NARC. #193 April 2023

BENEFITS

STOCKTON CALLING

NARC. COMPILATION ALBUM #17

NEWCASTLE PUPPETRY FESTIVAL

BILLY NOMATES

AM I ALONE IN THIS?

THU 13–SAT 15 APR

A Northern Stage production, co-created by Young Company Creators, Lindsay Nicholson, Elijah Young and Roma Yagnik

An intimate new play by Young Company Creators that explores all the ways in which the world we are living in can make us feel lonely.

PROTEST

THU 27 APR–SAT 6 MAY

A Northern Stage, Fuel and Imaginate production in association with National Theatre of Scotland

Three girls prepare to stand up for what they believe in despite the injustices stacked against them in this new play exploring what it takes to make a difference, the power of friendship, and the importance of believing in your own voice.

PREVIEWS

4 HIGHLIGHTS

Some of the top events in April

6 APRIL PREVIEWS

Live shows from Big Thief, DMA’s, Larkins, Brooke Combe, Mary Lattimore, Halina Rice, Aldous Harding, Dutch Uncles, Hockey Dad, Unthank:Smith, Ponyland, Steve Mason and more; plus theatre shows Tomatoes Tried To Kill Me But Banjos Saved My Life at various venues, Am I Alone In This and World’s Apart at Northern Stage, Fran Lebowitz at Tyne Theatre & Opera House; comedy courtesy of Jayde Adams, Mike Wozniak and Gearoid Farrelly at The Stand; arty goodness at Biscuit Factory from Olga Prinku and Samson Tudor, Chris Killip at BALTIC, the opening of Farrell Centre for urban design and architecture and Hexham Book Festival returns, plus much more!

32 BENEFITS

Teesside racket makers Benefits are set to release their highly anticipated debut album Nails and Ali Welford catches up with frontman and punk poet Kingsley Hall to discuss the album and the sorry state of the UK.

Sadly, my stint at maintaining the magazine’s quality/sexiness levels whilst Claire is on her hols is over. However, before I disappear from your lives, you still have this gorgeous issue edited and curated by my good self to enjoy.

Although I’m a pretty unremarkable guy, whose highest English qualification was an AS level, I don’t think I’ve done too badly. I’ve tried (all you can ask for) and I’m chuffed with my efforts… And so was Echo 3 in Darlington, (my local coffee shop and stockists of NARC), who asked me to sign a copy, which is now on display in their premises. I felt like such a celebrity, especially with everyone watching and making such a fuss. Now I know how Phil Cool must have felt in the early nineties.

Please don’t worry though. This newfound fame has not gone to my head. The VIP trimmings were nice but what I’ll miss the most about being in charge of the mag is daily dips into the inbox and getting inspired by all the music and culture creators, promoters and enablers out there. You are doing such a fine job of making the North East a vibrant and inspirational place to live. Anyway, I hope you enjoy the April edition, which celebrates its 17th birthday (Yay!) and is repped strongly by my home turf of the Tees Valley. I’m off to my next challenge of running the London Marathon. I’ll see you all around over at my usual home of the NARC. website. David out.

Editor in Chief Claire Dupree info@narcmedia.com

Editor David Saunders

Website

David Saunders narcmagazineonline@gmail.com

Creative El Roboto

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Claire Dupree info@narcmedia.com

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Cover Image

Jason Hynes

Live Photography

Carl Chambers / Tracy Hyman / Adam Kennedy / Victoria Wai

Contributors

Liv Aldridge / Jake Anderson / Tom Astley / Paul Brown / Jonathan Coll / Laura Doyle / Lee Fisher / Mark Grainger / Natalie Greener / Lee Hammond / James Hattersley / Tracy Hyman / Emily Ingram / Gus Ironside / Jason Jones / Adam Kennedy / Ben Lowes-Smith / Robert Nichols / Michael O’Neill / Stephen Oliver / Ikenna Offor / Niamh Poppleton / Kate Relton / Damian Robinson / Mera Royle / Joseph Spence / Steve Spithray / Dominic Stephenson / Dawn Storey / Matthew Taylor / Leigh Venus / Ali Welford / Jennifer Wilson / Maria Winter / Cameron Wright / Matt Young

52

Report from the front row of Nova Twins, The Comet Is Coming, Self Esteem, Shame, Young Fathers, Napalm Death, Weathership, Father John Misty, Suede and more

56 TRACKS

Reviews of local singles and EPs from Simon Taylor, Jen Dixon, Tired of Fighting, Jody Bigfoot & John Dole, Maius Mollis, Marina Josephina, Callum Kewen, Borrelle, Timmy, Reservoirs, Bryan and Mike Hebden

58 DEMOS

Featuring The Beauty Pageant, Lewis Narey, Josh Bell, Kat Candace and Alex Douglas

59 ALBUMS

Featuring Mark James Hammond & The Slender Blind, Rodrigo y Gabriela, Benefits, Xylouris White, The Young’Uns, Braids, Silver Moth, Fruit Bats, Teleman, Daughter, Tim Hecker, Josephine Foster, Petite Noir and more

63 MIXTAPE

Kerrin Tatman from Newcastle Puppetry Festival picks some of their top tunes

Next Issue Out 26th April

PREVIEWS

APRIL’S BASKET OF CULTURAL DELIGHTS FEATURES A SAFE SPACE RAVE, THE KINGS OF AFRICAN METAL, A TALK ABOUT THE HISTORY OF GOTH CULTURE AND LOADS MORE.

MUSIC TUES 11

HARK!

A night of music inspired by stories, poems and art, curated by Tracks. The event takes place at Hash Bar & Kitchen, Darlington and includes performances from songwriters Bridie Jackson, Jay Moussa-Mann and Zarahruth; poet and playwright Bob Beagrie poet; writer and performer Ann Cuthbert and author Lisette Auton.

www.tracksdarlington.co.uk

ART & LIT

MUSIC PANIC SHACK

The Kids Are Solid Gold bring riotous Welsh DIY punk quartet Panic Shack to Cluny 2, Newcastle for a night of brash, witty lyrics and killer hooks dished out via their raw and energetic live show. If you’re looking for a good night out to kickstart your weekend, then www.facebook.com/panicshack

WED 5 HOME-REARING

Artist Lady Kitt and their children Ada and Finn, will be working at The Newbridge Project, Newcastle and inviting people to join them in “Home-rearing”, an 18th-century term for building a barn or dwelling together. There will be drop-in activities, bookable workshops, sound baths, drag performances, talks, chats and parties.

www.thenewbridgeproject.com

COMEDY THURS 6

ALFIE MOORE

Joining the ranks of law-enforcing LOLsters, such as The Laughing Policeman and Tosh from The Bill, is cop-turned-comedian Alfie Moore. His stand-up tour, Fair Cop Unleashed, comes to The Hullabaloo, Darlington and talks about the thrilling ups and downs of being on the front line, including the night a mysterious clown came to town. www.alfiemoore.com

MUSIC

STAGE

SAT 15 BEND&SHAKE

Bend&Shake is a queer party from Sister Shack CIC, with a focus on making the event a safer space for women, non-binary people, trans women and men, asylum seekers and QIPOC. Their Rave Edition at World Headquarters, features eight DJs playing Techno, House, Drum & Bass, Garage, Bassline, Amapiano, Hardcore, Trance, Soul, Funk, Disco, and loads more.

www.sister-shack.com

FRI 7 & SAT 8 NO.9

No.9 is a new theatre show at Northern Stage from Anna Robinson (a UN Women UK delegate). The show is inspired by an actual trauma and follows a survivor’s story after a sexual assault. It uses humour and sparkle to tell the story and to highlight the injustices we’ve come to expect.

www.northernstage.co.uk

COMEDY SAT 15 SUSAN RIDDELL

Sick of looking through social media and seeing how all your friends from school have now grown up to be leading their very best lives? If so, then you’ll head to The Stand, Newcastle to find solace in comedian Susan Riddell’s new show, Living My 2nd Best Life.

www.instagram.com/susanriddellcomedian

COMEDY WED 19 SILLY BILLIES

Cult comedy night Silly Billies returns after a five-year absence to bring a little bit of much-needed daft to our lives. Hosted by radgies Jack & Sam and taking place at The Bridge Hotel, you can expect to see some of the best and strangest alternative comedy acts.

www.feltnowt.co.uk

MUSIC FRI 21

THE LOTTERY WINNERS

For the past few years, Manchester outfit The Lottery Winners have been packing out venues and winning hearts with their upbeat live shows and anthemic indie tunes. They return to ever-welcoming Teesside to perform on the grandiose stage of The Empire, Middlesbrough ahead of their upcoming album Anxiety Replacement Therapy.

www.thelotterywinners.co.uk

MUSIC

ART & LIT FROM FRI 21 ONE AND ANOTHER

One and Another is an exhibition showcasing the work of studio users and artists associated with Northern Print, Newcastle. Feast your eyes on a wide variety of work from artists who use a range of creative processes and media including painting, drawing, collage, photography, bookbinding, ceramics, glass, textiles and jewellery. www.northernprint.org.uk

MUSIC WED 26

UNIQUE LEGION TOUR

If you want to feel like Spring has sprung then get yourself down to an invigorating night of alt sounds at Anarchy Brew Co, Newcastle. The bill features kings of African metal Vulvodynia (don’t Google it), Pennsylvania deathcore outfit The Last Ten Seconds Of Life, purveyors of ‘ungodly heavy’ sounds Bound In Fear and Madrid’s brutal death metal/slam purveyors Bonecarver. Lush. www.vulvodyniaband.com

MUSIC

MUSIC

FRI 21

TVAM

Curators of all that’s great and good/ weird and wonderful in the music world, aka Wandering Oak, bring the dark, expansive sounds of TVAM to Star & Shadow Cinema, Newcastle. Perfect for those who like haunting vox and cinematic/shoegazey sonics with elements of Suicide, Depeche Mode and My Bloody Valentine. www.t-v-a-m.bandcamp.com

THURS 27 TELEMAN

Indie pop band Teleman head to the Sage Gateshead off the back of their fourth album Good Time / Hard Time. Their latest offering has been dubbed their most dancefloor-friendly record to date, so limber up for a night of shape-making. Support comes from Swedish duo 7ebra.

www.telemanmusic.com

FRI 28

AMELIA COBURN

BBC Folk awards finalist and English Folk Expo mentor Amelia Coburn brings her gothic-folk style of melodic storytelling and expert ukulele skills to Arts Centre Washington. Expect to hear all the usual faves and, with a debut studio album set for release later in the year, some shiny new tracks too.

www.ameliacoburn.co.uk

ART & LIT FRI 28

JOHN ROBB

Music journalist John Robb drops by The Cumberland Arms, Newcastle to discuss his new book The Art Of Darkness – The History Of Goth, which examines the music, style and the political and social conditions that spawned goth culture throughout the ages. The event also includes a live performance from Ghost//Signals.

www.twitter.com/johnrobb77

MUSIC FRI 28

FUTURE PROOF

KU Promotions and The Kids Are Solid Gold team up for an action-packed post-Easter live music extravaganza featuring six acts across KU and The Social Room, Stockton. Enjoy headliners Hebden Bridge’s Pale Blue Eyes and Oxford’s South Arcade alongside Low Girl, Slaney Bay, Eades and Adult DVD.

www.kustockton.co.uk

MUSIC STEVE MASON @ POP RECS LTD

Words: Kate Relton

Prolific singer, songwriter and producer Steve Mason celebrates his latest album with a Spring tour. Performing tracks from the 2023 release, Brothers & Sisters, Mason brings his

unique blend of styles to the stage at Pop Recs on 28th April.

Hailing from Edinburgh, Mason began his career in 1996 as a member of The Beta Band, rising to fame and notoriety until they disbanded in 2004 when he set out to establish his solo career.

Known for drawing inspiration from a multitude of genres and exploring deeply personal emotions, Brothers & Sisters has been touted as Mason’s most open and honest record to date. As he explains, it was an outlet for all his

rage and frustration at our political leaders.

“To me, this record is a massive ‘**** you’ to Brexit, and a giant ‘**** you’ to anyone that is terrified of immigration because there is nothing that immigration has brought to this country that isn’t to be applauded. Can you imagine what this place would be like without that? I mean what would it be like? Cornish pasties and Morris dancing?”

Steve Mason performs at Pop Recs Ltd on Friday 28th April.

www.stevemasontheartist.com

MUSIC MARY LATTIMORE @ STAR & SHADOW CINEMA

Words: Ali Welford

Mary Lattimore’s show at Gosforth Civic Theatre last June was an entrancing spectacle, an exhibit of delectable celestial splendour which left all present yearning for more…

Fortunately, the L.A. harpist’s return has come

sooner than we could possibly have hoped for, with another visit to Newcastle – this time the Star and Shadow Cinema – booked for Sunday 16th April. For fans old and new, the date presents a fresh opportunity to fall head over heels into Lattimore’s spellbinding world, woven through fragile, shimmering mastery of her instrument atop a bed of subtle, supplementary electronics. This delicate craft has culminated in serene collections such as Hundreds of Days (2018) and Silver Ladders (2020) – records which have established her as a stellar, envelope-pushing artist in her own right, having previously made her name collaborating with the likes of Sharon Van Etten, Thurston Moore and Kurt Vile.

A natural choice as support, local multiinstrumentalist Faye MacCalman offers her own line in transcendent soundplay. Predictably unpredictable, the Archipelago leader’s immersive patchworks of sax, clarinet, synth and voice are moulded into mind-bending experimental forms – soon to be granted their own platform on her in-the-works solo debut. Grab a bev, ease your mind, and allow these two superlative artists to transport it somewhere else entirely…

Mary Lattimore takes to the stage at Star & Shadow Cinema, Newcastle on Sunday 16th April.

www.marylattimoreharpist.bandcamp.com

28 April, 7:30pm

MUSIC GOAT @ BOILER SHOP

Words: Matt Young

Roaring like a stampede of fused funk, hard riffs and afrobeat the mystic mood of Sweden’s GOAT always attempts to entrance you under their spell. Their mystic performances, masks, veils, sixties psychedelia, mantras, chants and extended musical jams, around venues worldwide are the stuff of musical legend. Tonight, the Boiler Room will bear witness to their maximalist sonic rituals so attendees unfamiliar with the band live should be prepared to have their minds blown and expectations exploded. These pranksters, sages or demons dive headfirst into their performances, possessing all the energy of a sack of brawling jackals, albeit ones that can pound drums, mash heavy bass riffs and thrill with jazz prog dexterity in equal measure – sometimes all at once. Whilst their immediate and often siren-sweet, sung-spoken vocals leap around, washing all over their wandering musical score. GOAT are unique and ostentatious. Offering, in what could be a monotone indie musical scene, brightly sparkling illumination - enlightening you could say – definitely more than enough to drag you from any midweek slump, and then some! It’s worth noting that whilst this show is 14+, under 16s must be accompanied by someone aged 18 or over.

See Goat perform at Boiler Shop, Newcastle on Wednesday 19th April.

ART & LIT OLGA PRINKU @ THE BISCUIT FACTORY

Words: Jennifer Wilson

There are many different levels in the art of embroidery. For example, you could be bottom tier like me, who during lockdown would vaguely attempt to sew random words on a hoop with a basic kit from Etsy. Then there are those on the very top tier like Olga Prinku, an artist based in North Yorkshire who created the concept of flowers on tulle embroidery and even published a book on the method, Dried Flower Embroidery: An Introduction To The Art Of Flowers On Tulle, in 2021. Olga has had her art displayed in various exhibitions and media, including on Channel 4. Olga’s website is as expected, absolutely beautiful. The line ‘Nature as my thread’ headlines her work, from large breath-taking tapestries of flowers inspired by her Moldovan heritage to elevated household objects that include an actual ‘dandelion clock – you really do have to see this one!

How fortunate we are then, that Olga has a solo exhibition coming to The Biscuit Factory in Newcastle with some of her displayed works available to purchase. As an added bonus Olga is also running a ‘Flowers on Tulle - Typography Hoop Workshop’ where you can make your own hoop with a letter of your choice and perhaps there will be a chance to absorb just a tiny seed of Olga’s talent.

Olga Prinku comes to The Biscuit Factory on Saturday 1st April www.prinku.com

STAGE FRAN LEBOWITZ @ TYNE THEATRE & OPERA HOUSE

Words: Cameron Wright

“My editor will say that the paralysis I have about writing is caused by an excessive reverence for the written word, and I think that’s probably true.” This reverence may explain the decades between each novel written by Fran Lebowitz, but also the quality of each one. A name much bigger than the one printed down the spine of her books, Lebowitz is synonymous with New York. The icon has grown into an entity that embodies a bygone era, a brazen beacon for the individual, the stubborn and the unique.

Unapologetically honest, the national hero has been regaling anecdotes and writing her wry, sardonic commentary since the seventies, brushing shoulders with the biggest names of each generation. Never one to shy away from conflict, Lebowitz’s golden voice has narrated issues of feminism, racism, art and gentrification - as each minefield is disarmed with biting earnestness.

Pretend It’s a City, her Netflix series, sees Lebowitz and Martin Scorsese sit down and discuss their home city, warts and all. It is the perfect demonstration of the charm and mystique that defines her.

On Monday 17th April, this violently opinionated voice of cool arrives in Newcastle for one night only to discuss everything from animals to gender.

Catch Fran Lebowitz at Tyne Theatre & Opera House, Newcastle on Monday 17th April. www.franlebowitz.com

MUSIC LARKINS @ WORLD HEADQUARTERS

Words: Cameron Wright

One of Manchester’s mainstays, Larkins are back.

The band have been workshopping their brand and fine-tuning their tracks with an obvious eagle eye on stardom. With choruses

manufactured for arenas and hooks made to be earworms, Larkins are hellbent on taking over. With a sound merging inside troupes with huge synth sonics, the band have an abrasive series of hits that want to be played loud in front of a crowd. Mixing the sounds of all their indie predecessors with an influence from electronic artists like Bon Iver, Larkins are slowly finding a sound that is their own. With a new release on the horizon, the next step in the Larkin takeover is impending.

With easily accessible and memorable choruses, the Larkins may not be the most

A Theatre for Everyone

interesting band on the circuit but they are the one making the most noise, and that’s always counted for something.

After the latest single, Pretty Boy Club the new album is set to be full of the same hit sounds that have built the Larkin reputation. To see the band in person and be part of the screaming hoards, ensure your tickets to their latest Newcastle venture on 26th April.

Catch Larkins at World Headquarters, Newcastle on Wednesday 26th April. www.larkinsband.com

STAGE WORLDS APART @ NORTHERN STAGE

Words: Jennifer Wilson

We cannot really think about the pandemic without remembering the tragedies that occurred in care homes across the country and how the cost-of-living crisis is hitting those who care for loved ones at home, harder than most. Most of us have had some exposure to the care system, perhaps visiting

a grandparent in a residential home, maybe we work as a care worker or have a friend who cares for their partner or family member at home. It is something we will all have to think about eventually.

Woven Nest Theatre have produced Worlds Apart, a funny, raw, and truthful show that highlights the realities facing carers and those they care for. The show welcomes audiences into the heart of one Seaburn family that includes three generations of women (thirteen-year-old gamer Esmee, her eccentric Gran and her Mam) who grapple with what care looks and feels like.

The project has been a lengthy collaboration

that involved workshops, Writers Who Care, unpaid carers and those living in residential care. As part of the project, there has been a focus on providing opportunities for young people in the local area including disabled people and young carers.

Worlds Apart shares an important intergenerational story of hope, laughter and love, which sounds like something we could all do with right now.

Worlds Apart is showing at Northern Stage, Newcastle from Thursday 20th to Saturday 22nd April.

www.wovennesttheatre.co.uk

ART & LIT

SAMSON TUDOR @ THE BISCUIT FACTORY

Words: Matt Young

This month The Biscuit Factory welcomes painter Samson Tudor’s new solo exhibition of original canvases, drawings and mixed media artworks. Known for his exploration of socio-political themes in his work Tudor has framed this exhibition around the notion of ‘the world as stage’. Inhabited by various themes, allegories and portents of the theatre his large-scale scenes evoke a world of carnivalesque characters, self-portraits and ciphers that investigate the world’s melancholic underbelly.

In these divisive and difficult times, it’s apt that this exhibition comments on the state of human existence. The difficulties and struggles. Constructing visual narratives where the viewer can see themselves and others represented and reflected back. Myths are exposed, egos pricked and poked at for fun and whilst there’s plenty to recognise in

our own lives Tudor’s work also stands as his own singular imagination. Directed like actors, performing their roles and fitted into place. His compositions are dense with detail and action. Faces worn down and fatigued, simultaneously grotesque and recognisable. Abstract and figurative like a more expressive modern counterpart to the North-East’s own Norman Cornish in its depiction of working life and the working classes but Tudor bathes his own work in more surreal, imaginative settings.

Samson Tudor’s exhibition opens at The Biscuit Factory on Friday 28th April www.samsontudor.com

COMEDY GEARÓID FARRELLY @ THE STAND

Words: Jake Anderson

Since reaching the final in the prestigious So You Think You’re Funny? competition at the Edinburgh Festival and winning the Bulmers Nuthin Butt Funny Newcomer competition at

the Bulmers festival in Dublin comedian Gearóid Farrelly has gone on to make a load of TV appearances (including Dave’s One Night Stand), he’s supported comedy legend Joan Rivers as well as Sarah Millican and Patton Oswalt, and he hosts the popular nineties pop culture podcast, Fascinated

In his latest show, Glamour Hammer, Gearóid promises to “take a look at the litany of things in our lives that just don’t measure up” and the two-hour-long set will feature commentary on relationships, masculinity, and mental health. Although by the sounds of it, more of his focus will be on his self-described ‘ordinary’ looking cat, and country pop singer Shaina Twain – a name that most of us probably haven’t heard for a good while (unless you are an Orville Peck fan that is). Regardless of what’s being discussed, Ireland’s finest will have you bad laughing with his snappy delivery and warm, witty personality when he performs at Newcastle’s The Stand on Thursday 13th April.

Gearóid Farrelly performs at The Stand, Newcastle on Thursday 13th April.

www.gearoidfarrelly.com

MUSIC BROOKE COMBE @ THE CLUNY

Words: Cameron Wright

It was maybe a year ago I first discovered Brooke Combe. The artist was already making waves in the industry, supporting Miles Kane and appearing regularly on festival lineups. In the short slither of time since then, Combe has now been sighted as a “future megastar” and has dropped a litany of rich, textured singles that justify these claims.

With the latest singles diving into her black heritage, the Scottish songwriter has a sound rooted in the new-wave and neo-soul tracks that raised her. Silky vocals lament over themes of identity and purpose as each single shows the performer grow, mature and understand in a way that exceeds her 23 years.

Black is the New Gold is the latest track and easily Combe’s most raw contribution to date. The song is a drum-driven exploration of race and oppression, battling these taboos head-on

with profound honesty. With these startlingly open, accessible and affecting tracks pouring out of the songwriter, it seems unavoidable that she will inevitably stumble into the spotlight soon. Yet to release her debut record, Brooke Combe is primed perfectly for her time. Tickets for her April visit to The Cluny shouldn’t be ignored, they won’t last long.

Brooke Combe stops by The Cluny, Newcastle on Thursday 27th April.

www.instagram.com/brookecombe

MUSIC DMA’S @ MIDDLESBROUGH TOWN HALL

Words: Cameron Wright

How Many Dreams is the new record from Australia’s beloved DMA’s.

Breaking into the scene with their debut, the parallels between their sound and the 90s Madchester movement were inescapable.

Automatically adopted as honorary members of the British indie scene, DMA’s appeased their fans with dirty guitars flying over simple chords and driving drum grooves, before erupting into gigantic choruses. They captured something nostalgic and something that felt genuinely important to a sense of the British identity.

With each release, the trio would spread their wings further and find themselves in new territory. 2020’s The Glow was an equally nostalgic romp, but this time it was through the overwhelming decadence of the 90s dance scene. All the hallmarks of a DMA’s record were there, the love, the choruses and the excitement, only now they had these huge dance scores behind them.

Album number four sees a marriage of each experiment from the DMA’s, capturing it all. To promote this release, the band have announced a string of intimate gigs that sees them arriving at Middlesbrough Town Hall on 15th April. Expect an exciting, high-energy performance.

DMA’s head to Middlesbrough Town Hall on Saturday 15th April www.dmasdmas.com

MUSIC ZURKAS TEPLA / JOHN WIESE @ THE AUXILIARY

Words: David Saunders

Thanks to some Arts Council funding, independent cassette label Industrial Coast will be bringing a programme of sound exploration to Middlesbrough. This curated selection of experimental/electronic artists kicks off at The Auxiliary with Zurkas Tepla on Monday 17th April and John Wiese on Tuesday

25th April.

Moscow producer Zurkas Tepla is an intriguing and highly creative musician. His unsettling sounds, which at times have moments of real beauty in them, are adorned with spurtive synths (that go from subtle to cinematic) and are presented in rich, rusty and roomy ambience. They’re playful but a bit manic, like a drunk man who is being overly friendly to you in a strange bar. And with titles such as Fight. Policeman Will Kill Me Tomorrow and Barkling Mouth, Sleeping Tongue, Moaning C**t you are always on edge. But that’s a good thing, right? John Wiese is one of the most consistent &

compelling composers, improvisers and sound artists of the US noise scene. He is a prolific artist who works with abstract electronics, abrasive textures and radically experimental editing to produce challenging output with long-running projects such as Sissy Spacek and LHD, as well as various collaborations with other groundbreaking artists. This will be a rare solo performance and should not be missed.

Catch Zurkas Tepla on Monday 17th April and John Wiese on Tuesday 25th April at The Auxiliary, Middlesbrough.

www.industrialcoast.bigcartel.com

MUSIC

BLACK HONEY

@ NEWCASTLE UNIVERSITY STUDENT UNION

Words: Jake Anderson

Brighton’s music scene is a thriving one, with the coastal city’s upbeat and high-tempo output making waves (seaside joke there) throughout the rest of the UK.

The band that has stood out amongst the rest for their all-out indie rock attack is Black Honey. The band are constantly trying new approaches to their sound, with their 2021 sophomore album Written and Directed being closer to a film score over an indie rock record.

Frontwoman Izzy Bee Phillips’ lyrics are relatable, as she talks of her struggles navigating her way through youth and desperately trying to make sense of the world, the band’s raw, on-the-edge sound is captivating and movement inducing, and live, they are a force to be reckoned with. Black Honey are the complete package, which is why

they’ve been on top for nearly a decade now. The quartet released their newest album last month, titled A Fistful of Peaches, which draws score-based elements from their previous LP, but places a heavier emphasis on making pop songs – such as the catchy Out of My Mind which features a gorgeous, crescendoing bridge.

The band are set to perform at Newcastle University Students Union on Wednesday 5th April. Supporting on the night comes from Londoners, Bad Nerves, a power-pop band that blast out noisy and ferocious anthems. Catch Black Honey at Newcastle University Student Union on Wednesday 5th April. www.blackhoneyuk.co.uk

STAGE AM I ALONE IN THIS? @ NORTHERN STAGE

Words: David Saunders

After decades of technology claiming to bring the planet closer together, we now feel lonelier than ever. Immediate communities are being replaced with the whole world and in this vast sea of voices and opinions, we lack meaningful

support and struggle to be listened to. Our 24/7 consumer-based society means that there’s little investment in products, services and relationships. Information is at our fingertips whenever we need this, yet it’s often manipulated to suit narratives at the expense of factual accuracy. Sounds dystopian, but then this is where we are.

Reflecting on the world we live in are Northern Stage’s Young Company Creators who present their new production Am I Alone In This? This intimate play looks at how people are doing what it takes to make themselves heard, how they find comfort in denial in order to cope, make rash decisions to regain control and go to parties to convince themselves they’re part of something. Basically, as a society, we do anything to ask questions about our solitary existence.

‘Am I Alone In This?’ is an essential question in the pursuit of our happiness and well-being. You might not get the answer after an hour at Northern Stage, but it’s an important start.

Am I Alone In This? Takes place at Northern Stage, Newcastle from Thursday 13th April to Saturday 15th April.

www.northernstage.co.uk

MUSIC GRACE PETTIS @ THE OLD CINEMA LAUNDERETTE

Words: Maria Winter

On Thursday 27th April, get ready for a kick-ass night of female empowerment and musical magic, as Grace Pettis performs her new debut album Working Woman at Durham’s Old Cinema Launderette. Comprised of an all-female/non-binary band and production/ creative team, this album is bursting with talent and imagination.

The award-winning singer/songwriter takes musical influence from the vibrant Southern Sounds of the ‘Deep South’ – specifically Atlanta, Georgia and Mentone, Alabama where she grew up. Having written songs since the age of 5, Grace has always expressed herself musically with constant support from her parents, a travelling songwriter (Pierce Pettis) and poetry scholar (Dr. Margaret Mills Harper).

With mesmerising vocals and intricate musicianship, Grace’s new album perfectly

showcases her skills.

Working Woman highlights the majestic female influence, with lyricism imagined through her own feelings and experiences. Featuring elements of folk, soul and country rock, the entire album will keep you hooked. It’s safe to say, this is a night you won’t want to miss. Grace Pettis performs at The Old Cinema Launderette, Durham on Thursday 27th April. www.gracepettis.com

ART & LIT HEXHAM BOOK FESTIVAL @ VARIOUS VENUES

Words: Mera Royale

The art world is setting its arms wide for the return of Hexham Book Festival, the North East’s most-loved literary celebration this April. Having squeezed through an array of COVID-related obstacles over the last three years, it’s finally back to its pandemic-free groove, with talks from authors, poets, journalists and other literary gurus set to

educate and inspire.

Highlights include an appearance from Anne Cleeves, who will be giving a talk on her new novel in the hugely acclaimed Vera series, as well as a spine-tingling show by crime writing expert, Alexander McCall Smith. With the current financial climate on mind, gain new much-needed insights into personal finance with Paul Lewis, from Radio 4’s Money Box, who will be sharing his 40 years of knowledge on better saving strategies. The festival also offers creative opportunities for children through its sister event, Storyland, with workshops, interactive novels and talks with local stars, such as Julian Norton from The Yorkshire Vet, to instil younguns with an abundance of new ideas, understandings and fun. A terrific line-up, this festival is a bright and beautiful colour to add to your calendar, with book-ets (see what I did there?) of exciting things to watch out for!

The Hexham Book Festival takes place at Queen’s Hall and Hexham Abbey from Friday 21st to Sunday 30th April.

www.hexhambookfestival.co.uk

MUSIC HALINA RICE @ THE CLUNY

Words: David Saunders

Modern life can be a bit drab at times. Work, chores, responsibility, acting like an adult and various other bleurgh things that I can’t be bothered to list, can leave you feeling a little stagnant and uninspired. Thankfully, electronic music producer, Halina Rice is coming to The Cluny, Newcastle on Wednesday 5th April to reinvigorate your senses, refire the synapses and make you feel alive again

The show follows the release of Halina’s new album ELISION, which was released in 2022 on Injazero Records. Based on the preview videos I’ve seen, it looks cool-AF and is described as “part rave, part art-happening” (take my money now). Her music uses multiple effects and sampling to unite elements of ambient, electronic, percussive and bass music. These soundscapes are paired with mixed reality visuals and an awesome light show (including strobes) to

create something immersive, evocative and wonderful that will finally get those hips grinding.

With previous performances at Abbey Road Studios and Sonica Arts Festival, plus a string of sold-out headline shows in London, Bristol, Brighton and Earth Hackney, this will be a rare opportunity to catch a unique audio-visual performance and bring a little sparkle back to those eyes.

Halina Rice stops by The Cluny, Newcastle on Thursday 6th April.

www.halinarice.com

STAGE ROCKY HORROR PICTURE SHOW @ STOCKTON GLOBE

Words: Laura Doyle Richard O’Brien’s shock ‘n’ roll musical was always going to achieve cult status, but what’s more impressive is achieving the title of longest-running contemporary musical, having

toured almost non-stop since its premiere all the way back in 1973.

A few mathematical minds may already have done the working out, but that makes this year the 50th celebration of the iconic show. Perhaps the secret to its longevity isn’t just in its classic rock-inspired numbers that somehow made their way onto primary school disco playlists before any of us were really old enough to appreciate the rampant adult themes, or even in the breathtaking performances of Tim Curry & Co. in the feature film adaptation. No, I’d argue it’s in the audience participation elements that have become a mainstay of any production, be it in its homeland of the UK, or in an entirely different hemisphere on one of its numerous world tours. So bag a ticket, dust off your character costume of choice, and make sure you have a decent pair of fishnets (because they always seem to develop fresh holes when your back is turned) because it’s time to (you guessed it)... do the time warp again!

Rocky Horror Picture Show takes place at The Globe, Stockton from Monday 24th April to Saturday 29th April.

www.stocktonglobe.co.uk

COMEDY SIMON BRODKIN @ THE WITHAM

Words: Cameron Wright

Just because you may not be familiar with Simon Brodkin’s name does not mean you don’t know his work. Having sold out huge venues under his infamous alias, Lee Nelson, Brodkin’s writing spoke to a new generation

and cultivated an avid fanbase that latched on to the character’s spin on politics and current affairs.

This acute awareness of the surrounding world and a keen grasp on the millennial mindset has led Brodkin to a wildly successful career on TikTok, again touching on modern, relevant stories with a sharp penchant for seeing the insanity in everything happening right now.

His latest tour Screwed Up is a reflection on the last few years and accepting that we have all, collectively screwed up. Following on from

his sold-out Edinburgh Fringe run, the heated comic is unafraid to speak his mind - with the tour tearing into the craziness of the police, Prince Andrew, Putin, celebrity culture, social media and Jesus Christ - nobody is safe…. And that includes himself, as the show also sees him talk about his family, his career and his role in all this madness.

Simon Brodkin makes his way to The Witham, Barnard Castle on Saturday 29th April.

www.simonbrodkin.com

MUSIC

PETROL GIRLS/ONSIND /IRKED @ POP RECS/ THE LUBBER FIEND

Words: Lee Fisher

The Lubber Fiend announced a gig some time ago that saw the magnificent Petrol Girls make a rare visit to the North East, supported by an equally rare appearance from ONSIND, the gig being a benefit to raise founds for Abolish Detention – Hassockfield and Kill The Bill Prisoner Support Fund. It sold out so

quickly that a second gig in aid of the same campaigns was announced for the night before at Sunderland’s Pop Recs with ONSIND this time supported by Irked (and some secret special guests).

Petrol Girls first got noticed by most of us when they released the stunning feminist anthem Touch Me Again back in 2016 and have weathered a few storms (including losing members) and have since relocated to Austria, but the band – and frontperson Ren Aldridge in particular – have maintained a steady release schedule and some excellent activist activity, and it’s no surprise that their visit to Newcastle is for such an important cause. ONSIND (One Night Stand In North Dakota)

hail from County Durham, include three quarters of punk pop heroes Martha and rarely play these days, so to find them on stage two nights running is a rare treat. Support for the Pop Recs show is Irked, the fairly new Newcastle-based supergroup including members of Blöm, Weekend Faithful and lots of other bands. And the aforementioned secret special guests. I wonder…

ONSIND and Irked play Pop Recs, Sunderland on Wednesday 5th April, Petrol Girls and ONSIND play The Lubber Fiend, Newcastle on Thursday 6th April

www.petrolgirls.com

MUSIC

GAZ COOMBES @ BOILER SHOP

Words: Leigh Venus

Gaz Coombes, former frontman of Supergrass, released his fourth solo album, Turn The Car Around in January, the final part of a trilogy that began with Coombes’ 2015 LP Matador and continued with 2018’s World’s Strongest Man.

Not one for trying to recapture the lightning-in-a-bottle Britpop majesty of Supergrass, Coombes’ work still positively throbs with the intoxicating spirit of the group, notably a favourite of late Foo Fighters drummer Taylor Hawkins and still the record holders for best-selling debut album for record label Parlophone since Please Please Me by little-known scouse rockers The Beatles.

On his way back to Newcastle for a Boiler Shop show, the Oxford-born musician arrives with his pump truly primed with the strongest,

most intoxicating music he has put together in near-two decades, with heartfelt pieces dedicated to his family sitting alongside gorgeous meanderings about lizards and murdered boxers.

Since the new album dropped, Coombes has received one warm welcome after another at a series of in-store gigs. Now in the midst of a headline UK, Ireland and European tour, Coombes has his hands full right through to the end of August when he delivers a final show in France at three-day rock music festival Rock en Seine.

Catch Gaz Coombes at Boiler Shop, Newcastle on Tuesday 18th April.

www.gazcoombes.com

MUSIC PONYLAND @ STAR & SHADOW CINEMA

Words: Kate Relton

Local promoters, Wandering Oak presents the riotous and dynamic Ponyland at Star &

Shadow, Newcastle on Saturday 15th April. The night promises to deliver the masked musical mob’s signature combination of raw energy and addictive beats to keep you dancing throughout the night.

A kaleidoscope of influences from samba reggae to Afro-beat and jazz, Ponyland’s unique blend of musical influences is the tonic we all need in difficult times. Starting life in Newcastle, the seven-piece is made up of some of the North East’s most respected jazz musicians, including John Pope (bass), Faye McCalman (saxophone), Frankie O’Keeffe (vocals), Jordie Cooke (guitar), Geoff Bartholomew (trumpet), Adam Stapleford and Dave McKeague (drums).

Supported Ponyland is brass party band Dilutey Juice, who take inspiration from a plethora of influences, from the fast hypnotic rhythms of Afro-beat to the intense euphoria of 90’s dance music.

Ponyland are on at Star & Shadow Cinema, Newcastle on Saturday 15th April.

www.facebook.com/ponylandband

ART & LIT

A JOURNEY WITH FABRIC @ VANE

Words: Maria Winter

Originally from Ghana and now based in Sunderland, Anthony Amoako-Attah is a talented glass artist who manipulates glass to look like woven fabric. He concentrates on social, political, and cultural issues that intertwine with integration, migration, dislocation and personal identity through the use of Ghanaian traditional Adinkra symbols and Kente fabric patterns.

Having obtained an MA (glass) in 2016, Anthony is currently a PhD student in Art and Design (glass and ceramics) at the University of Sunderland. The accomplished artist was also awarded Winner in the Aspiring Glass Artists 2020 category in Warm Glass UK’s The Glass Prize. With his fascinating culture firmly embedded at the heart of every piece of artwork, Anthony will take his audience on an

eye-opening exploration of exceptional finesse at the Vane gallery space located in Gateshead town centre.

If you are curious and fancy embarking on an intricate journey with fabric, then keep an eye out for this wonderful exhibition.

A Journey With Fabric exhibits at Vane, Gateshead from Thursday 20th April to Saturday 13th May. www.vane.org.uk

MUSIC OBJECTIONS @ THE CUMBERLAND ARMS

Words: Lee Fisher

All the best musical ventures these days seem to be amateur ventures, run out of back rooms and garages by office workers and postmen. So it is with Endless Window, who are bringing us another killer line-up. And so it is with Wrong Speed Records, surely now one of the most essential labels in the country, giving us the

good stuff on strictly DIY principles. This gig is Objections’ first trip to Newcastle but this ridiculously impressive trio have been here before in other incarnations. Formed in Leeds during The Awfulness, they are Joe and Neil from the now on-hiatus Bilge Pump and Claire from Nape Neck and they were always going to appeal to people who know about these things. So far there’s just been the one - immediately sold out - single on Wrong Speed, two sides of bass-driven, gloriously noisy post-everything greatness. And as excellent as that record is, the shows are even better.

Endless Window don’t mess around though, so you’ll also get Tyneside supergroup Irked (featuring members of all those other bands you like) and newcomers Pink Poison who threaten ‘absurd garage rock’ (Is there any other kind?).

Endless Windows presents Objections, with support from Irked and Pink Poison, at The Cumberland Arms, Newcastle on Friday 21st April. www.facebook.com/bbjectionstheband

MUSIC ME LOST ME, CEITIDH MAC, HEATHER FERRIER @ BOBIK’S

Words: Ali Welford

Why, you may ask, are Jazz North East promoting a showcase of the very best our region’s alt-folk scene has to offer? The answer is what makes each of Me Lost Me, Ceitidh Mac and Heather Ferrier so compelling in the first place - their commitment to probe and break beyond genre norms; a contemporary, exploratory philosophy not dissimilar from the acts you’d typically hear at a JNE show. They’re not jazz per se, yet this kindred spirit will be evident over the Easter weekend, as the trio share a bill at Newcastle’s Bobik’s on Saturday 8th April.

For Jayne Dent, this headliner is a de facto preview of upcoming Me Lost Me record RPG – an advancement in sonic design where electronic experiments are supplemented with dabblings in improv, folk choirs and plenty more besides. Album contributors Faye MacCalman (clarinet) and John Pope (bass) will be present and correct here, while Ceitidh Mac

will take to the stage as a duo with regular collaborator Will Hammond, primed with enchanting cello-led gems being honed during her stint as Artist in Residence at Sage Gateshead. Kickstarting proceedings, accordionist Heather Ferrier’s exuberant compositions have the range to thrill audiences both traditional and contemporary, whether she’s with her new trio or – as is the case here – performing solo. Jazz nut or otherwise, this is a triple-header you’ll not want to miss! Me Lost Me, Ceitidh Mac, and Heather Ferrier perform at Bobik’s, Newcastle on Saturday 8th April www.facebook.com/jazznortheast

STAGE MODEL BEHAVIOUR & TUESDAY @ THE FIRE STATION

Words: Laura Doyle

What’s better than one theatrical performance? Two theatrical performances! The National Theatre Connections Festival is back, pairing the nation’s greatest writers with youth theatres to develop plays to be performed across the

country.

One of Sunderland’s newest venues The Fire Station plays host to not one, but two such productions for an evening of new talent and fresh content as staged by the next generation of theatre-makers. Education forms the basis of these pieces’ settings. The first half features Model Behaviour, a fast-paced comedic romp through the chaos that is playground politics - literally. Because what else would happen when the high-achieving Ronni gets to play delegate in her class’ Model UN activity during her politics class? Sometimes we get the biggest reality checks when we’re playing make-believe.

After an interval (and I hope some essential interval ice cream) comes Tuesday. Worlds collide (literally) when a tear in the fabric of the universe(s) appears above the schoolyard on one seemingly normal Tuesday. With populations of this world and the other intermingling without their consent, the race is on to try and mend the rip and get everyone back home - hopefully before the school bell rings.

National Theatre Connections Festival takes place at The Fire Station, Sunderland on Saturday 1st April.

www.sunderlandculture.org.uk

COMEDY JAYDE ADAMS @ THE STAND/GALA THEATRE

Words Cameron Wright

Between co-hosting Snackmasters, Netflix’s Crazy Delicious and staring in Neil Gainman’s Good Omens (not to mention the humongous roster of panel shows and TV appearances

she’s made), it is easy to establish Jayde Adams as a TV presence working her way to the top of the ladder. With a powerful resume, the comedian is a TV favourite, especially since her recent residency on Strictly Come Dancing. Making her way back to the stage, Jayde Adam’s undeniable presence is a sight to behold. Her newest tour, Men, I Can Save You, is a hilarious plea to men, as Jayde guides them hand in hand to a better place. Deliberately preachy, self-aware and honest,

the special is a very tongue-in-cheek response to the changing of the times. While podcast aficionados may know her iconic episode on Offmenu, and TV fans may be more familiar with her Hypothetical features, anyone who has seen her work can attest that Jayde Adams is as commanding a presence as she is a chaotic one.

Jayde Adams performs at The Stand, Newcastle on Tuesday 25th April and Gala Theatre, Durham on Saturday 13th May. www.jaydeadams.com

BRANDING VISUAL

DIGITAL

MUSIC HOCKEY DAD @ THE CLUNY 2

Words: Cameron Wright

There’s something special about a band consisting entirely of two musicians. The simplicity of the dynamic sets up such a pristine canvas to explore, while providing something palpably raw, unvarnished and oozing with personality.

It’s this rootsy nature that propelled The White Stripes to mountainous heights, as their simple songs reimagined rock music. The same setup launched indie giants such as The Black Keys, Slaves or Royal Blood. There’s something about pounding drums and bold, liberated vocals paired with a powerful guitar that manages to punch with such a guttural impact, it’s near impossible not to be moved. Rudimentary foundations should not be mistaken for a lack of vision, as these very limitations constantly inspire new ways to change and evolve a distinct sound. Is it then any wonder that Australian duo Dad Hockey

have created a back catalogue of phenomenally free, engaging tracks throughout their career. The band aren’t strictly punk, indie or surf rock but they certainly contain a mindset combining all three. At its core, the sound is as optimistic, adventurous and liberating as it can be, begging to soundtrack a new generation of coming of age movies. Hockey Dad perform at The Cluny 2, Newcastle on Thursday 20th April. www.hockeydadband.com

STAGE

FAR FROM HOME @ DANCE CITY

Words: Laura Doyle

Pet peeves: loud chewers, conversation interrupters, and people who simply cannot grasp the plight of the migrant seeking a better life for themselves or their family. Newsflash: no one wants to have their entire lives turned topsy-turvy as a result of political and/or social upheaval that leaves their

beloved home decimated. Even those who migrate because of a desire to explore the wide world do so at tremendous personal cost, potentially leaving behind loved ones and loved places to see what opportunities new turf has to offer. So let’s have a little bit of sympathy for these brave souls, shall we? Some things can’t be fully expressed with words alone, which is where Far From Home comes in. London-based, internationally renowned dance company Alleyne Dance explores the at-times touchy topic of immigration in this new production. Featuring six professional dance artists backed by a host of non-professional movers cast from the local community, this contemporary dance production embodies the hardships and triumphs of migrant families as they seek out safety in a new community. What’s more, this medium translates emotions across language and cultural barriers, making it a truly universal experience for a global audience. Far From Home takes place at Dance City, Newcastle on Friday 28th April.

www.dancecity.co.uk

MUSIC HEIR @ BOBIK’S

Words: Kate Relton

To showcase tracks from their recently released and warmly-received EP, Oh America, infectious yacht-pop band Heir stop by Bobik’s, Newcastle on the penultimate leg of their UK headline tour.

Born and raised in Leeds, the five-piece band’s unique rhythms, striking vocal harmonies and hook-filled eighties/Americana sound have gained a loyal following, including radio play from BBC Introducing to Jo Whiley, who played their track ‘If You Sell The Piano’ on her BBC Radio 2 show earlier this year. Live, you can expect an engaging, dance-filled event with a euphonic, venue-filling sound. The night will be made even more melodious courtesy of support artists Leed’s indie-folk

duo, Sunflower Thieves and Teesside’s funky soulsters, Moon Wax.

Heir perform at Bobik’s, Newcastle on Saturday 29th April. www.heirtheband.com

MUSIC NORTHERN TAPE 2023 @ THE CUMBERLAND ARMS

Words: Emily Ingram Cassette enthusiasts rejoice! Northern Tape, the independent label that specialises in all things collaborative, celebrates it’s latest spilt release (featuring Space Bros, Hurrian Cult Legacy and Eli Hermit) by taking over the Cumberland Arms from Friday 7th April to Saturday 8th April. The event promises a unique lineup of

Northern Tape’s best and brightest artists. Friday will feature a stage debut from Benjamin Fitzgerald and Jon Evans, a duo which will no doubt be providing some gorgeously orchestral soundscapes. There will also be plenty of cosy electronica from producer Calum Howard, as well as some groovy ambient tunes from Mackem solo project Matthew Jameson.

After a chilled first day, Saturday will see a lot more energy (and plenty of wordplay) with sets from slick wordsmith Faithful Johannes, hip hop superhero John Dole and a rare toon performance from Glasgow-based producer Eli Hermit. In true Northern Tape style, this mini-festival boasts a carefully-curated team of artists - local and otherwise - with something for everyone.

Northern Tape 2023 takes place at The Cumberland Arms, Newcastle on Friday 7th and Saturday 8th April.

www.northerntape.bandcamp.com

MUSIC

ALDOUS HARDING @ SAGE GATESHEAD

Words: Matt Young

New Zealand-born singer-songwriter Aldous Harding once again collaborated with PJ Harvey producer John Parish on her latest studio album, Warm Chris, following up on both 2019’s acclaimed long player Designer and her sophomore outing Party. Harding has an ever-changing approach to her music and expressions of her poetic mind, and this is what will greet the Sage audience. It’s both highly relatable and densely impenetrable in varying amounts. She’s always most interesting when showing a defiance to be unique. Expect the tone to be one of charming strangeness as the mesmerising, psychedelic folk-pop plays out before you. While her music can seem bewildering or sound frightening at times, there are anchors in her lyrics that ground the listener and keep you bewitched throughout.

Support at the Sage comes from H. Hawkline, the acclaimed Welsh multi-instrumentalist and solo artist who fluidly interprets music and art as one poetic sea of melody and memory. His fifth release Milk For Flowers see’s exactly that mix of sweet emotion and surreal world-building with nuanced shifts in texture and direction. His own blend of indie, electropop and psychedelic sounds should prove a fantastic scene setter of Harding’s main event.

Aldous Harding plays Sage Gateshead on Saturday 22nd April www.aldousharding.com

MUSIC UNTHANK : SMITH @ WYLAM BREWERY / FIRE STATION

Words: Lee Fisher

The Unthanks and Maximo Park emerged around the same time and went on to become

two of the most successful acts from the North East in recent years. And while Rachel Unthank and Paul Smith from Maximo Park seem to come from different musical spheres, their collaboration felt inevitable somehow, and it’s no massive surprise to find out that their debut album Nowhere & Everywhere is very special indeed.

Unthank has always shown an interest in lots of music outside the folk milieu and Smith is clearly into everything! The album is a sparse, often beautifully solemn affair driven by their wonderful harmonies and Smith’s fine guitar (assisted by other local luminaries like David Brewis and Tyneside’s most tireless collaborator, Faye MacCalman) and it’s going to be a treat to see how the songs are presented live. People in the North East get two chances to find out as their current UK tour hits Newcastle Wylam Brewery on 2nd April and Sunderland Fire Station on 8th April. Unthank : Smith perform at Wylam Brewery, Newcastle on Sunday 2nd April and Fire Station, Sunderland on Saturday 8th April. www.facebook.com/unthanksmithmusic

ART & LIT CHRIS KILLIP, RETROSPECTIVE @ BALTIC

Words: Joseph Spence

From 1st April, BALTIC Gateshead will open with a full career retrospective of post-war photographer, Chris Killip. Co-curated by Ken Grant and Tracy Marshall Grant, viewers can

expect to see a broad survey of Killip’s career which is considerably made up of black and white photographs, the gold standard for documentary photographers of the time. It is well known that the Manx photographer consistently immersed himself in the communities that he photographed and the North East of England came to be a substantial part of the photographer’s work. Therefore, we could say that community was at the very core of his practice and when people often looked away, Killip looked on in. Communities in the Shipbuilding area, coal mines and nightlife

venues around Newcastle-upon-Tyne are just a small number of examples of the environments Killip found himself photographing time and time again, often returning years after his first visit.

The exhibition is in collaboration with the Photographers Gallery, London where ‘Chris Killip, retrospective’ was previously on display in 2022.

Chris Killip, retrospective can be seen on the ground floor of BALTIC Gateshead from Saturday 1st April until Sunday 3rd September. www.chriskillip.com

STAGE TOMATOES TRIED TO KILL ME BUT BANJOS SAVED MY LIFE @ VARIOUS VENUES

Words: Laura Doyle

What are your “forbidden foods?” I bet you know that one friend who’s definitely lactose intolerant, but risks it all for a quick round on the cheese board. But what about when the stakes get too high? Tomatoes Tried To Kill Me

But Banjos Saved My Life is the one-man show of ex-CEO and college professor Keith Alessi and how, only two weeks after quitting his job, he was given the most shocking news. It turned out that heartburn caused by the innocuous tomato had caused a rare form of cancer. So that’s the first half of the title explained - but what about the second? That’s where his reasons for leaving behind a life of suits and leather briefcases come into play… Alessi loved banjos but never learnt to play a note. With a 50% chance of surviving the year, he

decided that there really was no time like the present to pursue his dreams.

After successful runs across the US and the Edinburgh Fringe, this internationally lauded one-man show, part TED-style talk, part banjo recital, is the true story of not just one man’s survival, but his fight for the right to thrive in the face of seemingly unbeatable odds.

CaroleW Productions tours Tomatoes Tried To Kill Me But Banjos Saved My Life across the North East in April, check the website for full listings

www.carolewproductions.com/tomatoestried-to-kill-me

MUSIC THE DAMNED @ NX

NEWCASTLE

Words: Cameron Wright

1976 saw the formation of The Damned and God knows if music has been the same since. Maybe not the most prolific or dazzling successful punk bands to emerge from the British punk scene, but undeniably one of the

most volatile, exciting and fun forces to influence the sound.

Setting the late seventies and eighties alight with a blistering sting of essential punk release, there was an unrelenting exhilaration that sped off Dave Vanian and the boys. From the monster hits of the debut to the multitude of releases following, The Damned didn’t slow or slip. With driving guitar riffs, crashing drums and quirky choruses, the band is as authentic to punk as you can get. Lyrics of decadence and lust fill New Rose, Fan Club and Neat Neat Neat, which perfectly marry the hysteria of blistering guitars and howled vocals.

Joining the bill is the uncompromising and influential cult heroes The Nightingales. Fronted by the enigmatic Robert Lloyd, the band were recently brought to mainstream attention by Stewart Lee’s music documentary King Rocker. These two important artists of the genre head to Newcastle on 7th April for an anarchic night of pure, unrelenting punk.

The Damned, with support from The Nightingales, come to NX Newcastle on Friday 7th April.

www.officialdamned.com

MUSIC LA DISPUTE @ NEWCASTLE UNIVERSITY STUDENT UNION

Words: Kate Relton

American post-hardcore band La Dispute bring their European tour to Newcastle University this month. Joined by Pool Kids and Oceanator, the show celebrates the tenth anniversary of Wildlife, their formative album.

The band regarded the album as a lyrical experiment with elements they intended to use in the first album, Panorama. It ranks at number 37 in Kerrang’s 50 Best Albums from 2011 and the tour showcases the record in full, alongside their more recent material.

Originating from Grand Rapids, Michigan, the five-piece has made a name for themselves for their unapologetic and experimental hardcore music. The band describe their style as ‘kind of poetry, kind of hip-hop’ but the sound

incorporates elements of screamo, progressive rock, post-rock and punk to make a unique, and according to Jordan Dreyer, a less definable and more inclusive sound. The band’s current lineup includes vocalist Jordan Dreyer, drummer Brad Vander Lugt, guitarist Chad Morgan-Sterenberg, guitarist Corey Stroffolino, and bass guitarist Adam Vass. Together, they’re set to produce an exciting show for fans of the band, both old and new, featuring their inspirational brand of alternative music, which is still as impactful and immense now as when it was released.

La Dispute perform at Newcastle University Student Union on Tuesday 18th April. www.ladispute.org

MUSIC BIG THIEF @ SAGE GATESHEAD

Words: Cameron Wright

Personal, affecting and beautifully delicate, Adriannne Lenker and the rest of Big Thief present what can only be a special night of

music and storytelling. The latest tour, to support their phenomenal new album, Dragon New Warm Mountain I Believe In You, will see The Sage become home to the worlds created within Lenker’s lyricism and the band’s sharp instrumentation.

With the mammoth album contorting into an exploration of a variety of branches within folk music, it runs across a myriad of tones both thematically and instrumentally. From the sparse and the subtle to the more bustling and boisterous, Big Thief outdid themselves with a record full of heart, life and truth!

Evolving the setlist with every show, each Big Thief performance is a unique and personalized experience that feels cultivated specifically for that moment, as has always been their forte. The music feels both like it taps into universal hardships and experiences but is also wholly intimate and direct. With shows plucking the set from throughout any of the five Big Thief releases, the show is a guaranteed success for any fan of the band’s special strand of indie folk.

Big Thief are on at Sage Gateshead on Wednesday 5th April.

www.bigthief.net

ART

& LIT THE FARRELL CENTRE OPENS IN NEWCASTLE

Words: Claire Dupree

Widely regarded as one of the UK’s most attractive cities thanks to its handsome Georgian, Victorian and neoclassical buildings, it should come as no surprise that Newcastle now has its very own centre for architecture and urban design.

The Farrell Centre is located in a typically beautiful Victorian building on the corner of Barras Bridge and Claremont Road within Newcastle University’s campus, with visitors arriving via Eldon Place, and over its three floors the centre will combine a gallery space with research facilities, provide a community hub and offer a broad variety of events and activities designed to engage visitors with the crucial roles architecture and planning play in a contemporary world.

Designed to challenge and engage, through a series of temporary exhibitions, public talks and

debates, as well as producing workshops, digital projects and more, The Farrell Centre opens on Saturday 22nd April with its inaugural exhibition, More With Less: Reimagining Architecture For A Changing World, which looks at the challenges architecture faces in a climate emergency, and which runs until Sunday 10th September.

The Farrell Centre opens on Saturday 22nd April. www.farrellcentre.org.uk

COMEDY

MIKE WOZNIAK @ THE STAND

Words: Cameron Wright

Though his career might have skyrocketed with dazzling effect recently (due to his recurring role on TVs Man Down and his phenomenal tour de force performance on Taskmaster, which has gone down as a permanent fan favourite), Mike Wozniak has been an eccentric and vibrant presence in the comedy circuit for

over a decade now.

The moustachioed actor and writer has amassed quite the reputation for his experimental and subversive takes on standup that delves into the surreal and the theatrical. His latest escapade, his first tour since Taskmaster, is the largely sold out Zusa. The show details the true story of Wozniak’s Great Aunt as she travels from Poland to Luton with a war swelling up behind her, nipping at her heels.

The comic is known for his lavish charisma, outlandish flare over the English language and cutting improvisations. Zusa offers an opportunity to witness all three traits demonstrated beautifully by a masterful storyteller who is moments away from being one of the comedy greats. With the delicate charm of the comedian springing off in each and every direction, Mike’s set is bound to be a hilarious and intriguing routine tackling taboos and adding in the heart and soul of a family tale.

Mike Wozniak arrives at The Stand, Newcastle on Thursday 20th April.

www.twitter.com/mrmikewozniak

MUSIC DUTCH UNCLES @ POP RECS

Words: Jake Anderson

Manchester Indie Pop outfit Dutch Uncles kick off their 2023 tour at the home of music and culture in Sunderland, Pop Recs, on Saturday 15th April.

This tour will be for their newest album, True Entertainment, which leans heavily into the progressive and new-wave elements of their bright sound. It’s the most fun release so far but still asks plenty of existential and introspective questions, such as: What is success? Am I enough? How can I be better? (and can I even afford to be better?)

The band, who are on the Memphis Industries roster with local heroes Field Music, are a much loved live act and are often the first names on the team sheet when festival organisers start putting their events together. Their slick and bouncy brand of music, mixed with distinctive vocals and dance moves from lead singer Duncan Wallis makes for an interesting but addictive musical experience that has seen the band build a cult fan base. Supporting the band on the night are electro-poppers Noprism and avant-garde electro-poet Faithful Johannes.

Dutch Uncles perform at Pop Recs Ltd, Sunderland on Saturday 15th April. www.dutchuncles.co.uk

MUSIC CRUEL NATURE TENTH BIRTHDAY RELEASE

Words: Lee Fisher

Cruel Nature (Steve Strode to his folks!) has been quietly but impressively releasing music for a decade now – primarily on cassette/ download, with a very occasional vinyl pressing; more than 300 releases so far, a steady stream of transmissions from the underground. From Irish drone mavens Woven Skull to Russian punk outfit Mirrored Lips, from local acts like Joseph Curwen and the mysterious Culver to Strode’s own band, Fret!

To mark the label’s decade of activity, there’s going to be a compilation released this month, 23 tracks (and 110 minutes!) of music from a vast range of artists who’ve released music with the label in the past.

Titled Spectrum, all label proceeds from the release will be going to The Toby Henderson Trust, a north-east based, independent charity that supports individuals with autism. Strode’s son – the same age as the label – is autistic, so Strode has a close connection to the challenges faced by affected people and their families, and understands how important support from charities like TTHT can be.

Released on double-cassette and download, the album boasts contributions from a diverse and excellent list of artists like Nathalie Stern, St James Infirmary, David Colohan, Aidan Baker and Petrine Cross.

Spectrum is available for pre-order now and released on Thursday 20th April.

www.cruelnaturerecordings.bandcamp.com

MUSIC SEMI PRECIOUS FEST @ THE LUBBER FIEND

Words: Emily Ingram

Looking for your next raucous DIY fix? Look no further as SEMI PRECIOUS FEST is landing at the Lubber Fiend at the end of April. For the uninitiated, the Lubber Fiend is Newcastle’s latest lovably wonky venue, having occupied its home on Blandford Street for just nine months. With its chipboard benches and signature pale ale, it’s difficult to imagine a better setting for this two-day DIY extravaganza - the line-up is also set to pack a punch. Headliners for each day include experimental electronic pioneers Shit and Shine on Saturday 29th, and Salfordian noise-rock collective Gnod on Sunday 30th, both of which boast a sound that can only really be described as an attack on the senses (in a really good way).

Saturday will also feature appearances from self-proclaimed ‘cellar-dweller scum rockers’ Louse and an afterparty soundtracked by Gonzo Dog, whilst Sunday will see sets from Boro-based solo project Ivan the Tolerable and groovy drone-rockers PAK40, among others. With tickets currently priced at a pretty reasonable 30 quid for two days, you can’t really go wrong - so snap ‘em up quick before the presale ends. Don’t forget to donate to The Lubber Fiend’s ongoing fundraiser while you’re at it!

SEMI PRECIOUS FEST takes place on Saturday 29th and Sunday 30th April at The Lubber Fiend, Newcastle.

www.thelubberfiend.com

MUSIC CARM @ THE CLUNY

Words: Cameron Wright

You have probably heard the music of CARM, albeit under another name. Responsible for composing and performing horn sections for John Legend, Sufjan Stevens and The National, CARM has been leaving his gentle fingerprints across the genre for well over a decade. The talent, who has just finished supporting

Bon Iver, (another collaborator) on tour, embarks on his own solo tour, making his way to The Cluny on the 10th of April. The tour will feature the work on CARMs star-studded debut album, as well as his exciting and genre-blending follow up. The sound of CARM is deliberately elusive, denying conformity to uniform genres, instead opting to float somewhere between the parameters of jazz, pop, classical and ambient. Taking the brass to the forefront, CARM creates space, emotion and a time to ponder, reflect and emote.

CARM aims to reinvent the trumpet and push it into a present setting, reaching skyward. With both records curating the greatest producers, beats and ideas in the industry, this passion project is beautifully instilling love into each note, creating something heartfelt, modern and refreshing. For anyone seeking a unique display of visionary talent, look no further than CARM’s visit to Newcastle.

CARM performs at The Cluny, Newcastle on Monday 10th April.

www.carmband.com

INTERVIEWS

BENEFITS

ALI WELFORD TALKS BROKEN BRITAIN AND DEBUT ALBUM NAILS WITH TEESSIDE’S PISSED-OFF RACKET MAKERS

IMAGE BY JASON HYNES

Perpetual horror is par for the course in Brexit Britain but, even by recent standards, the news cycle in the days prior to this interview reads like a veritable skip-fire. Effectively launching its re-election campaign, the government has announced the deplorable ‘Illegal Migration Bill,’ all while ramping up its poisonous culture war rhetoric and cowing the BBC into cancelling notorious anti-establishment rabble-rousers Gary Lineker and Sir David Attenborough. “They’ve done it all before,” declares Kingsley Hall, the voice, face and wordsmith

behind Teesside’s Benefits. “They find someone to demonise, create a stir, say the most outlandish things and tie people in knots with nonsense rhetoric. Life feels very dark in 2023; energy and food prices are going through the roof, child poverty is rising, and concepts like ‘Levelling Up’ have proven to be meaningless words; so when Sunak claims ‘stopping the boats’ is the people’s top priority, it’s difficult to believe him.” It’s against this toxic backdrop that Hall and his “issues-based collective” are poised to detonate their long-awaited bombshell

of an album. The culmination of three years in which Benefits’ fierce socially and politically charged commentaries have gone viral, Nails is not only the most anticipated North East debut in many a year, but one of the essential records of 2023; a withering, sonically desolate account of what it means – and how it feels – to be on the ground in this most cursed of ages. “It could’ve been that the government had collapsed, we’d had a general election and gotten somebody else in, but none of that has happened,” Hall ruefully notes, discussing Benefits’ sustained resonance. “Instead we’ve just seen a continuation, and it’s meant that - for good or bad - some of the older songs still feel relevant. Everything still seems to be on a downward spiral.”

Those older ‘hits’ – Flag, Empire, Traitors, et al – are present, correct and as unflinching as ever on Nails, having drawn appraisal from figures as disparate as Steve Albini and Elijah Wood. Another early backer was Geoff Barrow – and it’s the Portishead and BEAK> man who’s put his money where his mouth is, issuing the album through his own Invada Records imprint. “We tagged a gig at Rough Trade Bristol onto the end of our tour last year, specifically in the hope that Geoff would come,” Hall reveals. “Middlesbrough to Bristol wasn’t the best bit of routing I’ve ever done… but this is the guy from Portishead! Those songs are part of my life, and Dummy is forever lodged in my head. He’d been in our DMs and our liking tweets, so he was obviously interested, and we ended up talking through the idea of doing an album.”

With physical copies heading to record shops across the country and drummer Cat Myers (Honeyblood, Mogwai) recruited as a fourth member, Benefits have come some way from their origins in the deepest, darkest days of lockdown. “We were just firing things between our laptops,” Hall recalls. “Robbie [Major] would send MP3s of noise, rhythms, beats and textures, Hugh [Major] was helping out with similar stuff, and we’d just combine and chop it all up in the most haphazard ways. It’s not how I imagine Peter Gabriel or Bono working.”

Among the seething surges of industrial noise which have become their trademark, the deadpan flow of Shit Britain stands as a survivor from those early days – yet it’s on a new cut, album closer Council Rust, that that formative spirit is captured most compellingly. “People might think of it as something new for us, but the first stuff we ever put out was spoken word. It was just about getting our message across in whatever way felt applicable, and it was only later that we started putting those words to music.” Moreover, having spent much of the record on the offensive, Council Rust sees Hall strike a sombre note, turning the lens on himself in a moment of vulnerability and reflection. “It’s a side that’s always been there, but not necessarily one we’ve shown before. It felt important to demonstrate that we’re not just this one-dimensional noise-punk thing. I wanted the album to have an arc and a sense of melancholy towards the end. There are definitely references in it which are more introspective. The bit about memorial benches - Who gets them? Why do they get them? And what do they look at?particularly resonated with my dad passing away last year. I don’t mean it to sound hopeless, either. There’ll always be something to be riled about, and there needs to be some hope in that fight.”

Nevertheless, Hall is adamant that Benefits is far more than a vessel for airing grievances: “I often wonder what’s the point in directing all this hate, anger, and bile. It’s not healthy – certainly not for me – but I hope in some way it can inspire people. We try to take away the charades of rock-star egotism. When we play live I’ll sometimes lose my voice, or have to stop for a moment because I’m feeling anxious. Anyone can have these feelings – not just people who look like they suffer from them. It’s okay to have the occasional stammer and check out for a moment. The whole point of Benefits is to make people believe they can do these things - that they’re not just for the kinds of people you’d expect.”

And however forthright it may be, Hall feels it crucial that Benefits’ message is open to all, regardless of background or political hue: “I encourage people who may not agree with our rhetoric to come and see us, just to witness the rage and disgust and to question why we feel it.” he affirms. “I offered our mayor a guestlist to our gig at Middlesbrough Empire, and I openly ask all the MPs – the ones who haven’t blocked me! – if they want to come and watch us.” Suffice to say, they rarely respond.

Benefits’ debut album Nails is released on Friday 21st April. They play Stockton Calling on Saturday 8th April and The Cluny, Newcastle on Sunday 30th April.

www.benefitstheband.com

I ENCOURAGE PEOPLE WHO MAY NOT AGREE WITH OUR RHETORIC TO COME AND SEE US, JUST TO WITNESS THE RAGE AND DISGUST AND TO QUESTION WHY WE FEEL IT

COMPILATION ALBUM

COMPILATION ALBUM

WORDS: CLAIRE DUPREE / JAMES HATTERSLEY / STEVE SPITHRAY / DAWN STOREY / ALI WELFORD

WE’RE DELIGHTED TO PRESENT YOU WITH THE LATEST EDITION OF OUR ANNUAL COMPILATION ALBUM, CELEBRATING OUR 17TH BIRTHDAY! AS EVER, WE’VE HAND-PICKED A MIXTURE OF ARTISTS – FROM NEW FACES TO VETERANS ALIKE – THAT WE FEEL HAVE HAD AN AMAZING TWELVE MONTHS. HEAD OVER TO OUR BANDCAMP PAGE TO LISTEN AND DOWNLOAD THE TRACKS FOR FREE. WWW.NARCMAGAZINE.BANDCAMP.COM

COSIAL – MICHAEL’S SONG

On Michael’s Song talented teen Cosial secretly crushes on The Sundays with a nice slab of astral indie. Singer Cece was upfront about the song’s meaning: “I’m 18 years old, and my songs reflect this messy navigation of young adult life. In Michael’s Song, I tried to capture the feeling of constantly playing second fiddle to someone – constantly chasing something and coming up short. Michael is just a side character, he’s the guy you use to make someone else jealous. This song gave me a real sense of direction.” The lyrics are sharp, the sentiment concise and reflective with a maturity and uneasy clarity unusual in one so young. (SS)

www.facebook.com/cosialmusic

DUNES – BY A THREAD

Newcastle’s stoner rockers turn their attentions to bleak subject matter, alongside a typically punishing soundtrack. As guitarist and vocalist Ade Huggins explains, By A Thread is the antithesis of seeing the light in the dark. “It’s about someone drifting through life carelessly that slowly starts noticing, then focusing on, the cracks in an otherwise carefree world. Musically and lyrically it treads a thin line between euphoria and despair, the verses are atmospheric and laid back but there’s an ever present dark and vulnerable edge which is blown wide open in the choruses, and by the end of the song you’re left with a relentless, repetitive and menacing riff.” (CD)

www.dunesncl.bandcamp.com

ELIZABETH LIDDLE – SOMEWHERE

“Somewhere is the title track from my debut EP which I have worked so hard on over the past year,” says young County Durham multi-instrumentalist Elizabeth Liddle, who also sings with highly rated local band Moon Wax. “This song was inspired by dreaming and how song ideas can come at the strangest times and may not always make sense.” Co-written with family friend Dave Clark, the live favourite is a simple yet hauntingly beautiful piano ballad made extra special by Liddle’s prominent, crystal-clear vocals and is accompanied by a classy video which helps to illustrate the musical tale. (DS) www.facebook.com/eelizabethmusic

EVE COLE – HYPOPHORA

A hypnotic piano phrase drenched in melancholy creeps in and eerily builds into a tense and desperate atmosphere. Suddenly, Hypophora drops into a larger than life guitar-laden affair, where singer-songwriter Eve Cole can really show off her abilities. At first dragging her words from the ground up, Cole soon elevates them to the clouds with a flurry of vocal trills that make for a truly catchy and heartbreaking chorus. She states the track is “inspired by the complexities of negativity and superiority in relationships”, and both singer and band perfectly encapsulate that feeling of dread and longing within a toxic pairing. It’s hardly surprising that Cole is one to watch for 2023. (JH)

www.linktr.ee/evecolemusic

HARRIET BRADSHAW – COLOUR AND LIGHT

On Colour And Light the Nel Unlit cellist and multiinstrumentalist turns her expert hand to pure folk with enough contemporary stylistic adaptations for fans of Björk and Rufus Wainwright. Gentle piano and guitar are, at times, subtly filmic but still leave room for an Appalachian violin segment that pushes the track towards a strange melancholy as Harriet brings her appreciation of the local landscape to life in song. Harriet explains: “This song came from a love of landscape, both in painting and poetry, and I took inspiration from the North Yorkshire Moors and the Tynemouth coastline, both of which are favourite spots of mine.” (SS) www.harrietbradshaw.com

HOLIDAY IN TOKYO – OVERWHELMED

Dream pop ballad and live show staple Overwhelmed is a slow burner which demonstrates the more stripped back and serious side of Holiday In Tokyo. “It’s a song that aims to raise greater awareness of anxiety and depression. It tells the tale of two people, where one confesses to the other that they are struggling with their mental health. The issue is quickly pushed under the rug until the outro,” says frontman Matty Rogers. The track then builds to an affecting instrumental crescendo with insistent drums and fizzing guitar representing the emotional overwhelm and the person’s “true feelings”. Fittingly, the band have been raising money for Mind, the national association of mental health, by taking a charity box on recent tours. (DS) www.holidayintokyo.bandcamp.com

PIGS PIGS PIGS PIGS PIGS PIGS PIGS – TERROR’S PILLOW (LIVE SESSION)

Better late than never! At least two album cycles after we could claim them as any kind of best-kept local secret, Newcastle’s farmyard riff masters finally make their NARC. compilation debut…

“I think Terror’s Pillow is maybe my favourite track from the new album.” Says Sam Grant. “I was really excited about this waltzy, almost classical feel it had going on, and was constantly trying to push that element more in the writing and production, hopefully giving it a less conventional rock/metal vibe. I like to think it has the air of an unreleased bonus track from Holst’s The Planets – though this is more an homage to the massive asteroid currently winging its way to Earth...” (AW) www.pigsx7.com

RITUALS – SHOW ME THE SIGNS

Taken from their recently released EP, Show Me The Signs further serves to demonstrate Rituals’ mastery with tightly controlled time signatures, pacey and dynamic choruses and a barely contained fury, although the track came as somewhat of a surprise for the band. “Show Me The Signs is a new territory for our band, combining influences from the likes of Tremonti, While She Sleeps and many others.” Guitarist Ewan Lee explains. “We never started out with an aim to write this song, it simply came together. A total sing along anthemic vibe from start to finish.” (CD)

www.ritualsbanduk.bandcamp.com

SCRUFFY BEAR – STORIES OF STRANGE WOMEN

Producing soulful funky indie and powerful vocals with a rock edge sharp enough to give The Bellrays a run for their money is no mean feat, but Stories of Strange Women does just that. Spiritual, empowering and most of all brilliant, the track is initially bass and vocal lead while the guitars quietly build into something akin to seeing Led Zeppelin in church. Ryan from the band said. “This song is for all the weirdos out there that second guess themselves. I grew up always taking solace in stories about unique people that stuck to their guns and didn’t change for someone else. Stand up and keep being weird and wonderful.” Amen to that. (SS)

www.scruffybearband.com

THE EARLY PURPLE – SEA OF HEAVY

Lush ghost-folk for fans of atmospheric confessionals and early 70s psychedelia. Sea of Heavy manages to feel ambient and expansive at the same time, and the authentic background groans and whispers give the track an unearthly, timeless quality. Songwriter Matt Saxon says of the track: “At its core, the song is about dealing with unhealthy comparisons we make which can make us feel inferior or superior. I’ve always wanted to write a sea shanty-inspired song, to make it sound like it could’ve been recorded aboard an old ship. We kept the creak of my wooden piano stool in and stomped on my living room floorboards to give the listener a feeling of being in the hull of a ship.” (SS)

www.facebook.com/theearlypurple

TOM

A

SMITH – BLOOD ON YOUR HANDS

On Blood On Your Hands young songwriter Tom A Smith has matured into a socially and politically aware commentator with the husky delivery of Willy Mason that might just well position him as the new Billy Bragg. “I decided to write a pretty obvious political statement about where we are at the minute.” He reveals. “I wrote it around the end of lockdown. It was bad then, it’s just depressing now.” Raw, edgy and heartfelt, slow building but passionate, the lyrics speak for themselves and probably most of his fans too. (SS)

www.tomasmithmusic.com

VANDEBILT – DREAM IN COLOUR

With a fusion of danceable pop, disco-fuelled vibes and funky rhythms, Sunderland’s Vandebilt have crafted a bold line in modern dancefloor-friendly tunes. It’s clear to see the veteran musicians know their way around stonking production too, and songwriter and producer Jordan Miller agrees that Dream In Colour is where it all began. “The first Vandebilt song we ever wrote, Dream In Colour is a starting point for our sound. It encapsulates Vandebilt as a project. It flirts with sounds and inspirations from funk, disco and French pop music.” (CD)

www.vandebilt.bandcamp.com

STOCKTON CALLING

CLAIRE DUPREE, JASON JONES AND STEVE SPITHRAY OFFER UP THEIR TAKES ON THIS YEAR’S STOCKTON CALLING LINE-UP

When it comes to all-day music festivals, Stockton’s got the jump on pretty much every other town in the region, and when it comes to the biggest and the best – it’s got to be Stockton Calling! The original multi-venue music festival returns to 10 venues in the Teesside town on Saturday 8th April, bringing big names, hotly tipped emerging acts and local stars alike. ARC welcome indie quartet Circa Waves to the headline spot, whose recent album Never Going Under has been praised for its euphoric sound which is as resplendent with synth-led melodies as it is angsty rhythms. Also performing is bone fide up and coming rock star Tom A Smith; stylish electro pop duo Eevah; soulful indie band Skinny Living; brat-pop siblings and rabble rousers ZELA; high octane rockers We Tibetans and intoxicating indie pop songwriter Faye Fantarrow

Veteran promoters The Kids Are Solid Gold take over the stage at ARC 2. Headliners Panic Shack present a punky sound full of frenetic, angst-fuelled and socially-aware three-minute bangers. Joining them will be pitch-perfect indie popsters Second Thoughts; post-punk dance-offs courtesy of The Queen’s Head; confident pop with an indie edge from The Big Day; trip-hop influenced pop from Silvi; folk-infused indie duo Lilo; Teesside alt. rockers Gone Tomorrow; and danceable electro punks

Snayx

Over at The Georgian Theatre you’ll find 90s indie rockers Sleeper at the top of the line-up, whose irresistible charm, perfect pop melodies, melodic hooks and accessible bravado will have the audience eating out of the palm of their hands. Also on the bill, Benefits bring their caustic, poetic and acerbic wit ahead of their highly anticipated debut album release later in the month; buzzy upstarts Divorce offer up grungy, alt. country leanings amid post-punk angularity; there’s slinky,

retro-infused funk from Moon Wax; young RnB songstress Sisi will wow a hometown audience; guitar-wielding multiinstrumentalist and producer Cortney Dixon; Newcastle-based rock trio Ten Eighty Trees keep things hot and heavy; and opener Finn Forster’s heartlands rock swagger keeps him a firm local favourite.

Little sister venue The Green Room has plenty to shout about too – not least because NARC. have programmed the line-up! Our headliner is self-styled ‘grave rave’ artist

STRAIGHT

GIRL, whose array of synths, electronic bits ‘n’ bobs and endless energy sits somewhere between dreamcore electronica and whacked out psychedelia. Miss them at your peril! There’s more joyful energy from Northumberland’s Kkett, who fuse emo, hardcore, indie, pop and punk with a raucous performance; bedroom pop artist Cosial emerges with a fully-fledged live band and deliciously upbeat instrumentals to counteract her often melancholic lyrics; inventive genre-shifters Common Courtesy will bring spiky alt. rock and electro-infused bangers; Newcastle songwriter India Arkin’s sound is typified by honest and confessional lyricism and idiosyncratic soundscapes; expect garage-y tones and punky attitude from Haunted Hair; while openers Ramé Kari’s self-proclaimed ‘new-age blues’ fuses hip-hop and groove-based blues.

The ever-reliable KU welcome Yorkshire’s finest The Sherlocks to the headline spot, renowned for their electrifying live show, expect a set of stirring rock ‘n’ roll hits. Also on the line-up are Leeds’ Apollo Junction, whose recognisable modern Britpop has garnered rave reviews; expect an exuberant cocktail of house, drum and bass and old school baggy from Big Image; Wigan’s Stanleys are fast becoming the darlings of the North West indie scene; the dreamlike and infectious indie pop of

Blondes is at once cannily nostalgic and urgently fresh; expect soaring indie earworms from Coventry’s Candid; Teesside pop funk favourites The Lulas are unapologetically upbeat and gloriously catchy; anthemic Wearsiders Docksuns come bouncing to Stockton with indie-infused glee; and Billingham newbies WhiteNoise are a must-see for next-big-thing seekers. Upstairs venue The Social Room will see headliners The Pale White bring their arena-ready bombast, bluesy swagger and melodies that writhe and soar to thunderous effect. Earlier in the day expect a thunderous set from jazz-inflected post-punks Opus Kink; thrilling garage punks Avalanche Party, whose live show is as visceral as they come; indie rock band The Clause, who cite the likes of ABBA, The Doors and Kasabian among their influences; South Yorkshire gang Bedroom High Club bring their jangle-filled sound; teenage singer-songwriter Ruby J is a vital new talent; there’s frantic rock ‘n’ roll with a conscious edge from The Silver Lines; expect melodious vocals and expansive electronics from multi-instrumentalist Teesside talent Jen Dixon; and local four-piece Provenance open the bill with their melodic indie pop.

Over at The Storytellers, promoters This Feeling have curated a line-up topped by buzz band Overpass, whose tales of lust and heartbreak are soundtracked by thumping rhythms and euphoric shimmering guitar lines. Also on the stage will be sets from euphoric hook-filled quintet Rosellas; The Lilacs offer sharp-tongued narratives and writhing beats; Nottingham’s metropolitan and melodic four-piece The Chase; the in-your-face poppy punk perfection of bigfatbig; driving and heartfelt anthems courtesy of The Rosadocs; bedroom pop upstarts Barstaff; and ferociously carefree indie band Dirty Blonde

The Globe Stockton’s sister venue The Link is curated by Darlington music collective Tracks, so expect a typically inclusive and well thought-out roster of established and up and coming talent. The stage is topped by Tummyache, whose sound embodies a pan-genre approach where indie, electronica and pop are all equally valid. There’s also dreamy indie and alt. pop from Mollie Coddled; art rock project Dilettante are a

must for fans of St Vincent and Fiona Apple; funk rock with punch, Scruffy Bear are a whole lot of fun; expect gritty, slinking indie from King Violet; Newcastle songwriter Hannah Robinson weaves dreamlike, melancholic indie; and enigmatic and entrancing performer Girl From Winter Jargon opens the line-up.

The stage at Sticky’s has been curated by BBC Introducing Tees presenter Shakk, and it’s a melting pot of superb local talent, topped by Hartlepool songwriter Michael Gallagher whose honest storytelling and concoction of pop, rock and everything in between will have the audience in thrall. Also performing is Sarah Johnsone, whose angular alt. rock and impressively mature lyricism is a real joy; Darlington-based soulful hip-hop artist Luke Royalty; neo-soul star Frankie Jobling; the gigantic vocals and mega-pop sound of Viia; four-piece Britpoppers from Stockton, The Collectors; contemporary songwriter Esmae, whose sound straddles country and pop; and in a classic bit of reverse headliner action, Teesside indie pop band Komparrison kick the day off in style.

And last but not least, the cosy NE Volume Music Bar will play host to Manchester punk outfit Loose Articles, who bring their madcap attitude and off-kilter tales of everyday surrealism to their headline spot. They’re ably assisted by socially aware indie rockers Spilt Milk; the brooding rhythms and soaring guitars of Middlesbrough’s Nice Guy; stomping Scouse post-punk mob Eyesore And The Jinx; the catchy tunes and arresting vocals of The Redroom; psychedelic grit-pop from Marseille; there’s genre-bending instrument-swapping indie escapism from Sugar Roulette; heartfelt piano ballads courtesy of Elizabeth Liddle and prolific Teesside musician J.P. Riggall’s Weathership outfit open the stage with affecting arrangements and heartfelt lyricism.

Stockton Calling takes place across 10 venues in Stockton on Saturday 8th April.

www.stocktoncalling.co.uk

BILLY NOMATES

ALI WELFORD CHATS TO BRISTOL’S MUCH-LAUDED POST-PUNK SOLO ARTIST AHEAD OF HER SHOW AT BOILER SHOP, NEWCASTLE

Fierce. Fearless. Force of nature. All were terms frequently attributed to Tor Maries, as the Bristol-based artist shot into our collective conscience with a spirited, ostensibly bold eponymous debut. With little to go off besides the likes of No, it was a framing few called into question - yet for Tor herself, the language used to depict Billy Nomates proved a source of bafflement.

“I used to read that stuff and think ‘you couldn’t possibly find somebody who feels less like that,’” she reflects some three years on. “Billy Nomates was like a suit of armour which allowed me to put my music on a platform, but I always cringed at the idea I was this all-guns-blazing figure. I might feel like that on a Wednesday - but on Thursday I’ll not feel able to leave the house.”

Released in January, new album Cacti is Tor’s pushback; a pointedly introspective follow-up in which her focus shifts to an altogether more vulnerable mode of writing. “I like juxtaposition at all times - it makes sense to me to pour all of my energy into a song about apathy! I didn’t think some of these lyrics would be so resonant, but it’s been interesting to see how widespread these feelings are.”

“I’d like people to come to their own conclusions as to what these songs are about,” she continues. “We live in an age where we’re forced to explain art for marketing purposes, and I find that so disappointing. If David Bowie told me what Low meant, I’d be crushed!” For all that can be deduced from songs like Blue

MUSIC

Bones and Apathy is Wild, Tor hopes the threads underpinning Cacti can find meanings in listeners’ own lives: “People in the UK aren’t okay. We’ve been through COVID, we don’t have a mental health infrastructure, and we’re ruled by a Tory government that’s pretty much killing us. All of this is part of everyday life right now, and it’s tough.”

While fellow tags have been dispelled, “force of nature” remains an apposite descriptor for Billy Nomates’ live show. Breathless, propulsive and undistilled, performances to date have been a thrillingly DIY phenomenon, consisting merely of Tor, her laptop, and every last morsel of energy, sweat and emotion she can summon.

“Music has always been a physical thing for me,” she affirms. “I really struggle seeing super cool bands who can’t be arsed to be there. When I go to a gig I go to see a human. To understand it. To bleed it. I can’t dance - I’m two left feet, dyslexic, dyspraxic, all over the shop - but music moves me in such an undelicate, unfetching way that I don’t care what anybody thinks... it’s happening regardless. I liken it to free falling. When a gig starts, I jump out of the plane and I’m off.”

With this month’s UK dates sandwiched between a European jaunt and festival season, Tor’s openness extends to misgivings over her touring schedule. “Cacti is a new headspace for me, and it’s a dangerous card to play when you’re going to be living that every night. It’ll be an interesting ride, but I’m not shying away. I’ve failed at so much in my life - jobs, bands, relationships - that when Billy Nomates worked out I had all this pent-up energy, and a sense that I’ll never take this for granted.”

Billy Nomates plays Newcastle’s Boiler Shop on Monday 24th April. Cacti is out now.

www.iambillynomates.com

MOVES ME IN SUCH AN UNDELICATE, UNFETCHING WAY THAT I DON’T CARE WHAT ANYBODY THINKS

NEWCASTLE PUPPETRY FESTIVAL 2023

MERA ROYALE TALKS TO CO-FOUNDER OF MOVING PARTS ARTS AND FESTIVAL ORGANISER KERRIN TATMAN ABOUT PUPPETRY AS AN ART FORM AND SOME OF THE WONDERFUL THINGS TAKING PLACE AT THIS YEAR’S EVENT

STAGE

As all natives to Newcastle will know, Northumberland Street is just like any other high street in the UK, with its quirky vintage stores, Primark bargains and trusty M&S. But imagine instead of its usual buzz of shoppers, it is taken over by an otherworldly spectacle, filled with large-scale skeletal dinosaurs, seahorses and other magnificent creatures including a life-sized giant squid. This is the astonishing sight soon to be brought to life by Beasts on the Street, a community-led puppet parade along Northumberland Street that’s kick-starting Newcastle Puppetry Festival on Saturday 8th April.

A huge, city-wide festival, Moving Parts Arts’ Newcastle Puppetry Festival is an extraordinarily unique occasion to mark in the calendar. Celebrating puppet mastery, there’s events for all ages from captivating puppet-making workshops, to premier performances of shows from UK-based companies and beyond, as well as films, talks, and other social events.

I recently spoke with Kerrin Tatman, festival organiser, to discuss their thoughts. “This is definitely our most ambitious and biggest to date,” they told me. “We’re focused on flying the flag for the art form and also for Newcastle as a hub for puppetry for the whole country.”

They chatted with me about the abundance of exciting events to watch out for. “My top pick is Joe 5,” they said, alluding to Duda Paiva’s must-see contemporary performance from The Netherlands. This show, on Saturday 15th April, explores a post-apocalyptic dystopia using body puppets made from tactile foam combined with dance. “It’s a super surreal mixture,” said Kerrin, “it’s the most ambitious show that we’ve ever brought to this country.”

Also of note is the festival’s encouragement of beginner puppet-making through workshops at Ouseburn farm on Sunday 9th April; this is a chance for families and local people to explore what puppetry is all about, through free taster sessions. “That’s definitely the best way to get involved with puppetry, it’s just to throw yourself into it,” Kerrin told me.

I spoke to Kerrin about the value of puppet-making as an art form. “There’s so many types of puppetry and it can do many different things,” they said. “One example is a show on Thursday 13th April called Dragon, by a company based in Gateshead. It’s a fantastical story set in an olden world with dragons, scenery sets, and live projected animation. I think the real pull of puppetry is how it can create these amazing mythical worlds right in front of your eyes as tangible things.”

Newcastle Puppetry Festival is working to draw attention to the importance of puppetry and the many possibilities it holds for story-telling. “It’s a hidden power,” said Kerrin. “I think it surprises people because it is inherently accessible, it’s an inclusive activity. A puppet acts as an extension of the body, and so it enables freedom for expression; it can build confidence and explore different themes.”

With a terrific and jam-packed programme to showcase the art, there is so much to do and see. I asked Kerrin what they hope attendees will take away from the festival. “Our goal is for everyone to have a really good time, no matter their age or background. I want people to experience something new and come away hungry for more puppetry. Once you’ve got the puppet bug, you can’t get away from it.”

Newcastle Puppetry Festival from Moving Parts Arts takes place from Saturday 8th to Sunday 16th April at various venues around Newcastle.

www.movingpartsarts.com

I THINK THE REAL PULL OF PUPPETRY IS HOW IT CAN CREATE THESE AMAZING MYTHICAL WORLDS RIGHT IN FRONT OF YOUR EYES AS TANGIBLE THINGS

Joe 5 Duda Paiva Company © Studio Matusiak

COSIAL

MUSIC

Writing since the age of 11, music is the world in which Cosial lives in; channelling her journey through lyrics and melody, with a beautifully affecting result. The 18-year-old has been making a name for herself on the Teesside circuit, before moving to Manchester to study music at university. Still regularly travelling back up home to perform, the talented musician has been tenaciously tinkering away with new music and is now set to release Sports, her new EP “All the songs on Sports were never meant to be themed, they were all just supposed to help me figure out what was going on with myself.” As Cosial opens up on the themes that are prevalent in the release, she does so with an awareness and understanding that surpasses her age. Between the honesty and candour of her remarks, there is a deft understanding of her demographic and the emotions that consume them. “It’s called Sports because all the songs ended up being about feeling kept on the bench, permanently running behind the pack. The EP is full of songs just watching life happen to other people, but I guess that’s a common feeling for teenagers, especially teenage girls.” This candour is reflected in the lyricism of her tracks, which each pick apart feelings of isolation and heartache and a need to fit in. There’s a very relaxed, yet never shying from the truth, mentality that resonates throughout the music. It connects with those of the same age but also brings an older audience back to that headspace, full of confusion and innocence.

“The lyrics might have a tendency to be a little dramatic, but it is definitely a dramatic time. Those teenage years are so full of choice and emotion, it’s a time that can really feel overwhelming” says Cosial, before giddily launching into a conversation about the nature of songwriting. Describing the perfect lyric as “something that pinpoints a headspace or

emotion that you couldn’t put your finger on,” it is clear that Cosial strives to articulate the chaos of growing up and coming of age, using her songs as a way to make sense of the myriad of emotions that come with it.

With lyrics being used as a therapeutic diary and her instrumentation focusing on light, spacious and often bouncy indie sounds, it is no surprise that artists such as Phoebe Bridgers, Lucy Dacus and Mitski are cited as key influences. “When hearing something new, I’m always drawn to the words first. What’s being communicated and how? I was raised on the likes of Leonard Cohen, so those haunting and poetic lines always stick with me.”

With sights set high, the artist hopes to continue striving for authenticity within her musical journey, claiming that her only goal is to keep the music as true as possible, maturing and growing as she does.

The solo artist will be back on home turf for Stockton’s Calling on 8th April and will be launching a new range of merch. So if you are attending the festival and fancy some intelligent, whimsical bedroom pop, as well as a cool tee, then look no further than the young and exciting musical stylings of Cosial. Sports is released on Thursday 6th April. Catch Cosial at Stockton Calling on Saturday 8th April. www.instagram.com/cosialmusic

THE EP IS FULL OF SONGS JUST WATCHING LIFE HAPPEN TO OTHER PEOPLE, BUT I GUESS THAT’S A COMMON FEELING FOR TEENAGERS, ESPECIALLY TEENAGE GIRLS

MOTIONS

DAVID SAUNDERS FINDS OUT ABOUT THE TEESSIDE METAL OUTFIT’S ORIGINS AND INSPIRATIONS BEHIND THEIR UPCOMING ALBUM

Teesside metal band motions are set to release their self-titled debut album. The band are sort of a local supergroup with guitarist Dave Anderson and bass player Jason Robson having played in Kerrang faves Exit By Name. Paddy Jordan is on drums, having previously played guitar for indie-heroes Young Rebel Set as well as producing many of the region’s big names. Completing the line up is vocalist Jonny Grant, who as he explains, took a little convincing. “They had reached out to several vocalists but couldn’t get one to commit. When Dave asked me, I initially said no, due to time constraints, but at Download Festival, seeing all of those amazing live bands over the course of a couple of days, I had a realisation I had an itch I needed to scratch.”

The band emerged from lockdown with the seeds of an album thanks to guitarist Dave. “He wrote a bunch of guitar structures during lockdown, so he nailed the basic start-to-finish structures of the tracks as they are now,” Jonny explains. Since then they’ve each added their influence to create an album that is raw and intense but that has been thoughtfully balanced with gorgeous sonics, including strings, synth and female vocalists Abi King and Krsy Fox, to create a finely-crafted and accessible body of work.

“Sonically, I’d describe the album as groove-driven but also full of clarity. Paddy’s done a fantastic job on production and Dave really structured the songs to take the listener on an emotional journey. It’s heavy, dark and melodic.”

The themes in the album were inspired by Jonny’s work in safeguarding and addiction, he tells us about the cathartic nature of the album. “Creativity is a healthy way of dealing with such things. I think it’s too easy to become desensitised to other people’s trauma, which can result in you neglecting your own wellbeing, and actually developing vicarious trauma. I’m no psychologist, but it’s hard not to be affected in one way or another by regularly supporting people with suicidal ideation, abuse, neglect, drug use and so on. It’s hard not to see the world in relation to those things. And if you think too hard about why there’s so much suffering it can drive you crazy, and certainly angry – you’ll hear a lot of that rage in the songs and lyrics.” Parenthood was also a driving force behind the lyrics. “There’s no love like it and it’s impossible for people who aren’t parents to truly understand. But with that comes a fear of loss, which of course most people can understand and relate to. I think being a band allows you to explore that fear in a safe and creative way.” The band will launch the album at The Georgian Theatre, Stockton on blood red vinyl thanks to Press On Vinyl’s Fairsound initiative. With the infrastructure in place in Teesside and more bands of the alt variety appearing, I ask Jonny if the region’s alternative scene is starting to bubble?

“I think so yeah. There are some fantastic heavier bands such as Flatline and Burn the Valley, both are supporting us at our album launch. Then there’s Curtis Robinson and Dale Husband’s new band Done In, who we’re really excited to see. There’s Motherland who have been going a while, and of course us.”

motions release their self-titled debut album on Friday 28th April, with a launch show at The Georgian Theatre, Stockton on Saturday 29th April

www.facebook.com/motionsmetalband

IF YOU THINK TOO HARD ABOUT WHY THERE’S SO MUCH SUFFERING IT CAN DRIVE YOU CRAZY, AND CERTAINLY ANGRY – YOU’LL HEAR A LOT OF THAT RAGE IN THE SONGS AND LYRICS

EVE SIMPSON

MATT YOUNG TALKS MUSIC AND MENTAL HEALTH WITH THE SOUTH SHIELDS-BORN SOLO ARTIST WHO IS SET TO RELEASE HER NEW EP, ALL HER STRANGE

South Shields-born and Edinburgh-based singer-songwriter

Eve Simpson releases new music this month. All Her Strange is a grand mix thematically. An EP concerned with growing up in the midst of heartbreak, grief and misogyny but mostly it’s an exploration of love, of the self primarily and then about finding that in others.

There’s also a genuine feeling of the heart as home, “I’m proud of my roots in the North East, it’s something my mum instilled in me and it’s stuck, and they come out more when I perform in Edinburgh or Glasgow”.

Explaining how she forms her music Simpson elaborates, “The most compulsive need to write comes when I’m feeling stressed or busy and need to perform an intervention. I just sit down at the piano with my guitar and write whatever comes out. It’s great because at the end I have a song but it’s not a process I’m aware of anyone else having when I’m sharing how I write.” This cathartic release touches the lyrics most when the emotions are particularly fresh. She continues, “Some songs like Old College (on the EP) are hard to get through so I try not to practice it too much. It’s about heartbreak and for whatever reason, it still feels raw when I sing it, whereas other songs don’t”.

You can definitely feel these prickly edges within the sweet melodies when they’re intended. Eve’s emotive voice and song arrangements have been honed with years of writing, playing live and recently working with studio producers in Blank Studios, Newcastle and Haquin Studios, Leith, thanks to support from the Youth Music NextGen Fund. “Through working on a previous project, I discovered the fund supported

individual artists and applied. It’s been great because it’s hard to fund studio time and pay people the union rates that they deserve otherwise.”

The time and advice have been pivotal in fleshing out the four songs on the EP, recorded with only some minor additions, “We added flute lines and other parts to some songs in production but with Old College, it’s pretty much as written just re-recorded through better equipment.”

We talk about promoting your music and touch on a subject very close to Simpson’s heart, the mental health of those working in the music industry. She attended the Ivor Novello Awards in 2022 as an In The Room (a leadership development programme for young music creators) representative for The Ivors Academy. She advocates, cutting yourself some slack given there’s only so much time in the day.“I love the challenge and creation of promotion and video production but don’t want to advocate for a technology that can also affect people’s mental health so much. It can take so long to create good content like the His Euphoria video. I knew what I wanted with the dancing, how it would fit the format and got excited, but it takes such a long time to make.”

It’s definitely time well spent though as Eve Simpson returns to the region with a show at Zerox, Newcastle on Friday 21st April as part of her first UK tour, which takes in venues in Scotland and England. “I’m excited to get out and experience the collaborative shows with the band and other artists that we’ve traded support slots with before in each other’s hometowns and shows.”

All Her Strange is released on Friday 14th April. Eve Simpson performs at Zerox, Newcastle on Friday 21st April. www.facebook.com/evesimpsonmusic

I LOVE THE CHALLENGE AND CREATION OF PROMOTION AND VIDEO PRODUCTION BUT DON’T WANT TO ADVOCATE FOR A TECHNOLOGY THAT CAN ALSO AFFECT PEOPLE’S MENTAL HEALTH SO MUCH

DISTORTED GOODS

Dawn Of Distortion is the forthcoming, debut EP from Newcastle-based producers Bran Capri and Jack Fordham. Part of the burgeoning Distorted Goods; a collective of North-Eastbased producers, vocalists, visual artists and creatives. The forthcoming record showcases emerging spoken and hip-hop talent, alongside dreamy, female lead vocals and ambient breaks. It’s a phenomenal debut, and Jack tells us about his journey so far.

“I initially started making more electronic tunes, though I’d always thought I could do more spoken word if I tried. Bran gave me the confidence to do that. Rock singing never felt right, I couldn’t get the words I wanted to say into that style. I had so many books of poems and nothing to do with them.”

From Bran’s perspective, it was about finding the right platform for Jack’s raw but considerable talent. “Jack didn’t realise how good he was at what he was doing. He did some spoken word for me, which was amazing, but I had ideas to make it more impactful. My dad raised me on UK hip-hop. I was blessed really, so I like to think I’ve got a better ear than most for this sort of sound.”

This soon grew into countless hours spent in the home studio together, and countless demo tracks, as their collaboration started to come together. “The first tracks we did were about finding our confidence. It was learning to collaborate, I did studio sessions with other people who were great musically, but we weren’t on the same wavelength. I always found that difficult regardless of skills and talent. We understand what each other can do, we don’t judge each other.”

The result of those early studio sessions is a 5-track EP, with the first single released on 31st March. “Point of View” features native Newcastle hip-hop artist John Dole, and it’s a track Bran describes as “glitchy, underground hip hop.” He adds, “John’s

UK

delivery has a real emotional tilt to it, a rawness. We did that one quite a while ago, it was one of the first things I’d ever collaborated on.”

Jack would become more heavily involved in the EP thereafter, remixing elements of the first single to make something else entirely. Which he describes as “quite dark and experimental. That one’s called A Thousand Terraced Houses. It’s a jarring change but really exciting. The interlude is probably our favourite track on the EP, it’s an instrumental track with Imogen, Frankie Jobling and Jodie Nicholson. It’s beautiful, we recorded a load of different versions and we would be happy to put every single one of them out.

The EP itself lands on 14th April, and given how incredible the tracks sound so far, questions about live shows are inevitable. “It’s early days for the live shows but they’re getting a lot better. We perform under the Distorted Goods collective, but Jack plays solo. I prefer to be behind the curtain, or in the crowd making notes. We’re already working on our second EP, and Distorted Goods is still growing. We’ve been making music and visuals for Aston Martin & END, which is more the business side. The creative side is a perfect fit for us both individually. We’re still trying to decipher who we are as artists and what the collective is together. We’ll only figure it out once we try.”

Dawn Of Distortion is released on Friday 14th April. www.instagram.com/distorted_goods

MY DAD RAISED ME ON

HIP-HOP…. SO I LIKE TO THINK I’VE GOT A BETTER EAR THAN MOST FOR THIS SORT OF SOUND

CVC

To keep my life interesting, when the NARC. interviews are getting dished out, I often just wait until the end to see what’s left and pick an artist with an intriguing name. This month saw me pairing up with Cardiff psych-rockers, CVC, a band I had never heard before and had few expectations about. However, once I listened to their melodious, beautifully crafted songs I realised I was in for an absolute treat.

For those who are curious about the name, it stands for Church Village Collective, as this is where the band took shape, though originally it was not all about the music. “Most of us grew up together in Church Village and back then skateboarding was the primary objective. There were always guitars around and a few of us knew how to play so we’d just be playing songs here and there. And as soon as we discovered Francesco had a voice, we were like, what are we going to call the band then?”

The band have garnered plenty of attention since the release of their EP Real to Reel in 2022 and their stunning debut album, Get Real, in January this year. Producer Ross Orton (Arctic Monkeys) has wonderfully weaved the various instrumentation together to capture their warm and expansive Laurel Canyon flavour with hints of bands such as Wings, ELO and Creedence Clearwater Revival.

Despite this classic influence the band also cite more contemporary influences such as Snoop Dogg and Red Hot Chili Peppers. “When it comes to Snoop and RHCP, we take inspiration from the camaraderie of their music… Whereas bands like Crosby Stills & Nash have a more obvious influence on the songwriting and general musical outlook. Strong choruses, vocal harmony and the universal message of peace

and love are things we all align with.”

The vocal harmonies in CVC’s music are a thing of beauty, a skill that the band believe is down to the length of time they’ve been together. “Well Cesco (vocals) and Dave (guitar/keyboard) have been singing harmony together for nearly ten years and they kinda know how the other works and it’s almost natural now, and when Elliot (guitar/saxophone) joined he was the perfect missing piece of the puzzle adding that high harmony much like Nash does for Crosby, Stills & Nash, so now that we’ve kinda established our roles in harmony world it feels very natural.”

Speaking of harmony, there’s an organic solidarity in the band’s approach to songwriting and in true communal fashion everyone puts a shift in. “Well in the band all six of us write. Some of us write fully-fledged songs and some of us write riffs or lyrics or ideas. So usually somebody will come in with 70% of a song completed, and the rest of us will fill in the gaps. But there’s not much writing together from scratch, it’s definitely more ‘my song your song’ kind of deal.”

As part of their UK tour, CVC find themselves doing two dates in the North East in April, with the band stopping off at both KU Stockton and The Cluny, Newcastle. And if you think you’re gonna get more of the same of what’s on the record, then think again. “There’s always lots of improvisation so every show is different, but the VIBEZ always remain the same.”

CVC perform at The Cluny, Newcastle on Friday 14th April and KU Stockton on Saturday 22nd April www.cvcband.com

STRONG CHORUSES, VOCAL HARMONY AND THE UNIVERSAL MESSAGE OF PEACE AND LOVE ARE THINGS WE ALL ALIGN WITH

PROTEST

A new play is coming to the Northern Stage, and it’s one that’s ready to make its voice heard. Protest tells the story of three school friends and their personal plights against the injustices they see around them.

“When I was asked to write a play for children as part of my Accelerator Award from Imaginate, I knew I wanted to write a play for children in those transition years from primary to secondary, and also a play that would engage their adults,” explains Protest creator Hannah Lavery. “In talking and working with young people from this age group, I was struck by their passion for social justice and their anxiety around the climate emergency and the impact upon their future. The play is really therefore a response to those conversations, and I hope a provocation to us all to find ways to support young people.” Our protagonists, Alice, Jade and Chloe, all fall into that transitional age group Lavery has written for - an age in which many of us start to open our eyes to the less-than-perfect aspects of our lives, and an age where some may realise they don’t see themselves in media as much as they perhaps should.

“This is a play about three young girls and it was clear to me that girls still feel that they not the main character in the stories that are being told to them, so I wanted to make sure that they were the leads in this play and that along with their grandmothers, it was these three girls that brought their community together.”

Protest places its central characters at the centre of battles against injustices we are all too familiar with as a society

nowadays: sexism, racism, and environmentalism. “I think when it came to the specific injustices or causes, I was inspired by not only my personal experiences and the experiences of my children but the wider political and social conversations we have been having in recent years. It is a play written as we were coming out of lockdown, and so many of the political and grassroots movements that gained traction through those years, Black Lives Matter and the activism around the Climate Emergency, I had observed my own small community responding to and discussing. I thought it was very powerful how small communities came together to show solidarity and to make change, and I was inspired by that.” Indeed, instead of shying away from difficult subjects and conversations, Lavery seeks to create inclusivity in the discourse which surrounded her by opening it up to the next generation of activists. Rather than feeding into any feelings of overwhelm or hopelessness, Lavery’s play acts as a parable, a how-to for starting to right humanity’s wrongs: “Protest! is about hope, hope in each other and in the power of our communities. It is a protest against those who wish to divide us and take away our agency. It is also about how we can come together across the generations to stand up for each other and the world we all share.”

“I would love audiences to be inspired to show solidarity to those who are excluded. To show concern for our planet. To find ways to come together in community and friendship. To be more kind.”

Protest comes to Northern Stage, Newcastle from Thursday 27th April-Saturday 6th May www.northernstage.co.uk

PICNIC

Corey Taylor and Phoebe Bridgers are modern proof of the belief that it’s healthy for artists to step outside of their traditional ‘day job’ and venture into new creative spaces. Taylor’s solo work, and Bridgers’ recent work in Boygenius, demonstrate the benefits that can come through changing your creative environment, collaborating with new people, and exploring unreached parts of your creativity. Both examples also show that when you return ‘home’ to your usual role, new material is often more nuanced and has greater depth. Seemingly, we all need side projects.

Picking up a similar theme, the new EP from Sunderland’s Picnic clearly sparkles with a sense of renewed confidence and a full collection of new ideas. But I Like It, released at the end of April, sees the indie/funk/pop collective return with a sound you will immediately identify from their earlier work, but also one that pushes their sound into new, incredibly original, spaces. Built over six tracks, the EP is poppier and more accessible than ever before in the Picnic catalogue, but also has layers of interesting jazzy and sonic experimentation.

“It feels like it’s been ages since we’ve been around” confirms Picnic member Eddie Scott, “but in reality, it’s not that long. It’s just that some of us have been doing other things creatively,

PERHAPS FOR A WHILE, WE OVERTHOUGHT OUR PROCESS BUT WE’VE GOT A RENEWED CONFIDENCE AGAIN TO SAY IF WE LIKE IT, THEN LET’S PUT IT OUT

amongst other things Robyn has been doing really well with Bigfatbig and I’ve done stuff with Mt. Misery, so when we’ve started Picnic again we’re all filled with new ideas and a real desire to get Picnic back out and back on people’s radar.”

A show at Pop Recs on Friday 5th May will hopefully be the start of a new collection of gigs helping to reconnect people with Picnic; “yeah, it’s sort of an EP launch party,” confirms Eddie “but more than anything it’s a chance for us to get some momentum back and to have a good time playing together again. I won’t go too much into it but we have a few challenges with labels, which stopped our momentum a bit. But since we’ve been working on this EP, it feels like we’ve come full circle and we’re re-energised to get our music out there. Perhaps for a while, we overthought our process but we’ve got a renewed confidence again to say if we like it, then let’s put it out, and that’s a great place to be in as it means that we feel more in control of who we are and what we’re doing.”

With a single released in March (Tell Me You Love Me), an EP launch in April and a show in May, you can already feel the momentum building back up for Picnic. “We hope to get out later the year and do more shows and maybe even look at new music as the year progresses”, Eddie adds. All of this is the sign of a great band doing great things again. Creativity, momentum and finding new ways to learn and grow – there’s a lesson in here for all of us.

But I Like It is released on Friday 28th April.

www.facebook.com/picnicthebandd

SHONEN KNIFE

MUSIC

There are few bands who reach their milestone 40th anniversary. Formed in Osaka, Japan, in 1981, Shonen Knife are presently celebrating their landmark achievement whilst on tour.

Speaking from the road in mainland Europe, lead singer Naoko Yamano said, “We’ve finished eleven shows in Scandinavian countries in eleven days. So, it was very busy, but most of the shows are sold out.” In terms of the group’s anniversary, the band remain focused towards the future. “I’m happy that we could have a 40th anniversary, but for me, the years are just a number. So, I’m just thinking about the very close near future, and I never look back.”

Of course, a lot has changed since those early days of the band. Technology has made the world a lot smaller. “When I started Shonen Knife, we only had postal mail,” explains Naoko. “I always used to write letters to overseas people. Our first overseas shows were in 1989. It was in Los Angeles. I never saw the promoter at the time, and I just exchanged paper letters. I bought an air ticket to LA and went to the airport. I couldn’t understand English much at that time. So, it was a very big adventure.”

One of the band’s most notable admirers was Kurt Cobain from Nirvana. The group toured together and won over the late Nirvana frontman. “Kurt was so kind to us. He came to the side of the stage and watched our show every day,” she says. “The backstage was very cold in the UK. It was November, and Kurt let us in their dressing room. Our room was very cold. But Nirvana’s dressing room was warm, and he offered us strawberry jam and peanut butter sandwiches. It’s very American.”

Stage image is very important to Shonen Knife. The group often

perform in colour coordinated costumes. “All of our stage costumes are made by our bass player Atsuko,” she says. “I like The Beatles and matching costumes are very important for the band. Because the Beatles wore Pierre Cardin suits.” Naoko adds: “Our daily costumes are very simple. So, I think the clothes of the audience are more fashionable, so we should wear matching costumes.”

Shonen Knife released their new studio album, Our Best Place, in February. “I produced the album myself, and we recorded it from July to December last year, in Osaka,” explains Naoko.

“The sound has our early Shonen Knife tastes like punk pop. And also, our new Shonen Knife taste is a very strong part. I thought about the arrangement very much. I played many interesting guitar riffs, and I put down some keyboards too.” Shonen Knife will shortly be making their eagerly anticipated return to the North East. Recollecting the band’s last show at the Sage Gateshead, Naoko said: “I enjoyed it a lot. I like Newcastle.” But in terms of how the set might look, the artist didn’t want to give too much away. “Our setlist is secret so far, but since it is our 40th-anniversary show, we will play our best hit songs and also songs from our new album.”

Shonen Knife will perform at The Cluny, Newcastle on Friday 21st of April.

www.shonenknife.net

I’M HAPPY THAT WE COULD HAVE A 40TH ANNIVERSARY, BUT FOR ME, THE YEARS ARE JUST A NUMBER

THE YOUNG’UNS

STEVE SPITHRAY TALKS TO THE TEESSIDE FOLK TRIO ABOUT THEIR NEW ALBUM, TINY NOTES MUSIC

While The Young’uns name will be familiar to many as mainstays of the local folk scene, to others they may still fly a little under the radar having never really crossed over into mainstream indie-ville. However, I caught up with chief songwriter Sean Cooney from the band and found out there is a lot more depth to the folk trio’s endeavours with latest album, Tiny Notes. “It is an album that we’re very proud of. A record that celebrates some inspirational heroes who have done some incredible things.”

Digging interesting stories out of marginalised or underdog characters has always been The Young’uns method of operation, so I asked Sean how the songs first develop. “Some of the stories come from things we’ve seen in the news. Others have come directly from people getting in touch with us to ask if we’d write a song about a particular person or event. This was the case with Rachel Robertson who, very movingly, wrote to ask if we’d write a song for her brother, Tim Burman, who died in the Lockerbie bombing.” The track of the same name is indeed a moving eulogy to him and others who lost their lives in the bombing and in a slightly similar vein to the Bee Gees’ New York Mining Disaster 1941.

However, even though the group have won national plaudits over the years many of the new songs remain very local in their

influence. I wondered if that was intentional to continue to connect with their local audience and Sean was reassuringly honest. “I think it’s just who we are. We’re folk singers from Teesside. I don’t think we could sound like anything else. We started out singing sea shanties and traditional songs from the North East and we went on to write a lot of songs drawn from the history of our area. We don’t exclusively seek out stories from the North East anymore, but they seem to find their way to us. We’re so lucky that people write to us to share stories.” The folk scene is known to be, well, somewhat considered so I asked Sean if there is pressure as a folk group to write a certain way. “I used to think so. In the early days, I tried so hard to impress folk audiences and make things sound as traditional as possible. We still have that traditional sound and I write very much within a folk song framework, but I think we own it now and if we wanted to sound like anything else we’d be less bothered by what people thought.”

And that depth of endeavour? “We’re playing a bunch of festivals this summer including Hartlepool Tall Ships which we’re really excited about. We’ve got lots of other projects going on as well. David [Eagle] is an award-winning stand-up comedian and plays comedy gigs every week of the year and I’m currently writing songs for the National Theatre’s production of The Odyssey which is coming to Sunderland in April.” There it is. Tiny Notes by The Young’uns is released on Friday 7th April on Hudson Records. The band play Sage Gateshead on Friday 26th May

www.theyounguns.co.uk

WE STILL HAVE THAT TRADITIONAL SOUND AND I WRITE VERY MUCH WITHIN A FOLK SONG FRAMEWORK, BUT I THINK WE OWN IT NOW

BETHANY BLACK

STEVE SPITHRAY TALKS TO THE RAZOR-SHARP COMEDIAN ABOUT HER PHILOSOPHICAL APPROACH TO HER NEW STAND-UP SHOW, ALWAYS BET ON BETH

To paraphrase Chorley comedian Beth Black, comedy is like pizza. Everybody likes a Margherita pizza but then the more toppings you add the more people you put off until you end up with only dedicated fans of that particular pizza. Beth is a comedian, actor and writer who has been performing for over twenty years having been critically acclaimed for her personal, confessional style of comedy and her new show, Always Bet On Beth is an extension of that. “It’s a show about how just before the pandemic I moved to the countryside and the interactions I’ve had [since] with my neighbours, my life tends to be quite ridiculous, [so] there is a story about a colonoscopy (that makes up quite a big part of it and some terrible mistakes I made which led to that), and it’s about conspiracy theories.”

The themes of the show will resonate with many, especially those living in rural areas. “With tour shows it’s more about finding my audience. When you start talking about the things you want to talk about you find your audience because people are interested in it. Connecting with an audience is something you do every six seconds on stage as one organism rather than individuals, so I fine-tune [the show] as I go along. It’s a conversation more than anything else, but where the audience only get to laugh.” It’s a particularly philosophical approach to comedy. “I love coming to the North East because it has evolved differently than it did in Manchester, London, or even

THE THING WITH ART IS YOU’VE NEVER COMPLETED IT, YOU NEVER WIN, YOU NEVER MEET THE FINAL BOSS AND THINK, ‘I’VE DONE THAT NOW.’

Edinburgh. It really has a wonderful combination of the silly, surreal and really good observational stuff. It’s always a place where I’ve had fun.”

The tour runs until the end of May but Beth won’t be stopping there. “After the tour I’ll be writing the next one. I’ll be out on the circuit and trying to get TV projects off the ground. I write for Frankie Boyle’s TV show and I’m also writing for Joe Lycett’s new show for Channel 4.” Indeed, Joe has described Beth as comedy’s Henry Cavill.

With quite a stage CV behind her already I asked Beth why it is still so important to support the small independent theatres like Alphabetti. “[This show is] ninety minutes long but it doesn’t feel like that anymore. Most tour shows are an hour long but doing this, in terms of building and connecting with an audience, it’s absolutely vital. There is a magic to it. It has to have a symbiotic relationship.

“The thing with art is you’ve never completed it, you never win, you never meet the final boss and think, ‘I’ve done that now.’ At the same time there is this weird idea that success is finite, but you have to be successful on your own terms and you will find people that really love what you do and rather see you than someone else. Sometimes you will get a pizza with pineapple, anchovies and olives on it and most people will go, ‘that’s disgusting’, but the sort of people who know that’s exactly what they want and like it so much better than anything else. So, I’m just trying to find those people!”

Bethany Black performs Always Bet On Beth at Alphabetti Theatre, Newcastle on Saturday 29th April. www.bethanyblack.co.uk

LISTINGS

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

SATURDAY 1ST APRIL

BIG MOUTH COMEDY CLUB

Featuring MC Hammersmith, Julian Deane and host Danny Mcloughlin // Middlesbrough Town Hall

FIONA CRISP: WEIGHTING TIME

Exploring 30 years of work by the artist, which looks at how we may connect to spaces and ideas beyond our own lived experience. Runs until Saturday 3rd June // Sunderland Museum & Winter Gardens

FEATURED // Flux

A heart-warming, empowering, funny and poignant production from Mortal Fools about what it means to question your identity in a world that feels determined to put you in a box // YMCA Northumberland, Ashington

HILARITY BITES COMEDY CLUB

Featuring Paul ‘Silky’ White, Tony Cowards and host Andy Fury // The Forum Music Centre, Darlington

METAMORPHOSE

From bud to bloom; as spring unfolds outdoors, explore the mesmerising botanical art of Nerys Johnson. Runs until 3rd June // Hartlepool Art Gallery

NE VOLUME MUSIC BAR’S 3RD BIRTHDAY

Featuring The Froot, Burn The Valley, Idle Violets, High Tide, Jacob Diaz-Wright, Mascara’s Lies, The Larches, Labyrinthine Oceans, Hivemind and Holly Rees // NE Volume Music Bar, Stockton

PHIL WANG

The critically acclaimed comedian brings his new show, Wang In There Baby to Durham // Gala Theatre, Durham

THE SUGGESTIBLES

The improv troupe offer tips and tricks in their School of Improv club // The Cumberland Arms, Newcastle

WHERESOEOVER THEY ARE IN ANY MEASURE

Musical composition in partnership with young people from Autism Able CIC, musician David Littlefair and composer Ben Lunn // Trinity Church, Sunderland

SUNDAY 2ND APRIL

GRUBBY LITTLE MITTS

At once slapstick, sitcom and surreal, expect wildly different sketches at breakneck speed // The Stand, Newcastle

TUESDAY 4TH APRIL

THE COURETTES

Explosive rock and roll from Denmark and Brazil, blending garage rock, 60s girl group and surf. Support from Rob Heron // The Cluny, Newcastle

WEDNESDAY 5TH APRIL

DAVID KITT

A unique, sincere and honest songwriter with a multitude of genres under his belt // The Cluny 2, Newcastle

SECRET SOUND

A fundraiser for Bright Minds, Big Futures featuring Burn The Valley, Rare Breed, Article 64 and Mascara’s Lies // The Georgian Theatre, Stockton

THURSDAY 6TH APRIL

CUCAMARAS

Indie post-punks, supported by Tin Ribs and Mutt // Bobik’s, Newcastle

DISCIPLINARY

Twin bass noise punk with a ghetto-tech twist // Little Buildings, Newcastle

HILARITY BITES NEW ACT NEW MATERIAL NIGHT

Featuring Tony Cowards, Nick Cranston, host Kieran Lawless and more // Hops & Cheese, Hartlepool

HIS LORDSHIP

Maximum rock ‘n’ roll duo, support from Us and Nervous Twitch // NE Volume Music Bar, Stockton

THE GENTLEMAN BUSKER

Raw and heartfelt acoustic punk, supported by Matt Besford and Bosko Green // Elder Beer Cafe, Newcastle

FRIDAY 7TH APRIL

DJANGO JONES & THE MYSTERY MEN

Alt. rock, supported by Wingz Of The Monkey and The Neolectrics // NE Volume Music Bar, Stockton

LUCINDA SPRAGG

A hilarious skewering of the alt. right. Also on Saturday 8th April // Laurel’s, Whitley Bay

PANIC SHACK

Brash and witty lyrics married with killer hooks // The Cluny 2, Newcastle

SATURDAY 8TH APRIL

FEATURED // Me Lost Me

The electro-folk artist headlines a superb bill which also includes Ceitidh Mac and Heather Ferrier // Bobik’s, Newcastle

THE JACK DASH

Rock ‘n’ roll mayhem, supported by Jenny McNamara, Fin Weatherill and Doug Verrill // Toft House, Studio Theatre, Middlesbrough

TRAMPOLINE

Welsh alt. rockers, supported by The Thieves // The Cluny 2, Newcastle

SUNDAY 9TH APRIL

MCCORMICK/THE MARIE MARX BAND

Special collaborative gig between two North East greats // Toft House, Studio Theatre, Middlesbrough

NINA NASTASIA

Concise, hook-laden songwriting and a stunning voice // The Cluny 2, Newcastle

THURSDAY 13TH APRIL

ALATION

Indie rock band from Newcastle, support from Boykott Kenny and Sheds // Independent, Sunderland

BURN THE VALLEY

Teesside heavy rock three piece, supported by Cal., KissKissKill and Haeze // NE Volume Music Bar, Stockton

CATCH THE SPARROW

Heartfelt, feather-light folk from Catch The Sparrow, plus support from Sam Baxter and Amy Thatcher & Fran Knowles // The Cumberland Arms, Newcastle

RHYS JAMES

Whip smart comedian // The Witham, Barnard Castle

TARREN

Forward-thinking English folk trio // The Globe, Newcastle

FRIDAY 14TH APRIL

HOLIDAY GHOSTS

Potent songwriting and a love of classic rock and roll combines in bluesy pop via bouncy rock. Support from Mt. Misery and Ubiquitous Meh! // The Cumberland Arms, Newcastle

SATURDAY 15TH APRIL

ALIEN CHICKS

Post-punk power trio // Bobik’s, Newcastle

BOILERMAKER

Darlington punk rockers, supported by Voodoo Radio and Street Blood // The Forum Music Centre, Darlington

DUNCAN MCFARLANE BAND

Folk rock // Toft House, Studio Theatre, Middlesbrough

GEORGE BOOMSMA

Poetic lyricist, support from Nat Johnson // Claypath Deli, Durham

MEGSON: THE HERALD

Award-winning folk duo Megson collaborate with playwright and actor Kieran Knowles in a unique production // ARC, Stockton

FEATURED // Refashion

Multidisciplinary Queer artist John James Perangie’s new exhibition investigates ideas around styling, the Queering of material or objects and refashioning of existing materials to give a new narrative. Runs until 29th April // Pineapple Black, Middlesbrough

THE OUTCHARMS

South Yorkshire grit and a passion for North West guitar music // KU, Stockton

SUNDAY 16TH APRIL

COMEDY ROX

Stand-up comedy curated by Musicians Mental Health Alliance NE, featuring Matt Reed, Gavin Webster, Kelly Edgar, Harry Ford, Catherine Young, Neil Harris and Jack Fox // Bobik’s, Newcastle

PIGS PIGS PIGS PIGS PIGS PIGS PIGS

Newcastle’s riotous noise makers bring their new album tour to Stockton // The Georgian Theatre, Stockton

THE FOO BIRDS

Nu-soul and R&B band, supported by India Arkin and Beth Macari // Little Buildings, Newcastle

TUESDAY 18TH APRIL

DAKHABRAKHA

Music quartet from Kyiv, Ukraine making a world of unexpected new music with its uncompromising vocal range and self-proclaimed ‘ethno-chaos’ // The Fire Station, Sunderland

WEDNESDAY 19TH APRIL

PETER DOHERTY

Peter Doherty embarks on his first solo acoustic tour in ten years, with a series of intimate Songbook shows, including classics from The Libertines, Babyshambles and his solo projects // KU, Stockton

SILLY BILLIES COMEDY CLUB

Cult comedy night featuring performances from Chris Cantrill, Fernando, Liberty Hodes, Ben Crompton and Neil Harris // The Bridge Hotel, Newcastle

THE EMERALD DAWN

Multi-instrumentalist, symphonic prog rock quartet // The Cluny 2, Newcastle

THURSDAY 20TH APRIL

DAVE GORMAN

The man behind Dave TV’s hit show Modern Life Is Goodish as well as Are You Dave Gorman? and Googlewhack Adventure, is back on the road with a brand new live show, Powerpoint To The People // The Globe, Stockton

HILARITY BITES NEW ACT NEW MATERIAL NIGHT

Featuring Pete Otway, Ant Dewson, host Sully O’Sullivan and more // Steam Machine Brewery, Newton Aycliffe

FRIDAY 21ST APRIL

HILARITY BITES COMEDY CLUB

Featuring Raymond Mearns, Chris Cantrill, Edy Hurst and MC Jon Pearson // Bishop Auckland Town Hall

MATT REED: COME IN AND GET YOUR TEA

Comedian Matt Reed welcomes professional chefs and local, familiar faces to recreate their favourite (or not so favourite) childhood teas // ARC, Stockton

MARTIN MCALOON

Performing a large selection of hit songs from Prefab Sprout’s extensive archive celebrating over 40 years of his brother, Paddy McAloon’s writing // The Georgian Theatre, Stockton

PATRICK MONAHAN

The Teesside comedian ponders the trials and tribulations of contemporary life // Darlington Hippodrome

STEVE LUCK

The talented pianist performs a unique event // Victoria Tunnel, Ouseburn

THE JACK FLETCHER BAND

Indie rock quartet, supported by Gone Tomorrow and The Collectors // Independent, Sunderland

THE LOTTERY WINNERS

Indie pop band // Middlesbrough Empire

SATURDAY 22ND APRIL

BOSOLA

Local alt. rockers // Bobik’s, Newcastle

CIRCUIT

Club night featuring live performances from Club Paradise, Flynt and more // Independent, Sunderland

CORY ARCANGEL

Arcangel’s work explores the potential and failures of old and new digital technologies, highlighting their obsolescence, humour, aesthetics and, at times, eerie influence on contemporary life // NGCA, Sunderland

FRANKIE JOBLING

Neo-soul artist // Star & Shadow Cinema, Newcastle

JANGO FLASH

Buzzy indie band, supported by Wild Spelks, No Teeth and Melanie Baker // The Grove, Newcastle

JERRY JOSEPH

Celebrated Americana artist // The Globe, Newcastle

TUESDAY 25TH APRIL

FEATURED // Soapbox Racer

The story of a teenage girl building a soapbox car in a wild attempt to win back her ex, accidentally reconnecting with her estranged Dad in the process, and finding her inner daredevil. Runs until Saturday 13th May // Alphabetti Theatre, Newcastle

THURSDAY 27TH APRIL

BEN OTTEWELL

The singer and guitarist from Gomez offers up beautifully poetic songs of salvation // The Cluny 2, Newcastle

GOOD HABITS

Award-winning folk duo, supported by Sunday Lendis // Cobalt Studios, Newcastle

J ZUNZ

Spectral electronics, supported by Burning Pyre // The Lubber Fiend, Newcastle

FRIDAY 28TH APRIL

AMELIA COBURN

Gothic folk artist // Arts Centre Washington

CATCH 22 COMEDY CLUB

Featuring Ryan Cullen, Andy Askins and MC Nina Gilligan // ARC, Stockton

LA MERE

A toe tapping, moving and uplifting exploration of what it means to lose your youth, but find  the sea // Laurel’s, Whitley Bay

PATRICK GOSLING

Sunderland-based songwriter, supported by Camel Island and Seizure // The Ship Isis, Sunderland

SHOE CAKE COMEDY CLUB

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

TC & THE GROOVE FAMILY

A powerful and dynamic nine-piece, who explore Afrobeat, breakbeat, jungle, jazz and highlife // Cobalt Studios, Newcastle

TRUE FOXES

Up and coming folk pop duo // The Globe, Newcastle

SATURDAY 29TH APRIL

FOLKISH EXPLOSION

Featuring folk rock artists Driven Serious, Joe Solo, Hadrian’s Union and Swamp Stomp String Band // The Cluny 2, Newcastle

HOT POTATO COMEDY CLUB

Featuring some of the best up and coming comedians alongside tried and tested regulars // Hartlepool Town Hall Theatre

KATIE DOHERTY & THE NAVIGATORS

Unique folk songwriter // ARC, Stockton

SUNDAY 30TH APRIL

CINDY

Harrowing hazy soundscapes and murmured melodies // The Cumberland Arms, Newcastle

REVIEWS

SUEDE, DESPERATE JOURNALIST @ O2 CITY HALL, NEWCASTLE (17.03.23)

Words: Paul Brown

Some bands don’t have fans, they have devotees. And Suede are such a band. Before they emerge to universal adulation at O2 City Hall, Desperate Journalist get to warm up an already buzzed crowd. They’re an excellent choice of support, with their darkly melodic songs landing well. The presence of singer Jo Bevan has the room eating out of her hand, never more so than on the raucous Why Are You So Boring? Suede soon emerge, clearly in the mood to party, with a set blending the highlights of Autofiction and some visceral takes on the hits like The Drowners, Animal Nitrate and Trash, which see Anderson coming off like the lovechild Jagger and Bowie should’ve had. Even those of us familiar with his live antics find it hard not to be blown away by the energy of his performance, which sees him repeatedly clambering on and off the stage to join the crowd in shared moments of sweat-drenched euphoria.

At times the band ease the pace with the odd deep cut, such as Indian Strings (from “our shit album” as Anderson half-jokingly dubs Head Music) and a sparse, gritty take on The Asphalt World. The set (of course) ends with a breakneck encore of The Beautiful Ones with Anderson stood on the monitor, arms outstretched like a glam rock Christ. I’d join his church.

LÅPSLEY @ SAGE GATESHEAD (16.03.23)

Words: Jonathan Coll

Prodigious singer, songwriter and musician Låpsley made her long awaited North East debut at Sage Gateshead; it’s a venue synonymous with her particular style of polished, electronic indie, and it felt like a natural fit from the moment she walked on stage.

Her performance was understated, illuminated center-stage by a single spotlight, but any lack of pageantry was secondary to an excellent vocal performance. Her voice in live performances is often difficult to tell apart from how she sounds on record, with 32 Floors and My Love Was Like The Rain being particularly stunning.

There is, however, enough of a departure from her studio recordings to keep things interesting and give her performances a distinct feel. Say

I’m What You Need book-ended the performance, with a stripped-back version opening proceedings and a full band version closing the main body of the show. Luckily for fans of her breakout single, myself included, Operator (He Doesn’t Call Me) was a stunning encore, and the highlight of what had been an exceptional gig.

NAPALM DEATH’S CAMPAIGN FOR MUSICAL DESTRUCTION, ESCUELA GRIND, SIBERIAN MEAT GRINDER, DROPDEAD @ BOILER SHOP, NEWCASTLE (10.03.23)

Words: Ali Welford

On the face of it, Napalm Death’s Campaign For Musical Destruction presents a barrage of unrelenting hostility – yet one needn’t dig too deep to uncover an ethos of inclusion and solidarity underpinning this most ferocious of bills.

Hammering home their intersectional message with a bludgeoning death metal assault, New England’s Escuela Grind are formidable openers, and in Katerina Economou sport a vocalist whose growl can more than mix it amidst such esteemed company. Siberian Meat Grinder, meanwhile, set about inducting us into their ‘bear cult’ – a fantastical space where punks, metalheads and crazy music lovers of any tribe can find their calling. Breakneck yet deceptively accessible, the Russians’ crossover thrash banquet even culminates with a cameo from the be-costumed Bear Tsar himself!

Legends in their own right, Providence, RI veterans Dropdead present an altogether more strident challenge; both via their white-hot power violence blitz and uncompromising advocacy of veganism and animal rights. Amidst the battery, their central question of why we still rely on exploitation cuts deeper than ever in the 2020s, encouraging self-reflection among all who remain complicit.

As for Napalm Death, it’d take more than a broken ankle and “looking like a twat” to suppress Barney Greenway. Writhing manically in his chair, the frontman’s legendary Brummy roar turbo-charges a clamorous collision of old and new; a fury and political conviction that’s been surpassed in extremity stakes, but in an age of culture war has rarely sounded so pertinent.

FATHER JOHN MISTY @ SAGE GATESHEAD (13.03.23)

Words: Dominic Stephenson

There’s not many gigs where the announcer bellows through a tannoy that the show is about to begin, such is the grandiose scale of An Evening With Father John Misty. In the equally opulent surroundings of Sage’s Hall One, the man known as Josh Tillman lifted off with the swaggering ballad Mr. Tillman.

More than a quarter of his set spanned most recent LP Chloë And The Next 20th Century, which could be described as a left-field turn – he almost indulged in self-flagellation between tracks, calling it “Disney, Fantasia type stuff”. There were still some real gems from that album though; from the swinging jazz of Chloë, to the more solemn Goodbye Mr Blue. His backing band, known as the Honky-Tonk Angels and nine-strong no less, provided the orchestral backdrop for the Father to swan around the stage, as the set grew into the more familiar and warming tunes like Château Lobby #4 (In C for Two Virgins) and I Love You, Honeybear.

The encore felt like a dampener but cast more elegant folk pop nonetheless, and being the basic bitch I am I was holding out for the rapturous Hollywood Forever Cemetery Sings. An enigmatic character maybe, but Misty is a seasoned performer who’s unwavering cult-like following perseveres.

YOUNG FATHERS @ BOILER SHOP, NEWCASTLE (06.03.23)

Words: Ali Welford

It’s difficult to overstate quite how enthralling Young Fathers are in full flow. With their unique individual auras and irrepressible collective zeal, the Edinburgh trio are as electrifying a proposition as when they first emerged a decade back, and in new album Heavy Heavy arrive bearing arguably the most realised iteration of their radical alt. pop to date. Indeed, as opening salvo Get Started melts into ecstatic recent single I Saw, we’re greeted by an outfit operating at the very peak of their powers. The pace they set in these opening exchanges is a thing to behold, and with stunners such as Get Up, Old Rock ‘n’ Roll and Toy up

their sleeves, the guns rarely cease blazing. Amidst this singular, incendiary fusion of soul, hip-hop, punk and electronics, what elevates Young Fathers above all is Alloysious Massaquoi, Kayus Bankole and Graham Hastings’ ability to project their own distinct voices and personas. Crucially, though, the same license is afforded to their backing performers; a factor which adds immeasurably to the zeal and sense of fervent expression emanating from the stage. If Heavy Heavy acted as a reminder they’re one of the great studio acts our isles have to offer, tonight serves notice that Young Fathers are in hot pursuit of the live crown too.

WEATHERSHIP, NICE GUY, CHURCH, HONEY @ THE GREEN ROOM, STOCKTON (10.03.23)

Words: Tracy Hyman

A project conceived during lockdown by J. P. Riggall, Weathership are well on their way to a new concept album about the sea. Tonight is the postponed celebration of their second single release, Blue. Performing solo tonight, Church, Honey have a soothing guitar pop sound, from the upbeat I’d Go Blind to the gentle melancholy of Pity Sex. The songs gradually crescendo upwards towards the chorus. In contrast, the banter between songs jokes about Brexit and the Queen. A new EP is on the cards and we are treated to a preview of Happy Birthday, a song about grief and loss.

Nice Guy bring summery guitars with intricate patterns of melody carefully picked out. The content of their songs is at times very real, like the slower domestic violence-themed Shame. The audience vote for the penultimate song, Last Order At The Linthorpe or Fake Leather. Which one should we play? They soon give up and play them both anyway. Weathership are finely-tuned musicians playing their delicately crafted, rhythmic alternative soundscapes. They take us through songs from Riggall’s album Hotel Wilderness as well as new offerings from their work-in-progress concept album, Weathership. Lost At Sea is a mellow delight, with lead guitar highlights picking out the wave tips. Latest single Blue is ambient and gentle with a wonderful spoken sample at the end. Exciting things are to come from Weathership

SELF ESTEEM @ SAGE GATESHEAD (04.03.23)

Words: Steve Spithray

When I last saw Self Esteem, Rebecca Lucy Taylor and her band raised the roof of the Georgian Theatre in Stockton and tonight they manage to do the same in Sage’s Hall One. The other players on stage, three singing dancers, a bassist/multi-instrumentalist and a percussionist, embellish and control in equal measure what is a lavish, joyous spectacle that has the whole auditorium on its feet right from a stylishly perforated intro on opener Prioritise Pleasure. Later, you could have heard a pin drop during the strategically curated lull of John Elton, having confidently already thrown away Fucking Wizardry and a flurry of others including newie Mother early on. Themes and costume changes are all slickly and creatively delivered in a stunning first half of the set.

Choreographed down to the minutest detail the performance is magical and absorbing at times, although some of the finer nuances may be getting lost as the venues are getting bigger, while the non-conformist and feminist themes become a little dulled by the majestic delivery of the likes of The 345 and I Do This All The Time. Nonetheless, it’s a performance that wouldn’t need much tweaking for the really big venues that surely beckon. The production may still mask the fact that Self Esteem lacks a wall-to-wall set of out and out bangers, and an encore of I’m Fine and Still Reigning lacked the same hurrah as earlier highlights, but this is a journey that still ends mid-paragraph…

FIELD LINES CARTOGRAPHER, POLYPORES, LATE GIRL @ THE CUMBERLAND ARMS, NEWCASTLE (25.02.23)

Words: Lee Fisher

There’s a been a vibrant and exciting electronics scene transmitting from Lancashire for a few years now, initially via Concrète Tapes and now Castles In Space, but until now Tyneside had yet to experience it live. As ever, praise be to Endless Window for getting two of its leading lights to Newcastle. But first, we got a powerful set from Late Girl, who just seems to get better and better. Building from flanged and fucked up conversational detritus and low-end rumble and moving through tentative lullaby vocals, an almost baroque, playful piano interlude and ending with her traditional, charming farewell. Lovely stuff. Polypores was up next, kicking off with some modular bliss, Cluster-like

pads and generally loveliness before moving into something more intense and propulsive, the sound fragmenting, falling and surging. There was a frantic section that could have been a new score for Phase IV. At times it felt like all the innovators – from Vangelis to Carlos to Plone to AFX – were being fed through the Polypores grinder to make something wonderful, and perhaps a bit tougher than expected. Field Lines Cartographer’s set felt more like a single piece, developing from beautifully layered synth washes into a darker affair, with sporadic, sparse samples – voices, chanting, water. There were moments of pure bloop nirvana and it climaxed with some anxious rave-style chords, almost Orbital levels of tension – minus the beats – with deep bass notes shifting our organs while the devices twittered and unraveled. Beautiful stuff all round.

THE GO! TEAM, BABA ALI @ BOILER SHOP, NEWCASTLE (11.03.23)

Words: Jake Anderson

Attendees of The Go! Team at Boiler Shop learned top secret information as lead vocalist Ninja asked those in the front row what our star signs are during the song Semicircle (Aquarius, FYI), and this interaction further serves to craft a perfect relationship with the audience, bringing us into their wondrous aura, even if only for an hour or so. But what made the truly band sparkle was their adaptability and versatility on stage. Band members were swapping guitars for a second drum kit, and then swapping that for a banjo, or Ninja would hop off vocals to play the recorder or a tambourine. Have you ever seen a guitar played using a harmonica? ‘Cause now I have!

It was like watching a music classroom’s worth of instruments being used to their fullest, as the ensemble performed these plunder-phonics based indie pop songs with ease. Already impressive studio tracks like Whammy-O and Ladyflash popped even more in a live context, and I was thrilled to be at the front seeing how it all fit together. Supporting them was musician Baba Ali, with his dance punk and synth pop hybrid sound, which was the perfect opener for The Go! Team, capturing a lot of the same energy, but flexing more swagger in both his dancing and rhythmic tunes.

NOVA TWINS, WITCH FEVER, UNINVITED @ NEWCASTLE UNIVERSITY (25.02.23)

Words: Natalie Greener

With the recent win of Kerrang!’s Award for Best British Newcomer under their belt, duo Nova Twins have been making waves since their debut in 2014. An alternative sound that is not for the faint-hearted, the recent release of award nominated Supernova has riled fans for the accompanying UK and EU tour.

Signifying empowerment and a real moment to inspire boss bitches, the Newcastle University basement space found itself immersed in the signature Nova Twins’ sound: heavy bass lines that fuse metal with intense electronic texture, heard in rap-rock anthems like Cleopatra, Undertaker, and Taxi.

Initially, you are so blown away by the dynamic vocals of lead singer Amy Love and the pace defining riffs of Georgia South, that both stand alone in their own right – a wonderful distraction from the complexities of their live set up, the technical skill can be easy to miss, yet it’s fundamental in achieving the magic production that underpins their authentically raw sound.

Drowning audiences with screams of empowerment, Nova Twins recruited the support of fellow spearheads also carving a space for themselves in such a male-dominated industry and genre; Manchesterbased punks Witch Fever and Glaswegian emerging grunge outfit Uninvited proved the perfect no-man’s land of a line-up which was the definition of organised chaos.

SHAME, THEY HATE CHANGE @ BOILER SHOP,

Words: Jason Jones

NEWCASTLE (04.03.23)

Three albums in, Shame continue to impress and intrigue by peddling a sound that flirts with the familiar while never wholly kowtowing to convention. In that sense, Food For Worms, the title of the band’s stunning recent release, is something of a misnomer.

On a rowdy Saturday night at the Boiler Shop, where the air hangs heavy with the thrum of chaos, the quintet unleash their most telling blows to quite the astonishing effect.

First up, however, are They Hate Change. The pair, kitted out in identical garb and spitting their whip-smart bars with a near-hivemind synchronicity, find themselves swimming against the tide a little in front

of a crowd that receives them with polite interest, rather than the raucous enthusiasm on which they quite clearly thrive.

Shame, on the other hand, come crashing through any lingering reticence like a rhinoceros operating a bulldozer.

Newer cuts like Six Pack and The Fall of Paul hurl the audience into a frenzy, while old faithful Concrete comes across as propulsive, mildly repulsive, and entirely unhinged as ever.

Even in their more considered moments, the South Londoners enthral without ever compromising on their innate intensity. Adderall, for instance, is a soaring, disaffected anthem that yanks brattishly on the heartstrings.

By the time the house lights come up there are absolutely no doubts; Shame are anything but worm food.

THE COMET IS COMING, JOSHUA IDEHEN @ BOILER SHOP, NEWCASTLE (01.03.23)

Words: Lee Hammond

Opening tonight is Joshua Idehen who has collaborated with many of The Comet Is Coming’s contemporaries as well as the band themselves. He succeeds in whipping this crowd up, conducting singalongs in what feels like a cult sermon at times. He even returns for an encore of sorts, and with his mix of spoken word and heavy beats it couldn’t be more of a contrast to what comes next, from a barrage of words to… nothing. The Comet Is Coming are a band lauded with critical acclaim, their sound is hard to pin down and tonight does nothing to assist in such endeavours. The band quietly take to the stage and set about an aural assault. Flitting between genres instead of words, they fuse jazz, electronica, Afrobeat and so much more! Power and energy exude from the stage, rippling through the crowd, all whilst the band remain silent. Tonight is a tour through their latest album, filled with extended jams and solos, bringing Hyper-Dimensional Expansion Beam to life. It’s a truly impressive set, with Shabaka’s saxophone punctuating their heavy rhythms and providing rich context to an exceptionally tight rhythm section.

They’re unrelenting from the off, opening with Code and concluding with Pyramids, there’s an underlying euphoria that holds this mass of Wednesday night ravers in the palm of The Comet Is Coming’s hand.

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JODY BIGFOOT AND JOHN DOLE BRUSH STROKES

Words: Michael O’Neill

A breathtaking sonic assault, Brush Strokes is the first in a long line of releases by Jody Bigfoot, who is building on the momentum generated by 2020’s Duszt project, after a Covid-imposed hiatus forced him to hit pause.

Brush Strokes finds Jody collaborating with the iconic local sonic craftsman John Dole, whose deft touch brings these tracks a brilliant, deep and intricate sound which galvanises Jody to put the world to rights across three sprawling, kinetic, enthralling tracks. The way in which his bars weave around the anxious and tense melodies of Brken makes it clear: it’s a match made in heaven, and a brilliant start to what will likely be a pivotal year for Jody Bigfoot.

Released: 21.04.23

www.linktr.ee/jodybigfoot

BORRELLE UNTIL I BLINK

Words: Liv Aldridge

Newcastle newcomer Borrelle’s new single Until I Blink is an exploration of the modern purgatory. The song is jam-packed with indie ingredients like bodily angst and claustrophobia, ‘maybe’s’ and self-depreciating comments all between layers of vocals and a studied pop instrumentation which hints at influences like Daughter, Lily Allen and Glass Animals. Borelle’s voice sounds at times like a distant cousin of Laura Marling’s and her rolling repetitions of a catchy chorus mean that the song has great potential; rhythmic rhyming is key to the artist’s process and it’s an element that lifts the song. I particularly like how mature and immature sounding vocals are woven together, while the ukulele is uplifting alongside a driving rhythm and well-produced poppy sonics.

Released: 07.04.23

www.borrelle.bandcamp.com

JEN DIXON OVER YOU

Words: Niamh Poppleton

Indie pop artist Jen Dixon’s soaring new single Over You swiftly flits between mellow verses and elevating choruses, and perfectly mirrors the ups and downs of life. Assisted by soothing harmonies, Jen weaves an unforgettable tale of new beginnings. The uplifting chorus practically radiates positivity, as Jen sings of escaping from the struggles of our lives to find that everything can suddenly change for the better. Smoothly transitioning from the cheerful, drum-packed chorus, the last verse is a quasi-rap segment, illustrating just how fast-paced life can be at times. Sooner or later, you’ll find yourself belting out the lyrics alongside Jen, as Over You makes its way into your all-time favourites.

Released: 07.04.23

www.jendixonmusic.co.uk

TIMMY SPOILED BRAT SYNDROME

Words: Matt Young

This debut release from Sunderland-based Timmy is virtually unclassifiable. Melding the ear-bleeding sounds of thrash metal with cardiac inducing drilled drum ‘n’ bass and piling on wailing jazz brass parts, choral vocals, demented rap and nursery rhymes, Timmy is a breed unto themselves.

It almost comes across as audio trolling but even if that is the case it sounds thrilling enough not to care. Vocally and lyrically there are nods to Eminem or Primus mixing cartoonish horror and melodies. The savage hailstorm of words, screams and unholy growls punctuate the proficiently unhinged musical arrangements. Apparently, there’s an album on the way and I’m all for it. Spoiled Brat Syndrome sounds exactly as you might expect, but with a truckload of tubular bells on.

Released: 31.03.23

www.instagram.com/timmy0452

TIRED OF FIGHTING OUT OF THE FOREST

Words: Michael O’Neill

We begin with some scene-setting minor chords, then a colossal rain of snare hits yank us out of safety and fling us headfirst into a glorious wall of sound, with the vocals somehow managing to cut through the marvellous sonic tidal wave with ease. Out Of The Forest is a glorious thrill to experience with headphones on. However, this isn’t just sonic smoke and mirrors, the song itself is a wonder to behold and one which tackles heavy subjects with a deft and tasteful touch. It would be every bit as poignant and engaging in a bare-bones arrangement, but the storm the production whips up is a brilliant fit for such a colossus of a song. Essential.

Released: 02.04.23

www.linktr.ee/tiredoffighting

CALLUM KEWEN CHAPTERS

Words: Liv Aldridge

This short, sweet and conceptually coherent country song by Callum Kewen indulges in a fantasy of one’s life being read by an external jury and operating like a book, where the song narrator realises a comforting circularity as they feel the ‘chapters’ closing.

The guitar, vocals and song architecture are all smooth, processed and curated, lacking a little in the looseness and roughness I prefer in country, but the songwriting concept persists, and weathers the storm of cleanness. Perhaps the chorus is a bit sonically homogenous with the extended repetition of “alright”, but the narrative works, and this is a country song after all. Kewen’s experience of epiphany is what sticks with me as a listener and experience cannot be pre-packaged.

Released: 28.04.23

www.facebook.com/kewenmusic

MARINA JOSEPHINA FOOL LIKE ME

Words: Emily Ingram

There are a lot of late nineties/early noughties throwbacks these days. Low-rise jeans, ‘indie sleaze’ and tiny handbags (among other horrors) are all things that seem to be clawing their way back into the mainstream. With this in mind, reflective singer-songwriter Marina Josephina harkens back to a time when RnB artists ruled the airwaves – luckily, this callback is an altogether more positive one.

Fool Like Me is a tonic for those seeking something both soft and sharp: whilst the instrumentation of the track is a little over-the-top at points, Marina’s superb vocals carry it through to a pretty satisfying conclusion. Keep your ears to the ground… I’m sure we’ll be hearing more exciting things from her in the future.

Released: 21.04.23

www.instagram.com/marinajosephina_

MAIUS MOLLIS FEEL IT HARD

Words: Emily Ingram

Big Thief, Frankie Cosmos, Soccer Mommy – there certainly isn’t a shortage of lo-fi melancholia at the moment. Whether she intends to or not, Maius Mollis takes her place among these artists with ease in Feel It Hard.

The song is a gorgeously sad ode to wonky family dynamics and the searing pain of breakups without closure: its opening is fairly unassuming, with rolling drums and soft guitar. But by the time we reach the chorus, the song has veered into the realm of the gut-wrenching. All in all, it’s a bittersweet experience – and if scream-crying the words to Speaking Terms by Snail Mail is your thing, you should probably check it out.

Released: 14.04.23

www.facebook.com/maiusmollis

BRYAN DOWNTRODDEN

Words: Tom Astley

Bryan is the side project of local singer-songwriter Ryan David Welsh (Sorry Escalator) and producer, musician and composer Brendan Portues (Crease, Dripp, Whirlwind Verne, Tribo Do Sol). Musically, the song plants itself firmly within the synth pop of the 80s, with synth patches oscillating wildly around the gravitational points of the likes of Human League, Gary Numan, Depeche Mode.

The clear affinity with 80s synth pop is more than just aesthetic. The lyrics offer a bleakness, a demoralised, scathing stab at a washed out and hopeless political landscape, reminiscent of some of the more dystopian synth pop of Thatcher’s 80s. This is given even more pathos by the drawled out vocal delivery, which is perfectly blended with passion, despair and frustration.

Released: 31.03.23

www.soundcloud.com/bryantheduo

MIKE HEBDEN LET ME DOWN

Words: Tom Astley

Mike Hebden’s Let Me Down reimagines an ill-fated date in perfectly realised soft rock style, replete with swirling 10cc I’m Not In Love organ sound, blistering guitar solos, Player’s Baby Come Back chorus harmonies, a perfectly pitched sax solo from Archipelago’s own Faye MacCalman, and a vocal reminiscent of Christopher Cross. All of this set over a 12/8 driving rhythm, produced by the legendary Harbourmaster. It’s a little disconcerting to hear an Americanised vocal talking about meeting at the Monument over this super-suave LA-nights musical bed, but if you can put aside the reality of windswept Greggs bags across Hippy Green, then there’s a cooler-than-cool 80s rock track just waiting for you to dive in.

Released: 01.04.23

www.twitter.com/holamiguel

SIMON TAYLOR JUDGEMENT DAY

Words: Niamh Poppleton

Drawing inspiration from his heroes, who range from Leonard Cohen to Serge Gainsbourg, Simon Taylor adds a somewhat rockier offering to his introspective sound. Whilst warning listeners of the catastrophic effects of karma – going as far as to compare it to an “atom bomb” – a carefully curated balance between electric and acoustic guitar brings a unique feel to the song, matching the distinctive message presented. The structured yet seemingly angry drums have the listener tapping their foot to the beat, whilst synonymously adding to the frustration seeping through the lyrics. Aided by soulful backing vocals, Judgement Day blatantly points out the consequences of anti-social behaviour, forewarning the listener that one day, we will all be judged by karma.

Released: 07.04.23

www.simontaylormusic.com

RESERVOIRS KIDS THESE DAYS EP

Words: Matt Young

Listening to the opening track on this EP from Durham’s Reservoirs you could be forgiven for expecting the remaining four songs to follow suit. However, the interesting collage of voices on Intro fade out giving way to more standard arrangements.

Pope Song mixes jazzy guitar riffs and a blaringly abrupt saxophone ending, while titular track Kids These Days is a shuffled country-style walk through nostalgia with a dual vocal that sounds effectively sweet and evocative. The duo of vocals continues in You And All Your Friends too, particularly strengthening the chorus and is the strongest song melodically for me.

The EP concludes with an acoustic version of track two, sounding like a stripped-back demo in places but bookends with the EP’s quieter opening. Released: 28.04.23

www.facebook.com/resevoirsmusic

DEMOS

WE WANT YOUR MUSIC!

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

WORDS: TOM ASTLEY

DEMO OF THE MONTH

The Beauty Pageant – She Was Mine

A new band based in Newcastle, The Beauty Pageant have somewhat of an air of mystery about them. Latest release She Was Mine is an atmospheric song featuring shimmering, understated guitar over a crisp lounge-core rhythm track, with rather lugubrious vocals pitched somewhere between Ian Curtis and Leonard Cohen.

The song’s stylish melancholy evokes a wide range of artists dealing in the more nocturnal side of life, from The Jesus And Mary Chain to The Blue Nile, without ever lapsing into parody. Strangely hypnotic and intriguing, She Was Mine also features a minimal yet highly effective instrumental passage that eschews traditional rock dynamics in favour of repetition, conjuring a contemplative late night ambience. Difficult to pigeonhole, The Beauty Pageant are ones to watch.

Joshua Bell – Breathe

Having previously formed an acoustic duo and a quartet called The Blue Circle, Joshua Bell is now recording tracks under his own name. Breathe is a well-produced and arranged ballad that deftly combines beats, strings and

piano to good effect. Joshua appears to have a fine voice, but it’s a little hard to tell, as he has modestly placed his vocals rather low in the mix. Overall, a catchy song with a strong melody and snappy arrangement, but on future releases Joshua should have more confidence in his singing and not bury it within the instrumentation. Well worth checking out. www.linktr.ee/joshbell1995

Kat Candace

– Grenades and Guillotines

Also Newcastle-based, 16 year-old Kat Candace describes herself as a “my own one-girl band”, as she writes, records and produces her songs as a solo singersongwriter. The follow-up to her Who Loves You Now? EP, Kat’s latest single Grenades And Guillotines is a charming, very well-produced pop ballad featuring gorgeous vocals and a memorable melody. With a well-crafted chorus and perfectly-judged instrumentation, this is a seriously impressive single from such a young artist, who’s likely to go far. Kat has further singles in the pipeline in advance of her debut album, so we can look forward to hearing more from her soon.

www.facebook.com/youaremyyellow

Lewis Narey – Gates of Hell

Lewis Narey is a second year Music Production student at Newcastle College who describes his music as ranging from “bedroom pop to soul/RnB”. Gates of Hell is the first of four singles that he plans to release in 2023, with live performances also in the

works. Boasting some fine piano and guitar-playing, Gates of Hell adeptly blends soul, reggae and R&B and is topped by a confident vocal by Neary that neatly reflects his varied influences. A polished production that ought to pick up plenty of airplay, this track would lend itself well to festivals, so look out for forthcoming gig announcements from Lewis.

www.soundcloud.com/lewis-narey

Alex Douglas – Double Rainbow

Alex Douglas is based in Washington and describes himself as “an original hard rock piano artist”. Following in the lineage of Fats Domino, Jerry Lee Lewis, Elton John and Ben Folds, Alex treats his piano as the lead instrument on Double Rainbow which he describes as “an energetic and fast hard rock song”. He’s not kidding – Double Rainbow is a barreling roller-coaster ride rooted in 1950s rock ‘n’ roll, with the louche charm of The Faces and a generous dollop of ‘70s glam. Alex’s vocals have a tongue-in-cheek, almost Chas & Dave-like feel to them, perfectly in keeping with the slightly deranged sense of wild abandon conveyed by his boisterous piano-playing. A barnstorming rock ‘n’ roll number to round off this issue’s diverse selection of high quality demos, all of which are worthy of your time.

www.ditto.fm/double-rainbow

ALBUMS

BENEFITS NAILS (INVADA RECORDS)

Words: Matthew Taylor

4.5

MARK JAMES HAMMOND & THE SLENDER BLIND FULL OF MURDER (SELF-RELEASE)

Words: Stephen Oliver

Some musicians struggle to get releases out, whereas Gateshead’s Mark James Hammond & The Slender Blind has managed four releases in five years despite everything else that has happened in that time. There was a marked contrast between the sweeping sounds of 2018’s Nothing Stays Put and the crunching rock vibe of last year’s Cast Off, and this latest offering falls somewhere in between, with a gothic darkwave vibe far more prevalent.

The songs create a huge soundscape that fills one’s mental capacity; lyrically this is about as far away as you can get from the verse-chorus-verse mentality, with tracks containing a poetic majesty which is a real aural treat. Each track has a story and you are swept up on a journey – that said, this album is less about music to drive along to and much more about dimming the lights and turning the music up a notch whilst sitting in your favourite comfy chair.

Instrumental opener No Longer Human sets the stall out; the repetitive guitar stretches out to comfort the listener before the drums kick in to the second track Preta, in which you are invited to take a ride up to the sky in a balloon pinned to the clouds. The tone changes back to earth, if not even below the earth, with Speak Ill with its examination of the end of a relationship. The guitars roll around the ever-changing rhythm as reflective lyrics find a way through the sonic palette. Fortunately there is musical light after the heavy darkness, Head Like Murder is followed by the more jangly Sylvia Plath, in which the guitar is allowed to ring out and a tambourine lulls you into a false sense of apparent happiness until you realise the darkness of the words. The result is a musical matrix that Trent Reznor would approve of, and the album as a whole provides a curious segue between the darker elements of The Cure with the vibe of early 90s pre-Britpop indie bands. Full of Murder is the perceptive examination of what happens after the credits roll; a look into your own story with the possibility of changing the ending, resulting in a fascinating demonstration of the catharsis that music can achieve.

Released: 21.04.23

www.facebook.com/mjhtheslenderblind

ALSO OUT THIS MONTH

The National – First Two Pages of Frankenstein (4AD, 28.04.) // Lael Neale – Star Eaters Delight (Sub Pop, 21.04) // Metallica – 72 Seasons (Blackened Recordings, 14.04) // Everything But The Girl – Fuse (Buzzin’ Fly Records, 21.04) // Cinder Well – Cadence (Free Dirt Records, 28.04) // Spencer Cullum – Spencer Cullum’s Coin Collection 2 (Full Time Hobby, 14.04) // El Caco – Uncelebration (INDIE RECORDINGS!, 21.04) // Pynch – Howling At A Concrete Moon (Chillburn Recordings, 14.04) // Country Westerns – Forgive The City (Fat Possum, 28.04) // Chappaqua Wrestling – Plus Ultra (EMI, 07.04) // Baba Ali – Laugh Like A Bomb (Memphis Industries, 21.04) // Temples – Exotico (ATO Records, 14.04) // Enter Shikari – A Kiss For The Whole World (SO Recordings, 21.04) // Ben Gregory – Episode (Transgressive, 07.04) // Big Slice – One For The Road (Label Fandango, 21.04) // Emma Tricca – Asprin Sun (Bella Union, 07.04) // Ruston Kelly – The Weakness (Rounder Records, 07.04) // Yaeji – With A Hammer (XL Recordings, 07.04) // Billie Marten – Drop Cherries (Fiction Records, 07.04) // Oracle Sisters – Hydranism (Big Hassle, 07.04)

The debut album from Benefits is as brutal and varied as their live shows. Nails is an industrial strength construction of genre defiant musical savagery that delivers an unassailable yet terrifying message with a bleak Northern wit. Shit Britain and Council Rust offer some uneasy respite amongst the controlled chaos. These rare moments of eerie, unsettling quiet and melancholy stand out against the sledgehammer assault of tracks like What More Do You Want and Meat Teeth.

Marlboro Hundreds is a war cry against ignorance channelled through digital hardcore, jazz drums and poetry. By comparison, the single Warhorse is pure pop magic. Both tracks are high points on this perfectly paced slice of experimental existentialism from Teesside’s punk heroes.

Released: 21.04.23

www.benefitstheband.com

5 / 5

THE YOUNG’UNS TINY NOTES (HUDSON RECORDS)

Words: Robert Nichols

The North East heavyweight folk champions of the unheralded and the anti-heroes of our community return with a truly fabulous long player that shows the trio at the very top of their game.

Charting tragedy and individual deeds of heroism from Florida to Derry, Lockerbie to Syria and the Wearmouth Bridge, The Young’Uns tease out the warmth and humanity in their exploration of these modern day folk tales.

Dynamic a capella harmonies sit beside strident string and piano accompaniments. Memorable melodies help turn water into wine as the heart rending becomes heart warming at every twist and turn. Each tiny note is a towering triumph; it is just so good.

Released: 07.04.23

www.theyounguns.co.uk

HMLTD THE WORM (LUCKY NUMBER)

Words: Jake Anderson

HMLTD’s art punk debut West of Eden is one of my favourite albums of 2020, and the band’s jazz-infused art rock sophomore album, The Worm, keeps both the best elements and expands their sound to unimaginable heights. Taking 47 musicians to compose, HMLTD fully realises a fictional medieval/sci-fi battlefield as a backdrop for a beautiful narrative in which our narrator is locked in a battle with his own narcissism. The dynamics of the instrumentation of The Worm is truly impressive, leading to a transcendental experience. The album finds new ways to captivate the listener, from the intimate keys of Days to the kinetic and obtuse sounds of Wyrmlands, and the triumphant electric guitar shredding ending of Lay Me Down.

Released: 07.04.23

www.hmltd.org

SILVER MOTH BLACK BAY (BELLA UNION)

Words: Matt Young

Silver Moth is a new seven-piece band featuring Mogwai’s Stuart Braithwaite. That’s the headline pitch, but the ‘supergroup/collective’ isn’t a one-man show, it features various members of Abrasive Trees, Burning House and Prosthetic Head too, all convening to improvise together in the dramatic location of Black Bay Studios on the Isle of Lewis.

There was a collective sloughing of certainties and expectations, and the album is the sound of musicians yielding to shared goals. That these sessions birthed a serene mix of hushed incantations and molten guitars, 15-minute noise rock epics and healing psalms, is hardly surprising given the pressure cooker atmosphere they created. Black Bay is a true testament to connectivity, committing to something greater than the sum of its individual parts.

Released: 21.04.23

www.silvermoth.co.uk

FRUIT BATS A RIVER RUNNING TO YOUR HEART (MERGE RECORDS)

Words: Lee Hammond

Returning from his stint with Bonny Light Horseman, Eric D. Johnson is once again on sparkling form on A River Running To Your Heart. This luscious record sees him flit between delicate solo work to beautifully crafted Americana soundscapes. Opening with instrumental Dim North Star before folding straight into Rushin’ River Valley to pick up the pace, this record possesses a cohesion which is so rarely heard.

Each track flows effortlessly, but there are still standout moments, particularly Sick of This Feeling and Waking up in Los Angeles. A River Running To Your Heart isn’t a bombastic record, yet it’s packed with layers of instrumentation and soulful harmonies, detail and nuance which never feels overpowering. A truly exceptional record.

Released: 14.04.23

www.fruitbatsmusic.com

BRAIDS EUPHORIC RECALL (SECRET CITY RECORDS)

Words: Matt Young

It’s fifteen years since Montréal three-piece Braids began their journey into dance music experimentation. Debut EP Set Pieces saw their brand of dream pop take the echoed density of the late 80’s shoegazing sound and transfer it to breathy electronic lounge core which spawned a host of imitators.

All the flirtations they’ve had with EDM in the interim are set aside, and on their fifth album Euphoric Recall they’re looking back to that freer, more blissful sound, conjuring up a host of melodic, symphonic pop songs – especially the strident ode to love Millennia. They simultaneously capture nostalgia but root the group in the now. There’s a high level of quality control, as always, but the lack of writing standard ‘hits’ means they’ll most likely remain underappreciated by the masses.

Released: 28.04.23

www.braidsmusic.com

TELEMAN GOOD TIME/HARD TIME (MOSHI MOSHI)

Words: Lee Hammond

Opening with real excitement, Teleman hit their stride from the off on Good Time/Hard Time, however it isn’t sustained. Short Life and Trees Grow High, are upbeat and play to the off-kilter pop sensibility that Teleman have become known for, but this strong opening quickly fades and is replaced with a more sedate sound, lacking the same enthusiasm as the start of the record. The Juice is a rare moment of upbeat excitement late on, before Good Time/Hard Time closes out with the subdued The Girls Who Came To Stay. This record has moments of brilliance but its failure to maintain the initial fervour lets it down, in all we’re left wanting more from Teleman on this occasion.

Released: 07.04.23

www.telemanmusic.com

RODRIGO Y GABRIELA IN BETWEEN THOUGHTS… A NEW WORLD (ATO RECORDS)

Words: Kate Relton

A fierce and dynamic showcase of Rodrigo y Gabriela’s relentless percussive beats and thrilling moments of technical flare, within seconds of listening you sense the ground begin to shift. A heady kaleidoscope of styles, with ethereal synths, distortion and breaking glass set against the perpetual engine of guitars takes you on a journey through an expansive dreamscape, by turns frantic, dark and lyrical.

Guaranteed to get your pulse racing, it’s the abrupt moments of calm – notably the delicate and rich Finding Myself Leads Me To You – that really take your breath away, bringing new and unexpected colour to a somewhat repetitive soundworld.

In nine tracks, they not only imagine a new world, they create a cinematic universe.

Released: 21.04.23

www.rodgab.com

XYLOURIS WHITE THE FOREST IN ME (DRAG CITY)

Words: Robert Nichols

Is it a collusion or collision of cultures? Working in different continents in an isolated world Cretan folk musician George Xylouris, Australian percussionist Jim White and former Fugazi guitarist Guy Picciotto have crafted and grafted a series of instrumental sketches into their own ecosystem of inner mood music.

There is a tension in this internal forest, with the percussion often cutting across or fighting through the confusion of strings for light and life. Snatches of folk threaten to break out into a melodic tune only to be scratched away in a burst of drumming, before rising again with the ringing notes of a Cretan lute. Ambient, cinematic, an inner outer strangeness abounds.

Released: 14.04.23

www.xylouriswhite.com

TIM HECKER NO HIGHS (KRANKY)

Words: Lee Fisher

Intended as a riposte to ‘the deluge of false positive capitalist ambient currently in vogue’, Tim Hecker’s latest is unsettling stuff even by his own standards. From the disorientating, lurching distortion of Reich-style minimalism on opener Monotony to the watery, vaguely nauseating shimmer of the closer 50 minutes later, No Highs employs a lot of the tropes used in the ambient/ drone he’s rejecting but subtly fucks with them, making it more chilling than chill-out. At times this album genuinely made me feel unwell. This is bad trip drone, a sickly subversion of all that polite New Age crap. Lotus Light is a fine example – an insistent, Cluster-like motif soon goes awry, all seasick surges and physically affecting low end assaults. I enjoyed it. I think.

Released: 07.04.23

www.timhecker.bandcamp.com

PETITE NOIR MOTHERFATHER (ROYA)

Words: Ikenna Offor

Seven years on from its audacious predecessor, Petite Noir’s long-awaited sophomore LP finds the pride of the Congo (Yannick Ilunga to his mum) doubling down on his considerable strengths with surefooted slices of genre-evading gloriousness. Restlessly eclectic yet strikingly cohesive, MotherFather is steeped in a lofty yet intuitively grounded duality and sees Ilunga’s noirwave movement deftly reinvigorated, evincing an artistic evolution with both its consummate production and multifarious bevy of influences. Throughout, Ilunga’s atmospheric touch and subtly nebulous flourishes temper the record’s preponderance of bombastic polyrhythms and surging melodies with lush moments of pellucid transcendence. Ferociously screamtastic album opener 777 revels in pure, uncut punk brio –elsewhere, swooning strings garnish Concrete Jungle’s friend-or-foe dirge with earnest pathos.

An unassailable triumph!

Released: 14.04.23

www.petitenoir.world

JOSEPHINE FOSTER DOMESTIC SPHERE (FIRE RECORDS)

Words: Lee Fisher

Foster has been making strange and wonderful records for more than twenty years, as peripatetic in her styles as she seems to be in her life. Domestic Sphere is essentially her and her guitar, but the addition of field recordings (including a snippet of her great-grandmother singing in 1893) and an opiated, fragmented production style make this feel more like a séance or a summoning, something deeply intimate and powerful.

Foster’s voice has always been a curious, marvellous thing – its wafty, ethereal qualities not to everyone’s tastes – and recorded up close and personal here, it’s going to entrance or annoy you (I’m firmly in the former camp). The songs blend and overlap and conjure up something magical and ever-so-slightly larming. Released: 07.04.23

www.josephinefoster.info

TERRY CALL ME TERRY (UPSET THE RHYTHM)

Words: Ben Lowes-Smith

Australia’s Austerity ABBA return with their first album in five years. It’s a terse slap around the chops, absolutely jam-packed with ramshackle melodicism and hooks for days. Lyrically the record takes aim at  Australia’s corrupt, colonial history. Neon-lit on this record is the greed, privilege and entitlement of white, wealthy Australia – most succinctly on Balconies, a song about collective apathy not being shrugged off until the problem is right under one’s nose.  Musically, the band don’t digress from their winning formula; four vocals singing as one, guitars and synths, bass and drums, however the band expand their sound with beautiful horn and string sections, which give songs like Market a profound melodic life. Call Me Terry is an impeccable addition to an excellent catalogue.   Released: 17.04.23

www.terryhq.bandcamp.com

DAUGHTER STEREO MIND GAME (4AD)

Words: Mark Grainger

Daughter have been away a long time; it’s been seven years since the three-piece last graced us with the melancholic wash of their music. With Stereo Mind Game, they quickly prove just how much they’ve been missed.

From the post-intro opening trio of Be On Your Way, Party and Dandelion, it’s clear that Daughter have taken time to rediscover and reapply themselves. Taken as a whole, Stereo Mind Game both refines what fans of the first two albums know about Daughter, while also finding a powerful groove of its own – expanding and contracting across twelve tracks to bewitching effect.

Anchored as ever by Elena Tonra’s whispered musings and the solid work of Igor Haefeli and Remi Aguilella, darker lyrics and heavier instrumentation re-establish Daughter as a vital force.

Released: 07.04.23

www.ohdaughter.com

MIXTAPE

WORDS: KERRIN TATMAN

The fourth edition of Newcastle Puppetry Festival is fast approaching! From Saturday 8th-Sunday 16th April, puppets large and small will descend upon Newcastle’s venues and public spaces. There is something for everyone, with shows, workshops, outdoor theatre, talks and films for adults, kids and families. As Artistic Director of the festival, I’ve put together a Mixtape of my favourite songs to celebrate our upcoming fourth edition. www.movingpartsarts.com

EVANESCENCE NEVER GO BACK

Since I was 13 Evanescence have been my all time favourite band – and I’m not embarrassed to admit it! This year I saw them in Leeds and they are still just as epic, even after 20 years of touring and releasing. This track is from their Synthesis album, which features orchestral scoring mixed with electronic backing – a step away from their usual guitar-based anthems.

HENGE IN PRAISE OF WATER

Genre-bending Henge have been making intergalactic waves on the festival scene over the past five years and are definitely one of the best live bands I’ve ever seen. Henge closed the 2019 Newcastle Puppetry Festival at Alphabetti Theatre – one of my fondest moments in our programming history!

COSMO SHELDRAKE WRIGGLE

Cosmo Sheldrake plays around 20 instruments and almost everything you hear in his music is performed by him. Inspired by nature, birdsong and field recordings, his alternative approach mixes classical, art-song and soundscape to create a unique sound you can dance, relax and ponder the world to.

BRITNEY SPEARS LUCKY

This song brings me back to Year 6 disco where I was right at the front performing my own dance routine alone to the DJ (so cool). And to this day Britney is my ultimate queen of pop.

DMITRI SHOSTAKOVICH STRING QUARTET NO. 8 ALLEGRO MOLTO

Although a classical composer, Shostakovich has influenced metal musicians for decades. This movement is a proper headbanger whilst showing the breadth of range possible with a string quartet. I love all of Shostakovich’s string quartets but this one is the most famous, and for good reason.

THE TIGER LILLIES GIN

Camp cabaret, dark comedy and lots of accordion – what more could you want? Gin tells the tongue-in-cheek story of those that succumb to the song’s namesake drink – told with style, pomp and humour. I saw The Tiger Lillies in Edinburgh many years ago at the Fringe and it is one of my top ten live gigs to date.

TIGRAN HAMASYAN LEVITATION 21

Fast-paced cross rhythms and lush melodies on piano, drums and vocals. Armenia-based Tigran Hamasyan has played his music live around the world, including at Sage Gateshead. You can hear his Armenian roots in the music –think System Of A Down meets Muse meets Gogo Penguin.

BJÖRK ALL IS FULL OF LOVE

Classic-era Björk – a beautiful, expansive song with soaring melodies, vocals and slow, pulsing beat. Björk’s Greatest Hits album has so many bangers, but this is the front-runner for me.

TANTZ THE KLEZMER’S FREILACH

Packed with fabulously talented musicians and formed at the Leeds College of Music, Tantz bring funky klezmer music to clubs and festivals around the UK. I remember a fantastic night of knees-up, fast-paced dancing at Cobalt Studios a few years back.

IGOR STRAVINSKY

THE FIREBIRD SUITE: INFERNAL DANCE

When not running puppetry projects I am a composer and musician, and no one has influenced my writing as much as Igor Stravinsky. His Rite of Spring famously debuted in Paris during 1913 and caused a riot due to its discordant harmonies and use of pagan-influenced imagery. The Firebird Suite is no less fabulous.

HOLY MOLY AND THE CRACKERS SALEM

My favourite local band ever! I’m a little biased as the accordionist Rosie Bristow is my best friend and I also played cello on this recording as a session musician… but nonetheless they are still front-running Newcastle’s music scene and for good reason! Salem is a rich, sultry and moody anthem inspired by the famous witch trials of the song’s namesake.

NIGHTWISH GHOST LOVE SCORE

I thought I’d close with a full epic. This 10 minute fantasy saga from Finnish metal band Nightwish features symphonic orchestra, power guitar and Tarja Turunen’s soaring operatics. Overly dramatic but cleverly constructed – as is the entire album Once, which this track shines from.