NE Online Magazine Issue 39

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.

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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 a r e o n e i s s u e a w a y f r o m t h e big 40 and we can say we have a fe w s u p r i s e s p l a n n e d t o h e l p u s c e l e b ra t e , s o s t a y t u n e d ! A s a l w a y s w e h a v e a j a m p a c ke d i s s u e fo r y o u showcasing our incredible region and all of the amazing people that live here.

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 , Tw i t t e r & I n s t a g ra m fo r our regular 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

O2 Academy Newcastle www.o2academynewcastle.co.uk Sage Gateshead www.sagegateshead.com 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 @NEOnlineMag1 And Instagram @neonlinemagazine

CONTRIBUTORS Peter Mann BSc Inside Mann Media & PR petermann78@hotmail.com Madhouse Media www.madhousemedia.co.uk SPONSORS Sergeant Clip www.sergeantclip.com Facebook - Sergeant Clip Cineworld Boldon www.cineworld.co.uk The Theatre Royal Newcastle & Newcastle City Hall www.theatreroyal.co.uk/

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THIS ISSUE P6 Megan Dhalai P14 Mackenzie Thorpe P20 Guardian of Dreams P28 NE Artist Of The Year Lucinda Grange P32 The National Anthems P40 PRICKS!! Of The Medical Kind… P46 Cineworld Film Round Up P60 Tom Simpson P66 Live Music at Sage Gateshead P72 Annie at Newcastle Theatre Royal P76 Ryton Retro is Back!

5 P80 Northern Threads

Hi Colin, welcome to NE, can

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Megan Dhalai ready Academy sing-song

for

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Hebburn songstress, Megan Dhalai, returns to Newcastle’s O2 Academy Two for the third successive year this April as she looks to kick-start what is hoped will be a memorable 2019.

Megan, 20, has already been around music for more than half of her young life, even studying it now at Newcastle College where she has the added benefit of quality rehearsal spaces.

stages for around three years now and I love playing at the Academy especially the intimacy in the smaller room as I think it brings a crowd to life more.

“Each performance is different every time with a different audience, different set-list, and different vibes, I love them all whether intimate performances or performances on a larger scale.”

You’ve been around music, including studying it, for some

time now so, how did you get into music and what is driving you on?

“I got into music properly when I was about 10 years old.

“I got the role as Talulah in the musical ‘Bugsy Malone,’ which we performed in my primary school.

“I was so shy and terrified to perform but I knew I wanted to do it and would have hated to watch someone else playing

Here she talks to NE Online Magazine about her music, dreams, and the pain felt by the loss of Chloe (Rutherford) and Liam (Curry) at the Ariana Grande concert at the Manchester Arena in May 2017, an atrocity that affected thousands.

Your upcoming gig at the Academy; you aren’t a stranger to the bigger stages, tell me about past experiences and what this one means to you?

“I’ve been playing the bigger

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a part that I could have played myself.

“As well as acting, I had a solo part to sing; I was mortified to sing it in front of so many people, but the feedback I got from the audience was amazing and it made me believe it was something I could do more.

“I was given my first guitar after my granddad’s funeral and from then I decided to teach myself how to play it and began to write songs.

“It was always the dream to win X Factor, like any other 10-yearold who wants to be a “popstar,” however, now, I’ve realised that is not the route for me to go down and I would prefer to work hard for something and have artistic control over everything I do instead of being thrown into something where everyone is conformed to stereotypes.”

Liam and Chloe were friends of yours, music brought together a lot of the grief following their unfortunate passing - talk about the friendship, how their loss resonated with you, your music?

“I would stay up all night for nights on end writing and this formed a change in my music style.

“I found myself not caring about writing songs that people would like and more writing songs that I had something to say in and

that I cared about and, because a lot of these songs were about Chloe, they were very personal and although the majority of my songs are personal, these ones were a lot different.

“We were all a very close group of friends and what happened affected us majorly but we remember Chloe through the treasured memories we have with her and music.”

Tell me about your songs, any of those with any specific meaning and what?

“I have to have a personal meaning in all of my songs; I have to be able to connect with them and know that they were worth writing and are about something important.

“My songs are based on love,

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loss and life; I love really strong melodies that make you feel something, you know, when you listen to a piece of music and you feel so much emotion take over you that you can’t explain, that is how I try to write my music.

“It could be a certain melody line, or guitar riff, or lyric, that speaks volumes about the message I am trying to give.

“I love to layer different sounds and have huge intense chorus’ that build up from a very calming verse, for example, my track ‘In My Head’ is a great example of this; although the chorus has a lot of heavier guitars layered on top of one another, it’s still just an intense chilled track.

“A lot of my songs also have hidden messages and I do this because sometimes there are things I want to let out and say but don’t want you to know too much about so I am very clever and particular with my lyrics in that I am able to speak my mind, but without going in too deep like in the song ‘No Reason To Stay,’ it sounds like it could be about an ex or something I was in love with at some point but it’s actually about my dad and our journey in the last few years of his life.

“I have stopped myself from performing this song live many times because it is an emotional song for me, however, this track will be performed at my coming Academy show later this month.”

What are your plans for 2019, and beyond - five, ten year plans?

“My plans for this year is to

officially release, and getting back to writing my own music and not being held back from writing music that isn’t my style as I was in a previous band.

“I think this is the year for me to finally find my own sound and to begin to release music and have something to say in all of my songs without the fear of criticism as I have learned over the past two years, isn’t important.

“I will hopefully be performing a lot more and building myself in the music industry.

in terms of my career.”

Megan Dhalai, with support from Sam Gibson, Keiran Bowe and Sophie Gordon, appear at the O2 Academy (Two) on April 19; doors from 6:30pm for a 7pm start.

Tickets are available now priced at £6 and are available from all the artists as well as via www. ticketmaster.co.uk.

Follow Megan Dhalai on Facebook HERE and Twitter HERE

“In the next few years, I hope to be touring a lot more and recording an EP, or even an album depending on where I am

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Outdoor photos courtesy of Sam McGregor

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Mackenzie Thorpe

Artist Mackenzie Thorpe invites public to unveiling event for new sculpture at Transporter Bridge Middlesbrough born artist Mackenzie Thorpe is inviting members of the public to the unveiling of his sculpture ‘Waiting for Me Dad’ at the Tees Transporter Bridge on Tuesday 9 th April at 11.30 am.

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The much-anticipated bronze sculpture, inspired by the painting of the same name, sees two children standing on the Middlesbrough side of the

river waiting for the gondola to return and bring their father home after a hard day’s work in the industry of the area and is a nostalgic look back to the artist’s own childhood memories.

Mackenzie wants to ensure that the daily contribution to Middlesbrough’s success by normal, everyday people is celebrated, acknowledged and not forgotten.

The sculpture has been created

by Mackenzie as part of the artist’s 30th year celebrations and the launch event promises to

be both moving and inspirational.

The sculpture will come to life in the shadow of the bridge as members of the community are joined on the Transporter

by Middlesbrough Mayor, Dave Budd and Middlesbrough Council chief executive, Tony Parkinson, who will cross the Tees to meet Mackenzie and the unveiled sculpture for the first time.

The event will include a performance from the Infant Hercules choir, led by Mike McGrother singing local Middlesbrough-inspired songs

the Tees before he became an internationally-renowned artist.

including An Ordinary Man in tribute to the men who used the bridge for work, the song reaching a crescendo as the gondola arrives at the sculpture.

One of the biggest selling British contemporary artists, Mackenzie has loaned the sculpture for up to two years as part of the celebrations to mark his 30th year as an artist. Mackenzie has also been named official artist for the Tour de Yorkshire 2019 and will tour galleries throughout the UK, America and Japan.

In this his 30 th year, as well as the sculpture placement Mackenzie is donating the original painting of ‘Waiting for Me Dad’ to the town and is encouraging everyone to come down to the Transporter Bridge and gather at the visitor centre to join in the celebrations.

Famed for his atmospheric and poignant creations, Mackenzie’s work is true to his workingclass roots and is packed with emotional expression and speaks of hope, love, struggle and challenge - values which align perfectly with the spirit of the Tour de Yorkshire.

Mackenzie Thorpe said: “I have really strong memories of my childhood growing up in Middlesbrough; that sense of industry seemed to be everywhere. Men worked in the shipbuilding or the steel works or ICI or the docks and for me the Transporter is a proud symbol of everything that is good about our town. In my own way I wanted to acknowledge that time, when it was normal for droves of men cross the river daily to work long hard shifts and families waited for their return, the men did it to put food on the table, and the sculpture depicts the children waiting for their return. The piece is an acknowledgement of that time, of the industry and

the men and their families who helped shape our town.

“The unveiling will have the ‘Boro at its heart so of course everyone is welcome.”

The Transporter Bridge features prominently in many of Mackenzie’s pictures and he once worked in the shipyards on

The four works, entitled Yorkshire Coast, Over Moor and Dale, Riding with Grandad and The Boy Without a Bike, have been exclusively revealed today at Arthaus Gallery in Richmond, North Yorkshire which was established by Mackenzie in 1989.

Speaking at the launch of the artworks, Mackenzie Thorpe said:

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work adorns galleries throughout America, Japan and Australia, and celebrity collectors include HM Queen Elizabeth II, JK Rowling, and Tom Hardy. This new and stunning collection will promote the beauty of Yorkshire and the spirit of the Tour de Yorkshire to a massive audience.”

“I’m absolutely thrilled and honoured to be the official artist for the Tour de Yorkshire. For me the whole county is a never ending inspiration, the dramatic skies, the dales and the moors, are like no where I have ever been.

“When I was thinking about the images, I knew I wanted to create a collection which also reflected the broader impact the race has on people. So alongside images of peak fitness cyclists speeding through our glorious hills dales and coast, there is (for instance) ‘Riding with Grandad’ which shows a child in a Yorkshire

town, learning to ride a bicycle, aided by their grandfather. Or ‘The Boy Without a Bike’; a lone child standing watching the racers speed past and dreaming of the day that he too might ride like the wind on a bicycle all of his own. This is what the race is all about for me, who couldn’t fail to be moved by the sheer spectacle and impact the race has on anyone who comes into contact with it.”

Sir Gary Verity DL, Chief Executive of Welcome to Yorkshire said: “Mackenzie has a global following. As well as the UK, his

Yorkshire has been a major inspiration for Mackenzie’s art over the last 30 years and he has described his inspiration behind each of the Tour de Yorkshire official pieces. With a short poem also accompanying each artwork.

Yorkshire Coast The sheer beauty of our Yorkshire coastline takes my breath away and the light is like nowhere else I have ever been. Whenever I put down on paper that mix of cliff, sea and sky, a wash of pride and nostalgia sweeps over me; I just had to include a piece which captured some of this splendour as a backdrop to the race.

“Hotter than the sun in summer along the coast sky and sea merge The race is on!”

Over Moor and Dale I really do think of the moors and dales as God’s Own Country, such is the beauty of its dramatic landscape. How lucky we are to have this on our doorstep; the vast lushness of the rolling green hills of the dales, and then to the east the gorgeous lilac heather of the moors, so amazing the colour can be seen from the moon (apparently!).

“They ride against the sky down into the vale through a land of so much beauty and like a steam train they pass us by.”

Riding with Grandad

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Families, friends and whole communities come together to watch and enjoy the Tour de Yorkshire, and inspired by the excitement and spectacle,

somewhere a child will be learning to ride, guided by a parent or grandparent. Wherever you are it’s the same, there is that point where the supporting hand has to let go and the child is off on their own.

“With his hand on my shoulder and a word in my ear I felt no fear as his hand slipped away.”

The Boy Without a Bike We want all our children to have their dreams realised.

Somewhere there is this child and I love the fact that through the race, his dreams may just come true.

“In my dreams I ride Faster than light Quicker than the wind Over hill and dale.”

Mackenzie Thorpe’s official website can be found at www. mackenziethorpe.com

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Local author becomes a Guardian of Dreams “I enjoy it, so let the world enjoy it as well” It’s a cold yet sunny, late February morning in County Durham’s Ramside Hall Hotel Golf Club, within the delightful surroundings is a meeting or two authors, old school friends who are meeting up for the first time in near twentyfive years.

The topic of conversation is that of Heather C. Page’s debut offering, a Young Adult Fantasy novel, beautifully titled ‘Elodie Black Guardian of Dreams.’

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Studying History by day, Heather has an Honours degree from the

University of Sunderland (2018) and is presently working towards an MLitt History at Newcastle University, the eventual aim, to become a lecturer; and yet by

night she takes on a different persona, that of fantasy writer.

The end product, before we go into the book itself, is a self-published, self-designed beauty of an offering which, in essence, is set across three realms, or that’s what it will be and revolves around that of a teenage Elodie Black, a teenage Muskin who has left home for an apprenticeship at the Curiosity Bureau, somewhere she encounters the weird, wonderful and differing races of what is the ‘Old Realm,’ races she has never encountered before.

Magical races make up the old realm, the Aquila, Ericious, Bubalus and The Coboli join the Muskin that is Elodie Black on ‘an adventure.’

Talking for the first time about ‘Guardian of Dreams’ Heather C. Page said: “I’ve been writing Guardian of Dreams for around 18 months having started it in August 2017.

“Elodie was actually going to be working as a fortune teller in a travelling circus but she quickly evolved into something else.

“In fact, the only similarity left over is the dreams as I had to change the settings to suit the story that we have now and it certainly made it better for what is portrayed.”

Inspired by her own favourites, Rachel Caine (American science fiction, horror fantasy writer known for her Morganville Vampire, and Great Library series)

and Kate Griffin (Kitty Peck and Music Hall Murders) – spry folks, she’s never read or watched that other, famous YA Fantasy Author, JK Rowling and the famed Harry Potter super-series (I was disappointed there, so you can lend mine Heather).

I guess having a differing fantasy genre to read helped when writing Guardian of Dreams, erring away from the Tolkien and Lewis, Canavan and Nicholls of this world, her own being akin to those greats without her own prior knowledge of their styles, mannerisms, Elodie akin to that of the Black Magician od Canavan (meaning I can’t wait to read it myself).

“This is a coming-of-age story with a few twists appearing along the way; it’s about finding confi-

dence, your place in the world and where you belong as well as the challenges that come with that,” continued Heather.

“Set in what is called the ‘Old Realm’ Elodie has been granted an apprenticeship at the Curiosity Bureau, a body which is in charge of magic, what’s left of magic after wars with their job being to preserve and maintain.

“Elodie finds herself, at sixteen, leaving home for the first time to go there and it’s there where she comes across races she’s never met before but, quite apprehensively, becomes friends with them.

“She is a Muskin, they’re pixie-like creatures with magical abilities, we also have the Aquila, who are halfperson, half-bird, the Ericius that

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are rather hedgehogy, the Bubalus are buffalo-like, and then we have The Coboli who are your primitive, goblin-like creatures.

especially for a young muskin girl who has never left her home village in the Northlands before, but Elodie Black soon begins to shine in her new role as apprentice guardian of dreams.

“Without spoiling the story Elodie is attempting to solve a mystery having being blamed for something she didn’t do, sabotage if you will, but she starts believing that something more sinister is going on and, when she delves into it a little more, she stumbles across a secret.”

Now, as she heads towards a successful completion of her History Masters degree, it’ll be ‘next year’ before the next Heather Page offering, well, for the return of Elodie Black at least, priorities and all that.

The first book does leave it open for further adventures with Elodie Black and, with her being just a teen, there could be a number of future offerings, more involving the other realms however, there could be something else, something totally different, with which Heather let slip.

“I’ve started the second Elodie book in my head, maybe in the future, but I’ve kind of started something else as well,” she smiles.

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“Events quickly take a sinister turn when mistakes are made that could have deadly consequences.

Is Elodie to blame, or is she being sabotaged? She embarks on a mission to uncover the truth, and stumbles upon a secret that could change her fate forever.

“It’s an adult, historical fantasy, something about a man who kills his mother and decides she’s better off un-killed so tries to bring her back – it’s just another something I’ve had in the back of the weird, yet wonderful mind I have and spirals out of control.”

BLURB FROM ELODIE BLACK GUARDIAN OF DREAMS – available from AMAZON HEREand is dedicated to her children – Jodie-May, Isabelle and Erin.....

“At the heart of the old realm lies the home of magic, The Curiosity Bureau. It can be a daunting place,

“As she is thrown into a world of magic and mistrust, old bitter rivalries are unearthed. Can Elodie unlock the mysteries of the past and save the creatures of the old realm?”

To keep up-to-date with all things Heather C. Page, follow her socials on Facebook HERE and Twitter HERE

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{2019} {Artist} {of the} {Year}

{Lucinda Grange} Coinciding with International Women’s Day on March 8 the region’s Lucinda Grange (formerly of Hartlepool, now New York City) saw some of her finest work, from the project ‘Backwards and in High Heels,’ included in the Donna Karan – Urban Zen exhibition in Greenwich Village, Manhattan.

Beginning on March 8 and running through until April 7, Ms. Grange’s most prized project,

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entitled as ‘Dancing with the Stars’ included in the exhibition ran by the ArtLead Her platform, a vision founded by Mashinda Tirfere.

Supporting and promoting only female artists, ArtLead Her aims to help level the field in the art world, where the gender bias is very strong and, being part of what is Women’s History Month will help envelope that consensus.

Speaking of her prized project, ‘Backwards and in High Heels,’

Lucinda said: “It is a quote in reference to Ginger Rodgers.

“Fred Astaire, her male dance partner, would get more fame, fortune and attention than she did, yet she did everything he did, backwards and in high heels.

“This project started with two selfportraits on the Chrysler Building (Midtown Manhattan, New York) and gradually grew as I photographed women I know and admire in places you wouldn’t expect to see anyone - let alone a woman, looking strong and extravagant in a dress!

“The aim of this project was to question stereotypes women are often subjected to, and instead highlight the strength and power of these women.”

To be included within the exhibition, for Lucinda, is something she is excited about and follows immediately after her solo exhibition, ‘City Cross-Section’ which was held at the Lyle O. Reitzel Contemporary Art Gallery and finished late-February.

In the new exhibition at the Urban

Zen Lucinda exhibited an image, ‘King Woman,’ which depicts Ingrid Silva, lead dancer for the Dance Theatre of Harlem.

“In this picture, Ingrid is on point on the ladder of a water tower on a NYC rooftop.

“Ingrid grew up in Brazil, a very humble beginning, and now she’s the dance company’s top dancer, traveling the world, following her passion.

“She is now performing to crowds of thousands despite the many obstacles that have been in her way.

“Not only is she Brazilian, she is also black and petite, very far from those who one might expect to see as the lead dancer.

“Her sheer willpower, dedication

and determination got her all the way from living in Brazil, to being one of the top dancers in this city.

“My aim was to capture the feeling of this inspiring person and her story in this one single image.”

Women’s History Month is an annual declared month that highlights the contributions of women to events in history and contemporary society. It is celebrated during March in the U.S. the U.K. and Australia, coinciding with International Women’s Day on March 8.

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National Anthems bringing back 90s Britpop, in style The indie Britpop era in British music history was a time of great joy for music lovers, bands were plentiful, loud, extravagant, and always releasing something in which you could party to, and party they all did.

It was music that made the British people, well, British and followed, quite nicely, from a Madchester scene that brought us, in the late eighties, The Happy Mondays and

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The Stone Roses, Inspiral Carpets and James, to name a few, whilst the nineties brought forth a plethora of star-studded names.

their own, and rolled out who we know as…

Led by the likes of Blur, Oasis and Pulp, Suede, The Verve, Supergrass and oh so many more (the list is a little lengthy) you’d be forgiven if you missed it – that could have been more down to the sex, drugs and rock n’ roll mind, however, some two decades on, a once wannabe cover band from Newcastle-upon-Tyne have grasped the nineties feel, made it

As far as cover bands go two really spring to mind, the world-famous Guns 2 Roses (who’ve regularly performed with past members of Gn’R fame) and the brilliant Uncle Funk & The Boogie Wonderband (classic disco at its finest) are standouts, add the Anthems to that heady list.

The National Anthems!

Fronted by Jon Corbett on vocals

and guitarist David Welsh, The Anthems also have the multiinstrumentalist that is Rhys Breen on guitar, vocals, keys and samples (he’s a busy boy), Danny Routledge on bass, and Ed Smith, who splits in two with drums and samples, and this month, Newcastle music venue, The Riverside, is expected to be packed to the rafters as, on Friday 26 April they take centre stage as part of their ‘Back to the 90s’ night featuring none other than Shed Seven’s legendary frontman, Rick Witter, providing what promises to be a blast from the past, DJ set…

“We haven’t really been going that long, it’s got to be around eighteen months or so,” began Welshy.

“We just wanted to play and, after a few rehearsals, and a gig at The Cluny, we felt we were getting as close as humanly possible (to original Britpop sound) that we just had to go and do it.”

Two standout moments in that

eighteen month spell are supporting The Farm at the O2 Academy, and Shiiine On Festival, said to be “the ultimate experience for indie and dance fans.”

summer including Lindisfarne.

They’re hoping on a quick return to that festival as well as performing a few others this upcoming

“All those indie, Britpop bands, and everyone just having a mint time, it’s what you want and we’d been there as punters before but to actually go and perform there, it was a whole new level, amazing.”

“Playing there last year was probably the biggest thing we’ve probably done,” continued Welshy.

There’ll always be some sense of difficulty for mainstream progression with their being a covers band but, with the momentum they’ve built up in recent weeks, it’s looking like The National Anthems could break through that glass ceiling akin to that provided

by Guns 2 Roses and who knows, a National Anthems National Britpop Tour sounds decent enough.

Guess they’ll have to get past the ‘Back to the 90s’ night, then watch the momentum flow, after all, this is their first major show of the year and they’ve already been on BBC Radio Newcastle with Nick Roberts, and Metro Radio with Alan

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Robson MBE, “The increase of interest has spurred us on even more,” Welshy grins.

“We’ve played loads of gigs around the region and felt that we needed to do somewhere big for our home gig and maybe double the crowd we got at The Cluny.

“Adding Witter was some bonus, he’s flying at present and we just like, called them up and asked, he’s well up for it, in fact he’s pretty much up for everything we’ve asked of him so the mission we have is to sell it out.

“Our aim is to make things as authentic as possible and put all that into the set, plus, we’re an honest

set of lads (not sure there mind!).”

Performing tracks from iconic bands such as The Farm, Oasis, Blur, The Verve, Pulp, The Stone Roses and The Happy Mondays there’s likely to be a few surprises on the night – Smoove & Turrell anyone!!

As well as a few others ‘shaking the maracas’ they are living, and dying, by their own sword and, as Welshy says: “If there’s any door that’s slightly ajar, then we’ll definitely try and get through it.”

Alongside a club with the mighty, Our Little DJs until the early hours, The National Anthems, and Rick Witter, take to The Riverside on Friday 26 April, tickets are available now priced £15 available HERE SEE YOU AT THE FRONT!!

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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.

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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

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PRICKS!! OF THE MEDICAL KIND...

Dennis the Menace has a new partner-in-crime this May as the loveable comic book rogue shuns his usual number two, Gnasher, and takes secondary himself as a bit-part actor in Darlington actress, Jade Byrne’s stirring yet funny, one-person stage play, Pricks.

At 33-years-old Jade has been on the acting scene for nearly

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a decade with credits including Inspector George Gently (as Shelley Marshall, 2011), Mount Pleasant (as a receptionist, 2014) and Casualty (as Kelly Foster, 2015), to name a few.

Now, as we head into the summer months of 2019, Jade follows up her appearance at the 2018 Edinburgh Fringe Festival and a Northern mini-tour debut with a longer, twelve-date national tour travelling from Hexham to Exeter with a few stops in-between, with

the hope of a second version later in the year.

Making her acting debut with Newcastle’s Northern Stage in late 2010, Jade appearing in Middlesbrough writer Richard Milward’s novel, Apples (adapted by John Retallack) , where she played single mum, Claire, her first step on the acting ladder.

“I’ve always wanted to act but I never thought I’d actually write anything myself,” enthused Jade.

“Having worked with Jabberwocky Market (pop-up from in Darlington) over the past five years or so, I became inspired to write something myself, more through the possibility of being able to produce national, small shows.

“Also, when I was attending places like Edinburgh Fringe I became even more inspired whenever I

was watching others performing so I started writing down ideas of what I could possibly do myself.

“It came to me in Edinburgh, whilst having a hypo, I’d spent most of my life trying to ‘educate’ people about what Type 1 Diabetes is, what it’s about, the misconceptions attached to it and that’s when I decided that’s what my

play needed to be about.”

Diagnosed herself with Type 1 at the age of four, Jade, alongside her stunning stage-hand, Dennis the Menace, has her thirtieth diaversary this November, the loveable rogue having been by her side from day one.

(Information on Type 1 Diabetes, via the JDRF (Juvenile Diabetes Foundation), can be found on Jade’s website www.prickstheplay. co.uk/, however, this is what it is Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune condition. For reasons we don’t yet fully understand, your immune system – which is meant to protect you from viruses and bacteria – attacks and destroys the insulinproducing cells in your pancreas, called beta cells.

Insulin is crucial to life. When you eat, insulin moves the energy from your food, called glucose, from

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as an idea fast became reality.

“Initially I was with the Jabberwocky team at Thrift when I was introduced to a lovely gentleman from Stockton called David, he helped get me the early funding I required to get started whilst Shannon, who’s from Belfast, mentored me for the first six months, looking at the writing process, techniques and timelines,” continued Jade.

“I’ve since gone onto work with people like Ruth Johnson and Annie Rigby, as well as superb designers, having such a fantastic, creative team behind me has proved to be rather instrumental and I guess I’ve been quite lucky with everything.

your blood into the cells of your body. When the beta cells in your pancreas fail to produce insulin, glucose levels in your blood start to rise and your body can’t function properly. Over time this high level of glucose in the blood may damage nerves and blood vessels and the organs they supply.

This condition affects 400,000 people in the UK, with over 29,000 of them children. Incidence is increasing by about four per cent each year and particularly in children under five, with a five per cent increase each year in this age group over the last 20 years.

The online segment also contains information about the causes and hereditary links of Type 1, plus a link to the JDRF website.

A primary source of assistance in the early days of the production of Pricks came from a lady in Northern Ireland, Shannon Yee

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mentoring Jade as she started putting things into practice, one thing most certainly leading to another

“I first took Pricks out with a few local shows (last year, prior to Edinburgh Fringe) which I absolutely loved, and Edinburgh was brilliant.

Early success was highlighted when, at the end of last year, Pricks was named by Peter Lathan of the British Theatre Guide as the North-East’s ‘Best Solo Show of 2018’ after seeing her performance at the Alphabetti Theatre, Newcastle, an occasion leading to the north-east actress, ahead of her upcoming tour, being moreand-more “overwhelmed with the success and impact of Pricks.”

everything I’d like myself from a theatre show.”

Socials for Pricks are – Website www.prickstheplay.co.uk;

Beginning on April 25 Jade will take in Cheltenham, Leeds, Darlington, Halifax, Hexham, Exeter, Hemel Hempstead, Newcastle, Harrogate, Derby, and Doncaster before finishing at the Pulse Festival, Ipswich, on June 4.

Click HERE for Facebook Click HERE for Instagram Click HERE for Twitter

“I want everyone to experience Pricks and be affected by it, in a good way; I want to be able to educate through entertainment about what it (Type 1 Diabetes) actually is and I want the entire world to see it.”

“I love seeing the reaction from the audience at shows and it is a great night out.

“It’s funny, but will make a lot of people cry, happy tears as it’s

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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

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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

POKEMON Detective Pikachu 10 May 2019 The world of Pokemon comes to life! The first-ever live-action Pokemon adventure, ‘POKEMON Detective Pikachu’ stars Ryan Reynolds as Pikachu, the iconic face of the global Pokemon phenomenon; one of the world’s most popular, multigenerational entertainment properties and the most successful media franchise of all time. Fans everywhere can now experience Pikachu on the big screen as never before, as Detective Pikachu, a Pokemon like no other. The film also showcases a wide array of beloved Pokemon characters, each with its own

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unique abilities and personality.

The story begins when ace private eye Harry Goodman goes mysteriously missing; prompting his 21-year-old son Tim to find out what happened.

Aiding in the investigation is Harry’s former Pokemon partner, Detective Pikachu: a hilariously wise-cracking, adorable super sleuth who is a puzzle even to himself. Finding that they are uniquely equipped to communicate with one another, Tim and Pikachu join forces on a thrilling adventure to unravel the tangled mystery.

Chasing clues together through the neon lit streets of Ryme City, a sprawling, modern metropolis where humans and

Pokemon live side by side in a hyper-realistic live-action world, they encounter a diverse cast of Pokemon characters and uncover a shocking plot that could destroy this peaceful co-existence and threaten the whole Pokemon universe.

Cast: Ryan Reynolds, Ken Watanabe, Justice Smith, Kathryn Newton, Bill Nighy, Chris Geere, Suki Waterhouse, Rita Ora, Omar Chaparro Director: Rob Letterman CLICK HERE TO WATCH THE TRAILER

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John Wick: Chapter 3 Parabellum 17 May 2019 In this third instalment of the adrenaline-fueled action franchise, super-assassin John Wick (Keanu Reeves) returns with a $14 million price tag on his head and an army of bountyhunting killers on his trail. After

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killing a member of the shadowy international assassin’s guild, the High Table, John Wick is excommunicado, but the world’s most ruthless hit men and women await his every turn.

Cast: Keanu Reeves, Halle Berry, Laurence Fishburne, Mark Dacascos, Asia Kate Dillon,

Lance Reddick, Saďd Taghmaoui, Jerome Flynn, Jason Mantzoukas, Tobias Segal, Boban Marjanovic, with Anjelica Huston, and Ian McShane Director: Chad Stahelski CLICK HERE TO WATCH THE TRAILER

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Rocketman 24 May 2019 ROCKETMAN is an epic musical fantasy about the uncensored human story of Sir Elton John’s breakthrough

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years, starring Taron Egerton, Jamie Bell, Richard Madden and Bryce Dallas Howard.

Cast: Taron Egerton, Jamie Bell, Richard Madden, Gemma

Jones and Bryce Dallas Howard Director: Dexter Fletcher CLICK HERE TO WATCH THE TRAILER

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Aladdin 24 May 2019 Get ready for the liveaction adaptation of Disney studio’s animated classic, in UK cinemas May 2019!

The ‘Aladdin’ cast includes: Two-time Oscar nominee Will Smith (Ali, Men in Black) as the Genie who has the power to grant three wishes to whoever possesses his magic lamp; Mena Massoud (Amazon’s Jack Ryan) as Aladdin, the hapless but lovable street rat who is smitten with the Sultan’s daughter; Naomi Scott (Power Rangers) as Princess Jasmine, the Sultan’s beautiful daughter who wants to have a say in how she lives her life; Marwan Kenzari (Murder on the Orient Express) as Jafar, an evil sorcerer who devises a nefarious plot to unseat the Sultan and rule Agrabah himself; Navid Negahban (Homeland) as the Sultan, the ruler of

Agrabah who is eager to find a proper husband for his daughter, Jasmine; Nasim Pedrad (Saturday Night Live) as Dalia, Princess Jasmine’s hand maiden and confidante; Billy Magnussen (Into the Woods) as Prince Anders, a suitor from Skanland and potential husband for Princess Jasmine; and Numan Acar (Homeland) as Hakim, Jafar’s right-hand man and

head of the palace guards.

Cast: Will Smith, Mena Massoud, Naomi Scott, Marwan Kenzari, Navid Negahban, Nasim Pedrad, Billy Magnussen, Numan Acar Director: Guy Ritchie CLICK HERE TO WATCH THE TRAILER

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Godzilla: King of the Monsters 29 May 2019 Following the global success of 2014’s ‘Godzilla’ and 2017’s ‘Kong: Skull Island,’ comes the next chapter in Warner Bros. Pictures’ and Legendary Pictures’ cinematic MonsterVerse: ‘Godzilla: King of the Monsters,’ an epic action adventure that pits Godzilla against some of the most popular monsters in pop culture history. The new story follows the heroic efforts of the cryptozoological agency Monarch as its members face off against a battery of godsized monsters, including the mighty Godzilla, who collides with Mothra, Rodan, and his ultimate nemesis, the three-headed King Ghidorah.

When these ancient super-

species—thought to be mere myths—rise again, they all vie for supremacy, leaving humanity’s very existence hanging in the balance.

Cast: Ken Watanabe, Vera Farmiga, Kyle Chandler, Millie Bobby

Brown, Sally Hawkins, Bradley Whitford, Thomas Middleditch, Charles Dance, O’shea Jackson. Jr., Aisha Hinds, Zhang Ziyi Director: Michael Dougherty CLICK HERE TO WATCH THE TRAILER

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Haswellite’s unite behind their Cycling Legend, Tom Simpson As a freelance journalist we’re always finding that next project, the next article(s) that will not only keep us busy, but ultimately pay the bills and for Chris Sidwells it’s no different.

In the upper echelons of cycling journalism for a number of years, and author of numerous books on the same topic (Wild Cycling and The Call of the Road, Tour Climbs and The Art of the Cycling Jersey) he’s probably best known for his connection to the iconic British Cyclist, Tom Simpson.

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Near twenty years ago Chris released the book ‘Mr Tom: The

True Story of Tom Simpson,’ and that connection, Chris is Tom Simpson’s nephew.

Fast forward to now and Chris has recently released the first in his Cycling Legends series on, you guessed it, Tom Simpson, a 14-year labour of love dedicated to his lost uncle as even he found out things about his uncle, both the cyclist, and the person, when putting together a stunning piece of work.

Here, in an interview with NE Online Magazine, journalist Peter Mann, who first met up with Chris at Tom Simpson’s memorial unveiling in Haswell, County Durham in September 2017 (article also included),

discusses the new release, his uncle Tom, a connection with Sir Bradley Wiggins, and much more…

The new book, fourteen years to put together, was there any specific reasoning behind the time taken, any holdups?

“The 14 years was research. It represents the length of time I’ve worked as a freelance journalist, and in that time, whenever I met one of his rivals like Eddy Merckx and Rik Van Looy, I asked them about Tom. The same goes for his team mates, managers of just people who knew him. It also took 14 years to collect all the rare and previously unpublished photos in the book. The actual writing and designing took about

9 months.”

How did you find putting it together, both personally and professionally?

“I really enjoyed that. It’s the work of one writer and picture researcher (me), a designer, Sean Bennett and my wife Kath who did everything in between.

I’ve written 19 other books for various large publishers, but I feel they are all a compromise. This book, Cycling Legends 01 Tom Simpson isn’t a compromise- it’s exactly what I wanted it to be; personal, deep, and thorough and fair.”

What has been the good, and the bad, in putting together the Tom Simpson book?

“The only bad thing is I wish Tom was still with us to see it.

Everything else about it, from the joy of discovering more about him to the satisfaction of producing something that I think is truly beautiful, was good. I’ve had some lovely feedback from people who’ve bought and read it too.”

The 2017 memorial (with Sir Bradley Wiggins), how was that for you and the family and did it suit the memory of Tom? “That meant a lot to me and my family. Sir Bradley admires Tom Simpson a lot. In his latest book, Icons, he wrote “Tom Simpson is arguably the most complete

British road racer of all time.

Cavendish was –and still is- a better sprinter, I was a much better time triallist, and Tom couldn’t climb like Robert Millar.

However, none of us could have

won so many big, important and widely diverse races, and it’s unlikely anybody else will.” Brad was in Belgium yesterday and he went for a bike ride on the route of the Tour of Flanders, a great race that Tom is still the only British cyclist ever to win. When he saw the big photo of of Tom, with all the other winners, by the side of the road he stopped and got his friend to take a photo of him next to it. He then mailed the photo to me with the words “There goes my Hero”” SIMPSON’S PLACE IN SPORTING HISTORY STRENGTHENED (Originally published HERE Sporting royalty visited the north-east in September 2017 as one cycling great paid homage to the legacy of another.

The sleepy, idyllic village of Haswell, County Durham, was filled out with cyclists young

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you were into boxing you idolised Muhammad Ali; and Tom is like that in cycling for me.

“He transcended the sport and his personality back then was different to so many.

“In today’s day and age he would have been a superstar for he had that star quality in a time and a day when there was no social media, there was no internet and yet he was one of the most popular cyclists in the world.

and near old, cycling fans, and the ‘odd’ journalist or two as Sir Bradley Wiggins arrived to unveil a memorial plaque in memory of Haswell’s favourite son, Tom Simpson.

“It’s fantastic, and to see so many young people as well.”

A story of sporting achievement tragically cut short on the climb of Mount Ventoux during the 1967 Tour de France, Simpson is a hero to many, including Wiggins.

At the end of the day though Tom Simpson, and his legacy, is important to many, especially here in the north-east, and, irrespective of your level or passion, his is a name you’ll fast become accustomed to, well his and Bradley’s anyway.

Born in Durham, Simpson was raised on the edge of Nottinghamshire before moving to Belgium (coincidentally where Wiggins was born) and became the first Briton to wear the yellow jersey at the Tour de France, doing so in 1962, and the first World Road Race champion, three years later in 1965; he also medalled previous to those honours at the Olympics and Commonwealth Games.

As the first cyclist to win the BBC Sports Personality of the Year in ’65, a feat matched by Wiggins shy of half-a-century later, in 2012, Simpson already has a memorial on the Ventoux climb, the spot where he died at the age of 29.

Before the unveiling ceremony, which had in excess of 200 patrons present, Wiggins said: “I didn’t expect so many people turning out.

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And there were a few there, more than the organisers, and Sir Bradley, could have imagined.

Both became history-makers in their respective eras of cycling and afterwards the former Olympic champion said: “He was my hero as well.

“If you were into football as a kid you idolised Bobby Moore; if

“I don’t think there’s ever been anyone like him in cycling and I don’t think there ever will be because times have changed now.”

Half-a-century is a long time and, in the world of sports and entertainment, it can be easy to forget or hard to remember. The advent of the internet meaning the youth of today can have a glimpse of the past, the history of something and, in County Durham, it’s that youth factor that touched on Sir Bradley.

He added: “To see the turnout today is fantastic, that he still means so much to so many people and that, even 50 years on, his memory is still this great and being remembered – especially the amount of youngsters that are here today.

“I think it’s important for the heritage of cycling. The way cycling is now these days, it’s so much about results and the here and now.

“A lot of people don’t know that much about the history of the sport anymore.

“The reason why cycling is so popular today is because of people like Tom. They paved the way for many of us.

“Without that cycling wouldn’t have the popularity it does today.

“So I think we need to remember it and continue to remember it for another 50 years.”

What are your thoughts on Tom, his place in cycling history, and with his being a relative to yourself?

“I am immensely proud of him, both of his achievements and of who he was as a person. I think he is one of THE great British sporting legends.”

Is there any specific points in the Simpson book that highlights his story, from your pov?

“His total self-belief and sheer drive shine through the pages, but so do his charm and sense of humour,” Tom Simpson Cycling Legend this May, what are your thoughts behind this event, any specific reasons for it, how did it come about?

“I wanted to talk about him in his birthplace, Haswell. He grew up in Harworth in North Nottinghamshire because his father moved south to get a job in the newish colliery there, taking his three youngest children with him; Harry Simpson, Renee (my mum) and Tom. We have a little Tom Simpson museum in Harworth and a memorial stone, but until 2017 there was very little to mark his birth in Haswell.

I thought it would be nice to do a talk, and maybe sell some books in his birthplace, then anyone from there who wants to know more about him can find out.”

Cycling

Legends,

definitely

a

passion for yourself ultimately leading to the book - what’s next for both?

“I am working on Cycling Legends

02 and 03 at the moment, but not revealing the subjects until we are nearer publication, and I intend to continue producing Cycling Legends illustrated books for as long as people want them.”

Sports/Cycling fans are invited to a talk, by Chris Sidwells, titled ‘Tom Simpson Cycling Legend: An afternoon of discussion, inspiration and fun,’ at The Lisa Dixon Centre, Burt Close, Haswell, Co. Durham on Saturday 25 May from 2pm.

And it’s FREE ENTRY Click HERE fore more Books by Chris Sidwells on Amazon Click HERE for Facebook Click HERE for Twitter Simpson photos with permission of the Simpson family archive

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Jesca Hoop

LIVE MUSIC COMING TO Jesca Hoop Monday 7 October, 8pm, Sage Two Jesca Hoop is an American singersongwriter and guitarist, and a Californian who is now an adopted daughter of Manchester.

Her career has spanned five albums of finely crafted song writing, sung from a unique intelligence and an unparalleled voice, culminating in 2017’s hugely acclaimed Memories are Now. Having spent much of the last 18 months on tour, highlights of which include a triumphant sold out show at Union Chapel, appearances at the Glastonbury and Latitude Festivals amongst many

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others, and appearing as special guest at Jose Gonzales’ Royal Albert Hall show, Jesca is currently working on her next collection of songs.

With her much anticipated follow up to Memories are Now set for release in the summer of 2019, Jesca Hoop heads out round the UK and Europe in October, including her performance at Sage Gateshead early in the run.

Book Tickets Now A Luther Vandross Celebration Saturday 28 December, 7.30pm, Sage One The world’s premier show in celebration of ‘The Velvet Voice’

experience all the hits from his amazing career, culminating more than 40 million album sales and eight Grammy awards, including many of the greatest dance anthems and love songs ever written.

Fronted by international Luther Vandross tribute, Harry Cambridge, and his 10-piece band.

Never Too Much, The Best Things in Life Are Free, Endless Love, Ain’t No Stoppin’ Us Now, The Closer I Get To You, Love The One You’re With, Until You Come Back to Me, Dance with My Father, and many more.

The Luther Vandross legend lives on.

Book Tickets Now

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SMASH HIT MUSICAL ANNIE RETURNS TO NEWCASTLE STARRING ANITA DOBSON The smash hit production of the musical Annie returns to Newcastle Theatre Royal this month due to popular demand, with EastEnders star Anita Dobson as the tyrannical ‘Miss Hannigan’. You can bet your bottom dollar it’ll be spectacular! Mon 8 – Sat 13 April 2019.

Produced by Newcastle’s own Michael Harrison Annie proved a Box Office smash when it debuted at the Theatre Royal back in 2015.

The show then went on to complete a sell-out tour of the UK and Ireland in 2015/16 followed by a blockbuster season in Toronto and an extended season in the West End. More spectacular than ever before, this new tour features an all new cast led by Anita Dobson and includes Alex Bourne as ‘Oliver Warbucks’, Richard Meek as ‘Rooster’, Jenny Gayner as ‘Lily’ and Carolyn Maitland as ‘Grace Farrell’. The title role of ‘Annie’ is shared by Faye Katsande, Ava Smith and Freya Yates. They are joined by three teams of young performers who play the girls in Miss Hannigan’s orphanage.

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As Angie Watts in EastEnders, Anita Dobson created one of the most popular characters in television winning numerous awards.

Her West End theatre credits

include ‘Madame Morrible’ in Wicked, ‘Mama Morton’ in Chicago, ‘Mrs Meers’ in Thoroughly Modern Mille, ‘Chris’ in Calendar Girls, ‘Joan Crawford’ in Bette and Joan and ‘Nancy’ in Frozen at the National Theatre for which she was nominated for an Olivier, Evening Standard and London Critics Award. Her film credits include London Road.

Alex Bourne reprises his performance as ‘Oliver Warbucks’ after playing the role in this production of Annie in the West End, Toronto and on the 2015/16 tour. His many other West End credits include ‘Danny’ in Grease, ‘The Beast’ in Beauty and the Beast, ‘Billy Flynn’ in Chicago, ‘Khashoggi’ in We Will Rock You and Fred/Petruchio

in Kiss Me, Kate for which he received an Olivier Award nomination for Best Actor in a Musical.

Set in 1930s New York during The Great Depression, brave young Annie is forced to live a life of misery and torment at Miss Hannigan’s orphanage. Determined to find her real parents, her luck changes when she is chosen to spend Christmas at the residence of famous billionaire, Oliver Warbucks. Spiteful Miss Hannigan has other ideas and hatches a plan to spoil Annie’s search…

With its award-winning book and score, this stunning new production includes the unforgettable songs it’s the Hard Knock Life, Easy Street, I Don’t Need Anything But You and Tomorrow.

Annie has Music by Charles Strouse, Lyrics by Martin Charnin and a Book by Thomas Meehan. Annie is directed by Nikolai Foster with set and costume design by Colin Richmond, choreography by Nick Winston, lighting by Ben Cracknell and sound design by Richard Brooker. Annie is produced by Michael Harrison and David Ian. Annie comes to Newcastle Theatre Royal between Mon 8 and Sat 13 April 2019 playing evenings at 7.30pm and matinees Thu 2pm and Sat 2.30pm. Tickets from £21 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 at www.theatreroyal. co.uk

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RYTON RETRO IS BACK! The sleepy village of Ryton will see the return of Ryton Retro on Saturday 18th May, this is the 3rd event and going off the first two events I would suggest that you buy your tickets ASAP as BOTH previous events SOLD OUT!!!

Now for those that don’t know what Ryton Retro is, it is a great family event giving people the

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chance to play a mix of retro arcade machines, pinball machines, games consoles and even buy some fantastic merchandise.

Last year’s events were both sell outs and were such good fun. The ticket price is well worth it as once you get inside every single game is free, the hardest part is choosing what to play first. Plus there will be a few tournaments giving

you the chance to prove you are the best and win some great prizes too.

If you want to see what arcade and pinball machines will be there as well as keep up to date with competitions and giveaways make sure you follow them on facebook HERE You can buy your tickets HERE

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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

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ALL ROUND TO THE HAIRY BIKERS’ FOR A NIGHT OF COOKING CONVERSATION WITH SI KING AND DAVE MYERS TICKETS ONSALE 10AM FRIDAY 28 SEPTEMBER 2018 National Treasures Si King and Dave Myers, aka The Hairy Bikers have announced a huge nationwide tour. With their irresistible enthusiasm, An Evening With The Hairy Bikers will be an epic night of cooking and conversation.

Big hearted, down-to-earth cooks with a love of good food, Si and Dave have been cooking

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together for more than twenty years. They have created haute cuisine dishes with Michelinstarred chefs and travelled the world in the pursuit of great food. They’ve also explored the length and breadth of the British Isles to discover brand new recipes and create their own fresh takes on cooking classics.

The stars of several hit television shows, they are the UK’s most popular cookery duo with series including The Hairy Bikers’ Mediterranean Adventure, The Hairy Bikers’ Cook Book; Best of British; The Hairy Bikers’ Mississippi Adventure; Everyday Gourmets; The Hairy Bikers’ Food Tour of and two major

prime time series of Mums Know Best all drawing millions of audiences.

No strangers to the live arena, The Hairy Bikers performed their sell-out Big Night Out show in theatres across the UK in 2010 and completed another ambitious nationwide theatre tour in April 2013.

Tickets for The Hairy Bikers are on sale Fri 28 Sep from 10am 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).

ROMESH RANGANATHAN COMES TO THE CITY HALL FRIDAY 8 NOVEMBER 2019 WITH A BRAND NEW SHOW TICKETS ON SALE 10AM FRIDAY 28 SEPTEMBER 2018 Romesh Ranganathan is back with a brand-new show, The Cynic’s Mixtape, and it’s his most brutally honest show yet.

Fresh from The Misadventures of Romesh Ranganathan, A League Of Their Own and Judge Romesh, he’s putting showbiz aside to deliver a carefully-curated

selection of all the things he has found unacceptable since his last tour, including why trying to save the environment is a scam, why none of us are truly free, and his suspicion that his wife is using gluten intolerance to avoid sleeping with him.

Romesh’s cynicism has become his trademark, but since being nominated for Best Newcomer at the 2013 Edinburgh Comedy Awards this deadpan humour has become one of Britain’s most respected and popular comics.

Now, though, it’s time for the

Asian Provocateur to return to his stand-up roots for a while – there’s things he needs to point out, discuss and have a good moan about. Care to join him?

Show drops 2019, don’t miss it.

Tickets for Romesh Ranganathan are on sale Fri 28 Sep from 10am and are £26.50.

Tickets 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)

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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

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