PREVIEWS Hello… At the time of press, the North East has been placed in the highest tier of restrictions. This clearly has a profound effect on the businesses and people we champion every month, not to mention you, dear Constant Readers. It’s going to be difficult to predict what will happen over the coming months with any degree of accuracy, and our hearts go out to those in hospitality, performance-based businesses and creatives who won’t know if they’re coming or going from one month to the next. As for us, we’re as much in the dark as anyone, and while it saddens us greatly to have to go back to publishing digitally, we’re absolutely determined that as soon as our outlets are happy to welcome us back we’ll be there in the format we love. In the meantime, there will be much to engage with; our region’s creatives are old hands in the virtual world now, so expect livestreams and online creativity to flourish. When it happens, we’ll bring it to you via these pages and on our website, where you can get up to date information and entertainment. Thanks for reading. The thought of you keeps us going. Claire & the NARC. team
George Boomsma by Josh Tarn
MUSIC
GEORGE BOOMSMA RELEASES NEW EP, CHINATOWN
Words: Jay Moussa-Mann Chinatown is the latest exquisite EP from George Boomsma. The four-track EP was recorded live to tape at Echo Zoo Studios, with the addition of a string quartet bolstering George’s refined guitar mastery. The title track
4
immediately stands out, throwing together all the best parts of Boomsma’s sound; his warm melodic voice, his poetry, clever songwriting and deft guitar playing. Boomsma skilfully throws in chord changes, surprising the listener while at the same time making them feel as though they had been waiting for that particular resolution all their life. SamSara is another quiet gem nestling towards the end, don’t miss it! This EP reaches new musical heights for Boomsma, bearing the huge sweeping emotion of a 1930s Hollywood soundtrack, with all the gentleness and soul of the Laurel Canyon
scene. The vintage sound is no accident, with the subtle fingerprints of producer and studio owner Dave Izumi Lynch, creating the characteristic saturation and crunch of tape recording. Having supported many established artists such as Maximo Park’s Paul Smith and with a memorable musical appearance on UKTV’s Taskmaster, George Boomsma is definitely one to keep an eye on, and Chinatown is the perfect collection to warm you through the season. George Boomsma releases Chinatown on 6th December www.georgeboomsma.com
