LIVE REVIEWS

Image: Shame by Rhiannon Banks

SHAME, THE GOA EXPRESS @ BOILER SHOP, NEWCASTLE (21.11.21)

Words: Lee Hammond

Following the release of their highly rated sophomore album Drunk Tank Pink, Shame return to Newcastle for a triumphant show. Before they take to the stage though, there is the small matter of Manchester’s The Goa Express to contend with; theirs is a set filled with smart indie pop, the kind you cannot help but tap along to. Inoffensive and wholesome, they seem to be somewhat at odds with tonight’s headliners. Their brief set though is one to savour as they are certainly set for greater things.

Shame are an altogether different beast, bursting onto the stage in a fervent fashion. Frontman Charlie Steen controls the crowd like a circus ringmaster, who are putty in his hands from the off. Tearing through the likes of The Lick and Concrete early on, without doubt older tracks cause a greater stir, but Drunk Tank Pink finds its time to shine.

With Harsh Degrees and Snow Day receiving raucous reactions, you quickly forget the usual sedate nature of Sunday nights. Shame light up the stage with their passion and enthusiasm, Charlie continues to hold the audience in thrall as he is lifted atop the crowd which has now transformed into one seething mass of bodies flailing over the barrier. By the time the band launch into crowd favourite One Rizla the room has reached the point of hysteria. This is Shame at their absolute best, riding the excitement of the crowd and using it to channel their own scintillating performance!

SONGS FROM NORTHERN BRITAIN @ THE GEORGIAN THEATRE & THE GREEN ROOM, STOCKTON (20.11.21)

Words: Tracy Hyman

Now in its sixth instalment, Songs From Northern Britain has crossed the seas and brings the sounds of Dublin to Teesside for the first time, alongside the usual Scottish and Northern English fare. Vic Galloway once again came along to introduce the established grassroots showcase, with everything from indie and rock, to folk and punk – there was something for everyone and far too many highlights to mention.

Chief among the highlights was North East folk pop artist Me Lost Me, who filled the Green Room with her folky, atmospheric soundscapes. Her ethereal vocal sits upon layers of electronic effects and natural sounds of North Eastern beaches and looped sounds.

A highlight of Twisterella, Lizzie Reid once again wowed the Green Room audience. She told us that she had been here before, playing in a punk band, a far cry from the mesmerising, melodic folk songs of love, loss and heartache which have led her to be shortlisted for Scottish album of the year. In sharp contrast was Shakk’s energetic performance, which had everyone jumping and singing along to the catchy rap sounds of Young Pablo.

Somebody’s Child was tipped as one of the ones to watch; a largely unknown band from Dublin, they had everyone dancing in The Georgian Theatre to their upbeat indie pop sounds.

Headliners Declan Welsh & The Decadent West, who joined the line-up as part of their UK tour, regaled us with hip swaggering action galore, their infectious indie rock bringing the event to a fantastic close.

NOYA RAO, LYRAS @ COBALT STUDIOS, NEWCASTLE (18.11.21)

Words: Chris Maltby

Live music, board games and a home cooked meal. That’s what’s on offer at Cobalt on a Thursday evening. Already a trusted addition to the weekly regime of avid music and food lovers alike, FRESH offers ticket holders dinner in front of one of Newcastle’s most understated installations of recent times, Cobalt’s new sound system.

Mumbling diners were beautifully interrupted by the dreamlike vocal stylings of LYRAS’ Ada Francis, gliding smoothly over the top of developing jazz-rooted R&B rhythms elevated by a rich layer of synth. LYRAS provide their own brand of neo-soul doused pop (the subversive kind) and they do it with style. By the time they closed off their set with the brilliant Paradise, the crowd were visibly left wanting more.

Not for long though. Next up Noya Rao; the Leeds based electronic future-soul quartet were breathtaking from the start. The drums were tight, the bass moving beneath a tectonic dreamscape of synthetic wizardry firmly embedded in the organic. The vocals were mesmerising; everything you wanted from the recordings, played with energy and conviction, every space, in every groove coming from every instrument luring you in to move along to. Comfortable head bobbing was not an option. A beautiful imagining of analogue sounds delivered across slow-movers, dancers, thinkers and everything in between.

black midi by Idene Roozbayani

BLACK MIDI, O. @ WYLAM BREWERY, NEWCASTLE (17.11.21)

Words: Jake Anderson

Denizens of the internet, such as myself, will definitely have heard of black midi (who style themselves in lowercase, typography fans). But for people with lives, black midi are a UK experimental rock/post-punk band with a soundscape deriving from progressive and math rock. It’s a style that has seen a rise in popularity the past year or so, with black midi’s acclaimed albums, Schlagenheim and Cavalcade, being at the forefront of the genre.

The night started with O., a jazz punk duo with an interesting dynamic. With no vocals, they carried their set with just a saxophone and drum kit. Their songs had really nice grooves to them, capable of becoming antagonistic at a moment’s notice.

black midi offered up one of the best translations from studio to live performances I’ve ever seen. This group of misfits danced their way onto the stage to AC/DC’s Thunderstruck, picked up their instruments, and within seconds a mosh pit had formed. They bombarded the walls of the venue with intense instrumentation, each member giving it everything, as evidenced spectacularly on the ruthless-sounding Speedway. However, the real MVP of the night was saxophonist Kaidi Akinnibi who had a fantastic stage presence and impressively swapped between brass instruments.

It was a fantastic experience hearing my personal favourites like the violent 953 and the unpredictable Chondromalacia, but it was even better seeing the band’s oddball humour come through – perfectly evidenced by a disarming sea shanty performed during the set.

SOPHIA, LOTTIE WILLIS @ LITTLE BUILDINGS, NEWCASTLE (19.11.21)

Words: Jake Anderson

Newcastle’s Little Buildings hosted an evening that was saturated with heartfelt bangers by two of the North East’s rising stars – Lottie Willis and Sophia.

Lottie Willis opened the event, flexing her great vocal performance straight away with her first track Long Roads. It’s a beautiful piece with a warm progression and mellow writing. Performing at Little Buildings brought out the best in her style, as the intimate venue bolstered the easy-going vibes, as evidenced on the gorgeous piano-based Mirrors.

I felt the same for Sophia’s set. Suddenly, the singer’s bittersweet tracks became upbeat tearjerkers, her songwriting skill and sublime voice only emphasised thanks to the cosy venue and the new addition of a full band backing her; given the band’s chemistry, you would’ve thought they’d done this a million times. Having seen the songwriter perform acoustically at Waves festival earlier in the month, I found every song translated to a full band performance smoothly – giving Sophia’s usual pop production a fresh rock edge. Tracks like the ethereal Danced All Night and the dazzling Said You Loved Me worked especially well with the band, and were made even better with Sophia’s sincere stage presence and personality shining constantly throughout.

WARGASM, DEATH BLOOMS, BAMBIE THUG @ NORTHUMBRIA UNIVERSITY STUDENTS’ UNION, NEWCASTLE (20.11.21)

Words: Hope Lynes

First up came Bambie Thug, an emerging artist evidently discovering their sound with a discography of sex-positive tracks, like the booming Pussy Money Power, and Billie Eilish-inspired vocals on track Necromancy. Metal three-piece Death Blooms (who performed again as Wargasm’s backing band) opened with their collaboration with the headliners, Shut Up, a violent chanting anthem which shuts down anything in their way, creating a wave of middle fingers from the crowd during an energetic mosh pit.

This energy was maintained throughout the night, as written on Wargasm’s stage backdrop, the night promised to be ‘a sordid collusion of euphoria and violence’ and it certainly delivered a wickedly joyous yet angry night. The screamo punk duo effortlessly portray an unconventionally cool energy; vocalist Milkie Way brought the chic and the slower romantic energy to the peaking tracks thanks to her bountiful vocal range, whereas her counterpart Matlock, jumping up on platforms and rising into the crowd, brought the aggression and the passionate engagement.

The band revelled in the live energy, creating an immensely different listening experience to their singles, where passion was injected through screams and experimentation in a performance that felt more like an entertainment show than a gig. They opened with punchy new track Scratchcard Feeling which added an electric vibe to their heavy discography, and finished with electric fan favourite Spit, which sounds like five samples mashed into one. A work in progress track, Drilldo, was an aggressive anthem with a crudely addictive chorus.

Jarv Is by Carl Chambers

JARV IS…, ALEXIS TAYLOR @ BOILER SHOP, NEWCASTLE (03.11.21)

Words: Tracy Hyman

Tour support Alexis Taylor of Hot Chip demonstrated tracks from his prolific but little-known solo project which ranged from slow, delicate and atmospheric otherworldly pop tinged with a beautiful melancholy, to semi-instrumental electro-synth numbers with a rhythmic slow dance vibe and repetitive hook line.

Onto the main event and the light show was something else, a backdrop of a portal to another world. Jarvis Cocker strutted about the stage as only he can, ever the eccentric. An amiable showman for the most part – apart from when he stopped second song, House Music All Night Long, short to curtly dismiss the photographers who were “killing the vibe” by pointing a camera at his face.

The songs are a contemplation of mankind, life and society. Save The Whale, with its spoken word lyrics and soprano backing, and Must I Evolve (with its cult like chants of “yes, yes, yes yes” from the audience as they join in) seem apt with the ongoing COP26 conference in Glasgow. Then comes the singalong Cunts Are Still Running The World. Influences from dance, 70s and 80s merge together with harp and violin, all in time with the stage lights. Then, a brief detour to Aline, a cover of the French classic that Jarvis has re-recorded for The French Dispatch soundtrack.

Jarvis reflects on the last two years, how we have been missing human connection and interaction. In front of an audience the songs come alive and radiate around the room alongside the rays of the stage illuminating a backlit Jarvis.

ANNA MEREDITH @ SAGE GATESHEAD (12.11.21)

Words: Leigh Venus

Blasting off from a fantastic opening set that saw electro-classical composer Carmel Smickersgill smash a cracking cover of the relentless 2021 Ukrainian Eurovision entry, Anna Meredith was radiant throughout a majestic, mind-bending show.

Anchored around 2020 Mercury Prize-nominated second album Fibs, a packed set accelerated immediately with the frenetic, boundless electro double-act of Sawbones and Inhale/Exhale.

By turns keyboard-mashing and flaying the skin off a nearby drum, highlights (in a show composed almost entirely of highlights) included the ‘Empire Strikes Back by way of 4am in an out-of-town nightclub’ that is Bump, synth nightmare Vapours, the fantastically-monikered BPM 194: Tom Cruise Runs, and the four-songs-in-one beauty of Paramour.

The band, as ever, were no slouches. Spine-tingling electric guitar from Jack Ross abounded, a goosebump-inducing cello-led tune from Maddie Cutter took the breath out of the room, and a filthy duet between Meredith and drummer Sam Wilson is the closest thing I’ve yet seen to on-stage foreplay. Only settling down once for a delightful cocktail-lounge muzak-backed advertisement for the post-show merch stand, a heartfelt Nothing Compares 2 U/Purple Rain mash-up bathed the room lilac for a joyous encore, sealing the deal for a rapt crowd.

Mesmerising and drop-dead affable, self-described ‘farmer of dreams’ Meredith thrilled throughout a bountiful show that affirmed everything excellent about the return of live music.

GEORGIA MAY @ ALPHABETTI THEATRE, NEWCASTLE (10.11.21)

Words: Damian Robinson

Participating in the third of Alphabetti’s three-week long Women Are Mint festival, Georgia May’s stripped back, soul high vibe fits perfectly with tonight’s desire to step out of a cold November evening and into the laid-back surroundings of the venue’s lounge and bar.

Performing as a two-piece, with support from keyboardist and producer Daps, May’s sound tonight is designed to hang loose – gentle beats and background piano providing sufficient space for the focus of the evening to be on her superb, soul-driven, vocals.

Standing out with blissful versions of Soul Sister and Fire, it’s nevertheless the jazzy Hesitation which steals the show thanks to its light synth drum textures and delicate jazz piano undercurrent, both combining to blow through the room with a groove-heavy delivery. A couple of reimagined covers, including a smooth version of Valerie, and a dance-party-starting take on Crazy, provide further evidence of how effective May’s production and set is; every texture and sound being precisely placed to support the star of the show – her voice.

Venus Grrrls by Victoria Wai

VENUS GRRRLS, ZELA, ABNORM @ HEAD OF STEAM, NEWCASTLE (08.11.21)

Words: Paul Broadhead

Citrus was an incredibly infectious poppy debut, but the rest of Abnorm’s set is a heavier affair, from the dirty blues rock stomp of In No Particular Order – calling out inattentive boyfriends – to the metal fest Burn In Hell, making Abnorm undoubtedly Newcastle’s next big thing on the rock scene.

Since her days in The Silence, Liv Griff was destined for the stage and in ZELA she’s found the band to display her rock star credentials. Opener Sleep So Bad is a sleazy slice of rock pop, shimmering with catchy riffs and lyrical soundbites that grips the attention like a vice. Liv struts, bounces and owns the stage, belting out future single Chaos Queen, an epileptic fit of a tune that leaves its audience in a post-bliss daze.

Leeds’ Venus Grrrls are the coolest gang in town, Freaky Friday letting rip with spits and snarls, in no mood to take prisoners. The amalgamation of five very different personalities and styles, they make music full of both style and substance. Only their song Amy – introduced with a plea to open-up about mental health issues – slows down the party/riot. Anthemic single Goth Girl threatens to make the Head of Steam boil over before closer Deranged, an angsty #metoo diatribe about being female in the music industry, blows the lid.

HOLLY REES @ ALPHABETTI THEATRE (04.11.21)

Words: Hope Lynes

Alphabetti Theatre’s stage is adorned simply with a wooden chair, acoustic guitar and mic. Usually armed with her band to rock out, Holly Rees instead performed her last solo acoustic set of the year, a stripped-back performance which channelled the rawness of her voice.

Holly was confident and full of laughs (“I’m 29, and I’ve done my back out… if I’m a bit crap, don’t tell me, just clap anyways!) and there was also a vulnerability from her heartfelt songs which added to the intimacy of the night.

Setlist rarities featured, such as the 2019 b-side Back of my Hand, an ode to the North East; an amorous track, both soulful and heartfelt, it leaves you focusing on the artist’s fascinatingly soft vocal range. Holly also debuted an upcoming single, English Bay, a beautifully romantic song which was a treat to catch live.

The highlight of the night was the upbeat Getting By, which packed a punch and injected playfulness to create the perfect balance in atmosphere within the dimly lit bar. The uplifting rockier track was reworked from band to acoustic, but you could tell Holly missed her band despite the fun, “You’d think I’d be full of patter without the guys, but I’m actually worse!” The night ended with Holly stating “Thanks for feeling things with me”, and that’s exactly what the night was – an outpouring of emotion that was shared between friends, fans and newcomers alike.

HENGE, SUNGOAT, SHUNYA @ COBALT STUDIOS, NEWCASTLE (05.11.21)

Words: Evie Lake

This was the gig that reminded me of how great it feels to dance. Electronic mastery that ranged from the moody to the joyfully insane; shimmery goats and minotaurs dancing around the stage and aliens who claim to not understand earth words, but sure as hell can make a great tune out of them.

First up was Shunya, whose violin-led electronic alt. pop folk was all-consuming and seamlessly produced. Next was Sungoat. It’s not often that an encore is demanded from a support, as lamented by the frontman: “but we’ve only got shit ones left”. A combination of traditional Gaelic violin and electronic beats native to Powerhouse, Sungoat were sheer madness, with two musical contributors and an excess of four goat-clad dancers whose sole job was to run around and have a great time. The high-energy, neo-traditional bangers were irresistible and the atmosphere felt more like a pub lock-in rather than a Friday at Cobalt.

Finally, Henge topped off the madness with convincing alien characters and their brand of cosmic rock. The tunes were fun and so electronic it truly felt we were on some mission through space. Mushroom One and Indigo Dust established the sublime elevation that comes with floating between prog rock and cosmic beats. It took some time for me to re-ground myself after the gig was over; the joy and the weightlessness of the atmosphere was spectacular and it was the most fun I’ve had in ages.