STOP TO EDINBURGH COMEDY FESTIVAL @ THE GEORGIAN THEATRE

Words: Ben Lowes-Smith

Shoe Cake Comedy’s Last Stop To Edinburgh Comedy Festival is back for its third year at The Georgian Theatre in Stockton on Friday 14th and Saturday 15th July.

Over the years the festival has attracted performances from top comedians such as Troy Hawke, Brennan Reece, Justin Moorhouse and Patrick Monahan, so they really have their fingers on the pulse when it comes to top comics. This year, another seven superb acts bring their work in progress 60 minute shows to the stage before touring them or taking them up to the Edinburgh Fringe. Acts this year include Jonny Pelham (who has gone from the top room in the Dog & Parrot to Live At The Apollo), Mock The Week’s Mark Simmons, Bethany Black, Lou Conran, Matt Bragg, Aidan Goatley, all of whom have supported major touring acts to critical acclaim, plus The Halls Of Ridiculousness, an improvised sketch show from Chris Lumb and Phil Allan-Smith. Tickets are £12 a show, with an attractive pricing structure for those wanting to attend multiple shows.

For those that don’t want to expel the time, effort and money it takes to venture north of the border, these gigs are a great way to see highly rated acts in one venue.

The Last Stop To Edinburgh Comedy Festival takes place at The Georgian Theatre, Stockton on Friday 14th and Saturday 15th July. www.shoecakecomedy.co.uk

COMEDY FUNNY WAY TO BE EDINBURGH FRINGE PREVIEWS @ THE WITHAM

Words: Jake Anderson

Every year I give Edinburgh Fringe Festival a call, this year I said, “you need my hilarious wit and charm for the festival”. The response I got was “is this a bit? It’s not that funny”. It’s over, Jake the Comedian (Trademarked) is no more.

But if you want to see some actual funny people, then you have the opportunity to see four comics debut their Fringe Festival acts for comedy promoters Funny Way To Be at The Witham in Barnard Castle on Saturday 29th July.

Louise Young’s opening act will be titled Feral, and will see the Geordie comic explore the chaos derived from her own life, spanning subject matter which includes themes of class and coming out. It’ll be a hilarious opening, setting the mood for the rest of the evening. Following on, Matt Bragg has supported some of Britain’s most high-profile comedians, and been heavily praised for his observational comedy, his set is titled Matt Bragg Has Nothing Wrong With Him – a bold statement! Dan Tiernan’s set is labelled as a work in progress, which is either incredibly meta or there isn’t a name for it a yet, which either way I respect. The Mancunian with dyspraxia explores the insanity of his own personal life through a gag-heavy set. Ending the night will be Anth Young, detailing his life as a single man living with his parents to being a parent himself. www.funnywaytobe.weebly.com

Funny Way To Be Edinburgh Fringe Previews are performed at The Witham, Barnard Castle on Saturday 29th July.

July Programme July Programme

Music

MARTHA FFION @ THE CUMBERLAND ARMS

Words: Jake Anderson

Born in Northern Ireland, but moving to Scotland when she was 18, talented songwriter Martha Ffion brings her selection of heartfelt tunes to Newcastle’s Cumberland Arms on Monday 31st July.

The past year has seen the artist incorporate a live band into her performance, bringing a punchier element to the ballads that placed her on the map, and seeing her described as reminiscent of Sharon Van Etten or Angel Olsen.

This Newcastle show is one of a select few for the artist, and audiences can expect to hear songs from the her brand new third album, The Wringer, released in June. The album’s namesake, and recent lead single, sees Ffion’s vocals weightlessly glide over a dynamic indie rock soundscape, which slowly builds in intensity and features a beautiful mixture of keys, drums and guitars. It’s a sound that stays with you, and Martha’s vocals are liquid gold to the ears. Fusing a vintage pop vibe with stunning songwriting prowess, this will be a special show indeed.

Martha Ffion plays The Cumberland Arms, Newcastle on Monday 31st July. www.marthaffion.com

MUSIC SCOTT MATTHEWS @ MIDDLESBOROUGH TOWN HALL

Words: Michael O’Neill

Drawing from a rich lineage of boundarypushing songwriters such as Jeff Buckley and Nick Drake, John Martyn and Paul Simon, Scott Matthews has long blazed a trail as one of the country’s most unique and gifted singer-songwriters. 2007’s debut album Passing Stranger yielded Scott a prestigious Ivor Novello award for lead single Elusive, which also led to him supporting Foo Fighters on their more acoustically minded Skin And Bones tour. www.scottmatthews.uk

His recent ninth LP, entitled Restless Lullabies, finds Scott offering a sparse, intricate and acoustic reinterpretation of 2021’s bold New Skin, trading the latter’s harsh and cold electronic sound with a rich and pastoral sound more akin to his earlier, more acoustic-leaning albums. In almost every instance, the harmony-soaked reinterpretations are almost unrecognisable from their synth-propelled counterparts, further testifying to Scott’s versatility and ambition as a songwriter, and a wonderful reminder of the infinite malleability of a well-crafted song. It’ll lend itself brilliantly to a live environment, with a tour stop at Middlesbrough Town Hall on Friday 21st July likely to be a testament to the power within this bold and compelling addition to a brilliant body of work.

Scott Matthews plays Middlesbrough Town Hall on Friday 21st July.

Events

BYKER ARTS FESTIVAL @ BRINKBURN ST BREWERY

Words: Cameron Wright Brinkburn St Brewery, in the heart of the Ouseburn, welcomes two weekends of entertainment courtesy of the inaugural Byker Arts Festival.

Taking place on Friday 28th-Sunday 30th July and Thursday 3rd-Sunday 6th August, Brinkburn St Brewery, as well as Ballast Hills and Hadrian’s Square, will become a social hub for artists and entertainers, as a rich programme crammed full of workshops, crafts, stalls, talks and performances takes over the area. This thrilling new experiment aims to celebrate the rich heritage of independent art that is deep in the heart of Byker. Highlights include the debut of Séayoncé: Res-erection by Dan Wye, in which a ghoul haunts Byker Arts; a performance from PRNCSS, who brings heavy bass music with gorgeous African rhythms showcasing the next steps of Afrofuturism; witness CIRKO NORDA’s youth circus throw themselves into stunning acrobatics; Toi Guy and Adele Clifford’s Spinsters is a collaborative and multidisciplinary catwalk show exhibiting clothing made by the local independent designers; Many Hands Circus present their spectacular Light Work circus theatre show; audiences can relax with Swannek’s jazzy neo-soul stylings or enjoy a programme of music curated by Tyne & Queer; or perhaps you want to try your hand at pottery, puppet making, block printing or Yoga, or countless other fun things – the festival caters to an array of different art and performance disciplines beautifully!

Byker Arts Festival takes place at Brinkburn St Brewery and pop-up locations on Friday

28th-Sunday 30th July and Thursday www.bykerartsfestival.co.uk

3rd-Sunday 6th August.