NARC. #207 July 2024

RAUL KOHLI NARC. FEST

DURHAM FRINGE FESTIVAL

NEWCASTLE FRINGE FESTIVAL

July 2024

Live music for the great indoors

Nils Frahm / DJ Shadow / Corinne Bailey Rae / Theo Croker / When Chai Met Toast / Julie Byrne /

BBC Proms in Gateshead

Sibelius’ Violin Concerto / Night Tracks

Live - Hannah Peel and Sara Mohr-Pietsch / Jordan Rakei and Royal Northern Sinfonia / BBC Introducing Live at the Proms / Fantasy, Myths and Legends / Daniel Pioro and Friends /

Buy tickets and discover more at theglasshouseicm.org/summer

If your idea of Summer is 50% cloud, 40% rain and 10% wind and sunshine, you’ll no doubt be wishing you were somewhere a little warmer, brighter and...well…not here. But, dear Constant Readers, you’d be wrong to abscond for sunnier climes – there’s plenty to keep the dark clouds at bay in our fair region (bear with me…). Festival season is upon us, and it wouldn’t be right if rain didn’t ruin play at some point (although it won’t stop me complaining about it). The good news is, our region was made for indoor multi-venue festivals, and there are some great ones coming up this month, not least our own! NARC. Fest returns to the Ouseburn Valley on Saturday 13th July, with six venues (mostly indoors – the Tyne Bar’s outdoor stage is basically covered!) providing a feast of free live music which spans genres and styles. There’s also cabaret, theatre, comedy and more at two Fringe Festivals taking place throughout July in Durham and Newcastle, not to mention a host of pre-Edinburgh Fringe comedy shows in Teesside, so there’s not even a good reason to venture North of the border. If the sun makes an appearance during Sunderland’s Summer Streets, Durham’s BRASS Festival, Hartlepool’s Soundwave Festival or Redcar’s On The Beach, we’ll just count ourselves bloody lucky.

Editor

Claire Dupree info@narcmedia.com

Website

David Saunders narcmagazineonline@gmail.com

Creative El Roboto

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Claire Dupree info@narcmedia.com

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Cover Image

Amelia Read

Live Photography

Tracy Hyman / Adam Kennedy / Maeve Wong Contributors

Neil Ainger / Jake Anderson / Phoenix Atkinson / Matthew Brown / Susie Burgess / Iam Burn / Caleb Carter / Jonathan Coll / Roz Cuthbert / Laura Doyle / Lee Fisher / Kev Gray / Michaela Hall / Lee Hammond / Tracy Hyman / Ben Lowes-Smith / Euan Lynn / Isabel Maria / Matthew McDonnell / Amy McGarahan / Amy Mitchell / Lena Moss / Ben Robinson / Damian Robinson / Laura Rosierse / David Saunders / Steve Spithray / Mack Sproates / Sarah Storer / Dawn Storey / Ali Welford / Matt Young

PREVIEWS

4 HIGHLIGHTS

Some of the best events in July, plus find out what’s online at narcmagazine.com

6 PREVIEWS

Live shows from Dragged Up, Dead Pony, Kevin Morby, Haiver, Eater, Future Static, Black Umfolosi, CLAMM, Steve Mason, BRASS Festival, The Fugitives, Soccer Mommy, Slack Bird, Julie Byrne and loads more; there’s stand-up comedy at Funny Way To Be’s Edinburgh Fringe shows, Tyne To Stand Up at Tyne Theatre & Opera House, and more; theatrical fun in Jaws (But Gay) at Alphabetti, We’re Not Going Back at Live Theatre, Theatre Space’s Summer of Shakespeare and slam poet Harry Baker at Seaton Delaval Hall; exhibitions include photographer Ian Macdonald at NGCA/ Sunderland Museum, Towards New Words at MIMA, Steam to Green at Discovery Museum, International Zine Month at Baltic; plus 60 Years of Washington, Masala Festival and much more!

INTERVIEWS

Reports of live shows from Nora Brown, Amelia Coburn, Fat White Family, Pillow Queens, Faye MacCalman, Girls In Synthesis, Villagers and more

Reviews of local singles and EPs from All The Nines, NE-O, Click Chase, Liz Corney, Milne Glendinning Band, To Nowhere, Dilettante, Richie Harrison, Polyfillas, Jam Tub, Zak Younger Banks and Loren Heat

Demo reviews of Valentine Charlie, Shady Quid, The Ramellos, Bob’s Ices and Artisam

Featuring new releases from Fashion Tips, Abbie Ozard, SOTE, Dearthworms, Griff, Joe Goddard, Salute, The Joy Hotel, Crack Cloud, Nathan Xerxes Fussell, Eliza & The Delusionals and more

Donald Jenkins ponders if it’s still OK to go raving in your 40s...and produces a killer mixtape to prove it is!

28 RAUL KOHLI

Ben Lowes-Smith talks to the charismatic Newcastle comedian about his stand-up show which covers race, class and uncomfortable truths in British society

PREVIEWS

JULY’S DIVERSIONS INCLUDE A ONE-MAN THEATRICAL EXTRAVAGANZA, A VIDEO ART EXHIBITION, HEAVY ROCKING LIVE MUSIC, INSPIRATIONAL PUNK, UNIQUE FESTIVALS AND MUCH MORE!

MUSIC FRI 12 LOST IN THE WOODS GATHERING

A coming together of like-minded souls, Lost In The Woods’ Gathering brings out-there, weird and experimental sounds to an undisclosed location in Sedgefield. The line-up includes Tetchi, Beastfish Buff, Featherteeth, Cosmic Egg, The Windsor Lizards and more. Attendance is via the invite link below. Runs until Sunday 14th.

Sedgefield www.bit.ly/LITWGgroupinvite

ART & LIT

UNTIL SUN 21

PLAYING WITH RULES

A public video art exhibition that presents artistic positions that challenge the status quo and question how society is constructed every day. In the presented works, the artists transcend invisible rules and laws of nature, making us question the architecture of what is ‘normal’, inviting visitors to playfully reconsider the normality of everyday actions and the structures that shape us. Grainger Market, Newcastle www.videocity.org

EVENTS

SAT 6

KAPOW

Sci-fi fans will have much to celebrate at Stockton’s Globe as the KAPOW Family Funday returns to the venue once again. The annual festival for Teesside cosplayers to show off their talent also includes a variety of competitions, stalls, activities and workshops for all ages.

The Globe, Stockton www.stocktonglobe.co.uk

MUSIC

SUN 7

FRANKIE STUBBS

Frankie Stubbs was the frontman of much-treasured Sunderland band Leatherface, one of punk’s most influential bands in the 90s. This intimate acoustic set will be one to remember, and features support from Rebecca Radical and James Harrison. Trillians, Newcastle www.instagram.com/frankie_stubbs_

MUSIC THUR 11

MOUTH OF THE TYNE FESTIVAL

Watching live music in the atmospheric grounds of Tynemouth Priory is a unique experience, and ever-reliable Mouth of the Tyne Festival delivers a fun-filled line-up. Ocean Colour Scene headline on Thursday 11th, Rick Astley plays a (sold out) show on Friday 12th, North East artist Andrew Cushin heads up Saturday 13th and Heather Small performs on Sunday 14th. Tynemouth Priory & Castle www.mouthofthetynefestival.com

MUSIC

FRI 12

NINEBANKS

Four bands for the price of one? Excellent! Indie rock band Ninebanks return to Independent for a rare hometown show, with support from the pop punk trio Slackrr, Scottish alt. rock group Stay For Tomorrow and emo rockers Ochisia. Independent, Sunderland www.facebook.com/ninebanksband

ART & LIT

SAT 13

REDCAR SUMMER EXHIBITION

Continuing to build on the gallery’s mission to exhibit diverse, contemporary art forms, the Redcar Summer Exhibition will feature a vast array of artists showcasing a variety of mediums. Highlights include visual artist Anna Usadi, contemporary conceptual artist Carl Truscott, potter David Sproxton and sculptor Christine Walker. Runs until 31st August. Redcar Contemporary Art Gallery www.rccag.co.uk

MUSIC

THUR 18

HILLBILLY VEGAS

Well-established country rock band Hillbilly Vegas bring their signature USA anthems and love of the UK to Newcastle’s rock headquarters Trillians. Paired with UK-based riffers The Howling Tides, both groups compliment each other’s sound to make a perfect heavy rocking concoction. Trillians, Newcastle www.facebook.com/hillbillyvegasmusic

Abi Palmer Invents the Weather

Andrew Cushin

JULY HIGHLIGHTS

MUSIC SAT 20

MONUMENT FESTIVAL

The brand new indie music festival will see headline sets from indie greats like The Kooks, Jake Bugg and The Coral, plus performances from Shaun Ryder’s Black Grape, Jesus Jones, Badly Drawn Boy, The K’s, G!RLBAND, Fred Roberts, Stereo MC’s, Ned’s Atomic Dustbin, Dodgy and more.

Herrington Country Park, Sunderland www.monumentfestival.co.uk

MUSIC SUN 21

NEV CLAY, BRICK, TOMORROW BIRD

A must for fans of evocative storytelling, gorgeous voices and alluring melodies. ‘The Bard of Benton’ Nev Clay expertly weaves poignant and honest stories with gentle guitar backing; Bridie Jackson and Nick Pierce (otherwise known as Brick) provide uplifting folk; and beguiling duo Tomorrow Bird combine beautiful vocals with engaging songwriting.

The Engine Room, North Shields www.terns.co.uk

MUSIC

FRI 26

KISSKISSKILL

York-based pop-punk outfit KissKissKill are known for their theatrical performances and explosive energy. Joining them are hard rock five-piece Proven Rivals and the accomplished singer songwriter Jaime Farrell.

The Forum Music Centre, Darlington www.facebook.com/kisskisskill

COMEDY

FRI 26

SCREEN ONE COMEDY CLUB

Screen One Comedy Club present an unforgettable night of comedy headlined by “unapologetically funny” Nabil Abdulrashid, who performs alongside Susie McCabe, Al Stevenson and Stuart Laws, with the evening hosted by Hal Branson. Tyneside Cinema, Newcastle www.tynesidecinema.co.uk

STAGE

SUN 28

TOMATOES TRIED TO KILL ME BUT BANJOS SAVED MY LIFE

TALK

An engaging artist talk exploring diverse perspectives and rich discourse surrounding the themes of slowness, monochrome and the material process of image making. Featuring artists Jade Sweeting and Jane Milican, the discussion will be chaired by Briony Carlin, and takes place as part of the exhibition at the gallery until Monday 22nd July.

Concrete Gallery, Forum Shopping Center, Wallsend

www.instagram.com/concrete__gallery

The inspirational true story makes a welcome return to the North East after a successful run back in April last year. Tomatoes Tried To Kill Me But Banjos Saved My Life is an internationally lauded one-man show about the fight to thrive in the face of seemingly unbeatable odds.

Gosforth Civic Theatre, Newcastle www.gosforthcivictheatre.co.uk

NARC. E-ZINE

Issue 13 of the NARC. E-ZINE has landed! Discover exclusive playlists, videos, mini-documentaries and much more, continually updated throughout its lifespan

NARC. TV

Watch the brand new mini-doc on last year’s Brassed On collaborations between Sisi and The Original Pinettes, and Tom A Smith and Loud Noises

+ ALSO THIS MONTH… FFO: NORTHERN HOSPITALITY

The Teesside indie outfit sum up the sounds of their latest single, Break Free, using three other tracks

Bob Fischer talks to David Saunders about his brand new audio drama, Fellfoul

Tomorrow Bird

Image by Lauren Hamm

MUSIC

SOCCER

MOMMY @ WYLAM BREWERY

Words: Isabel Maria

Soccer Mommy, the aesthetically adventurous and explosively explorative project of Nashville’s Sophie Allison, heads to Wylam Brewery in Newcastle on Wednesday 3rd July for a night of experimental-minded indie pop rock. Part of her first run of EU shows in years, this is a rare show not to be missed by lovers of pop-tinged rock earworms and bleak lyricism brightened with wit.

Taking influences from artists such as Natalie Imbruglia, Slowdive, Taylor Swift and Avril Lavigne, Soccer Mommy’s discography is a mood-board of retro sounds and tumultuous new ideas, exploring themes of youth, success and the temporary nature of human emotion. From her early roots posting self-produced demos on Bandcamp in 2015, to now racking up millions of streams and playing shows with Paramore, Phoebe Bridgers, Kacey Musgraves and Vampire Weekend, Soccer Mommy is one of those once-in-a-generation stars that you should be chasing. It’s rock at its finest that can be enjoyed by anyone. Hot off the release of her latest single Lost, this show marks a longawaited return after the last UK tour in 2022 – and it’s incredibly rare to see a Newcastle date on Soccer Mommy’s radar, so catch it while you can.

www.soccermommyband.com

ART & LIT

PEACE DOVES @ DURHAM CATHEDRAL

Words: Neil Ainger

Since April, visitors to Durham Cathedral have been invited to participate in Peter Walker’s mass participation Peace Dove installation, by crafting a paper peace dove and writing their own individual message of peace, love and hope. 15,000 doves will then be suspended above the cathedral’s Nave and illuminated, with the installation set to music by composer David Harper and hung in the cathedral during the summer, where visitors will have the opportunity to experience it and hopefully find a sense of calm and harmony.

Accompanying the installation will be a series of interesting late-night opening events and unique dining experiences, during which visitors will get a new perspective of the work. Family activities include crafts, trails and mini-tours; Peace Doves at Night offer evening reflection; while Dinner Under Peace Doves includes a three-course meal. Tickets for all events can be booked on the Cathedral’s website.

There’s still an opportunity to craft a peace dove to be included in the installation by visiting the cathedral before 20th July, with the installation running from Friday 26th July to Wednesday 4th September. www.durhamcathedral.co.uk

STAGE HARRY BAKER @ SEATON DELAVAL HALL

Words: Dawn Storey

Described by various people over the years as “the greatest performer on earth”, “spectacularly witty” and “epic”, former world poetry slam champion Harry Baker has amassed quite the fan club. A lover of German and mathematics as well as a TED talk veteran and festival favourite, more recently his unashamedly honest poetry has been noticed on social media where over 10 million people have seen his work on Instagram and TikTok. After his previous show centred around mental health battles, he says that he intended for his third tour, which drops into Seaton Delaval Hall on Thursday 11th July, to be a more uplifting affair. Sadly due to the trials of both his personal life and the wider world, this hasn’t happened but he still hopes that his new poems about wellies, postcodes and Schofferhofer will be relatively joyful. A listen to his clever Paper People poem will demonstrate why he’s known for having audiences in the palm of his hand – not just for his wonderfully written words, but also for the skill involved in delivering such tricky tongue-twisters as “There’d be a paper princess Kate but we’d all stare at paper Pippa. And then we’d all live in fear of killer Jack the Paper-Ripper”. Impressive stuff indeed. www.harrybaker.co

Soccer Mommy by Daniel Topete

MUSIC

THE FUGITIVES @ THE WAITING ROOM

and composition. Seemingly hard to pin down to a genre, with previous albums offering an amalgamation of folk music and spoken word, their recent record No Help Coming is a playful exploration of poignant lyricism and rich melodies.

“more playful than precious”, according to McLeod, indulging the resolve of joy beneath this umbrella of climate emergency.

Words: Susie Burgess

Acclaimed Canadian folk band The Fugitives return to the UK after seven years away, stopping at The Waiting Room in Eaglescliffe on Monday 8th July. Rife with complex harmonies and blended strings, this folk collective weave a sonic tapestry of storytelling through deft lyrics

The Fugitives offer upbeat optimism throughout No Help Coming, with a self-acclaimed essence of resolution; band spokesperson and co-songwriter Brendan McLeod explains “there’s a lot of resolve to be had in joy.” The construction of the tracks is tight, the tone uplifting despite thematic exploration of climate change threaded throughout. But the album is

In concert, songwriters Adrian Glynn and Brendan McLeod are joined by banjo player Chris Suen and violinist Carly Frey for an impressive and engaging dive into live folk music. Performing together, they’re clearly musicians who not only enjoy creating music to an infectious degree but have the talent to match.

Change at Night

FREE Music & Events

Friday 2nd August Buskers Night

Friday 9th August

Camel Island

www.fugitives.ca Friday 19th July Paul (Big Red) Randall Friday 26th July The Pine Barrens

Saturday 27th July

Sea Change Originals

Present: District Attorney & Old Man

Where great music meets a great cause:

Saturday 17th August

Sea Change Originals

Present: Parastatic & Split The Ticket

Friday 23rd August

Blossom: Disco, Balearic & House Grooves

Suede by Dean Chalkley

MUSIC

JULIE BYRNE @ THE GLASSHOUSE

Words: Caleb Carter

For bards like Julie Byrne, whose roving proves the true itinerance of poetry from the personal sphere into the universal, the guitar has always been a worthy friend. Byrne is less in conversation with hers than she is in laughter or compassion: her fingers are her voice are the words plucked from tree-rings. On 2023’s The Greater Wings, this likely couple found the openings (therefore expansion; therefore vulnerability) of community in early round tables with other instruments (synths, keys, strings) and friends. And, at the passing of one such collaborator, the global grief of the pandemic, and the silk run of time, Byrne found that these communions never closed, and built her album not on answers but on the patient faith of transformation so often found on the road.

A travelling musician and her guitar can make any caravan a crowd, but The Glasshouse on Thursday 25th July should be a particularly reverent one, with plenty of space for sounds to bound, and for the deep-set quietude of vibrating change, like how at the edges of grief in the presence of others the past returns not in conversation but in laughter and compassion. www.juliemariebyrne.com

MUSIC

EVIL BLIZZARD

@ THE GEORGIAN THEATRE

Words: Laura Doyle

You! Yes, you! Are you bored of pop rock fourpieces churning out radio-friendly medleys for the masses? Then we have good news for you – the truly unhinged punks Evil Blizzard are here to make you feel equal parts entertained and uneasy when they rock up to Stockton’s Georgian Theatre on Saturday 6th July. At first glance, they make an odd bunch at best: their drummer sings, they have three (?!) bass players, and all six members elect to don latex face masks that dwell slap-bang in the middle of the Uncanny Valley. From that description, to say that they sound exactly how they look may first be misconstrued as an insult – but five albums on, it’s safe to say the whole gig is working for them. Acclaimed recent record Rotting In The Belly Of A Whale is discordant, grimy and downright unsettling – all the conditions of the claustrophobic lockdown which fuelled its creation. It became their most eclectic album yet, perhaps partly thanks to the addition of a guitar to their predominantly bassheavy back catalogue, or maybe they just felt the freedom to dive deeper into the members’ own inspirations to create new sounds. But trying to work out Evil Blizzard’s motivations is as hard as peeping under those rubber masks – leave them to their mysteries, and just enjoy the show.

www.evil-blizzard.bandcamp.com

COMEDY

TYNE TO STAND UP 3 @ TYNE THEATRE & OPERA HOUSE

Words: Lee Fisher

I’m assured that laughing and (checks notes) ‘fun’ are good things. I’m dubious, but if you do feel compelled to enjoy yourselves, you might as well do something worthwhile at the same time. For example, you could stump up a measly £15 to see a ridiculously stacked bill of female comedians at Tyne Theatre & Opera House and know that the proceeds are all going to Rape Crisis Tyneside & Northumberland. The event on Tuesday 2nd July is Felt Nowt’s third such event and they really have pulled together a brilliant line-up of local talent. Hosted by Sammy Dobson, you’ll get to see sets from Lauren Pattison, Zoe, Anja Atkinson, Catherine Young, Elaine Robertson, Lauren Stone, Eppie Brilliant, Kelly Edgar, Catherine Scott, Alex Redman, Sam Mayes, Kerris Gibson, Kelly Rickard and the magnificently named Frida Sapphic. That’s one hell of a bill, and they’re all giving their time for free so the least you can do is get a ticket! www.feltnowt.co.uk

Julie Byrne by Tonje Thilesen

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Our course team is built up of active industry professionals. Our course has been designed in collaboration with industry, with Tees Music Alliance, Middlesbrough Town Hall, The Middlesbrough Empire, ARC, KU Bar, Butterfly Effect Records and more on board to offer real work-related learning opportunities for our students!

What will I study?

Areas of study include:

❱ Music Production

❱ Live Events Production

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Rob Penrose (FosterSounds.co.uk)

Rob is running his own company, freelancing and working on exciting projects as a voice actor, musician and technical audio mixer. He’s already enjoyed success working on projects for CBeebies on a variety of shows including Postman Pat, The Baby Club and more recently Tinpo where he worked as the Sound Designer and Voice Director.

“The degree programme is practical and sets you up for the world of work. The tutors have industry experience and support you to fulfil your career ambitions. I had job interviews lined up before I had even handed in my final assignments!” Rob

Find out more course information and apply online today!

MUSIC FUTURE ISLANDS @ O2 CITY HALL

Words: Kev Gray

Ten years on from that Letterman performance and their breakthrough into viral stardom, Future Islands returned with their seventh album earlier this year. Written and recorded during the pandemic, People Who Aren’t There Anymore documents frontman Samuel T. Herring’s breakup with his Swedish partner as worldwide lockdowns enforced increasingly long separations into their already longdistance relationship. It was another reliably strong addition to their impressive catalogue. Now almost 20 years into their career, they’ve gradually perfected their sound and are arguably the premier synth pop band of their generation. Hook-filled and danceable but teeming with a sense of melancholia; Herring’s soulful vocals pack power which can hit like a gut punch. They play Newcastle’s O2 City Hall on Wednesday 31st July, and if you’ve ever seen that Letterman clip and wondered whether they’re always like that, the short answer is, yes. The music is always a delight, but seeing Herring in the flesh is the real show. A non-stop ball of energy and emotion, expect rousing choruses, elastic-limbed dance moves and the occasional heartbreaking heavy metal growl.

www.future-islands.com

ART & LIT

STEAM TO GREEN @ DISCOVERY MUSEUM

Words: Laura Doyle

Not only does the climate crisis threaten the very existence of life on Earth, but it also means we can’t even enjoy an unseasonably warm day without a pang of anxiety that it might be but the planet’s dying breath. But how did we get to this point, and where do we even go from here? You can find all this out and more at the Discovery Museum’s Steam to Green: A North East Energy Revolution exhibition, which runs from Saturday 20th July-Friday 6th September. The North East was the epicentre of steam locomotive innovation and coal production, so perhaps it’s time that we make sure we’re totally aware of how the Industrial Revolution changed society forever. But not only does the ambitious two-year project investigate the region’s contributions to the science and engineering that pushed humanity into this new age, but it also looks forward to new technological advancements that might kick off the Industrial Revolution 2: Electric Boogaloo; this time, it’s (hopefully) leaner, greener and less meaner to the planet. Change is hard, but the team behind Steam to Green hope this exhibit – and all the events that will go alongside it – will demystify the new inventions that may one day replace those polluting practices with earth-friendly alternatives. www.discoverymuseum.org.uk

MUSIC

EATER @ THE CLUNY 2

Words: Mack Sproates

Punk legend Andy Blade is back with a brand new line-up of Eater. With echoes of Sex Pistols, Ramones and The Clash, this revolutionary punk band are definitely still kicking. As one of the first main contenders to emerge from the UK’s punk scene in the 70s, Eater offer a punchy blend of raw, old school tunes.

Their classic gritty songs are given a whole new lease of life with the help of JoJo and The Teeth – a band who play with ferocity and raw power. The addition of co-singer JoJo offers a sharp and gorgeous contrast to Andy’s biting vocals, bringing together something pretty special.

I’ve been loving the recent resurgence of older punk bands; this punk-surgence gives OG fans a chance to hear the soundtracks of their youth, and new punks a chance to stage dive straight into their new (old) fave band.

Eater’s gig at the Cluny on Saturday 6th July offers a great opportunity to see where punk began.

www.facebook.com/eaterpunk

Future Islands by Frank Hamilton

MUSIC

DEAD PONY @ INDEPENDENT

Words: Matt Young

Electrifying Scottish alt. rock sensations Dead Pony bring their cut-up energy and explosive sound Sunderland’s Independent on Monday 1st July. Ripping things live with a raw electro-synth-punk sound they will take to the

stage with utter confidence and breathe high-octane life into their recently released Ignore This album, written, recorded and produced entirely by the foursome. It’s a real statement of intent and in person possesses a much heavier sound than on record.

Fronted by charismatic vocalist Anna Shields, the band’s dynamic presence and infectious gritty hooks win every time as they bet on themselves again and again, delivering passionate energy and songs that wire to your brain cortex. They’re all about standing out and with tracks like the EDM embracing MK

Nothing, Rainbow with its message of self-love, the apocalyptic dread of MANA or the romantic infusion on About Love they have earned, and sought hard for, their signature sound. They exist as a force capable of grabbing the breath from your lungs and never letting go as you sing along to their setlist.

Dead Pony’s live shows are renowned for their intensity and connection with the audience, promising a night that will leave you buzzing long after the final chords ring out. www.deadponyband.com

Image by Euan Robertson

ART & LIT

TOWARDS NEW WORLDS @ MIMA

Words: Matthew Brown

From Friday 19th July-Sunday 9th February 2025, Middlesbrough’s MIMA presents Towards New Worlds, a large-scale exhibition showcasing the work of fifteen artists who explore contemporary perceptions and sensory experiences.

This exhibition features a diverse array of media, including painting, drawing, photography, sculpture, installation and film, all reflecting on themes such as justice, ecological consciousness, connectivity and care. Among the featured artists are Richard Butchins, an award-winning multidisciplinary artist, who draws on his experiences as a disabled person; Leah Clements explores psychological and physical states through film and photography; and working-class artist Joanne Coates explores hidden histories and inequalities. Further highlights also include Colin Hambrook’s intricate drawings that weave personal and imagined narratives, and RA Walden’s explorations of the fragility of the

human body and ecosystems.

Curated by Newcastle-based artist and cultural activist Aidan Moesby, Towards New Worlds emphasises the importance of diverse voices in contemporary discourse. Accompanied by a vibrant public programme of events and digital engagements, this exhibition invites visitors to reflect on their own connections to the world around them, offering moments of quiet reflection, interaction and relaxation, and an opportunity to experience art that resonates deeply with the complexities of modern life. www.mima.art

MUSIC THE BRIDGE 4: LOST ARTS @ VARIOUS VENUES

Words: Steve Spithray

The Bridge Festival returns for its fourth year celebrating the best in British hip-hop, with this year’s programme placing an emphasis on the unsung heroes of the genre – DJs who have provided the beats and soundtrack to the

culture and the street artists who have created the visual backdrops.

The multi-venue five-day event launches at the Tanners Arms on Wednesday 10th July with local legend DJ Smoove and live street art. Elsewhere, the festival will include a mixture of art jams, graffiti workshops for neurodiverse creatives, a live special on Method Radio featuring Amy Warehouse, Lukey B and Aems MC, while Asylum x NE Rising will run a showcase event at Zerox featuring the best North East rappers. Saturday 13th is Family Day, promising pop-up performances with a hip-hop gaming room and then a concourse takeover at The Glasshouse with DJ Specifik, Holly Flo Lightly and Dan Swift followed by DJ Shadow in Sage One.

Festival organiser Sandy Duff said: “This year’s lost arts festival will feature a selection of turntablists presenting traditional and analogue approaches alongside current tech, plus new legacy artwork in Newcastle city centre created by old skool graffiti crews.”

The Bridge 4: Lost Arts takes place at various venues throughout Newcastle from Wednesday 10th July-Sunday 14th July.

www.facebook.com/bridgehiphopuk

Towards New Worlds - Christopher Samuel, The Archive of an Unseen, 2022

JAWS (BUT GAY) @ ALPHABETTI THEATRE

Words: Lena Moss

If you still haven’t made plans for the most highly-anticipated week of the year, Shark Week (yep, Shark Week), there’s no need to

panic… Alphabetti Theatre have you covered. Mama Rhi and Mack bring queer cabaret show Jaws (But Gay) to the venue on Friday 12th July as part of a full week of shark-themed programming. Featuring so many talented acts from “sequinned sea creatures, sexy sailors, to magnificent merfolk”, they just might need a bigger boat! Expect drag, burlesque, music and spoken word, drenched in plenty of camp silliness and chaos.

Other Shark Week events at Alphabetti include

Cult Cinema Club screenings of Sharknado, Deep Blue Sea and Shark Tale, as well as comedy presented by Felt Nowt from brilliant North East stand-ups for the Hook, Line and Giggles Comedy Night on Thursday 11th. Closing out the week is Tim Dalling’s tribute to Ivor Cutler, Help! I Think I’m Turning Into Ivor Cutler!, on Saturday 13th July. With so much to sink your teeth into, don’t wait to snap up your tickets!

www.alphabettitheatre.co.uk

Imge by TJmov

FILM SLASHER SUMMER CAMP @ STAR & SHADOW CINEMA

Words: Sarah Storer

The Star & Shadow Cinema is transforming into a summer camp to celebrate one of the most popular genres of the 1980s: the slasher movie. Dubbed Camp Star & Shadow, the immersive event on Saturday 20th July will feature camp counsellors to guide the day, arts and crafts, campfire songs and classic camp foods, plus screenings of four deeper cut movies from the genre. Camp attendees can enjoy Friday the 13th Part VI: Jason Lives, the first meta take on the series, with Zombie Jason and numerous breaking of the fourth wall; Madman, which was originally panned on its first release, although now has a huge cult following and is now considered a classic of the genre; The

Final Girls is a modern entry which sees a group of teenagers transported into an 80s slasher called Camp Bloodbath; while the final film is an undisclosed mystery, newly restored in 4k, and only described as a ‘low-budget gem’.

Keep an eye out for the Star & Shadow Slasher, lurking around for an opportunity to strike the perfect photo! www.starandshadow.org.uk

MUSIC

STEVE MASON @ THE GEORGIAN THEATRE

Words: Steve Spithray

Revered for their seminal The Three E.P.’s compilation album in the late 90s, which fused everything from indie rock to chamber pop and hip-hop, The Beta Band may have crashed and burned in a dust cloud of Dry The Rain

harmonic repetition, as three subsequent albums failed to reach the same heights as bands like Hot Chip, The XX and Django Django. However, the truth is the Beta’s reluctant frontman and multi-instrumentalist Steve Mason has never stopped creating. During his band’s heyday and following their 2004 breakup, Mason also recorded as King Biscuit Time and later set out on a full solo career with albums like 2013’s highly rated Monkey Minds In The Devil’s Time and 2019’s About The Light. Mason’s powerful fifth solo album, 2023’s Brothers & Sisters, even saw him addressing the contemporary political landscape.

With well over twenty years in the business, Mason comes to Stockton’s Georgian Theatre on Thursday 25th July for a special show as part of very short three-date tour of intimate venues in support of Brothers & Sisters. So, something of a coup for the Stockton venue and I’m sure he will be persuaded to play a couple of the old favourites too. www.stevemasontheartist.com

Steve Mason by Tom Marshak

MUSIC

COUNTRY CANTINA @ THE BARN, EASINGTON

Words: Lee Fisher

Now fully established as a regular fixture, Country Cantina – now in its eleventh year – is a bijou delight. Run by the magnificent Jumpin’ Hot Club crew and deliberately kept small and friendly, this two-day event takes place on a gorgeous farm on the Durham coast from Friday 12th-Saturday 13th July, and once again boasts a fine line-up that reflects the JHC’s remit: there’s country from artists like Cahalen Morrison and Kari McLeod, a tribute to Nina Simone from Lady Nade, storming rockabilly from Howlin’ Ric & The Rocketeers, shitkicking bar-room delights from The Burner Band, Everly Brothers-tinged loveliness from our very own The Hightowns and a whole lot more. There’ll also be an open mic spot, a campfire session (weather permitting) and the JHC’s very

own Shippy providing one of his legendary 78rpm sets. There’s catering from La Fiesta, a well-stocked bar and the site is particularly lovely. Tickets are just £50 and they’re running low, so don’t dither. www.jumpinhotclub.com

EVENTS MASALA FESTIVAL @ VARIOUS VENUES

Words: Steve Spithray GemArts’ Masala Festival returns to venues in Newcastle and Gateshead from Wednesday 15th-Tuesday 23rd July, celebrating South Asian culture with another exceptional line-up reflecting the essence and quest for freedom through classical, folk and contemporary art forms, and the irresistible flavours of Indian cuisine.

The festival launches with Pagrav Dance

Company’s Aunusthan at Dance City, a celebration of Indian dance and music. For art lovers there is Artful Struggles at The Gallery in Gateshead while Cities of Dreams at Baltic presents a curated selection of South Asian short films.

Over at Cluny 2, New Ways of Moving in the Counterworlds is an experimental performance by bassist John Pope, violinist John Garner and poet Nisha Ramayya. For film enthusiasts, Snow Leopard will be screened at Tyneside Cinema and there is spoken word poetry from Freespill at Diver City Hub.

Further headline performances include the extraordinary and joyous Rajasthan Heritage Brass Band in Newcastle city centre, indie folk and pop quartet When Chai Met Toast at The Glasshouse and string duo Balladeste at St Mary’s Heritage Centre.

Finally, Dabbawal Street Food Kitchen will be offering a seven-day flavour journey at both of their branches at High Bridge and Jesmond. www.gemarts.org

Lady Nade by Emma Holbrook

MUSIC SLACK BIRD @ TOFT HOUSE

Words: Matthew Brown

The Toft House at Middlesbrough Little Theatre is set to host an enchanting evening of folk music on Friday 5th July with a line-up which features the eclectic sounds of Slack Bird, Stormcrow and Sara Dennis.

Hailing from Central Finland, Slack Bird combine Appalachian banjo playing with the dark melodies of Finnish traditional music. Known for their unique sound, Slack Bird have captivated audiences from New York clubs to German forests. Returning to the UK after five years, they will perform as a three-piece featuring a five-string banjo, button accordion and cello. Their unique music has been praised for its originality and ability to bridge diverse genres, appealing to both trad folk enthusiasts and crust punks alike.

Joining them are Stormcrow, a band celebrated

for their medieval and traditional folk music infused with humour. They will be showcasing their new album WOLF, a collection of local tales and reflections on the world, interspersed with songs of wolves and folk horror. Rounding out the evening is Sara Dennis, a familiar face at Toft House known for her work with Peg Powler and Project Lono, promising a blend of traditional and contemporary folk music, making it a must-attend for fans of the genre. www.slackbird.com

MUSIC CLAMM @ THE CUMBERLAND ARMS

Words: Laura Doyle Punk isn’t dead – it’s just having an existential crisis. We’ve had the angry ‘trash the broken system’ punk, the optimistic ‘we can fix the broken system’ punk, and now we’re steaming towards nihilistic ‘try and survive the broken

system’. That isn’t to say that Melbourne punk trio CLAMM aren’t still hoping for a better world, but their new EP Disembodiment is not the space for seeking remedy. Instead, this short but bittersweet four-track record unleashes the frustrations of this generation: the world’s burning, finances are crashing, everyone’s killing each other, and no one can get on for long enough to think of a fix for any of it. Does this all sound overwhelmingly depressing? Maybe, but no more depressing than being shamed for not owning a home at the age of 24 because you bought an iced coffee.

Disembodiment is a good grungy garage punk playlist for those wanting to throw chairs at the wall but can’t risk damaging the plaster of their rented accommodation, and it’ll sound even better when they play it live at The Cumberland Arms on Tuesday 23rd July. If getting mad is your first step to getting even, then grace CLAMM with a little of your time and care when they come over from Down Under – it may well lead us all to a better world on the other side. www.clammxo.bandcamp.com

Slack Bird by Joonas Ahtikallio

The Old Black Cat Jazz Club

ART & LIT

IAN MACDONALD: FIXING TIME @ NGCA/ SUNDERLAND MUSEUM

Words: Neil Ainger

The image used heavily in the promotion of the new retrospective exhibition of the work of Ian MacDonald is of a group of canteen staff, sitting deep in conversation at the end of a shift at the Redcar blast furnace in 1983. When it opened in 1979 the furnace was the second largest in Europe and employed hundreds of people. The shift would have been busy and tough, just as it would have been for the thousands of people employed at Teesside Steelworks, yet the faces of the workers hint at camaraderie through friendship and shared laughter.

This image offers a peek into the extensive portfolio of the man from Middlesbrough who, over the course of the last five decades, has captured images of our region on black and white film with a warts-and-all authenticity. As much as he has documented the rise and fall of industry such as steel and ship building in the region, and some of the area’s more, shall we say, practical and purposeful scenery, he has also documented the day to day lives of working class people and communities. Ian has a tendency to point and click at a scene that some may view as bleak or drab and bring into focus every minor beauty – and at the heart of his work are the human beings living and working in the region.

Fixing Time is an exhibition split across two venues showcasing the 50 year career of the renowned photographer and artist, running

from Saturday 20th July-Saturday 4th January 2025 at Sunderland Museum & Winter Gardens and until Sunday 3rd November at Northern Gallery for Contemporary Art, Sunderland.  www.ianmacdonald.co.uk

MUSIC

KEVIN MORBY @ BOILER SHOP

Words: Matthew McDonnell

Kevin Morby plays Newcastle’s Boiler Shop on Wednesday 3rd July, bringing his signature brand of Americana and trusty troubadour charm.

Kevin Morby released the album This Is A Photograph over two years ago, and his dedication to the album and its sentiment is as strong as ever. A key reason for this is its inception, stemming from an incident in which his father collapsed at the dinner table, having to be rushed to hospital. Rarely will an artist choose to align themselves with their previous work, and even more unlikely will an individual willingly return to a moment of tragedy, and yet on More Photographs (A Continuum), Kevin Morby does both. Embracing everything that made his last album so beautiful and affecting, only this time reshaped and moulded into something new. However, don’t be fooled by the misty eyed lyricism and lazy country drawl. Kevin Morby and his rotating roster of musicians have toured all over the world, and have been doing so for well over a decade, refining their sound and cultivating a dedicated audience, who will surely be in attendance at the Boiler Shop. www.kevinmorby.com

MUSIC DRAGGED UP @ THE CUMBERLAND ARMS

Words: Lee Fisher

The vast and unknowable Endless Window team have been killing it this year, and on Friday 26th July they present another stacked bill at The Cumberland Arms to make your synapses twitch.

Although they’ve been around in some form since 2018, 2024 is shaping up to be Glaswegian band Dragged Up’s year, with their new High On Ripple album (out through Cruel Nature/Rare Vitamin) causing a bit of a fuss all over. EW are calling it ‘contemplative spoken word and VU worship set against no wave squall and mutant psych’, and they should know. They blew a few minds when they played Newcastle last year supporting Poundland, so this return visit should be a blast. There’s a typically impressive undercard too: Pave The Jungle are probably grunge (ask yr dad) but they’re smarter than that suggests. Lovely Wife are a bludgeoning hellscape of riffs and bad behaviour (even the Wire felt compelled to describe them as ‘mutant progeny of Butthole Surfers and Iron Monkey’, which is both true and also describes some sort of hate crime). Finally, Pink Poison are one of the best new bands in the city, an electrifying mix of garage, country gothic and Captain Beefheart, all gathered up in a gamblers tie. That, my friends, is a proper night out.

www.draggedup.bandcamp.com

Ian Macdonald - Canteen staff catching up on the day at the end of their shift, Redcar Blast furnace, Autumn 1983

Jordan Rakei

MUSIC

BBC PROMS @ THE GLASSHOUSE

Words: Lee Fisher

As the BBC endeavours to take its activities beyond London (and, these days, Salford), more and more exciting happenings are taking place in cities like Newcastle and Gateshead, as demonstrated by last year’s Proms weekend at Gateshead’s Glasshouse. It went so well they’re bringing it back, as part of a series of events under the Proms umbrella around the country, and they’re cramming a lot of excellent music into the weekend which runs from Friday 26th-Sunday 28th July.

The Royal Northern Sinfonia kick things off on Friday evening with a programme of Sibelius, Tailleferre and Dvořák, while later that night Sarah Mohr-Pietsch and Glasshouse regular Hannah Peel preset their Night Tracks show live with some special guests. Saturday evening has Grammy-nominated artist Jordan Rakei working with the RNS in some special arrangements of his The Loop album, while Introducing Live At The Proms later that same evening has an array of upcoming artists performing, with a concourse stage focusing on local acts. Finally, Sunday afternoon has local

choir Voices Of The River’s Edge performing again, with a selection of soundtrack faves from Lord Of The Rings and Games Of Thrones. And the last performance will see Daniel Pioro & Friends in a special closing set. There are other performances and broadcasts happening throughout the weekend so check the programme too. www.theglasshouseicm.org

EVENTS

WASHINGTON AT 60 @ ARTS CENTRE

WASHINGTON

Words: Claire Dupree

The ‘new town’ of Washington celebrates its 60th anniversary with a series of events taking place at culture hub Arts Centre Washington. One of several so called ‘new towns’ built during the ‘60s, the aim of Washington and its districts was to provide jobs and a comfortable, safe place for an increasing post-war population. Among the highlights of the extensive celebratory programme is a retrospective exhibition of the work of artist Tony Erskine, who was heavily involved in campaigns to

promote the new town (runs until 6th July); also on 6th July, a retro Art Mart will feature work from local crafters and makers; and there’s an exhibition celebrating Washington’s past, both real and mythical (11th July-7th September). Washington has a surprising musical history too – Elvis On Tour will be a fascinating talk from Gordon Minto about Elvis Presley’s contribution to Washington, as a star of the RCA record factory which was based in Washington in the 1970s (17th July). There’s more tales from the RCA family, as BBC producer and presenter Steve Drayton hosts a series of his Mr Drayton’s Record Player events focusing on records from the RCA production line, including David Bowie’s The Rise And Fall of Ziggy Stardust And The Spiders From Mars (1st August), Fleetwood Mac’s Rumours (8th August), Lou Reed’s Transformer and The Strokes’ Is This It? (15th August), with the final event, Made In Washington, celebrating 12 singles released between 1970-1979 (29th August).

Film fans will enjoy Washington On Film, a rare opportunity to explore the town through the filmmaker’s lens (10th July); while Sunderland Film Club provides a screening of The Miner’s Hymns, which also includes a performance from Durham Miners’ Band and local folk icon Bill Elliott (18th July).

www.sunderlandculture.org.uk

MUSIC

BLACK UMFOLOSI @ THE WAITING ROOM

Words: Ben Lowes-Smith

The Waiting Room is a venue of considerable pedigree and history; it was the region’s first vegetarian restaurant as far back as 1985, and the back room has been hosting cultural and musical events ever since. This timeline speaks sweetly to Black Umfolosi, a dance and a capella group from Zimbabwe established in 1982, who perform at the venue on Sunday 7th July.

Black Umfolosi initially formed to preserve the Imbube culture that was being Westernised. Since then, the group has toured internationally all across the world, appeared at the Commonwealth Games in 1994 and has represented Zimbabwe at various international expos. When the group formed at school age in 1982, their intention was to develop themselves and contribute to their community, but this has since expanded to them being international ambassadors for Imbube music and gumboot dance. It’s a rare opportunity to catch such a precious cultural export in intimate confines, and their preservation of Imbube culture though performance is something to be cherished. This promises to be a special evening at one of the region’s most special venues. www.blackumfolosimusic.com

MUSIC FUTURE STATIC @ ZEROX

Words: Ben Lowes-Smith

Melbourne quintet Future Static bring their barnstorming debut album Liminality, a thrilling collection of progressive metal, metalcore and alternative pop, to Newcastle’s Zerox on Thursday 25th July. Singles Roach Queen and Plated Gold have made waves in alterative circles, with the band commended for their knack of close harmony and tandem vocals. The album was written and recorded initially across lockdowns, and the sense of claustrophobia is apparent in the music. Their touring support are Newcastle-based progressive rock band Giant Walker. Inspired by Deftones, Radiohead and Soundgarden, the group met as a bunch of Geordie nomads in the South East of England, drawn together by their shared experiences and love of giant riffs and ambient soundscapes. They will join Future Static on a full UK tour, with the Newcastle date representing a sentimental homecoming. The band have had praise from many quarters of the press, including Metal Hammer, Rolling Stone and Radio 1, and have signed to Church Road Records in the process. Lead single Make Me is, in the group’s own words “a song about watching someone you care about making terrible decisions, and the feelings of helplessness around that”. For fans of all genres of heavier music, this promises to be a memorable evening. www.futurestatic.net

STAGE

THE BECOMING @ JOHN MARLEY CENTRE

Words: Laura Rosierse

North East-based dance and theatre production company balletLORENT have reworked their extraordinary piece The Becoming. With a focus on inspirational images of dancers throughout the 20th century, The Becoming explores how clothing informs identity; the production will be performed by seven remarkable dancers, spanning all ages, who pour their bottled-up dreams onto the stage adorned in captivating costumes created to elevate their every move. Founded in 1993, the company still push boundaries on and off stage and do so once again with The Becoming, which will be performed in a series of three intimate 70 capacity shows at balletLORENT’s own studio in the John Marley Centre in Newcastle’s west end from Thursday 11th-Saturday 13th July. The piece was fuelled by raw emotions and frustrations coming from years of the inability to tour the country. Resilience and creativity help these dancers push themselves to their limits. The theme central to The Becoming is transformation, and its performance contains brief scenes of nudity and physical vulnerability. These performances promise an intimate and emotive journey of transformation through stunning movements. www.balletlorent.com

Black Umfolosi

STAGE SUMMER OF SHAKESPEARE @ VARIOUS

VENUES

Words: Lena Moss

Two classic Shakespeare plays are transported from The Bard’s page to a North East setting with localised adaptations that visit venues across the North East this July and August, courtesy of Theatre Space North East’s Summer of Shakespeare programme. The annual award-winning season of productions sees As You Like It carried to Lindisfarne AD 793, where a group of Anglo-Saxons escape to the vibrant Arden Forest following the Viking raid of Northumberland. Infused with all the love and laughter of the original, this modern verse translation by David Ivers visits St Peter’s Church in Sunderland (19th-21st), Jarrow Hall (23rd) and Palace Green in Durham (24th-26th) for performances this July. You also won’t want to miss Shishir Kurup’s modern verse translation of Julius Caesar. This reimagining of Shakespeare’s classic text takes place in the midst of conditions of unrest surrounding the 1984 Miners Strike, against a backdrop of Monkwearmouth Colliery. You can catch this bold adaptation at Seventeen Nineteen in Sunderland from 15th-18th August. Made possible by the work of both professional artists, and community contributions through ensemble cast and associated workshops, these daring productions hold all the comedy, drama and excitement of the original stories,

set in new worlds with updated language to be enjoyed by audiences of all ages. www.theatrespace.org.uk

MUSIC DURHAM BRASS @ VARIOUS VENUES

Words: Lee Fisher

One of the highlights of Durham’s cultural calendar is the Durham Brass Festival, the nine-day, multi-venue celebration of things that go PARP! Rooted in the area’s strong links to colliery brass bands, the festival is once again offering a mix of big-name ticketed events and free community happenings throughout the city and the county as a whole. It kicks off with Public Service Broadcasting performing their Every Valley album in Durham Cathedral with the backing of the NASUWT Riverside Band on Friday 7th (already sold out, unfortunately) and closes with Smoove & Turrell’s Northern Coal Experience at Durham Town Hall on Friday 12th, where the local funk ’n’ soul champions will DJ with a full vocal and brass accompaniment.

But there’s a lot going on in between those two figurehead dates: Streets of Brass will bring some lively brass bands to the city’s streets on Saturday 6th and Sunday 7th, while there’ll be Big and Little Brass Bashes across the county all week, from Barnard Castle to Chester-leStreet. Acclaimed brass band The Cory Band play Durham Gala on Sunday, and finally there’s Brassed On that same evening in the Town Hall, which will see two of the region’s most exciting upcoming artists collaborate with a full brass

section – Hector Gannet with NuSound Brass and Nadedja with Loud Noises – that will showcase their music in a new format. The compere for the evening will be BBC Introducing’s Shakk. www.brassfestival.co.uk

ART & LIT

INTERNATIONAL ZINE MONTH @ BALTIC

Words: Mack Sproates

We all know International Zine month is the bestest ever month, right? Whether you’re a zine master or a zine newbie, Gateshead’s Baltic welcomes you to celebrate in style with a whole load of exciting workshops and talks from Wednesday 3rd-Wednesday 31st July. What even is a zine?! It’s a self-published DIY magazine and a way of sharing your passions and interests with others – and you can make your very own in one of these workshops! Inspired by exhibitions by photographers Joanne Coates and Franki Raffles, the workshops are hosted by a fantastic range of artists like Foundation Press, Alex Hughes (and me!), and encourage visitors to have a go at exploring zines through Risograph, poetry, collage or character making. Also on offer are interesting artist talks with Michele Allen on Mud Mapping, plus there’s an impressive zine library archive to dig through.

Whether you want to get inspired, learn a new technique, collaborate with others or fancy trying something new in a supportive creative space, there’s something for everyone. www.baltic.art

Nadedja

Words: Dawn Storey

A whole host of comedians are heading to The Witham in Barnard Castle with their work-in-progress Edinburgh Fringe shows for promoters Funny Way To Be. Saturday 20th July sees a set from the high octane, razor-sharp

wit of Scotland’s Craig Hill – who has toured Australia, Europe and America with his double entendres, dance routines and songs – plus Blyth-born, internationally acclaimed Kai Humphries (one half of the Sloss and Humphries on the Road podcast), who shares thoughts and observations from his globe-trotting adventures, also joining the fray is Connor Burns, who comes straight off the back of his highly-rated debut solo UK tour and a sell-out run at last year’s Fringe. Steve Bugeja’s show on Tuesday 23rd centres around his dream of creating a sitcom, achieving that dream, and discussing whether

or not it was worth it, while support artist Chris Cantrill from BBC 2’s Alma’s Not Normal details an overdue reunion gone wrong.

Saturday 27th features comedian, actor and writer Lauren Pattison putting on her ‘big girl pants’, Justin Moorhouse presents his side-splitting humour and touching insights on life’s ups and downs, plus there’s performances from the award-winning Alun Cochrane (a familiar face from TV shows like Mock the Week) and Andrew White – known for his skill for storytelling and touted as one to watch by Joe Lycett. www.funnywaytobe.co.uk

Alun Cochrane

MUSIC ON THE BEACH LIVE @ MAJUBA BEACH

Words: Matthew Brown

The Libertines are set to make waves at Redcar beach as they headline the return of On The Beach Live. Taking place on Friday 5th July at Majuba beach, the event promises an unforgettable day of music and dancing on the coastline.

On The Beach Live promises an impressive blend of iconic bands and local talent. The Libertines, known for their ragged tunes and era-defining hits like Up The Bracket and Can’t Stand Me Now, will bring their legendary energy and dynamic performances to Redcar. Fans can also look forward to hearing tracks from their new hit album All Quiet On The Eastern Esplanade, which was released earlier this year.

Joining The Libertines are indie favourites The Pigeon Detectives and The Zutons, plus, local acts such as We Tibetans, Komparrison, The Maddison Fallout and Creeps DJs will showcase the vibrant regional music scene. On The Beach Live’s return builds on its past successes while introducing exciting new elements, ensuring a bigger and better celebration of music. Previously known for events like Beachjam and Clubland, this year’s festival promises to elevate the experience with a fresh approach and an impressive line-up. www.otblive.co.uk

MUSIC

HAIVER @ THE CLUNY 2

Words: Susie Burgess

Billy Kennedy spearheads new project, Haiver, with an upcoming show at Newcastle’s Cluny on Thursday 4th July. The Glaswegian indie folk rock quintet step away from Kennedy’s previous time as guitarist for Frightened Rabbit, however, a sonic fingerprint lingers within the bars. Both reminiscent and entirely new, fans of the Scottish rock band can expect satiation from this development in Kennedy’s music.

From the released singles, and candid glimpses shared on Instagram, Haiver’s music is a raw offering of honesty that builds anticipation for their upcoming album. Each lyric a deeply personal, heartfelt vignette, the composition delivers an uplifting journey of hope to balance the vulnerability laid out within the tracks. Gentle harmonies tie together without sacrificing the exposed edge in Kennedy’s voice; his coarse vocal texture only flourishes amidst the ambient soundscape, with lyrical imagery creating an effortless mental escape. Serving fingerpicked melodies with authentic guitar flourishes as fingertips glide over strings, a tender sincerity compliments the songs’ meaning.

Supporting Haiver is Devin Casson, a Scottish singer-songwriter whose musicality blends early Maisie Peters and Joni Mitchell with a sprinkle of acoustic Taylor Swift. www.instagram.com/haiverhaiverhaiver

MUSIC SOUNDWAVE FESTIVAL @ SEATON REACH

Words: Matthew Brown

The Soundwave Festival in Hartlepool is set to make waves on Saturday 27th July at the picturesque Seaton Reach, promising a (fingers crossed!) sun-soaked day of music, comedy and summer fun.

Headlining the main stage are the legendary Kaiser Chiefs, ready to get the crowd jumping with their infectious hits. Joining them are alternative rock stalwarts Feeder and Heather Small, the iconic voice of M People. North East favourites The Wildcats of Kilkenny, rising star Finn Forster, and indie rockers We Tibetans will also grace the stage, adding local flair to the line-up.

The BBC Introducing Stage will spotlight the best emerging talent, headlined by Michael Gallagher, plus festival goers can enjoy performances by Marina Josephina, Elizabeth Liddle, End Credits, Emma Robson, Dawks, Trunky Juno and Blackout the Arcade, promising a vibrant mix of sounds to discover. For those looking to add some laughs to their day, the Comedy Tent will be headlined by the witty Paul Sinha, with further comedic chortles provided by Brennan Reece, Katie Lucas, Catherine Young and MC Matt Reed.

Combining the best of summer vibes with a fantastic blend of established acts and fresh talent, Soundwave Festival is set to be a highlight of the season in Hartlepool. www.soundwavelive.co.uk

The Libertines by Ed Cooke

STAGE

WE’RE NOT GOING BACK @ LIVE THEATRE

Words: Amy Mitchell

We’re Not Going Back has a fantastic team behind it; Red Ladder Theatre Company have collaborated with Unite the Union to create a musical performance based on the 1984 Miner’s Strike, but from the perspective of three women. Performed at Live Theatre in Newcastle from Friday 12th-Sunday 14th July, there’s no cops and striking miners here; instead, the production reflects the experience of three sisters from a pit village, hit hard by the miner’s strike, and their determination to set up a branch of Women Against Pit Closures. Written by Boff Whalley from renowned band Chumbawamba, and with musical direction from North East songwriter Beccy Owen, this promises to be an audio delight, as well as social drama. Olive, Mary and Isabel are different generations whose everyday squabbles become entwined with issues

around the strike, a battle fought in homes and within families, making each woman question their family ties, lives and relationships. You can expect humour, working class resilience and song – and it’s great to see Live Theatre offering two matinees as well as reduced ticket prices for Unite members. Despite being hard hitting, this looks like a lot of fun, and the 80’s setting and costumes will bring back memories for some, and share with others such an important part of our Northern social history. www.live.org.uk

MUSIC HARK! THE SOUND OF STORIES @ DARLINGTON LIBRARY

Words: Roz Cuthbert

HARK! The Sound of Stories, which comes to Darlington Library on Friday 12th July, has become an integral part of the Teesside cultural calendar, blending literature and aural delights

together in an intimate setting.

Darlington’s Crown Street Library might not be the first place you think of to attend a gig and have a nice cold pint of craft lager, but with Crafty Merlin’s pop-up bar making a special appearance this fantasy becomes a reality! Bringing the ambience and melodies are Me Lost Me, aka Jayne Dent, a Newcastle-based artist who takes influence from folk, art pop, noise, ambient and improvised music. Also performing are Brick, also natives of Newcastle, who will be mesmerising audiences with their dreamy acoustic sounds. The music will be interwoven with spoken word performances from North East poetry stalwart Bob Beagrie, who recently released his latest poetry collection Romanceros; Bridget Hamilton, who has created works for Kielder Observatory and BBC Radio 3; and Amy Lord, a writer from Middlesbrough whose latest novel The Disappeared won a Northern Writers Award. A perfect combination of words, music and sound awaits you! www.tracksdarlington.co.uk

We’re Not Going Back, L-R Claire O’Connor (Isabel) and Victoria Brazier (Olive) by Lian Furness

INTERVIEWS

RAUL KOHLI

BEN LOWES-SMITH TALKS TO THE CHARISMATIC NEWCASTLE COMEDIAN ABOUT HIS STAND-UP SHOW WHICH COVERS RACE, CLASS AND UNCOMFORTABLE TRUTHS IN BRITISH SOCIETY IMAGE BY AMELIA READ

Raul Kohli has been amusing and thrilling audiences in the North East and beyond for the last decade or so. The Newcastle-based comedian won the Hackney Empire New Act Of The Year Award in 2017 and has since found national and international acclaim. His intensely charismatic brand of politicised comedy covers race, class and uncomfortable truths in British society, and his new show Raul Britannia (The Full Inglish) is on its way to Edinburgh Fringe (via Newcastle’s Stand Comedy Club).

When I speak to Raul, he muses on what has changed culturally in the last ten years or so:

“I started my comedy journey 12 years ago. There was this wave of British pride with the Olympics and then in four short years it was Brexit, and since then the country and the world has got increasingly divided, and people are dehumanizing each other in such blind ways. It’s a dangerous place we find ourselves in, and reminds me of a lot of the way that the older generations in my family felt about Pakistanis. But growing up, I was best friends with a lot of Pakistanis whose grandparents felt the same as mine, but about Indians.”

Despite the immediate bleakness, Raul remains defiantly positive: “I think there’s hope to be found in that life experience

COMEDY

of generational healing. I don’t particularly think there’s any use in telling British and white people to be ashamed of their very humanity and that there is nothing to be proud of in Britain and the West, but I also don’t think ‘multiculturalism has failed’ as Suella Braverman put it. I believe there’s lots to be proud of in Britain and being the most successful multiracial democracy in the world is one of those things we should be proud of. This show is just my attempt to try and find a nuanced middle ground between all the shouting... if that still exists.”

Raul’s talent combines incisive social commentary with relatable personal anecdotes and observations; he finds a beautiful middle ground of celebrating British tradition while being critical of the societal norms we encounter on a daily basis. His take on the narrative around immigration in the United Kingdom is thoughtful: “After the Manchester Arena bombings, I remember papers saying Didsbury was a Muslim no-go zone. I lived in Manchester at the time, and it was literally one of the poshest hipster areas I’ve ever been to. The only brown thing there was yoga gyms... and they were all run by white women. But I do think people should be allowed to have a sensible discussion about the numbers. The first thing you learn in economics is a proportional increase in the population swallows up a proportional increase in economic growth. The UK has had low growth for pretty much most of my adult life and public services are heavily strained. Yes, there are bigger reasons for that: 11 years of underinvestment, private sectors crowding out public services but still: increased numbers maybe aren’t helping

THIS SHOW IS MY ATTEMPT TO TRY AND FIND A NUANCED MIDDLE GROUND BETWEEN ALL THE SHOUTING... IF THAT STILL EXISTS

and grown up people should be allowed to have grown up discussions about that. It’s just that often (but not always) these people who are really keen on having this discussion usually have darker motives.”

The show, and its eventual progress, was born from Raul’s frustration with these polarising narratives. “I’m very happy with how it’s progressed. I always need to know where the show ends before I even begin writing it. And how I’m going to get there from the beginning, so I can tie all the various themes together. It’s been about two years in the making, some in my opinion very original thinking which I think will impress critics but has also been working in the clubs, which is what I always aim for in an Edinburgh show. There were some jokes that were relevant last year that have been removed this year. I have a director giving me an outside eye looking at the structure and I’m really excited for it. I mean, it’s kind of fucked now, because all the government satire may be irrelevant thanks to Rishi’s decision to hold an election on 4th July. I have enough previews to adapt! And I think current affairs stuff aside, it’s still funny, poignant, personal, political and downright inspirational. The responses to previews seem to suggest the same, and I’m just hoping people at Edinburgh feel the same way.”

The ongoing gentrification of the Edinburgh Fringe Festival has been a pressing concern for many, and acts without PR or big backing are increasingly struggling to justify the outlay. Raul pontificates: “In the past I’ve made lots of money and had a grand old time. This year, I’m not so sure. I’ve spent more than I’ve ever spent beforehand. Accommodation has gone up 50% from last year which given how much I spent last year is insane. I’ve got PR, directors, my agent producing it, I’m doing a paid venue, and I’m not doing my compilation so I can put all my focus into the solo show. I think at Edinburgh, you either make money or risk losing a lot of money in the hopes that you’ll climb to that next level of success, and hopefully I’ll get to that next level. I think the team behind me are brilliant at what they do, I trust them, I trust my commitment to this piece and my abilities as a comedian and I believe this show is very politically salient...depending on the election!”

Raul Kohli performs Raul Britannia (The Full Inglish) at The Stand, Newcastle on Monday 22nd July before moving the show to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival at Just The Tonic, Cabaret Voltaire from 1st-25th August. www.raulkohli.com

YES PLANT

DAVID SAUNDERS TALKS TO THE ECLECTIC ELECTRONIC MUSIC OUTFIT ABOUT THEIR APOCALYPTIC NEW ALBUM WHICH EXPLORES THEMES OF NIHILISM, RAGE AND GRIEF

North East electronic music outfit Yes Plant are a quartet consisting of Matthew Jameson, Adam Tyson, Jake Anderson and most recent member Alana Wan. They make experimental pop music laced with character and wit, which feels very unique compared to what’s going on at the moment. I ask Jake how they think they fit into the region’s current musical landscape. “I’ve always perceived Yes Plant, at least, to be adjacent to the existing scene. I think, at times, some of the stuff we’ve historically released was a little obtuse. But things are changing.”

In keeping with the world’s ‘pre-war’ outlook, Yes Plant take inspiration from the end of days for their sophomore album, From The Apocalypse. It explores themes of nihilism, rage, grief, regret and death through “interweaving narratives and characters.” Matthew tells us more: “These songs are as much literal recounts as they are deconstructions of these themes through the personification of survivors in an apocalypse. Death can be sudden; mourning does not just have to be those that you love; rage can consume you; hopefulness and optimism aren’t always the same thing. These are the ideas we wanted to explore, so we invented these three characters to tell these stories through, with this nuclear backdrop to help us explore that.”

Sonically, the album incorporates a variety of styles from the haunting minimal dance vibes of Adrenaline, to the ominous, cinematic Blade Runner-esque soundscape An End To The World That We Built, and the College-like synth pop sing-along Geopolitical Statement. This unrestricted approach makes the album feel as open and as boundaryless as the scorched wastelands the music explores. I ask Matthew if the genre-fluidity of the album was a creative tool that allowed them to express themselves more freely, or if it was to keep the songwriting process interesting.

“A bit of both…Me and Jake have two distinct different styles and approaches when it comes to composing music, we’re both

THESE SONGS ARE AS MUCH LITERAL RECOUNTS AS THEY ARE DECONSTRUCTIONS OF THESE THEMES THROUGH THE PERSONIFICATION OF SURVIVORS IN AN APOCALYPSE

electronic, but I’m more analogue, whilst Jake is more digital. So, we’ve got to work out how to bridge that gap, and from that these different styles and genres develop.” He continues: “Yes Plant is also a good outlet for approaching our music in a less serious way. So we feel more comfortable throwing a complete curveball into the mix, say singer-songwriter, alternative dance, darkwave. A genre that the listener perhaps wasn’t expecting if they’re familiar with either of our bodies of work.”

Despite the dark subject matter, Yes Plant still manages to incorporate their droll lyricism, as Jake explains. “I think the humour is only ever derived from cynicism and desensitisation. And yeah, I guess that is a reflection of the current state of the world. On one hand, I can write a song that has a narcissistic megalomaniac demanding someone’s genital to be removed from their body because he’s become this apocalyptic cult leader, but the truth is people with similar mindsets do exist, and from reading Nuclear War: A Scenario by Annie Jacobson, people who think like this are in these dangerous positions. So, is it really that funny to write a song where someone killed five billion people over coffee? Yeah, it is, until you forget how very real someone like that can materialise.”

Yes Plant release From The Apocalypse on 5th July. The band play Northern Electric Festival, which takes place in Newcastle on Friday 9th and Saturday 10th August. www.yesplant.bandcamp.com

NARC. FEST

IF YOU LIKE…

HEADLINE ACTS

NARC. Fest brings the best of North East talent to Ouseburn which is justified by the strength of headliners this year. Originally from all corners of the region, Newcastle-based radgie punks Irked have rightfully been given the nod this year after impressing across a couple of recent blazing hardcore tracks. Elsewhere, Leeds’ Galaxians will bring the rhythmic medicine to the party, Sam Grant’s Rubber Oh project promise an “eternal psyche-pop continuum”, plus garage-poppers Wormboys, the krautophonic blizzard-wave (yes, really) of Warm Digits and alt. pop underheroes Shields complete the headliners.

PERENNIAL FAVOURITES

And what about of those names that are already familiar to many in the local music know? Well, Cortney Dixon has really come into her own after the release of her Summer Love single last year, while bigfatbig remain one of the region’s most underrated pop-punk bands. Fresh from an unlikely recent support slot with Benefits, Melanie Baker (now with a full band) is really settling into a furtive nu-grunge furrow. While No Teeth are already veterans of the noise punk scene, dark wave duo Vigilance State have been casting shadows at our door since lockdown and Muckle are OGs of Leeds’ “sweaty noise complaint” scene.

MUSIC

WORDS: STEVE SPITHRAY

We are proud to be partnering with Ouseburn Festival again this year on Saturday 13th July for a day of live music, curated by some of the North East’s most acclaimed promoters across six of its finest small music venues: The Old Coal Yard (programmed by Endless Window), The Tyne Bar (who are also celebrating their 30th anniversary), Little Buildings (curated by Flat Four Records), The Cluny 2 (courtesy of Wandering Oak), The Cumberland Arms and The Grove. What’s more, it’s free and you don’t even need a ticket! Read on for more on the line-up... www.facebook.com/narc.fest

NEXT BIG THINGS

Where better to find the next big things than by getting down early and catching some of the opening acts on each stage. So, how about starting the day with Newcastle alt. pop duo Badger’s take on melodic existential crises? Or, the twang and bang surf of The Milk Lizards? Not your cup of tea? How about enigmatic alt. rockers The Timewasters, lo-fi indie-traditionalists Feeble Strength, suites of loud sounds from Frolic Acid or your last chance to dance early doors, Crane House’s soulful alt. folk? Gotta be something there for everyone so… Get. Down. Early.

THE BEST OF THE REST

Finally, it’s the depth of the line-up that really impresses this year, so if you still think you can fit a quick food break into your day consider that the line-up also includes experimental music magpies Crimewave, Sunderland synth poppers CHAT, the melody-riddled posthardcore of Objections, the pickled electronica of Jellyskin and Newcastle rock trio Cheap Lunch. Toon via Ipswich and darkest Northumberland, Look Terrified have been described as clever indie alt. pop while, last but not least, indie rock trio Big Romance’s backstory is a diaspora of North East acts, at least one already mentioned here, and squaring this NARC. Fest circle quite nicely…

Cortney Dixon by Rob Irish

MUSIC

SUMMER STREETS

WORDS: CLAIRE DUPREE

Sunderland’s celebration of music, Summer Streets, returns to Cliffe Park on Saturday 6th and Sunday 7th July. Organiser Ross Millard explains the ethos of the free event: “We like to try and present a line-up that’s a mix of upcoming local artists alongside more well known names, leaving space for local community groups and performers as well.” Keeping the line-up eclectic and diverse is key. “There’s no bigger buzz than seeing a little gang of five-year olds dancing down the front to some improv jazz, or seeing a group of 20 ukulele players getting the chance to be on a proper stage, with a proper PA playing in front of a crowd that isn’t just family and friends.”

SUMMER STREETS HIGHLIGHTS

I think there are lots of highlights on this year’s bill – Field Music haven’t played a proper full-band show for two years and I’m delighted they’ve chosen Summer Streets as a comeback moment. Tom A Smith headlining the Sunday will feel like a real homecoming moment for him too – his first festival headline slot. He’s toured so much and played so many shows in the last 12 months, it feels like this will be a chance to celebrate all of that graft in his home town.  Having Royal Northern Sinfonia come back to the festival for the first time since the pandemic is great – I always love seeing how young kids respond to their playing and the respect and reverence they inspire. Martha haven’t played many local shows over the last year either, so I’m really

Well-known artists like Field Music, Royal Northern Sinfonia, Jamilah, Tom A Smith and Lake Poets rub shoulders with workshops and craft activities, and an easy-going atmosphere adds to the occasion. “I really felt that the audience appetite for the sense of community and fun that Summer Streets represents was even bigger than before.” Ross says of the event’s evolution. “The fact we’ve gone to two days now means we can programme more and present more diverse voices from around the region.” Here, Ross offers up some top tips on who to check out at this year’s event. www.summerstreetsfestival.com

excited to have them on the bill too. In terms of ones to watch, I’d say Lovely Assistant are such an incredible, tasteful band, and Frankie Archer has been causing quite a stir lately with her electronic take on traditional Northumbrian folk songs – she’s already been on Jools Holland and has supported The Last Dinner Party at several big gigs. Dead Wet Things are a proper Sunderland punk band, and I’m looking forward to them shaking things up a bit on our Second Stage. Dilutey Juice were a major highlight of Summer Streets last year so we just had to bring them back again for 2024. They’re a perfect festival band – great musicians, amazing energy – and you don’t see enough sousaphone players if you ask me.

Martha

Field Music by Andy Martin

QUEEN OF THE NORTH

LAURA DOYLE TALKS TO TOMMY ‘THE QUEER HISTORIAN’ ABOUT HIS PLAY WHICH LOOKS AT THE ORAL HISTORIES OF STOCKTON’S MARKET, THE INTERSECTION BETWEEN MONEY AND CLASS AND THE NORTH/SOUTH DIVIDE

When you think of the North East’s most iconic features, what comes to mind? The Angel of the North? The Tyne? Multi-award winning artist and performer Tommy may make a bold argument for a new icon: Stockton-on-Tees’ bi-weekly town market. He’s been working with ARC Stockton for a little over a year now, and in that time has developed a deep connection with the town.

“As an artist making work for the region, I wanted to soak up local culture as much as possible to figure out what people in Teesside and the North East want in a piece of theatre.”

Upon arriving from his home in Brighton to the exotic and unknown lands of Stockton, a formative experience at the beloved Queen of the North inspired a new show all about it. “Last year, my director Scott Le Crass and I went to get lunch in the market. Scott – a working class Brummie – tried to pay with his card. It turned into a 15 minute sketch of us trying to pay for this pie. Scott turned to me and said, ‘We need to make a show about this market.’ I became fascinated with the parallels between money, working class narratives and the market... I’ve thought about what being working class means to me throughout this whole project and the differences between being working class in the South versus the North.”

Us locals rarely get an insight into the Southerner’s perspective when they visit the region, but Tommy fuelled his creativity by researching our differences – which fed Queen of the North the most.

“One of the biggest culture shocks is the price. Prices have gone up here because of the cost of living crisis, but the South is just out of control. There’s also the timeslips you can experience up in the North East – you walk down an old cobbled street and then come across a B&M. Period parts mix with brand new modernism – it’s so rare to find down South. Our set and costume designer, Lu Herbet is from Leeds, and we spoke about

I BECAME FASCINATED WITH THE PARALLELS BETWEEN MONEY, WORKING CLASS NARRATIVES AND THE MARKET

how the South would’ve been focused on more in World War II, and about the government focusing on the South. The effect that has had on culture, buildings and shops is something we explore in the set and costume design in the show.”

As a visitor to the region, Tommy has ensured that the voices of the community he’s representing are loud and clear in the work itself. “There is no one size fits all approach to community engagement. I’ve hosted pizza parties, we’ve had a postbox at ARC which received over 350 stories about the market, and our production assistant Kieran spent 16 weeks at the market talking to all of the traders. Five voice-actors from the region are voicing a variety of roles, and I really hope it brings together all the community stuff we’ve done over the last few months.”

Tommy hopes to have captured the spirit of Stockton and the market, refracted through the lens of an outsider who’s grown to appreciate this little market town almost as much as its inhabitants. “I’ve made this show for Teesside and the North East to capture the essence of the community up here. I really hope it makes the piece feel authentic. A lot of the script is made up from direct quotes from my community outreach. As an artist, I also wear many different hats with my intersections –queer, working class, disabled and neurodivergent. If you fit into one of these, you might get something completely different out of it than you expect to.”

Queen of the North is performed at ARC, Stockton from Thursday 4th-Friday 5th July. www.linktr.ee/hicampers

Image by Lucy Harding

TRUNK

WHEN

WE GET TOGETHER AND SHARE OUR INFLUENCES WE ALL HAVE DIFFERENT TASTES AND IT’S IMPORTANT THAT COMES ACROSS IN OUR SONGS

DAMIAN ROBINSON TALKS TO THE NORTH EAST BAND ABOUT ENCAPSULATING THEIR FULL-THROTTLE LIVE SOUND INTO THEIR DEBUT EP

Clearly understanding the mechanics of release management and PR, local hardcore indie shoegaze act Trunk have worked logistical magic on the release of their debut EP Tembo.

Following the recent release of their 90’s sounding guitar monstrosity of a single Save, Trunk don’t just follow it up with a 1-2 combination through the quick release of second single Blind Stare; they instead deliver a knockout blow with the release of their full five-track EP. Have that Tyson Fury. “I think what we really wanted to do was to release the EP as quickly as we could,” confirms frontman, vocalist and rhythm guitarist Connor Noble. “Some of the release work has been a long time coming and once it was ready we wanted to get it straight out.”

“Some of the songs were started three years ago, and went through a few changes as they were played live,” adds drummer Dylan Thompson, “but once we knew where we wanted the songs to be we moved quickly.”

Second single Blind Stare finds Trunk moving into new, yet aligned, territory to Save; the strong guitar and effects work is still part of the overall sound of the band, but there’s a change of pace and an altogether different feel. “I think this song developed the most,” confirms lead guitarist Sam Whitman. “Dylan’s style and Connor’s singing moved the song into a new space, and we didn’t want to repeat ourselves across any of the EP so we wanted to make sure each part of the EP represented almost a different style, or influence, of the band. When we get together and share our influences we all have different tastes and it’s important that comes across in our songs. We’re much

better together when we mix our influences.”

With a reputation as an intense, full-throttle live act, the band admit that the largest challenge with Tembo was how to capture their live sound and energy into a recording. “We tried a few different ways,” adds bassist Joe Nixon, “but what was most important was that we had a good time when we recorded. We wanted to capture some of the late 80s/early 90s lo-fi sound but we didn’t want to make it perfect; we play with emotion and we wanted the emotion to come across. We ended up partly recording in a cupboard for the sound – we just did what we felt was right!”

Inspired by a combination of topics – “there’s lots going on in the EP; everything from helping yourself, to caring for others, to references to Fallout” explains Connor – Tembo not only takes in different musical references, it also covers different cultural references – all whilst delivering a considerable music kick with guitar and effects bombast.

“Shoot Me To The Sky, Mason Jar and Fall all mix in with the two singles to deliver an EP we’re really happy with,” confirms Joe. “Tembo is the combination of a lot of hard work, a lot of playing live, a lot of refining our songs, and it gives us something we’re really proud of that show people where we are now. And where we are now is where we want to be – it’s the start of something we all believe in.”

Trunk release Tembo on 21st July. The band play Zerox, Newcastle on Saturday 20th July. www.linktr.ee/trunkband.ls

BEHIND THE MUSIC: IMOGEN & THE KNIFE

IMOGEN & THE KNIFE RELEASE THEIR DEBUT EP, SOME KIND OF LOVE, ON FRIDAY 19TH JULY PRECEDED BY LEAD SINGLE, IF IT WON’T TALK OF RAIN, WHICH HAS ALREADY BEEN COMPARED TO THE LIKES OF PJ HARVEY AND NADINE SHAH. HERE, NORTH EAST NATIVE IMOGEN EXPLAINS THE INFLUENCES AND INSPIRATION BEHIND THE FIVE TRACKS ON THE EP, HOW SHE EMBRACES HER NORTHERN HERITAGE AS A WOMAN AND HOW SHE USES ‘THE KNIFE’ AS A POWERFUL SYMBOL OF RECLAMATION. WWW.IMOGENANDTHEKNIFE.COM

WORDS: IMOGEN & THE KNIFE

MOTHER OF GOD

Quite by accident, this EP opens and closes with a dream. The opening track is a direct recount of a recurring nightmare I had during a very transitional time. It was earthed from a bass riff that Will Lister showed me and immediately it felt as though the dream had somehow found a sonic form. The images were already there: the boat-shaped house, the knife with my initials on it, the mosaic of faces. “Mother of God! This can’t be the only one” is the jolted awake moment when you realise that unless addressed, the dream, and the pain, won’t leave. After I wrote this track, the dream at least, did.

PARIS NIGHT

I somehow managed to whisk my younger sister away to Paris last minute on a grim weekend (Tory landslide, 2019). I didn’t really know what was going on with my life and she was just about to leave school. It was a strange, quiet, apprehensive bubble of time. I remember looking at her and thinking, “I’m not sure what we’re going back to, I’d rather just stay here forever”. My nearest know I’m not quiet about her being the most precious thing on the planet to me. It’s not the first or the last song about her, but it’s maybe the best.

RED (IS MY COLOUR)

Red is one of those songs that fell out fully formed, which usually happens when I’m searching for something. Broadly, it’s

a question of legacy, womanhood and our learned behaviour that shapes the continued degradation of women. It asks what it would truly mean to start again without any influence of heritage or structures; what parts of us are unknowingly intrinsic to the cycle of hurt. The song addresses you, myself, anybody. It’s less of a call to arms and more of an invitation to look inward.

IF IT WON’T TALK OF RAIN

This started life as a meandering musing on my proud Northern identity and what this meant as a young woman and musician choosing to leave home. As Northerners, we’re born into a culture of song and place, and it’s often as romantic and strident as it is mournful. This track is an exploration of that whole spectrum. A love letter of sorts.

SOME KIND OF LOVE

The closing dream. I used to be very close with someone as a kid and, despite not knowing them much anymore, they found their way into a dream of mine and we had a really moving conversation. Of course, it was my brain that made up what they were saying, how we interacted – the layers of that are really interesting to me. I figured it’s some kind of love that keeps them floating about my subconscious. I titled the EP after this song because each track explores love, of some kind, in its own way. Love shapes my experience of this world. It’s beauty and it’s pain. I hold a lot of it. Sometimes I’m not sure where to put it, and then, sometimes, a collection of songs appear.

Image by Ruby Pluhar

NEWCASTLE FRINGE FESTIVAL

IF YOU LIKE…

LAUGHS

When you think ‘fringe’ you tend to think of comedy, and this event is brimming with laughs. To name a few, at Alphabetti comic Amy Matthews explores love, home and class in Commute With The Foxes (16th-20th); Cal Halbert shares how alcohol ruined his life (19th); Alex Kealy discusses The Fear (17th); Richard Pulsford dispenses one-liners in Get Rich Quick (18th) AND Daniel Nicholas thrills audiences with his murder mystery, Art To Die For (20th).

At The Coal Yard, there’s Britain’s Got Talent winner Lost Voice Guy (19th); at The Cumberland Arms, Australian comedian Thao Thanh Cao comes clean in Confessions of a Comedian (16th) and there are hilarious sets from Amy Anette (24th) at Prohibition Bar and Jessie Cave at Dance City (25th).

CHOICE

Alongside the laughs, the Fringe offers a variety of performance art that will capture your imagination. Want to get lost in a story? Then check out online dating drama You Need To Say Sorry (16th), Brainsoup Collective’s apocalypse-based surrealist theatre Thresholds (18th-19th) or Dora Frankel Ensemble’s gothic and quirky Fragments of Poe (27th) at Alphabetti. Black comedy/horror The King In Yellow (27th) is at The Cumberland Arms. The Old Coal Yard offers cabaret from climate-focused duo Fossilheads (24th) and LOL-alicious drag acts PlastiQ (18th) and SALLY™ (25th). Music lovers

EVENTS

WORDS: DAVID SAUNDERS

Newcastle Fringe Festival returns from Tuesday 16th-Sunday 27th July and will be dishing out a full range of performing art delights, with fifty touring artists taking over Alphabetti Theatre, Prohibition Cabaret Bar and Dance City in the centre of the city, along with The Old Coal Yard and The Cumberland Arms in the Ouseburn Valley.

There’s comedy, cabaret, theatre, music and lots more in one of the festival’s most vibrant and eclectic programmes to date. So if you’re looking to kickstart your cloud-filled Summer, check out what’s in store.

www.newcastlefringe.co.uk

can get their jazz fix from Bold Big Band (26th) at The Old Coal Yard and disco divas can enjoy A Hot Minute’s tribute to female music legends (19th).

FAMILY TIME

Kick start your Summer holidays with some quality time catching a performance with your brood. Enjoy the improv storytelling of The Extraordinary Time-Travelling Adventures of Baron Munchausen (26th); Philip Simon’s award-winning kid-friendly joke show, School’s Out Comedy Club (25th); or magical, musical adventure The Ballad of Billie and The Tree Stump (23rd-27th). For the slightly older ones there’s a witty, musical insight into the teens with Mother’s Ruin: The Teenage Years (26th-27th).

LOCAL PERFORMERS

As well as being a great event for touring talent, Newcastle Fringe also features lots of local top turns. The Alphabetti highlights include Lauren Pattison with her brand new show Big Girls Pants (23rd-24th); fellow female comedians Kelly Edgar, Kerris Gibson, Alex Redman and Kelly Rickard join forces for No Worries If Not (17th); and the master of spoken word Donald Jenkins performs Still Raving In Your 40s (23rd-24th).

Over at The Old Coal Yard, Geordie comic Mike Milligan talks about his acting experiences in Lead Me Here (25th). Prohibition Bar’s local selection sees Si Beckwith talk step-parenting in Bricks (26th) and Amy Wright (26th) goes Consett daft in her must-see routine.

Jessie Cave

Fragments of Poe by Luke Waddington

Donald Jenkins

SARAH VICKERS

AHEAD OF A PERFORMANCE AT NEWCASTLE FRINGE FESTIVAL, PHOENIX ATKINSON CHATS WITH WRITER SARAH VICKERS ABOUT HER PLAY WHICH DEALS WITH THE UNIVERSAL THEMES OF LOVE AND GRIEF

Continuing her desire to push North Eastern stories to the fore, Sarah Vickers’ new play, Chilli Con Carne, is performed at the upcoming Newcastle Fringe Festival.

Created with Messy Kind, a production company with a basis in authenticity, it’s a story about a complicated love triangle between Ash (played by Sarah), Sonia (Tor Lighten) and Tom (Charles Maddison), and focuses on how difficult love truly can be and the impact of grief.

However, the original story of Chilli Con Carne was different, as Sarah explains: “I initially just wrote something because I really liked Pinter and those sorts of kitchen sink talk-y plays. I wrote a two-hander between a man and a woman,” Sarah tells me over Zoom, “it was a similar premise but it’s changed quite a lot.”

The mention of Harold Pinter caught my attention, and it’s clear his famous style of realistic drama impacted her style of writing. When you look at Betrayal, one of Pinter’s most iconic plays, you can see how the inspiration developed. As Ash and Sonia’s young queer relationship comes to a painful end, complex feelings of love, grief and regret resurface ten years later as Sonia returns to Newcastle to discover Ash’s ‘wonderfully normal life’ with fiancé Tom.

She describes Chilli Con Carne as “something that I want to do, that’s an interesting drama, that’s entertaining. It’s not a big personal piece, or political piece, or anything like that, because I personally don’t feel like I have the mind to do that and do it justice!” She mentions that she had realised what she had

THERE’S SOMETHING SO PEACEFUL AND ENJOYABLE ABOUT SITTING IN A THEATRE AND WATCHING PEOPLE IN FRONT OF YOU

written for the part of Tom was “quite sticky. I hadn’t developed him enough because he was just a tertiary character, he was just somebody that existed to be an obstacle for the two women.”

Chilli Con Carne will be performed at Newcastle’s Alphabetti Theatre, a hub of theatrical activity and a place that Sarah feels connected to. “After moving back up north from London, I wanted to really connect with the local theatre scene, and I found it quite hard to get into! When we said we were doing this and we were going to take it to the Camden Fringe, I had a look at the dates for the Newcastle Fringe.” The Newcastle Fringe is a fairly new festival, so how can it be used for writers? “I’d quite like to use these as a more in-depth R&D, see what kind of feedback comes back from audience members and see if we could develop it into something bigger.”

I ask about the looming implications of our future AI overlords and how that may affect the acting and writing industry.

“There’s always going to be enough fight in all of us to fight against it.” It’s that humanity that we can’t live without stories. “I think that theatre needs to be protected, because you have streaming platforms and even cinema’s kind of dying, and even TikTok, and there’s something so peaceful and enjoyable about sitting in a theatre and watching people in front of you.”

What’s next? There are ideas coming up, but nothing is set in stone yet. “I just like telling stories,” says Sarah. And what could be more human than that?

Sarah Vickers’ Chilli Con Carne is performed as part of Newcastle Fringe Festival at Alphabetti Theatre from Thursday 18th – Saturday 20th July. www.messykind.com

DURHAM FRINGE FESTIVAL

IF YOU LIKE…

QUANTITY AND QUALITY

The event boasts a whopping 245 performances from an array of the best local and touring talent, with something for everyone to enjoy.

If you like theatre, then Ben Donaghy’s brand new one-man show BED, at The City Theatre (24th-26th & 28th), will have you questioning the world around you. If spoken word is your bag, then We Are Northern celebrates North East working-class culture and community with poetry at Cafédral (24th-25th). If you want to be spooked to the core then head to Stewart Houson’s Strange and Extraordinary Tales at City Theatre (25th-27th), or if it’s just a bit of rocking out you’re after, then check out indie trio Jam Tub at Palace Green Stretch Tent (28th). I could go on, but word count won’t let me.

POLITICAL LAUGHS

The elections will be over but the politics will continue with some hilarious Westminster-focused comedy shows. Babs Romance MP brings her scandalous and hilarious press conference, Babs For Life, to Vane Tempest @ Dunelm House (24th-25th); also performing is Harun Musho’d (27th), who will be reading from and commenting on bad political memoirs, and Jen Strike (27th-28th), who takes you on a tour of a Northern childhood amidst the backdrop of The Miner’s Strike with her show Strike By Name, at Fabio’s Bar.

EVENTS

WORDS: DAVID SAUNDERS

Durham Fringe Festival returns for its fourth year with 90 different shows across seven venues in five days from Wednesday 24th-Sunday 28th July.

The event will showcase some amazing drama, music, comedy and magic performances as well as a greater range of dance thanks to its new partnership with Dance City. Also, two new festival venues, Durham Distillery and Dunelm House, will join established festival spots The Sir Thomas Allen Assembly Rooms, City Theatre, Cafedral café and the Fringe’s very own stretch-marquee tent on Palace Green.

The line-up for this year’s Durham Fringe might be bigger, but the price isn’t. Tickets cost the same as last year so you don’t have to break the bank to enjoy great performance art. www.durhamfringe.co.uk

SOME EXCITING PERIOD DRAMA

For those harking back to the old times –where the ruling class showed little consideration for the poor and waste was dumped untreated into our waters – you’re in for a treat with the festival’s grand selection of theatre productions set in the past.

There’s Green Knight, Debbie Cannon’s reimagining of a medieval poem, at Palace Green Stretch Tent (24th-26th); Heather-Rose Andrews’ one-woman performance of Jekyll & Hyde (24th-26th) at The City Theatre; an insightful look at London’s finest detective with Sherlock Holmes The Last Act (24th-28th) at Vane Tempest @ Dunelm House and a witch hunt in 17th Century England in Menstrual Rage’s Hellcats (24th-27th) at Palace Green Stretch Tent.

MAGIC

Sitting at the desk of your 9-5 job you might be thinking that magic, similar to that felt during your first kiss, has no presence in your life currently. If that’s the case then a trip to Durham Fringe is needed.

Prepare to be wowed by teenage magic sensation Brooklyn-Ellis Carr at The City Theatre (24th-26th); interactive duo Lichfield & Larmouth at Vane Tempest @ Dunelm House (24th-25th & 28th July); twin tricksters Kane & Abel (26th-27th) at The Pemberton Rooms and awardwinning stand-up comedian and magician Robert Reed at Cafédral (24th-28th).

Bed, A One Man Show by Ben Donaghy

Robert Reed

Babs Romance MP

ELAINE ROBERTSON

AHEAD OF TWO PERFORMANCES IN THE REGION, MATTHEW BROWN TALKS TO THE CONSETT-BORN COMEDIAN WHOSE NEW SHOW EXPLORES DELUSION, AUTHENTICITY AND SURREAL OBSERVATIONAL HUMOUR

County Durham comedian Elaine Robertson is set to take the stage with her latest show, Delulu, appearing at The Stand on Tuesday 9th and as part of Durham Fringe Festival on Sunday 28th July. Known for her blend of surreal observational humour and audience interaction, Robertson’s new show promises to be a comedic exploration of delusion, authenticity and the human experience.

Delulu, short for delusional, is a concept that Robertson embraces both humorously and seriously. “A bit of delusion and false confidence has let me do the funnest thing ever – making lots of people laugh!” She shares. But delusion also has a deeper significance in her life, as she has personally experienced psychosis. This duality forms the backbone of her new show. “In stand-up comedy, people are really concerned with authenticity. Can an authentic experience also not be the truth?” Robertson challenges the audience to consider this as she recounts her surreal stories, such as supposedly seeing the American bassist and singer-songwriter Bootsy Collins on a child’s bike outside Domino’s in Low Fell.

Audiences can expect a performance that is both chaotic and compelling. “I’m a hot mess but people seem to be entertained,” Robertson admits, particularly resonating with diverse groups including the “girls, gays and theys.” Delulu ventures into more theatrical territory compared to her previous work. Robertson is excited to share stories from her time as a carer during the pandemic. “It was a very difficult time for everyone involved, but there were moments when it felt like we were having the best time out of everyone, dying our hair and having raging singalong parties. It made me realise how important humour is as a coping mechanism.”

Growing up in Consett has significantly influenced Robertson’s comedic style. “I grew up around karaoke legends and my mam,

I’M A HOT MESS BUT PEOPLE SEEM TO BE ENTERTAINED

who’s the wittiest person I know,” she recalls. Robertson’s early involvement in musical theatre and her knack for creating elaborate stories to avoid school activities also played a crucial role in her development as a performer. “We used to skive off lessons all the time to sing and dance. I never went to GCSE PE or Maths because we made up this hoax for teachers that we were choreographing a dance for the principal. We weren’t but on reflection it’s weird no one questioned this.”

Robertson’s journey includes being a BBC New Comedian of the Year Regional Finalist. “I was having absolute kittens,” she admits. “I don’t even remember performing my set. I felt like I lived it for the first time watching it on telly live with my friends who I used to dance for teachers with. This was equally as surreal as being on the telly as we were in this tiny pirate themed room in bunk beds at Alton Towers.”

Taking Delulu to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival later this year is a dream come true for Robertson. “I can’t wait to have three weeks to just perform and watch comedy,” she enthuses, despite the logistical challenges. “Accommodation and production costs are expensive so I can only afford to tent out, but apparently there’s a big field of Highland cows which I’m buzzing about.”

Elaine Robertson’s Delulu is more than just a comedy show; it’s a journey through delusion, authenticity and laughter. Her unique perspective and engaging storytelling promise to make Delulu a standout performance. www.facebook.com/elainerobertsoncomedy

Image by Janina Sabaliauskaite

SONNY TENNET

AMY MCGARAHAN CHATS WITH THE SOUTH SHIELDS-BORN ARTIST ABOUT HIS DEBUT ALBUM

Clocking up over 65 million Spotify streams, performing for the England football team in Germany and enjoying support from the likes of BBC Radio 1’s Future Pop show probably isn’t the usual roster of achievements for many 25 year old lads from South Shields, but Sonny Tennet seems to take it all in his stride. Sonny is poised to release his debut album, Panorama, this month, and it’s a project that he’s keen to emphasise represents who he is as an artist now, rather than the teenage musician who first burst onto the South Shields gigging scene 10 years ago. “We wanted to make a body of work that represents me now, because a lot of my songs were released when I was 17,” he explains. “As you get older, your taste changes and your influences change. This album represents me as an artist now; it brings out my jokey side in some areas and my deeper side in others.”

Drawing inspiration from a variety of artists and styles, Sonny describes how he admires the versatility of Bruno Mars: “He can go from singing a really jokey song to a deep ballad. I’m not the most serious bloke in the world, so it’s nice to put that in the music as well,” he laughs. Stevie Wonder, Paolo Nutini and contemporary R&B artists like SZA and Cleo Sol also influenced the album’s sound, which can especially be heard in the R&B infused and jazzy ad-lib adorned love song Bury Me Here.

I

Growing up in South Shields has had a profound impact on Sonny’s music; the local culture and community spirit are woven into the fabric of his songs: “It’s made me the person I am today. Sick Note is about the drinking culture here, and Howay is about the community and the football club. I always want to keep my roots throughout my music and love adding a few little Geordie words in.” These can be heard in About Your Mother, a playful track obviously inspired by the groovy, soulful music of Bruno Mars, which quickly became one of Tennet’s favourites: “I can’t wait to get on stage and prance about to that song!”

The album takes listeners on a captivating journey through various genres, moods and experiences. Panorama delivers an infectious 90s throwback breakbeat; Live First Love Later offers a powerful self-analysis; Fist Fights captivates the listener with its infectiously catchy bassline and percussion; while Eggshells boasts an R&B beat that invites you to dance. Vanilla evokes the nostalgia of 00s pop, while Umbrella is a melancholic piano ballad. Finally, I Love You So Much serves as a heartfelt love letter to himself, about which he says: ‘‘I just put myself down and down, but we’ve just got to love ourselves every now and then.”

Panorama is a true reflection of his journey from a young musician to a confident, multifaceted artist; Sonny Tennet is ready to share his evolved sound and heartfelt stories with the world.

Sonny Tennet releases Panorama on 26th July. www.linktr.ee/sonnysoci

LISTINGS

THE BEST OF THE REST… EVEN MORE ALTERNATIVE MUSIC, THEATRE, COMEDY, ART AND FILM TAKING PLACE THROUGHOUT THE NORTH EAST THIS MONTH

TUESDAY 2ND JULY

ELIZA FAYE

Cumbrian-born Newcastle-based songstress Eliza Faye brings her mesmerising pop songs to The Lost Wanderer for a special stripped back headline show // The Lost Wanderer, Newcastle

WEDNESDAY 3RD JULY

FEATURED //

All White Everything But Me

The award-winning debut play by Live’s associate artist Kemi-Bo Jacobs, inspired by the remarkable life of tennis player Althea Gibson. Born into a family of sharecroppers in South Carolina, Althea became the first black person to win Wimbledon, in 1957. Despite the magnitude of her achievements her story has been somewhat erased from history. Runs until Saturday 6th // Live Theatre, Newcastle

LAUREN PATTISON & TAROT

Two time Edinburgh Comedy Award

nominee Lauren Pattison previews her brand new show, Big Girl Pants; while critically-acclaimed nightie-clad sketch zealots Tarot present their work in progress show, both in preparation for the Edinburgh Fringe // Forum Music Centre, Darlington

THURSDAY 4TH JULY

NILS FRAHM

Berlin-based pianist, composer and sonic innovator // The Glasshouse, Gateshead

TOM STADE & GARETH MUTCH

The top comedians present previews of their Edinburgh Fringe shows // Theatre Hullabaloo, Darlington

SATURDAY 6TH JULY

ART MART

Craft and makers fair // Arts Centre Washington

HARTLEPOOL POP-UP PRIDE

A vibrant celebration of Hartlepool’s LGBTQIA+ community with fun, free activities for all ages // Hartlepool Art Gallery

HEARKEN QUARTET

Inspired by the lively traditional dance music of Europe, Hearken Quartet are an energetic ensemble of clarinet, uilleann pipes, guitar, piano, and diatonic accordion // Alphabetti Theatre, Newcastle

HILARITY BITES COMEDY CLUB

Featuring Nina Gilligan, Dave Johns, Seeta Wrightson and Danny Deegan // The Forum Music Centre, Darlington

SOFIE HAGEN

The comedian’s brand-new stand-up and storytelling show, Banglord, also serves as a launch for her book Will I Ever Have Sex Again?, a candid, hilarious and disarming

attempt to explore our sexual landscape through conversations with experts, therapists, sex workers, porn stars, comedians and public figures // Northern Stage, Newcastle

THE PHEROMOANS

Garage rock auteurs, with support from Kilynn Lunsford // The Lubber Fiend, Newcastle

SUNDAY 7TH JULY

SPONTENEOUS WRECKS

The improv troupe celebrate their 10th anniversary // The Cumberland Arms, Newcastle

TUESDAY 9TH JULY

HOW TO DISAPPEAR COMPLETELY AND NEVER BE FOUND

Following one person’s desperate attempts to buck the system, and asks, what really makes us who we are in the 21st Century? Runs until Saturday 13th // Theatre Royal, Newcastle

THURSDAY 11TH JULY

IN THE FRAME

Celebrating Pride month, In The Frame present films from the LGBTQIA+ community along with a talk on how to help develop creative industry CV and work opportunities for filmmakers // The Studio, Hartlepool

STAR & SHADOW FILM QUIZ

The only all film (and sometimes TV) trivia quiz night in town // Star & Shadow Cinema, Newcastle

THE GEET MUCKLE SLAM

Twelve poets go head to head in a friendly war of words. There can only be one winner to become the ultimate Geet Muckle Slam Champion. You decide… // Northern Stage, Newcastle

WINGZ OF THE MONKEY

Alt. rock up and comers, supported by Central Arcade and The Monday Club // The Globe, Newcastle

FRIDAY 12TH JULY

I SING TO BE FREE / INNER GODS

A double bill of two films celebrating Black and global majority artists in the North East, encompassing film, music and performance, followed by a special Q&A and afterparty // Tyneside Cinema, Newcastle

VOLKSPOWER FESTIVAL

Live music from Ceiling Demons, Blackout the Arcade, The Purnells, Ash Amari and Seventh Heaven. Also on Saturday 13th, with live sets from Charlotte Grayson, Gone Tomorrow, Jen Dixon, Kkett, Nice Guy, Analogue Blood and many more // Redcar Rugby Club

SATURDAY 13TH JULY

GALLAGHER & TURNER OPEN EXHIBITION

Gallagher & Turner’s open exhibition is a rare opportunity to see and celebrate such a spread of diverse local talent, selected from 186 entries, and featuring artists and makers from Alnwick to York. Runs until 10th August // Gallagher & Turner, Newcastle

LAUREL’S COMEDY CLUB

Featuring Mick Ferry, Brennan Reece, Alex Redman and Si Beckwith // Laurel’s, Whitley Bay

PAUL F TAYLOR

The professional odd-ball returns with a seriously silly show // Middlesbrough Town Hall

SUMMER SIZZLER

Art Car Boot Fair with over 50 stalls of local artists and makers, plus live DJ, Swap & Share bonanza and much more. Also on Sunday 14th // Baltic, Gateshead

TUESDAY

16TH JULY

FEATURED // Are You Proud? / Still We Thrive

An alternative LGBTQIA+ events programme presented by Sister Shack, featuring film short screening Still We Thrive, a film about resilience and self-care in the face of global anti-blackness, and main feature Are You Proud?, which charts the LGBTQ+ movements momentous journey charting the joys and divisions toward equality // Star & Shadow Cinema, Newcastle

CUDDY’S CAVE BOOK LAUNCH

Indie publishers Maplestreet Press launch their new collection, featuring rhymes by Nev Clay, Mick Ridley, Chris Farrell and many more. Readings come from Nev Clay among others // The Bridge Hotel, Newcastle

THURSDAY

18TH JULY

SCIENCE SPEAKEASY: MIND GAMES

A panel of experts will throw the spotlight on gaming and its links to mental health, exploring online identities and whether we can bridge the gap between virtual and real worlds, opening up new frontiers for human interaction and innovation // Life Science Centre, Newcastle

FRIDAY 19TH JULY

BLUR: TO THE END

A new feature-length documentary depicting the extraordinary and emotional return of blur, captured during the year in which they made a surprise return with their first record in 8 years, the critically acclaimed album The Ballad of Darren // ARC, Stockton

HILARITY BITES COMEDY CLUB

Featuring Duncan Oakley, Becky Umbers, Josh Sedman and MC Jon Pearson // Bishop Auckland Town Hall

LAST STOP TO EDINBURGH COMEDY FESTIVAL

Shoe Cake Comedy present their annual Edinburgh Fringe preview event, featuring work in progress stand-up shows courtesy of Rob Rouse, Tez Ilyas and Matty Oxley // The Georgian Theatre, Stockton

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Hypnotic pagan Viking metal // The Grove, Newcastle

MARYEN CAIRNS

Maryen Cairns uses cajon, guitar, piano and percussion to tell stories of smugglers, strong women and hope for the future. Support from Jenny Lascelles and Charles Gorrie // The Cumberland Arms

SATURDAY 20TH JULY

BELONGING

The exhibition explores how art informs our experience of belonging, highlighting artworks from the Laing’s collection. Runs until 30th November // Laing Art Gallery, Newcastle

MOUSES

Fresh from the release of their sophomore album, the lo-fi punks head up a line-up which also includes No Teeth and Young Property Developers // The Cumberland Arms, Newcastle

SUNDAY 21ST JULY

OAKMAN

Emotional pop rock with a touch of synth pop, support from Hivemind // Zerox, Newcastle

SAIRIE

Sparse and delicate drone-fuelled folk // Star & Shadow Cinema, Newcastle

WEDNESDAY

24TH JULY

CORINNE BAILEY RAE

Performing her seminal album Black Rainbows, Corinne Bailey Rae weaves a tapestry of emotion, blending jazz, garage rock, R&B, and pop into an unforgettable performance // The Glasshouse, Gateshead

LOVE (FEAT JOHNNY ECHOLS)

Arthur Lee’s longest serving band perform classic songs from Love’s first three albums Love, Da Capo, Four Sail and Forever Changes as well as some special deep cuts // Gosforth Civic Theatre, Newcastle

SUNDERLAND FILM CLUB: RATCATCHER

James has a secret. Burdened by guilt, he befriends misfit Margaret Anne. Desperate to escape squalor, he finds solace in the discovery of a housing development out of town // Arts Centre Washington

THURSDAY 25TH JULY

M O T I O N S

The post-metal Teessiders celebrate the release of their new EP, plus support from Graviter and Mustang // The Forum Music Centre, Darlington

FRIDAY 26TH JULY

CATCH 22 COMEDY CLUB

Featuring Paul Sinha, MC Danny McLoughlin and Halls of Ridiculous // ARC, Stockton

SPILT MILK

Alt. indie rock band from Gateshead, whose high energy material and catch tunes saw them win the coveted James Arthur support slot in June // The Georgian Theatre, Stockton

SATURDAY 27TH

JULY

DISTRICT ATTORNEY

Lush alt. indie rock, plus support from Old Man // Sea Change, South Shields

STOCKTON POP-UP PRIDE

Celebrating Tees Valley’s LGBTQIA+ community with free and low cost activities across Stockton’s town centre, including live performances, creative workshops, a pride market, family crafts and more for all to enjoy // ARC, Stockton

REVIEWS

AMELIA COBURN, JODIE NICHOLSON @ THE GEORGIAN THEATRE, STOCKTON (08.06.24)

Words: Tracy Hyman

Having recently released her debut album Between The Moon And The Milkman to critical acclaim, seeing Amelia Coburn on her first full band tour was a real treat. And, as serendipity would have it, local Hurworth singer songwriter Jodie Nicholson had a gig cancellation allowing her to support Amelia tonight. Both local artists at the top of their game. Jodie brought her atmospheric electro synth pop, navigating between the slower burn of Embers to the more up-tempo You Wanted This. Joe Ramsey joins in with Limit before the rich reverberations of Starlight are dedicated to someone very special, as the audience are encouraged to hug their friends.

From the spooky synths of Sandra to the upbeat, contemporary folk of Perfect Storm, Amelia’s full band sound brings her debut album to life. Songs are intercepted with witty recounts of a year abroad in Paris, the frustrations of lockdown, Tinder and past jaunts into musical theatre. It truly feels like this is ‘An Audience with…’, such is the camaraderie between singer and audience.

Amelia ends the set with an encore, alone, centre stage with her ukulele. “This is the song that started it all about ten years ago,” she tells us. Amelia treats us to her rendition of Life On Mars, a shining symbolic reminder of just how far she has come.

FAYE MACCALMAN @ THE GLASSHOUSE, GATESHEAD (13.06.24)

Words: Ben Robinson

Faye MacCalman debuted her audiovisual performance Invisible Real at The Glasshouse and, to be completely honest, I was unsure what to expect. However, upon first sight of the ethereal visuals, accompanied by powerful orchestral music, I quickly became engrossed in the magic that MacCalman was creating.

From the saxophone’s first notes to the last vocals of the night, MacCalman and her band took us on a journey through themes of emotional wellbeing, finding reality and looking inside ourselves, with the music never failing to invoke thoughts and emotions.

Perhaps the most poignant moment of the performance was towards the end of the piece when MacCalman and her band drew the audience deep into the idea of reflection and how crucial it is to our existence. This concluded what felt almost like a breathtaking guided mediation through music and visuals; it was captivating in every way.   This may have been the debut of Invisible Real, but it feels like the beginning of something incredible and well worth watching.

NORA BROWN & STEPHANIE COLEMAN @ THE CLUNY 2, NEWCASTLE 29.05.24)

Words: Lee Fisher

Some gigs feel more like a privilege than a gig. Like you’ve been witness to something truly special. Tonight’s Nora Brown & Stephanie Coleman show was one such, and to see a rammed Cluny 2 absolutely rapt for the duration of this two-set show made it clear the feeling was unanimous.

I won’t bang on about how young Brown is or how remarkable it is that a Brooklyn girl could be so steeped in mountain music (her proud dad explained he’s from down that way). But her banjo and guitar playing really is astonishing, it flows like silver and hits hard, especially when combined with the fiddle of Stephanie Coleman, a Mid West native and a fine musician herself. I think we got all of their recent Lady Of The Lake EP tonight – certainly, the version of Parley Parson’s title track was gorgeous, and a closing Copper Kettle must have broken every heart in the Cluny basement. It was a night of angelic harmonies, hard scrabble elegies and raw piercing yearning, intercut with Nora and Stephanie’s disarming, goofy questions about Newcastle candy and the like. Nora’s solo version of Elton Britt’s Cowpoke was a real emotional gutpunch too. There was magic in the air. It was a privilege.

Amelia Coburn by Tracy Hyman

GIRLS IN SYNTHESIS, NO TEETH, ONLOOKER @ ZEROX, NEWCASTLE (07.06.24)

Words: Lee Fisher

Onlooker impress me more every time, they’re getting tighter and more inventive – tonight I picked up hints of MC5 and At The Drive In I hadn’t noticed before and they’ve mastered that ‘the song is barely in control and we’re just holding on tight till the end’ organised chaos. They may look more like a bus queue than a band, but they fucking rock. I’ve not much to add about No Teeth that I haven’t said in other recent reviews but they were on particularly great form tonight, and it felt like the dial marked The Fall was turned WAY up.

I’m not sure why it took me so long to get round to Girls In Synthesis, but mea maxima culpa and all that. They tore Zerox a new one tonight and I’m in love. It’s always a  brilliant but tricky thing to sound this original while also referencing so many other great outfits: my scrappy notes mention Big Black, Sisters Of Mercy, early XTC, the dubby agitprop of World Domination Enterprises, Black Flag and early Human League. The guitars slashed and the rhythm section was brutal. They look as much like a paramilitary cell as a band and the whole thing feels powerful and important. Alienation, anxiety and anger were all served up in jittery bursts, handclaps were on point and late industrial capitalism under attack has never been so much fun.

FAT WHITE FAMILY, JOHNNY FRANCIS FLYNN @ BOILER SHOP, NEWCASTLE

(15.06.24)

Words: Ben Lowes-Smith

Johnny Francis Flynn’s atmospheric, moody folk music is a perfect amuse bouche, and the band – sense of humour intact at least – come on to an incredibly annoying looped refrain of the opening chords of Lennon’s Imagine. It is the newer tunes that shine through; stunning new single Today You Become Man is delivered with considerable force, which contrasts quite considerably with the feeling that they are going through the motions with the older stuff, which is weirdly prioritised. Fat White Family find themselves at an odd juncture; having just released a career high in new record Forgiveness Is Yours, which contains some of Lias Saoudi’s best writing, you might think that would

come front and centre tonight. However, it’s presented somewhat apologetically, with earlier cuts seemingly taking priority. It’s a bit of a jarring contrast; the older, edgier garage rock tunes, thoroughly entertaining if massively derivative, don’t sit too well with the musically and thematically more sophisticated material that has come since. The sheer volume of material the group have means that something feels like it should catch fire tonight, but we only get sparks.

A fascinating group at an interesting crossroads, and you feel like a leap of faith into the unknown from here on in might do them the world of good.

PILLOW QUEENS, SARAH CREAN @ THE CLUNY, NEWCASTLE (10.06.24)

Words: Susie Burgess

Pillow Queens injected colour and volume into a damp Monday evening. Supported by self-acclaimed “sad-indie girl” Sarah Crean, The Cluny was blessed with a night of great music, powerful vocals and nuanced lyricism.

Accompanied only by her electric guitar, Sarah Crean brought the room to a standstill. With bitterly authentic lyrics and a voice to match, Crean is one viral TikTok away from joining the likes of Olivia Rodrigo and Phoebe Bridgers on stages around the world. Dedicated to her “dickhead ex-boyfriend”, keep an eye out for the release of Baby (I’ll Always Be The Lead) next year.

Pillow Queens brought energy and volume, with music demanding to be felt, not merely heard. Pamela Connolly’s impressive lead vocal offers glimpses of Stevie Nicks-style angst coupled with PJ Harvey meets Patti Smith-esque vibes. With tight harmonies and striking guitar riffs, their live performance injected fresh verve into an already engaging and potent catalogue. Following its April release, Name Your Sorrows transcended expectations when taken to the stage. With artfully controlled vocal rage and effortless stage presence, Pillow Queens interspersed anecdotes and banter throughout the set, including the audience in their world as though we were friends sharing a pint over good music.

Indie rock’s answer to Chappell Roan, Pillow Queens are a must-see for fans of The Last Dinner Party, boygenius and Big Thief.

Fat White Family by Maeve Wong

MIKE WATT WITH IL SOGNO DEL MARINAIO, BUGMAN @ THE CLUNY 2, NEWCASTLE (10.06.24)

Words: Lee Fisher

It was my first encounter with Bugman (tonight, mainman Ryan and ridiculously exuberant drummer Steve Allen) and they were pretty entertaining. They were knocking out quite a racket for a duo (Ryan does something clever with pickups and amps that makes his guitar a bass or something) and he can write a catchy chorus. Shades of Supergrass and Blur, but noisier, and I wished I could make out the lyrics.

Turns out the guy rooted stage front throughout Bugman’s set (looking like a seasoned birdwatcher) was Mike Watt. You know – MIKE FUCKING WATT. Il Sogno Del Marinaio is his occasional trio with a couple of jazzy Italian guys and they were magnificent tonight, three guys enjoying playing with each other and taking some unexpected turns along the way. At times they were like a power trio trying to undo power trio cliches, sometimes things got real funky and other times it was skittering jazz with spoken word vocals and Latin tinges. Watt’s bass tone is unmistakable and remarkable, one of the wonders of the modern world, and it was lovely seeing him so happy. Somehow, summery jazz chords slipped into almost hardcore songs, rousing and near-anthemic. We got a blistering take on TV Eye to close, Watt signing off with a shout of  “START YOUR OWN BAND!”. I don’t do heroes but…

VILLAGERS, HAMISH HAWK @ WYLAM BREWERY, NEWCASTLE (05.06.24)

Words: Dawn Storey

Six songs could never be enough from Hamish Hawk. The room is packed yet silent, completely spellbound by his solo set and it takes him a few seconds to recentre himself after the achingly beautiful Catherine Opens A Window. Usually accompanied by his band while he “crashes around the place” (as he puts it), every so often his feisty frontman side sneaks out in a well-timed kick or the way he wrangles his guitar. He’s clearly set for big things, as two audience sing-alongs demonstrate, and his appreciative smiles during Badminton are a joy to witness. Conor O’Brien is a very intense character. Unlike Hawk and his

endearing chatter, he speaks very little. This, and an excellent band who elevate his new songs to spectacular proportions, ensure that Villagers’ momentum never drops. O’Brien spits out words, howling and shrieking and thrashing his guitar, as if exorcising his demons – an illusion added to by spotlights which snap from bright white and golden (as per his recent single) to highlighting him red against a blue backdrop. Nothing Arrived becomes a soaring, jubilant anthem and You Lucky One absolutely sparkles beneath the venue’s glitterball. A glorious night.

DANA GAVANSKI, BINGO FURY @ THE COMMON ROOM, NEWCASTLE (01.06.24)

Words: Lee Hammond

Currently on tour celebrating the release of her third album, Gavanski’s brand of psychedelia-infused indie pop seems sure to provide an excellent spectacle. In support, Bingo Fury takes to the stage for a solo set of melancholic indie ballads, his dulcet tones setting a slow pace for the evening, these dour tracks filling the ever-darkening room as the sun sets outside.

Gavanski’s set, however, provides the light against Bingo Fury’s darkness, Let Them Row immediately resets the pace of the evening, and her spritely tracks provide a much more excitable atmosphere. Her upbeat manner is infectious as tracks come thick and fast. It’s the title track of her latest record, Late Slap, though which really brings the evening to life and quickly has the crowd dancing and humming along. Ears and Letting Go foster a similar mood as Gavanski’s set gathers pace. Her records do not do her justice, all of these tracks really take shape played live, with a distinct urgency and enthusiasm that pours from every song. Tonight’s show winds to a close with Ribbon and Dark Side, capping off a truly excellent set, all before Gavanski returns to the stage, completing the evening with new song Business Of The Attitude and finally the brilliant I Talk To The Wind. Tonight, Dana Gavanski’s tracks really came to life in the best way possible.

Mike Watt by Adam Kennedy

26 July to 4 September

Experience Peace Doves by artist Peter Walker, featuring 15,000 paper doves suspended from the Nave. Look out for exclusive late-night viewings, unique dining experiences under the artwork and special peace focused services, this summer.

Peace Doves

Image: Peace Doves by Peter Walker

TRACKS

NE-O MILEY CYRUS

Words: Susie Burgess

A genre renown for name-dropping moments of social relevance, NE-O meets the demands of rap in new track Miley Cyrus. With strong rhyming couplets against the steadfast blend of rhythm and bassline, NE-O creates a satisfying chorus with the focal hook “get myself flowers like my name is Miley Cyrus”

NE-O’s vocal delivery builds a gratifying cadence, with the sonic backdrop of repetitive bass. The central beat falls amidst a blend of layered call outs, with NE-O’s voice taking centre stage. With careful timing, NE-O’s delivery becomes an instrument in its own right; balancing beats of silence, there’s an intrinsic musicality many aspire to when navigating the rap genre. Catch NE-O alongside Eyeconic on Friday 26th July at Newcastle’s Lubber Fiend.

Released: 02.07.24

www.instagram.com/ne.o_uk

LOREN HEAT WANT IT ALL

Words: Michaela Hall

Loren Heat’s Want It All is guaranteed to be added to your repeat playlist – it’s one of those songs you can’t help but get addicted to, and that keeps you on your toes, wanting more. It’s a feel-good honest look at love, not the rom-com type we’re used to, but the turbulent and exciting reality of being at the mercy of your own feelings for somebody, and being vulnerable but on top of the world.

The upbeat and bouncy tempo of the track is reminiscent of pop music’s iconic ability to spread infectious joy. We’re along for the ride with Loren and want to be a part of what they’re singing about. It’s purity and authenticity at its finest.

Released: 12.07.24

www.linktr.ee/lorenheat

(PLEASE TRY TO GET IN TOUCH 8-6 WEEKS AHEAD OF THE MONTH OF RELEASE)

LIZ CORNEY COMMON DENOMINATOR

Words: Isabel Maria

Gripping from the get go, Common Denominator is a wildly classic offering from Liz Corney – perhaps best known for being a founding member of the alt. pop Cornshed Sisters and the maestro behind Field Music’s live keys, but also a great artist in her own right. The track has a real sense of humanity behind it, shimmering through the strongest of compositional skills and showcasing Liz’s incredible way with words. Inspired by the timeless songs of Motown, Queen, ABBA and The Carpenters, this song was written while driving up and down the A1 and pondering the idea that we are all responsible for our own happiness. Liz takes this tough pill to swallow and turns it into a ribbon-tied thing of beauty. Beware of its inescapable charm.

Released: 19.07.24

www.linktr.ee/lizcorney

JAM TUB NO SCRAP VALUE EP

Words: Roz Cuthbert

Power trio Jam Tub’s new joint is full of lo-fi energy delivered with a Geordie swagger. This reviewer’s favourite song on the EP, ABIOTIC, could definitely grace the coveted BBC 6Music playlist. Superficial Lover comes in a close second, complete with lashings of mouth organ, major seventh chords and tempo changes aplenty, which piqued my interest for the duration.

Lyrically clever and musically diverse, No Scrap Value could be a great vehicle for this still youthful three piece. Who knows? In a couple of years they might be getting that regular airplay on Stuart Maconie’s 6Music show. Jam Tub are ones to watch out for in the future. See what you think when it hits the airwaves.

Released: 20.07.24 www.linktr.ee/jamtub

POLYFILLAS RUDE BOYS OF ENGLAND

Words: Roz Cuthbert

The press release states this tune is an “eight and a half minute punky reggae track” and as I cue up Windows Media Player I’m thinking it’s going to have to be something really special to warrant that running time. Four minutes in and I’m enjoying the lyrical tale of the hard working migrants of the Windrush generation. But it has to be said that both vocals sound a little flat in places, and after eight minutes of it my ears need a break. The song seems at odds with the direct and to the point punk reggae of the late 1970’s, but the chorus is catchy and hummable with an obvious passion instilled into the music, which definitely shines through.

Released: 05.07.24

www.polyfillas.bandcamp.com

TO NOWHERE ALIVE

Words: Mack Sproates

North East alt. rockers To Nowhere have slam dunked our ears with an intense and catchy new single, Alive. Bold, rampant, raging and fun, this fast-paced track erupts with frantic grungy punk energy.

With explosive guitars, thrashing almost tribal drums and scorching hardcore vocals, the track stirs up a whirlwind of dirty riffs and a mighty melodic chorus. The band have created an affirming rock anthem, exploring how to stay strong and self-assured in the face of negativity. Their lyrics are striking and animated, making the listener feel present and very much alive.

To Nowhere pleasantly remind me of my favourite screamo bands of my youth and there’s no doubt this track would go down a storm live.

Released: 12.07.24

www.facebook.com/tonowhereband

MILNE GLENDENNING BAND YOU ME HIM EP

Words: Mack Sproates

Milne Glendenning Band bring us the stuff dreams are made of with their new EP You Me Him.

This beautiful multi-genre collaboration is a mix of whimsical guitar, lulling bass and vocals that are soft as clouds. Flickering between jazz, folk and rock, their songs swiftly stop you in your tracks and hold you gently in their soulful grip.

The EP is very calming, with compelling songs that paint introspective pictures of midlife crises, love and loss. Opening track Am I Missing Something is a stand-out, and quickly absorbs the listener with dynamic and complex rhythms, perfectly blended with soothing, gorgeous vocals. What’s more, you can catch these insightful tunes live at their upcoming gig at Durham Fringe on Wednesday 24th July.

Released: 24.07.24

www.mgb-milneglendinningband.com

DILETTANTE EASY DOES IT

Words: Matt Young

Easy Does It pulls you into its playful, elastic sound from the outset. Buoyant vocals stretch out words and bob above the densely constructed waves of music. The bouncing, cheerful bassline is joined by steady drums before a gang of sax and brass roars into life leading into the titular catchy chorus. This seals the song’s art pop credentials perfectly. I defy anyone not to be humming along immediately.

Dilettante, the brainchild of multi-instrumentalist Francesca Pidgeon, grooves on this beguiling and commanding arrangement that fans of St. Vincent or tUnE-yArDs will adore. Rightly so, Easy Does It is a beautifully crafted composition that melds jazzy elements with a seamless odd pop gem. “We don’t know how good we’ve got it”…as the song so succinctly puts it.

Released: 17.07.24

www.facebook.com/dilettantesongs

RICHIE HARRISON OH NO!

Words: Matt Young

Oh No! is described as “a haunting and introspective song that captures the raw emotions and internal battles faced by those grappling with mental health issues.” Richie Harrison manages to take this concept and wrings a strong melodic thread throughout the song that does possess darker lyrics, but chooses to focus on giving an honest and hopeful rendition of the immediate struggles. Commenting on the terror of paranoia and hallucinations, needing reassurance either way. It is stark and frightening to consider.

Ultimately though, the building instrumentation and soaring vocals, accompanied by a strong guitar riff, add a poignancy and a cathartic feeling to the battles described that will resonate with many, as well as finding a creative, catchy outlet to address them.

Released: 03.07.24

www.facebook.com/richieharrisonmusic

CLICK CHASE FALLING FT. SUZE

Words: Isabel Maria

Here we have the tasteful brainchild of Click Chase’s Drew and Catch the Sparrow’s Suze, a unique electronic song set to grace your ears from 5th July. After the two met in a bar, well-seasoned producer and songwriter Drew was eager to draw traditional folk-centric Suze out of her comfort zone and into his own world of electronic pop craft – and it paid off. Inspired by William Orbit and carrying a unique groove throughout, Falling is an idiosyncratic and carefully crafted track which wears its heart on its sleeve. Suze’s voice shines throughout – it’s a distinct presence which takes this new genre in its stride, and spotlights the pair’s thoughtful lyricism. Electronic in sound and charming in nature, this is collaboration at its finest.

Released: 05.07.24

www.instagram.com/clickchase

ZAK YOUNGER BANKS IF I CAN’T MOVE THIS TRUTH

Words: Michaela Hall

Recognised by BBC Introducing and Amazing Radio, innovative musician Zak Younger Banks has returned to the North East and prepares to release his new single If I Can’t Move This Truth. The single is a beautiful sonic whirlwind that encourages reflection and feeling.

It’s clear to see that influence from film scores are present as the smooth and melodic introduction takes us elsewhere, lost in the moment. Banks’ lyrics and tone are reminiscent of spoken word poetry fused with elegant harmony which builds in strength throughout the track.

Listeners can expect a gentle, yet contemporary powerful journey that allows them space and time to be in the moment, culminating in a real timeless gem.

Released: 12.07.24

www.facebook.com/zakyoungerbanksmusic

ALL THE NINES THE YODELLER

Words: Susie Burgess

Blending distortion with a technical instrumentation at its heart, All The Nines offer a progressive rock explosion on their new single The Yodeller. With speak-singing reminiscent to Blur’s Damon Albarn, All The Nines navigate a sonic evolution wherein layered melodies find brief interludes of respite. As seemingly disjointed instrumentals overlap into pockets of coherency, just to revert back to individual exploration, the track engages listeners and teases anticipation throughout.

Creatively rich and sonically expressive, this punky progressive band uses complex rhythm and timings to create a mathy texture beneath the tapestry of technical distortion. Akin to bands Minutemen and Flipper, with hints of Trent Reznor, The Yodeller suits free-thinking fans who enjoy an indie blend of technical and progressive rock.

Released: 26.07.24

www.facebook.com/allthenines

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: ISABEL MARIA

The Ramellos – Barricades

Uplifting from the get-go, Barricades is is an empowering and energetic alt. indie banger with a generous sprinkling of psychedelia. Moving from one stage to another in recent months, the three-piece make powerful tunes that wouldn’t be amiss in an action movie, and certainly aren’t amiss on the stages they’re playing, which just get bigger and better. Barricades is structurally entertaining, with a bright feel – the vocal delivery is gripping and hits even harder when combined with the backing vocals. The drums carry a steadfast pace throughout, really the pulse of the song, but the other instrumentalists have no trouble keeping up. It’s a song that is sure of itself, and I’d safely bet these guys will be everywhere soon. www.linktr.ee/theramellos

Valentine Charlie – Killin’ The Black Snake

The brainchild of three old friends from North Shields, Killin’ The Black Snake is a new-wave punk inspired celebration of courage and sacrifice. Focusing on a pair of lovers protesting against the construction of the Dakota Access Pipeline, the tune is a real think-piece, laden with rebellion, expression and prominent, explosive choices. Drawing inspiration from big names like The Velvet Underground, Iggy and the Stooges and David Bowie, the track combines intriguing instrumental parts with powerful thematic lyricism about the Standing Rock Reservation – the trio have even included a sample of protesters, and it’s something that really strikes your attention and holds it hostage for the whole track. It’s a three minute epic that proves there’s strength in numbers, even if that number is only three. www.facebook.com/valentinecharlieband

Shady Quid – Dogtail

Think Americana and add a heaped tablespoon of edge – that’s Dogtail by Shady Quid. The five-piece from Newcastle’s latest is

a well-constructed piece which saunters in on bass and builds into the pleasant surprise which is a tight, masterfully played full band atmosphere. There’s something wildly vintage and cool about this one; familiarity and freshness amalgamated into one epic toe-tapper of a track.

The nostalgic and powerful vocals of lead singer Whyatt sing here of existentialism, childhood and working class roots, all accompanied by a tasteful and intriguing myriad of subtleties that can only be picked up by a keen ear. It’ll breeze into your subconscious and have you humming all day, but no complaints here. An instant classic. www.linktr.ee/shadyquidshadyquid

Bob’s Ices – A New Day

Now comes a slightly softer offering – this song feels like nostalgia in a bottle. Melancholy and uplifting in one fell swoop, A New Day is the heartfelt offering from soft rock four-piece Bob’s Ices, hailing from Newcastle. They’re an all-original band, so it comes as no real surprise that this is such a unique and well-composed piece – you can feel the good energy of these guys through the sound.

It’s a song that makes you want to reminisce; think optimistic guitars, steady bass and driving drums – nostalgic and familiar in essence but also new and warmly exciting. It’s vocally captivating throughout and I can see this becoming a timeless song that listeners can revisit again and again.

www.facebook.com/bobsicesband

Artisam – Shadow Love

This song rings us in with some choppy, distorted guitar, preparing us for the adventure ahead. Geordie band Artisam have been around since 2010, making us wait for their eventual studio debut – and this is definitely a worthy pick. Influenced by their hometown’s community, culture and sound, the group create diverse melodies and compositions in the alternative vein, inspired by Incubus, Stone Temple Pilots and Wax Fang.

Tonally it has a distinctive flavour that makes you slightly uneasy in the best way; it’s a track that leaves you on the edge of your seat, waiting to hear what happens next (and you’re never disappointed). Every musical decision made simple screams ‘look at me’ and I’d recommend you obey.

www.facebook.com/artisamband

ALBUMS

4.5 / 5

FASHION TIPS

I WISH YOU EVERY SUCCESS (HUMAN WORTH)

Words: Ali Welford

In a North East scene packed with accomplished newcomers, few phenomena in recent years have proved so compelling as the rapid, ravenous rise of Fashion Tips. Fuelled by tweaks in line-up and sound, the Gateshead outfit have channelled incendiary no-wave, dance punk and electroclash chaos into an unabashedly queer, proudly neurodivergent “sasscore” offensive, fostered during fearsome live shows and now granted full rein on an all-killer-no-filler debut.

Produced by Anthony Chapman (Collapsed Lung, Mclusky, Skinned Teen) and clocking just shy of 30 minutes, I Wish You Every Success highlights the quartet’s accelerated development following the recruitment of latest member Fiona Ireland. Infusing their sonic maelstrom with a fresh splash of samples and synthesised beats, her addition injects further freneticism to a palette already bursting at the seams with breakneck rhythm and sordid sonic excess. The sharp sarcasm of Steve Lamacq, for instance, is a neon-splattered revelation compared to the song’s earlier incarnations, while lead single Don’t Call Me sports the relentless thudding drive of a jacked-up drum and bass banger. Elsewhere, Lunched Out – the zealous standout from 2022’s Fucking Hell demo EP – is reprised in highly evolved form: faster, fuller and flush with furious digital punch. Ireland’s contributions provide a perfect foil for vocalist Esmé Newman, whose growing confidence is reflected in a performance as forceful as it is frenzied, dripping scorn across a tracklist permeated by musings on “bad sex, bad drugs and bad people.” Both flourish amidst the cacophony raised by founding duo Liam Slack and Jorden Sayer – the former’s bass dispensed in distorted blotches, like ink splurged over fresh print, while the latter’s mangled guitar spurts offer a fiendish yet focused streak of noise rock masochism.

Scarier still, this quickfire eight-track assault may scarcely be scratching the surface of Fashion Tips’ full potential. For all its fresh impetus and rich replay value, I Wish You Every Success presents novel configurations of familiar numbers, most of which have been live staples for the past 18 months. But let’s not look too far ahead. After all, why hypothesise when, in the here and now, they’ve unleashed a scorching debut, substantiating their standing as our region’s fiercest, grooviest – and perhaps finest – emerging outfit.

Released: 12.07.24 www.fashiontipsband.bandcamp.com

ALSO OUT THIS MONTH

Glass Animals - I Love You So F***ing Much (Polydor Records, 19.07) // Cigarettes After Sex - X’s (Partisan Records, 12.07) // Kasabian - Happenings (Columbia Records, 05.07) // China Bears - Participation Trophy (Fierce Panda Records, 12.07) // Donovan Woods - Things Were Never Good If They’re Not Good Now (End Times Music, 12.07) // Brijean - Macro (Ghostly International, 12.07) // Rhinestone Pickup Truck - Self Deprecation at Hourly Rates (PNKSLM Recordings, 05.07) // Color Green - Fool’s Parade (New West Records, 12.07) // Humanist - On The Edge Of A Lost And Lonely World (Bella Union, 26.07) // Million Moons - I May Be Some Time (Ripcord Records, 05.07) // Sham Family - A Deaf Portrait of Peace (Wavy Haze, 19.07) // Chris Cohen - Paint A Room (Hartly Art, 12.07) // Font - Strange Burden (Acrophase Records, 12.07) // Honey Joy - III (Everything Sucks Music, 05.07) // Written By Wolves - The Lighthouse (Self-Release, 26.07) // Kevin Fowley - À Feu Doux (Basin Rock, 26.07) // Marc Almond - I’m Not Anyone (BMG, 12.07)

4 / 5

JAKE XERXES RUSSELL WHEN I’M CALLED (FAT POSSUM)

Words: Lee Fisher

The magnificently monikered Jake Xerxes Fussell has been releasing albums of warm, woody country folk music for a decade, steeped in tradition but always with added twists and turns, and all bathed in his rich, homely baritone voice. When I’m Called sees him sign to the mighty Fat Possum label and sounding better than ever, boasting a series of covers from sources as diverse as Benjamin Britten’s Cuckoo, a swooning delight with gorgeous strings and added Joan Shelley, Maestro Gaxiola’s Andy Warholreferencing Andy and the traditional title track, which features some really lovely horns. Recent single Going To Georgie might be the pick of the bunch – a Folkways-sourced folksong out of Northern Georgia that shuffles along and sounds like a sunset. Lovely stuff.

Released: 12.07.24

www.jakexerxesfussell.com

4.5 / 5

NATHAN BOWLES TRIO ARE POSSIBLE (DRAG CITY)

Words: Lee Fisher

Bowles has been releasing brilliant music in half a dozen bands as well as solo for an age and this second outing from his Trio (double bass from Casey Toll and drummer Rex McMurry) is a gem, marrying traditional Appalachian mountain music with more experimental elements (Bowles has played with exploratory outfits like Pelt and Black Dirt Oak, as well as working in Black Twig Pickers).

This six-track collection veers from the insistent, jazzy epic The Ternions to the Journey In Satchidananda-bass and drums of Our Air and the percussive, jerky delight of Gimme My Shit that builds in intensity in a really thrilling way. Half the tracks top eight minutes and that gives this rich and rewarding music time to breath and really spread out.

Released: 26.07.24 www.nathanbowles.com

Image by David Hall

ALBUMS

4 / 5

ANI DIFRANCO UNPRECEDENTED SH!T (RIGHTEOUS BABE RECORDS)

Words: Iam Burn

Ani DiFranco shows no signs of stopping with an unbelievable 23rd album, Unprecedented Sh!t. She still has plenty of ire and a voice that must be heard, with our confused world giving a never-ending supply of material for a songwriter of DiFranco’s calibre.

Baby Roe sees an intriguing mix of folk and an industrial-streaked soundscape as DiFranco explores abortion rights – a hugely divisive topic in her native USA. You’ll be thrown off-kilter with Virus, as sonically it drags you around the room like a musical fever dream. More Or Less Free and Boots Of A Soldier sees DiFranco in more stripped-back ‘guitar-picking with raw vocal’ territory.

Unprecedented Sh!t sees DiFranco continue to push boundaries, both musically and lyrically.

Released: 12.07.24 www.righteousbabe.com

4.5 / 5

GRIFF

VERTIGO (WARNER MUSIC)

Words: Isabel Maria

Pair out of this world arrangement with down to earth lyrics and you have Vertigo by Griff. It sounds like too mad a juxtaposition, but this album makes it work in a blur of synth-y goodness and vocals like honey. It’s chock-full of quirky melodies and dynamic beats which hit throughout like an everlasting pulse, drawing you in and keeping you captive through the whole thing.

It’s a long-awaited debut release from Griff; pop at its core with the essences of so many other timeless and carefully captivating sounds. A perfectly classy mixture of both ballads and beat-driven soundscapes, something you can both dance and cry to in one fell swoop. Definitely worth getting vertigo for.

Released: 19.07.24

www.officialgriff.com

5 / 5

ELIZA & THE DELUSIONALS THIS FEELS LIKE THE GARDEN (COOKING VINYL)

Words: Isabel Maria Eliza & The Delusionals’ Make It Feel Like The Garden is a shimmering, euphoric triumph of a sophomore album. Written with the intention of crafting a utopic dreamworld, it’s an indie rock sonic journey which soars easily upwards throughout – and I, for one, felt like a kid at Disneyland as I listened to this. The subject matter feeds off memories and moments of perfection, and the passion behind each lyric is palpable. Eliza Klatt’s vocals soar, soft yet strong, over each carefully constructed instrumental part, not overpowering her bandmates Kurt Skuse and Ruby Lee but simply frolicking alongside them in the mix. There are interludes between many of the songs, which make it soundtrack-like in nature, and I’d highly recommend letting this soundtrack your day.

Released: 19.07.24

www.linktr.ee/elizaandthedelusionals

3.5 / 5

3.5 / 5 4 / 5

JOE GODDARD HARMONICS (DOMINO)

Words: Euan Lynn

Founding member of perennial indie favourites Hot Chip, Joe Goddard returns with Harmonics, following up 2017’s Electric Lines with a diverse selection of summery left-field electronica. Although technically a solo album, guest collaborators are included on almost every track. Fellow Hot Chippers Al Doyle and Alexis Taylor feature, as does Falle Nioke (with whom Goddard has collaborated previously as N’Dekho), Ibibio Sound Machine’s Eno Williams (Goddard & Doyle produced 2022’s Electricity) and a litany of others. The songs themselves range from Hot Chip-style sad bangers, garage-influenced head nodders, and full-on euphoric festival tunes. While the variety is welcome, coupled with the range of collaborators it does perhaps deprive the album of a singular voice. Regardless, it’s perfect summer music and thoroughly enjoyable.

Released: 12.07.24

www.linktr.ee/joegoddard

ODIE LEIGH CARRIER PIGEON (MOM+POP)

Words: Isabel Maria

Quirky and effervescent, Odie Leigh’s debut album begins with a single intake of breath – and that’s what you’ll need before you start your first listen. It’s a ten-track adventure of fiery folk with a generous helping of fun – the harmonies are flooring, the lyrics are brutal and the choices are surprising and endlessly satisfying.

Unexpectedly born into music through a bet with her friends, Lousiana-born Odie continues to prove every point and win every battle in this powerful debut. It’s a tale of want and infatuation, tinted by the worry that comes with those properties, and each song has soul – delivered by Odie’s strong and grounded voice, fuelled by pure emotion and, at times, fury. Her friends must be glad they lost that bet.

Released: 12.07.24 www.odieleigh.com

SOTE SOUND SYSTEM PERSEPOLIS (DIAGONAL RECORDS)

Words: Matt Young

On first listen the seemingly chaotic sounds and plethora of beats and noises may feel almost impenetrable. SOTE (aka Iranian musician Ata Ebtekar) has a propensity for generating maximalist, relentless sounds with peak intensity. However, as his complex computer music pummels the brain each composition, which seems random or bizarrely titled, reveals names that are generated from geographical locations in Iran and the music corresponds in synthesis to that geography. Opening track WVTBLSSPXZAGROS for instance, relating to the Zagros mountain range, has a brutalist clang, while the polyrhythms of ADTVESSPXLUT about the salt desert Lut are as crystalline as their inspiration. Thus the inherent logic follows, dictating each set piece and vice versa. Sound System Persepolis remains a challenging listen but it’s absorbing and rewards patience.

Released: 12.07.24

www.instagram.com/ata_ebtekar

3 / 5

ABBIE OZARD

EVERYTHING STILL WORRIES ME (HOUSE ANXIETY)

Words: Matt Young

Summer may be determined by many things, not least the British weather, but the tunes often take care of themselves. On everything still worries me Abbie Ozard presents a host of anxiety-laden issues at our feet, but they’re mostly sprinkled with a sheen of summer glitter. Standouts like days like these, anything for you and i don’t know happiness without you all exude that shimmering romantic pop sound that hugs your heart and swirls around your brain. Most of the album’s tracks similarly mix the small joys in life, alongside how quickly they can turn sour. Relationships, friendships or family are all under scrutiny with varying results. There’s a lot to enjoy even without the infectious melodies, but it’s more like listening to melancholy summer.

Released: 25.07.24

www.abbieozard.com

/ 5

DEARTHWORMS

SAPSUCKER (REDUNDANT SPAN RECORDS)

Words: Matt Young

Sheffield five-piece Dearthworms emit the strangest of sounds. Noise, like fingers clawing their way into aural spaces. Forming fists and throttling the listener. The swagger of The Fall and experimental post-punk infuse the surreal lyrics to shapeshift from oddball pop to off-kilter rock. Songs relate tales of eroticism and BDSM, snivelling male figures and death. Strike Low is emblematic of the overall tone. They sound almost ramshackle, on the edge of collapse at times, but possess a ferocious heart and entertaining ability to make you smile. Sapsucker showcases the group’s inventive discordant tunes and as Boys In The Wood wobbles along you can envisage them as David Lynch’s house band in Twin Peaks’ Roadhouse on a week night.

Released: 26.07.24 www.dearthworms.bandcamp.com

THE JOY HOTEL CEREMONY (SO RECORDINGS)

Words: Damian Robinson

Combining seven unique musicians, The Joy Hotel are almost folk/Americana’s answer to the Wu Tang Clan – a collection of artists with individual voices and techniques with a whole bigger than their considerable individual talents.

Opening with the gorgeous I Decline, Ceremony is a combination of 50s Americana, far-out prog rock, delicate country and screaming shoegaze; all glued together will narratives about pain, heartache, failing relationships and the confusion of growing into alleged maturity. Standout Forever Tender Blue bleeds Chris Isaak-style emotion over lush two-part vocals into the loveliest take on heartbreak, whilst Old Man’s Eyes (with upbeat Deacon Blue-esque pop soul) and Small Mercy’s downbeat Ryan Adams’ Love Is Hell style, showcase an album full of ideas and soul.

Released: 18.07.24

www.thejoyhotel.uk

CRACK CLOUD RED MILE (JAGJAGUWAR)

Words: Damian Robinson

The new one from Canadian post-punk art-house collective Crack Cloud sees the ensemble push even further out into the surreal than usual whilst contemplating life, death, addiction, identity and all parts in between. Taking a Flaming Lips-style approach of combining as many instruments, textures and ideas as possible, Red Mile is a genuine revelation of an artistic statement. Moving from minimalism – as on opener Crack Of Life, which uses bouncy piano and drum patterns to investigate the timeliness of life – to Black Star-esque mounds of jazz textures and saxophone, while Lack of Lack and Epitaph offer unique combinations of raw emotion with high art ideas. The further they step outside of the post-punk boundaries into undiscovered lands, the greater they get. There’s gold in them hills for sure.

SALUTE TRUE MAGIC (NINJA TUNE)

Words: Jonathan Coll

Salute is a prodigiously talented producer who burst onto the scene with a series of distinctive, bouncy pop remixes. True Magic is Salute’s second studio album and is one which represents an enormous leap forward for one of the most talented artists in the industry.

It’s an exceptional album, and one with far more cohesion than you’d typically expect from artists who have broken through with tracks largely intended for the club circuit. The choice of features is also impeccable, not least for including the absurdly talented Lea Sen. She lends her vocals to Softly, which may well be the best tune on the album. Ultimately though, that’s a matter of personal taste; something which Salute has in abundance.

Released: 12.07.24

www.facebook.com/saluteaut

www.ogives.bandcamp.com 5 / 5 3.5 / 5

Released: 26.07.24

www.crackcloud.ca

OGIVES BIG BAND BOISTEROUS LOVE (STOLEN BODY RECORDS)

Words: Michaela Hall

Ogives Big Band are loud and proud on their new album Boisterous Love. The short but sweet album packs a powerful punch with its fast and ferocious pace and dominant and energetic vocals.

The album has a dynamic and confrontational soundscape which sweeps you up and takes you in, allowing you to truly feel every riff. It starts with the rhythmically impressive Super Sanity setting the bar for impact, and continues through with consistent power to the concluding Absolute Unit that is an abstract medley of influences. Each song on the album has its own charisma and shows how much the band has to offer – it is a match made in heaven for live gigs.

Released: 05.07.24

MIXTAPE

WORDS: DONALD JENKINS

From old skool to old bastard. Should middle age stop you from being a raving reprobate?   Poet Donald Jenkins’ debut spoken word theatre show Still Raving In Your 40’s questions his legitimacy. As a fanboy, MC, DJ, promoter, squatter, hedonist and recreational dancer, Jenkins has been addicted to the rave scene’s sweaty underbelly for over thirty years. Does he now look like an inappropriate adult in a room of fresh-faced ravers? Isn’t it time to consider how this habit has affected him physically, mentally, and financially? Isn’t it time he grew up and gave it all up?

The Born Lippy produced show, which is part of the Newcastle Fringe and premieres at Alphabetti Theatre on Tuesday 23rdWednesday 24th July, shines a light on the tales of the underground: Ouseburn’s once small but impressive illegal free party scene, amyl nitrate sweat pits, 4am flyer touts and coded drug deals.   Jenkins’ story details his journey into this world through his dad’s shared love of music, being taken to blues gigs at an early age, reliving the thrill of attending his first raves to putting on his own club nights, constantly chasing the high of the 90’s.   www.newcastlefringe.co.uk

ALTERN-8

INFILTRATE 202

Originally set up as kind of rave novelty act, Altern-8 captured my imagination as a child, dressed in their boilersuits and neon dust-masks. Too young to get into raves in ‘91, I boarded Newcastle’s infamous Tuxedo Royal nightclub, attending under 18’s events to get my fix of Altern-8, Shamen and The Prodigy. Like many great old skool tunes, Infiltrate 202 is made up of layers of samples, wearing its influences on its sleeve. Candi Staton’s earworm hook drives this excitingly ominous hardcore classic, balancing dark and light vibes to perfection.

TTF NEW EMOTION

There are so many dance tunes that celebrate desire, not of a sexual nature but of the euphoria of the rave itself. Scottish diva Mary Kiani sums it up best on this ‘92 tartan techno anthem: “What a feeling, it’s like a new emotion”. It certainly was for a generation first

discovering ecstasy and being lovingly welcomed into a room by a thousand hugs and handshakes.

DYE WITNESS AND THE NIGHT RAVER FEATURING DJ TREVOR AND MC CYCLONE

THIS IS THE FUTURE

I used to attend a monthly rave called Judgement Day that ran for the second half of the 90’s at Newcastle University Student’s Union. This epic trance-core banger often got dropped, fusing Dutch and Scottish influences – uplifting strings, bouncy 303’s, multiple drops and hand in the air breakdowns. Cyclone’s archetypal rave MC voice declares: “This is the Future, do you understand?” Back then I certainly did. Now whenever I hear this phrase in my head, I worry about what unexpected global event is lurking around the corner.

WEDLOCK

I’M THE FUCK YOU MAN

As rave splintered into sub-genres in the mid 90’s, I went off in the direction of

gabber, the extreme style that originated in Rotterdam, known for its fast, hard and repetitive beats. Gabber is the ultimate fuck you music and this track shouts it bluntly, mixing jungle breaks, rave stabs, stomping 180bpm kickdrums with the very apt LL Cool J sample taken from rap hit Mama Said Knock You Out.

APHRODITE/AMAZON II MUSIC’S HYPNOTIZING

From all-nighters at The Sanctuary in Milton Keynes to weekly jaunts to Stepaz 1 at Rockshots in Newcastle, drum ‘n’ bass soundtracked a lot of my nights out in the 90’s. This underrated jump up d’n’b track lures you in with a spring in your step beat and woozy diva samples taken from New York disco anthem Raw Silk’s Do It To The Music. This adequate workout goes on for nearly four minutes, lulling you into a false sense of security before suddenly – boom! A second absolute wobbler of a bassline reignites every dancer in the room.

TOWARDS NEW WORLDS

Fifteen contemporary artists share their experiences of the world and explore imagined futures.

Towards New Worlds is a large-scale exhibition at MIMA, Middlesbrough, exploring a rich variety of human perceptions and sensory experiences. The artworks make connections between the artists’ internal worlds and their external environments. The 15 artists consider contemporary issues, including justice, ecological consciousness, connectivity and care.

19 Jul 2024 – 9 Feb 2025 Free entry. Open Tuesday to Sunday. X

The exhibition features Richard Butchins, Leah Clements, Joanne Coates, Malgorzata Dawidek, Colin Hambrook, Jenni-Juulia WallinheimoHeimonen, Seo Hye Lee, Molly Martin, Louise Mclachlan, Aaron McPeake, Sam Metz, Jade de Montserrat, Carrie Ravenscroft, Christopher Samuel and RA Walden. Each of the artists involved is disabled, D/deaf and/or neurodivergent.

Towards NewWorlds is curated with Aidan Moesby who has collaborated with MIMA to share deep research and extensive experience championing disability, care and access.

mima.art @mimauseful

Over 50 artists & makers including Mul, Sofia Barton, Jesmonite North, Adam Pointer & NewBridge Books.