JULY PREVIEWS

Image: Liver Sausage (Mark Rollerball Rocco) by Luke Haines

ART & LIT

LUKE HAINES @ ESTON ARTS CENTRE

Words: Ali Welford

As frontman of revered ‘90s outfit The Auteurs, a widely acclaimed solo artist and collaborator as well as a best-selling author, Luke Haines has spent the past three decades accumulating a body of work to rank among the UK’s chief cult creatives. Those maverick talents enter another new medium this month, as a decade-long pastime culminates in his debut art exhibition, Uncanny Island.

Running at Middlesbrough’s Eston Arts Centre from Friday 9th-Saturday 31st July, Uncanny Island presents a collision of passions via a series of psychedelic acrylic and oil visions of ‘70s and ‘80s wrestlers. It’s a hobby Haines dates back to the recording of his 2011 concept album Nine And A Half Psychedelic Visions of British Wrestling From the Late 1970s to the Early ‘80s, and these specially painted canvases represent his most fully realised World of Sport-era likenesses to date.

Perhaps the pièce de résistance, however, comes in the form of a fully embellished Fall Christmas tree – a creation which began life as a series of custom-painted baubles gifted to friends bearing the faces of the legendary Mancunians’ members. Now expanded to feature every performer from the band’s chaotic 42-year history, the tree houses a total of 66 portraits, pitting familiar faces alongside those long-forgotten. As yet, there’s no word on whether Mark E Smith is cast as the tree-topping angel…

Luke Haines presents Uncanny Island at Eston Arts Centre, Middlesbrough from Friday 9th-Saturday 31st July www.facebook.com/estonartscentre

MUSIC

HAV RELEASE NEW ALBUM, HAAR

Words: Cameron Wright

Across the release’s six tracks, the listener is sucked into Newcastle band HAV’s world and willingly held captive for its duration. Caught in a bubble, the project floats you up between the clouds and leaves you suspended, hanging over a Celtic paradise. As endless greenery, interspersed with a babbling brook that unwinds into the blue of the sky become visible and tangible, the tranquillity and warmth emanating from this ambient folk record is staggering.

The album feels authentic and experienced, as each story is brilliantly retold for the listener. The cohesive release unfolds, chapter by chapter, until their narrative finds its natural conclusion. Wrapping traditional Scottish instrumentation around neo-classical compositions, ornamented hypnotic loops and twinkling alterations, the album feels unfailingly honest and genuine from beginning to end. As melancholy pianos are gently embraced and elevated by a calculated and emotionally driven assortment of sounds, each section of the release is poignant and touching.

Haar is the second album to come from HAV, yet their sound already feels complete and impactful. Each transition from the grandiose to the soberingly isolated feels human, with minimal lyrics the band tell a very clear and personal story about the changing of times and the need to persist through darkness to find the light. When vocals are used, Iona Fyfe and Bridie Jackson encapsulate the album’s heart perfectly.

HAV release Haar on 2nd July www.havband.bandcamp.com

HAV

ART & LIT

AD MINOLITI @ BALTIC

Words: Nicola Owen

BALTIC Centre for Contemporary Art, Gateshead will host Biosfera Peluche/Biosphere Plush, Ad Minoliti’s first solo show in the UK. In their work, Minoliti uses geometry and colour as a tool for creating alternative universes and speculative pictorial fiction influenced by feminist and queer thought. Trained as a painter, they draw on the rich legacy of geometric abstraction in Latin America which embraces playfulness in painting and painted on irregular shaped canvases.

Biosfera Peluche/Biosphere Plush has been conceived as a community centre open to all, offering a space for intersectional feminist education and fantasy. The exhibition features Minoliti’s ongoing project The Feminist School of Painting, transforming part of the gallery space into an active classroom. Through bi-weekly painting workshops, the school will deconstruct historical narratives and re-imagine the traditional genre of landscape painting from a feminist, intersectional and queer perspective.

In partnership with a multidisciplinary group of artists, academics, writers and activists, the workshops will re-evaluate the structure of art education and promote accessibility, creativity and curiosity. Building on Minoliti’s interest of shedding light on feminist and queer artistic practice, the exhibition also includes an international library of queer and feminist zines, which will grow during the course of the exhibition.

Ad Minoliti’s Biosfera Peluche/Biosphere Plush is at BALTIC, Gateshead from Saturday 24th July-Sunday 8th May 2022 www.baltic.art

Ad Minoliti, May You Live In Interesting Times, exhibition view, 58th International Art Exhibition - La Biennale di Venezia. Photo by Andrea Rossetti

EVENTS

GEMARTS MASALA FESTIVAL

Words: Claire Dupree

Dynamic local organisation GemArts shine a light on South Asian culture through diverse programming of exciting performance and participatory projects, often collaborating with promoters and venues like Sage Gateshead and Newcastle Festival of Jazz & Improvised Music to bring thrilling performers to the region.

This year’s Masala Festival, their annual celebration of South Asian arts and culture, fuses in person and online events in a programme which includes international collaborations, award-winning poets, new commissions, workshops, talks and incredible music, dance and visual arts spanning traditional and contemporary genres.

Running from Saturday 17th-Sunday 25th July, highlights include their opening event at Alphabetti entitled Bor(neo): North + East, a spoken word investigation into themes around identity, marginalisation and dualism in an exciting collaboration between poets from Borneo and Northern England (Saturday 17th); Narivad (Feminism in Sanskrit) promises to be a fascinating online artist talk with Sofia Barton and Lady Kitt, who discuss the Indian suffragettes who helped shaped feminism (Monday 19th); also online, award-winning poet and dancer Tishani Doshi reads from her new poetry collection A God At The Door and chats with author John Challis about her work (Tuesday 20th); Tattoo Stories is an engrossing podcast about tattooing and the stories and history of body art by Vimal Korpal, which launches on Wednesday 21st; the unique piano and tabla collaboration of Helen Anahita Wilson and Shahbaz Hussain visits The Lit & Phil for what promises to be a special performance (Friday 23rd); and there’s more music at The Globe when award-winning sitarist Jasdeep Singh Degun brings his unique energy and vision to Indian classical and contemporary music (Sunday 25th) as part of the venue’s Summer Festival.

GemArts’ Masala Festival takes place from Saturday 17th-Sunday 25th July at various venues and online www.gemarts.org

MUSIC

JAMES LEONARD HEWITSON RELEASES NEW EP, COMMERCIAL

Words: Louise Henry

Remember the scene in American Psycho, where Christian Bale and his fellow stockbrokers compare their nigh on identical business cards, a Top Trumps of which font has the daftest name and the glossiest finish? This, according to James Leonard Hewitson, is the perfect analogy for British society today. The constant competition, race for achievement – the “flying, buying and perspiring” as he puts it – was the driving force behind his latest EP, Commercial.

Pissed off by capitalism, materialism and, of course, the limitations and devastation imposed by a worldwide pandemic, the EP was born following the success of his 2020 album Only The Noise Will Save Me. The whole thing came together in Liverpool’s DIY Quarry Studios, whose industrial setting served as an inspiring backdrop for the tracks; a stark contrast to the commercial world he was railing against.

The result? A synthy, meta-pop nod to Talking Heads, peppered with witty, insightful observations; everything we’ve come to expect from Leonard Hewitson. Single Temporary Values is a wry, poppy track that on the surface appears to be light-hearted, lamenting the price of fast food whilst examining the complexities of moral and economic values.

Commercial serves as a brilliant, lively time capsule for the last few months; after a second listen, you might almost be as angry as James himself.

James Leonard Hewitson releases Commercial EP on 29th July. He performs at South Durham Social Club (aka The Steelies), Hartlepool on Friday 30th July with support from Waves of Dread, Faithful Johannes and The Mighty Chihuahua www.jamesleonardhewitson.com

STAGE

PAUSE @ ALPHABETTI

Words: Helen Redfern

Directed by North East theatre director Mark Calvert with music by Northern composer Jeremy Bradfield, Pause is an uplifting love story about film and how we all often use it to make day-to-day blockbusting escapes from the harsh realities of life right now. As Werner Herzog remarked, “I would travel down to hell and wrestle a film away from the devil if it was necessary.” I guess most of us have a film or two in mind that would fall into that category.

Played by Paula Penman, originally from Ayrshire now based in Newcastle, the main character goes through the motions of everyday life, cohabiting with loneliness and imagination. This script is written by award-winning writer Laura Lindow who’s proudly lived and worked in the North East for over 20 years. You might know her as writer of the Snow Queen for Northern Stage or Director of Key Change for Open Clasp.

Believing that by challenging themselves physically, mentally and conceptually, they inevitably challenge the audience, Alphabetti Theatre strives to make theatre that is relatable and accessible to all. Pause will be performed to a socially distanced live audience and every performance will also be livestreamed for an online audience. Tickets must be booked in advance with a Pay What You Feel scheme in operation.

Pause runs at Alphabetti Theatre, Newcastle from Tuesday 6th-Saturday 17th July www.alphabettitheatre.co.uk

Eliza & Martin Carthy

MUSIC

THE GLOBE NEWCASTLE SUMMER FESTIVAL

Words: Tracy Hyman

Newcastle’s Globe venue presents their first three-day multi-genre festival this month with everything from folk to jazz and classical to rock. Working with local music promoters and organisations, including Bradley Creswick, GemArts’ Masala Festival, Jazz North East and Born Lippy, The Globe have put on a world class line-up with both in-person and livestream tickets available for the event which runs from Friday 23rd-Sunday 25th July.

Friday night kicks off the weekend with a feast of folk music headlined by legendary, award-winning father and daughter duo, Eliza and Martin Carthy, supported by Newcastlebased Bertie Armstrong and Niles Krieger blending together American and English folk. On Saturday afternoon a solo set from Tommy, the drummer of evening headliners’ Holy Moly and the Crackers’ starts off the day, before spoken word, poetry and comedy collective Born Lippy take over, culminating with some 1950s Chicago blues-style sounds from The King Bees. The evening session leads with Sam Barratt, before a full band slot from the innovative and fiery folk rockers Holy Moly & The Crackers provide the night time entertainment, topped with DJs Rob Heron and Stagger Lee Fisher’s mix of classic ska, reggae, soul and funk.

Sunday morning sees the classical sound of former Royal Northern Sinfonia leader Bradley Creswick and friends, followed by a traditional North Indian classical performance by award-winning sitarist Jasdeep Singh Degun, accompanied by tabla player Harkiret Bahra. The evening session brings the traditional jazz of the Tenement Jazz band and some of Manchester’s finest young improvisers in the Nishla Quintet. Tickets are £10 or £15 for a single session and £20 or £25 for a day ticket.

The Globe Newcastle presents their Summer Festival from Friday 23rd-Sunday 25th July www.theglobenewcastle.bar

MUSIC

DANICA DARES RELEASE NEW ALBUM, CURATING THE LUNATIC

Whoever said the internet is a dodgy place to be? We've all got a lot to thank it for, especially those of us who have spent the last year and a half glued to screens, working from home. Now, we have something else to credit it with; without it, we wouldn’t have the debut album from Danica Dares to appreciate.

The indie synth three-piece found each other through the web in a chance encounter that revealed their shared music taste and aspirations, and unlike most hypotheticals discussed in a Zoom meeting over lockdown, they’ve only gone and actually done something. Curating The Lunatic is what has come out of this burgeoning creative collaboration: ten songs with familial resemblance, but each of which deviate uniquely from within their genre’s parameters. Album opener Giving It Away showcases vocalist Harriet McBain’s ethereal qualities to a backing that wouldn’t be out of place on a Jim Henson film soundtrack; the Goth moodiness of Bullets encapsulates Danica Dares’ ability to flit easily between classical song structure and spoken word set to melody that can be found throughout the record; while the magic of Curating The Lunatic is perhaps best expressed by its finale, Conversational Bypass, with its interdimensional electronica permeating your eardrums.

It’s unclear which realm Danica Dares occupy, but with this record we are all transported.

Danica Dares release Curating The Lunatic on 30th July www.danicadares

L Devine

MUSIC

L DEVINE RELEASES EP, NEAR LIFE EXPERIENCE: PART 1

Words: Claire Dupree

It should perhaps come as no surprise that L Devine has emerged as a fully-fledged pop star; anyone who witnessed her early incarnations (previously known as Olivia Devine) will have seen her star potential. Warner Records certainly did, and the Whitley Bay-born songwriter was snapped up and whisked away to the big leagues, re-emerging as an alt. pop anti-hero who has been hailed as “the motherfucking future of pop” by Charli XCX.

This month she releases her EP Near Life Experience: Part 1, and it’s a masterclass in bold alt. pop; with tracks rarely topping three minutes, Devine’s honest, often storytelling-style lyrics are at the forefront of a release which sparkles with polish while also managing to be delightfully edgy.

The sparse instrumentation of Priorities brings to mind Janelle Monáe’s sonic experimentation; Off The Grid demonstrates an intriguing line between R’n’B and doomy pop; and Be In Her Bedroom is a multi-faceted and honest tale of admiration; while the glacial percussion on recent single Don’t Say It contributes to an alt. pop banger of epic proportions.

With tracks like the funk-fuelled Naked Alone and the electro bop of new single Girls Like Sex, Devine takes a thrillingly assertive position on sexuality. “For me, this song is about reclaiming my sexuality and flipping the tired old narrative that sex is for men and feelings are for women on its head. I want the song to empower women having casual sex.” She says of the track.

L Devine releases Near Life Experience: Part 1 on 23rd July www.ldevinemusic.com

EVENTS

ORANGE PIP MARKET

Words: Steve Spithray

One of the things I missed most during the first three seasons of lockdown was being able to mooch and mingle amongst hawkers and food stands taking in the sights, sounds and smells of a hand crafted fog horn or a freshly baked bao. So, the return of Middlesbrough’s Orange Pip market this month really does bring back a lusty last-Saturday-of-every-month sense of normality for me.

After a break of 18 months due to you-know-what, Orange Pip returns on Saturday 31st July with a heady but familiar mix of food stalls, artisan activities and live music. The main event has relocated to Centre Square from nearby Baker and Bedford Streets, to ensure COVID safety, but the new Fringe Pip event will continue on the iconic terraced streets. Foodies will be delighted by the return of regulars including Armenian Family, the Clucking Pig, Fat Hippo and Fancy a Tipple while new kids on the foodie block include lockdown legends Northern Portions, serving up epic sandwiches and Maple & Dough’s thick vegan cookies.

Live music includes folk blues from Leeds City Stompers, rap from Sam Summers and a summer sounds DJ set too. And brand new for Fringe Pip sees Finn Forster take to the Soapbox for an acoustic performance.

Orange Pip Market will be in Centre Square and Baker and Bedford Street on Saturday 31st July from 12-7pm www.facebook.com/orangepipmarket

Moon Wax by Keavey Gamwell

MUSIC

SUMMER SESSIONS @ MIDDLESBROUGH TOWN HALL

Words: Michael O’Neill

Whilst we eagerly await the apparent ‘return to normality’ to bring full-blown festivals along with it, Middlesbrough Town Hall have worked up a tantalising stopgap in the form of their Summer Sessions. A series of gigs that boast a refreshingly broad and diverse selection of local artists, the Summer Sessions promise mini-festival vibes, replete with beer garden and an unprecedented opportunity to relive the glorious euphoria of discovering emerging talent.

Beginning with a double-bill of indie-folk-pop stalwarts Finn Forster and Alistair James (1st July), the Summer Sessions are taking place every Thursday evening through July and August and feature Jake Radio (Be Quiet. Shout Loud!) and Jen Dixon (8th July) Marketplace and Luke Royalty (15th July), Moon Wax and Charlotte Grayson (22nd July) Jodie Nicholson and Amelia Coburn (29th July), Joe Ramsey and Eve Conway (5th August), The Lulas and Leddie MC (12th August) concluding with Michael Gallagher and Shakk (26th August). As we start to slowly head towards the return of good old proper gigs and festivals, and the diverse talent on offer within the Summer Sessions is a sobering reminder of all the phenomenal talent that will continue to thrive as live music, as we know it, begins to find its feet again.

www.middlesbroughtownhall.co.uk

COMEDY

METROLAND SERIES 2

Words: Claire Dupree

Having made virtual waves last year with their mockumentary comedy sketch show Metroland, North East creatives Jack Stanley Robertson, Jon Dole and Caden Elliot have returned with a new series.

Metroland’s characters, from sweary pensioners to pretentious creatives, take a sideways swipe at Northern culture, but for series two the group have progressed away from the moc-doc format and challenged themselves to come up with edgier, more surreal sketches; from the coat-hanger divining gurning farmers of Kellogs Farmers to the downright bizarre poly-family birthing sketch of Doctor Sass. Jack Robertson explains: “We created Metroland as a bit of a ‘fuck you’ to the industry for the lack of creativity and originality over the last five years, we never intended or expected it to get the response that it has, it feels good to compensate for the scattered exposure of alternative comedy in the North East, but since giving the industry the finger more people want to work with us, so we must be doing something right... Right?. As an actor who struggles to fit into any predetermined casting bracket, locally and outside of Newcastle, it was almost therapeutic being able to just write and perform these sketches and build our Metroland team. It’s punk, and the fact that it’s struck a chord with people of the North East is just mental.”

Metroland series 2 begins on Sunday 4th July via their YouTube, Facebook and Instagram pages – follow them at Metroland Comedy. www.facebook.com/metrolandcomedy

My Barbie Life, image by Krista Puranen Wilson, Urban & Eastern Productions

ART & LIT

MY BARBIE LIFE: FROM GRIEF TO RELIEF @ ORBIS PROJECT SPACE

Words: Claire Dupree

Many of us at NARC. still feel the loss of our contributor and friend Craig Puranen Wilson, who lost his life to cancer in 2018 and whose creativity and positivity was a real inspiration to anyone who met him. His wife Krista, an artist and designer whose creative work spans everything from music to fashion, turned to art in an effort to understand the grief she was feeling. The result is a photo exhibition, My Barbie Life: From Grief to Relief, which launches at Orbis Project Space in Newcastle’s Commercial Union House this month under Krista’s Urban & Eastern Productions moniker.

While taking a break at her parents’ house in her native Finland, Krista came across her old Barbie doll and began taking photos with it, depicting Barbie doing the everyday tasks and living the life that Krista knew. “My little moments with my Barbie proved to be exactly what I needed. A moment spent ‘playing’ again, not needing to think about anything else going on in my life. This little doll gave me a respite from my grief and soon I found her to be following around with my daily life, doing what I was doing. She was going to art galleries, doing shopping, meeting up with friends and doing occasional modelling.” The photo exhibition is at once a charming and innocent reminisce on childhood joys, as well as a poignant and affecting tale of coping with grief.

My Barbie Life: From Grief To Relief by Urban & Eastern Productions is at Orbis Project Space, Newcastle from Monday 19th-Friday 30th July www.facebook.com/urbanandeastern

MUSIC

FALSE POETS RELEASE NEW ALBUM, STRANGE SEASON

Words: Cameron Wright

After their 2019 debut, the Durham-based indie collective False Poets have been gaining traction and drawing attention due to their nostalgic rock sound. Their self-titled debut was a fun romp through the past, playfully reciting the troupes of 60s rock ‘n’ roll. With charmingly approachable harmonies, jangling guitars and bouncing drums, the debut was torn straight from the textbook of the times.

The band’s following project, Strange Season, certainly sees False Poets evolve their sound. Although the record may still feel imitative at points, there’s clearly an intention to break away from exhausted clichés. As the album unfolds, the band begins to expand their pallet; Moonstruck immediately differentiates from everything prior, and the release is better for it – the eerie bass lines are embellished with splashes of guitar and a weary vocal and the track offers an engaging and alluring sound that plays directly to the band’s strengths, allowing them to feel far more comfortable. From this point onward, the album seems fuelled with an impressive desire to grow and forge their own identity.

The release is an undeniably interesting one, that’s hiding some genuinely exciting potential.

False Poets release Strange Season on 2nd July www.thefalsepoets.bandcamp.com

MUSIC

THE LINK OPENS AT THE GLOBE, STOCKTON

Words: Dawn Storey

The Link – a multi-functional space adjoining the newly restored Stockton Globe – opens this month, subject to any amended government guidance. Intended to become a creative community hub for the high street, it will be a café, bar and entertainment space in its own right alongside the iconic main venue, and plans to host an exciting programme of live acts on weekends during July and August. It launches on Thursday 15th July with a livestream featuring North East musicians plus a very special host. A free programme of events will follow at the venue throughout their first month.

“Live At The Link provides an intimate gig and performance space for local emerging artists, and will help to develop the talent pipeline,” says general manager Jo Ager. “We are working closely with local venues and promoters to make sure this fits in with the vibrant grassroots scene in Stockton and Teesside. We will be exploring working with groups in the community to create a creative and safe space.”

The Live At The Link programme will work with BBC Introducing, Tees Music Alliance and other grassroots organisations in the area as part of their evening programming, and also offering a light food menu during the day. Keep an eye on the venue’s website for more line-up info. www.stocktonglobe.co.uk

The Two Fridas - Performer from Balbir Singh Dance Company, image by Malcolm Johnson

STAGE

THE TWO FRIDAS @ VARIOUS LOCATIONS

Words: Beverley Knight

Mexican artist Frida Kahlo is a cultural icon that is the subject of magnitudes of artistic and commercial expression. Airing their representation is Billingham International Folklore Festival of World Dance, where – in collaboration with Balbir Singh Dance Company – live performances of The Two Fridas will be shown across Billingham, County Durham, Darlington, Middlesbrough, Redcar and Cleveland and Stockton over the next two months.

Kahlo’s famous self-portrait is granted a new lease of life through storytelling, dance and music, where Kahlo shares the spotlight with Hungarian-Indian progressive painter Amrita Sher-Gil. Balbir Singh of Yorkshire-based Balbir Singh Dance Company comments: “This show represents how two women’s struggle to tackle adversity can be used as an inspiration for us all to deal with what life throws at us.” To cement correct authenticity, accuracy was enhanced by the careful eye of Manchester-based Mexican consultant Magaly Flores of Mexican dance company Colibri.

The 50-minute piece which praises two thought-provoking figures also treats the audience to live painting from a different local artist each time, who cherishes a connection with the individual venues. Olga Maloney, Artistic Director of the festival, says: “We want to provide audiences with a delightful display of dance theatre performance that people have been craving for the past 12 months. The Two Fridas will have something to whet the palette throughout the summer.”

The Two Fridas is performed at Ushaw College Garden, County Durham on Saturday 10th July; Darlington Mark Square on Thursday 22nd July; Preston Park Museum in Stockton (date TBC); Albert Park in Middlesbrough (Saturday 7th August); Tees Barrage, Stockton on Sunday 8th August; The Forum Theatre, Billingham on Friday 13th August and Kirkleatham Museum in Redcar on Sunday 22nd August www.billinghamfestival.com

MUSIC

SCOTT FREE LAUNCHES NEW ALBUM THE MEXICAN OF LOVE @ CURVY SOUNDS

Words: Robert Nichols

Durham singer songwriter Scott Free launches his second solo album, The Mexican of Love, with a gig at Heaton’s Curvy Sounds on Friday 9th July.

Soaring high as an eagle with this soothing, escapist, charm offensive, Scott draws inspiration from turn of the 70s artists and outlook. In a tenor style not unlike Neil Young, or even former Gorkys Zygotic Mynci Euros Childs, Scott espouses that we’ve got places to go. He is inviting us to leave behind pandemic pandemonium in dreary towns and join him in slow adventures in an idolised, sun-kissed, 70s Mexican retreat.

Plenty of tongue in cheek puns throughout, as you might have guessed from the album title. It is an acoustic driven long player where a burst of recorder, harmonica or fuzzy electric adds colour and depth to the palette of acoustic guitar and voice. Post-production involved Maximo Park’s Duncan Lloyd, Polestar’s Alex Blamire and Luke Oldfield (son of Mike Oldfield). How is that for 70s/2020s stamps of approval?

In true 70s fashion, the album is available on a limited run of 50 cassettes as well as digital format from Scott’s Bandcamp. You may just be able to pick up a copy at the launch party at Newcastle’s Curvy Sounds, which will provide an intimate setting with a very limited capacity so contact the shop or artist in advance to grab your space.

Scott Free launches The Mexican of Love, with support from Jenni Mac, at Curvy Sounds, Newcastle on Friday 9th July www.scottfreemusic.bandcamp.com

Scott Free

EVENTS

SUMMER STREETS @ VARIOUS VENUES, SUNDERLAND

Words: Claire Dupree

I think we can all agree that it’s about time we had some fun, so the return of the glorious Summer Streets festival is a welcome one indeed. Taking place throughout Sunderland from Friday 16th-Monday 19th July, the music, arts and community festival will host events both online and in person, with everything free to access.

The line-up is pretty special, and features visceral rock rabble-rousers Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs, who will perform the first gig at Sunderland institution Pop Recs Ltd.’s new venue, with a couple of superbly chosen supports in alt. jazzers Archipelago and indie punks Roxy Girls (Monday 19th). Another highlight will be Mercury-nominated epic rockers Lanterns on the Lake, who perform an intimate show at The Peacock, with special guests Me Lost Me and Nadedja (Sunday 18th).

A pop-up outdoor performance from New York Brass Band will bring a taste of New Orleans to Roker seafront; there’s a live performance (and exclusive beatbox workshop for under 9s) with UK beatboxing champ Grace Savage (Sunday 18th); spoken word troupe Born Lippy present their poetry slam (Saturday 17th & Sunday 18th); plus alternative circus and a fun, floral pop-up performance of Wildflower from Curious Arts. Online performances include the classy classical sounds of Royal Northern Sinfonia, who present a special streamed performance of Mendelssohn’s Italian Symphony conducted by new principal conductor Dinis Sousa; a screening of specially commissioned documentary about Sunderland’s amazing Young Musician’s Project; Sunderland-based Strange Things? Collective will run online creative journaling workshops; visual artist Josie Brookes will be illustrating the festival throughout the weekend via Instagram live and the official website and award-winning composer Ben Lunn works with students from the fabulous Autism Able charity alongside producers Portions For Foxes to create original material released during the festival.

Summer Streets takes place at various venues and online from Friday 16th-Monday 19th July www.summerstreetsfestival.com

COMEDY

FUNNY WAY TO BE EDINBURGH PREVIEWS @ THE WITHAM

Words: Nicola Owen

Fancy a bit of the Edinburgh Festival but without the extortionate prices, mountains of flyers and throngs of ambitious entertainers vying for their big break? ‘Course you do, and Teesside comedy promoter Funny Way To Be has got your back.

A top line-up of comics will present their star making material on Saturday 17th and Saturday 31st July in Barnard Castle at The Witham. Saturday 17th sees Brennan Reece, Jo Caulfield, Alfie Moore and Carl Hutchinson step up. Brennan Reece has appeared on Live At The Apollo; Jo Caulfield is a sharp-witted, award-winning comedian who is regularly seen on TV panel shows like Mock The Week; Alfie Moore brings a live version of his Radio 4 programme It’s A Fair Cop to the stage and Carl Hutchinson steps out from supporting roles into the limelight.

Saturday 31st sees Lauren Pattison, Lloyd Griffith, Kieran Hodgson and Stephen Bailey spin some comedy gold. Lauren Pattison is widely regarded as one of the region’s most exciting up and coming comics; you may have seen Lloyd Griffith goofing about on Soccer AM; while Kieran Hodgson is ‘Edinburgh Festival royalty’ and Stephen Bailey’s friendly and open brand of gossipy humour has made him one of the UK’s most exciting up-and-coming acts in comedy at the moment.

Funny Way To Be presents Edinburgh Preview shows at The Witham, Barnard Castle on Saturday 17th and Saturday 31st July www.funnywaytobe.weebly.com

Hexham Book Festival - Grace Dent

ART & LIT

HEXHAM BOOK FESTIVAL

Words: Louise Henry

While the future of camping festivals hangs in the balance, Hexham is flying the flag with one of the very first in-person festivals taking place this year, following the cancellation of their 2020 event, but you won’t find any raucous music or moshing here...

From Friday 2nd–Sunday 11th July, the Hexham Abbey grounds and new, temporary spaces in Sele Park will be home to authors and audiences (albeit with restricted numbers) from across the literary sphere, along with a host of activities for families and children.

Of particular note amongst a line-up brimming with talent is Guardian restaurant critic Grace Dent who shares tales of her childhood dinner table in Carlisle, chronicling her life, loves and losses though food in a sold-out show, following the success of her recently published memoir, Hungry. Later in the evening, much loved poet Hollie McNish will take to the Spiegeltent to dig deeper into the human condition and all its complexities with wit, honesty, and emotion (Sunday 4th).

Other highlights include Lib Dem Councillor for Tower Hamlets, Rubina Khan, challenging misconceptions and outdated views about British Muslim women, inspired in part by an interaction in which a male mayoral candidate asked what colour her hair was under her veil (Saturday 3rd). Also exploring privilege, values and the complexity of British society is Hashi Mohamed, who examines his findings on social mobility in People like Us (Sunday 4th).

Comedy fans will be pleased to see Mark Watson closing the festival on Sunday 11th, although folks familiar only with his stand-up, might be in for a surprise. Here he celebrates his sixth novel, Contacts, a funny but moving tale of loneliness, desperation, and the importance of communication.

Other big names include Tez Ilyas, Dan Jackson, Jonathan Dimbleby, Paul Mason, Sir Oliver Letwin, Mike Berners-Lee, Jung Chang, Lisa Jewell, Loyd Grossman and Kevin Maxwell. Accompanied for the first time by a full children’s programme, the festival is a proper family favourite, so nab tickets while you still can.

Hexham Book Festival takes place from Friday 2nd-Sunday 11th July www.hexhambookfestival.co.uk

Chloe Castro by Verbind Media

MUSIC

CHLOE CASTRO/THE LULAS @ BASE CAMP

Words: Michael O’Neill

Ten Feet Tall’s marvellous Base Camp in Middlesbrough has steadfastly established itself as a hotbed for emerging creativity in the past couple of years, and the marvellous line-up coming up on Saturday 24th July is a testament to the brilliantly diverse and enthralling offerings that the venue continues to offer.

Headlining is Durham-based R&B/soul artist Chloe Castro, whose fresh contemporary R&B stylings have reached as far as Radio 1 and 1Xtra. Her recent EP, Amid, is chock full of crystalline grooves and power, and her sound is a fresh addition to the fast-emerging (and hugely refreshing) wave of R&B-indebted acts in the North East. Support arrives in the form of colourful groovy popsmiths The Lulas. Hailing from Teesside, the quartet deal in sun-soaked, hook-laden pop that you could eat your dinner off. Recent singles such as Down Nook Road, Pink Socks and Wish are the work of a ridiculously versatile set of songwriters, carefully melding witty, sharp lyrics with pristine musicianship and a wealth of character. Between the two acts, this bill is a blissful reminder of how much the musical community North East continues to be refreshingly diverse and versatile. Entry is free, so it’s a total no-brainer if you’re a fun-loving poptimist.

Chloe Castro and The Lulas play Base Camp, Middlesbrough on Saturday 24th July www.facebook.com/basecampboro

ART & LIT

BOBBY BENJAMIN: GIBBO IS GOD @ ARC

Words: Steve Spithray

Bobby Benjamin returns with his first solo exhibition in three years. GIBBO IS GOD will take place at ARC Stockton and sees the Middlesbrough artist and Pineapple Black co-curator present a collection of over 30 previously unseen works, exploring themes key to his life such as class and place, and is the first of a three-part exhibition across three venues throughout 2021.

GIBBO IS GOD is being co-curated by award winning artist and Picasso Baby co-curator John James Perangie and will delve into the visual language and cultural currency of poverty by presenting an idiosyncratic response to his lived experiences while also paying homage to some of his favourite pieces of graffiti from across the region.

The artist has said of the exhibition: “My intention for this collection is to attempt to reconcile two very different worlds – the one in which I live and the one in which I exhibit. The exhibition explores serious themes that affect my life and many of those around me but is also reflective of my own attitude towards them. It is a uniquely human trait to be able to laugh through tragedy and I think this exhibition tackles prevalent issues but not without a sense of humour.”

Bobby Benjamin exhibits GIBBO IS GOD from Friday 2nd July-Saturday 7th August at ARC, Stockton www.instagram.com/bobbybenjamin

Holly Rees by Will Gorman

MUSIC

HOLLY REES @ THE GLOBE, NEWCASTLE

Words: Ali Welford

Although restrictions on events now extend deep into the summer, The Globe’s socially distanced music programme continues unabated, providing artists with a stage and listeners with a shot of escapism – be it in person, or within the confines of their own home. True, Saturday nights still aren’t what they used to be, yet a small contingent is in for a treat on 17th July courtesy of a performance from one of the local scene’s best-loved singer-songwriters.

Namechecked by BBC 6 Music’s Tom Robinson and often compared to the likes of Courtney Barnett, Newcastle’s Holly Rees has built a loyal following over recent years with her earnest and emotionally resonant brand of indie rock, now expanded with the backing and added punch of a full band. This new configuration was in the midst of its maiden UK jaunt when the pandemic hit, and understandably Rees is out to make up for lost time, promising “new tunes, new tours and new nonsense” over the coming months. That reboot gets underway in earnest at The Globe, her first performance before a live audience for some 10 months.

Spaces are limited, yet those who miss out, can’t make it or are still hesitant over attending events can still enjoy festivities – whilst supporting both the artist and venue – via ticketed live stream.

Holly Rees performs at The Globe, Newcastle on Saturday 17th July www.hollyrees.co.uk

COMEDY

FRIDAY AND SATURDAY NIGHTS @ THE STAND

Words: Tracy Hyman

Newcastle’s much-loved comedy club, The Stand, have joyously returned to their weekend shows, with a whole host of fabulous comedy line-ups on offer every Friday and Saturday night. Three comedians plus one compere come together to provide 90 minutes of entertainment, making one fun-filled night. Highlights this month include Lost Voice Guy Friday 2nd/ Saturday 3rd), Kai Humphries (Friday 9th/ Saturday 10th), Fred MacAulay (Friday 16th/ Saturday 17th), Dave Johns and newcomer Amy Matthews (Friday 23rd/Saturday 24th) and Katherine Tanney plus compere Matt Reed (Friday 30th/Saturday 31st), with loads more supporting acts to be announced.

Be quick to book as the capacity is limited to 91 to make things as comfortable and safe as possible for everyone. Other shows of note this month include Tiff Stevenson’s 2019 critically acclaimed solo show Mother, which delves into the extreme sport of womanhood and Tiff’s vision of the future, free from class war, poverty and consent issues (Tuesday 6th); and Newcastle’s legendary improv troupe The Suggestibles return with Carry On Improvising (Thursday 15th), 80 minutes of socially distanced, un-sanitised hilarity, all based on your suggestions, guaranteed to provide a roller-coaster of madcap and irreverent hilarity.

www.thestand.co.uk

Field for the British Isles by Sir Antony Gormley

ART & LIT

ANTONY GORMLEY: FIELD FOR THE BRITISH ISLES @ NGCA

Words: Helen Redfern

Anyone who has seen the image of Antony Gormley’s Field For The British Isles will agree it’s a stunning and thought-provoking one. A familiar image – a sea of 40,000 unique simple figures in shades of terracotta all looking up, each non distinct, just holes for eyes, no other features, shapeless bare clay bodies – and yet together, what an impact! Now we have the opportunity to witness this epic installation at Northern Gallery for Contemporary Art (NGCA) at National Glass Centre, Sunderland, from Saturday 24th July until Saturday 25th September.

This is the first time Gormley, creator of the Angel of the North, has exhibited in Sunderland. 25 years ago, more than 25,000 people flocked to see this major art installation in Gateshead. Today, chosen by Sunderland Culture’s Art Champions – a group of nine local people with no formal arts training but a passion and interest to discover more about modern and contemporary art – this artwork is on loan from the prestigious Arts Council Collection and is the first exhibition of sculpture in the new 2,500sq ft gallery at National Glass Centre. What a wonderful way to mark the NGCA’s 50th anniversary!

During the duration of the exhibition a rich summer programme of activities for schools and families around Field For The British Isles will be on offer, including four family ceramics workshops, two Family Days, takeaway ceramics kits and a digital/print exhibition resource.

Antony Gormley: Field For The British Isles is at NGCA, Sunderland from Saturday 24th July until Saturday 25th September www.sunderlandculture.org.uk

Behold the Tesseract by Rachel Brook

ART & LIT

RACHEL BROOK: BEHOLD @ B&D STUDIOS

Words: Nicola Owen

Digital production Behold is a mixed media visual art exhibition from emerging North East artist Rachel Brook. Rachel’s artist film work presents a range of dream-like perspectives, often combining surrealism with art documentary.

Rachel says: “The exhibition title is a shortened version of the main exhibition image Behold The Tesseract. It is a celebration of the tesseract (or hyper cube), a four dimensional shape that can be observed from multiple perspectives. Each time you view the shape you see something new, observing the shape from multiple angles, considering the different interconnected cubes forming the whole shape and the central point of focus, seemingly changing position before your eyes or when you look again.”

The exhibition, which runs at Newcastle’s B&D Studios from Thursday 22nd-Thursday 29th July was inspired by the shared experience we’ve all gone through, as Rachel explains: “I began to think philosophically about the tesseract during the first UK lockdown and what it represented to me about my understanding of the world and the lives of so many people interlinked by common ground and yet fragmented by individual experience. I feel like we exist right now in this pivotal moment in history where polarised socio-political consciousness is becoming more blurred and spherical.”

On the day of the exhibition a minted, one-of-a-kind animation of the exhibition’s title piece will be uploaded to the NFT (Non Fungible Token) trading website Rarible.com and made available for auction.

Rachel Brook presents Behold at B&D Studios from Thursday 22nd-Thursday 29th July www.instagram.com/placeholder_visual_art

STAGE

NORTHERN STAGE PRESENTS: TRAILER STORY

Words: Claire Dupree

Their doors may not be open just yet, but Newcastle’s Northern Stage are still determined to bring important stories to audiences across the region.

Taking place from Friday 30th July-Sunday 1st August, Trailer Story is a travelling outdoor performance space, which will present a programme of work by local and national artists, with community at the forefront. In the spirit of bringing people together, Trailer Story will reclaim public spaces and present a safe and joyous event. Locations are TBC, so keep an eye on the venue’s website for further info.

Northern Stage recently announced their Autumn season, which will see the venue welcome audiences back into the building for the first time since March 2020. Joyfully entitled Housewarming, the season of shows will include the critically acclaimed tale of a working class hero, The Ballad of Johnny Longstaff (7-18 Sept); BEYOND-supported artist gobscure presents a highly visual performance in their production Provoked to Madness by the Brutality of Wealth (1 Oct); Teesside playwright Scott Turnbull brings his sci-fi comedy Tales From The Smog to Newcastle (4-6 Oct); Curious Arts present an evening of comedy, theatre and performance from Queer Northern talent (7 Oct); artistic director Natalie Ibu will direct her first production, Jim Cartwright’s Road (8-30 Oct); Sarah Gonnet’s Gaze looks at the stories women inherit and carry with them (25 Nov); plus there’s magical family productions including The Sorcerer’s Apprentice (27 Nov-31 Dec). The theatre also continue their ongoing work in the Byker community, which will see Paines Plough’s state-of-the-art touring venue, Roundabout, present a vast array of work for all ages including North East drag trio Bonnie & The Bonnettes, Northern Stage’s Young Company and a rehearsed reading of Lindsay Rodden’s powerful new play, Here (12-15 Aug).

www.northernstage.co.uk