NARC. #201 December 23/January 24

ISSUE201 DECEMBER23/JANUARY24

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AMATEUR ORNITHOLOGIST MAIUS MOLLIS CAT RYAN ALT. CHRISTMAS THEATRE HULLABALOO

RELIABLYINFORMED

PREVIEWS 4 HIGHLIGHTS Some of the best events in December and January, plus find out what’s online at narcmagazine.com

6 PREVIEWS ISSUE201 DECEMBER23/JANUARY24

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Live shows from Benefits, Memorials, Lankum, John Francis Flynn, Matt Deighton, Sarabeth Tucek, Wolfred, Foxing, Echo Juliet, Chloe & The Brainwaves, The Front Bottoms, Bury Tomorrow, Lanterns on the Lake, The Research and more, plus new releases from Dinky Bossetti, Swannek and Butterfly Effect Records. There’s previews of contemporary dance performance LORE by James Wilton Dance at Dance City, Life of Pi comes to Theatre Royal, comedian Guz Khan performs at Middlesbrough Town Hall, comic Connor Burns is at Forum Music Centre and there’s exhibitions at Baltic and film screenings at Star & Shadow Cinema, alongside much more.

20 ALT. CHRISTMAS We offer up some tips on alt. theatre, comedy, film and live music during the festive season that will appeal to all ages and tastes

24 AMATEUR ORNITHOLOGIST

As the South Shields band prepare to release their third album, Ali Welford talks to songwriter Daniel Clifford about a coalescence of sound, reality and imagination, and realising the potency of his songwriting Welcome to the last edition of the year (or the first edition of 2024, depending on when you’re reading this). If I’m honest, this last year has passed in a blur, and my recollections of doing anything away from my desk are hazy at best. There were definitely some gigs, a few theatre shows and a camping trip or two, probably some opportunities missed due to working late nights and early mornings, and I certainly spent more time worrying about things than necessary, but that’s all par for the course.

I’m not very good at the ‘new year new me’ kinda thing – in my experience, resolutions are rarely adhered to and promises to be/do better fall by the wayside after the first few frustrations of the year, but I do know that 2024 will bring me new challenges, more work, a couple of holidays (obvs) and as much interaction with the region’s music and culture scene as possible, in between navigating freelance roles and spinning all the usual plates.

As the magazine enters its 18th year we’ll be continuing to scour the North East’s alternative scenes for great stuff to present to you, we’ll also keep lending a helping hand to musicians needing guidance and insight into the industry, providing showcases for their talent and, above all, shining the brightest lights possible on what we believe is a thriving and thrilling musical and cultural landscape. We hope you’ll come along for the ride, see you in 2024!

INTERVIEWS 26 CAT RYAN 27 JANGO FLASH 28 YES GRASSHOPPER 29 THEATRE HULLABALOO 30 MODERN RODEO 31 MAIUS MOLLIS 33 LOTTIE WILLIS LISTINGS 34 LISTINGS The best of the rest…

REVIEWS 36 LIVE REVIEWS

Editor Claire Dupree info@narcmedia.com Website David Saunders narcmagazineonline@gmail.com Creative El Roboto Advertising Claire Dupree info@narcmedia.com Stay social, connect with us NARC.magazine @narc_magazine @narcmagazine NARCmagazineTV

Cover Image Chris J Allan Live Photography Thomas Jackson / Adam Kennedy / Idene Roozbayani Contributors Liv Aldridge / Paul Brown / Jonathan Coll / Laura Doyle / Lee Fisher / Nat Greener / Lee Hammond / James Hattersley / Tracy Hyman / Gus Ironside / Thomas Jackson / Jason Jones / Ben Lowes-Smith / Lena Moss / Robert Nichols / Michael O’Neill / Niamh Poppleton / Helen Redfern / Kate Relton / Tommy Robertson / Elodie A Roy / David Saunders / Steve Spithray / Dawn Storey / Caitlin Thomson / Luke Waller / Robin Webb / Ali Welford / Jennifer Wilson / Matt Young

VISIT US ONLINE WWW.NARCMAGAZINE.COM

Reports of live shows from The Umlauts, Hilary Woods, Calexico, The Streets, Teenage Fanclub, Peace, Sarah Johnsone, Ben Folds, Queens of the Stone Age, Field Music and more

40 TRACKS Reviews of local singles and EPs by Will Good And The Mattes, Big Romance, Swindled, The Inklings, Taliraw, Ruled By Raptors, Succour, Michael Curran’s Deaf Fiction, Richie Harrison, Andrew Bradley, Trev Gibb and Sons of Millionaires

42 DEMOS Demo reviews of Compression Session, JenAmi, The Side Project, Pet Rock and Sophie Gordon

43 ALBUMS Featuring new releases from Sleater-Kinney, Abbie Finn Trio, Tobias Sarra, Beans on Toast, Gruff Rhys, Marika Hackman, Loula Yorke, PACKS, Mall Girl, Ty Segall, Johanna Burnheart and Frank Carter & The Rattlesnakes

46 MIXTAPE NARC. Magazine, Tel: 07748 907 914 Email: info@narcmedia.com Web: www.narcmagazine.com Published monthly by NARC. Media. Printed by Reach Printing Services, Middlesbrough. Distributed by CSGN All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in whole or part without permission from the publishers. The opinions expressed in NARC. belong to the individual writers and do not necessarily reflect the views of NARC. or its staff. NARC. welcomes ideas and contributions but can assume no responsibility for unsolicited manuscripts, photographs or illustrations

Creative platform and artist-focused club instigators SKIN offer up some of their favourite tracks

Next Issue Out 31st January

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PREVIEWS ESCAPE THE FESTIVE SEASON WITH FEEL-GOOD INDIE ANTHEMS AND PSYCH POP SOUNDS, FOLKLORE-THEMED MAGIC, WITTY AND HILARIOUS STAND-UP AND WILDLY INVENTIVE PERFORMANCES!

MUSIC

FRI 1 DEC

MUSIC

EVENTS

THUR 7 DEC ART + SOCIAL

MIMA’s regular arty-themed event features an opportunity to chat with the Tees Valley’s creative community about their latest projects, watch a film screening of Paul Sng’s powerful film Tish, which celebrates the work of social documentary photographer Tish Murtha, and enjoy a DJ set from A Man Called Adam.

MIMA, Middlesbrough www.mima.art

EVENTS

HARK! THE SOUND OF STORIES: WINTERING

A wintry-themed event featuring live performances from the Ivor Novello-award winning The Bookshop Band, who write and perform songs inspired by books, four-piece harmony-led group The Cornshed Sisters, dreamy art pop artist Mayshe Mayshe and a specially commissioned performance of new work from Eve Conway & Pat Plumb.

Crown Street Library, Darlington www.tracksdarlington.co.uk

ART & LIT

SAT 2 DEC

SKINNY LISTER

Folk punk heroes Skinny Lister bring their feel-good anthems to Stockton.

With a great summer under their belts, and a UK and US tour to cap the year off, the quintet’s euphoric sing-along tunes are the perfect antidote to the winter blues.

KU, Stockton www.skinnylister.com

MUSIC Pamela Ormston, A Good Ride, 80x60cm, oil on canvas, 2022

event provides Pink-Collar an opportunity to promote underrepresented artists in a physical setting. Following an open call, artists displaying their work include Emily Hamilton, Melissa Duncan, Albert B-C, Pamela Ormston and Jordan Quinn.

Runs until Friday 5th January.

Otto, Sunderland www.pink-collargallery.com

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GREAT NORTH NIGHTS This festive folklore-themed event from GNM:H sounds particularly enticing. Bold Big Band and DJ Awkward Black Girl provide musical entertainment, plus you can carve your own curse tablet, hear ghostly tales and myths, enjoy a supernatural nature quiz and explore ancient magic, and there’s beer, cocktails and pizza!

Great North Museum: Hancock, Newcastle www.greatnorthmuseum.org.uk

MUSIC

SAT 2 DEC

PINK-COLLAR GALLERY POP-UP Usually an online gallery, this pop-up

FRI 8 DEC

THUR 7 DEC

CVC

The Church Village Collective count a mash-up of influences in their ragtag sound, from Snoop Dogg and Crosby, Stills & Nash to Super Furry Animals and Red Hot Chili Peppers. Promoting “peace, love and good times”, their psych pop sound is suitably uplifting.

The Grove, Newcastle www.cvcband.com

SUN 10 DEC SIDE BY SIDE ARTS FESTIVE FESTIVAL

While the area’s ‘Railway Quarter’ moniker may be something of a misnomer, this grand gathering of live music performed in some of the excellent venues around the railway arches in Gateshead is a treat nonetheless, and will include festive tunes to get you in the spirit alongside great food and drink.

The Central Bar, Station East, AXIS, VIN and Microbus, Gateshead www.facebook.com/sidebysideartscic

DEC/JAN HIGHLIGHTS

MUSIC

FILM

WHAT’S ON

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NARC. E-ZINE

One of a handful of screenings cropping up across the region of the new film which profiles Tish Murtha, a Newcastle-based working-class photographer who captured the impact of Thatcherism on the region but was unable to escape the poverty and inequality she exposed. Followed

by Q&A with director Paul Sng and Ella Murtha.

Star & Shadow Cinema, Newcastle www.modernfilms.com/tish

MUSIC

COMEDY

DAKHABRAKHA

GAVIN WEBSTER

FRI 19 JAN A theatrical and vivid Ukranian quartet whose experimental folk music features dashes of Indian, Arabic and African traditional instrumentation. At the crossroads of Ukrainian folklore and theatre, their musical spectrum ranges from intimate to riotous, and they’re absolutely mega live!

The Glasshouse, Gateshead www.dakhabrakha.com.ua

MUSIC

SAT 20 JAN IZZIE WALSH

Expect a beguiling blend of bluegrass, folk and Americana from Manchester-based singer-songwriter Izzie Walsh. The recipient of two awards from the British Country Music Association, and a firm favourite among those in the know on the Americana circuit, her gothic-tinged music is accomplished and enriching.

The Witham, Barnard Castle www.facebook.com/izziewalsh

FRI 26 JAN

In what’s become an annual tradition at Tyne Theatre & Opera House, Geordie comedy favourite Gavin Webster offers up quick one-liners, ranted routines and comedy songs on his trusty ukulele, promising a witty and hilarious new show to kick off the year.

Tyne Theatre & Opera House, Newcastle www.gavinwebster.co.uk

MUSIC

SUN 28 JAN

MARY OCHER

A wildly inventive musician who fuses boundary-pushing experimental pop with thought-provoking and socially-motivated themes, Mary Ocher’s sound ranges from trad folk to 60s garage via ethereal vocals and abstract synths. Support comes from the equally as beguiling local artist Me Lost Me, whose experimental songwriting is a true delight.

The Studio, Hartlepool www.maryocher.com

NARC. TV Catch up on all the episodes of NARC. TV, our YouTube programme featuring live music and interviews with North East artists

WATCH ONLINE

One of the North East’s fastest rising DJs and producers, Schak’s Makina-inspired sound has seen him complete a string of successful Ibiza dates this summer as well as support Calvin Harris and Patrick Topping and perform at Creamfields. This homecoming show will also include Kimmic, Danny Bond and Ellie Scougall.

NX Newcastle www.bio.to/schak

TISH

+ ALSO THIS MONTH… INTERVIEW: JAMES WILTON DANCE Dancer and choreographer James Wilton reveals all about his folklore-inspired production, LORE, coming to Dance City in December

READ ONLINE

DJ SCHAK

FRI 26 JAN

INTERVIEW: ONLY THE NOISE WILL SAVE THEM We chat with Zetland FM presenter Karl Bavin about the sixth volume of the compilation album which features female artists, raising money for breast cancer charity Pink Ribbon Foundation

READ ONLINE

SAT 16 DEC

READ ONLINE

Check in on the eleventh edition of our multimedia E-ZINE, and discover exclusive videos, playlists, mini-documentaries, sound clips and much more

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PREVIEWS

Echo Juliet by Jess Rose

MUSIC

ECHO JULIET @ COBALT STUDIOS

Words: Liv Aldridge Echo Juliet, DJ Emily Jones’s recent and acclaimed project, will perform at Cobalt Studios on Thursday 14th December. Hinging on visual presuppositions, Echo Juliet’s song titles (Red Sun being a recent example) often sound like the title of paintings. The artist boats multi-genre organic sounds and a complex, movement-encouraging percussion, and her original sound is reminiscent of Floating Points and Four Tet. Also performing is Late Girl, a Newcastlebased experimental pop artist who blends found sound with the sensuality and build-up of beats and melodies. Her music is a socially informed, lyrical force to reckoned with, having previously taken on the thematic challenge of representing the social and individual experience of loneliness in her work.

This double line-up promises an inspiring and immersive experience of experimental, electronic soundscapes with classical roots.

What unites the two musicians is an innovative approach that is open and inclusive to the sounds of the world around them, while inviting listeners into the rewarding process of navigating through the collaged roads of their songs. Both musicians are alert to and concerned about the climate crisis and their work takes care to encourage physical and mental movement, and avoids paralysing manifestos. The line-up is part of Cobalt’s Fresh Thursdays, where live music is enjoyed alongside a home-cooked vegan meal.

Echo Juliet and Late Girl play Cobalt Studios, Newcastle on Thursday 14th December. www.echojuliet.co.uk

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STAGE

Words: Michael O’Neill A hidden gem nestled in the heart of Darlington, The Forum is a gloriously sprawling and unique venue bursting at the seams with character, offering a state-of-theart live space with incredible sound. It’s no surprise that their schedule is always packed full of fledgling and established talent; take, for example, this year’s iteration of Riverside Rebellion on Saturday 16th December, Big Figure Promotions’ seventh serving of abrasive glory, boasting a brilliantly eclectic line-up that acts as a solid testament to the staying power of punk.

For an unbelievably reasonable £20 (in advance), you get a staggering seven band bill. Headlined by the iconic first-wave outfit 999, the bill also includes Darlo’s very own Boilermaker, local legends Johnny Seven, Swedish veteran rockers Dead Pollys, Ashington-hailing quartet LoGOz, North Yorkshire trio Hot Rockets and Newton Aycliffe-based solo artist San Niguel. All in all, it’s an eclectic and thrilling line-up that’s an absolute steal in an incredible venue to boot.

Brush up on your pogoing and bring yer earplugs!

Riverside Rebellion takes place at The Forum Music Centre, Darlington on Saturday 16th December. www.bigfigurepromotions.co.uk

Words: Helen Redfern As part of its first ever UK tour, the Olivier Award-winning stage adaption of Yann Martel’s best-selling novel Life of Pi will visit Newcastle’s Theatre Royal from Tuesday 23rd–Saturday 27th January. Martel’s novel was the winner of the Man Booker Prize, selling over fifteen million copies worldwide, Life of Pi is a breathtaking new theatrical adaptation of this epic journey of endurance and hope.

After a cargo ship sinks in the middle of the vast Pacific Ocean, there are five survivors stranded on a single lifeboat – a hyena, a zebra, an orangutan, a sixteen year-old boy and a 450-pound Royal Bengal tiger. Divesh Subaskaran will make his professional debut in the central role of Pi. ‘Richard Parker’, the extraordinary life-size Bengal tiger, is puppeteered by seven performers (in an historic first for the Olivier Awards, the seven performers who puppeteer the Tiger were collectively awarded Best Actor in a Supporting Role).

Set in the lifeboat following a severe storm in the Pacific Ocean, the drama unfolds as the survivors discover that time is against them and nature is harsh. And in such extreme conditions, who will survive?

Lolita Chakrabarti’s dazzling adaptation of the global phenomenon that is Life of Pi has charmed and enthralled audiences in the West End and Broadway. Now we have the chance to embark on this epic adventure right here in the North East.

Life of Pi is performed at Theatre Royal, Newcastle from Tuesday 23rd–Saturday 27th January. www.theatreroyal.co.uk

RIVERSIDE REBELLION LIFE OF PI @ THEATRE @ THE FORUM MUSIC ROYAL CENTRE

PREVIEWS

Suede by Dean Chalkley

The Research

COMEDY

Washington, MC Hammersmith and Matt Reed perform at Middlesbrough Town Hall on Sunday 17th December. www.middlesbroughtownhall.co.uk

AN EVENING OF COMEDY FOR THE COMEDY SUPPORT ACT MUSIC @ MIDDLESBROUGH J MAHON @ ZEROX TOWN HALL Words: Laura Doyle There’s a time and a place for addressing workers’ rights, and apparently we can now add ‘stand-up comedy show’ to the list. When you come down with a sickness or injury that prevents you from showing up for work, you (hopefully) are entitled to some compensation or remuneration for the pay lost. But selfemployment comes with as many risks as it does benefits. Entertainers, despite their sometimes lavish/often-times less lavish lifestyle in the limelight, are not so lucky. That’s why The Comedy Support Act was established – to set up a benevolent fund for comedians and comic acts to access, in sickness and bad health, in the unfortunate incident that they’re unable to work. It’s only fair that we, the people who receive the entertainment from these folks in our time of need, give a little boost for them in theirs. But you’re not just giving them a hand-out – these charity nights come with a lustrous line-up of upcoming and established comedians. Headlining this star-studded evening at Middlesbrough Town Hall on Sunday 17th December is dead-pan specialist Romesh Ranganathan, who you can catch ahead of his 2024 tour in a more intimate setting. Hosted

by Sunderland’s own Matt Reed and featuring support from Hayley Ellis, Chris Washington and improv rap legend MC Hammersmith, you’ll get back far more than you give.

Romesh Ranganathan, Hayley Ellis, Chris

Words: Jason Jones J Mahon has a wanderlust. Born and raised in the far north of Queensland, Australia, the freak-folk troubadour packed his bags on a whim four years ago and relocated to Berlin, a city where he knew, by modest estimations, absolutely nobody. It is a move that has served him well.

Having cast aside Emerson Snowe, the pseudonym under which he worked for half a decade, Mahon has continued to garner acclaim for a sound that flits between pensive indie musings and gloriously unhinged psych country, drawing on influences as disparate as Sparklehorse, The Magnetic Fields, Sufjan Stevens and Patti Smith.

On Saturday 20th January, Mahon’s travels will take him to Zerox on Newcastle’s Quayside, where he will showcase a live offering that, under his previous guise, catapulted him to stages at SXSW and The Great Escape, as well as allowing him to share bills with heavy hitters like King Krule and Ariel Pink.

Mahon’s first album bearing his own name, Everything Has A Life, was released in September, and has amassed glowing approbation from tastemakers across the globe, proving that whatever moniker he chooses to go by, he is a talent of considerable heft.

J Mahon plays Zerox, Newcastle on Saturday 20th January. www.linktr.ee/jmahon

MUSIC

THE RESEARCH @ THE CUMBERLAND ARMS

Words: Jennifer Wilson Wakefield indie pop band The Research will be playing a very welcome gig at The Cumberland Arms on Saturday 13th January.

Previously lumped in with bands sharing geographical similarities such as The Cribs, The Arctic Monkeys and Kaiser Chiefs, they were dubbed as part of the ‘New Yorkshire’ scene by the NME and quickly made their way to a subsidiary of major label EMI. Founder Russell Searle (not sure if he continues to use ‘The Disaster’ as his nickname now he’s a dad?), Georgia Jakubiak and Sarah Williams make the combination of vocal harmonies, make-shift sound and witty lyrics about “heartless cows” and dead-end Northern towns very appealing.

They never quite managed to get in to the Top 40 and split up in 2008 after the release of their second album The Old Terminal, they have however gathered a throng of die-hard fans who constantly beg for reunion gigs and prior to 2022, when they performed at Wakefield’s beloved and final Long Division Festival with headliners Sea Power and Field Music, they hadn’t been on stage together for 15 years.

The Research reunite again, this time in the North East, and it’s a really good one to ease you in for that first gig of 2024 and it really is the perfect venue for a cold January evening in Newcastle.

The Research play The Cumberland Arms, Newcastle on Saturday 13th January. www.linktr.ee/theresearchband

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PREVIEWS

Holy Wave

MUSIC

MUSIC

COMEDY

HOLY WAVE @ THE CLUNY 2

BENEFITS @ MIDDLESBROUGH TOWN HALL CRYPT

WILLIAM THOMPSON @ THE STAND

Words: Matt Young Texas born childhood friends Holy Wave take to the road in support of their newest, just released album Five of Cups and a back catalogue covering their past fifteen years together, dropping in to The Cluny 2 on Sunday 10th December.

Musically they lean into the tranquil psychedelic realm in a dream pop sensibility, eschewing the jamming guitar heroics of others. The group combine the melodies and tripped out instrumentation in a Beatles-meets-The-VelvetUnderground way but evolved into a sunbleached, colour-saturated dimension where time is elastic and all eras happen at once.

There’s a real sense of aural exploration in their latest full-length release, finding new territory and themes to add to their already full textural palette. Guitars jangle, woozy synths wash back and forth, and vocals melodically steer the listener into a pensive process of self-reflection.

Support is provided by Anglo-Austrian, multiinstrumentalist, former street singer and global traveller Alicia Edelweiss, who brings her own very distinct blend of freak folk, chamber pop and anti-folk, which culminated in the 2019 drop of her debut album When I’m Enlightened, Everything Will Be Better alongside a host of EPs and singles in the past few years working towards her sophomore release. It’ll be a blissed-out trip of a gig for sure.

Holy Wave and Alicia Edelweiss play The Cluny 2, Newcastle on Sunday 10th December. www.holywave.bandcamp.com

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Words: Lee Fisher Formed in 2019, it took ‘Boro outfit Benefits a while to find their voice but there’s no question that they have, with this year’s Nails album (released on the exemplary Invada label) showing a band of fierce intent, focus and commitment. 2023 also saw them win fans across the country (and across Europe supporting Empire State Bastard) and get a reputation for a thrilling, devastating mixture of furious polemic courtesy of Kingsley Hall’s emotive sprechstimme and harsh, in-yr-face but inventive and complex noisescapes from the band.

They’re finishing their triumphant year with their biggest headlining gig yet as Teesside promoter The Kids Are Solid Gold has them playing Middlesbrough Town Hall Crypt on Saturday 16th December, with a solid undercard of electro-dub artist Maria Uzor and upcoming garage punks Onlooker. All the signs suggest this will be a gig to pretend you were at in years to come, so why not actually be there?

Benefits, Maria Uzor and Onlooker play Middlesbrough Town Hall Crypt on Saturday 16th December. www.benefitstheband.com

Words: Laura Doyle Some kids get all the luck… but then some grow up disabled in a working class family living on a council estate in Belfast in the ‘90s.

Thankfully, we all know what tragedy and time do, and so William Thompson has comedy in spades.

When he isn’t doing stand-up or being featured on the terrestrial channels and Rosie Jones’ Disability Comedy Extravaganza on Dave, you can find him podcasting his little heart out and being a right rascal on Mudblood and Tea With Me, which has enjoyed a few viral hits (and not the Covid kind). The Northern Irish comedian is as upbeat as his accent allows, and doesn’t ask for any of your pity regarding his less than fortunate start in life – although he will gladly accept your laughs. His new show The Hand You’re Dealt, which rocks up to The Stand on Saturday 9th December, is an in-depth look at making the best of a not great situation and turning his life’s struggles – from relationships and family drama to disability stereotypes (or lack thereof) – into something that can hopefully put a smile on his audience’s faces.

To be fair, even if the show is a massive flop, we daresay he’s handled worse.

William Thompson performs at The Stand, Newcastle on Saturday 9th December. www.linktr.ee/williamthompsoncomedy

PREVIEWS

Suede by Dean Chalkley

are a collision of both lead singer Jade Mia Broadhead’s love for bands such as Babes In Toyland, Hole and the Spice Girls meeting bassist Aria Nash’s love for metal. This intersection has created an EP which feels raw, unfiltered and unashamedly Queer, both lyrically – styled as an on-the-nose account detailing the trans experience and personal struggles Jade has faced – as well as through brash and bratty instrumentation.

Jade herself has noted following her coming out as trans and Queer eighteen months ago as

MUSIC

DINKY BOSSETTI EP LAUNCH @ THE GLOBE

Words: Tommy Robertson Trans-led, Newcastle-based riot grrrl band Dinky Bossetti are to hold a release party for their debut EP Trans Sister Radio on Friday 1st December at Newcastle’s Globe. The band

being a creative liberation of sorts, and there is no denying her experiences have manifested into a unique body of work. The release party will also see performances from Newcastlebased radgy rockers Folding Gold, tuneful indie band Snow Leopards and Amasing, plus there’s free fanzines and badges included with a £5 pre-booked ticket.

Dinky Bossetti launch Trans Sister Radio EP at The Globe, Newcastle on Friday 1st December. www.dinkybossetti.bandcamp.com

Festive Nights Out at The Glasshouse Wed 6 December

Mon 18 December

Sun 10 December

Tues 19 December

Thurs 14 December

Kate Rusby - 2023 ‘Established 1973’ Christmas Tour

Laura Misch

Demon Barbers - The Lock In ‘Christmas Carol’ Suzi Quatro

Fri 15 December

Lanterns on The Lake

A Winter Union Mica Millar

Wed 20 December

Thurs 21 December

Alexis Ffrench ‘Christmas Piano’

theglasshouseicm.org/christmas

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PREVIEWS

Richard Dawson by Kuba Ryniewicz

MUSIC

INDEPENDENT VENUE WEEK

Words: Claire Dupree While we believe that supporting your local (or even not so local) independent venue is super important all year round, Independent Venue Week serves to shine an even brighter light on grassroots spaces that are deserving of your gig-going pounds. Running from Monday 29th January-Sunday 4th February 2024, 205 venues across the country have signed up to be part of the week-long celebration.

As any reader of these pages will know, our fair region boasts an impressive range of independent venues, with many taking part in this year’s showcase. In Newcastle, keep an eye on line-ups at Bobiks, The Globe, The Grove, Zerox and Wylam Brewery; in Gateshead The Central Bar are taking part; Sunderland’s venues include Independent, The Bunker and The Ship Isis; in Middlesbrough, head to Cafe Etch; Stockton’s venues include KU, The Georgian Theatre and NE Volume Music Bar; plus there’ll be shows at North Shields’ Engine Room and The Forum Music Centre in Darlington.

Many line-ups hadn’t been announced at the time of press, so keep an eye on the venues and official websites. So far though, tasty line-ups include The Timewasters, Amateur Ornithologist and Oddo’s Gaze at The Globe on Thursday 1st February; Friday 2nd December sees a glut of great shows including Richard Dawson at The Georgian Theatre; IST IST at Independent Sunderland; Polyvinyl, Red Remedy and Pretty Velvet at The Globe; The Voyd at The Bunker; and Maria & James’ album launch at The Forum; while Saturday 3rd February sees Hannah Robinson, Kites and Citrus at The Globe, Martin Stephenson & The Daintees at The Central Bar and Skinny

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Living at KU, with many more to be announced. www.independentvenueweek.com

Territories takes place on Friday 8th-Saturday 9th December. www.baltic.art

ART & LIT

COMEDY

STEPPING SOFTLY ON THE EARTH @ BALTIC

Words: Claire Dupree A new research-led exhibition at Gateshead’s Baltic gallery brings the work of 20 artists from around the world together to consider perspectives around colonialism, land, territory and nature. The artists taking part in Stepping Softly On The Earth create work which references our world as a pluriverse in which many worlds coexist and support each other, and where humans and nature are connected.

Considering themes of anti-colonialism, spirituality, inter-species communication, oral traditions and embodied knowledge, artists from Lebanon, Brazil, Pakistan, Australia, Mexico, India and Colombia among other countries share their multidimensional work.

(Un)Spoken Territories is an accompanying weekend of conversations, film screenings, workshops and performances taking place on Friday 8th-Saturday 9th December, which will further explore these themes, with audiences invited to join artists, activists and filmmakers from Mexico, Peru, Syria and Morocco to hear about the land from different oral and aural perspectives. Highlights of the programme include textile experiences with artist Cristina Flores; a deep listening session led by artist and curator Ulises Matamoros, which focuses on the musicality of the Ngiba language; and a screening of short film Nendok entre lagunas

by Zapotec activist filmmaker Juan Ernesto (Noba) Regaldo Morales.

Stepping Softly On The Earth runs at Baltic, Gateshead until 14th April. (Un)Spoken

MATT DEIGHTON @ THE COMMON ROOM

Words: Jason Jones There is perhaps an alternate universe in which Matt Deighton’s name is of household status. Certainly, his is a talent deserving of such recognition. In many respects, the murmured lore that surrounds the singer-songwriter is just as entrancing as the mesmeric cuts of folk-tinged contemplativeness on which he has built a solo career. Here is the man who fronted acid jazz idols Mother Earth, the guitarist who flanked Paul Weller throughout the late ‘90s, and who Noel Gallagher personally recommended as his replacement when the outspoken maestro walked out on a continental tour with Oasis around the turn of the millennium.

On Friday 8th December, Wandering Oak brings Deighton to the North East for a show at Newcastle’s striking Common Room, a venue befitting of the headliner’s wondrous repertoire.

Often heralded as a natural successor to the likes of Nick Drake, Davey Graham and John Martyn, Deighton has hewn a discography of astonishing beauty from a life that has often been shaped by fates far beyond his control.

Described as “a diamond among the silt”, his towering album Villager was the subject of a Mojo Buried Treasure feature, and has been hailed by many as a contemporary British classic within its genre.

Matt Deighton plays The Common Room, Newcastle on Friday 8th December. www.mattdeighton.co.uk

PREVIEWS

Image by Takenbystorm Photography

MUSIC

CHLOE & THE BRAINWAVES @ INDEPENDENT

Words: Michael O’Neill Sunderland has rightfully started to gain some long-overdue recognition for a stellar contribution to the region’s cultural offerings, with November’s Waves Festival being an incredible testament to the city’s constant

rise. Sitting right in the heart of the city centre, Independent have remained a consistently solid venue, offering a rich variety of acts, alongside their infamous blue pints. For a great example of the importance of their standing, look no further than this killer double dose of sonic grandeur, taking place on Friday 8th December.

Chloe & The Brainwaves are a quartet consisting of the eponymous Chloe, Alex, Michael and Lewis, who have music played together since their teens. Their hook-laden sound takes in influences as broad as Radiohead, Taylor Swift, Led Zeppelin and Haim. Having released their debut single

Expensive Things back in June, the quartet are now embarking on a tour behind recent release Mind Running Wild, another urgent and anthemic earworm which acts as a solid testament to their well-honed command of the craft. Support comes from Nottingham-formed psychedelic quintet Midnight Rodeo, who support the Brainwaves following trips to Europe, two sold-out hometown shows and prestigious slots at festivals such as The Great Escape, Dot to Dot and Kendal Calling.

Chloe & The Brainwaves and Midnight Rodeo play Independent, Sunderland on Friday 8th December. www.linktr.ee/chloeandthebrainwaves

LIVE MUSIC 5 NIGHTS A WEEK

Community owned since 2014

theglobenewcastle.bar/whats-on The Globe, 11 Railway St, Newcastle NE4 7AD linktr.ee/theglobenewcastle

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PREVIEWS

The Front Bottoms by Jimmy Fontaine

MUSIC

THE FRONT BOTTOMS @ NEWCASTLE UNIVERSITY STUDENTS’ UNION

Words: Laura Doyle Midwest (via New Jersey) emo isn’t dead – it’s playing at Newcastle University SU on Sunday 10th December. In the last two decades, signing to emo/pop punk record label Fueled By Ramen has basically meant anything from a guaranteed dedicated following to a Platinum-certified discography; and since The Front Bottoms joined their ranks in 2015, the group has at least achieved the former.

The NJ duo, alongside a rotating roster of touring musicians, haven’t smashed records, but their fans love to smash their records – which is good for them. It’s given them the support they need to accomplish a sizeable discography – a good mix of LPs and EPs across their 15 year career – the latest of which came in August of this year. You Are Who You Hang Out With features the characterful drawl of vocalist Brian Sella lamenting his struggles – the very thing that fans across the globe have tuned in for five times already.

There’s a little more autotune this time around (a controversial move in some circles) and a smidge more positivity than previous incarnations. So perhaps, as the album title may well suggest, they’ve learnt to change up their company for the better.

The Front Bottoms play Newcastle University Students’ Union on Sunday 10th December. www.thefrontbottoms.com

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MUSIC

PART TOON PUNKS @ THE CLUNY

Words: Lee Fisher The redoubtable Re:Peel team have been hosting club nights informed by the eclectic spirit of John Peel for a while now, and recently moved from The Ship in Ouseburn to The Carriage in Jesmond whilst also venturing out to Two By Two Brewery for the occasional special. Even more occasionally they put on gigs, and their first of the new year looks to be a winner. Part Toon Punks at The Cluny on Saturday 20th January is a stacked bill, with ten excellent indie bands for a mere twelve quid, so even if your wallet is suffering post-Christmas, this should be manageable – just look at the bill!

From Newcastle alone, there’s loveable three-piece The Exes, the city’s finest melodic-garage outfit; the mighty Moron-OPhonics and their cavemen glam punk stomp; Milky Wimpshake are the agitprop indie stalwarts of your dreams; and the mysterious lucha libre heroes of Los Coyote Men with their radgy garage punk. All this plus Nervous Twitch, The Sewer Cats, Cherry & Peesh, JUKU, Pete Bentham & The Dinner Ladies and Broken Down Golf Cart. All sorts of sounds from all over the North, all crammed into the Cluny to cheer you up mid-January. Lovely.

Part Toon Punks takes place at The Cluny, Newcastle on Saturday 20th January. www.facebook.com/repeel

STAGE

LORE @ DANCE CITY

Words: Helen Redfern LORE is about humanity, the stories we share that define us and the all-powerfulness of nature. Using the ancient Celtic creation myth as its starting point, award-winning dance company James Wilton Dance presents LORE at Dance City on Thursday 7th December, a dance work about nature, creation and destruction. Working with Sarah Jane Taylor, James Wilton has created a raw, earthy and dynamic piece: a modern folklore-inspired journey into a pagan world of gods, demons and humans.

With music from Michal Wojtas that is part Celt, part Viking and part Slavic, the soundtrack is where the past and future meet, the music our ancestors would have made if they’d had electronic instruments as well as their traditional ones. It’s like listening to the tales our ancestors told while sat in a clearing in the woods, and hearing the ancient stories that bind humanity together.

LORE makes you feel the energy that flows from the ground, through the dancers, connecting them to the earth and each other, and back into the earth. It’s an important reminder to the audience of the interconnectedness of all living beings.

If the performance leaves you with questions or inspires something within you, there’ll be an informal post-show talk after the performance in Dance City’s atrium with no need to book in advance.

LORE is performed at Dance City, Newcastle on Thursday 7th December. www.dancecity.co.uk

PREVIEWS

Image by Nic Bezzina

MUSIC

BURY TOMORROW @ BOILER SHOP

Words: Laura Doyle Bury Tomorrow are never happier than when they’re on stage. It feels like five minutes since the unapologetically melodic metalcore ensemble were on a national tour, even if it has actually been a full year. But since then, they’ve once again been hopping from continent to

continent to bring their rip-roaring live performances to as many countries as possible.

And this time, it’s all in the name of their seventh full-length record, the aptly titled The Seventh Sun, which they’ll perform tracks from at Newcastle’s Boiler Shop on Wednesday 17th January.

This is the first album recorded since the mutually respectful departure of founding member and former clean vocalist James Cameron, and while he is of course missed on a personal level, Bury Tomorrow have lived up to their name to forge a new path ahead with new personnel and new horizons. Their new

release is richer, heavier and somehow builds even further on the perfection of 2020’s Cannibal. And still, despite their music instilling a sense of flight or fight with its thrashing hardcore energy, it remains balanced out by the members’ good nature and determination that makes Bury Tomorrow not only one of Britain’s most exciting bands to come from the last decade, but also one of the most professional.

Bury Tomorrow play the Boiler Shop, Newcastle on Wednesday 17th January. www.bury-tomorrow.com

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PREVIEWS

Memorials by Louise Mason

MUSIC

MUSIC

MEMORIALS @ THE CUMBERLAND ARMS

FOXING @ THE CLUNY ONLY THE NOISE WILL SAVE THEM VOL. 6

Words: Lee Fisher Memorials confuse the hell out of me. It’s rare to find a band so stylistically diverse that a huge and abrasive post-rock soundscape can follow a jaunty folk singalong about Greenham Common. But that’s how it is with this duo of Matthew Simms (the one in Wire who doesn’t get a bus pass) and Verity Susman (from a plethora of great bands including Electrelane).

Their two commissioned soundtracks, Tramps and Women Against The Bomb, were collected together on a Music For Films album this year and while there’s a logic to the hugely disparate styles, it’s still quite befuddling. But that’s a compliment!

The songs are full of brilliant ideas about feminism, sexuality and politics, married to the aforementioned dazzling array of musical settings, and the whole project is fascinating.

Quite how this will translate live is anyone’s guess but we’ll get to find out when the duo visit Newcastle’s Cumberland Arms on Sunday 17th December as part of a short run of UK dates. Distant Listening are supporting for what’s bound to be another killer Wandering Oak bill.

Memorials and Distant Listening play The Cumberland Arms, Newcastle on Sunday 17th December. www.memorialsmusic.bandcamp.com

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Words: Matt Young Foxing’s core trio of Conor Murphy, Jon Hellwig and Eric Hudson may have seen other band members dwindle away, seemingly at a rate of one per album since they began in 2011, but augmented by a touring bassist and an additional guitarist, they remain intent on bringing their theatrical and intimate indie rock to a Cluny audience on Sunday 28th January, and they’re not shy in their love of post-rock, emo or math rock.

That’s not all Foxing are about though. Over the years their albums have experimented with synths (Nearer My God) and strings (The Albatross) and seen their sound expand with the help of producers like Matt Bayles and John Congleton getting the most out of the guitars but also challenging the songwriters to implement more from a wider musical palette.

Singer Murphy has also grown in his own position as frontman, with all the swagger and moves an eye-catching lead vocalist can muster as his voice alternates deftly between singing full of emotion and screams of anguish.

A mid (post…are we there yet?) pandemic tour supporting Manchester Orchestra has seen his on-stage persona honed and shaped into a vital, indeed pivotal, position full of eccentricity and jittering performance, complementing the band’s music perfectly.

Foxing play The Cluny 2, Newcastle on Sunday 28th January. www.foxingtheband.com

MUSIC Words: Nat Greener Only The Noise Will Save Them is the sixth edition of a profoundly personal musical compilation curated by Zetland FM’s Transmission show presenter Karl Bavin. The album showcases a diverse array of female artists including Sara Dennis, Hayley McKay, Jenna Leigh-Raine, Joanna Bowes, Tiny Magnetic Pets, Holy Braille, Michelle Wray and The Band For Disease Control & Prevention, ensuring a rich tapestry of sounds and styles.

An eclectic and engaging listening experience, this musical journey goes beyond entertainment; it’s a heartfelt initiative dedicated to supporting the Pink Ribbon Foundation for breast cancer research. Karl’s emotional connection to the cause, shaped by his cousin’s battle and the loss of his aunt, gives the album a deeper, more meaningful purpose. As part of the ongoing series by Transmission and Butterfly Effect Records, this volume contributes not only to the musical legacy but also to the broader commitment of making a positive impact. Only The Noise Will Save Them Vol. 6 invites listeners to immerse themselves in powerful stories and melodies, all while supporting a cause that resonates with many.

Only the Noise Will Save Them Vol. 6 is released via Butterfly Effect Records on 24th January. www.butterflyeffect1.bandcamp.com

PREVIEWS

COMEDY

GUZ KHAN @ MIDDLESBROUGH TOWN HALL

Words: Michael O’Neill It hasn’t even been a decade since he first ventured into comedy, starting out from humble DIY origins uploading comedy videos to Facebook, and yet Guz Khan has rapidly

established himself as an incredibly prolific and unforgettable addition to the country’s burgeoning comedy circuit, regularly touring and appearing on panel shows such as Taskmaster, The Last Leg, Live at the Apollo, Would I Lie To You and QI, with his now-iconic BBC sitcom Man Like Mobeen (which he both created and stars in) going from cult treasure to a staple of modern comedy.

Having already kicked off a colossal tour at the beginning of the year, Guz is picking up where he left off with another huge run of dates, stopping off at Middlesbrough Town Hall on Saturday 20th January. The tour has already

attracted a raft of rave reviews, with the show touching upon his life as a youngster in the late 1980s in a conservative Muslim family, alongside his struggles to get his mother to take his comedy career seriously (which is astonishing given his meteoric his rise to the comedy mainstream). All in all, it promises to be a brilliant victory lap from one of comedy’s finest.

Guz Khan performs at Middlesbrough Town Hall on Saturday 20th January. www.guzkhanlive.co.uk

Our Festive Film Season

Thu 21 Dec 6pm Elf (PG) Fri 22 Dec 6pm Home Alone (PG) Sat 23 Dec 10.30am & 1.30pm Arthur Christmas (U) All tickets £5 | gosforthcivictheatre.co.uk | 0191 284 3700 | @GoCivTheatre

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PREVIEWS

FILM

YOUNG WOMEN’S FILM ACADEMY FUNDRAISER @ STAR AND SHADOW Words: Lena Moss The North East-based Young Women’s Film Academy blow the birthday candles out on an inspiring five years of female-led film-making this month, as they host a celebratory event at Newcastle’s Star & Shadow Cinema on Saturday 9th December.

The YWFA is the only one of its kind in the UK, and they’re based right here on our doorstep!

With an aim of providing girls and young women from here in the North East with film-making skills, the work they do helps to enrich lives and promote positive wellbeing.

At their fifth birthday bash, expect screenings of some of the amazing films created in that time, including their most recently completed project.

Plus, live music from pop duo Twayn and revered local songwriter Beccy Owen, who have written music especially for YWFA projects.

There will also be awards dedicated to the achievement of young people involved in the

academy – some of whom have gone on to study or work in the film industry following their involvement with the YWFA. Having spent an impressive ten years film-making alongside young women and girls, including five as a registered charity, this event is a chance to recognise the fantastic work achieved so far, and to welcome in the next chapter.

YWFA host their fifth birthday celebration fundraiser at Star & Shadow Cinema, Newcastle on Saturday 9th December from 4pm-7.30pm. www.youngwomensfilmacademy.co.uk

Shows not to miss...

Hello Again...

Neil Diamond Saturday 13th January

Ed Sheeran Songbook featuring Jack Bowater Saturday 20th January

View our full event calendar theexchange1856.com/whats-on The Exchange 1856, Howard St, North Shields

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PREVIEWS

Sarabeth Tucek by Paula Bullwinkel

MUSIC

SARABETH TUCEK @ THE GLASSHOUSE

Words: Jason Jones SBT, or Sarabeth Tucek as you may know her, might have spent a decade swaddled in the cosiness of musical hibernation, but the American singer-songwriter has emerged from her figurative cocoon more potent and canny than ever. Last May’s comeback double album, Joan of All, was a triumphant return to her coolly captivating best, and has been championed by the likes of BBC 6Music, Uncut and Mojo, whilst also bothering the upper reaches of all manner of UK charts for the first time in her rich and journeyed career.

On Saturday 27th January, SBT will bring her arresting live show to The Glasshouse, celebrating a full twenty years since she first erupted into the public consciousness performing a series of spellbinding duets with Bill Callahan on the Smog album, Supper. Since then, Tucek has established herself as a creative presence of extraordinary depth and beauty, supporting towering figures like Bob Dylan, Ray Lamontagne and Black Rebel Motorcycle Club. Drawing on material from the aforementioned Joan of All, as well her self-titled debut and sophomore record Get Well Soon – the latter an uncompromising introspection on the devastating weight of grief – SBT’s visit to the banks of the Tyne is not to be missed.

Sarabeth Tucek performs at The Glasshouse, Gateshead on Saturday 27th January. www.sarabethtucek.bandcamp.com

MUSIC

LANTERNS ON THE LAKE @ THE GLASSHOUSE

Words: Jennifer Wilson Newcastle’s Lanterns on the Lake are headlining The Glasshouse on Friday 15th December to celebrate their fifth studio album, Versions of Us. It’s certainly a rarity to hear of a band releasing a fifth album these days, and Lanterns On The Lake are arguably the go-to band for intricate and melancholic indie rock. Not many bands can sing as memorably and unpretentiously about String Theory, incidentally one of my favourites on the record, and the lyrics link in nicely with the album title.

Previous album Spook The Herd was Mercury Prize-nominated, but this record is debatably more accessible and effectively represents the evolution of the band, with added prestige from Radiohead’s drummer Philip Selway – who replaced founding drummer Oli Ketteringham.

Incredibly, the first version of this album was scrapped and then mixed in guitarist Paul Gregory’s bedroom, but there are no hints of this in the record, which feels expensively produced.

Hazel’s vocals are always transcendent but they are particularly stunning on this record, and you can feel the personal growth in both her voice and lyrics: “I’ve never been quite in the moment, I think I’ll give it a try” she sings on Real Life, indicating a need to move forward and let go of your past self.

The Glasshouse, having also transformed and shed its previous life as the Sage, is a very fitting venue for the band to showcase this album, amidst the backdrop of the wintery Quayside and at a time when we all look forward to a new beginning.

Lanterns On The Lake play The Glasshouse, Gateshead on Friday 15th December. www.lanternsonthelake.com

COMEDY

CONNOR BURNS @ VARIOUS VENUES

Words: Laura Doyle A new comedian with a new show on his debut national tour? Things are looking up for Scottish comedian Connor Burns. You may well have encountered him at one of his Edinburgh Fringe shows during his sell-out run, or maybe as the opening act on Daniel Sloss’ Can’t tour. It’s less likely that you caught him at the Sydney Comedy Festival or New York’s Fringe Encore season, but not impossible. What’s most probable, however, is that this is the first you’re hearing the name Connor Burns. In which case, you’re not too late to get in on the action.

Burns has been near-universally praised for his straight-forward delivery that sends quips a-flying, so intimate shows at Darlington’s Forum Music Centre, Newcastle’s Stand, The Witham in Barnard Castle and The Forum Northallerton may well be the first step towards even greater things for the Scottish performer.

His new show Vertigo will be an introduction for many to Burns’ brand of no-nonsense comedy that, while unafraid of striking out, never punches down. At this point in his career, there’s nowhere else for Connor Burns to go but up – but he’s getting there real fast.

Connor Burns performs at The Forum Music Centre, Darlington on Thursday 25th January, Newcastle’s Stand on Saturday 6th February, The Witham in Barnard Castle on Saturday 17th February and Northallerton Forum on Sunday 18th February. www.connor-burns.com

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PREVIEWS

MUSIC

WOLFRED @ THE CLUNY

Words: Matt Young North East band WOLFRED bring their own brand of anthemic, alternative indie to The Cluny on Saturday 27th January with some exceptional guests rounding out the bill. The headliners’ marriage of brooding atmospherics, slow burn and explosive choruses are cathartic.

Songs like recent release Hounded have a knack of reverberating inside the mind.

Subjects tackled include mental health, relationships and self-destruction but they are never preaching, merely sung as a way of making sense of the world, and the often built-up musical exuberance never overshadows the vulnerability at their heart.

Two-piece synth-pop band Iris Brickfield bring their gentle catchy songs to the party. The debut EP from Ilana Hawdon (vocals, guitars and drums) and Elis Knowles-Levitt (synths, keys and backing vocals), Hold On My Lovers, is an evocative, bittersweet, futurist pop collection of tunes with nods to prog and Krautrock. This nostalgic synth sound coupled with charming vocals makes your neck hairs

Join us on the last Friday of every month for live comedy from familiar telly faces and best comics up and down the country, a proper good night out

JANUARY FRIDAY 16TH with MC Russell Hicks, Raj Poojara and Jonny Awsum

FEBRUARY FRIDAY 23RD with MC Nina Gilligan plus more to be announced

MARCH FRIDAY 29TH with MC Matt Reed and Chris Washington plus more to be announced

tickets and enquiries 18+

arconline.co.uk/catch22 01642 525199

Please note: lineups are subject to change

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tingle and the body sway. Completing the line-up are Night Flight, a melodic experimental folk outfit founded by singer songwriter Sam Holmes. Their music is an ideal bridge between the other performers; fragile, glassy guitar textures weave effortlessly among the joyful melodies and contemplative lyrics, with an occasional jagged edge coming to the fore as their newest album, Songs From Echo Zoo, so beautifully demonstrates.

WOLFRED, Iris Brickfield and Night Flight play The Cluny on Saturday 27th January. www.wolfredofficial.com

PREVIEWS

Swannek

MUSIC

SWANNEK LAUNCH LUCID DREAMS @ HOOCHIE COOCHIE

Words: Jennifer Wilson I remember being in a Philosophy class as a teenager when my tutor hurled a chair across the classroom and yelled: “How do you know you are not LUCID DREAMING right now?” – thankfully, the new single Lucid Dreams (ft Knats) by North East band Swannek has a rather different, much less traumatising vibe.

Mollie Birmingham’s transcendent vocals and lyrics infer that we are in fact self-involved dreamers that prefer to sleep through life, and she implores us to wake up and be more conscious of what is happening around us.

Good advice, to be fair, and you don’t need to fling furniture about to understand it.

The layering of this track is sublime and Mollie’s vocals blend beautifully rather than resting on top of the song. The drums and trumpet really stand out for me and as a jazz/ neo-soul neophyte, I really wasn’t expecting to feel as much as I did. The song feels much more accessible than the jazz I have heard previously, that’s not say it’s ‘jazz-lite’ as the instrumental expertise of Swannek is obvious and Mollie’s repetitive chants are incredibly moving and thought provoking.

Swannek began during lockdown and has had some transient/evolving members – a little like jazz itself, one fades out and something else pops in. The band will be showcasing the new line-up at the Lucid Dreams launch party at their old haunt, Hoochie Coochie, on

Wednesday 29th December.

Perfect timing for a little New Year’s gift to yourself. Go on, you deserve it. www.facebook.com/swannekk

MUSIC

JOHN FRANCIS FLYNN @ THE EXCHANGE 1856

Words: Lee Fisher One of the other acts mentioned in the previous Lankum preview is John Francis Flynn. He’s also part of that Dublin scene and has played with Lankum in the past, and his new album Look Over The Wall, See The Sky (released on the wonderful River Lea label) does something similar to folk. From Depression-era hobo ballads like A Mole In The Ground to Kitty, made famous by The Pogues, these songs – mostly traditional – are made disorientating and strange, often emphasising the strangeness they already contained. The album is a thrilling blend of trad ballads and wild experimentation and he’s clearly going to ‘do a Lankum’ any time now.

Flynn is a big bear of a man, with a rich voice, a deep well of slightly surreal anecdotes and some strong double-penny-whistle skills (he’s a fine guitarist too) and he’s splendid company live. After playing a wonderful, intimate show last year at the Cumberland Arms, he’s moved up to The Exchange 1856 in January and it’s going to be fascinating to see how he presents his new album live.

John Francis Flynn plays The Exchange 1856, North Shields Exchange on Tuesday 23rd January. www.linktr.ee/jffdublin

MUSIC

LANKUM @ THE BOILER SHOP

Words: Lee Fisher Four of the finest albums of 2023 have emerged from the same Dublin folk scene, from interconnected artists all doing amazing and radical things within the folk tradition: Lisa O’Neill, John Francis Flynn, ØXN and perhaps most notably Lankum, whose astonishing, game-changing album False Lankum is just now starting to rack up Album Of The Year ratings all over the press. What this Dublin four-piece do with mostly trad folk songs has to be heard to be believed: Swans-like dirges, head-spinning instrumental breaks and the rest. And live they go above and beyond, a truly breathtaking experience that’s almost psychedelic in the proper sense of the word, harmonium and pipe and fiddles and the rest coming together to raise a mournful noise unto the creator. There’s immense melancholy in much of their music – well it’s still folk after all – and when they play something like The Young People or Go Dig My Grave, there’s a lot of surreptitious eye-wiping in the crowd.

They’re still promoting False Lankum and this latest leg of the tour brings them to Newcastle – for the first time in a long time – in January for a show at The Boiler Shop. If they keep topping end of year polls, tickets are going to fly out for this so don’t miss out!

Lankum play The Boiler Shop, Newcastle on Saturday 27th January. www.lankumdublin.com

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FEATURE

La Gateau Chocolat, who performs at A Christmas Gaeity

ALT. XMAS

‘TIS THE SEASON AND ALL THAT, BUT IF YOU’RE NOT KEEN ON CHEESY PANTO AND DON’T FANCY MINGLING WITH RAT-ARSED OFFICE PARTIES, WE’VE GOT JUST THE THING! READ ON FOR SOME TIPS ON ALT. THEATRE, COMEDY, FILM AND LIVE MUSIC DURING THE FESTIVE SEASON THAT WILL APPEAL TO ALL AGES AND TASTES.

STAGE Alternative Christmas spirit is on offer at Laurel’s in Whitley Bay, where the world premiere of local writer Robert Westall’s The Watch House brings a touch of the supernatural to the stage thirty years after the North Tyneside writer died, bringing a new audience to his work. Olivier Award-winning producers Jamie Eastlake and Chris Foxon will bring Weston’s Tynemouth-set ghost story to life (5th-23rd Dec). At Newcastle’s Prohibition Cabaret Bar, Assignment Christmas is inspired by iconic sci-fi TV series Sapphire And Steel; expect otherworldly encounters, suspense and intrigue (16th-22nd Dec). There are more dark festivities at Middlesbrough’s Toft House, as they present Murder At The Grange, a Christmas murder mystery created in the style of a radio drama which strikes a balance between drama and comedy (9th Dec). There’s also murder, mystery and an added three-course meal at The Witham’s production of ‘Twas The Night Before Christmas (8th & 9th Dec).

No one does gothic Christmas better than Dickens, and Dickens

by Candlelight present A Christmas Carol at Alderman Fenwick’s House on Newcastle’s Pilgrim Street (1st-24th Dec).

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Also based on the Dickens classic, there’s more ghostly goings on courtesy of Eliot Smith Dance’s family-friendly production, Three Jolly Ghosts of Christmas, at various venues including Darlington Library (9th Dec) and The Bowes Museum in Barnard Castle (29th Dec).

Continuing the family-friendly tip, Live Theatre’s Wintry Tales: Snow Covered Maps & Mountainous Mayhem contains a series of bonkers and heart-warming tales brought to theatrical life by writer Lisette Auton, assisted by the ideas of local schoolchildren. Expect a Geordie Witch, magical portals, a mythical cat and an intergalactic train! (9th-23rd Dec).

Northern Stage also take a winter adventure with The Three Bears, complete with puppets and original music (until 6th Jan). Also at Northern Stage, a royal Christmas ball sees a decidedly alternative Cinderella swap crystal slippers for Doc Martens in Cinderella: A Fairytale, with original score courtesy of The Baghdaddies’ Ziad Jabero (2nd Dec-6th Jan). At Gosforth Civic Theatre, Wintry Night is a magical sensory theatre show from TimbaDash Theatre designed for young people with complex and additional needs (19th-21st Dec).

There’s long-forgotten fables, a cantankerous caretaker and a glitching robot in A Town Called Christmas at Arts Centre Washington, which promises magic, music and mayhem

FEATURE

L-R, T-B: Eliza Carthy & Jon Boden’s Wassail by Kate Griffin, DJ Paulette, Evlyne Oyedokun will play Ella in Cinderella A Fairytale at Northern Stage

(5th-10th Dec). A puppet-filled tale with an inclusive message, in Tinsel a magical little boy has to convince doubting baubles and naughty elves that he can sing, dance and wear a sparkly tiara as well as anyone else at Bishop Auckland Town Hall (30th Nov-3rd Dec) and Gala Theatre, Durham (5th-24th Dec). Go on a winter wonderland adventure in The Enchanted Snow Globe full of surprise and wonder at Customs House in South Shields (2nd-31st Dec); while at ARC in Stockton, Well Done, Mummy Penguin pays homage to familial bonds and incredible parents everywhere (5th-23rd Dec). At Newcastle’s Star & Shadow Cinema, A Mummer’s Winter Ceilidh present Wrapped Up For Christmas?, complete with dances, songs, a mummers play and storytelling (20th Dec).

Finally, and definitely not a family-friendly show, Big Dick Whittington & His Pussy tips a nod and a wink at panto traditions at The Exchange 1856 in North Shields in the new year, with a cast including Katie Price who plays Queen Rat (25th-28th Jan).

COMEDY Beat the Christmas blues with a good ol’ rib-tickling from some of the region’s favourite entertainers. Comedy improv troupe The Suggestibles pop up at Northern Stage (21st -23rd Dec) and The Cumberland Arms (23rd Dec) for their Impro Pantso show; at Cobalt, Latrine’s Haus of Fun retell the story of Christmas with song, dance, comedy and a few surprises along the way (16th Dec); while at Laurel’s in Whitley Bay, comedy cohorts Metroland present sketch show chaos in It’s A Pitiful Life (29th-31st Dec). At The Bridge Hotel in Newcastle, the Silly Billies Christmas Special promises a Santa’s sack bulging with

laughter, with performances from Zoe, Cheekykitta, Kelly Rickard, Fisa Humpledink and hosts Jack & Sam (20th Dec).

Newcastle’s premier comedy club is the place to be for The Stand Christmas Specials featuring Nicola Mantalios, Neil Harris, Laura Davis and Ray Bradshaw (14th-16th Dec); they also host Matt Reed’s Xmas Knees Up, at which he introduces a host of familiar funny friends (12th Dec); while the Mindstar Charity Fundraiser features sets from Lee Kyle, Sammy Dobson, Si Hetherington and host Raul Kohli (18th Dec). For a younger audience, Lee Kyle’s Gungestravaganza promises a badly behaved, family-friendly game show with a Christmassy twist (28th Dec).

Teesside’s chortle experts Hilarity Bites present their Christmas special at Peterlee Pavilion, featuring Dave Johns, Eddy Brimson, Rick Molland, Elaine Robertson and Tony Jameson (8th Dec); Middlesbrough’s Big Mouth Comedy prepare three Christmas specials at Middlesbrough Town Hall with very special guests including Lost Voice Guy, Simon Wozniak, Noise Next Door, Fran Garrity, Dave Twentyman and more (2nd, 9th & 22nd Dec). Hartlepool’s Hot Potato Comedy Club aren’t to be outdone, with sets from Bobby Mair, Hasan Al-Habib, Rob Deering and the ubiquitous Matt Reed at Hartlepool Town Hall Theatre (16th Dec). At ARC Stockton’s Catch 22 Christmas Special, Matt Reed and The Noise Next Door pop up again alongside Terry Alderton (22nd Dec); at Darlington’s Forum Music Centre, the Delta & Hyper Variety Show sees a Christmas cabaret like no other, with a night of drag-based seasonal frivolity from Baron LaVey, Phoebe LaReine, Reese Wetherspoon, Veggie Stripper and Vick The Prick (14th Dec); and expect schlock-horror aplenty at Drag Castle’s Crocky Horror Show at Prohibition Cabaret Bar, where Peter Pan meets Rocky Horror (17th Dec).

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FEATURE

We Tibetans by Jodie Canwell

MUSIC Some reliable North East favourites offer up festive sing-alongs and plenty of good cheer at venues across the region. Gosforth Civic Theatre implore you to start your festive season right, with an electrifying and soul-stirring performance from Voices of Virtue Gospel Choir (2nd Dec); Christmas with The Futureheads at Newcastle’s Boiler Shop is certain to be a raucous knees-up (9th Dec); and the following week at the same venue, soulful party-starters Smoove & Turrell promise a ‘wacky’ Xmas party (16th Dec). Expect a ‘radgy party and raucous festivity’ as The Baghdaddies bring their eclectic sound to Newcastle’s Cobalt (15th Dec), or if that sounds too raucous join choir leader Lindsay Hannon for a Christmas Pop Up Choir at the same venue the following night; another local legend, Martin Stephenson, brings his Good Will Trio to The Cluny for two dates (22nd & 23rd Dec); at Sunderland’s Pop Recs Ltd., expect four-part harmonies and festive tunes from The Cornshed Sisters with special guests SLUG (15th Dec); and at The Old Coal Yard, enjoy their Ho Ho Ho Down which includes a joyous set from Rob Heron & The Tea Pad Orchestra with DJ Stagger Lee (15th Dec).

There’s more seasonal fare at Sunderland’s Fire Station, where folk favourites Eliza Carthy and Jon Boden present their Wassail, featuring traditional tunes that include some of the oldest songs in the English canon (21st Dec); Teesside’s Amelia Coburn is certain to include a few festive favourites in amongst her set of spellbinding alt. folk at Stockton’s ARC, complete with singer-songwriter Marina Josephina in tow (9th Dec); audiences can expect cheeky camaraderie courtesy of Carmen & Dick at Eaglescliffe’s The Waiting Room (17th Dec); and there’s an opportunity to uncover rituals found in the folklore and folk music of England at Midwinter at The Witham in Barnard Castle, in Carolling & Crumpets with John Kirkpatrick (5th Dec).

There’s plenty of festive family fun at The Glasshouse in

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Gateshead, with performances from The Demon Barbers (10th Dec), Paul Edis & Friends (16th Dec), A Winter Union (18th Dec), Kate Rusby (20th Dec) and Jez Lowe (23rd Dec). Special mention also goes to Curious Arts’ collab with Royal Northern Sinfonia who will be joined by Edwin Outwater and drag superstar Peaches Christ for A Christmas Gaeity, with special performances from Baga Chipz and drag and singing royalty Le Gateau Chocolat (13th Dec); while From The Glasshouse At Christmas will see performances from The Magpies, Amy Thatcher & Francesca Knowles and Amelia Coburn (13th Dec).

For something totally different, the region’s grassroots scene delivers in spades. The Globe in Newcastle present their Anarchismas with performances from Ellen Moss, Circus and Arpeture (16th Dec), and the following night at The Globe Xmas Party there’s bluegrass and jazz from David Gray’s Flextet and Eva Fox Duo. Trillians in Newcastle welcomes DIY promoters North East Cosmonauts Circus’ Xmas Party, featuring sets from garage rockers Onlooker, punky folksters Cherry & Peesh, riffsters Hot Rockets and folk punks Operation Vanguard (17th Dec); Middlesbrough’s home of weird music, Toft House, presents a Xmas Bash with The Jack Dash, plus Helen Speed, Gary Bliss & Ronnie Brown (16th Dec); and the ever-reliable (and now sold out) Idiot Savant Xmas Pageant at the same venue offers up a noisy singalong with Old Muggins and Tom Blackwell (23rd Dec). Alt. indie band Weathership promise a Dark Dark Christmas at Stockton’s Georgian Theatre, accompanied by Ben James Miller from Church, Honey (15th Dec); while at Darlington’s Forum Music Centre, there’s the aptly named A Festive Evening of Live Electronic Music courtesy of Holy Braille, Analogue Blood and Sick Robot (13th Dec).

In Newcastle, alt. Queer all-dayer Anti-Pleasure programme a Xmas special at Zerox, featuring performances from Loose Articles, Irked and Rivkala, plus DJ sets from ma.ie and Abby Harris (16th Dec); at Little Buildings, joycore quartet Kkett invite you to celebrate Kkettmas with Fashion Tips, Badger and Gaydar, plus a Kketteroke Afterparty which will be “like

FEATURE

L-R, T-B: Lizzie Esau, who performs at The Caper, image by Rob Irish, Amelia Coburn, The Watch House will be premiered at Laurel’s Theatre in Whitley Bay

karaoke but more radge” (9th Dec); and there’s more hedonistic fun at Cobalt, where DJ Paulette offers up disco, house, techno and Xmas cheer (16th Dec).

If you’re still standing after the Christmas blow-out, head to Stockton’s KU for X-Fest, a raucous night of rock, indie and hip-hop courtesy of We Tibetans, ZELA, Gone Tomorrow and Shakk (28th Dec); or take to Newcastle’s Cumberland Arms for promoter Endless Window’s annual charity Festive Window featuring Ponyland, Iris Brickfield, Holy Braille, Smuj and William Denton Wilde, with all proceeds going to The People’s Kitchen (30th Dec).

FILM Live music and cinema go hand in hand at The Glasshouse, with their Home Alone In Concert (9th-10th Dec) and The Snowman In Concert (22nd-24th Dec) screenings accompanied by Royal Northern Sinfonia.

As you’d expect, there are plenty of festive screenings at Tyneside Cinema throughout December, including the usual family faves like The Muppet Christmas Carol, Love Actually, Home Alone, Elf and It’s A Wonderful Life. Curveballs also include indie comedy drama Tangerine, Ingmar Bergman’s family saga Fanny And Alexander and spine-tingling classics from the BBC’s A Ghost Story For Christmas series. If you’re feeling really festive, settle in for the Christmas All-Nighter which includes thrillers, chillers and a secret selection of festive gems (2nd Dec).

Newcastle’s other indie gem, the Star & Shadow Cinema, screens slasher flick Christmas Evil plus there’s a festive film quiz the same night (14th Dec). Head to Gosforth Civic Theatre for more family-friendly flicks like Elf, Home Alone and Arthur Christmas (21st-23rd Dec); The Common Room have screenings of The Snowman, The Snowdog and Die Hard (16th Dec), as well as Christmas craft events earlier in the month.

EVERYTHING ELSE From crafty days to cabaret nights, there’s a tonne of worthy events to attend throughout the festive period.

Performance-wise, The Caper bring their myriad of entertainment back to Gateshead’s Baltic, with live music from Lizzie Esau, Left Blank, Too Common and Polyvinyl, stand-up comedy from Matt Reed, Lauren Pattison, Jake Donaldson, Sean Turner, Lauren Stone and more, plus swing dance lessons, live art, retro gaming, a celeb Christmas quiz and street food courtesy of Copper Ricebox, La Chilenita and Beanie Bun as well as a couple of bars (14th Dec).

Learn a new skill at The Cumberland Arms’ Christmas Craft Night, and join in with wrapping paper printing and card making (7th Dec). Baltic Shop hosts a variety of crafty events including creating festive banners (9th Dec) and felt Christmas decorations (16th Dec).

Struggling to buy something interesting for your loved ones?

The Lubber Fiend Christmas Market promises arts, crafts, prints and a “bunch of other stuff ” from indie creatives (2nd Dec); the Made Up North Winter Market at Boiler Shop brings together 65 Northern makers, artists and creatives (3rd Dec); The Marley Fair at John Marley Centre will feature a host of creative stalls plus live music (9th Dec); at the Sunderland Teenage Art Market at Sunderland Museum & Winter Garden discover a group of young local talent and their produce (9th Dec); and the popular Shipley Christmas Craft Market will take place at the Gateshead gallery, dedicated to local artists and craft makers (9th Dec). The Bowes Museum’s Christmas Late offers an opportunity to browse the gallery after hours and enjoy seasonal food and drinks (8th Dec), plus there’s the return of their Winter Market (15th-17th Dec). If it’s vinyl you’re after (or a very last minute gift) Off The Ground Record Fair at Off The Ground Coffee in Middlesbrough will have a huge collection of new and used vinyl for sale (24th Dec).

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INTERVIEWS

AMATEUR ORNITHOLOGIST

AS THE SOUTH SHIELDS BAND PREPARE TO RELEASE THEIR THIRD ALBUM, ALI WELFORD TALKS TO SONGWRITER DANIEL CLIFFORD ABOUT A COALESCENCE OF SOUND, REALITY AND IMAGINATION, AND REALISING THE POTENCY OF HIS SONGWRITING IMAGE BY CHRIS J ALLAN How many accomplishments must one tick-off before deeming themselves ‘a musician’? Evidently, writing, recording and releasing his own album wasn’t enough for Daniel Clifford who, when discussing 2021 debut Birdwatching with NARC., seemed at pains to play down his own credentials. With a background weighted more towards visual media, an element of imposter syndrome was clearly at play – yet on the eve of Amateur Ornithologist’s third record, it seems this self-taught songwriter is finally prepared to reassess.

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“I do consider myself a musician now!” He proclaims. “My friend Martin Trollope [aka Harbourmaster] has been telling me this for years, so I’ve finally started listening! I think I had a very narrow view of what constitutes a musician back then – and even though I still wouldn’t say I’m a great singer, I’m far more proud of what I can do now than I was back then.”

Although Daniel would’ve qualified by any reasonable metric from the outset, it’s fair to say his project has developed significantly in the two-and-a-half years since. For one,

COVER FEATURE

MUSIC

LYRICALLY, I WANTED TO EXPLORE THE BOUNDARIES BETWEEN REALITY AND IMAGINATION; THE WEIRD THINGS PEOPLE THINK THEY SEE AND HEAR

Amateur Ornithologist is now a fully-fledged group; a big bang-like expansion set to be unleashed with the January release of Hide.

“It wasn’t designed to be a band,” he insists. “Amateur Ornithologist came about during the first lockdown when I felt incredibly frustrated, and that I couldn’t do anything without somebody else’s help. I started to teach myself how to write music, but it was always supposed to be self-sufficient.”

How then has he wound up heading an expansive six-piece ensemble, featuring the multifarious talents of Liam Slack (keys), Maddie Smyth (viola), Chris Perriman (bass), Louis Young (guitar) and Rob Bailey (sax)? “Once I’d finished the second album [Building The Bird] I thought I’d actually like people to hear it, and that the best way to achieve that would be to play some gigs. At the beginning I thought I’d struggle to find anyone I’d like or share musical ideas with, so I tried to find people who were happy just being in a backing band… but that didn’t work, because the first people I met were really nice and I wanted to be friends with them! I’m often a quitter, but having them there has really helped my confidence. It’s happened by accident, but the people have really shaped what it’s become.”

Indeed, while Daniel was keen to build momentum on the live stage, his prolific work-rate (“I get incredibly bored if my brain isn’t working”) has documented an outfit taking shape in double-quick time. Whereas Birdwatching mined a fruitful seam of ‘80s indie and Building The Bird ripened that sound with a sprinkling of arty post-punk influences, Hide represents a vast leap in both sound and composition. Its widescreen scope is established instantaneously on A Hidden Path, where isolated viola is gradually subsumed within a sax and synth-splashed oddball-pop nugget par excellence. Elsewhere, If It Looks Like

Magic and The Anatomy Lesson offer fleshed-out takes on Daniel’s sunshine jangle sensibilities, richly melodic standouts The Word Is Love and Hide dazzle through restraint as much as their embellishments, while When They Fall is a soaring coda elevated by ecstatic harmonies and ornate string arrangements.

“I’ve always enjoyed natural and man-made sounds coming together,” Daniel muses, discussing the mix of acoustic and electric elements within Hide’s palette. “I live in Ryton, and when I leave the house I hear birds in the hills and trees – but also the buzzing of pylons amidst their songs. The two are always intermingling.

“Lyrically, I wanted to explore the boundaries between reality and imagination; the weird things people think they see and hear,” he continues. “I’m really interested in folk horror, myths and mysteries – without necessarily believing that stuff, carrying around crystals or being into star signs! If It Looks Like Magic, for instance, was written about [infamous photographs] the Cottingley Fairies. What I’m looking at and what someone else is looking at could be completely different, but that doesn’t necessarily mean either of us is right or wrong.”

As well as bringing the machinations of his creative mind to life, Daniel is proud that Amateur Ornithologist offers a safe and encouraging environment for the musical expressions of neurodivergent members. “It can mean things take longer.

Because of my autism, I like everything to be laid out and organised, whereas others in the band may be the complete opposite, or may occasionally forget to prepare stuff. We have the same aims, but often come at it from different directions.

We can get niggly sometimes, but there’s a greater sense of trust and understanding between us because we’re all being ourselves and respecting each other for that.”

Moreover, the project’s development since the pandemic has provided an anchor during what’s otherwise proved a choppy period. “I used to work full-time in the arts, but when I moved back to the North East those jobs didn’t really exist,” Daniel recalls. “My brain would die if I wasn’t writing stuff or trying to organise things. Sometimes I suffer from autistic burnout and can’t get out of bed – but even if I’m stuck there I can prop my laptop up and write. It’s got me in the arts sector again, and back to being more social, like I used to be. I’d lost all of that and was going nowhere, but now I feel like I’m back out in the world. It’s been a huge change for me.”

Amateur Ornithologist launch Hide at The Globe, Newcastle on Friday 19th January. www.amateurornithologist.bandcamp.com

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INTERVIEW

MUSIC

CAT RYAN

Image by Will Copley

MATT YOUNG TALKS TO MARY-ANNE MURPHY ABOUT THE CULMINATION AND DISTILLATION OF CAT RYAN’S ART ROCK SOUND ON THEIR DEBUT EP In December one of the North East’s most beguiling and entertaining bands, Cat Ryan, release their new EP King Of The World. It contains what is essentially a distilled capsule of tunes from the past few years by songwriter and singer Mary-Anne Murphy that have been reworked and, in some cases, re-recorded with a fresh eye as Mary-Anne and the band have evolved. EP production was aided by Eliott Glinn who Mary-Anne praises: “He has really helped us to enhance the sound and get the music to a professional level so we could release a collection of songs that truly reflected our musical direction.”

Cat Ryan have a distinctly melodic, jangling guitar sound that fans rightly love in their songs, but how was the process of selecting which ones made it onto the EP? “They’re a key reflection of my songwriting evolution,” Mary-Anne says, “from the very first songs I wrote in the Cat Ryan style like Lost My Connection and and Daydream, through to the stage where I began experimenting with our sound on Speeding Too Slow, all the way to the most recently written song that I am most of proud of as a songwriter, Rex Mundi. Overall, the EP lays the foundations for what’s to come next for us, as this is only the beginning!”

The songs may span a number of years, but the underlying quality is so consistently high that they sit together comfortably.

IT’S ALMOST LIKE I WROTE THESE SONGS FOR MY FUTURE SELF 26

Mary-Anne expands on the process of revisiting them. “When I returned to the old songs to re-record them, I had forgotten exactly what some of them were about, but re-analysing the lyrics helped to unlock some past memories of the times when I wrote these songs. I’ve actually grown closer to them and strangely, their sentiments mean more to me now than before.”

Although originally written by Mary-Anne herself she’s keen to clarify: “It seems as though all of them are about my experience, but actually a lot of them are stories and characters I created, based loosely off experiences. The reason for this is because, for quite a few years, I had known I was gay but was too afraid to come out as I was only 17 or 18 and still at school, so the songs, excluding Rex Mundi, are based on situations of liking girls but not on real relationships…it’s funny now though, because I’ve since come out and had relationships and realised I actually relate to the songs a lot more than I ever did before. It’s almost like I wrote these songs for my future self.”

King Of The World feels like a pivotal place for the band to be at right now, on the cusp of something big. Mary-Anne explains that while her writing has always been a solo process later enhanced by the band for live shows, she’s since begun writing with new bassist/keyboardist Dan. “It’s exciting to be working with another band member through the creation process, as it’s only been me up until now.” The EP launches with a livestream and giveaway planned so follow Cat Ryan’s social links for news of when and where. We have a feeling that you won’t want to miss what’s next.

Cat Ryan release King Of The World on 15th December. www.catryan.bandcamp.com

JANGO FLASH

INTERVIEW

HAVING EARNED A REPUTATION AS ONE OF THE MOST EXCITING NEW LIVE BANDS IN THE NORTH EAST, JANGO FLASH PREPARE TO RELEASE THEIR LIFE-AFFIRMING DEBUT EP. GUS IRONSIDE FINDS OUT MORE

MUSIC

Image by Chloe Dunscombe

“I started all of this back in 2018 during a dark time in my life where I began writing and producing music, cover art and videos under the pseudonym Jango Flash,” explains the group’s singer and principal songwriter, Jack Angus Golightly. “I was just making music because I wanted to create and hear what was bashing around in my head all day, and no-one else was scratching that itch. So, initially it was never meant to be anything more than a recording project for me. After debating whether I should share anything, I began putting my music out to the radio and it was Nick Roberts at BBC Introducing who first picked me up and ran with it, so I felt compelled to start writing more music and form a band.”

After various iterations, the group now has a settled line-up of Jack, drummer Ed Smith and guitarist Sam Frame, bolstered by the two newest members, Jake Waugh on lead guitar and bassist Louis Gomes. Describing a typical Jango Flash show as “a lot of noise, passion and sweat”, Jack expands on the quintet’s attitude to the modern day music industry: “The landscape we live in now is the over-saturation of music via social media. Whilst it is subjective and to a large degree positive to have social media, there is way too much landfill music out there that people are being exposed to, but their short-lived success ultimately relies on money, timing, nepotism and box ticking. You can tell when someone ‘has it’ though, it’s a magic you can’t equate down to one thing, but it’s an energy that courses through everything they do.”

Jack’s description of the group’s forthcoming debut EP sheds light on his motivations as a songwriter: “Our self-titled EP is really the first step into the world of Jango Flash. It’s a carefully crafted body of work full of life and intensity, both instrumentally and lyrically. Thematically, I have written about

THEMATICALLY, I HAVE WRITTEN ABOUT LOVE, LIFE, DEATH AND ADDICTION FROM A POSITION OF EXPERIENCE love, life, death and addiction from a position of experience.

Ultimately, I have been as transparent as I could be with my lyrics and travelled through darkness towards a place of empowerment. I would hope that upon digesting the full EP that listeners can gain a sense of perspective about parts of their lives that they may be struggling with and find a shortcut to strength that took me a long time to find.”

Collating the three singles Jango Flash have released over the last nine months, the EP presents a distinctive and cohesive sound, while displaying the group’s range and varied influences.

Tired Eyes boasts an explosive chorus, set up by a danceable, bass-driven verse; while the bruised but resilient Just a Game reflects on the trials and tribulations of everyday life; and the intense Killing Time addresses the subject of addiction over a driving drumbeat and a darkly seductive vocal melody.

And what of the group’s future plans? “We are just hunkering down and writing for now,” he says. “There’s a lot of songs that we are deliberating over whether they are going to make the cut or not, so the holiday season is the perfect time for us to practise creative consolidation. In 2024, we’ll be hitting the road hard and releasing a lot of new music though for sure.”

Jango Flash release their debut EP on 19th January. www.facebook.com/jangoflash

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INTERVIEW

MUSIC

YES GRASSHOPPER

Image by Becky Tapp

ALI WELFORD TALKS TO JORDIE COOKE ABOUT THE NEWCASTLE BAND’S DEBUT ALBUM OF TECHNICOLOUR BOMBARDMENT AND VOLATILE BEDLAM Part of the suborder Caelifera, grasshoppers descend from an ancient lineage of insects dating back some 250 million years, long pre-dating the dinosaurs. Far from the primitive leftovers of popular myth, today’s critters are in fact complex contemporary creatures, equipped with a range of ingenious adaptations and behavioural patterns which see them thrive on every continent except Antarctica.

Yes Grasshopper’s family tree mightn’t extend quite so far back, yet much like their animal kingdom namesakes this Newcastle duo are a highly evolved entity built from simple yet enduring fundamentals – be it the time-honoured guitar-and-drum set-up, or the trappings of the noise rock genre they ostensibly inhabit.

Certainly, few North East acts can match the pace, intensity and whiplash-inducing pivots Jordie Cookie and Adam Stapleford conjure in full flow – although as the former recalls, their hyperactive din initially spawned from a desire to pare things back. “We formed Yes Grasshopper as an antidote to being in a seven-piece double-drumming psych band [Ponyland]!” He reveals. “We thought ‘Let’s make a band where we only need to make one phone call to organise a rehearsal, and only two phone calls to book a gig!’”

These origins shouldn’t be mistaken for narrowed ambition – nor should Jordie’s assertion they’re merely “two cavemen with a lot of gadgets.” Rather, the sound they’ve harnessed is a blistering bombardment splattered with technicolour; Jordie’s jet-fuel coated riffs and unintelligibly distorted vocal underpinned by the vibrant kineticism of Adam’s percussion.

FEW NORTH EAST ACTS CAN MATCH THE PACE, INTENSITY AND WHIPLASH-INDUCING PIVOTS JORDIE COOKIE AND ADAM STAPLEFORD CONJURE IN FULL FLOW 28

“Adam used to play in a free-jazz punk trio called Taupe, so he brings his jazz drumming chops to the table. He never plays the same thing twice – and even if it’s the same groove, he’ll play it on different parts of the kit,” Jordie enthuses. “I set off trying to make the guitar sound like multiple instruments by splitting the signal into a few amps and adding different effects and octaves to each signal. We also started adding guitar pedals to different parts of the drums, which had some devastating results… particularly on the cowbell!”

Further incorporating dashes of grindcore, powerviolence and even techno, these experiments coalesce explosively on debut album Ghost Dog Pagoda – nine slices of volatile, frenzied sonic bedlam, resolutely refusing to take themselves seriously yet admirably bottling the firebrand rancour of the duo’s live shows.

“I think we only played one gig before COVID hit, but luckily there was someone in the crowd [Jonas Halsall, Inverted Grim-Mill Recordings] who wanted to release our record, so that kept us busy over the following weird years. The recording itself didn’t take long at all – but the mixing did. I ended up mixing the first part myself, then passing it to Ben Jones to work his wizardry on. He made it sound infinitely better!”

When imagining grasshoppers, our minds often focus on stridulation – the shrill chirping we hear as rows of pegs on their hind legs are rubbed against their forewings. The buzzsaw sounds of Ghost Dog Pagoda, however, evoke very a different stage in the insect’s existence – namely the infamous swarming phase, where we instead refer to them as locusts. Transcending noise rock with their (wryly dubbed) brand of “hardcore-acidmath-crustcore,” Yes Grasshopper’s mutated palette should ensure they’ve plenty of transitions left within their own lifespan.

Yes Grasshopper’s debut album Ghost Dog Pagoda is released on 1st December via Inverted Grim-Mill Recordings. www.yesgrasshopper.bandcamp.com

INTERVIEW

THEATRE HULLABALOO KATE RELTON TALKS TO THE DARLINGTON THEATRE’S CEO BEN DICKENSON ABOUT CREATIVE CONNECTIONS AND SHAPING COMMUNITIES THROUGH CULTURE

STAGE

Create A Hullabaloo engages children from diverse backgrounds in programmes in holiday periods

There are few adults who can claim their average working week involves sitting cross-legged in a magical forest, trying their hand at circus skills, or watching a pair of alpine skiers setting out across a café. Anyone who has set foot in Darlington’s Theatre Hullabaloo knows this is just the tip of the creative iceberg.

A children’s arts charity creating world-class theatre for young people and their families, Theatre Hullabaloo’s mission is one that reaches far beyond early years: “Our mission is creativity for every child,” says CEO Ben Dickenson. “This job is worth doing because there is a price here which is a whole different kind of childhood: a whole generation of children who grow up to become the artists and the creators of the future. And that’s a prize we could potentially win.”

In the face of economic and political challenges, and a funding landscape that routinely short-changes the arts, Theatre Hullabaloo have set out to establish a national centre for children’s creativity, starting with a conference that saw a cross-sector audience invited to see first-hand just how vital creativity is for us all.

“Essentially we invited people to join us on a journey of bringing creative play to the lives of every child in the country,” says Ben. “Every one of the 92 delegates said: ‘we’re with you’. It was inspiring.”

It’s hard not to buy into Hullabaloo’s mission when you hear Ben talk, his passion for the work is infectious. Crucially, though, everything he and his team are championing is proven to be true: “We have an evidence base, researched and supported by scientists and led by the Institute for Social Justice,” says Ben. “It shows that creative play reduces depression amongst parents, increases parental confidence and attachment with their children and speeds up the acquisition of developmental milestones among those children. Ultimately, it attaches people to each other and their communities in a way that stimulates everything: wellbeing; economic growth; sense of place and

WE PASSIONATELY WANT TO SEE NORTH EAST-BASED ARTISTS FROM DIVERSE BACKGROUNDS DEVELOP THE SPECIALISMS IN THEIR WORK FOR CHILDREN pride; community cohesion.”

This sense of belonging, and collaboration between creatives, families and children themselves is what really makes Theatre Hullabaloo unique, and it’s something they’re keen to explore with more artists, commissioning and co-producing new works.

“There aren’t enough specialist artists for children’s work, and we want to change that in the next couple of years,” says Ben. “We want artists and creatives who work with us to feel supported to do the very best work they can. We passionately want to see North East-based artists from diverse backgrounds develop the specialisms in their work for children, to be multi-skilled and to recognise that children and families are the most important audience there is.”

For artists who’ve never considered working with children, that might sound a bold claim. But spend five minutes at Hullabaloo and it’s impossible not to be swept along by the ambition, conviction and sheer joy of it all.

“Human beings reshape and create their world and their own image because we are, at our core, creative,” says Ben. “In this organisation, we have this unique experience of stimulating, enhancing, supporting and growing the creative capacity of very young humans. You can see the potential possibility of what that creativity will do for them in their individual lives, and for the rest of society in the future. Who wouldn’t want to come to work?”

Find Theatre Hullabaloo at Borough Road, Darlington. www.theatrehullabaloo.org.uk

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INTERVIEW

MUSIC

Image by Annabel Dearden

MODERN RODEO

DAVID SAUNDERS DISCOVERS HOW THE TEESSIDE SONGWRITING DUO HAVE EXPLORED DARK SUBJECTS TO PRODUCE BEAUTIFUL ALT. COUNTRY/POP SOUNDSCAPES

Most good musical collaborations, (e.g. Lennon & McCartney, Simon & Garfunkel, Foster & Allan) are born from friendship, which is the case with Teesside music duo Corey Bowen and Charlie Glazebrook, aka Modern Rodeo.

The pair met just over a decade ago and bonded over their love of guitars and songwriters from the 60s and 70s, which led to them making music together. They got semi-serious as a duo five years later, experimenting with jazz-math music, before Modern Rodeo took shape in 2022, as Corey explains: “I had been writing some more traditional sounding songs with the aim to get back into ghostwriting, and sent some demos to Charlie. He sent me one back with him playing guitar on it and my whole thought process changed. It made me want to make music for me again and not just write exclusively for other people.”

The pair still write for other people but have decided to keep five songs for themselves to create their first EP, Vol.1. “When I’m writing for Modern Rodeo there’s a freedom attached to that and I’m just trying to write something the two of us will like.

Nine times out of 10 the songs I would write for other people or TV or whatever aren’t songs that I would go back and listen to.”

The EP is a warm and welcoming listen, with George Harrison-esque vocals, shimmering guitars reminiscent of Johnny Marr and bright and vibrant rhythms sounding like they

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I MADE A CONSCIOUS EFFORT TO HUMANISE THAT SUBSTANCE SO I COULD ADDRESS IT AS IF IT WERE A PERSON, AND DRESS THEM UP LIKE LOVE SONGS

were recorded at Norman Petty Studios. They all meld together to produce beautiful soundscapes that, if you close your eyes, will whisk you off to the sunny climes of seventies Laurel Canyon.

Despite the sonic loveliness, the EP deals with some dark subject matter, in particular addiction and substance use; something that has been inspired by Corey’s own personal experience. “I can’t really write fiction I’ve learned… I made a conscious effort to humanise that substance so I could address it as if it were a person, and dress them up like love songs. All of the songs on the EP address it directly apart from Ready When You Are, which is more about the effects it can have on a relationship.”

Even more surprising, considering their sound, is one of Corey’s Teesside influences. “In a strange way I owe a lot to Kingsley from Benefits; I first saw The Chapman Family when I was about 13 and was reading about them in NME, and before that I didn’t know of a single band or artist from Teesside that had done anything of note. They quickly became one of my favourite bands and became the reason I got into a lot of noisier music. That was really inspiring to me.”

Modern Rodeo are looking to follow up this EP with some expansive releases in 2024 but don’t expect them to grace the stage of a nearby music venue anytime soon. “We decided that we weren’t going to play live long before we even thought about releasing music. I want to keep writing for other people, Charlie wants to do soundtracks, so being in a band and touring was never in our sights. Fundamentally we are a writing duo and a recording project, we’re not a band, so that makes it more justifiable to not play live and just release music the way we do.”

Modern Rodeo release Vol. 1 EP on 12th January. www.instagram.com/modernrodeo.ts

INTERVIEW

MUSIC

MAIUS MOLLIS

Image by Rob Irish

ALI WELFORD TALKS TO THE NORTH SHIELDS SONGWRITER ABOUT THE FRAGILE RUMINATIONS ON GRIEF THAT MAKE UP HER DEBUT EP Why is it that certain singer-songwriters prove so effective in seizing our hearts, while countless others float by without leaving so much as an impression? It’s a question I’ve mulled repeatedly since first encountering Maius Mollis, a standout up-and-comer whose fragile ruminations have already secured their place among my own affections. “Maybe it’s a case of certain artists expressing things we can’t put into words ourselves?” The diminutive tunesmith (real name Maisie) surmises. “I like to think my own songs aren’t really about me.

I’d rather listeners made them about themselves.”

However intangible that magic touch, it’s clear there’s a sizeable audience for whom Maisie’s writing will strike a potent chord – especially now she’s ready to roll with her maiden body of work. Showcasing the breadth and depth of her prodigious talents, new EP Waves is both an ideal introduction and the culmination of two formative years since the solo project’s inception. Captured with crystal clarity by Sam Grant (Pigsx7, Richard Dawson, Rubber Oh) at Blank Studios, its four songs each occupy their own distinct sonic space, with Maisie’s propensity to reflect upon grief forming key connective tissue.

“It’s the thing I keep coming back to,” she acknowledges. “I use automatic writing a lot – where you set a timer and write within its limits – so naturally a lot that comes out is what’s already on my mind. I really tried to resist the subject with my first single [The Tide Turned], whereas with this EP I fully embraced it. It felt a lot more intentional.”

Certainly, there’s a palpable assuredness underpinning Waves’ golden quartet. (I Was Not) Brave, for instance, is the manifestation of Maisie’s penchant for slow, sustained sonic and lyrical builds; Rest Of My Life an “angry break-up song” spun into the EP’s most potent earworm; and the title track a cathartic hymn for “anyone who didn’t get to say goodbye.”

I LIKE TO THINK MY OWN SONGS AREN’T REALLY ABOUT ME. I’D RATHER LISTENERS MADE THEM ABOUT THEMSELVES Along with her own experiences, inspiration was sourced from pioneering research on living loss by psychotherapist Julia Samuel. “We generally see grief as the result of somebody passing away, but while that’s definitely part of it and something I’ve experienced, it can also come from our expectations not being met, or things we see for ourselves not happening,” Maisie explains. “I feel like I didn’t really understand these tracks until they were finished. With [opener] Feel It Hard in particular, it took a while for me to understand what I was trying to say, whereas by the time I’d finished writing Waves I’d fully worked out the direction I was taking.”

While Arts Council funding, contributions from Chris McManus and Melanie Baker and Grant’s collaborative oversight aided Waves’ development, Maisie’s latest milestone has been the establishment of her new live band – comprised of Baker (guitar), Ceitidh Mac (synth) and John Lambeth (drums).

“It’s a flexible line-up…” she emphasises. “They’re all absolute gems, but the problem with choosing musicians who are both really good and nice is that they tend to be very busy!” With further full-band shows and a collaboration with Sam Fender/ Martha Hill producer Thom Lewis (Bramwell Bronte) in the pipeline, expect Maius Mollis’ cathartic sounds to tug plenty more heartstrings as we career into 2024.

Maius Mollis’ debut EP Waves is released on 1st December. www.linktr.ee/maiusmollis

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INTERVIEW

Sat 9 – Sat 23 Dec 2023

THU 30 NOV – SAT 16 DEC 2023 A LIVE THEATRE PRODUCTION

W NE

Live Theatre, Broad Chare, Quayside, Newcastle Upon Tyne NE1 3DQ

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0191 232 1232

www.live.org.uk

IVE TL AA SA NT ET ME

#WintryTales

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TICKETS £10 - £20 / CONCS FROM £6 #THREEACTSOFLOVE

FOR

Passion. Obsession. Acceptance. Betrayal.

A trio of short plays with music to warm the soul!

Script by LISETTE AUTON A brand new gloriously outrageous winter treat for children!

WRITTEN BY LAURA LINDOW, NAOMI OBENG & VICI WREFORD-SINNOTT

!

SNOW COVERED MAPS & MOUNTAINOUS MAYHEM

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Three Acts of Love

INTERVIEW

MUSIC

LOTTIE WILLIS

Image by Jack Herron

DAVID SAUNDERS CHATS WITH THE SUNDERLAND SONGWRITER ABOUT THE RELEASE OF HER DEBUT EP Sunderland has a knack for producing exceptional songwriting talent and one of the recent names on everyone’s lips is solo artist, Lottie Willis.

Lottie, like most artists from Sunderland, is a product of We Make Culture’s hugely successful Young Musician’s Project, a scheme aimed at 13-19 year-olds that helps wannabe musicians of any ability develop their music skills and take their first steps in the industry. She began her musical journey with them at the age of 14 and explains how vitally important it has been for her development as an artist: “If it wasn’t for the Young Musician’s Project and their support I truly wouldn’t be where I am now. It has allowed me to work with professionals in the industry, helping me to build my knowledge and confidence. It has allowed me to perform at so many absolutely amazing gigs and has given me some crazy opportunities.”

Performing as a solo artist these past few years, Lottie has gone on to release four well-received singles as well as share the stage with the likes of Rag’N’Bone Man, The Lake Poets and MaxÏmo Park’s Paul Smith. Now 20 years of age, she is set to release her brand new EP, 2003 (named after the year she was born). It’s a release that, as Lottie says, “explores feelings of grief, hope and hate.” She goes on to add: “One track is a song I wrote when grieving the loss of someone in my family, another is about a break-up, and another is about being there for a friend.”

The release sees Lottie demonstrating a melodic but assured vocal delivery reminiscent of the likes of Kate Nash, Joni

I FEEL LIKE SOMETIMES I JUST CLOSE MY EYES AND THEN THERE’S A SONG THAT APPEARS!

Mitchell and The Sundays’ Harriet Wheeler, as well as a skill for songcraft with thoughtful song structures and use of dynamics to bring out the emotion and drama in each track.

A noticeable change for this release is the introduction of a band to her music, with Sam Hughes (guitar), Aiden Juanzemis (bass) and Oscar Jordan (drums – with Betsy Kommer on live duty) adding to Lottie’s piano and vocals, and adding a richness to the recording.

“I have performing solo for many years now and I just felt like in order to elevate my music and allow more opportunities a band was a great idea, and I haven’t regretted it one bit! They are my best mates and make performing so much more fun!”

According to Lottie, the addition of her friends and the sincerity of the music has made the process of writing this EP an effortless one. “I feel like sometimes I just close my eyes and then there’s a song that appears! I tend to write a lot from personal experiences so it tends to come quite easy. I usually start by finding a chord progression I like and go from there.

Once I’ve got some ideas of what I would like the song to sound like I will send it over with some ideas to the band and let them brainstorm.”

The EP comes with a launch party on Saturday 9th December at Independent in Sunderland, which will be a great opportunity for the city to come and celebrate this fine musical talent before she is recognised as not just a regional rising star but a national one too.

Lottie Willis releases 2003 on 8th December, she performs at Independent, Sunderland on Saturday 9th December. www.linktr.ee/lottiewillismusic

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LISTINGS

THE BEST OF THE REST… EVEN MORE ALTERNATIVE MUSIC, THEATRE, COMEDY, ART AND FILM TAKING PLACE THROUGHOUT THE NORTH EAST THIS MONTH FRIDAY 1ST DECEMBER A BIT CRACK

Storytelling from Dominic Kelly // The Chillingham Arms, Newcastle

GAVIN WEBSTER

A new night combining food and great comedy, with performances from Gavin Webster, Noel James and Bethany Black // Ellison’s Restaurant, Low Fell

GET WRONG

A new project from Naomi from DIY punks Martha, plus bigfatbig and nathan sg // The Central Bar, Gateshead

HEATHER FERRIER TRIO

Captivating musician // Alphabetti Theatre, Newcastle

JUMPIN’ HOT’S 30TH ANNIVERSARY BLUEGRASS Special Featuring Good Guy Hank and Blue Lass // The Cluny, Newcastle

SCRUFFY BEAR

Soulful fuzzy rock, supported by Cafe Magrana and Mascara’s Lies // The Link, Stockton Globe

FEATURED //

The Pale White

Exciting indie rock trio, supported by Dossers, The Peevie Wonders and Blackout The Arcade // Middlesbrough Empire

SATURDAY 2ND DECEMBER AUNTIE JOY

Including an improvisers workshop during the day, with live performances from Bulbils, Rapasa and Posset in the evening // Ye Olde Cross, Ryton

BEWARE OF TRAINS

Yorkshire chamber pop trio // The Globe, Newcastle

CATCH THE SPARROW

The songwriter weaves delicate and intricate songs with traditional folk influences // Alphabetti Theatre, Newcastle

GOTH/ALT MARKET

Unique clothing, craft items and curiosities from local traders, with live music from Witch of the East, Play/Dead and Novyi Lef // Black Bull, Gateshead

JANICE BURNS & JON DORAN

Anglo-Scottish folk artists perform their Winter Songs tour // St George’s, Jesmond

MOON WAX

The funk-fuelled Northern pop band celebrate their debut vinyl release, with support from Cortney Dixon // Teesside University, Middlesbrough

IN ISOLATION

80s inspired indie rock, supported by The Scarlet Hour // Black Bull, Gateshead

MONDAY 4TH DECEMBER WE DARE TO DREAM

A rousing story of inspirational determination following the extraordinary journey of refugee athletes on a path to competing in the 2020 Olympic games.

Followed by Q&A with director Waad Al-Kateab // Tyneside Cinema, Newcastle

WEDNESDAY 6TH DECEMBER JEN STEVENS

The award-winning songwriter and pianist previews songs from her upcoming album, due for release in early 2024 // Alphabetti Theatre, Newcastle

LAURA MISCH

Multi-disciplinary artist and producer // The Glasshouse, Gateshead

THURSDAY 7TH DECEMBER GOGOL BORDELLO

International punk band with a party spirit // NX Newcastle

HAUNTINGS

Hauntings is a spellbinding evening of three tales of the supernatural from E.F. BENSON, famed for his Mapp and Lucia comic novels // Middlesbrough Town Hall Crypt

VENUS GRRRLS

Alt. rock quintet whose twinkly synths and jagged guitar lines underpin a feisty energy // Middlesbrough Empire

SATURDAY 9TH DECEMBER CATTLE & CANE

The Teesside siblings have already sold out two shows at the venue this month, don’t dally for tickets for night number three!

Support from Jodie Nicholson // The Georgian Theatre, Stockton

OSTAR SOUND

Electronic infused eclectic folk instrumentalists informed by the musical heritage of Scotland, Ireland, the Middle East and beyond // Cobalt Studios, Newcastle

SUNDAY 10TH DECEMBER HOLY WAVE

Dream-pop oriented psychedelic four-piece // The Cluny 2, Newcastle

ROBB JOHNSON

Political songwriter with warmth and wit // Toft House, Middlesbrough

MONDAY 11TH DECEMBER HOMEBOY SANDMAN

LAST CASE SCENARIO

VANE WOMEN READING

Atmospheric death metal from Spain, supported by Plague Rider and Sathamel // Little Buildings, Newcastle Energetic alt. punk rock band, supported by Failed To Ignite // Alphabetti Theatre, Newcastle

NEW ACT NEW MATERIAL NIGHT

Featuring comedy musical duo Black Liver, Chris Cantrill, Catherine Young and more // Hops & Cheese, Hartlepool

TOM A SMITH

One of the hottest indie rock acts in the North East // Middlesbrough Empire

TRUNKY JUNO

Newcastle’s indie maverick with killer tunes informed by society and pop culture, supported by Porcelain and Abnorm // The Cluny 2, Newcastle

FRIDAY 8TH DECEMBER BRYONY GRIFFITH & ALICE JONES

The duo celebrate the release of their album of Yorkshire winter songs // The Globe, Newcastle

HARRY BIRD

Internationally acclaimed singer-songwriter // Alphabetti Theatre, Newcastle

FOAM PIT COMEDY

MICHAEL LEGGE

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Seven-piece jazz fusion outfit // Cobalt Studios, Newcastle

JADE

SUNDAY 3RD DECEMBER An eclectic line-up of established and up-and-coming comics, including Chris Cantrill, Kelly Edgar, Kerris Gibson, Scott Turnbull and Matty Ride-Smith // Zerox, Newcastle

TÊTES DE POIS

Seasoned headline and top telly comic heads a line-up which also includes Ingrid Dahle, Eddie Brimson and Si Beckwith // South Causey Inn, Stanley

New York rapper, with support from Amy True and Holly Flo Lightly // The Cluny, Newcastle Hear poet Katharine Goda read from her debut pamphlet collection, Safety Measures against the Sea, and various Vane Women Press published writers read their work from a jam-packed 30-year celebratory anthology Glorious Vane // The Lit & Phil, Newcastle

TUESDAY 12TH DECEMBER CRYWANK

Anti-folk misfits, supported by Commuted // The Cluny, Newcastle

HEARKEN QUARTET

The band are inspired by lively traditional dance music of Europe // Alphabetti Theatre, Newcastle

THURSDAY 14TH DECEMBER BRONNIE

High energy alt. pop and riffy pop-fuelled punk // Middlesbrough Empire

RED RUM CLUB

The Liverpudlian sextet play an infectious blend of indie rock // KU, Stockton

SHOE CAKE COMEDY CLUB

Featuring The Discount Comedy Checkout, a top headliner and MC Chris Lumb // The Georgian Theatre, Stockton

LISTINGS FRIDAY 15TH DECEMBER

SUNDAY 31ST DECEMBER

THE WANDERING HEARTS

BIG MOUTH COMEDY CLUB NEW YEAR’S EVE SPECIAL

Three-part harmonies and roots rock energy // The Glasshouse, Gateshead

THESE WICKED RIVERS

Blues-infused modern rock // Anarchy Brewery, Newcastle

SATURDAY 16TH DECEMBER ANDREW CUSHIN

Acclaimed up and coming North East songwriter // O2 City Hall, Newcastle

KAY GREYSON

Talented hip-hop songwriter and MC // Alphabetti Theatre, Newcastle

FEATURED //

Method Winter Social

An epic line-up of art and music with DJs including Krazed, Stereo 45, Mudfoot Blaps, Urban Jedi, Paula Halfpenny and more, plus a live MC cypher hosted by Layla Lu and Madam B, alongside food and drink treats // Downcast Studio, Gateshead

Featuring laugh-a-minute sets from Matt Reed, Peter Brush and Rob Deering, alongside old school pie & peas and a disco ‘til late // Middlesbrough Town Hall

FEATURED //

Happy New Quee-Year

Mack and Mama Rhi invite you to an alternative cabaret night full of motion, vibration, scent, rain, mist, bubbles, fog, smoke, wind and temperature changes to welcome in 2024 in fabulous fashion // Alphabetti Theatre, Newcastle

GAST EVENTS

House, garage, breaks and drum n bass DJs including 6jjacob, Brad Robinson, Sad Spit Sally and more, with funds raised donated to Women’s Street Watch Middlesbrough // Disgraceland, Middlesbrough

THURSDAY 4TH JANUARY KEVIN MONTGOMERY

Nashville songwriter // The Cluny 2, Newcastle

SUNDAY 17TH DECEMBER

MONDAY 8TH JANUARY

BODY DOUBLE

NERDS JUST WANNA HAVE FUN

Brian De Palma’s seductive, LA-bound neo-noir on the dangers of voyeurism, with informative lecture // Star & Shadow Cinema, Newcastle

TUESDAY 19TH DECEMBER SHAKK

Get ready to chuckle your way through the science scene as Neil Harris, Kelly Edgar, Matthew Wheelright, and Luke Connell hit the stage, dissecting the quirky side of the scientific world // The Stand, Newcastle

TUESDAY 9TH JANUARY

Powerful and eclectic songwriter and rapper, supported by Peggy // Alphabetti Theatre, Newcastle

SKETCH SLAP

THURSDAY 21ST DECEMBER

FRIDAY 12TH JANUARY

RUBBER OH

LITTLE SMITH SUNSHINE

FRIDAY 22ND DECEMBER

MARK MORRISS

Psych pop experimentalist // Alphabetti Theatre, Newcastle

END CREDITS

Psychedelic indie rock band from Teesside // Alphabetti Theatre, Newcastle

WEDNESDAY 27TH DECEMBER NEW YEAR SPECIALS

See the new year in with laughter and joy, courtesy of comedians Matt Reed, Lauren Stone, Anth Young and Mike Milligan. Runs until 31st December // The Stand, Newcastle

STEVE THOMPSON

An acoustic show from the local songwriter // The White Room Music Cafe, Stanley

A night of fun comedy sketches // Alphabetti Theatre, Newcastle

Canadian comedian Allyson June Smith presents a new show serving up an observational cocktail of wit, bite and shame // Alphabetti Theatre, Newcastle The Bluetones frontman performs his passionate solo material // Old Cinema Launderette, Durham

SATURDAY 13TH JANUARY FLATLINE

The North East metalcore band’s sound is typified by melodic riffs and soaring choruses // Bobiks, Newcastle

MARK SIMMONS

The master of one-liners brings his highly rated show to County Durham // The Witham, Barnard Castle

EVERYBODY’S TALKING ABOUT JAMIE

The smash hit West End musical about overcoming prejudice, beating the bullies and stepping into the limelight. Runs until 20th January // Theatre Royal, Newcastle

THURSDAY 18TH JANUARY BLUES BROTHERS SING/DANCE ALONG

Fictional comedic rockumentary featuring performances of classic R&B, soul and blues numbers // Star & Shadow Cinema, Newcastle

HUGH CORNWELL

The songwriter behind The Stranglers // Boiler Shop, Newcastle

SEB ROCHFORD & KIT DOWNES

A sublime jazz pairing // The Glasshouse, Gateshead

FRIDAY 19TH JANUARY TOM CLARKE

The frontman of indie band The Enemy heads out on a solo tour // The Grove, Newcastle

SATURDAY 20TH JANUARY SHRUG

Eclectic Teesside rock and rollers, supported

by Kev Howard and Mascara’s Lies // Toft House, Middlesbrough

SUNDAY 21ST JANUARY FEATURED //

Sisters With Transistors

The remarkable untold story of electronic music’s female pioneers composers who embraced machines and their liberating technologies to utterly transform how we produce and listen to music today // Star & Shadow Cinema, Newcastle

WEDNESDAY 24TH JANUARY ED BYRNE

The top comedian tests the theory that ‘humour is defined by tragedy plus time’ in his new show. Also at Gala Durham on 26th January // The Fire Station, Sunderland

THURSDAY 25TH JANUARY JEFFREY MARTIN

The Oregon folk songwriter’s remarkable voice and lyrical wit makes him a live favourite // The Globe, Newcastle

THE CHILD IN THE STRIPED PYJAMAS

WERBENIUK

Skiffletronica/argu-rock outfit, plus support Bosko Green and Frazer Lambert // Toft House, Middlesbrough

Based upon John Boyne’s novel, this chamber opera address the Holocaust in a way audiences of every age can engage with // Gosforth Civic Theatre, Newcastle

SUNDAY 14TH JANUARY

FRIDAY 26TH JANUARY

DAFTIES

CATCH 22 COMEDY CLUB

Bluegrass and old-time, supported by Cloth Eared Mule // The Globe, Newcastle

TUESDAY 16TH JANUARY

SATURDAY 27TH JANUARY

MASSA CONFUSA

BRING ME THE HORIZON

NICK HARPER

THURSDAY 28TH DECEMBER MICHAEL CURRAN’S DEAF FICTION

Genre-blending artist // The Engine Room, North Shields

FRIDAY 29TH DECEMBER ERRANT MOOSE

Alt. rock post-punks, with support from Casual Threats and Mouses // Little Buildings, Newcastle

Gavin Webster and Si Beckwith pull together some of their favourite daft people for a night of comedy // The Stand, Newcastle

Multi-platinum rock superstars, with support from Bad Omens, Casseytte and Static Dress // Utilita Arena, Newcastle

With MC Russell Hicks, Raj Poojara and Jonny Awsum among others // ARC, Stockton

The acclaimed guitarist and songwriter plays from his latest album, Tempus Fugitive // Old Cinema Launderette, Durham

35

REVIEWS

Queens of the Stone Age by Adam Kennedy

QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE @ THE GLOBE, STOCKTON (20.11.23) Words: Steve Spithray If anything epitomises Stockton’s commitment to culture programming it’s being able to see one of the biggest rock bands in the world on a wet autumnal Monday night and still be home in time for a Horlicks. In a venue notably smaller than the rest of The End Is Nero arena tour, tonight’s Queens of the Stone Age show is a barrage of riffs. In fact, the first six or seven tracks are dealt with barely a pause, including the scalding early favourite No One Knows.

It’s a huge production, literally an arena show in a theatre, but a mid-set lull, including newie Carnavoyeur, is phoned in and obviously scripted while occasional theatrical flourishes feel slightly forced or flat, as if only to take the edge off the unrelenting rock, and only Emotion Sickness really works as a change of pace. However, in the latter third of their set QOTSA are potently better than most other rock bands, finishing with Make It Wit Chu (singer Josh Homme smoking a cigarette on stage, which may cause a bit of a headache for the venue) and a stirring Little Sister.

A three-track encore includes plenty of stop-start stagecraft that does really work and, as A Song For The Dead closes things out, there is something undeniable about Josh and the band’s part-cool, part-edgy showmanship and the reason QOTSA remain the best in their field.

FIELD MUSIC @ THE CLUNY, NEWCASTLE (19.11.23) Words: Thomas Jackson In branding their two night residency at The Cluny as the Class Of ’05, it’s hard to know whether Field Music are talking about themselves or their audience. All around, stalwarts of the North East music scene are greeting each other with warm hugs and cries of “I haven’t seen you in ages!” This really could be a school reunion – the faces in the room are basically the same as in 2005, just now we’re all a bit older, a bit greyer, and wearing better shoes.

The music, as you’d imagine, is superb. This is the slimmed down, original recipe Field Music, featuring the brothers Brewis and pianist Andrew Moore (as well as a guest appearance from Tom English on percussion for a time). Reaching back to their first two albums, the band

36

deliver the choicest cuts from that particular time capsule. It’s a nostalgia trip, for sure, but one which still feels authentic.

At times it feels like the band, and David Brewis in particular, would prefer to go off-piste a little and throw something new and surprising into the mix, as we all know they can do at leisure, but everyone’s got the same brief, and we’re sticking to it. It might feel like Field Music covering Field Music songs, but those songs, and this band, are as phenomenal now as they were in 2005.

SARAH JOHNSONE, DOSSERS, RAISING ROMULUS @ THE GEORGIAN THEATRE, STOCKTON (10.11.23) Words: Tracy Hyman Sarah Johnsone has been making her mark on the local music scene for quite a while now, and finally her eagerly awaited debut EP has arrived.

In support, Raising Romulus showed a lot of promise with their juxtaposition of jangly, summery, intricate guitar atop heavy emo rock.

Carefully crafted rhythmic songs produce a wall of sound, interspersed with more delicate sections. A few issues with tuning the bass didn’t stop them putting in a solid performance. Dossers were next with their high-octane energy, punchy and infectious heavy rock, and well put together songs with a catchy rhythmic rock style. The head-banging frontman had charisma and presence; foot on the monitors one minute and roaming the stage the next.

Sarah Johnsone has been one of my ‘ones to watch’ for some time now, having caught her playing early sets at Stockton Calling and other local festivals. Her sound is an eclectic mix of indie, pop, rock and a generous helping of jazz. Tonight, she launched her EP Same Reflection But I’m Changed; from the more stripped-back Come Sweet Sunshine to the upbeat recent single of Sofia, the energy switches gear with ease. Older songs merge seamlessly with those on the new EP, which are lyrically strong and musically rich, showcasing her powerful tone and soulful vocals. The songs came alive with the help of her talented band, and the funky and soulful Down By The River finished the set with a climactic end. This feels like the beginning of something great for Sarah Johnsone.

LIVE

Mandy, Indiana by Thomas Jackson

MANDY, INDIANA, SLAP RASH @ ZEROX, NEWCASTLE (29.10.23) Words: Ali Welford A packed-out Zerox is buzzing at the prospect of experiencing one of this year’s standout debuts in the flesh – yet as fellow Mancunians Slap Rash tear and writhe through their opening slot, there seems the very real prospect of Mandy, Indiana’s thunder being stolen. A raw, tumultuous torrent of noise, this duo feed from the firebrand collision between Hugh Lloyd’s blaring bass and spare electronics, and the precision and intensity of sister Amelia behind drumkit and mic. Hungry, laser-focused on their strengths and with the tunes to smooth-over several broken string breaks, Slap Rash are a primal, unforeseen thrill – quite the opposite of a ‘safe’ tour support.

For their part, Mandy, Indiana waste no time in vindicating their boldness, exposing how celebrated full-length I’ve Seen A Way can scarcely hold a candle to the ravishing rancour of their live show. A relentless conflict between industrial electronics and wailing, tortured guitars, the quartet’s mechanised onslaught is as invigorating as it is punishing. The incessant thud of Drag [Crashed] and piercing blows of Pinking Shears are predictable lift-off points, yet in a set without troughs it’s less heralded numbers such as Peach Fuzz and Bottle Episode which truly highlight their ravenous intent. Blowing fears of an upstaging out the water, it’s an imperious showing which only hardens their claim as one of 2023’s definitive breakthrough acts.

THE UMLAUTS, BULLION TRAIN, SHEIVA @ ZEROX, NEWCASTLE (26.10.23) Words: Ali Welford There’s a vintage psych lineage running through local newcomer Bullion Train, a one-man band whose impeccable taste shines bright on the synth-fuelled sounds of recent EP New Demonstrations, not to mention a motorik rendition of Velvet Underground milestone Sister Ray. There’s plenty to like about Londoners Sheiva too – though with everything from grime and trip-hop to pop punk and post-hardcore accounted for, their admirably boundless chameleon act could perhaps use a little honing.

The Umlauts, by contrast, have exploded onto the scene fully-formed, with no concessions for stragglers failing to keep pace. A mere eight-piece on the night, this trans-European post-disco-rave-punk

outfit have mutated at an incendiary equilibrium between forceful bombast and technicoloured chaos; an intoxicating stomp anchored by dual vocalists Maria Vittoria Faldini and Annabelle Mödlinger, whose contrasting manner and multilingual exchanges provide presence and personality amidst the sonic fallout. The room is far from full, yet the duo’s magnetism alone is enough to ignite a frenzy. Hell, the last time I saw The Umlauts the pair had me hooked – and that was without half their bandmates even making it through the PA! Tonight, though, the collective are in full flow, and the effect is electrifying – an uncompromising live phenomenon whom wider audiences surely can’t be far from cottoning onto.

PEACE @ WYLAM BREWERY, NEWCASTLE (09.11.23) Words: Jason Jones At the risk of sounding doe-eyed or corny, the world could always use a little more Peace. Admittedly, they rarely hand out Nobel Prizes to skinny-wristed boys from Digbeth in drainpipes and Docs, but on the first spitefully cold night of Autumn at a giddy Wylam Brewery, the Koisser brothers at least do their bit to put a dint in the pervasive gloom.

Once considered the most darling of indie prospects, a half-decade hiatus has now mutedly concluded with the band returning as a svelte fraternal couplet – for better and for worse. Glittering and occasionally restrictive, like a feather boa noose, Peace 2.0 is a smoking goblet of nostalgia force-fed through Burroughs’ fabled Cut-Up Method. Songs are reimagined, beats are processed and looped, backing tracks are relied upon.

When it clicks, it clicks sublimely well; a habitual cover, for instance, of Binary Finery’s 1998 is soaringly euphoric, like watching a particularly beatific Ibiza set in 3D glasses. At other times it can, however, feel a little shallow – more like two admirably-committed method actors before a green screen. The lulls, when they come, lull hard.

Still, Peace’s ace in the hole was always their superlative songwriting, and to that end they, of course, remain magnificent. From the discotheque bombast of Lost On Me to the sugary surge of Lovesick, the Koissers are still irresistibly potent – just perhaps not to the extent that they once were.

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LIVE

Ben Folds by Idene Roozbayani

BEN FOLDS, LAU NOAH @ THE GLASSHOUSE, GATESHEAD (15.11.23) Words: Dawn Storey Ben Folds has just cancelled his solo European shows due to tendonitis.

Thankfully for Gateshead, his UK band dates are going ahead – and from tonight’s piano playing you’d never know anything was amiss.

Lau Noah opens with classical guitar tunes and endearing chatter about how Joni Mitchell made her want to become a musician. She puts her own spin on Both Sides Now and when the crowd oblige her request for a singalong to Ode To Darkness it’s a genuinely lovely end to her set.

Folds opens with two songs from latest album What Matters Most, not stopping to catch breath or address the audience until another two songs more. A charming raconteur, he gives insights into how online songwriting masterclasses in lockdown resulted in his new LP. The dry humour he demonstrates extends to tracks like the superb Kristine From The 7th Grade, about a conspiracy theorist, with its line “the misspellings they must be on purpose – we went to a good school, Kristine”. His band, particularly his drummer, are exceptional and their harmonies, cello and surprisingly beautiful harmonica all complement his piano perfectly.

The only misstep is when the energy drops mid-encore with a gentler track sandwiched between rousing old favourites Annie Waits and Zak And Sarah – but this doesn’t detract from an excellent evening.

HILARY WOODS, NATHALIE STERN @ COBALT STUDIOS, NEWCASTLE (03.11.23) Words: Ben Lowes-Smith This is potentially Nathalie Stern’s last live outing for a little while, and it feels bittersweet given how brilliant and unique her compositions are.

Indebted to influences as diverse as doom metal and European white voice singing, Nathalie’s beautiful, melancholic compositions are profoundly affecting and live long in the memory. Drawing largely from her LP Nerves And Skin, it’s a perfect accompaniment to Hilary Wood’s vulnerable, hypnotic drone music.

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Something of a left turn in Wood’s oeuvre, tonight’s performance is an engrossing one, drawing on neo-classical and experimental electronic music, with skittish jazz percussion leading to a truly immersive experience. The music is paired with video art beautifully, in rhythm and tone, and it’s truly transportive stuff. The spell is broken towards the end of the set, when Woods plays a song unaccompanied on guitar, beautiful and plaintive, to gently ease us back down to Earth after a stratospheric journey.

CALEXICO, BRIAN LOPEZ @ THE FIRE STATION, SUNDERLAND (03.11.23) Words: Lee Fisher Support tonight came from Brian Lopez, not just a member of Calexico (and other outfits like Orkestra Mendoza) but a decent performer in his own right. Initially a bit too sixties folky – think Donovan or even early Bolan – but he got better, especially when the rest of Calexico joined him, and the Killing Moon cover was great.

I’ve seen Calexico a bunch and have to admit the last couple of times were decent but underwhelming. No such worries tonight, they were fully on fire. The line-up was packed with multi-instrumentalists, one playing vibraphone, trumpet and lapsteel (often at once), so the sound was rich and full and, let’s face it, there’s nothing more exhilarating than mariachi trumpets at full pelt.

I could watch John Convertino drum all day – such poise and ease, such beguiling rattlesnake rhythms. We got most of Feast Of Wire (it was a 20th anniversary tour after all) and some curveballs (like an only partially successful Love Will Tear Us Apart Again). But their perennial, beautiful Alone Again Or cover made up for that. Things seemed especially Latin jazz tonight (“Sunderland, are you ready to do the cumbia?” isn’t a phrase I thought I’d ever hear) and there were slinky vibes all over. The band seemed to be having a ball, the audience definitely were, and with a glorious Crystal Frontier they were done.

LIVE

The Streets by Thomas Jackson

TEENAGE FANCLUB, SWEET BABOO @ THE GLASSHOUSE, GATESHEAD (09.11.23) Words: Lee Hammond Tonight is an intimate affair, a feeling which is compounded by a solo set from the ever-brilliant Sweet Baboo. His delicate voice combined with his charm make for a perfect opening set, with old favourites sprinkled amongst tracks from his latest record The Wreckage.

Teenage Fanclub are a little less subdued though. Opening track Tired of Being Alone sets the perfect tone, with Back To The Light and I Left A Light On all featuring early in the set, and tracks from new album Nothing Lasts Forever are peppered throughout this evening. These are interspersed with a multitude of fan favourites, the likes of Alcoholiday and Did I Say standing out. The hits continue to flow, whilst the seated nature of the show fosters a slightly retrained atmosphere in contrast to the upbeat nature of these tracks, it feels no less exciting.

The latter part of the set sees more hits, Everything Is Falling Apart prompts a jubilant singalong and feels rather apt in the current circumstances. Followed by It’s A Bad World, the political undertones are evident, but are tempered somewhat with the likes of I’m In Love, all before they finish on absolute fan favourite Everything Flows. It’s an excellent set that takes in the breadth of the band’s back catalogue as they satisfy fans new and old with an exceptional performance.

THE STREETS @ O2 CITY HALL, NEWCASTLE (03.11.23) Words: Jonathan Coll It’s impossible for me to be objective when speaking about The Streets, so I won’t even try. An artist that speaks so earnestly about life, loss, being skint and getting dumped – problems that we can all, unfortunately, relate to – Mike Skinner has one of the best back catalogues in recent years, shot through with a blend of soulful garage tunes and UK hip-hop.

A Friday night in Newcastle promises a rowdy, inebriated audience, and it’s an environment Skinner thrives in. Crowdsurfing and walking through the crowd, microphone in hand, is part of what makes The Streets’ gigs so captivating. If nothing else, it allowed me to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with one of my musical heroes for a split second, and turned a great gig into one that will stay with me for years.

The setlist was perfect: Troubled Waters and Mike (Desert Island Duvet) being the two best songs from his most recent records, and the majority belonging to those first seminal two albums. Skinner even found time to squeeze in some old favourites that had fallen out of recent setlists, and hearing the first piano chords of Could Well Be In is the happiest I’ve felt at a gig in a long time.

Understandably, not everyone will hold The Streets in the regard I do.

But for what he’s done for UK hip-hop, and for me throughout my formative years and every time I’ve seen him live, nobody else comes close.

ALL STRUCTURES ALIGN, ONLOOKER, SELF-LOVE, ZILCH PATROL @ THE CUMBERLAND ARMS, NEWCASTLE (28.10.23) Words: Ben Lowes-Smith Endless Window one again provided a smorgasbord of genre-hopping brilliance in the top room of The Cumberland Arms, with a bumper four band line-up. Relative newcomers Zilch Patrol are seasonal, treating us to a slab of exquisite motoric-goth from their debut LP. Hannah Bridgewater’s tremendously expressive vocals elevate the groups nuanced, brilliantly written goth punk, which has hooks and riffs for days.

Self Love specialise in DIY pop with a particular kind of detached melancholy, with remarkable accomplishment on what I understand to be their first show in Newcastle. Skittery, chip-tuney sadness sashays into more free-form material, all held together with poetic, textured lyrics that ring around the brain long after. A real triumph.

Onlooker are Your New Favourite Band, taking the best aspects of garage rock and hardcore, blink and you’ll miss ‘em tunes rammed with hooks, energy and bile. Everything is conducted with a compelling intensity and a real sense of fun. A barnstorming set.

All Structures Align close the evening with a set of precise, hypnotic post-rock propelled by tremendous rhythm section work from Neil Turpin and Oli Heffernan. Their plaintive songs contain flashes of chaos and intensity in the context of what is mainly a masterclass in slow build and control, their beautiful bucolic music sending us off into the crisp Autumn evening.

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TRACKS

REVIEWS OF SINGLES AND EPS BY NORTH EAST ARTISTS. WANT YOUR MUSIC FEATURED? EMAIL NARCMEDIA@GMAIL.COM (PLEASE TRY TO GET IN TOUCH 8-6 WEEKS AHEAD OF THE MONTH OF RELEASE)

Image by Will Gorman

TALIRAW DELICATE CONCRETE EP

BIG ROMANCE MESSED UP

Words: Matt Young The latest Taliraw release is a collection of eight new tracks, instrumentals, songs and spoken word that sound fresh and buoyant.

Featuring the deftness of cello playing used on previous solo releases and various musical collaborations, its stereotypically mournful sound acts as a foundation as much as an emotive tool.

Healing For Myself backs up the lively guitar strumming with sweeping cello chords, while Insecurities builds tense, attacking rhythms and EP title track Delicate Concrete weaves a contemplative tone. There’s a wide expanse, ambition and a longing for home literally expressed on the song Quick Sand. Hopefully, the art is enough to contain these longings as they help make Taliraw a fascinating and exciting musician not just for the region but everywhere.

Released: 26.01.24 www.taliraw.bandcamp.com

Words: Michael O’Neill A driving bass line and a slow, surf-shot riff set the scene in this brilliant dose of dark post-punk from the Toon-based trio. The songwriting immediately calls to mind the chaotic loud-quiet-loud dynamics of Pixies, with an expertly warped production (from Lanterns on the Lake’s Paul Gregory) which swamps the song in texture and personality.

The sheets of distorted guitar are frequently punctuated with angular riffs giving the song plenty of dissonance, edge and personality. The engineering from Alex Blamire (in-house engineer at the newly refurbished Polestar Studios) is also pristine, further helping the character of the song, and the strengths of the trio’s musicianship, to truly shine throughout. All in all, it’s an incredible dose of sonic fury.

Released: 12.01.24 www.linktr.ee/bigromanceband

TREV GIBB SECRET HEROES EP

Image by Ricky Stiles

Words: James Hattersley Prolific North East songwriter Trev Gibb has lulled his alter ego, King of the Sea, into a gentle slumber with his new EP Secret Heroes.

A marriage between songs without a home, the EP weaves a tapestry of sultry melancholic delight. Fossils ushers in a whimsical start, with sauntering guitar and strings while Gibb’s tender bellow glides through an emotional deliverance; The Particle And The Wave shoots us across the stars into a cosmic waltz; while Bad Dream is certified cosy hot toddy drinking music. A tribute to someone dearly departed, Last Year will leave the hardest of hearts sobbing, while Frequency grandly brings the curtain down.

With Secret Heroes, Gibb has etched his name into the pantheon of sublime North East alternative folk singer-songwriters.

Released: 15.12.23 www.trevgibbmusic.bandcamp.com

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WILL GOOD AND THE MATTES SO SO EP

Image by Steve Chaplin

Words: Michael O’Neill This kaleidoscopic four-track offering from the recording project of singersongwriter Steve Chaplin commences with the languid Do Nothing, where an initially restrained and lo-fi sound gives way to fully-formed and Syd Barrett-esque surrealism. The spacey Man Of My Dreams is propelled by dubby drum machine drone and warm, trebly chords upon which lamentful lyrics add a raw edge. Crazies is a stark and unpredictable sonic soundscape, where diminished and unconventional chord progressions, along with rapid tempo shifts, brilliantly underpin the anxiety in the lyrics, calling to mind the more left-field solo offerings from Robyn Hitchcock. Closer The Man I Used To Be is more restrained, with slowcore guitars weaving around emotionally charged strings, further underpinning the raw and emotional lyrics.

Released: 01.12.23 www.willgoodandthemattes.com

RULED BY RAPTORS REMIX EP

SONS OF MILLIONAIRES REVELATION

Words: Matt Young As an abrasive sounding, post-hardcore band with an array of heavy emotive songs in their canon, it’s a bold step to engage a wholly different genre as a remix project. Enlisting producer Jack Byrne to reinterpret Ruled By Raptors Silent Sound EP, the first fruits have been drip-fed recently with Waves and Dance of Wolves both radically overhauled.

Their splintered incessant drumming is relatively jettisoned while vocals and guitars are repurposed over airy, synth beats and pads. What’s removed in ferocity is made up for in subtler expressions and moods: Byrne’s squelchy dancefloor beats for Cleftones and Oxy’s Moron sparse atmospherics also showcase a more accessible versions of Ruled By Raptors’ harsh sound while retaining their sentiment.

Released: 26.01.24 www.ruledbyraptors.bandcamp.com

Words: James Hattersley Echoing back to the post-industrial urban landscape of the Toon, Newcastle’s Sons of Millionaires’ new single Revelation reverberates with a desire to escape the soul-crushing existence of everyday life.

Taken from their debut self-titled album, the single does an excellent job of submerging the listener into a thick musical heath which suffocates, drowns and truly evokes the push needed to escape city life. Layered heavy synths act as swirling concrete walls while pounding drums intersect; mimicking the unbearable noise of bustle. Booming vocals rain down with authoritarianism – surrounding and consuming.

And yet, there’s a sense of urgency. Something has to change. Playful synth melodies bring hope, comfort and the revelation that the first step is knowing you want to escape.

Released: 05.01.23 www.sonsofmillionaires.bandcamp.com

THE INKLINGS CANDLELIGHT

RICHIE HARRISON 22:58 EP

Words: Matt Young Prolific North East rock trio The Inklings tease the first track from their upcoming fifth album Return Of The Puppets, due out 2024. The solid, pounding drums and bouncy bass work lay robust foundations for the occasional guitar trill or solo and less shrill Maiden-esque vocals – original-era Dickinson naturally. It’s all very straightforward, no-nonsense rock with a slight metal bent all about things that go bump in the night, an unseen foe or perhaps a supernatural entity. Maybe it’s just an overactive imagination and some NyQuil would help? Whatever the lyrical content may be alluding to isn’t quite resolved though, as the band keep things relatively brief and just about hold things intact musically.

Released: 20.12.23 www.linktr.ee/the_inklings

Words: Niamh Poppleton Richie Harrison’s latest offering is a melodic Supergrass-esque seven track EP compassing an eclectic collection of tracks which span several genres. The songs maintain an overarching theme of anxiety, yet each has its own multi-faceted meaning.

The opening track Firing Line has a nineties vibe similar to Cast; a discussion of overthinking and blurting out later regretted words which put us “in the firing line”. Brightest Day tells of a complicated relationship woven with a country-like guitar arrangement and 70s atmosphere. The EP comes to a close with the unusual Nice To Be In Orbit – a conversation between an astronaut and mission control on Earth, grainy in sound and undeniably unique. 22:58 has a track for every kind of listener.

Released: 31.12.23 www.facebook.com/richieharrisonmusic

SUCCOUR RAIN

ANDREW BRADLEY FORTUNE TELLER

Words: Caitlin Thomson Succour, a grunge five-piece from Teesside, get serious about the cost of living crisis and rising poverty on their track Rain. Palpable anger jumps from lyrics like “scraping by ‘til the next pay check” and “when you miss a meal so your kids can eat”, a reality facing many this coming winter.

Loud vocals have depth, scratchy shouts and yells giving way mid-track to vocal scatting. A guitar solo fuels an increasing tempo, playfully complemented by scat and drums. The track ends on a sustained yell: “it never rains it only pours”, with a drawn-out janky finish, crashing cymbals punctuating the finale.

Released: 15.12.23 www.facebook.com/succourband

Words: Niamh Poppleton The relentless human urge to discover meaning in life has been present throughout our history and has found its way into music once again through Andrew Bradley’s latest release, Fortune Teller. This quirky track, taken from his upcoming album, questions the human desire for understanding and the lengths to which we will go to achieve this, including seeking out foretold prophecies.

The music track itself has a dream-like ambience about it, a nursery rhyme of sorts; in a Bo Burnham-inspired fashion, the song comprises Andrew’s unique vocals and the playful piano notes that accompany him throughout. As the track draws to a close, the fortune teller becomes the “fiction teller” – as their facade slips away, the song itself fades out.

Released: 01.12.23 www.facebook.com/mynameisbradz

MICHAEL CURRAN’S DEAF FICTION FORESTS

SWINDLED COUNTING SHEEP EP

Words: Caitlin Thomson Forests is the final chapter in Michael Curran’s Deaf Fiction series and an expert drawing together of the project. The track is infused with closure, gently meandering with moments of grandeur.

Vocals, strings and drums are interwoven with a hint of soft reverb. Despite being a mammoth seven minutes, Forests is well-paced; the music is in no hurry, with a slow, steady tempo that is primarily vocal-led. There’s a sense of comfort in this music, with its visually rich images of sleep and wooded forests. Perhaps also comforting is the celebration of community, Curran philosophises “if you’re on your own you’ll turn to stone in time”. Catch them live at The Engine Room, North Shields on Thursday 28th December.

Released: 29.12.23 www.instagram.com/michaelcurransdeaffiction

Words: Michael O’Neill This Sunderland-based quintet (consisting of Jonny, Alex, Will, Felix and Thomas) cite R.E.M. and The La’s as inspirations, and leading track Light Of The Sun certainly recalls the acoustic-driven rockabilly spirit of the latter group, with harmony-heavy splendour brilliantly framing the vivid lyrics.

The intricate waltz-time Right Education gracefully navigates knotty time-signature shifts, with the massed vocals further adding character to the song. The more acoustic-driven Life Will Carry On My Friend and the slower, more introspective closer Along The River further showcase the dexterity of the group’s songwriting talent and musical capabilities. All in all, it’s an accomplished debut release that will translate well to the live stage at their EP launch show at Sunderland’s Independent on Saturday 16th December.

Released: 15.12.23 www.swindledband.com

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DEMOS WE WANT YOUR MUSIC!

IF YOU’RE AN UP AND COMING BAND OR MUSICIAN, AND WOULD LIKE YOUR MUSIC REVIEWED IN OUR DEMO SECTION, EMAIL A TRACK TO NARCMEDIA@GMAIL.COM AND TELL US MORE ABOUT YOURSELF! WORDS: MATT YOUNG

DEMO OF THE MONTH

Image by Amelia Read

Pet Rock – Staring At The Sun/Right As Rain

We might be in the throes of winter right now, but Pet Rock’s Staring At The Sun radiates warmth and hopeful summer vibes via a love of early 80’s college rock. The REM Rickenbacker-style jangle pop is particularly evident on this track, the first of a pair actually, with the accompanying track Right As Rain exuding a similar hazy feel. Borderline dreampop and shoegazy in tone, both songs implement sparing strummed fuzz allowing the vocals space to breathe, with the former track evolving into something more akin to an evocative mid-90’s Ride-style journey. Not that either of these songs are homages really, influences aside they both morph into their own contemporary beasts and any echoes of great pop rock bands from the past merely pass through their veins, fuelling the engine but following a singular and sublime course for both the band’s origins and future. www.instagram.com/pet_rock_band

Sophie Gordon – Faded Ink Singer-songwriter Sophie Gordon employs the services of her band to musically flesh out this pacey soft rock ode to losing love. Heartbreak is always a winner as inspiration, and the lyric here wrestles with the pros and cons of being together, moving on and memories of the past, playing devil’s advocate with the push and pull of compromise and support within relationships. Vocally Sophie sounds emboldened, wanting to take control, and the emotional depth of her strong voice holds the bulk of listener’s attention. There are gentler vocalisations throughout that soften the tone, all while the insistent drumming and riffing guitar build to a subtle crescendo. Faded Ink has a storytelling narrative that draws you in with its commanding performance, sung with justified confidence. www.facebook.com/sophiegordon2004

The Side Project – See The great thing about covering the demos is discovering the range of music that people are

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making, the quality of the writing, playing and production and also the fun with which musicians embrace what they’re doing. In this instance, The Side Project almost apologise for their hastily recorded version of this rollicking punk rock offering due to line-up changes. Never apologise. It’s a demo, sometimes these are super polished but most often they’re not. Being honest, See is pretty rudimentary in terms of the song itself, evocative of stuttering jangly drive time rock, it’s a bit slight but you can hear the energy the band put in, which makes up hugely for the lack of lyrical dynamic. www.linktr.ee/thesideprojectmusic

JenAmi – Looking Back

Looking Back is an emotive, country rock tinged collaboration between County Durham natives Jenna Louise and Ami Leigh. Both independent singers and songwriters, who have found a shared love of upbeat acoustic material, the pair became a gigging duo performing both covers and writing original material. This song has all the right elements;

the dreamy, self-reflective mood, chiming chords that build into a soaring chorus and an even more expansive, epic ending, with vocals as wide as an Arizona plain and guitar solo to match. www.facebook.com/jenamimusic

Compression Session – Hadrian’s Kaleidoscope Angular riffs and picked, layered guitars are to the fore with this Compression Session song.

Full of post-punk affectation and jittery, bouncing chords scattered over the tight rhythm section, this Darlington three-piece create some melodic, even dancey grooves, that you can shake your body along to. The vocals get a bit swamped in the mix and the lyrics feel a little lost as a result. It’s a shame, as they do sound as if what the band’s singing about is important and heartfelt. The song does however come with a simply presented and effective performance video that showcases the trio perfectly in all their perpendicular, kaleidoscopic glory.

ALBUMS 4.5 / 5 ABBIE FINN TRIO STOTTIES FOR THREE (SELF-RELEASE)

4/5 Image by Chris Hornbecker

SLEATER-KINNEY LITTLE ROPE (LOMA VISTA) Words: Paul Brown It’s pushing thirty years since the first Sleater-Kinney album (yes, we’re all really old now, deal with it), and yet they still feel like a forward-thinking force. So much so, in fact, that they were prepared to pay a brutal price in the name of progress in 2019 when their robotic curveball of a record The Center Won’t Hold (and some other stuff that we don’t have the word count to explore) cost them Janet Weiss, who was always SO much more to Sleater-Kinney than just ‘the drummer’. And the backlash against how all that played out left a bit of a sour taste in the mouths of a lot of S-K fans, but well, I guess as founding members of the band, Carrie Brownstein and Corin Tucker made an artistic call and lived with the heavy consequences.

What nobody quite expected, though, was follow-up Path of Wellness being (whisper it), quite forgettable. But hey, there was a pandemic on, and who among us was making great decisions back then? The good news is that Little Rope finds the band pushing things forward once more, meaning it feels like the true successor to The Center Won’t Hold. Lead single and opening song Hell set a deliciously brooding tone when it emerged, which turns out have foreshadowed the dark heart which underlays most of the album.

After decades of working together, Tucker and Brownstein have honed their vocal interplay to an art, and they employ the former’s signature howl and the sardonic curled lip of the latter so skilfully to create a heady, oppressive mood throughout Little Rope. It’s at its most menacing on Hunt You Down, as they warn us “the thing you fear the most will hunt you down”. The storm clouds may be the most apparent meteorological feature here but there’s still room for a little fun (with a small f), exhibited on Small Finds, with its playful riffs and Tucker’s vocal apparently reprising the character she played on All Hands on the Bad One’s Milkshake an’ Honey’. A fascinating and enriching addition to the Sleater-Kinney canon.

Released: 19.01.24 www.sleater-kinney.com

ALSO OUT THIS MONTH Yersin – The Scythe Is Remorseless (Trepanation Records, 10.01) // New Model Army – Unbroken (Earmusic, 26.01) //The Vaccines – Pick-Up Full of Pink Carnations (Thirty Tigers, 12.01) // Gentle Stranger – Inner Winter (PRAH Recordings, 08.12) // Bill Ryder-Jones – Iechyd Da (Domino, 12.01) // Future Islands – People Who Aren’t There Anymore (4AD, 26.01) // Haiku Hands – Pleasure Beast (Spinning Top, 01.12) // Harp – Albion (Bella Union, 01.12) // Reciprocate – Soul To Burn (Gringo Records, 15.12) // Conchur White – Swirling Violets (Bella Union, 19.01) // Shirley Hunt – S/T (Melodic, 08.12) // Courting – Last New Name (Lower Third, 26.01) // Alkaline Trio – Blood, Hair, and Eyeballs (Rise Records, 26.01) // Folly Group – Down There! (So Young Records, 12.01) // Neck Deep – S/T (Hopeless Records, 19.01) // Kula Shaker – Natural Magick (Strange Folk Records, 26.01) //Affection Place – Smouldering Fire (Affection Place Music, 19.01) // Slift – Ilion (Sub Pop, 19.01) // Lil Lotus – Nosebleeder (Epitaph Records, 01.12) // Dermabrasion – Pain Behaviour (Hand Drawn Dracula, 26.01)

Words: Tommy Robertson Abbie Finn Trio have built on the success of their previous releases to create a compelling new jazz album packed with ambience. Finn’s impressive drumming is the driving force behind the tracks, building a momentum of emotion and atmosphere, and supporting the weaving dynamics of Keeble on the tenor sax, which help to maintain interest as the track list continues.

Album opener Nee Messin is full of a vibrant Northern charm, setting the tone for the album.

This is accompanied by the virtuosic nature of Grainger’s bass, the improvisational quality being unpredictable and fun, and contributing to the light-hearted nature of the project. The title celebrates the joys of ‘good bread’, and the album portrays not only the best in life, but also the best the trio have released to date.

Released: 15.01.24 www.abbiefinn.com

4/5 TOBIAS SARRA (PICTURES OF) SHELLS (SELF-RELEASE) Words: Robert Nichols Newcastle-based multi-instrumentalist Tobias Sarra shows off a range of influences and musical skills on his second album. Jazz, folk, ambient and noise all feature alongside haunting pop melodies.

Tobias’ lilting vocals on a couple of songs might easily be radio friendly singles, while two songs written and recorded during enforced Covid lockdown on a Norwegian Arctic island scream claustrophobia, and offer a real contrast to the free-jazz improv with Norwegian musicians.

An album spanning so many moods and genres is anchored by Tobias’ piano and a sense of wonder and exploration. Never more than a track away from a wistful, playful refrain, I could imagine Tobias is the kind of guy that would be an advocate of his song title Gobstoppers For Breakfast.

Released: 01.12.23 www.tobiassarra.bandcamp.com

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ALBUMS

3/5

4/5

4/5

FRANK CARTER & THE RATTLESNAKES DARK RAINBOW (INTERNATIONAL DEATH CULT)

MARIKA HACKMAN BIG SIGH (CHRYSALIS RECORDS)

MALL GIRL PURE LOVE (JANSEN RECORDS)

Words: Luke Waller Each of Frank Carter & The Rattlesnakes’ albums have marked a departure from its predecessor in both sound and style – and their fifth is no exception.

Man Of The Hour, the tastefully earworm-ish leading single, demonstrates the variety of the album; verging on hypnotic dream pop at first, Carter’s knife-sharp vocals soon cut through atop a rumbling barrage of bass. From the bombastic opener Honey to the more delicate closing title track, Dark Rainbow is defined by its chopping and changing indie style within and between tracks. A far cry from their hardcore roots, this album is often balladic, featuring piano, strings and themes of nature, though driven by the return of a rockier sound missed by many of their fans.

Released: 26.01.24 www.andtherattlesnakes.com

Words: Robin Webb Deceptively experimental, Big Sigh opens with a crescendo building mantra in The Ground, launching into an uptempo memorandum delivering reminders on self improvement and how to live life without caffeine or other such hang-ups, like the panic attack one tries to avoid that niggles, adding to a perpetually growing list.

The Hanging is strikingly intimate, exposing a visceral naked heart; contradictory, stark and fulsome. Vitamins is an intriguing sonic exploration with further personal indignation, broadcasting in whispers and self-criticism that sits within a remarkable set of undulating and percussive bricks being laid aside and baring a staticallyinfused core. It’s a secluded human album of personal tunes that marks a further step along for a remarkable talent.

Released: 12.01.24 www.marikahackman.com

Words: Matt Young From the slowly building intro of Inzane to the dying embers of title track Pure Love, Oslo’s Mall Girl meander through many art rock moods on their new album. The languid, dreamy tone of songs like Energy Lights and English Breakfast are occasionally obliterated by skittering fret virtuosity and stuttering drums.

There’s a familiarity but reference points seem scant, especially when adorned by orchestrated strings. Singer Bethany Forseth-Reichberg’s exquisite vocal occupies the spaces between the explosive percussion. It all plays out like a rock symphony with jazz sprinkles, equally charming and relentless in its adherence to that conceit.

Mall Girl, Bethany aided by guitarist Armand Tandsether and drummer Veslemøy Narvesen, combine to form an uncompromising and exhilarating musical outfit and Pure Love is a triumphant calling card.

Released: 26.01.24 www.mallgirl.bandcamp.com

4.5 / 5

4/5

3.5 / 5

GRUFF RHYS SADNESS SETS ME FREE (ROUGH TRADE RECORDS)

LOULA YORKE VOLTA (TRUXALIS)

PACKS MELT THE HONEY (FIRE TALK RECORDS)

Words: Robin Webb Loula Yorke has a long heritage in sonic creation as part of the recent live rave scene with TR-33N, being involved with the arts project Atari Punk Girls, supporting Talvin Singh and The Orb and working with Steve Davis, plus having one of the most memorable soaring outings at the Levitation Festival in Whitby in November.

Volta is an exploration of cycles and rhythms in modular synthesis where she has constructed meticulously journeys through a blissful soundscape, one cannot help but be drawn lovingly into its tender isochronal waves. Playful and sophisticatedly expansive, you begin to discover remarkable auditory depths, piercingly punctuated with electronic darts. The Hidden Messages In Water is a lush midpoint in Loula’s ever-expanding expertise.

Released: 23.01.24 www.loulayorke.bandcamp.com

Words: Matt Young When it came to writing and recording Melt The Honey, Madeline Link aka PACKS, and her band Dexter Nash (guitar), Noah O’Neil (bass) and Shane Hooper (drums) decamped to Mexico and continued a communal endeavour that’s worked since her Take The Cake mini album of 2021.

The result maintains some familiar features, the country/indie rock slacker vibes and intimate feel are present. Title song Honey has a disarming lo-fi charm, and generally the songs sound happier too, the scuzz of drawling Pearly Whites aside.

Overall production quality, vocally, has always been hit and miss sometimes to the songs’ detriment and it’s the same here, but at least the melodies and textures linger in the brain longer to encourage repeated listens.

Released: 19.01.24 www.packstheband.bandcamp.com

Words: Ben Lowes-Smith 25 records into his kaleidoscopic career, Gruff Rhys has consolidated his reputation as one of Britain’s most imaginative songwriters and this new album finds him at his best, both lyrically and melodically.

Recorded in France and the UK, Gallic magic has clearly rubbed off, and the spectre of L’Historie D’Melody Nelson looms large in delicate string arrangements and a laconic sense of humour.

They Sold My Home To Build A Skyscraper is a scathing take on the gentrification of Cardiff, with syrupy sweet arrangements allowing the bitter pill to be swallowed. Late-stage capitalism dominates Gruff’s lyrical pre-occupations, most scathingly on Cover Up The Cover Up and On The Far Side Of The Dollar; that the lyrics feel so current provide an interesting contrast to the knowingly retro musical arrangement.

Released: 26.01.23 www.gruffrhys.com

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ALBUMS

4.5 / 5

4/5

3/5

TY SEGALL THREE BELLS (DRAG CITY)

JOHANNA BURNHEART BÄR (SELF-RELEASED)

BEANS ON TOAST THE TOOTHPASTE AND THE TUBE (BOT MUSIC)

Words: Lee Hammond Three Bells is a sprawling double album, perhaps Segall’s most intriguing to date. Opening with The Bell, it builds slowly before becoming shrouded in his signature fuzz-laden sound. That isn’t the complete focus of the record though, at times Segall moves towards a synth-heavy sound, particularly on To You. However, Void, Move and Watcher are where Segall really shines on Three Bells. These densely layered tracks are exceptional, often starting out in a subdued manner, they quickly morph and grow towards their snarling crescendo, all happening in an almost effortless manner. Aside from the fuzz, there is also a real groove to this record that seems to carry its coherence, only adding to the brilliance of Segall’s latest offering.

Released: 26.01.24 www.ty-segall.com

Words: Elodie A. Roy It is slightly disorienting to hear Johanna Burnheart’s new album – her second – in the winter. Bär was recorded in London in the summer of 2022 with her jazz band. It decidedly belongs to warmer climates and seasons. There is something languid and luminous about these nine new compositions.

I like the soft, sensual tinkling of the vibraphone – Burnheart’s cool and detached vocals, distantly inspired by Astrud Gilberto’s – the warm tones of her violin. The album is explicitly dedicated to Berlin yet it conjures up unreal cities, dreamier states. Bär is something almost new – tropical jazz electronica, perhaps. But do we really need such clunky labels? Maybe it is enough to say: Burnheart’s music creates its own atmosphere – it is like a mirage – dense and ephemeral.

Released: 01.12.23 www.johannaburnheart.bandcamp.com

Words: Lena Moss On The Toothpaste And The Tube, Beans On Toast explores a huge host of topics in his signature stripped-back folk style, with some additional playful elements such as the chorus of AI written

by ChatGPT and funk-inspired sound of The Greenwash.

The album is a journey through hard-hitting political talking points, accompanied by lighter songs inspired by family life and simple human pleasures. Considering the despondency you might expect in songs covering environmental issues, the cost of living crisis, political corruption and war, Beans On Toast manages to harbour a remarkable and sincere hopefulness. This comes through most strongly in the sing-along choruses of tracks like Back Out On The Road and witty, heartfelt lyrics on The Three Stooges and album closer Who I’ll Try To Be. Released: 01.12.23 www.beansontoast.bandcamp.com

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MIXTAPE WORDS: SKIN

SKIN is a multi-functional creative platform which explores contrasting cultures across the North in the form of live events, visual art, artist projects and community engagement. Each event places equal importance on celebrating local talent with Westy, Bunney, Luke Daniels and Janay joining as residents. For each season a new visual artist-in-residence will be invited to produce a piece of art in a way that provides SKIN with its own identity. Artists consider the region and its people when producing the work to build a greater understanding of the North East’s unique contribution to club culture. The next event takes place at SR44 on Friday 8th December featuring GiGi FM and Bunney.

We asked a few of our family to pick out tracks, artists and labels we feel currently represent the Northern electronic music community. It’s full of gems spanning across bass, techno, spoken word and ambient. www.instagram.com/skin.connects

MARSKE HE DON’T MARSKE (MAN POWER REMIX) It’s hard not to chat about North East electronic music without giving a nod to the Me Me Me label, who are one of the few regional labels who truly champion local talent at the same time as connecting with global artists. For this track the input and output is uniquely Northern, born from a collaboration between spoken word artist Marske and label head Man Power. It’s a four-minute social commentary and light-hearted take on a deeply personal story from the viewpoint of a working-class Northerner stepping into the big city of middle-class professionalism. (SKIN)

HU-SANE BRIDGE STREET I heard this track whilst travelling to Antigua for the first time. I’m born and raised in Newcastle but half of my family are from Antigua and so Northern identity has been complex and ever-evolving for me growing up. This track merges different and contrasting worlds perfectly; the toms and drums feel so distant to the North East, but the grit and bass feels like North East rave culture – they both come together perfectly.

(Janay)

BOO EMOTIONAL FREEDOM TECHNIQUE

BLASHA & ALLATT 8AM IN SALFORD

Boo is a multitalented producer, DJ and curator from Middlesbrough. Everything she does is super DIY yet beautifully crafted. If she isn’t sweating dancers out in smoky clubs with ripping BPMs, then you’ll be sure to find sonic peace in her extremely ethereal and emotionallydriven productions. (SKIN)

Picture the scene: you are immersed in the depths of one of Meat Free’s 24-hour techno parties. The setting is The White Hotel, a once-used car garage that has now become a haven for the underground techno scene on the outskirts of Manchester. Suddenly, 8am In Salford is unleashed. A surge of energy courses through the venue, and then you turn to your friend and smile, knowing the weekend has only just begun.

(Luke Daniels)

EDMONDSON Y2K – GLOW MIX The pads in this track never fail to get me; it feels weightless and has a floaty, dream-like, euphoric quality, yet also makes me subtly screw my face at the drop. The snare and hats feel really crisp above the pads, and that contrast has had me two-stepping since its release.

Edmondson uses a lot of field recordings in his tracks and knowing snippets of Newcastle are in here makes it feel even more like home. (Janay)

NECTAX WE RIDE ALONE Straight outta Newcastle, Nectax represents the undying strength of the bass scene and an exciting new wave of producers. We Ride Alone rips the place apart with gnarly drum arrangements, spooky melody line and an extraterrestrial vocal hook. (SKIN)

MEANS&3RD DESPERATE & RELEVANT

M-DATA LIVE @ OPAL TAPES (LIVE AT THELUBBER FIEND)

Means&3rd explores techno in a cerebral, headier manner, navigating through textured sounds that blend grit with ethereality. Desperate & Relevant encapsulates the essence of his artistry and highlights the dynamic soundscapes presented by his label Unveiled Nuances. (Luke Daniels)

Undiluted live techno with loads of groove. This one isn’t a cheat! As it’s technically one long track, over an hour of 100% self-productions performed live.

M-Data has cracked the code for finding swing amongst 4/4 kick drums alongside tripped-out and glitchy lines. Pure stuff. (SKIN)

WANT MORE? VISIT OUR WEBSITE FOR DAILY UPDATES, FEATURES, INTERVIEWS, VIDEOS AND MUCH MORE

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JACQUELINE PONCELET: IN THE MAKING 1 FEBRUARY – 23 JUNE 2024 We present a solo exhibition surveying five decades of work by the acclaimed artist Jacqueline Poncelet. Exuberant, joyful and reflective, Poncelet’s work is characterised by a restless exploration of materials and making, industrial processes and a deep engagement with cityscapes and rural landscapes.

In the Making presents the breadth of Poncelet’s work and includes early, delicate ceramics, large-scale paintings and textiles, a series of significant sculptures and recent watercolours and wallpapers.

Join our programme of events, socials, workshops and making challenges for all ages. Visit www.mima.art/whatson Free entry.

Supported by the Freelands Award.

MIMA, Centre Square, Middlesbrough TS1 2AZ @mimauseful Jacqueline Poncelet Straight (2), 2009. Watercolour on paper. Courtesy the artist.

Image courtesy Peter White

mima.art

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A SONG FOR ELLA GREY

By David Almond Adapted for the stage by Zoe Cooper Directed by Esther Richardson

1 FEB - 15 FEB 2024 Tickets from £12 48

northernstage.co.uk | 0191 230 5151