NE Online Magazine Issue 29 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 . The months are flying by and s u m m e r i s n e a r l y o v e r, b u t t h a t i s not stopping us as we have loads of g r e a t e v e n t s s t i l l t o l o o k fo r w a r d t o . This issue has a round up of things t h a t h a v e a l r e a d y t a ke n p l a c e a n d s o m e s t i l l t o l o o k fo r w a r d t o , s o h a v e a f l i c k t h r o u g h a n d fe e l f r e e t o l e t us know your thoughts on another p a c ke d i s s u e . As always, if you have something you want to see in a future issue then d o n â&#x20AC;&#x2122; 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

Cineworld Boldon www.cineworld.co.uk The Theatre Royal Newcastle & Newcastle City Hall 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 NJDunn Photography Facebook Peter Mann BSc Inside Mann Media & PR petermann78@hotmail.com LeeNemsPhotography www.ne-ms.co.uk SPONSORS Sergeant Clip www.sergeantclip.com Facebook - Sergeant Clip F.ound Digital Website: ino.digital

THIS ISSUE P6 Gorilla Gainz Urban Sport P16 Extreme @ Newcastle O2 Academy P22 The Manor’s Baz Jones P32 Jonny Riggs Art In One P44 SunnyCon Anime Expo P52 What’s On Newcastle City Hall & Theatre Royal P44 Cineworld Film Round Up P82 Cattle & Cane P86 Scream Of Sirens P92 What’s New @ Red Hot Sunglasses

Hi Kris and welcome to NE. Some people will know you from The Market Health Spa but for those that don’t how about introducing you and your GG Urban Sports team? I’m Kris Stephenson, 36, selfemployed with a background in Fitness and body building, first joined the industry at the age of 18 training in the local gym known as “The Market health Spa”, later being given the opportunity to take over “The Market Health Spa” in 2011 Kris jumped at the chance to build a great gym saying “my passion for the fitness industry is something words can’t describe, I love the feeling of walking into the gym knowing that this is what I’ve spent 6 years building, with a team of great staff behind me and now having Kelvin, Paul and Jack all working as a team to develop GG Urban Sports as a business is something I’m very excited about”.

Kelven Moore, 24, is selfemployed with a background in business and graphics, graduating from South Tyneside College with a Diploma in IT, Kelven then perused work in the leisure industry learning business skills, working alongside myself. Kelven’s passion for the fitness industry grew, using his IT skills Kelvin and I started the GG urban Sports brand, Kelven is excited to work alongside Kris, Paul and Jack saying “ this is an amazing opportunity, not only for us to create a brand that can work with any sport, but to help make advances in the fitness industry as a team and help expand my experiences and knowledge”. Paul Neary, 43, has been self employed for over 20 years holding appointments in the leisure and building industries. Having always held and interest in science, in 2014 Paul returned

to education, first completing a diploma in higher education, then graduating with a degree in biopharmaceutical science from Sunderland University in 2017. Paul is excited to join the GG urban Sport team, saying “this is an amazing opportunity to expand my business knowledge, while combining my passion for sports and science; I look forward to working with a group of unique individuals with the

skills to develop an amazing brand”. And finally Jack Tobin, 21, a graduate from Sunderland University, throughout his years studying Biopharmaceutical Science Jack became an avid goer where he became enthusiastic in health and fitness, from this he knew upon finishing his degree that he should take his interests further. “I look forward to working with Paul Kris and Kelvin at Gorilla Gainz urban sport where I can combine my interests in fitness with my knowledge of biosciences to pursue a career in sports nutrition” The market health spa summed up as a “family gym” it has a very relaxed atmosphere but rest assured serious gains are made! Over the last 6 years we as a team have created a fantastic gym and a brilliant family. So what is The Market Health Spa? The market health spa is a local gym ran by myself and a team of staff, our staff have great backgrounds in all aspects of gym workouts; myself body building, martial arts, strength

and conditioning. Jake Smith is a prospect in the rugby world he is the youngest player to become team captain for Percy park, he thrives at weight training as well as strength and conditioning. Rachel Mayne has an extensive experience working in gyms, over the years she has built a great client base. Rachel excels in weight training as she competes in bikini fitness, as well as circuit and high intensity training. You certainly don’t stand about,

you have recently launched GG Urban Sports (Gorilla Gainz) which even sponsors BAMMA/ Made 4 The Cage and former UFC fighter Colin “The Freakshow” Fletcher, but what exactly is Gorilla Gainz? As well as running the gym we have a sports clothing range called Gorilla Gainz, we’ve always been interested in starting a clothing brand that’s affordable, stylish and can be worn inside and outside the gym. The name Gorilla Gainz come from our love for Gorillas, powerful yet whilst having that strong look Gorillas can also have a soft side, the word Gainz because everyday when we enter that gym whether it’s running, boxing or weight lifting we each strive to make changes, change our body physically, increase fitness levels and change our lives. With a strong team of directors myself, Kelven Moore, Paul Neary and Jack Tobin have managed to build the foundations of a great business, we strive to make our business better with new ideas, new products and team work. As individuals we each bring certain skills, knowledge and experiences to our business. The North East has a lot of talented fighters but what made you choose Colin “The Freakshow” Fletcher as your first sponsored athlete? We have watched Colin “The Freakshow” Fletcher for years on the MMA scene, having Colin

It’s unique and the feedback we are receiving is amazing and we can’t wait to keep bringing new designs and clothing out!

be a part of our clothing line is amazing, we’ve talked for many years and when the chance came up he was more than willing to allow us to sponsor him, we are working night and day to constantly improve our brand and make it known across the country and eventually the world.

So what makes Gorilla Gainz stand out compared to other ranges out there? We believe Gorilla Gainz is different to all other brands, our aim was to deliver a clothing range that is comfortable and stylish at the same time, our gym wear is versatile allowing our customers to wear our brand outside of the gym and still look stylish. It is clothes that you can walk down the street…have a

night out…go for a meal and looks stylish but more importantly feel comfortable, but still be able to pop in the gym and workout.

What does the future hold for Gorilla Gainz, what do you see happening in the next 12 months and beyond? In the next 12 months? We aim to have more athletes to sponsor, have a full summer and winter line out, as well as being featured in more magazines, we want the name Gorilla Gainz to be a talking point in the fashion and gym industry! We are currently in the process of bringing our very own protein brand out! Working closely as a team Paul and Jack have a back ground in Biopharmaceutical science, allowing us to create our very own brand of Nutritional Supplements. So far we’ve developed a unique Advanced Whey Isolate Protein with “enzymgen” which allows faster digestion to help with muscle growth and repair. We are currently developing a Maga MASS+ which is a Mass gainer that helps increase growth and repair of the body, being high in calorific content and carbohydrates ensuring the user is constantly building and repairing and not training at a calorie deficit, we also have in production an ADVANCED Diet whey for the users who would prefer to control the calories but allowing muscle repair ensuring weight loss. Flavours? That’s

the hardest part of developing any supplement, ensuring the taste is palatable for anyone to use, we’ve sampled a vast range of different blends we’ve created, using the feedback from gym users as reference we are convinced we’ve created the perfect flavours for our supplements hitting the shops soon! So how can people get their hands on the new Gorilla Gainz kit, do they have to be part of Team Health Spa or an athlete of some kind, or can anyone get

those Gorilla Gainz? Gorilla gainz clothing can be bought by anyone, we have or website being launched as we speak, as well as Ebay, Facebook and Instagram! We are always working on new ideas so keep an eye out! We currently offer free shipping in the UK! The clothing is on sale now and we are already making great sales. When we see someone wearing our brand we feel proud knowing that is what we’ve worked hard to create. The 3rd business you run is Prep

King, can you tell us a bit more about that? Prep King is our third business, we have started selling food to our local gym users and when the demand for meal preps was there we jumped on the opportunity, working alongside a professional chef James Scott we’ve created dishes that are clean and tasty! Which is hard to accomplish, we now have a fantastic menu offering great food. We offer meal preps which allow the gym user or the public to have meals made throughout the week, they help promote weight loss or

that stage with a trophy would be an amazing achievement! And I’m determined to succeed. (Kris spoke to us a few days before competing; he went on to take 2nd place in a very tough competition, with a fellow Team Health Spa Member, Paul Mann, taking 1st place, as seen in the picture on the left. Kris has now been invited to compete in the UKBFF Britain Competition). When you are not hard at work what do you like to get up to with your free time? In my free time? Which is very little! I love the gym and I love the business we have! But on the off chance I get some down time I enjoy mixing on my Dj equipment, my new mix’s are on soundcloud “DJ deep sea”, I’ve recently purchased a motorbike, going out on that is always fun and relaxing. Where can people follow you or your various brands? We are currently setting up our websites but you can find us on Facebook. Click here for Market Health Spa Click here for Gorilla Gainz Urban Sport Click here for Prep King Thanks for taking the time to chat with us Kris weight gain depending on your personal goals, and the results have been amazing! Using our delicious and nutritious meals a number of gym members have lost up to 5 lbs in a week, the results our members make and the change they observe make us proud of our business and we will continue to supply the public with great clean food.

On top of running all 3 businesses you are still training yourself, will you be competing again soon or is it more for fitness for you these days? I’ve been training for many years and this is the toughest year yet, I’ve competed before but not to

this standard that I’m at now, this time I am working alongside Prep King to supply my meals, as well as taking advice and guidance from Brian and Caroline Dixon who are local fitness icons, I’ve trained harder than before, I’ve ate to perfection and on the 5th of August I am competing in the UKBFF in Rainton Meadows. I know deep down come the 5th there’s nothing else I can physically do to my body, I will be at my peak, dieting for 16 weeks, training all year round, the commitment that it takes to stay on that path is immense, but I’m proud of myself, and I know my family at The Market Health Spa are too. To walk off

NERG is the biggest retro gaming event in the North East, held at Gateshead Stadium over the course of 2 days, this event is as big as it gets for retro gamers or just the big kids re-living their youth playing the games they used to play, after all, they don’t make them like they used to. 2017 will be the fifth year of NERG and it will be a big one. With 100 video arcade machines, 35 pinball machines and 60 consoles and computers this really is an event you do not want to miss!. The event is held over the weekend of 1st & 2nd of July. Entrance is £15 per day or £25 for the full weekend. Children aged 5-13 years can also get in for only £10 on the Sunday. All the machines are set to free play so once you pay the admission fee, it’s free gaming all day., so no need for those pockets full of change. CLICK HERE TO TICKETS ONLINE.

PURCHASE

or you can pay on the day if the event hasn’t sold out. More details can be found at w w w.northeastretrogaming. com Machines are announced on a regular basis through the social feeds so make sure you keep checking to see what games will

be there, though with so many we are sure your favourites will be there. CLICK HERE FOR FACEBOOK For Twitter - @NERGOfficial

ROCK LEGENDS EXTREME RETURN TO THE UK IN DECEMBER. DAN REED NETWORK TO PERFORM AS SPECIAL GUESTS AT ALL SHOWS TICKETS ON SALE NOW FROM LIVENATION.CO.UK & TICKETMASTER.CO.UK Extreme have announced that they will be returning to the UK for a full tour. Starting at Newcastle’s O2 Academy on the 13th December the band will then head out across the nation, playing to 6 different cities before closing the tour with a show at London’s O2 Academy Brixton on the 20th De-

cember. Talking about the newly announced dates, Guitar sensation Nuno Bettencourt had the following to say “The UK has always embraced Extreme and has really understood what we were about from the beginning. We share a mutual appreciation and can’t wait to come back in December. This is going to be a special tour for us”. Grammy-nominated Extreme, one of the most successful rock acts of the late 1980s and 1990s, have sold over 10 million albums worldwide. They have released six studio albums, plus a greatest hits set and 2 live DVDs since their formation in 1985. The band had initially

described their music as ‘Funky Metal’, but it would evolve much more in the mid-90s by blending classic rock influences with postgrunge and alternative rock. Extreme’s popularity is fuelled by guitar virtuoso Nuno Bettencourt’s signature style, Gary Cherone’s resonant vocals and socially conscious lyrics, Pat Badger’s rock solid bass, and the hard hitting Kevin Figueiredo on drums. Their unwavering songcraft and diverse musical approaches have earned the band multi-platinum albums with chart topping hits and soldout tours all over the globe.

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baz jones

Hi Baz, welcome to NE, can you give us a quick introduction? Hi Wayne cheers for having me, it is much appreciated. My names Baz Jones I am 30 years old even though I know I look 25 and unlike the rest of manor lads I know I am the best looking one in there, the rest of the coaches just wish they looked this young. I am from Felling in Gateshead originally but moved up to a small town called Prudhoe in Northumberland where I spend my teens. You are The Manor Gym’s pad

man, can you tell us a bit more about your role and how it came about? Yeah am one of the gyms pad men and have been for coming on a year now, well a had trained on and off with Micky Terrill a few times and knew most of the lads there and was mates with them, I had taken nearly a year off training and had just started doing a little bit of boxing but decided I wanted to get back to k1 and Thai boxing so messaged Mick asking if I could come back in to the gym. I was already decent padding lads up and helping out for fight prep as I had previously coached k1 , boxing and mma at various gyms over the years. Anyways I got the unfortunate job of holding the mitts for Micky and he nearly took my arms clean out the sockets, I guess he thought I was decent enough to help out him and the lads so he says “do you fancy helping out around the gym coaching

the lads and you can train for free”, the rest is history as they say. You are an integral part of the core staff at The Manor, helping

the total novices like myself right through to working with world Champions like Michael Terrill. Do you prefer working with the beginners or the more experienced fighters? I wouldn’t say I am an integral part of the staff mate, my main role is to take the strain off Micky so he can prep for his own fights, you know yourself having been in there and trained there that it’s a very tight knit group and everyone plays a part in getting the lads ready from the coaches through to the other students. I have no preference of who I work with or help out as everyone has to start somewhere and that’s my job to

help who needs helped and to take some of the strain off the other coaches. Obviously it’s a bonus to get to work with people like Mick and young Robert Barry also Joe Johnson as they are beasts and if they keep going are definitely going places! They are but a few of the talented lads in that gym, I could reel off a lot more, the talent pool in that gym is crazy and I get to work with these lads week in week out, it’s a privilege to me. As one of the coaches you will have been involved in some great fights but which one has been your proudest moment as a coach? Tough question but a few jump out at me. I train a few lads that are not affiliated to the gym and one of these lads recently lifted a title which I was buzzing about, also the first fights where I cornered the manor lads for was a clean sweep, all knockouts, so that was hard to top, but without sounding like a right melt here the

one that tops all of them is Micky lifting the INTERIM BKB Heavyweight Title. He grafted his arse off for that and they threw the best they had at him from his first fight through to his most recent and he proved a lot of people wrong. Everyone in the gym knew that when Mick signed for BKB he would take over the division, we said it from day one and people thought we were talking crap, well I hate to say it but we told you so haha. That has to be my proudest mo-

ment so far being given the chance to help out for that, I was more than chuffed to say the least. You also work with people who are not part of The Manor helping them to prepare for fights or just improve in general, can you tell us a bit more about that? Yeah I coach private sessions for people as well, I coach k1 and boxing sessions depending on what the person wants. I coach total beginners all the way up to active fighters and a few champions in different disciplines, I work all aspects of technique for punching kicking head movement and defence and very importantly footwork. People can book me by direct messaging my Instagram account it’s just Baz haha, I don’t have much imagination, also through Facebook just drop me a message. I don’t give my number out straight away because I don’t want a lot of strangers having my number although I am partial to a heavy breather phone call. How long have you been boxing for? The first experience of boxing I had was when I was 16. I actually started with traditional martial arts and was competing in karate tournaments but kept getting dis-

qualified for excessive contact so I jacked it in and went to a boxing gym. I was quickly put in my place

by a 12 year old school boy champion who punched me all over the gym haha. After being humbled I was addicted. Will you ever set foot back in the ring on a competitive level? I have planned to fight again multiple times, I just didn’t know in what style. I have not actually competed in boxing at all as my background and competitive fights have been in k1 and mma so I find it ironic that I now coach boxing, I don’t even know how it happened haha. I do plan on competing later this year, if I don’t the lads will never let me hear the

end of it. Tell us 3 random facts about yourself? I am terrified of clowns. Feet disgust me. I eat a very unhealthy amount of fish fingers . When you are not training what do you get up to in your spare time? Well I will be honest I don’t really get a lot of spare time to myself In between working, Doing private sessions and down at the manor

gym mate but what spare time I do have is spent at home, I am actually quite boring, I don’t do anything. I rarely drink which is probably a good thing considering a have to take at least a week to recover. How can people book you for pad work and training? They can direct message my Instagram account it’s just baz so it’s nice and simple or message me on Facebook baz jones Once I know you’re not going to mess me around I will give them my number. Is there anything you’d like to add? Yes there is actually this is aimed at a few of the jokers in the gym “ I am not going bald” that is all thank you.

Cheers for taking the time to chat with us No problem mate thanks for the interview I really appreciate it and hopefully see you back in the gym at some point

It is nearly time for another Screen-Con, the original and biggest North East convention that is ran by fans for the fans, bringing a whole host of guests from your favourite TV shows and Films giving you the chance to meet and chat with them all up close and personal as well lots to see and do both on stage and around the venue.

Screen-Con 2017 will have Hammer Horror and Bond star Martine Beswick and original Star Wars Stormtrooper Laurie Goode taking centre stage appearing, but unfortunately Spencer Wilding is not able to attend the event as he is now going to be filming over in America, but he has posted several messages on the Screen-Con event page apologising to his fans and promising to make it up to them by appearing at a future event. Good luck Spencer and we will see you at the next one. Al and Vicki, the people behind Screen-Con, are busy sorting a replacement as I type this so watch

this space for a big announcement coming your way soon. NE are always a regular feature at all of the Screen-Con events doing everything from taking photos for the magazine to getting on stage to judge the Cosplay Competitions. This year we will be there but this time we will have our very own stall where we will be holding the NE Charity Tombola. We have

already taken this to a few of the SciFair events last year and it is always a huge success raising money for some great local charities. We have several boxes of great prizes already with more prizes still to come, with everything from Funko Pop Vinyl Figures to comic books and even sweets. So make sure you come pay us a visit. Screen-Con is a fun day out for all of the family, with your host Markus Percy bringing you all manner of fun and games along with all of your favourite characters all wondering about and happy to pose with you for those great facebook profile pictures, so you really do not want to miss out, get your tickets HERE.

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Hi Jonny and welcome to NE, can you give our readers a little introduction? My name is Jonny Riggs, I’m an Earthling, a Night owl and an artist. I’m a professional artist, I own a company called JR Portraits / Art in One where I create artwork for the comic book world. I decided a long time ago I wanted to become an artist and have recognisable artwork, I suppose I’v always been chasing the idea since I was a child. I’m lucky enough to live in South Shields, a place known for having such an amazing coastline, for an artist it’s a perfect place to think and be creative. My favourite artwork is comic books, if you asked my dad what I do all day he’d say ‘’Draw Spiderman’’ and colour in super-

heroes… he’s not wrong. Did you always want to get into comic books or was it art in general that interested you? I have always had a talent for Art. Not much else, but Art ...yes. Ever since I was a child I wanted to become an artist and I started very young. I was very lucky because I received an Art scholarship from the Prince of Wales when I was only 10 years old. After that I studied art in London for 10 years. I suppose it was always on the cards. Back then comic books weren’t as popular, not like today, so I was classically trained in Fine Art first…you know, black and white everything! But I always

loved the vibrant colours of comics. How did you get your first big

break? Wow, so you would have to go back to 1996. I remember my primary school entered a national newspaper competition where I was asked to draw the Andy Cap style comic strip on the back pages. It’s funny because our school won that competition and my comics were published in the local newspapers. A friend of mine had kept them and sent them too me just the other month, I hadn’t seen those in 20 years!

humbling. Do you have a favourite Superhero, if so who is it and why? Well...This is an easy one. It’s Batman. It’s always been Batman

ever since I saw Batman in 1989. I think there is something insanely cool about combining Bats and Ninjas! A lot of the work I do has already been discovered and explored over the years. It’s hard to

What would you say has been the highlight for you so far? I guess I’d have to say the WOW 24/7 Award win in 2016. The campaigning work I do for undiscovered artists and young talent was recognised that day and to have that sort of attention from the North East was fantastic and very

be original. Who would you say is the artist that you admire the most or who has inspired you the most? Bob Kane. From what I understand, Kane actually came up with the basic idea of Batman, but it was Bill Finger who came up with his look. I know that both Bob and Bill worked together with the Bat-

man issues but the real question is: who really created Batman? I’m just grateful he exists and we get to enjoy the ride. Why do you think comics are so popular these days? I think now more than ever we need a sense of Escapism. The world is a pretty hostile place and heroes are few and far between. I think comics are still an art form which takes us to that place we felt safe as a kid. What advice would you give to anyone interested in getting into the world of comic books? Well, you have to work hard and this job isn’t for everyone…and there’s a lot of highs and lows. You need to be mentally tough to spend hundreds of hours (often alone) creating something all the while knowing there is very little originality left for you to grasp. Storytelling is as much a part of the skillset as drawing is How-

ever… you need to make sure you enjoy it! There’s not much point in doing this if you’re not having fun. Online comic art communities are where you cut your teeth doing this job. Draw, post and listen to the comments and criticisms you

receive, and keep posting new work. Oh...and Never give away your rights. Learn about copyright. Register your work. Have an accountant you can trust. And what would you say is the most rewarding aspect of it? I like to get fan mail and messages from some very small parts of the world. It’s like Wow! People know my work in Japan, and Canada?? But that’s what the comic-book world is like, it’s a community which spans the world over. For me it’s about meeting the people like myself who just love and appreciate the comic books. The artwork, the story and the journey! I’d take a glamorous dinner one week and a face-time from Australia the next.

Tell us 3 random facts about yourself? I play classical piano. I love cats. I’m allergic to larger! When you are not hard at work what do you like to get up to in your free time? I’m a Gamer! Horizon Zero Dawn

is a masterpiece. Recently I have found myself hosting tournaments of Rocket League with the lads. Anything for a sense of normality. The studio can be a pretty lonely place at times and it’s really important to stay social. Where can people follow you and see your work?

Click here for my Facebook: jrportrait I have a Youtube channel called ART IN ONE. I post regular videos about the artworld, tips advice and speed drawings. Click here for my Youtube channel I have all the usual channels. you would expect. Click here for my website www.jrportraitsuk.co.uk

Finall, click here for my Instagram Can people buy any of your images or do you do any commission work? Sure, You can do bothâ&#x20AC;Ś.I usually take commissions from my website or Facebook. Just drop in a message and I always reply and quote, my prices are not so scarey and my work is always top notch. Thanks for taking the time to chat with us.

SunnyCon Anime Expo saw Newcastle come to life in a sea of colour and oversized weapons big enough to turn a lot of heads… which is only natural when you see someone walking around with what looks like a sword that is the same size as the person holding it haha. St James Park, usually the home of the Magpies, played host to this

year’s SunnyCon, which meant there where a lot more fantastical creatures on show than you would usually find there. With another jam packed weekend celebrating all things Anime, SunnyCon really did make it a weekend a lot of fans would never forget. With loads to do, from stalls to buy your favourite merchandise or even some crazy flavours of sweets you don’t usually get to see here in the UK, right through to Cosplay competitions, gaming rooms and even

the chance to meet some of your all-time favourite guests from the Anime scene, this really was a fantastic convention that had a bit of everything. A big thanks to BlueCyborg.com for the NE Staff Passes, if you didn’t see their great range of items fear not as you can check out their website here. Also a big thanks to Manhua Cha for keeping us fuelled with Bubble Tea, check out their Poppin Juice Balls so you can create your own drinks at home, click here for their

website. Fans of Pokemon got a real treat as they got to play Pokemon with the ACTUAL characters from the game! Michele Knotz and James Carter Cathcart, known as the voices of Jessie and James from Pokemon, were on hand to do a Q&A session, play games, sign autographs and really give the

fans an amazing time, Go Team Rocket! Another fan favourite guest was Bryce Papenbrook. If you didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t recognise the name, you sure as hell would recognise the voice, as Bryce is the lead characters in some of the biggest franchises going like Attack on Titan, Blue Exorcist, and Sword Art Online. He was so funny on stage doing impressions and catch phrases, he really did entertain.

The costumes on show where spectacular, some were instantly recognisable, even if you are not a huge fan of Anime. A lot of love and effort has gone into creating

some of the costumes and it really does show. The levels of costume range from the shop bought to the home made, and even homemade has varied levels of standard, from very basic to some that are almost works of art. It was great to see non costumers showing their appreciation for the costumes with loads asking for pictures and plenty of gasps and wowâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s heard all weekend. So well done to eve-

ryone that put time and effort into a costume. All in all you have to say SunnyCon was a huge success and it shows why it is one of the best Anime conventions around, the staff that all worked long and hard to make the event the success that it was all deserve a big pat on the back. Now the big question on everyoneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s lips is how can they top 2017? Roll on SunnyCon Anime Expo 2018 To keep up to date with future events visit the SunnyCon Anime

Expo website for more information www.sunnyconanimeexpo.com A big thanks to Andrew Liddle, Becky Lai, Carolyn Storey and

Brett Cooper from Transwarp Photography for submitting their images from SunnyCon. Check out more pics from Transwarp Photography here.

Matthew Bourneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s CINDERELLA.

Photo by Hugo Glendinning

NEWCASTLE THEATRE ROYAL ANNOUNCES AUTUMN ‘17 / SPRING ‘18 SEASON HIGHLIGHTS INCLUDE: Rambert – Ghost Dances & other works 6 – 8 Feb ‘18 Art 5 - 10 Mar ‘18 The Kite Runner 30 Apr – 5 May ‘18 Jersey Boys 31 Jul – 11 Aug ‘18 Breath-taking dance, thought-provoking drama, feel-good musicals and family shows aplenty – the new Autumn 17 / Spring 18 season from Newcastle Theatre Royal, announced today, has it all. The four big musicals this season are Kay Mellor’s Fat Friends – The Musical, Cilla – The Musical, Tim Firth’s Take That musical The Band and the Broadway and West End hit Jersey Boys. Based on the hit TV show, Fat Friends - The Musical (23 - 27 Jan ‘18) will be bursting onto our stage with an allstar cast next spring. This eagerly anticipated new musical, with original music by Nick Lloyd Webber and starring West End favourite Jodie Prenger and X Factor winner Sam Bailey, is packed full of warmth, hope, humour and heart (and

weight-loss!) as it reunites is a beautiful story about our favourite foodie friends. anyone that grew up with a boyband and how the songs Cilla – The Musical (27 became the soundtrack to Feb – 3 Mar ‘18) is the their lives. Written by Olivier spectacular and heart- Award-winning writer Tim warming musical adaptation Firth, featuring the music of of the critically acclaimed co-producers Take That and hit ITV television series. It starring the winners from tells the extraordinary story the BBC’s Let it Shine Five of the ordinary girl from to Five, The Band is set to Liverpool whose teenage become a classic. dreams of stardom lead her to becoming one of Britain’s On the subject of classic West End best-loved entertainers of musicals all time. The musical score and Broadway hit and acclaimed is the ultimate soundtrack internationally to the 60’s including Cilla’s stage sensation Jersey Boys greatest hits Anyone Who (31 Jul – 11 Aug ‘18) hits Had a Heart, Alfie and the stage in Summer 2018. Something Tells Me, Twist Winner of 57 major awards and Shout by the Beatles, worldwide including the California Dreamin by The Oliver Award for Best New Mamas and The Papas and Musical, Jersey Boys tells the true story of four boys many more. from the wrong side of the Now the fastest selling tracks who wrote their own musical theatre tour of songs, invented their own all time, The Band (3 – 14 sound, and sold 100 million April ‘18), already on sale) records worldwide.

LtoR Matt Bogart, Jarrod Spector, Ryan Jesse, Dominic Nolfi from Jersey Boys, 2010 Broadway Cast, credit Joan Marcus

Dance fans will delight in four big names this season, starting with the legendary Rambert (6 - 8 Feb ‘18) who return with probably their most popular work – Ghost Dances & other works. Visually referencing the Day of the Dead, and driven by bewitching Latin American folk music, we witness as ‘death’ (in the form of the iconic “ghost dancers”) interrupts the daily lives of a series of ordinary people and their stories of love and compassion. The triple bill also includes a brand new dance theatre creation

dancers, and featuring live music and stunning special effects, Brendan’s dazzling choreography will delight and enthral all ages. Following the sold-out success of The Red Shoes earlier this year, Matthew Bourne’s multi awardwinning New Adventures company return to the Theatre Royal in Spring 2018 with one of their most beloved productions, Cinderella (17 – 28 Apr ‘18). A thrilling love story set in London during the Second World War, it transports the audience into the heart of Prokofiev’s magnificent score and the sights and sounds of war-torn London. It was a sell-out when it last visited in 2012 and early booking is highly recommended to avoid disappointment. Theatre Ghost Dances by Christopher Bruce with Luke Ahmet, Hannah Rudd & Jane Hobson

inspired by the music of Nina Simone and an all-action work by internationally acclaimed choreographer Andonis Foniadakis. All three pieces feature Rambert’s trademark quality of combining virtuoso dancing with live music to thrilling effect.

adventure with a little girl called Clara combine for one of the most magical ballets of all time.

Also sure to be a sell-out is the first ever theatre show of the iconic, world famous Teletubbies in Teletubbies Live (10-11 Feb ‘18). A treat for all pre-schoolers, this a show full of love and laughter as Tinky Winky, Dipsy, Laa-Laa and Po explore the magical world of Teletubbyland. Children are encouraged to join in and enjoy familiar features from the TV series along with brand new songs.

An extravagant mix of Latin fever and ballroom magic is in store with Brendan Cole’s spectacular new show All Night Long (18 Mar ‘18). Accompanied by Another big name to return, his own sensational guest For slightly older children Scottish Ballet is back with a new production of The Nutcracker (31 Jan – 3 Feb ‘18). Classical ballet at its most plush and sumptuous, the show was originally devised in 1973 by the Company’s founding artistic director, and revived to widespread acclaim in 2014. Tchaikovsky’s delectable score played by the Scottish Ballet Orchestra, a land of dreams and fairy tale, costumes plucked from the most gorgeous chocolate box and a fantastical

we have an exciting new adaptation of Rudyard Kipling’s family classic The Jungle Book coming to vivid life from 27 to 31 Mar ‘18. Mowgli the man cub battles for survival in this heartwarming coming-of-age story about a boy raised by wolves in the jungle. From the hugely talented team behind Theatre Royal favourites Goodnight Mister Tom and Michael Morpurgo’s Running Wild, the show is packed with memorable characters, new songs and brilliant storytelling. Destined to become a future classic, kids will also delight in the award-winning West End production of David Walliams’ Gangsta Granny (30 May – 2 June ‘18). It’s Friday night and Ben knows that means only one thing – staying with Granny, and it’s going to be sooooooooo boring! But what Ben doesn’t know is that Granny has a secret – and Friday nights are about to get more exciting than he could ever imagine....! Walliams is currently the UK’s bestselling children’s author and this show will be a sure hit with little folk everywhere.

For drama lovers we are proud to present David Haig in the critically acclaimed Pressure (20 - 24 Feb ‘18). Written by and starring

Fat Friends - The Musical’s Jodie Prenger Haig, Pressure tells the extraordinary true story of one man - meteorologist Group Captain James Stagg - who changed the course of the second world war (and history) in June 1944 while advising Eisenhower on the D-Day landings. One of the most successful comedies ever, and winner of Olivier, Tony, Moliere and every other major world theatre award, stage masterpiece and global phenomenon ART (5 - 10 Mar ‘18) returns in the Spring with an allstar cast featuring Nigel Havers, Denis Lawson and Stephen Tompkinson. Now celebrating its twentieth anniversary, Art tells the story of three old friends in Paris - Serge, Yvan and Marc, who discover they have very

differing opinions about what constitutes ‘art’ when one buys a very expensive, rather peculiar painting. ART

Heart rending and unmissable The Kite Runner (30 April – 5 May ‘18) is our third drama sensation. Direct from the West End, this

of the life of comic legend Bobby Thompson in The Bobby Thompson Story (16 & 17 Mar ‘18). Marking the 30th anniversary year of folk hero Bobby’s death, this is an unmissable gig for fans of ‘The Little Waster’ and indeed all lovers of traditional and North East comedy. Tickets for all new shows in the Autumn ‘17 / Spring ‘18 season go on sale to the general public at 9am on Fri 7 July 2017 and can be purchased online at www.theatreroyal.co.uk or from the Theatre Royal Box Office on 08448 11 21 21 (Calls cost 7p per minute plus your phone company’s access charge). Pete Peverley’s The Bobby Thompson Story haunting tale of friendship follows one man’s journey to confront his past and find redemption. Based on Khaled Hosseini’s bestselling novel, the story begins on a beautiful afternoon in Kabul where and the skies are full of the excitement of a kite flying tournament, and two childhood friends cannot foresee the terrible incident which will shatter their lives forever. A must for fans of the novel and drama lovers everywhere.

thriller.

Friends of the Theatre Royal can book new season shows online and through the box office from Mon 3 July 2017 and receive discounted tickets as well as other benefits – visit www. theatreroyal.co.uk/support/ become-a-friend for more

Two comedy greats complete our new season – the unstoppable David Baddiel (11 Mar ‘18) brings his Olivier-nominated oneman show My Family: Not information. the Sitcom to the Theatre Royal stage following a sold out run at London’s Menier Chocolate Factory and two critically acclaimed West End runs. Furthermore, following his hit run with us back in 2013, the North East’s Pete Peverley returns Our fourth offering is a with his touching, heartfelt thriller from the mistress and very funny celebration of mystery herself, and the UK’s greatest crime writer, Agatha Christie. Love from a Stranger (12 - 16 June ‘18) tells the tale of Cecily Harrington who is swept off her feet by a whirlwind romance with a handsome and charming stranger. Little does she know the ghastly truth about her new beau. Audiences can expect Christie’s trademark electric suspense and a biting twist in the tail with this brand new production – an edgeof-your-seat, rarely seen

and ‘Compelling to watch both for its unvarnished truth and complicated affection’ (The Guardian). Celebrities have been raving about the show too; Russell Brand tweeted ‘Go see Baddiel’s beautiful show. Sex, death, dementia, golf memorabilia, grammar nazis and actual nazis. I “loved” it’ while David Walliams posted ‘I was lucky enough to see Baddiel’s new comedy show... Hilarious & incredibly moving’. Ross Noble said ‘if u can get a ticket do it such a great show. genuinely touching as well as funny’ while Bill Bailey tweeted ‘terrific show by Baddiel…deeply personal , hilarious and touching in equal measure. See it while you can’.

DAVID BADDIEL RETURNS Opening to a wealth of TO NEWCASTLE WITH HIT glowing reviews, the show has been described as ONE-MAN SHOW ‘Baddiel launches himself Following a sold out run at into the Louis CK league of comedy’ London’s Menier Chocolate no-holds-barred Factory and two critically- (The Metro), ‘This is a rare that boasts acclaimed West End runs, production David Baddiel is bringing his side-splitting laughs and Olivier-nominated one-man also moves people to show My Family: Not the tears’ (Evening Standard), Sitcom to Newcastle Theatre ‘Universally joyful’ (Chortle) Royal for one night only on Sunday 11 March 2018. Last seen at the Theatre Royal in December 2014 with his critically-acclaimed show Fame: Not The Musical, accomplished comedian, author, screenwriter and television presenter Baddiel is back with a show about memory, ageing, infidelity, dysfunctional relatives, moral policing on social media, golf, and gay cats!

David Baddiel comes to Newcastle Theatre Royal for one night only on Sunday 11 March 2018 at 7.30pm. Tickets £29, no concessions or Friends Discount. Tickets are on sale now, become a Friend of the Theatre Royal and book now. To find out about becoming a Friend visit theatreroyal.co.uk/ support/become-a-friend. Tickets can be purchased from the Theatre Royal Box Office on 08448 11 21 21 (Calls cost 7ppm plus your phone company’s access charge) or book online from 19 May at www. theatreroyal.co.uk This show has a recommended age of 12+.

STATUS QUO 2017 Winter Tour Announcement If the term ‘Status Quo’ can be defined as representing ‘the existing state of affairs’ then maybe the band, despite being known for 50 years for their no-nonsense winning formula, need a name change. For nothing has stayed the same for this iconic band over the last year. Francis Rossi and the band have faced the retirement from live performance of the iconic Rick Parfitt, followed late last year by his tragic death, and have kept the flag flying, to honour his memory and the band’s commitments, and to bring the fans what they want and deserve. And it’s the fans that have prompted yet another change. In late April the band announced their longplanned ‘Aquostic’ tour of the UK and immediately found themselves with a dilemma. The shift to ‘Aquostic’ tour had been deemed necessary as the inevitable rigours of the Electric set were considered to be too much for Rick to take on. Yet demand from fans for Electric shows

was undiminished. Taking into account all changed circumstances, and the band’s movement out of the cycle of the successful ‘Aquostic’ albums, a decision has been made to plug back in. The renamed ‘PLUGGED IN – Live and Rockin!’ tour will now be fully Electric. This change applies to UK dates only. Francis Rossi said, “This has been a year like no other. In many ways the band has felt out of control. Rick’s passing was a huge blow. Much of what we had planned was envisaged initially to accommodate what would be right for him; those sands have obviously shifted. Now

everything has changed. The band is not the same it can’t be and shouldn’t be – and the plan has changed too. We’re still listening to the fans, we always have, and we’re hearing that this is what they still want. We’re going to give it to them”. PLUGGED IN – Live and Rockin! Status Quo play Newcastle City Hall on Wed 6 Dec 2017 Tickets are from £49.00 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).

When you think of Bare Knuckle Boxing I’m sure most people will think of travellers fighting in car parks or some of the call out videos, both of which you often see popping up on youtube and facebook. What people don’t realise is that over the last few years a company called UBBAD have been working tirelessly behind the scenes to bring BKB out of the shadows and into the mainstream.

fight defeating Cowboys Michael who was undefeated in 200 BKB fights. There have been a few occasions where Terrill was due to face current UBBAD Champion Michael “The Real Deal” Ferry on other promotions but it has yet to happen, hopefully now that they are both signed to UBBAD there’s nowhere to hide and this eagerly awaited fight won’t be far away. It will be a fan favourite fight when it happens seeing as Ferry’s fans think there is no competition left for him to face, whilst Terril’s fans think Ferry is ducking Terril because he knows that he will lose his title and has been avoiding the hard fights to keep it. With this kind of talk there can only be one outcome and that is for the fight to take place, which will be great news for neutral BKB fans.

They already have some top level fighters on their books, but in recent months they really have pulled out all of the stops with signings like North East fighter Michael Terrill, who is a Champion Kickboxer and who this year won his first ever Bare Knuckle

Another of the big name signing is former UFC fighter Melvin Guillard who is a well-known striker and a massive household name to be added to the UBBAD roster. He will be taking on the winner of the upcoming Jimmy Sweeney and Dann Henry-Welsh fight. Sweeney

We have double the fun now as we have teamed up with Cineworld Boldon and the new Cineworld Dalton Park 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. Boldon and Dalton Park

The Dark Tower Release date: 18 August 2017 There are other worlds than these. Stephen King’s The Dark Tower, the ambitious and expansive story from one of the world’s most celebrated authors, makes its launch to the big screen. The last Knight

Warrior, Roland Deschain (Idris Elba), has been locked in an eternal battle with Walter O’Dim, also known as the Man in Black (Matthew McConaughey), determined to prevent him from toppling the Dark Tower, which holds the universe together. With the fate of the worlds at stake, good and evil will collide in the ultimate battle as only Roland can defend

the Tower from the Man in Black. Cast: Idris Elba, Matthew McConaughey, Tom Taylor, Claudia Kim, Fran Kranz, Abbey Lee, Jackie Earle Haley Director: Nikolaj Arcel CLICK HERE TO WATCH THE TRAILER

It (2017) Release date: 8 September 2017 New Line Cinema’s horror thriller “IT,” directed by Andrés Muschietti (“Mama”), is based on the hugely popular Stephen

King novel of the same name, which has been terrifying readers for decades.When children begin to disappear in the town of Derry, Maine, a group of young kids are faced with their biggest fears when they square off against an evil clown named Pennywise, whose

history of murder and violence dates back for centuries. Cast: Bill Skarsgĺrd, Finn Wolfhard, Javier Botet Director: Andrés Muschietti CLICK HERE TO WATCH THE TRAILER

Kingsman: The Golden Circle Release date: 20 September 2017 Kingsman: The Secret Service introduced the world to Kingsman - an independent, international intelligence agency operating at the highest level of discretion, whose ultimate goal is to keep the world safe. In Kingsman: The Golden Circle, our heroes face a

new challenge. When their headquarters are destroyed and the world is held hostage, their journey leads them to the discovery of an allied spy organization in the US called Statesman, dating back to the day they were both founded. In a new adventure that tests their agentsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; strength and wits to the limit, these two elite secret organizations band together to defeat a ruthless common enemy, in order to

save the world, something thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s becoming a bit of a habit for Eggsy... Cast: Colin Firth, Julianne Moore, Taron Egerton, Mark Strong, Halle Berry with Sir Elton John, and Channing Tatum, and Jeff Bridges Director: Matthew Vaughn CLICK HERE TO WATCH THE TRAILER

Flatliners Release date: 29 September 2017 In Flatliners, five medical students, obsessed by the mystery of what lies beyond the confines of life, embark on a daring and dangerous experiment: by stopping

their hearts for short periods of time, each triggers a neardeath experience â&#x20AC;&#x201C; giving them a firsthand account of the afterlife. But as their experiments become increasingly dangerous, they are each haunted by the sins of their pasts, brought on by the paranormal consequences of trespassing

to the other side. Cast: Ellen Page, Diego Luna, Nina Dobrev, James Norton, Kiersey Clemons Director: Niels Arden Oplev CLICK HERE TO WATCH THE TRAILER

Blade Runner 2049 Release date: 6 October 2017 Thirty years after the events of the first film, a new blade runner, LAPD Officer K (Ryan Gosling), unearths a longburied secret that has the

potential to plunge whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s left of society into chaos. Kâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s discovery leads him on a quest to find Rick Deckard (Harrison Ford), a former LAPD blade runner who has been missing for 30 years. Cast: Ryan Gosling, Harrison Ford, Ana de Armas,

Robin Wright, Jared Leto, Barkhad Abdi, Lennie James, Mackenzie Davis, Sylvia Hoeks Director: Denis Villeneuve CLICK HERE TO WATCH THE TRAILER

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Autumn winds are blowing for Teessiders Hot on the heels of their album release in May, ‘Mirrors’ proving a massive success, Teesside powerhouses, Cattle & Cane have announced a double autumn tour following the festival season. This September the band, led by siblings Helen and Joe Hammill, will be partaking on a 10-date UK acoustic tour which takes in, of all places, a laundrette, a library, and a deli, with their home date in Middlesbrough sold out within hours of announcing, prompting a second date to be added (Durham has also sold out had a second date added). During the tour, four of the dates, in Glasgow, Manchester, Bristol and London, are supporting international singer-songwriter, Jake Isaac, a quartet of outings which comes to the delight of the northern family band. It’s a trip that will see them joined by brother Fran on the piano, and Thomas Fripp on guitars for what will be a delightful set

of stripped-back dates; Fran has also lately been publicising his dabbling in the finer art of cookery with his first, Franafel Volume One, available now. Having already supported the likes of Tom Odell, The Head and The Heart, and Half Moon Run, it’s understandable why the delightful lead vocalist, Helen,

continues to be as excitable as a giddy schoolgirl. “We’re really flattered that Jake asked us to join him for his September shows,” said Helen. “We all adore his album ‘Our Lives’ so it’ll be amazing to play with him in Glasgow, Manchester, Bristol and London.” Championed by BBC Introducing, and with high support from the likes of Sir Elton John and Dermot O’Leary, among others, the band continues to go from strengthto-strength and, following their UK tour, head to Germany in late October for dates in Hamburg, Frankfurt, Stuttgart, Koln, Freiburg, Berlin and Munster, all in the space of a week. From their hit album, ‘Mirrors’ the track Time To Get It Over With was co-written with Gill Landry, emanating from Landry’s appearance in Middlesbrough last year. “We loved Gill’s set so much that we invited him back to our

practice room after his show!” explained Helen. “Yes, we stayed up all night playing music together, sharing tour stories and drinking a lot of English Breakfast Tea, and the result was Time To Get It Over With,” Joe added with a smile. “We’ve really enjoyed playing some of the quieter songs from Mirrors like Tonight We Dance, Paper Man and Time To Get It Over With at a few house concerts and in-stores recently,

so we can’t wait to play them on this acoustic tour,” continued Helen. That uniqueness, which the Hammill siblings seem to bring to every outing, and track, no matter where performed and released, was simplified by Joe, saying: “When you strip the songs back to three voices, a piano and a couple of guitars, it really lets our sibling harmonies come to the fore.” The start of Cattle & Cane’s UK

acoustic tour begins at the Old Cinema Laundrette in Durham on September 13 before two dates in Scotland, then onto Middlesbrough, Manchester, Bristol, Brighton, London, Cardiff and finishing at Yorfest, York on September 23 where they’ll be joined by The Shires and Badly Drawn Boy. Further information is available from http://www.cattleandcane. co.uk/ Images courtesy of Junior Ayub Follow Peter Mann Media on Facebook HERE And Twitter HERE

Scream, and Run for your Life, the Sirens are Coming! This September will see a debut album with a difference launched into the local rock scene as those all-girl rockers, Scream of Sirens, release their eight track offering, Run For Your Life. The trio of Steph Dawson (lead vocals and bass), Ruth Cranston (guitar and vocals) and Emma Anderson (drums and vocals), came about back in 2010 before going their separate ways after five years on the hard rock scene,

the girls launching Scream of Sirens in the aftermath of the Rockwich Festival in August 2015.

long after the release of the EP, Scream, a release that contained the explosive tracks ‘Get Some’ and ‘Your Mind Or Hers.’

Never a parting of ways but more the dawning of a new era the now trio of rockers, who found a little overlap for part of that year, are coming into their own as this year, 2017, works through the motions.

“Last year (2016) was great for us as we achieved so much including releasing a single, an EP, and signing a publicity deal (with Wipe Out Publishing),” began lead vocalist Steph. “Being an all-girl rock band though is quite hard because you do get judged before people see you play, because of the fact you’re all women. “We do quite often get people commenting on our sets afterwards saying that they were surprised how good we actually were because we are girls.”

Writing their own music again the girls are becoming a force to be reckoned with, their debut album coming not that

Guitarist Ruth added: “We were approached (late last year) by John Esplen at Wipe Out Publishing as they were very interested in what we’ve been doing. “He’d heard our single, ‘Get Some’ on BBC Introducing and liked the differing styles in which we offered (compared to their other clients). “Our EP (Scream), was released in the early half of last year, was signed over to them and that affords us plenty of options to

work with in the future, which is great for us.” Tracks such ‘Let You Go’ and ‘Get Some’ arrived fast on the heels of their debut gig as the Sirens arrived in support of Cherrie Currie of The Runaways, in September ‘15, who said of them “you rock, great band, keep it up.” The EP, Scream, did literally that, screamed at their rock-loving fan-base and meant that they were expected to, and soon delivered, more. “Both Scream, and the single, Get Some, went down really well which was amazing for us and we’re delighted they actually did as well they have,” continued Ruth. “We just needed a little time to finalise the details surrounding the album.” Recorded at True Records in Shildon, County Durham, the eight track disc aspires to rock the senses and then some. Steph added: “The producer has been great through all this. “We work really well together and have been able to lay down tracks quite easily.” Now, with the trio set to also release the first track from the album prior to the launch

itself (which takes place at the Angel Inn, Crossgate, Durham, on September 8 alongside The Antiseptics), Sirens fans can look forward to music such as ‘Run for your Life,’ ‘Stand Up,’ ‘You Should Have Said No,’ and more over the coming months. Other dates to look out for on the Sirens calendar include supporting Arcane 39 at Stockton’s Music Lounge later

this month, a spot at Lindisfarne Festival at the start of September, and a visit to Trillians Rock Bar in Newcastle in October. The Sirens are coming, so you’d better Run For Your Life! You can follow Scream of Sirens on Facebook facebook.com/ screamofsirens and on Twitter @ scream_sirens. Mr Peter Mann BSc

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