PREVIEWS

Grove by Khali Ackford

LONE TAXIDERMIST TAKE-OVER @ COBALT STUDIOS

Words: Claire Dupree

Described as a relentless and brave experimental artist, Cumbrian musician Natalie Sharp (aka Lone Taxidermist) blends performance, theatre, film, music, make-up, costume and more to create a kind of electro-art-noise insanity which is instantly thrilling. A doyen of the avant garde and underground, she has her finger on the pulse of the UK’s cutting edge experimental scene, which is why it’ll come as no surprise that the similarly trailblazing Cobalt Studios have invited her to curate a weekend of weird and wonderful sounds.

Kicking off on Friday 11th February, Natalie explains her thoughts behind the event: “The feeling for this is all about queering ecologies and the voices of indigenous and intersections not being included in the climate crisis.” She’ll be bringing a selection of embodied themes to the front; queer, BIPOC, neurodivergent, disability positive, intersectional environmentalist, ecosex conscious and Afrofuturism. Taking part will be autodidactic Bristol-based producer Grove, whose sound fuses punky dancehall, jungle, bass and pop, with lyrics which are inspired by political angst and queer euphoria; Igbo Nigerian-Scottish audiovisual artist Chizu Nnamdi, who blends lo-fi rhythms with R&B and indie rock; and the exalted experimental electronic pop of CURRENTMOODGIRL.

On Saturday 12th, it’s all about the dancefloor, with DJ sets from inspirational and eclectic artists including Manchester-based Hesska, whose innovative mixing sees her gel seemingly disparate genres into floor-filling anthems. Truly a weekend for those seeking sublime and unusual pleasures.

Lone Taxidermist Takeover Weekend featuring Grove, Chizu Nnamdi, CURRENTMOODGIRL, Hesska and more takes place on Friday 11th and Saturday 12th February. www.cobaltstudios.co.uk

BAY TALES LIVE @ WHITLEY BAY PLAYHOUSE

Words: Eugenie Johnson

Across 24 weeks in 2020 and monthly virtual events in 2021, Simon Bewick and Victoria Watson’s series Noir at the Bar has ensured that crime writing enthusiasts have been able to continue connecting with writers throughout the pandemic. Now, the pair are bringing their knack for tapping the biggest names and rising stars in the crime genre to their home town. Bay Tales Live, a one-day event coming to Whitley Bay Playhouse on Saturday 12th February, is the pair’s first in-person live event for quite some time.

It kicks off with a true local crime heavyweight, Anne Cleeves, author of Vera and Shetland, in conversation Vaseem Khan, writer of the series of Baby Ganesh Detective Agency books. The rest of the day sees six curated panels discussing a variety of different topics which will include the likes of Russ Thomas, author of the bestseller Firewatching, Sarah Vaughan, author of Anatomy of a Scandal (recently adapted for Netflix) and Dr Richard Shepherd, Britain’s foremost forensic pathologist, as well as a whole host more. It’s a chance for those dedicated to crime writing to be able to come together and once again discuss their shared passion as well as hear some killer conversations.

Bay Tales Live takes place at Whitley Bay Playhouse on Saturday 12th February. www.baytales.com

WOKE

WOKE @ NORTHERN STAGE

Words: Helen Redfern

Now living as an African American woman outside of America, accomplished writer and performer Apphia Campbell plays two women involved in the struggle for civil rights 42 years apart: 1970s revolutionary figurehead Assata Shakur is a member of the Black Panther party and Black Liberation Army, while Ambrosia, a present-day university student, is enrolling just as the Ferguson riots begin in 2014.

The juxtaposition of these two women’s stories, performed at Newcastle’s Northern Stage on Thursday 10th and Friday 11th February, is disturbing: the past is not behind us, the story is never over – we are all connected. They start from different places but both women challenge the American justice system and both become criminalised through political activism. As her eyes are opened to the injustices of the past and the present, Ambrosia changes position and perspective throughout the play until both women ultimately face the same choice: “Do I stay and fight, or do I run?”

Following on from the success of her critically acclaimed play Black Is The Color Of My Voice, inspired by jazz singer and civil rights activist Nina Simone, Campbell reclaims ‘woke’ in the context of civil rights activism against a powerful soundtrack of original music and traditional gospel and blues performed live. Adapted from Altovise Laster’s Poems From The Underground, this award-winning, one-woman play by Apphia Campbell and Meredith Yarbrough takes the audience on a thrilling, emotional journey towards a fuller, deeper understanding of the reality of WOKE.

WOKE is at Northern Stage on Thursday 10th and Friday 11th February. www.northernstage.co.uk

ORCHARDS @ HEAD OF STEAM

Words: Conor Roy

Brighton-based Orchards tour in support of their latest EP Trust Issues, with a stop at Newcastle’s Head Of Steam on Sunday 27th February. In 2016 the trio, consisting of vocalist Lucy Evers, guitarist Sam Rushton and bassist Dan Fane, broke out into the musical landscape with instant ear-worm Peggy, and to date have released two EPs and 2020s Lovecore LP which really established them as masters of their art.

Blending intricate and off-kilter math rock in a head-on collision with fizzy indie pop has seen the band ignite venues across the country with their own brand of infectiously fun ‘math pop’. Having previously described themselves as “if Everything Everything had a Hard Times [Paramore] baby with Foals during a 2000s indie regression”, if this description is one that’s hard to pin down, from their live shows expect dance-like-no-one’s-watching moves and infectious positive energy from Evers, screw face riffs from Rushton and beautiful vocal layering from Fane.

Newcastle’s Head Of Steam is a perfectly intimate venue for a night that’s going to be nothing short of a party. The band will be supported by passionate pop duo Petrie and Gateshead’s own melancholic songwriter Hannah Robinson.

Orchards, Petrie and Hannah Robinson play Head of Steam, Newcastle on Sunday 27th February. www.orchardslive.com

Orchards by Jessie Morgan

ANIMAL FARM @ THEATRE ROYAL

Words: Leigh Venus

“All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others.”

Never anything less than acutely relevant since its publication 76 years ago, George Orwell’s world-famous fable tells the story of the animals of Manor Farm, who drive out their human oppressor to run the farm themselves. But what comes after the revolution?

Directed by Robert Icke – whose version of Orwell’s equally-famous 1984 was a smash-hit in the West End and on Broadway – this new adaption, which visits Theatre Royal from Tuesday 22nd-Saturday 26th February, is a Children’s Theatre Partnership production in association with world-class producing theatre Birmingham Rep.

The puppetry skills of Toby Olié – who helped create the stunning life-size horse puppets of War Horse – breathe life into the non-human stars. No stranger to the factory floor, Olié played the back end of the titular horse in the original National Theatre production before being promoted to the head when the show was ported over to the West End.

Bunny Christie, the winner of prestigious Tony and Olivier awards for the outstanding set design of the original London production of The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, caps off an award-winning creative team for this dynamic, daring and contemporary take on a timeless story.

Animal Farm is at Theatre Royal, Newcastle from Tuesday 22nd-Saturday 26th February. www.theatreroyal.co.uk

David Reynolds, Untitled (From the series Familiar New Words) 2021, aluminium dibond print, 30x60cm

DO CYBORGS DREAM OF ELECTRIC QUEERS? @ THE AUXILIARY

Words: Lizzie Lovejoy

Newcastle-based artist David Reynolds is showcasing a new body of work at The Auxiliary in Middlesbrough from Friday 11th February until Saturday 19th March. This innovative solo exhibition, entitled Do Cyborgs Dream Of Electric Queers?, is a celebration of the world of Queer culture within science fiction.

Reynolds has used the research of contemporary theorists and philosophers in order to develop a range of visual works which are not restricted by a single artistic medium. Exploring their themes through animation, digital creations and sculpture, the artist shares a dynamic series of creative pieces. Alongside this, Reynolds has developed a publication that can be picked up when visiting the space.

This exhibition looks back at where we’ve come from and considers what our future may be, raising questions not only of the history of Queer narratives, but also the direction we might be heading. Consisting of three different collections, the work presented within The Auxiliary shares the magic of the Queer world and the wonders of sci-fi.

There is a chance to get a closer look at 11pm on Saturday 12th March, when Reynolds will be giving a free late night artist talk and tour of the exhibition space. From the digital imagery of the Familiar New Worlds collection, to the sculptural works of the Unpronounceable By Ball series, this exhibition pays tribute to the diverse worlds of sci-fi and Queerness.

Do Cyborgs Dream Of Electric Queers? is at The Auxiliary, Middlesbrough from Friday 11th February until Saturday 19th March. www.theauxiliary.co.uk

OMID DJALILI @ TYNE THEATRE & OPERA HOUSE

Words: Leigh Venus

During lockdown Omid Djalili held Zoom gigs in his lavatory, including one where he was muted by 639 people. Flushing the toilet at the end of each show, he would announce “here’s the sound of my career.”

It’s a hell of a career though, ranging from the West End to film and TV. His credits include His Dark Materials, Gladiator, The Mummy, Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End and even a James Bond film (joking that he played “second Azerbaijani oil pipe attendant”).

Despite Covid restrictions, a spicy sociallydistanced gig in Kent saw the Iranian comic and actor pretend he was the head of ISIS trying out a stand-up routine with the masked audience all hostages, and he witnessed an audience member at a drive-in gig get out of his car, attach a hosepipe to his exhaust and feed it through the window.

Given these experiences, it’s understandable that Djalili genuinely believed his time as a legendary stand-up was over. Yet, as we circumnavigate yet more lockdowns by the skin of our collective teeth, he’s thankfully back, bringing his intelligent, entertaining and always provocative presence to Newcastle’s Tyne Theatre & Opera House on Wednesday 9th February for what is sure to be a captivating comedy masterclass.

Omid Djalili is at Tyne Theatre & Opera House, Newcastle on Wednesday 9th February. www.omidnoagenda.com

Night Shop Image by Kimberly Corday

NIGHT SHOP @ POP RECS LTD.

Words: Jake Anderson

Staple of Sunderland’s music scene and much-loved creative hub, Pop Recs Ltd. has reopened in its brand new High Street West location and boasts a cafe, record shop, art space and much more within its walls. While it may be missing the caustic humour of its driving force, the late great Dave Harper, the venue’s importance as a much-needed space for creatives and the local people of Sunderland can’t be underestimated.

On Saturday 19th February the venue will play host to alternative singer-songwriter Justin Sullivan, otherwise known as Night Shop. Now touring his upcoming album, Forever Night (out on 11th February), his rock-inspired indie folk will please fans of addictive rhythms and sonically ambitious folk sounds. Having previously spent his time behind the drum kit alongside the likes of Kevin Morby and as instigator of LA post-punk outfit Flat Worms, Sullivan’s Night Shop persona sees the artist step towards more succinct and subtle arrangements, including the ballad-like beauty of For A While and the Divine Comedy-inspired Let Me Let It Go. Possessing a cinematic wit and dealing with universal themes, Night Shop’s live performance is certain to be one to treasure.

Night Shop is at Pop Recs Ltd., Sunderland on Saturday 19th February. www.nightshop77.bandcamp.com

KKETT/TANKENGINE/ MXYM @ THE SHOOTING GALLERY

Words: Hope Lynes

Since the reopening of Zerox, it is clear that their live room, The Shooting Gallery, will be a great space to platform local talent. On Friday 18th February, that is exactly what you can expect in the upper floor of the cool new Quayside offering.

With song titles as absurd as their sound (Bill Oddie Bastard Bitch and (I Can’t Wait For) Nothin’ But Nasal Cramps are excellent examples), Kkett create an energetic universe of sound; experimental and playful, their sound traverses the pop punk, emo, hardcore and indie spectrums culminating in a genre they call ‘joycore’ and inciting any live audience into a passionate frenzy.

Tankengine meanwhile are undoubtedly punk in nature; loud, passionate and full of swagger, they describe themselves as ‘sophisto-rock’, and the powerful trio have a hilarious online persona which is sure to emerge in the live set. Armed with recent EP blatantly titled Tankengine Tankengine, their addictive soundscape isn’t afraid to stand out or throw its listener about.

Queer pop art punk MXYM meanwhile offers up dramatic instrumentation and strong vocals; with a sound undeniably theirs, MXYM’s beautiful mix of experimental soundscapes and an intriguing and creative persona described as ‘emo glamour’, is sure to combine into an interesting performance.

Kkett, Tankengine and MXYM perform at The Shooting Gallery, Newcastle on Friday 18th February. www.facebook.com/zeroxbarnewcastle

She Drew The Gun by Rob Blackham

SHE DREW THE GUN @ THE GEORGIAN THEATRE

Words: Evie Nicholson

On Friday 25th February, The Georgian Theatre in Stockton welcomes the dreamy etherealism of Wirral-based psych pop band, She Drew The Gun.

Brooding and romantic in equal measure, She Drew The Gun have been on the rise for several years. The outspoken brainchild of Louisa Roach, the band released their debut record, produced by The Coral’s James Skelly, after a BBC 6Music Session in 2016. Since then, they’ve created waves through winning Glastonbury’s Emerging Talent competition, supporting The Coral on their 2018 UK tour and performing at SXSW and a string of UK festivals.

Their third album, Behave Myself, was released in October last year. Still retaining the band’s idiosyncratic space-age melodies, the album introduced a previously-unheard punk-infused electronica. Roach’s lyrics are angsty and refreshingly politically astute, with synth-heavy tracks like Next On The List and Class War – How Much offering a candid social commentary that is just as facetious as it is forthright.

Combining the personal and the political, She Drew The Gun possess a rare ability to combine vulnerable and rebellious song-writing with a contagious upbeat optimism, making this gig one not to be missed.

She Drew The Gun play The Georgian Theatre, Stockton on Friday 25th February. www.shedrewthegun.com

NO. 9 @ ALPHABETTI THEATRE

Words: Mera Royle

“What were you wearing? How much did you drink? Cheer up love, it could have been worse.”

People mean well. That’s what we’re told. And we like to believe it. But when bad things happen, can we really that believe it’s true? In Anna Robinson’s new play, a fabulous, strange and bright telling of trauma erupts onto the stage at Alphabetti Theatre from Tuesday 22nd February until Saturday 12th March. No.9 is a story of ‘well-meaning’ assumptions from family and friends in response to assault, told through the perspective of a real survivor.

In a story of darkness, fear and shame, the play tackles trauma through a new lens. Bright and bold, weird and wonderful, laughter, dance, live music and wacky characters define No.9’s outburst onto Alphabetti’s stage. It’s a play about standing up to blame and rubbish feelings, and seeking the answer to the question we’ve all, at some point, asked ourselves: do people really mean well?

No.9 is performed at Alphabetti Theatre, Newcastle from Tuesday 22nd February until Saturday 12th March. www.alphabettitheatre.co.uk

VINCA PETERSEN @ NGCA

Words: Claire Dupree

From her unique perspective as an instigator of the British and European rave scene in the 1990s, photographer, multimedia and performance artist Vinca Petersen presents new work entitled Make Social Honey at Sunderland’s Northern Gallery of Contemporary Art.

Exhibited from Saturday 29th January until Monday 2nd May, Petersen’s exhibition takes the viewer on a collective search for joy, asking the viewer where it can be found – whether through sea swimming, meditation or choir singing – and helping us to understand how joy can be found collectively after a period of isolation and social restrictions.

As an artist who strives to give a voice and recognition to under-represented communities, Petersen will also be present in the gallery displaying documentation from a series of ‘actions’ undertaken with local community groups which explore collective joy, as well as archiving her image collection and unearthing previously unseen images.

Petersen’s preoccupation with the things that make us happy will ultimately be a representation of what makes us human.

Vinca Petersen: Make Social Honey is at NGCA, Sunderland from Saturday 29th January until Monday 2nd May. www.vincapetersen.com

Ross From Friends by Fabrice Bourgelle

ROSS FROM FRIENDS (LIVE) @ BOILER SHOP

Words: Hope Lynes

Here’s one for the dancers! Relaxed beats that still have an energetic thrill is the spirit of Ross From Friends, who will bring his live set to Newcastle’s Boiler Shop on Friday 18th February. Armed with new album Tread, released in October, the DJ who has previously performed barn-storming sets at the likes of Glastonbury and Coachella is embarking on a UK tour.

The producer and DJ’s soundscapes are atmospheric, with a softness and a danceability that makes the music easy to listen to outside of a club setting. On newer tracks such as Love Divide the influence of garage music is heard in the beats, whilst older tracks, such as fan-favourite Talk To Me You’ll Understand, have an altogether more prosaic feel, managing to encapsulate productivity and remarkable style. The British electronic producer is supported in his set by two friends, who provide sax, keys, and electronic guitar, elevating the tracks beyond a regular DJ set.

Ross From Friends (Live) performs at Boiler Shop, Newcastle on Friday 18th February.

EDDY BRIMSON @ LAUREL’S

Words: Eugenie Johnson

Hard-hitting drama and stand-up comedy don’t seem like particularly easy bedfellows. Sure, you might get the occasional dramedy that combines a few laughs in amongst a dramatic tale, but it’s rare to see the two side-by-side on stage. Eddy Brimson is giving you the opportunity to do just that. The actor, author and comedian with 20 years of experience under his belt is the perfect person to bring the combination together in his critically acclaimed one-man show, Naughty Boy, which comes to Laurel’s Theatre in Whitley Bay on Sunday 20th February.

Naughty Boy is a dramatic and thoughtprovoking exploration of morality, mental health and politics. Taking on subjects from identity to nature-nurture, Brimson takes us on a journey from a mental institution to a weekend of hedonism filled with sex, drugs and violence. In the process, Brimson poses questions about responsibility and truth through the lens of his complicated character, Joe. Following the performance, Brimson turns his hand to another side of his wide-ranging talent by returning to the stage for another 30 minutes of stand-up comedy. Brimson is set to bring a unique blend of thought-provoking drama and laughs to the stage, all in a single night.

Eddy Brimson: Naughty Boy is at Laurel’s, Whitley Bay on Sunday 20th February. www.feltnowt.co.uk

SCUMMY MUMMIES @ TYNE THEATRE & OPERA HOUSE

Words: Hope Lynes

On Friday 4th February at Tyne Theatre & Opera House, comedy duo Helen and Ellie – better known as the Scummy Mummies – will encourage the audience to grab a classic gin and tonic, have a big night out, and explore motherhood with an audience of sympathisers!

The pair host a podcast talking about all things mums. For a flavour of the night, past podcast topics have included Christmas Special: A Tale of Two Bumholes, Emmerdale And The Humility of Boyzone, and Wine Special With Knackered Mother, making it fairly obvious that this isn’t your average Mumsnet chitchat.

The pair also tackle serious topics within their lighthearted fun, and their live show will include a mixture of stand-up, sketches, songs and motherly stories. It’s a testament to their experience and skill as comics that they’re able to encourage belly laughs and heartfelt relatability in one routine, making this show one for the mums, as well as those that have them!

Scummy Mummies perform at Tyne Theatre & Opera House, Newcastle on Friday 4th February. www.scummymummies.com

JODIE NICHOLSON @ THE GEORGIAN THEATRE/THE CLUNY 2

Words: Michael O’Neill

Hailing from Teesside, and dealing in rich, evocative song-writing that threads together such disparate influences as Warpaint, Laura Marling and her dad’s prog rock collection, Jodie Nicholson is a refreshing addition to the wave of hugely talented emerging artists in the region.

After years of building momentum locally, Jodie is embarking on a national tour (her first with a full live band) which takes in Stockton’s Georgian Theatre on Saturday 5th February and Newcastle’s Cluny 2 on Saturday 12th, fresh from the release of her four track EP Can’t Escape The Feeling. Released with the support of the PRSF’s Women Make Music initiative, Jodie considers Can’t Escape… to be an exploration of “what it means to feel alone in a familiar world” with the brooding atmosphere of Be Back Soon and the intricate fingerpicked melodies of Second Sun showcasing her brilliant penchant for keenly progressive song structures and profoundly moving song-writing.

The EP is served by the intricate and up-close production from Tim Bran (who has previously worked with the likes of Aurora, London Grammar and Rae Morris). It’s a confident statement of intent from an artist who has a singular approach to the craft, and will make for a compelling experience live.

Jodie Nicholson plays The Georgian Theatre, Stockton on Saturday 5th and The Cluny 2, Newcastle on Saturday 12th February. www.jodienicholsonmusic.com

Benjamin Amos

BENJAMIN AMOS RELEASES NEW SINGLE, MAELSTROM

Words: Mera Royle

Finding the words that express the insatiable joy of being alive is something which may baffle the best of us. Benjamin Amos’ new album, Letters, is due for release later this year and manages to articulate this experience in a beautiful bundle of soulful, heart-lifting tracks.

Born in Northern Ireland and based in Durham, the songwriter has been creating stunning, expressive music throughout the last decade; through intertwining his contemporary sound and Celtic roots, Amos has created a deeply authentic musical voice.

Amos releases the lead track on the album, Maelstrom, this month; offering an expansive journey of sounds, from stirring string accompaniments and beautiful vocal harmonies to uplifting rhythms and touching, heartfelt lyrics. It is difficult to listen to without feeling connected to your own experiences of relationships and heartache, as Amos has created a track which urges the listener to reflect on their own lives.

Amos and his captivating sound can be chased down this February on a short tour of the North East, which calls in at The Green Room in Stockton (Friday 18th), Claypath Deli in Durham (Saturday 19th) – which also features eclectic spoken word electro artist Faithful Johannes – and Bobik’s in Newcastle (Sunday 20th)

Benjamin Amos releases Maelstrom is released on 4th February via Spooker Rekkids. www.benjaminamos.bandcamp.com

GIRL IN THE MACHINE @ VARIOUS VENUES

Words: Helen Redfern

Think tense love triangle in a dystopian digital age. In Girl In The Machine life couldn’t be better for loved up Polly and Owen until the ‘Black Box’ enters their lives. This mysterious new technology promises to break the daily grind, but as the line becomes blurred between the physical world and the digital world, the cracks in their relationship begin to show. As this disruptive force creeps into everyone’s phones and society fractures as the population begins to rebel, award-winning writer Stef Smith explores our growing present-day concerns about digital intrusiveness, the centralising control of big data and the blur between work and home in an always-on digital world, asking how soon will it be before we start preferring a digital version of ourselves?

Directed by Theatre Space North East creative producer Jamie Brown, Girl In The Machine will engage and entertain audiences at multiple dates across the region. Fans of popular culture, including dystopian sci-fi like Black Mirror, will love this production featuring local actors Andrew Neale and Corinne Kilvington, which successfully brings the genre into the theatre in a fast-paced, gripping way. Stef Smith’s hard-hitting play raises all the questions we’re all asking as we daily witness awe-inspiring (and maybe also terrifying) advances in technology. Girl In The Machine starts the conversation – what you then do with it is up to you.

In February, Girl In The Machine is at Customs House, South Shields (Thursday 10th); The Exchange, North Shields (Friday 11th); 17Nineteen, Sunderland (Saturday 12th); Gala Durham (Saturday 19th) and Northern Stage, Newcastle (Friday 25th). www.theatrespace.org.uk

Exodysis II

EXODYSIS II @ NEWBRIDGE PROJECT

Words: Eugenie Johnson

Since coming together in 2016, Alex Bell and Giulia Shah – better known as Abel Shah – have been using their art to explore themes of authorship, both the presentation and representation of things, knowledge and structures of power. Their work primarily consists of multi-media installations combining constructed objects, texts, images and sound, using the interplay between the different mediums to explore the relationships between apparently binary concepts (such as non-verbal and verbal, or physical and virtual). Instead of seeing these as distinct forms though, Abel Shah use their work to explore how these concepts exist on a continuum, in a constant state of push and pull.

After first showing the work at London’s Swiss Church in 2021, Abel Shah now bring their latest sculptural installation to Newcastle’s NewBridge Project. For Exodysis II, showing from Wednesday 23rd February until Friday 25th March, the pair have worked in dialogue with other collaborators, using materials common to 20th and 21st Century developments, including urban housing, healthcare technologies, information storage and control of movement. In doing so, Exodysis II strives to be a symbol of our everyday environment and history. Committed to their ongoing vision to stretch beyond traditional studio practice, Abel Shah will also be inviting practitioners to disrupt their work during the course of the exhibition. In doing so, the fluid nature of Exodysis II promises to be even more dynamic.

Exodysis II by Abel Shah is at NewBridge Project, Newcastle from Wednesday 23rd February until Friday 25th March. www.thenewbridgeproject.com

YES GRASSHOPPER @ THE GLOBE

Words: Michael O’Neill

It’s rare to come across an evening hosted by a group who promise to take you on a trip “into the unexplored depths of their collective mind, a place of daring rescue missions and uncanny swamp monsters, all imagined through the lens of a playful B-movie aesthetic” via “the slicing of mustard and people losing their socks”, however, when noise rock merchants of hardcore-acid-math-crustcore Yes Grasshopper are in the equation, it should come as no surprise.

Taking place at The Globe, Newcastle on Saturday 19th February, the Newcastle-hailing duo – consisting of six-stringer Jordie Cook and tub-thumper Adam Stapleford – take the minimal-yet-maximal setup of John Times Two and Lightning Bolt to exciting new extremes, with taut and sprawling songs chock to the brim will filth and vigour. Recent release 7 OUTRE 10 is a phenomenal testament to their less-is-far-far-more approach with the likes of Borewell Rescue being a refreshingly frenetic whirlwind of chaotic but brilliantly constructed noise, exhibiting a command of dissonance and a keen ear for a vicious hook. Support comes from the experimental multi-instrumentalist Brad Field, whose marvellous avant-garde jazz compositions, heavy on gloriously wonky abstraction, provide a fine showcase for his virtuosic command of the drumkit.

Yes Grasshopper and Brad Field play The Globe, Newcastle on Saturday 19th February. www.yesgrasshopper.bandcamp.com

Gordon Dalton - I am so lonely without you

GALLAGHER & TURNER EXHIBITIONS

Words: Hope Lynes

A series of exciting new exhibitions from brand new artists will be running at Newcastle gallery Gallagher & Turner from Friday 28th January until Saturday 5th March.

Middlesbrough-based contemporary artist Gordon Dalton presents his new solo show, Abandon All Hope; displaying both industrial and natural landscapes with a colourful and abstract twist. The abstract beauty is in the melancholy nature of the artwork, one which asks its reader to think, and question the consciousness of what they see intimately in front of them.

Also on display will be work by a trio of artists – Mark Bletcher, Abi Hampsey, and Oliver Hoffmeister – entitled Three’s A Crowd. Meeting locally at Newcastle University, the former students wish to explore figurative painting, but from three individual perspectives, all working in oil paint, resulting in an ambitious project that will beautifully capture the differences of perception. Bletcher’s perspective focuses on the magical realism genre, creating dreamy captures of perception; Hampsey creates an interesting contradiction in her explorations of truth, lies, memory and reality, reflecting these layers within her artwork; while Hoffmeister intertwines both of these perspectives by looking at the obscurity of the imagination, ultimately creating a sense of uncertainty in his work. The different layers produced by the three unique artists will bounce off each other exploring the senses of realism, truth and the imagination.

Gordon Dalton: Abandon All Hope and Mark Bletcher, Abi Hampsey and Oliver Hoffmeister: Three’s A Crowd exhibit at Gallagher & Turner, Newcastle from Friday 28th January until Saturday 5th March. www.gallagherandturner.co.uk

TREE @ ALPHABETTI THEATRE

Words: Eugenie Johnson

Despite occasional high-profile roles hitting our big and small screens, there still seem to be frustratingly few roles for mature women that don’t veer into the typical stereotypes of mothers, grandmothers and wives. It’s a frustration shared by actors Jacqueline Philips and Judi Earl, who were motivated by their shared dissatisfaction with the lack of diverse and interesting roles available to them, leading them to collaborating with writers Gary Kitching and Steve Byron (part of the team who’ve also brought us Bacon Knees And Sausage Fingers and Rocket Girl). Together, they’ve crafted Tree, a production that steps outside of a gendered lens.

Performed at Alphabetti Theatre from Tuesday 25th January until Saturday 12th February, Tree follows Hazel and Rowan after a chance meeting. The pair are polar opposites; Rowan is a fantasist, happy to dabble in conspiracy theories and live her life through the internet. By contrast, Hazel is worldly and lives her life with her feet planted firmly on the ground. Through a series of intimate yet uncomfortable conversations, sound-tracked by a series of timeless songs exploring the idea of balance, Hazel comes to confront the fragile nature of life, while Rowan is given the opportunity to re-assess her actions. By exploring the concept of humanity in a post-truth world, Tree is set to re-evaluate the roles that we see older women play.

Tree is performed at Alphabetti Theatre from Tuesday 25th January until Saturday 12th February. www.alphabettitheatre.co.uk

Jamali Maddix

JAMALI MADDIX @ THE STAND

Words: Cameron Wright

I first became acquainted with Jamali Maddix’s work through the Vice programme, Hate Thy Neighbour. The show saw the comedian throw himself into the heart of extremist groups, conversing and laughing with them in a candid and illuminating fashion. The show interspersed these dialogues with clips of the comedian recounting his experiences to a stand-up comedy audience.

Not only did Hate Thy Neighbour offer a new insight into the confusion and trauma that consumes the personalities he engaged with, but it also highlighted the comic’s ability to communicate honest, visceral experiences to an audience while keeping it thoroughly engaging and hilarious.

Since then, Jamali Maddix has seen his career surge from strength to strength, with his voice becoming a calm cornerstone of Frankie Boyle’s annual New World Order, as well as an iconic run on Taskmaster. There is a swagger and candour to Jamali that exudes from every appearance, regardless of format or medium. Taking his irresistibly charming personality on the road, King Crud is the tour making its way to Newcastle’s beloved venue, The Stand, on Tuesday 8th February. Maddix will be tackling an array of home truths, leaning on his flare and frank sincerity to guide the night through a myriad of universal topics.

Jamali Maddix is at The Stand, Newcastle on Tuesday 8th February. www.jamalimaddix.com

TESS DENMAN- CLEAVER @ WORKPLACE FOUNDATION

Words: Claire Dupree

Continuing in their mission to support emerging and under-represented contemporary artists, both in the region and beyond, Gateshead’s Workplace Foundation will be exhibiting a series of new works by Newcastle-based artist Tess Denman-Cleaver from Saturday 5th February until Saturday 9th April.

Denman-Cleaver’s solo exhibition brings together a series of texts and photographs which have been in development since 2016. Entitled Return, the artist’s work addresses female friendships and memories; a collection of texts are written with a performative sensibility and relate to unseen photographs and film documentation. In addition, a series of hand-printed silver gelatin photographs of a fragment of broken pot consider thoughts around objects, place, materiality and time.

The artist’s interest in philosophy and landscape in performance (which led to her completing a PhD at Newcastle University) has seen her produce work which spans performance, writing, workshops and installations, with exhibits at the likes of Tate Britain and Turner Contemporary, she is also a producer of the Women Artists of the North East library.

Return by Tess Denman-Cleaver is at Workplace Foundation, Gateshead from Saturday 5th February-Saturday 9th April. www.tessdenmancleaver.com

LYRAS by Gareth Williams

FROM THE GLASSHOUSE @ SAGE GATESHEAD

Words: Laura Doyle

Sage Gateshead has long since provided support for creatives at any stage in their careers. The Quayside’s most recognisable landmark now celebrates artists nurtured as part of their many artist development programmes with a new series of showcases, From The Glasshouse. The third in the series takes place on Friday 18th February and brings together three artists with wildly different backgrounds, but who have all found impetus in their work.

Headliner LYRAS is the sum of its parts: its members worked individually for a decade before joining forces to create their soulful R&B sound. The new group had to navigate the new terrain of lockdown life, before being able to debut live last summer. They already boast a small back catalogue recorded as part of the Sage Gateshead Summer Studio residency programme. Liverpool-based jazz artist Ni Maxine has been on the scene for a little longer, and already focuses her energies on inspiring another generation of creatives to follow their own art. Francine Luce joins her fellow Sage Gateshead Summer Studio alumni to provide new solo compositions developed throughout the pandemic, proving to all listening that isolation does not have to mean the death of creativity.

From The Glasshouse featuring LYRAS, Ni Maxine and Francine Luce takes place at Sage Gateshead on Friday 18th February. www.sagegateshead.com

WHAT’S FOR TEA? @ VARIOUS VENUES

Words: Lizzie Lovejoy

Gateshead’s BALTIC and Travelling Gallery Scotland are coming together to share What’s For Tea?, a group exhibition celebrating BALTIC’s 20th anniversary and a piece of Northern history. Once a flour mill, the BALTIC has its roots in working-class industrial heritage; this exhibition will look at both food production and the impact it has had on the local community, and will tour throughout the region from Monday 21st February until Monday 18th July.

This collection of work, and the programme of hospitality and communal meals that pairs with it, will visit galleries and space in the region, calling back to the rich culture found in the North East. Travelling Gallery is a mobile exhibition space that increases accessibility of art to communities nationwide and their partnership with BALTIC will take this project around Gateshead, urban Northumberland and the rural Borders to connect with remote groups and allow more people the opportunity to interact with both the art and each other. Encouraging audiences to analyse our culture’s current attitudes to food consumption and production, the artists involved put social responsibility in the forefront, bringing attention to the matters which concern them the most. Isabella Carreras, Kara Chin, Future Farmers, David Lisser and Cooking Sections all collaborate to take people on a participatory journey with a combination of community projects and visual art.

With bread making workshops as a nod to its past, and artwork that aims to help create a bright future, What’s For Tea? seems like a fitting way for the BALTIC to celebrate its 20th birthday as a public art gallery.

What’s For Tea? tours spaces in the North East from Monday 21st February until Monday 18th July. Check the venue’s website for dates and locations. www.baltic.art

Leopard Rays Image by CVY Photography

LEOPARD RAYS @ THE SHOOTING GALLERY/ PLAY BREW CO

Words: Jake Anderson

After having their last performance of 2021 cancelled, Hartlepool riff-masters Leopard Rays will be making up for it by pouncing straight into 2022 with a brand new single and a February tour.

The alt. rockers’ newest track, Something Like Hell, follows the foundations built by the band’s previous singles, Curtain Call and Carried Away, and demonstrates the band’s bombastic and explosive sound, replete with string section and euphoric melodies. It’s a track that must be witnessed live, and lucky for you Leopard Rays will be stalking venues in Newcastle and Middlesbrough as their hunting ground. First up is a show on Friday 11th February at Newcastle’s newest venue The Shooting Gallery (Zerox), and two weeks later they’ll be marking Middlesbrough’s Play Brew Co as their territory on Friday 25th February.

Support for Newcastle is yet to be confirmed, but SWEARS will be joining them at the Middlesbrough show, bringing their rowdy atmospheric songs and smashing out bangers such as the heart pumping Say Nothing and the hair-raising guitar-led Lame Wizard.

Leopard Rays release Something Like Hell on 28th January. They play The Shooting Gallery, Newcastle on Friday 11th and Play Brew Co, Middlesbrough on Friday 28th February. www.facebook.com/leopardrays

BOSOLA/SILVER HAAR/ RIOTOUS MONKS OF HENHAI @ LITTLE BUILDINGS

Words: Lizzie Lovejoy

Alternative rock band Bosola are getting ready to take to the stage as Glasgow-based Deliberator Records announce their first North East show at Little Buildings, Newcastle on Saturday 12th February. Joining them are label mates Silver Haar, bringing Scottish indie rock and the self-described ‘obnoxious rock ‘n’ roll’ sounds of Riotous Monks Of Henhai.

Since Bosola released their debut EP last year, this local band has become well-loved across the region thanks to their mix of classic rock sounds and refreshing alternative lyrics. Silver Haar is a Glasgow-based band who craft alternative, soft rock sounds. Letting their accents shine through in their vocals, Silver Haar have a strong and easily identifiable presence which is both calming and energetic. Opening the show are Riotous Monks of Henhai, a trio that has a reputation for their loud and rowdy shows and raucous psych rock sound.

Bosola, Silver Haar and Riotous Monks of Henhai play Little Buildings, Newcastle on Saturday 12th February. www.deliberatorrecords.com

Fern Brady by Matt Crockett

FERN BRADY @ ARC/ THE STAND

Words: Eugenie Johnson

Scottish comedian Fern Brady isn’t afraid to speak her mind. After 10 years honing her craft, she’s taken her own unique lens to contemporary culture in her BBC special Power & Chaos, while on the podcast Wheel of Misfortune she teams up with fellow comedian Alison Spittle to share their most embarrassing (and funniest) stories with their guests. Unafraid to go to the most uncomfortable places while on stage, she sold out her 2019 tour across Europe and Australia. She also became the first Scottish woman to perform on Live at the Apollo, as well as appearing on The Russell Howard Hour and Frankie Boyle’s New World Order.

In early 2021, Fern revealed that she had been diagnosed with autism after referring herself during the pandemic. Since then she has openly spoken about the process of being diagnosed and living with the condition but has continually brought out the funny side of being neurodiverse – even the Tweet announcing her diagnosis was laced with wit. Now she’s back on tour with a brand new show, Autistic Bikini Queen, which comes to ARC Stockton on Thursday 3rd February and The Stand in Newcastle on Tuesday 22nd February. It’s likely to delve into her recent experiences in her typically scathing but hilarious style. Always a fearless performer, this could be Fern’s most personal and entertaining show so far.

Fern Brady performs at ARC Stockton on Thursday 3rd February and The Stand in Newcastle on Tuesday 22nd February. www.fernbradycomedian.com

DEATHCRASH @ THE CLUNY 2

Words: Jake Anderson

Valentine’s Day can certainly be one of the loneliest days of the year for the bachelors and bachelorettes out there. So instead of spending the night with a bottle of wine and crashing the next morning, The Cluny 2 invite you to join London’s slowcore group deathcrash, and enjoy a night of captivating rock sounds instead.

With two EPs currently under their belt, the band are ready to crash into our ears with the intricate soundscapes they’ve been flaunting during the lead up to their debut album, Return, released in January. It’s a highly anticipated debut, as the band have been on the radar of many since touring with the highly revered Black Country, New Road, showcasing hypnotic sonics through the likes of minimalist track Bind and the sublime melancholy of People Thought My Windows Were Stars.

Support for the night is yet to be announced, but you can expect a night of depressive, entrancing rock. Is there any better way of spending Valentine’s Day?

deathcrash play The Cluny 2, Newcastle on Monday 14th February. www.deathcrash.bandcamp.com

Pip Blom

PIP BLOM @ THE CLUNY

Words: Laura Doyle

Dutch dream-poppers Pip Blom just love the UK. If you need proof, look no further than the title of the four-piece’s second album, Welcome Break, an ode to rest stops up and down the country that became oh-so familiar to the chronic tourers. If the title wasn’t enough, just know that Pip Blom did the whole two week quarantine thing at the height of the pandemic in their quest to return to their beloved Big Jelly Studios to record their sophomore effort in a country that so often returns their affections. Five weeks in total later, and the band had successfully completed their mission.

Feel-good anthem Keep It Together leads the charge, exploring the rockier side of indie pop. Its message goes beyond simple self care, as it recognises the importance of, and encourages, human connection. Meanwhile, You Don’t Want This is a procrastinator’s wake-up call and the antidote to post-lockdown fatigue.

What’s left but to bring their hard work to fruition with a string of live shows up and down the country, dropping in to Newcastle’s Cluny on Tuesday 8th February where they’ll be paying tribute to the gas stations and service stops that gave the record its name. If the seemingly endless drudgery of pandemic life has you at your wits’ end, then Pip Blom can prescribe a much-needed welcome break from this depressing abyss.

Pip Blom play The Cluny, Newcastle on Tuesday 8th February. www.pipblom.com

Image by Matt Crockett

MARK WATSON @ THE WITHAM

Words: Laura Doyle

Dunno ‘bout you, but contemplating the uncertainty of traversing this mortal coil is not exactly what I have in mind when I think of suitable topics for a stand-up routine. Unfortunately, there hasn’t been much else on the table to take inspiration from for quite a while.

There’s still a handful of comics that can really benefit from these circumstances though: Mark Watson is already known for his pessimistic outlook on life, so now it’s really his time to shine. His new show This Can’t Be It, which comes to The Witham in Barnard Castle on Thursday 10th February, isn’t for anyone prone to existential crises, because the spiral of despair with any more than one over-thinker in the room would be too much to handle. Leave it to the professionals.

Thanks to the calculations of a totally-not-dubious app, he’s worked out he’s exactly halfway through his life. Dealing with that knowledge, if accurate (doubtful), is enough to turn anyone a little paranoid. Watson has plenty of experience when it comes to anxiety, so there’s no one better to walk you through the ins and outs of dealing with your own mortality. You have to laugh, or else you’ll just end up crying.

Mark Watson performs at The Witham, Barnard Castle on Thursday 10th February. www.markwatsonthecomedian.com