NE Online Magazine Issue 21 by Wayne Groves

Hi Chris and welcome to NE Magazine, for the few readers who must be living in a cave somewhere and don’t know who you are how about giving th em a quick l ow- down o n yourself? - Hello! Can’t help but think I’m writing your interview introduction for you here, oh well… I’m a stand-up comedian from South Shields and I’m also a bit of an actor now and then… but mainly a comedian… that might not come across as well as it should in print form, but I am. So there. At the moment it’s hard not seeing you on the TV when we switch it on as you’re everywhere, but what has been the highlight for you so far? - Not everywhere though am I? If you turn on QVC and I’m selling a frying pan, just assume you’ll find me floating face down in a river very soon. The highlight for me so far was probably being in Hebburn. Since starting comedy I always wanted to try my hand at being in a sitcom too so I was over the moon to do one with my mate and so close to my heart, and I got to work with Vic Reeves. I know you had a bit of a crazy time with fans wanting pics and autographs when you were having a few drinks in a South Shields bar recently, how are you finding this, does it put you off going out? - Not at all. Any person in that position who has been on TV or whatever and people want photos (I’m trying my best not to say celebrity here!) who pretends they hate the attention is a liar. You don’t go for a career on TV because you don’t want anyone to notice you. As long as I’m not eating or having a shit when you want a photo then it’s no problem at all… I meant, like on the toilet, not just in the middle of the dancefloor.

Have you had any weird fan requests or incidents? - Not really. The odd person will show up to a gig with my face on a T-Shirt, or bake me a cake, or send me a dead animal in the post but other than that it’s just photos and autographs. A little kid in Hebburn when we were filming asked me to sign his micro scooter… that was a bit weird. As well as being a bit of a regular on Celebrity Juice, Never Mind the Buzzcocks and 8 out of 10 Cats you are now starring in the North East based sitcom Hebburn, how did that come about? - My mate and fellow comedian Jason Cook decided to write a sitcom about the town he was from, Hebburn, and he actually wrote me a little side part which he named after me. But when it came to being made the BBC asked me to read for the main character, and when I got it, Jason took the part that he’d written for me! It came about so gradually that I didn’t really realise the enormity of being lead role in a BBC2 sitcom until I saw the advert on TV. I nearly passed out. How has the response for Hebburn been so far? - Overwhelmingly positive. And we just won Best Drama at the RTS North awards too. And we’ve got a second series! You are now embarking on your biggest tour to date, how do you feel about this? - Yeah incredible! It’s an extension of my last tour, Feeling Lucky. I did 60+ dates in 2012 but the demand for tickets was so high and people enjoyed the show so much that I’m doing another 40 odd dates this year in much bigger venues. I can’t wait to get back out on the road.

Are there any venues on the tour that you are looking forward to playing or any you’re quite nervous about? - The Theatre Royal in Newcastle. I absolutely can’t wait. I used to watch panto there when I was a kid. I’m

We l c o m e N o t e . We l l w e ’ v e h a d D C ’s B a t m a n Vs Superman:Dawn of Justice last month a n d t h i s m o n t h s e e ’s C i v i l Wa r h i t t i n g the Marvel Universe in the 3rd installment of Captain America, so whose side are you on? P l u s L a s e r fo r c e h i t s O c e a n B e a c h P l e a s u r e Pa r k a l o n g w i t h a w h o l e h o s t o f n e w r i d e s a n d a t t ra c t i o n s a s w e g e t r e a d y fo r t h e S u m m e r. As always, if you have something you want to see in a future issue then d o n ’ t fo r g e t t o d r o p u s a n e m a i l t o wayne. groves@neonlinemagazine.com P l u s r e m e m b e r t o fo l l o w u s o n Fa c e b o o k a n d Tw i t t e r fo r o u r r e g u l a r updates on events and competitions. Till next time Ta ke c a r e Wa y n e

EDITOR & DESIGNER Wayne Groves wayne.groves@neonlinemagazine.com

SPONSORS Cineworld Boldon www.cineworld.co.uk The Theatre Royal Newcastle www.theatreroyal.co.uk/ Ocean Beach Pleasure Park www.oceanbeach.co.uk Quasar Elite South Shields www.quasarsouthshields.co.uk For all queries or if you would like to feature or advertise in NE Magazine email wayne.groves@neonlinemagazine.com Unless stated otherwise all competition entries should be sent to win@ neonlinemagazine.com Plus you can catch up with us online for news, events, blogs, competitions and more at www.neonlinemagazine.com Follow us on Facebook - www.facebook. com/pages/N-E-Online-Magazine join us on twitter @NEOnlineMag

CONTRIBUTORS Ian Berry Photographer www.ianberry.co.uk info@ianberry.co.uk Greame Baty Photographer Facebook Blank Slate Creative blankslatephotos@gmail.com Derek Brettle www.facebook.com/ lastlaughcartoons lastlaughcartoons@gmail.com NJDunn Photography Facebook NJDunn Photography LeeNemsPhotography www.ne-ms.co.uk

P6 Steve Smith – Keepin’ The Faith P14 Nicholas Dunn – Colour War P22 Scott Bainbridge P32 No Man’s Land P36 Matthew Bourne’s Sleeping Beauty P42 Bucket Of Doom

P44 Laserforce P50 Cineworld Movie Round Up P64 Game On! Retro P70 Thaikhun P74 Leeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Custom Woodwork

North East DJ Steve Smith returns to his beloved North East to Keep The Faith with a brand new night plus he tell us about his new Radio show, Soul Survivors. Hi Steve and welcome to NE, you are the host of Soul Survivors on Rochvalley Radio, tell us more about that? I started soul survivors about 15 years ago in Didsbury Manchester with 2 other soul DJ’s. We believed we could keep the soul scene alive by playing a weekly gig in my pub. The gig was a sell out every week and we educated our crowd. We

had people travelling from all over the North West. You don’t play your standard typical chart, what do you play and why? I play Tampa, Modern, Northern Soul with a sprinkle of Jazz. It’s a specialist show and I have listeners from the USA, AFRICA and around the world.

So how did the show come about? I approached the radio station with the idea, which they loved, due to my knowledge and soul collection. They then give me a free hand to write and produce each of my weekly shows. What are your aims with the show? The aims are to cater for the

gap in the market for specialist music shows, and to reinvent old tracks which people have forgotten about. I recently took the show on tour to Tenneriffe with Jon Banwell my first nightclub manager. 2015 saw you return to your DJ roots when you where one of the guest DJ’s at the Chambers Nightclub reunion night in Sunderland, so how did that go? I returned to Sunderland to DJ for the first time in 30 years at a great charity reunion night in the old Bentleys Nightclub. I played alongside KKlass, seen some old faces and raised some money for a local kids charity RESULT! How did it feel being back in Sunderland playing to some familiar faces? I had such a good night that I am starting a once a month night, starting bank Holliday

Easter Saturday 26th March at Northern Quarters in park lane - Rob Orton’s new gaff. The night is called SOS and it’s with Gary Oldis. Has that appearance and your radio show given you the DJ bug again or was it just a one

off? Yes I’ve been badly bitten by the DJ bug again at 56. You hung up your headphones years ago to move onto bar and club management, was that an easy choice to make? No. I loved DJ’ing but I was getting on a bit and Management was exciting and a secure future. It led to 30 years in the entertainment industry. You have worked in some fantastic venues over the years but is there any bar or club that stands out as your favourite, if so why? My favourite venue has got to be McMillan’s country club in Yarm where I DJ’ed with the late ROB BOGIE in the Jazz room.

ROB BOGIE

As well as working in bars and clubs you were also involved in the legendary Southport Weekenders, tell us a bit more

was Queen Latifa - what a witch. She was rude, demanding and disrespectful. Do you have any funny stories or gossip that you can share from your time working with these acts? I have fond memories of the time we did Sounds of Blackness live. A 42 piece gospel band. We spent hours trying to hire a restaurant on a Saturday night in Southport to feed these guys. It was a logistical nightmare but we managed. I also had the pleasure of a massive argument with Tim Westwood when I wouldn’t remove the bulbs from the emergency lights in the room where he was playing. He eventually saw it my way after a lesson on health and safety. The Pratt!

about your role and how you got involved? I started with Southport Weekenders 26 years ago and

Me and radio 1 DJ Peter Powell 30 years ago

worked on 52 events with Alex Lowes. I began decorating and draping the rooms and moved to ARTISTE LIASON. This gave me the chance to look after the world’s top acts and DJ’s like Chaka Khan, Fatback Band, Sounds of Blackness, Incognito, Trevor Nelson, Norman Jay and more. For those who never got to witness a Southport Weekender tell them what they missed out on? If you have never been to a weekender you have never lived. It was a full weekend partying and a chance to see the world’s top artistes and DJ’s. Over the years was there anyone you didn’t enjoy working with? The worst person I worked with

This is a hard question to ask any DJ but I’m still going to ask it…what are your top tracks of all time? My top tunes – 1, Bill withers Lovely Day 2, Marvin Gaye - What’s Goin On 3, Al Green - So In Love With You 4, Lou Rawls - Lady Love 5, Lew Kirton - Heaven in Afternoon 6, Jocelyn Brown - Somebody Else’s Guy

When you are not playing music what else do you get up to? I spend time looking after vulnerable people in the community. And how do you spend your free time? I like to spend time with my family and listening to music. Tell us 3 random facts about yourself? I love music. I love to cook. I am a people person. What have you got planned for the rest of 2016? 2016 will see Soul Survivors on tour with legendary DJ Gary Oldis and myself. Who knows maybe Smoothe FM. How can people listen to the show or follow you and keep up to date with you? People can listen live on rochvalleyradio.org.uk every Monday 7-9. Or get the App where they can listen to old shows again and also tune into my Sunday show 8-10 am Sunday morning. I also have a Facebook page -Soul Survivors where you can keep up to date with my gigs and shows on the radio. Is there anything you would like to add? I would like to add itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s been great finding old friends again and getting behind those decks and getting that great buzz from the crowd. This Easter bank holiday we are doing a 48hr broadcast to raise funds for the station so tune in and if you enjoy it show your support by making a donation. Thanks for taking the time to chat with us and we look forward to catching up with you soon.

COLOUR WAR WHICH SIDE ARE YOU ON? Hi Nicholas, we don’t usually have people back in NE so soon after being featured but we wanted to show a project we have been helping you with, it’s a great project that has definitely been getting you the right kind of publicity with people loving the images, can you tell us your reasons for doing this project? Well the project was part of my degree; it was a self-assigned brief, so I could do whatever I wanted and I wanted to try and portray cosplayers as themselves rather than as their characters, which is what I normally do. I tried a few ideas but settled on a series of studio portraits comparing the models in and out of cosplay. I choose this idea due to the feedback I received from my tutors and peers and because it was fairly straight-forward to organise and shoot, it gave me the opportunity to work with some brilliant people and effectively showed my idea to the audience. The images are certainly striking, but there has been quite a bit of debate on social media about the use of colour, can you explain why the images where done in colour for the subjects dressed normally and then in B&W for them in their costumes? When I was getting some of my first images reviewed, I suggested shooting the costume photos in colour and the normal photos in black and white but my tutors said it would be more unusual to do it the other way around. It also helped to balance out the various colours and tones across the range of images. Admittedly some of the

shots worked better than others but overall I was happy with the final images and that’s what matters. It really has had a mixed response with some people saying it should have been the other way around with the costumes being in colour because of the colours of the actual costumes being quite vibrant, what are your thoughts? I think it varies with each shot. For example, The Riddler was far more vibrant in colour but Harley Quinn worked better in black and white because the

contrast was so dramatic. Personally, I prefer the original shots of the costumes in black and white because I shot the photos to be presented like that. Who is right and why? I think it depends on your personal preference but it has resulted in some interesting discussions. So what has the response been like to this project? It’s been brilliant. I’ve had loads of likes and comments on my page and a lot of people seem interested in doing something similar. I’ve got some awesome feedback from

the models for the project and everyone seems really happy with their photos. It’s all been very positive and I’ve appreciated all the support I’ve received.

at my college and in London in July. I’m also trying to organise some work experience with some other photographers and I’ve got a load of shoots that I’m organising as well.

Has it helped in a positive way, are more people wanting to work with you now? I’ve had quite a few people message me, volunteering to model for something similar and quite a few people asking to work with me on cosplay shoots and I’m planning a few at the moment. I’m really looking forward to a Black Canary Bombshell shoot coming up and I’ve got a few others I need to set dates for.

There are more images from this project, where can people

So what is next for you photography wise? I’m currently planning my Final Exhibition which will be

see the rest of them so they can decide for themselves? All the original photos are in the Portfolio Production Project album on my Facebook page; NJDunnPhotography and I might post some of the reverse photos as well.

A.R.C. TOP SECRET FILES

A.R.C. MEMBER 007 scott bainbridge 22

A.R.C. MEMBER 007 - scott bainbridge Each issue we will be delving into the Top Secret Files of A.R.C. and introducing you to their members, this issue we catch up with Scott Bainbridge, Hi Scott and welcome to NE, can you tell us a little bit about yourself? Hello there! I’m Scott Bainbridge, a 31 year old Postman from North Shields. I’m getting married this year, I have two kids, and a Labrador called Charlie aka, Batdog. Unlike other A.R.C. members you started off with something a bit more unique, can you tell our readers a bit more about it? Well as you know A.R.C stands for Authentic Replica Costumes but I guess I brought an Authentic Replica Car to the table. I’ve been building my own replica of K.I.T.T from Knight Rider since 2004, long before A.R.C was around or before I started attending comic cons etc.

So the first question has to be why K.I.T.T? Some people are drawn to something such as Star Wars and they connect with it, that just happens to be Knight Rider for me. The show is now 34 years old and it’s

still so memorable and frequently mentioned on other tv shows and films, even Deadpool himself has a Knight Rider lunchbox in the new film. That car just mesmerised me as a kid, as soon as the opening credits started, that awesome music and K.I.T.T flying towards the camera in the desert. He’s black, sleek, fast, has an insane dashboard, can drive by himself, jump over things and then of course…. he can talk. I think the thing with K.I.T.T was that he wasn’t just a car, or a prop, he was real and you wanted him to be your friend when you were sitting there watching it as a little kid. William Daniels’ voice was just perfect. The whole show just worked great and made a lot of people happy. I’m sure David Hasselhoff is classed as the star of the show but

the details it’s the same with this car. K.I.T.T was based on a 1982 Pontiac Trans Am and quite a few of the things on the car such as the seats, the gearstick and the wheels were only available on the 1982 cars so you have to find these hard to get parts which are getting very expensive to buy, but that just depends how accurate you want your car to be as per the tv show. My car is an 87 so it looked very different to K.I.T.T from the factory, but when I bought it, it already had a few of the correct parts fitted such as the power bulge bonnet and the correct rear bumper. If I’m being honest though the car was quite a mess when I bought it and I had no experience with working on cars at all, I kid you not ! I just had a real passion for this particular car so I’ve progressed from knowing where the petrol goes, to being able to replace all the suspension and brakes, body panels, fitting a new engine and learning to paint to name a few.

I lean more toward that talking Trans Am, but I can’t deny they were a great team and you can’t picture anyone else being Michael Knight.

I’m guessing you knew that recreating your very own K.I.T.T was going to take money and time, but did you expect it to be as big and expensive a job as it has been? I knew it would take time and quite a bit of money, but probably not as much of either. I could have done the car fairly cheaply but I would have never

been happy. When people look at costumes and think that’s great, but they don’t see

What has been the best stand out moment when it comes to K.I.T.T? I’ve done some amazing events and met some great people over the years through the car. I think one of the best mo-

ments was bringing Rebecca Holden, who played K.I.T.T’s mechanic April Curtis, into the KnightCon event. To have ‘April’ sitting next to me in the passenger seat while I was driving down a ramp with hundreds of people waiting for the car to pull up was rather surreal! The car is also signed by a lot of the cast of the show including the big man himself

on and think, this is cool… That was until I took K.I.T.T to Screen Con 2013 and seeing everyone in costume gave me that buzz, so I managed to find the jacket, and belt buckle etc and took it from there. What characters have you brought to life so far?

My first outing was Wolverine, as per the Origins film and the first X-men film. And more recently Tim Burton’s 1989 Batman. If you could suit up as any character who would it be and why? If I could suit up as Batman, as normal, but then proceed to

In the last few years you have crossed over to the costuming side of things, how did that all come about? Well I’ve always been into SciFi films and TV shows, things that are considered ‘geeky’ if you will. I bought a set of Wolverine claws years ago but didn’t really know what to do with them apart from put them

jump into the Batmobile and rock up to a comic con like that, then my life would be made. Out of all of your costumes which is your favourite and why? Well I’ve only got the two costumes now and I will have to go with Batman. Being the bat feels like quite a privilege and it’s a great feeling knowing I’m making other people’s day just by stopping to have a picture with them. It’s ironic that the costume itself is quite uncomfortable to wear but once the cowl goes on…’m Batman! Have you had any funny or embarrassing incidents whilst in costume or with K.I.T.T? Funniest moment while with K.I.T.T has to be way back at

KnightCon 2007, I had the window down on the car and people were wandering round the cars looking in them as you do, I also had K.I.T.T’s voice going at the time and just as this guy leaned on the door to look inside, K.I.T.T said “Let go of my door please!” he jumped back and me and a

friend could see him looking around as if to say, is this actually happening ?! Funniest moment in costume, well I think you have a picture of that actually where Batman had a utility belt malfunction and C.J. kindly went into Alfred mode and helped out, which involved sticking his

head up my cape for all to see! Tell us 3 random facts about yourself? I am blind in my left eye. I don’t like spiders (Spiderman is ok though) and I love Chinese food! 2016 has an amazing film line up but what film are you most looking forward to this year? It’s only March and we have already had Deadpool which was hilarious. But I’ve been waiting for Batman vs Superman and its almost here ! I hope they haven’t gave too much

away in the trailers and it’s going to be epic. I also have to say that I’m really looking forward to Captain America – Civil War.

spect. I actually stopped watching Gotham believe it or not as it didn’t pull me in like other shows. I may have to revisit it though.

You have a character from both universes but I have to ask what one you prefer…Marvel or DC? I think I will side with Marvel as I’m a film/tv sort of guy. Marvel are just unstoppable with the films, then TV shows like Agents Of S.H.I.E.LD, Agent Carter and one of my favourites, Daredevil. DC seem to lag behind in that re-

What is your biggest pet hate when at events? There’s been a couple of times where I’ve had to ask people to not sit on the car at past events where he wasn’t cordoned off but apart from that it’s been all good. As for pet hates from fellow costumers? None whatsoever to date. What advice would you give to anyone that wants to get involved in costuming? Go for it! Quite simply. Once you get it in your head which character you’d love to costume as, you can take it from there with buying items or making them depending on the costume. There are tons of groups on facebook such as ‘The Geek Asylum’ where everyone is more than happy to help with advice. What can we expect from you during 2016? I’ve already been to DigiCon

this year with a few fellow members of A.R.C which was a good day. I also have the privilege of being at the opening night of Batman Vs Superman at Cineworld in Boldon, that should be a great night if anyone wants a picture with Batman. As for a new costume, well I keep looking at Ben Afflecks Dawn of Justice Suit thinking, hmmmm….. so maybe.

Where can people follow you and keep up to date with A.R.C. and K.I.T.T. appearances? Generally anytime there is an event where members of A.R.C will be, you can see that on the A.R.C Fan Base group, we also share what we are doing through groups like ‘The Geek Asylum’ so fellow costumers and people that just want to go to the event to see what goes on can all chime in. As for K.I.T.T, he actually has his own Facebook page called ‘Knight

Rider North East’. I created it because everything I do on the car I take pictures of and share it, and likewise with the events I do. So I thought maybe a page about the car would be better and some of my fellow Knight Rider friends may like it. It now has over 3000 likes which is just unbelievable

and shows how popular Knight Rider still is. Well thanks for taking the time to talk to us and we will see you at the next event. And thank you for having me, it has been a pleasure and you will indeed see me at the next one.

Directed by Sean Mathias, this production of No Man’s Land received highly acclaimed reviews at the Cort Theatre in New York whilst in repertory alongside Waiting for Godot, also starring stage and screen friends, McKellen and Stewart and directed by Mathias. The production of Waiting for Godot had transferred from London where it celebrated a sell-out run at the Theatre Royal Haymarket, the last time these masters of British theatre shared a West End stage. One summer’s evening, two ageing writers, Hirst and Spooner, meet in a Hampstead pub and continue their drinking into the night at Hirst’s stately house nearby. As the pair become increasingly inebriated, and their stories increasingly unbelievable, the lively conversation soon turns into a revealing power game, further complicated by the return home of two sinister younger men.

IAN MCKELLEN AND PATRICK STEWART RETURN TO TREAD THE BOARDS IN NEWCASTLE

Following their sell-out appearances in Waiting for Godot in 2009, Ian McKellen and Patrick Stewart are set to return to the North East’s leading theatre to star in Sean Mathias’ acclaimed production of No Man’s Land, which comes to Newcastle Theatre Royal from Mon 15 – Sat

20 Aug. The Harold Pinter masterpiece will embark on a UK tour in August before heading into London’s West End, where it will play a limited 14 week engagement at the Wyndham’s Theatre.

Patrick Stewart (Hirst) said: “I saw the original production of No Man’s Land three times in one week at Wyndham’s Theatre and would have seen it more if I could have afforded the tickets. I made a promise to myself that one day I would play Spooner or Hirst but to be doing it back at Wyndham’s with Ian McKellen was a fantasy I never entertained.” Ian McKellen (Spooner) says: “Playing Spooner to Patrick’s Hirst on Broadway was a constant joy, which is why I am delighted to be back with him in the UK.” The pair starred together to critical acclaim at Newcastle Theatre Royal in Waiting for Godot in 2009 and McKellen said: “It’s a wonderful city with

wonderful audiences. When the RSC in the 1970s were looking for a third home beyond Stratford and London, I said to Trevor Nunn “have you considered Newcastle?” And partly as a result of that conversation the RSC did go to Newcastle and I went with them. So I feel like it’s going home to go to Newcastle.” Further casting has yet to be announced for No Man’s Land which will have set and costume design by Stephen Brimson Lewis and lighting design by Peter Kaczorowski. Multi award-winning Ian McKellen has had a 55 year long career on stage and on screen. For the Royal Shakespeare Company he has played Romeo, Macbeth, Iago and King Lear and at the National Theatre, in productions of Coriolanus, Richard III, Uncle Vanya and The Seagull. He gained his first Oscar nomination for Gods and Monsters and his second for Gandalf in the Lord of the Rings trilogy. He is Magneto to Patrick Stewart’s Xavier in the X-Men movies, Richard III and most recently Mr Holmes. Multi award-winning Patrick Stewart has numerous notable stage credits to his name including Anthony and Cleopatra, The Tempest, Macbeth, The Merchant of Venice, The Master Builder and his acclaimed solo adaptation of A Christmas Carol. Known world-wide as Captain Jean Luc Picard in Star Trek: The Next Generation and Professor X in the X-Men franchise, his additional film and TV credits include the 2009 TV movie

adaptation of Hamlet alongside David Tennant, Ahab in Moby Dick, Ricky Gervais’ Extras, the new US comedy series, soon to be seen on UK TV, Blunt Talk, the soon to be released thriller Green Room as well as Wilde Wedding with Glenn Close and John Malkovich. British film and theatre director, writer and actor, Sean Mathias

has been a long-time collaborator with McKellen having directed him in numerous theatre roles including Uncle Vanya, Alan Bennett’s Talking Heads, August Strindberg’s The Dance of Death, Waiting for Godot (alongside Stewart) and Bent which he later directed on film, winning the ‘Prix de la Jeunesse’ award at the Cannes Film Festival. Other notable West End and Broadway theatre credits include Design for Living, Anthony and Cleopatra, The Elephant Man, Breakfast at Tiffany’s, A Little Night Music, Company and Les Parents Terribles which went on to be nominated for nine Tony Awards on Broadway under the title Indiscretions. This production of No Man’s Land is produced by Stuart Thompson, Flying Freehold Productions and Playful Productions.

MATTHEW BOURNE’S SLEEPING BEAUTY - A GOTHIC ROMANCE REVIVED AT THE THEATRE ROYAL FOR 2 WEEKS ONLY The multi-award winning global phenomenon is back!

To Book Tickets go to www.theatreroyal.co.uk

Click here to watch the trailer

The UK’s most popular dance company, New Adventures, returns to Newcastle Theatre Royal this Spring with Matthew Bourne’s Sleeping Beauty,

Now entering its 23rd year, this smash hit show has entertained over 15 million people world wide and for one week only Newcastle audiences have the chance to experience the magic of the one and only STOMP. Using everyday household items from paint cans and pipes to bin lids and brooms, 8 energetic performers fuse dance, percussion and comedy to create a feel-good rhythmic spectacular, in this inventive and infectiously entertaining show.

Featuring new routines, new music and new choreography, STOMP is fresher, faster and funnier than ever – don’t miss it!

a gothic tale for all ages. This ground-breaking production heads to Newcastle Theatre Royal from Tue 5 – Sat 16 Apr’16. Directed and choreographed by probably the ‘hottest’ cho-

reographer in the world right now, Sir Matthew Bourne OBE, and from the UK’s most popular dance company, Sleeping Beauty is a revival of this new classic, giving audiences one more chance to see the final piece in the trio of Tchaikovsky masterpieces. With sumptuous sets, costumes and evocative lighting, the audience will be transported in time.

Returning to the central role of Aurora in this first revival is rising star Ashley Shaw. Ashley recently played Lana in the triumphant revival of The Car Man, also played Kim in Edward Scissorhands, Sugar in Nutcracker! and the title role in Cinderella. Cordelia Braithwaite made her debut with New Adventures in Swan Lake in 2013 and has since featured in this year’s revival of The Car Man, covering the role of Lana. Cordelia makes her debut as Aurora this season; her first Principal role with New Adventures. Matthew Bourne’s Sleeping Beauty premiered in 2012, and was the fastest selling production in the company’s history. Sleeping Beauty was created for New Adventures 25th birthday celebrations and completed Sir Matthew Bourne’s OBE trio of re-imagined Tchaikovsky ballet masterworks that started in 1992 with Nutcracker! and, most famously, in 1995, with

the international hit Swan Lake. This dazzling production has won the hearts of thousands and smashed box office records across the UK and at Sadler’s Wells. The leading role of Leo will once again be played by Dominic North and Chris Trenfield who co-created the role in 2012. Perrault’s timeless fairy tale, about a young girl cursed to sleep for one hundred years, was turned into a legendary ballet by Tchaikovsky and choreographer, Marius Petipa, in 1890. Bourne takes this date as his starting point, setting the Christening of Aurora, the story’s heroine, in the year of the ballet’s first performance; the height of the

Fin-de-Siecle period when fairies, vampires and decadent opulence fed the gothic imagination. As Aurora grows into a young woman, we move forward in time to the more rigid, uptight Edwardian era; a mythical golden age of long Summer afternoons, croquet on the lawn and new dance crazes. Years later, awakening from her century long slumber, Aurora finds herself in the modern day; a world more mysterious than any Fairy story! Matthew Bourne’s Sleeping Beauty appears at Newcastle Theatre Royal from Tue 5 – Sat 16 April 2016 (Evenings: 7.30pm, Matinee: Thursday 2pm, Saturday Matinee

2.30pm). Tickets are from £17.00 and can be purchased at www.theatreroyal.co.uk or from the Theatre Royal Box Office on 08448 11 21 21 (calls cost 7ppm plus your phone company’s access charge).

pacifying the vegans. Another player grabs her “Soft Rock Power Ballad” card, channeling the spirit of Michael Bolton to fight off the angry activists.

Ever wondered how you would escape if you were swallowed by a whale or buried alive in an airtight coffin… with only an angry beaver and a foot-long hot dog to help you? Well, we’ve got something special for you. A delightfully dark party game known as Bucket of Doom. The game begins with a single scenario card. These cards describe a wealth of troublesome scenarios, such as “You wake up and you’re the backend of a human centipede” or “You’re a sperm and you’re not winning this race”. Upon reading out the scenario, you are all (unfortunately) placed into peril. Each player has eight object cards at their disposal. The challenging part, however, is that these objects tend be as useless as possible, such as a “Duck Whistle” or a “Valentine’s Card for someone called Ian”.

Armed with your arsenal of impractical objects, you must devise a cunning plan to escape the scenario at hand. Since the round ends with a vote for the most impressive getaway, you’ll need to get creative if you hope to come out on top. For example, suppose the game began with the following scenario: “Walking home after a night out wearing Lady Gaga’s meat dress you are attacked by militant vegans”. One player, thinking quickly, brings out his “Defibrillator” card. Using it on himself, he quickly revives the meat dress into a healthy cow,

Once each player has presented their equally-impressive escape to the group, everyone votes for their favourite. The player with the most votes takes the scenario card for that round. New object cards are distributed, a new situation is read out and the next round begins. The first player to successfully collected three scenario cards is the winner. The perfect preparation for unexpected emergencies, Bucket of Doom is a constant reminder that when the s**t hits the fan, you need a plan. To buy BUCKET OF DOOM visit bucketofdoom.co.uk or for any of the other great Big Potato games visit bigpotato.co.uk

Goodbye Quasar South Shields â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Hello Laserforce! After many years using the same equipment we have decided to bring you a whole new gaming experience. We have recently invested in new equip-

ment from a company called Laserforce. These guns and vests provide the most engaging and interactive experience during gaming. We have been based in South Shields for over 20 years. Many people will remember us being at Pier Amusements however we moved into Ocean Beach Pleasure Park in 2010. Still based within the Pleasure Park we have moved into Quasar Amusements which provides a whole host of fun including Laserforce, Laser Maze, Pool, air Hockey and more. Set inside a large arena and kitted out with an illuminated Battlesuit and armed with Phaser Guns, the objective is simple â&#x20AC;&#x201C; stalk, shoot and rack up the points. Players can battle friends or foes and our own computer controlled alien within a futuristic, interactive arenas where not only

can you play against other players but also against the arena itself. This is the most advanced computer controlled laser game system and offers a great time for all participants, irrespective of their age or experience.

There are several game “missions” which can be played such as Tag, Manic and Zombies v Survivors. All players receive a short briefing and explanation of the “mission” to be played and if you are lucky enough to be Top Scorer you will receive a voucher to join us for a complimentary game. Quasar is Ideal for birthday parties for young and old with packages starting from only £9 per person and including game, food, photo and more. Fantastic discounts are available for students, educational groups, sport teams and other recognised groups. For a corporate event with a difference we can tailor make packages to suit team size and budget. Mini tournaments,

hot/cold buffets and photos are just some of the things that can be included to make your event stand out from the rest.

Open daily from 11am (10.00 am on weekends and school holidays) until 8pm. Quasar is often known by a number of names such as Quasar Laser, Laser Quasar, Laser Tag and Laser Combat. Being the only Laserforce Centre in the North East (and only 1 of 4 in England), customers travel from Sunderland, Newcastle, Gateshead, Durham, Middlesbrough and all surrounding areas to enjoy their games and parties with us. EQUIPMENT The Battle-suit The Laserforce Battle-suit is made from a light but highly durable mesh that ‘breathes’ allowing air to circulate through it. It is styled with a florescent material which glows brightly when exposed to UV black light, producing a sci-fi appearance. Adjustable side straps allow players of all sizes to be

comfortable, and only weighing 3.2kg, even small children can play. The shoulder pads provide feedback to the player with crystal clear digital speech and sound effects, so the player is always aware of what is happening during the game. The Phaser The Laserforce Phaser has been designed to survive the toughest environments. It is injection moulded in polycarbonate and is extremely strong. Safety features include a soft rubber nose and enforces two handed firing, making sure that the players keep the Phaser close

to their body and abuse lockout feature. The Phaser contains six hit sensors and four large LEDs providing 360 degree visibility and hitability, so even if only a player’s Phaser can be seen, they can still be identified and zapped. As well as offering a whole new gaming experience, during 2016 we are offering FREE Membership to all our customers. The membership cards are multi function and can do the following; • Start your game of Quasar by swiping the card on your vest recording your game score and stats • Check out your Game Stats and Achievements on the touch screen Player Kiosk • Use the card to get discounted Ride Ticket & Wristbands for Ocean Beach Pleasure Park • Receive 10% Off Food & Drink at selected outlets within Ocean Beach Pleasure Park • Various discounts and freebies for Quasar and Laser

Maze • Sign up to our newsletters detailing events, offers, discounts and competitions (if email address is supplied) • Receive special birthday offers (if date of birth and email are supplied)

LASER MAZE Individually or in a larger group, the Laser Maze is a test of skill, agility and precision. Press the start button, enter the room and make your way to the other end by stepping over and ducking under the red lasers appearing from the side walls. Each player player starts with 90 seconds and 8000 points. You lose 15 points for every second you take and 150 for every broken beam and there are 3 skill levels to choose from – Easy, Medium or Hard. Individual sessions from £1 per person or group sessions from £10 per 15 minutes. Come along, test your skills and enjoy some laser gaming experiences. Visit www.quasarsouthshields. co.uk or call 0191 455 3885 to book or for more information..

Well itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s April and the blockbusters are coming thick and fast now. We have teamed up with Cineworld Boldon to give you a quick run down on a few films that are coming soon and really have got us excited. Plus make sure you check out their Facebook page to keep up to date with their daily competitions and updates. www.facebook.com/cineboldon

Captain America: Civil War Release date: 29 April 2016 Chris Evans, Robert Downey Jr, Scarlett Johansson, Sebastian Stan, Anthony Mackie, Elizabeth Olsen, Sebastian Stan, Daniel Bruhl, Emily VanCamp, Don Cheadle, Jeremy Renner, Tom Holland Captain America returns and this time he has to fight his most formidable opponent yet... Iron Man!

Following an incident involving the Avengers which involved much collateral damage, politicians propose a governing body to monitor the activities of superheroes. This brings Steve Rogers into conflict with Tony Stark, with the other Avengers choosing

sides behind Captain America and Iron Man. But while fighting each other, they must work out how to protect the world from a new enemy... Captain America and Iron Man go head-to-head in this superhero-studded blockbuster based on the comic book by Mark Millar (Kick-Ass, Kingsman). Directed by the Russo

brothers (Captain America: The Winter Soldier), this promises to be darker and more emotional than any Marvel movie yet. Look out for guest appearances from Ant-Man, Hawkeye, Vision, Black Widow, Black Panther, Falcon, War Machine and... Spider-Man! CLICK HERE TO WATCH THE TRAILER

X-Men: Apocalypse Release date: 19 May 2016 The X-Men return – but can they save the Earth from their deadliest enemy yet?

It’s ten years since the events of X-Men: Days of Future Past and the world faces an even greater threat when Apocalypse (Oscar Isaac), the world’s very first mutant, reawakens after thousands of years. Disillusioned at the state of mankind, he assembles a team of powerful mutants, including Magneto (Michael Fassbender), Storm (Alexandra Shipp), Psylocke (Olivia Munn) and Angel (Ben Hardy), to help create a new world order. It’s up to Professor X (James McAvoy) and Raven (Jennifer Lawrence), as well as their

team of young X-Men, to stop Apocalypse and save the world from destruction. Director Bryan Singer returns to the franchise he launched in 2000 with the first X-Men movie as he takes James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender

and Jennifer Lawrence into the 1980s. And expect more of Quicksilver (Evan Peters) – the breakout star of 2014’s Days of Future Past. CLICK HERE TO WATCH THE TRAILER

Warcraft Release date: 3 June 2016 The addictive video game series becomes a fantasy epic charting the conflict between humans and orcs. Moon and Source Code director Duncan Jones brings

the phenomenally popular game to the big screen with a spectacular story exploring the complex events that led to war between the human Alliance and orc Horde. Travis Fimmel plays an Alliance war hero, while Toby Kebbell is cast as the chieftan of the Hordeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Frostwolf clan.

Cast: Ben Foster, Travis Fimmel, Paula Patton, Dominic Cooper, Toby Kebbell, Robert Kazinsky Director: Duncan Jones CLICK HERE TO WATCH THE TRAILER

Criminal Release date: 15 April 2016 A death row inmate absorbs another man’s memories in this taut, suspenseful thriller. Jericho Stewart (Kevin Costner) is a dangerous excon serving a life sentence on death row.

However, he may unwittingly be the CIA’s only hope of foiling a deadly terrorist plot, one that’s already claimed the life of agent Bill Pope (Ryan Reynolds). Stewart is chosen as the guinea pig for a groundbreaking procedure whereby Pope’s memories, secrets and skills are implanted into his body, allowing the criminal to use the dead man’s knowledge and complete the mission. However the

lines between Stewart and Pope become increasingly blurred, especially when the former makes contact with the latter’s widow Jill (Gal Gadot). As chaos ensues, it remains unclear whether Stewart will succeed. This action-packed thriller

makes dramatic use of British locations and features an allstar supporting cast including Gary Oldman and Tommy Lee Jones. CLICK HERE TO WATCH THE TRAILER

Elvis & Nixon Release date: 24 June 2016

On a December morning in 1970, the King of Rock â&#x20AC;&#x153;n Roll showed up on the lawn of the White House to request a meeting with the most powerful man in the world, President Nixon. Starring Academy Award nominee Michael Shannon as Elvis Presley and twotime Academy Award winner Kevin Spacey as Richard Nixon, comes the untold true story behind this revealing, yet humorous moment in the Oval Office forever immortalized in the most requested photograph in the National Archives.

Cast: Michael Shannon, Kevin Spacey, Evan Peters, Colin Hanks, Alex Pettyfer Director: Liza Johnson

CLICK HERE TO WATCH THE TRAILER

Unlimited Card Love Cinema. Join the club - £16.90 a month. You will receive... Preferential Discounts Unlimited members get 10% off all food and drink bought in-cinema at any time of day, every day!* Plus, you’ll also receive discounts for all nonfilm screenings such as Live Opera in HD, Live National Theatre, Live sport in 3D and live gigs etc. (All discounts subject to terms)

Unlimited members benefit from exclusive deals set up by their local cinema*. These offers vary from cinema to cinema, but are a great way to save pennies. (All deals are subject to terms) *Until further notice Watch as many films as you like Are you mad about movies? Feed your fascination by

watching as many films as you like at Cineworld every month from just £16.90. There’s literally no limit to the number of times you can visit! Apply for your card now at www.unlimitedcineworld. com/uk/pages/apply. aspx?step=1 using promo code RAF-63KG-29XM-00SB31WU.

Get access to Exclusive advance screenings As an Unlimited member, you can be among the first to see great movies at our special screenings. Just keep an eye on our Unlimited newsletter for your invitation. Discounted Meals & Shopping

Stepney Bank Tyres

Stepney Bank Tyres New and part worn Punctures and balancing 0191 2322062 Or 07557797443 Credit and debit cards taken Byker, Newcastle, NE1 2NP

Hi Graham and welcome to NE, how about introducing yourself to our readers? My name is Graham Peacock and I live in Hartlepool at the moment, but I was born and raised in Billingham. I am 32 years old and I have a wonderful and supportive family; my mum Debbie, my brother Josh, my nana Jean and my girlfriend Sarah. Tell us all about Game On! Retro? Game On! Retro is a gaming shop for the connoisseurs of the gaming world. I sell everything from the NES and Master System to XBox 360 and PS3. We do repairs on all sorts of consoles (even a WiiU) and modifications, but what sets us apart from the rest are our customisation options. We have sent consoles and games all over the world â&#x20AC;&#x201C; one of our regular customers is in Australia and loves his custom work so

much he has requisitioned another. What made you want to start up Game On! Retro? Well, at first I found I had a knack for fixing old consoles and was rather unhappy in my other job, so I decided to try to make a living out of it. I offered my services to a local business and it sort of spiralled from there, resulting in my poor girlfriend having to live in my workshop. It soon became apparent that our

house was not big enough to store all of the consoles, the tools and offer me a place to move away from work to relax. During my transitional period I had become friendly with the owners of Sub Zero Comics in Stockton, and began discussing my issues with them. We quickly came to an arrangement and I finally had a space to call my shop. We now have a newer addition to the Sub Zero/ Game On! Retro space in the

form of Tinker Harley. We will also be looking to rename our collective (well, the space we share) Cards, Carts and Comics, which we think represents us and the products we offer down to the ground. What has been your biggest challenge to date with Game On! Retro? Advertising has been a really challenging part of setting up this business – letting people know where we are, what we do and most importantly that we actually exist has been a never-ending battle. The costs for newspaper and radio are always sky high and don’t seem to boost business that much – although I was lucky enough to do an interview on Ignition Radio which was excellent. So you specialise in customising consoles, what does that actually mean to the nongamers out there? Customisation is as broad as it sounds, especially for our non-gamer customers. Our options range from personalised skins we design

and print ourselves, back lights for Game Boys, to custom paint jobs and even include hand painted characters on the consoles themselves. We

have customised nearly every type of console on the market including a PS4 and have also customised a hard drive for a DJ friend of mine with a vinyl wrap and a hand painted image. What has been the weirdest request you have had when it came to customizing something? Someone asked me to paint a mural on their wall.... That was a rather odd one but very nice of them to like my work so much they wanted an entire wall of it! Why do you think retro games and consoles still hold such a big appeal these days? There are a number of reasons. The most obvious is nostalgia. Most of the kids who grew up in the 80’s and 90’s want to replay those games that they grew up with and relive their youth. It also helps that they now have jobs and disposable income and so they can afford those games they may have missed out on as a

very wise decision as it turns out as I still own that same console today and it’s still giving me hours of pleasure! And what is your favourite game? This one’s nigh on impossible! My favourite series is the Legend of Zelda, I can’t get enough of those games! But picking just one game? No chance! When you are not working hard what kind of things do you like to get up to with your spare time? I enjoy the usual things, watching movies, listening to music, that kind of stuff. I also enjoy paintballing although it’s been a long time since I was able to get out and do that but I used to run a team, I look forward to being able to take time off and get back on the field!

child. Another reason is that although graphics have come a long way since gaming started out, gameplay does not rely on graphics and there are some amazing games out there that stand the test of time and can be played over and over again, even today.

You also have the peace of mind that when you buy an old cartridge game, you are getting the full game for your money, not like today’s games who often charge you for download content and extra features. There is another reason too, as time passes, these games become harder to find and their price seems to only be heading in one direction. So a lot of people have started buying old games and consoles as an investment for the future. What is your favourite console and why? This one’s easy, Super Nintendo! When I was 11 I had a choice, go on a school trip to London for the weekend or get my very first console the Super Nintendo (SNES), both where roughly the same price. My 11 year old brain decided that one weekend vs hours and hours of gameplay was no competition and so I went with the SNES. It was a

Tell us 3 random facts about yourself? I like baked beans... with salad cream on them! I talk in my sleep and often hold full conversations with my girlfriend until I say something strange and she realises I’m asleep. I have a collection of over 500 Transformers figures.

So what can people expect from Game On in 2016, what have you got planned? We are still very new, so expanding stock, hitting more trade shows and comic cons are on the cards for sure. We hope to have some systems set up for people to play and run some monthly competitions on them. Apart from that we’re just aiming to give our customers the best service we possibly can and make the business a success. Where can people follow you and keep up to date with you or even buy your products? We have a website www. gameonretro.com but it’s currently being redesigned to have a more user friendly webstore. For the time being the best thing to do is follow us on facebook.com/ gameonretro as we always try to keep that updated with news about the business and new stock. Anyone wanting to order games or custom work can contact us through that page and we’ll take care of them that way. Well thank you for taking the time to chat with us and we look forward to seeing you soon.

Thai Leisure Group (TLG) to launch vibrant street food restaurant - Thaikhun - in Gateshead, bringing significant investment and job opportunities to the region. The new 4,500 sq ft eatery will see an initial investment of over £875,000 into the local area, as well as create 50 new jobs. The restaurant will be the brand’s first restaurant in the North East and its seventh restaurant to open in the UK, with plans for further expansion throughout 2016. Ian Leigh, managing director at Thaikhun, said: “Breaking into the North East market has been on our agenda for a while now, so we are incredibly excited to be investing in the region.

“We hope that our new restaurant will bring something a little different to intu Metrocentre’s current food and drink offering, as well as ignite our customer’s dreams of exploring Thailand through our traditional Thai street food and interactive dining experience.” Staying true to its Thai roots, a traditional opening ceremony will be carried out by Buddhist Monks on 30th March 2016. Spiritual chanting and a sacred blessing will take place at the

site of intu Metrocentre’s restaurant, in order to wish good fortune and prosperity to the new establishment, followed by an exclusive VIP event in the evening. Thaikhun, intu Metrocentre will offer its customers traditional Thai street food in an authentic setting. Located in the Qube in the Yellow Mall, the eatery will include an open kitchen with authentic Thai chefs, as well as traditional artefacts and decorations sourced from the street markets of Thailand. Helen Atkinson, Marketing Manager at intu Metrocentre, said: “The arrival of Thaikhun at intu Metrocentre is an exciting and innovative addition to our restaurants. The design of the restaurant alone looks fantastic, and the food offering will bring a different dining experience to the centre, which we can’t wait to try.” Thaikhun is one of nine new restaurants to open in Metrocentre’s new £17 million dining and leisure extension, set to be completed in April 2016.

My wife posted a picture on Facebook of the table and chairs I’d made for our garden and then had loads of people messaging asking if they could buy them. It never occurred to me that people would actually pay for the stuff I’d made. Is there any kind of jobs you specialise in? Not really. I pretty much turn my hand at anything. The jobs tend to come in waves - I’ll get a couple of decking jobs together, then a couple of fence jobs, then a couple of tables. What kind of work have you done so far? Decking, fences, garden tables, kitchen tables, a pergola, log cabin, a bar, flooring. A massive mixed bag really. Hi Lee and welcome to NE. So how about you introduce yourself to our readers? Hiya Wayne, I’m Lee, I’m 32 and I live in South Shields with my wife and 2 girls.......I feel like I’m being interviewed for blind date

A lot of people will know you as a DJ from various bars and clubs around the North East, but you are now gaining a rep-

utation for something else, do you want to let everyone know about your hidden talent? I’ve always been quite creative with things - painting, drawing etc. I get bored quite quickly so I like to try new things. I made a table one summer for our own garden and it just went from there. So how did Lee’s Custom Woodwork come about?

Are there any projects that you

have done so far that you have really enjoyed doing or any that you have coming up? I actually built a log cabin last summer for a lady called Michelle. Michelle bought a pair of chairs that I had made. We got chatting and she asked if I was a trained joiner, I explained that I wasn’t and that it was all self-taught. Michelle explained that she wanted a log cabin in her garden and asked if I fancied building it as it would be great for my portfolio. I accepted her challenge! In my head, I imagined a large shed - I was wrong, it was absolutely massive!!!! I had great fun (and a little bit of stress) building it. This led to more work from Michelle and she was great to work for - always had a cold beer for me at the end of the day. I’m in the process of making a “buddy bench” for a local primary school. The school approached me and explained about the buddy bench, it’s for children to sit if they are feeling lonely and have nobody to play with; they will then be approached by a “buddy” who will play with them or sit at the bench with them. This is something quite close to my heart as my eldest is a “buddy” at her school and I think it’s an awesome idea therefore I have offered my services free of charge to the school. What made you want to get

involved with wood? When I left school I was a CNC engineer working with metal. I always need to know how things work and how things are made and quite often take things apart at home

and put them back together! I always helped my dad with things round the house when I was a kid. So is Lee’s Custom Woodwork your full time gig now or are you still playing the tunes as well? It’s pretty much full time but I do manage to find time to DJ as well. I’m in VIVA in South Shields on a Friday night. As a DJ the one question we all struggle with…what are your all-time top 5 songs?

I’ve been asked this question a million times and my top 5 change every time. There are so many mint tunes and genres, so these are my top 5 today: Planet Funk - Chase The Sun Binary Finary - 1998 Junior Senior - Move Your Feet Robert Miles - One & One Gouryella – Gouryella When you are not working what do you like to get up to in your spare time? I like to play out on my motorbike. Being a dad to my 2 girls and of course getting tattooed! Tell us 3 random facts about yourself? I am an expert at picking things up with my feet. I have Lemmy from Motörhead’s

sweaty towel. I have actually piloted a plane.

https://www.facebook.com/LGTcustomwoodwork/

Where can people follow your projects and keep up to date with everything?

Thanks for taking the time to talk with us Lee and we wish you luck with Lee’s Custom Woodwork

Five-piece vocal harmony group The Overtones burst onto the music scene back in 2010 when their debut album ‘Good Ol’ Fashioned Love’ soared to number 16 in the UK album chart. Five years down the line, they have just completed a 25-date tour of the UK and Ireland with their fourth studio album, ‘Sweet Soul Music.’ NE Music Scene correspondent @Leenems1, caught up with the lads at Newcastle’s prestigious City Hall for an exclusive backstage

interview. Lee: How did it all happen from the beginning? Lachie: I guess from the very start, the group has been together for about 8 years now, and it happened really, through London; the place where lots of people come to try to make a dream happen, and a band was formed. The reason, well, the way we got signed was quite interesting. We were overheard singing

whilst having a quiet rehearsal outside, and a woman walked past whilst we were rehearsing and said, “Can I ask you a couple of questions?” and she actually put us in contact with one of the presidents of Warner Brothers, and it lead to a bit of a surprise meeting. A few months down the track, there was a lot of meetings, it didn’t just sort of come to us is one fell swoop, we were offered a record deal with Warner Brothers, and that was about 5 years ago.