trev Gibb

Martin Francis Trollope, local songwriter, producer, wizard. Statesmanlike man of honour. Incorruptible mensch.

MFT’s new album is a collection of forgotten and orphaned songs, but they make sense together — vivid, alive, quirky, shocking, shifting. It feels like a multi-world reality of genres and ideas crashing against each other. But that’s its charm. Even his leftovers are glorious.

Go Outside has an 80s panache, Smiths/Cure vibes, with a smattering of New Order and even a little MBV. Coda takes me off into Galaxie 500 territory.

This is a walking record; you get your thinking done in this landscape. Step outside in the freshness, stick your headphones on and go.

There’s even traces of Minutemen and Slint here too, but unique. This album will take you where you’re going.

Released: 27.10.22

www.facebook.com/harbourmasterproductions

Image by Ben Rayner

MEAT WAVE

MALIGN HEX (BIG SCARY MONSTERS)

Words: Jason Jones

Meat Wave; name like a butcher’s greeting, sound like a butcher’s tenderising mallet. The Chicago three-piece have never exactly been one for frippery or woolliness, and so they prove again on new album Malign Hex. Relative veterans at this point, the band’s propulsive strain of post-something garage rock remains as blistering and as dogged as ever, and their ear for melody is still cunningly serrated. Opener Disney might just be the heaviest thing to bear Walt’s name since THAT scene in Bambi, while Complaint sounds likes a twelve-car pile-up on the highway to hell, and recent single 10k pummels and ricochets like the internal monologue of a cognisant air hockey puck.

On Malign Hex, Meat Wave more than live up to their moniker, offering up a full-blooded tsunami of an album.

Released: 14.10.22

www.meatwavechicago.bandcamp.com

LOYLE CARNER HUGO (EMI)

Words: Andrew Thompson

Loyle Carner’s latest release hugo is not an album about lockdown (mercifully) but, abruptly removed from touring, Carner’s focus shifted to more explicitly addressing life’s biggest issues. Issues like racial identity and injustice are tackled on Ladis Road and Georgetown (the latter featuring poet John Agard’s iconic poem Half-caste), new fatherhood on Pollyfilla, and knife crime on Blood On My Nikes.

Loyle’s voice feels deeper, wiser, and more introspective than his previous two releases, musically though, it’s vintage LC. Production from Kwes and Madlib brings signature big gospel samples, wandering guitars and head-nod inducing breaks. Speed Of Plight articulates the friction that lies at the heart of Carner’s work, “the people wanna dance, they don’t wanna hear the truth”, hugo (and its accompanying sold out tour) are proof that Carner can give people both.

Released: 21.10.22 www.loylecarner.com

CHORUSGIRL COLAPSO CALYPSO (RECKLESS, YES)

Words: Paul Brown

With Chorusgirl now a solo project for Silvi Wersing after two albums as a band, Colapso Calypso, the follow-up to 2018’s Shimmer And Spin, is still unmistakeably Chorusgirl. Going solo has simply clarified how big a part Wersing’s voice and guitar played in the project’s identity in the first place. Her singing in particular feels like an integral instrument here, with its beautiful fluttering calling to mind Liz Fraser on the likes of In The Business Of Dreams. The chilly, expansive dream pop of the record reaches its pinnacle on Sleepless In South London, where Wersing reminds us of just what a master she is at creating an atmosphere. A welcome return for an artist who’s been away too long.

Released: 14.10.22

www.chorusgirl.bandcamp.com

ALVVAYS

BLUE REV (TRANSGRESSIVE)

Words: Lee Hammond

The long-awaited return of Canadian quintet Alvvays sees them in a very different place to where previous album Antisocialites left off, from the opening bars of Pharmacist there’s an immediate sense of energy and drive. Blue Rev shifts gear at will, however, with tracks like Many Mirrors and Easy On Your Own? reprising the dreamy, laid-back sound you might expect from the band.

What sets Blue Rev apart are tracks like Pressed, Tile By Tile and Pomeranian Spinster, the latter’s driving guitars compounding this urgent new sound. It’s a rollercoaster of a record, packed with intriguing gear changes and culminating with the brilliant Fourth Figure, this beautiful track providing the perfect backdrop to close out a rather impressive return to form for Alvvays.

Released: 07.10.22 www.alvvays.com

BOSTON MANOR DATURA (SHARPTONE RECORDS)

Words: Laura Doyle

At the inaugural Risefest last month, Boston Manor’s lead vocalist Henry Cox was unexpectedly open and honest about the anxieties of band life: there isn’t room for a bad album in their career, lest it take a nosedive. Let us, then, ease these stresses – Datura lands as yet another solid release from the Blackpool nu-emos.

Short but sweet, this seven track album is more subdued than previous angst-ridden records. The result is unnervingly lulled, intricately melodic, and speaks to the maturity Boston Manor have garnered by making it through the toughest domestic and professional circumstances. Maybe they’re out of the emotional slums of Blackpool, but there’s still plenty of personal demons to keep that new-wave emo rock comin’.

Released: 14.10.22

www.bostonmanorband.com

MIGHTMARE CRUEL LIARS (KILL ROCK STARS)

Words: Françoise Harvey Cruel Liars is the first album from Sarah Shook’s new solo project, Mightmare. Shook takes full control of their music, engineering and producing it; exploring the catharsis of therapy and recovery discovered during lockdown.

The result is texturally rich: ambient, stompy, a bit country, thoroughly enjoyable. The consistency of style means it sometimes feels as though the songs on Cruel Liars are all one extended piece, and so a bit unrelenting. But the confrontational tone is sweetened by the unexpectedly upbeat Easy. Seven songs in, its sweetness elevates the other tracks, light to shadow. In Come What May, Shook wails “I’m being so strong, doing my own thing. Was it all for nothing?” No. This is lush.

Released: 14.10.22

www.mightmare.net

JOHANNA WARREN LESSONS FOR MUTANTS (WAX NINE RECORDS)

Words: Elodie A. Roy

This is Johanna Warren’s sixth solo album since 2013. The singer-songwriter moved from L.A. to Wales, started recording on tape, and her style became barer with years. I’d Be Orange, the opening track, is a sweetly exuberant guitar song reminiscent of anti-folk and early Beck (in his more melodic moments). It is unlike any of the other tracks on the album.

Most of Warren’s (love) songs carry within them a barely concealed gloom – a pleading, indefinable sadness. Some of them are comparable, in their openness, to the confessional ballads of Marissa Nadler (with whom Warren previously toured). Warren’s chameleonic voice keeps changing and wavering; sometimes it sounds strained and ghostly, and other times it returns – in its full, amazing presence.

Released: 07.10.22

www.johannawarren.com

RACHAEL DADD KALEIDOSCOPE (MEMPHIS INDUSTRIES)

Words: Ali Welford

After 15 years of delightfully effervescent, quietly revelatory folk music, 2019’s FLUX hinted that Bristolian Rachael Dadd may finally achieve the wider breakthrough her talents so richly merit. Her second record for indie institution Memphis Industries and eighth full-length in all, this aptly titled follow-up amps up the ambition further still, presenting perhaps her most radiant, sonically dextrous material yet. What it lacks in immediacy is more than made up in the minutiae. Indeed, much of the joy in Kaleidoscope comes from allowing its treasures to seep beneath the skin, a gradual bloom as wondrous technicolour melodies flower amidst lush decorative orchestration. Inspired by intimate connections and her love of Japanese culture, it’s a vivid creation that’s at once ethereal and deeply human.

Released: 14.10.22

www.rachaeldadd.bandcamp.com

THE BIG MOON HERE IS EVERYTHING (FICTION RECORDS)

Words: Ali Welford

Having struck a happy medium between punchy hooks, critical acclaim and modest commercial success with its predecessors, one might expect The Big Moon’s third salvo to be their ’go for broke’ moment. Instead, what the Londoners serve up is their most introspective collection to date.

Featuring accounts of sleepless nights, breastfeeding and postnatal depression, Here Is Everything documents singer Juliette Jackson’s adaptation to motherhood – an experience summarily condensed on lead single Wide Eyes (“It feels like crashing, and it feels like landing / I want to dance, and I want to cry”). It’s unlikely to nudge them up many festival bills, but nevertheless offers a fine equilibrium between soaring indie pop anthemism and gorgeous widescreen contemplation; a contrast embodied by Ladye Bay and High And Low, the record’s wholly disparate twin peaks.

Released: 14.10.22

www.thebigmoon.co.uk

GOAT

OH DEATH (ROCKET RECORDINGS)

Words: Robin Webb

The hoary cult roars on with unfeigned Afro-rhythms, tribalistic glam stomps and enough wah-wah pedal action to last a millennium. The funky Swedish shamans gleefully accepted their invitation to the gods annual feast at the Round Table Of Funk, which is how they explain the incessant beat of Under No Nation.

Oh Death opens fittingly with Soon You Die, a sodden fuzzed out guitar screeched call to “go party”, with the other dancing skeletons no doubt. Goat are ploughing their own mystifying masque, and always have done to the disbelief of a more mainstream audience, and for that they should be rightly credited for no-one can doubt the Goat lest they be sacrificed to the horned deity.

Released: 21.10.22

www.goatsweden.blogspot.com

PVA BLUSH (NINJA TUNE)

Words: Evie Nicholson

Something I’ve noticed about a lot of (good) music at the moment is the way it collapses and reconfigures seemingly disparate sounds and styles. The cynic would say it was reflective of a lack of focus, but really it’s a marker of mature creativity; an ambitious kind of musical Gesamtkunstwerk.

PVA’s hotly anticipated debut album BLUSH celebrates this boundaryless approach to music – lifting it to new heights. Combining ethereal synths, acid, obligatory post-punk basslines and a kind of Laurie Anderson Sprechgesang, BLUSH is a thrilling destabilisation of conventions. Tracks like Transit slip from post-rock industrial howling to Ella Harris’ soft acoustics, whilst Comfort Eating and Hero Man confront mental health and vulnerability head on. PVA have sent me into an emotionally and physically liberating dance and I love it.

Released: 14.10.22

www.pva.band

COURTNEY MARIE ANDREWS LOOSE FUTURE (FAT POSSUM RECORDS)

Words: James Barker

Courtney Marie Andrews adds to her impressive run of albums with Loose Future. As always, the songs are filled with people and situations that we can see ourselves in. Andrews continues her musical eclecticism, fusing rootsy lyricism and melodies with more cosmic sounds. The unflinching introspection, growing pains and aching loneliness that pervaded her previous albums so beautifully are still here, but front and centre is the determination to stay grounded in the here and now. Nowhere is this clearer than on album standout These Are The Good Old Days, which turns away from rose-tinted nostalgia to make the most of the present moment. Best of all, Andrews’ voice that conveys so much feeling, resonates with palpable joy.

Released: 07.10.22

www.courtneymarieandrews.com

MIXTAPE

WORDS: CAL HALBERT

Hi, I’m Cal Halbert. Comedian, impressionist, voice actor and presenter. This month I have my most personal solo show ever, being performed at The Prohibition Bar, Newcastle on Sunday 30th October. Calcoholic tackles my battle with an alcohol problem. Although alcohol abuse is a very serious issue, my personal way – and a very British way – of addressing it, is through humour. Comedy helps us plucky Brits deal with anything, no matter how terrible the situation may be. This is a show completely left-field for me, as my usual style is very much Mr Saturday Night, all round entertainer; this show however is gritty, dark and fully gloves off.

I was struggling to think of which songs to put on this list so thought I would put theme it as a story of my relationship with alcohol! Here goes! www.calhalbertcomedy.co.uk

O-ZONE

DRAGOSTEA DIN TEI

It’s 2009, my best friend and I visit Romania on an exchange to experience a new culture. All we did was spend time in local bars and restaurants getting increasingly more drunk each day we were there. I had been out previously, stealing my mum’s mascara to darken my moustache, but the drinking laws are so loose in Romania so being 16 wasn’t an issue. This trip was my first exposure to absinthe, of which I snorted by accident; already extremely intoxicated, I saw a blue/green mouthwash-looking shot come toward me. I leant forward to sniff what it was, half the shot went up my nose.

CHUMBAWAMBA TUBTHUMPING

Let’s face it, its a classic. Wedding, funeral, birthdays and Tuesday nights in a rough pub in Newcastle. This song will never fail to put a smile on my face. The amount of nights out, in pubs, clubs or bars where you could see everyone

around the room, at least mouthing the chorus to this song. Although a bit of a naff song, it does ring true – we will be knocked down, but we will get up again!

GARY PORTNOY

CHEERS THEME (FULL LENGTH RECORD)

I never really had a feeling of belonging in my life until I found the pub. I came out as gay at 16 and I lost the majority of my friends through it, being brought up in a conservative stronghold, I studied Politics, PE and Performance – as they all logically went so well together. When I disclosed my sexuality to ‘the world’ I didn’t want to spend time with people in performance as they were rather OTT shall we say, I was of the wrong political persuasion and the PE guys cleverly thought I wanted to sleep with them. Not true obviously, they were all rotters!

ELVIS PRESLEY

BURNING LOVE

Elvis Presley is my hero. He’s been a constant in my life, despite dying 15 years before I was even born. Through

programmes such as Alcoholics Anonymous I was taught I needed a higher power in my life; not a God, simply a higher power. Well, here is my higher power – The King, Elvis Presley. He helps me through highs and lows and to that, I say, Thank You, Thank You Very Much.

SIA UNSTOPPABLE

Since I stopping drinking, I’m a different person; creative, pleasant to be around, reliable, healthier, happier, my emotions have returned, I’m caring. My useless ‘armour’ of alcohol has gone and quite frankly, I feel so much better without it dragging me down. Of course, tough things happen, That’s Life as Frank Sinatra sang (there’s a cheeky sixth!) But I don’t feel the need to drink on any situation anymore. Sia is one of my partner’s favourite artists, so it feels fitting to end here. With my partner by my side, I feel unstoppable.