NARC. #202 February 2024

ISSUE202

FEBRUARY24

FREE

NADINE SHAH L DEVINE PLAZA MARK PINDER A SONG FOR ELLA GREY

RELIABLYINFORMED

PREVIEWS 4 HIGHLIGHTS

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

6 PREVIEWS

ISSUE202

FEBRUARY24

FREE

RELIABLYINFORMED

Live shows from Ladyhawke, Dream Wife, Roisin Murphy, Unit Ama, Slowdive, GZA, Loupe, Half Man Half Biscuit, Alison Goldfrapp, Pachyman, The Menzingers, Editors, You Me At Six and more; plus comedy from Vittorio Angelone at Middlesbrough Town Hall, Brian Bilston & Henry Normal at The Fire Station, Miles Jupp at Tyne Theatre & Opera House, Garth Marenghi’s Incarcerat at Stockton Globe, Nabil Abdulrashid at The Stand, Silly Billies Cabaret Show at Alphabetti, Fiona Allen at ARC and more; theatre shows including Fantastically Great Women Who Changed The World at Theatre Royal and BI-TOPIA at Theatre Hullabaloo; exhibitions including Wildlife Photographer of the Year at Sunderland Museum, Murmuration at Bowes Museum and About suffering, they were never wrong at Hatton, plus much more

INTERVIEWS 24 NADINE SHAH

Celebrated North East singer songwriter Nadine Shah speaks candidly to Linsey Teggert about recovery, rehab and creating a triumphant fifth album out of traumatic circumstances Dear Constant Readers, I hope you’re keeping well and healthy. At the timing of writing, I’m coming out the other side of a flu fatigue that utterly drained the life and sucked the soul out of me. Quite honestly, it’s a tiny miracle that you hold this mag in your hands, as at many points during the last week or so I really worried about whether I had it in me. And actually, it’s really only thanks to the help of our amazing team that I managed at all. I’m pretty sure I contracted the dreaded lurgy while at a gig on New Year’s Eve, so that’ll be the last time I go outside and mix with other humans then!

Here comes First World Problem #2… I’m racing to get this mag finished a bit earlier as we’ve got a much-longed for trip to Costa Rica coming up in...(checks calendar)...five days time. I’ve meticulously planned rainforest hikes and birdwatching trips, sloth walks and ziplining, and all manner of other adventurous stuff that’s been in the works for well over six months. The last year has been full of a crazy amount of freelance work, which often left me stretched far too thinly, so I’m sending up thanks to the powers that be that I’ll be able to enjoy a couple of weeks of adventure before coming back down to earth and yet more deadlines!

23 L DEVINE 26 BILL BAILEY 27 PLAZA 28 MERYL STREEK 29 OUR MAN IN THE FIELD 30 A SONG FOR ELLA GREY 31 SPECKY CULT 32 NEEB 33 MARK PINDER LISTINGS 34 LISTINGS

The best of the rest…

Editor Claire Dupree info@narcmedia.com Website David Saunders narcmagazineonline@gmail.com Creative El Roboto Advertising Claire Dupree info@narcmedia.com Stay social, connect with us NARC.magazine @narc_magazine @narcmagazine NARCmagazineTV

Cover Image Amelia Read Live Photography Tracy Hyman / Victoria Wai Contributors Liv Aldridge / Jake Anderson / Tom Astley / Jade Mia Broadhead / Laura Doyle / Lee Fisher / Amanda Gallagher / Lee Hammond / James Hattersley / Tracy Hyman / Paul Jeffrey / Jason Jones / Adam Kennedy / Ben Lowes-Smith / Amy McGarahan / Lena Moss / Robert Nichols / Michael O’Neill / Stephen Oliver / Adam Paxton / Niamh Poppleton / Tommy Robertson / Damian Robinson / Elodie A Roy / Mera Royle / David Saunders / Joseph Spence / Dawn Storey / Adelle Sutheran / Linsey Teggert / Caitlin Thomson / Amelia Thorpe / Luke Waller / Ali Welford / Robin Webb / Jennifer Wilson / Maria Winter / Matt Young

VISIT US ONLINE WWW.NARCMAGAZINE.COM

REVIEWS 36 LIVE REVIEWS

Reports of live shows from Billy Bragg, The Darkness, Skinny Lister, Echo Juliet, Cattle & Cane, Rubber Oh, Memorials, The Front Bottoms and more

40 TRACKS

Reviews of local singles and EPs by Cath & Phil Tyler, Wingz of the Monkey, Jenna Louise, Bosola, Peony, Nick Gladdish Band, Decrepit Youths, Brass Monkey, Ben Harwood, Christopher Mardula, Creatures At Play and Jamie Dickinson

42 DEMOS

Demo reviews of Beloved Alice, Frazer Lambert, Vennels, Bronam and Speed Freaks

43 ALBUMS

Featuring new releases from Laura Jane Grace, Idles, iDKHOW, Crawlers, Grandaddy, My Life Story, Benjamin Francis Leftwich, The Last Dinner Party, Shooting Daggers, J Mascis, Gen & The Degenerates and more

45 MIXTAPE

NARC. Magazine, Tel: 07748 907 914 Email: info@narcmedia.com Web: www.narcmagazine.com Published monthly by NARC. Media. Printed by Reach Printing Services, Middlesbrough. Distributed by CSGN All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in whole or part without permission from the publishers. The opinions expressed in NARC. belong to the individual writers and do not necessarily reflect the views of NARC. or its staff. NARC. welcomes ideas and contributions but can assume no responsibility for unsolicited manuscripts, photographs or illustrations

Compiled by Arctic Piranha, a learning disabled-led club night focussed on accessible club nights for all

Next Issue Out 28th February

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PREVIEWS

ART & LIT

FEBRUARY’S DIVERSIONS INCLUDE OTHERWORLDLY ART, CONTEMPORARY INDIAN DANCE, REFINED EMO PUNK AND LOADS MORE...

ART & LIT

THUR 1

JACQUELINE PONCELET This solo exhibition from acclaimed Belgian artist Jacqueline Poncelet will survey five decades of the artists’ work, exploring her deep engagement with cityscapes and rural landscapes through large-scale watercolour paintings, sculpture, massive textile works, delicate ceramics and architectural interventions. Runs until 23rd June.

MIMA, Middlesbrough www.jacquelineponcelet.co.uk

ART & LIT

Christy Burdock, Resting Peacefully, 61 x 91cm, oil on canva

FRI 2

PORTALS Discover the everyday and the otherworldly, in this new exhibition featuring work by Christy Burdock, Mani Kambo and Bethany Stead.

Through drawings, painting, embroidery and ceramics, the artists explore everyday personal narratives and heritage, shot through with a dose of magic and the surreal, offering a unique portal into their individual ways of viewing the world.

Runs until 16th March.

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MUSIC

FRI 2 RICHARD DAWSON Recent shows have included a number of tracks from what looks set to be the Greatest Living Geordie’s eighth album, the follow-up to the magnificent The Ruby Cord. In the meantime, Dawson is bringing his inimitable, astonishing music to Stockton for a night, with support from the wonderful Me Lost Me. The Georgian Theatre, Stockton www.richarddawson.net

Vija Celmins Web #1 1999, ARTIST ROOMS Tate and National Galleries of Scotland (c) Vija Celmins, Courtesy Matthew Marks Gallery

SAT 3

VIJA CELMINS Continuing the gallery’s involvement in the Artist Rooms programme, Latvian artist Vija Celmins’ closely observed work is typified by intricate and exquisitely drawn depictions of natural phenomena, including the ocean, spider webs and the night sky.

Her delicate work is extraordinarily precise and as such utterly beguiling.

Runs until 4th May. Hatton Gallery, Newcastle www.hattongallery.org.uk

ART & LIT

FRI 2

SUNNY BLUNTS Sunny Blunts is the North East’s contribution to the seventh International Biennale of Non-Objective Art, and is named after the Peterlee housing estate designed by Victor Pasmore. As well as a strong collection of exhibiting artists either from or connected to the North East, this preview event will feature an Industrial Coast-curated performance from industrial musician Culver.

Various Peterlee venues www.instagram.com/industrialcoast

MUSIC

SAT 3 POLEVAULTER Endless Window kick the month off with a noisy bang, bringing DIY duo Polevaulter and their industrial electronics, post-punk and noise rock sound to Little Buildings. They’re ably assisted by the pure punk energy and digital hardcore of Gonzo Dog, dark garage vibes from Melting and drum machine-driven noise rock courtesy of Zilch Patrol.

Little Buildings, Newcastle www.linktr.ee/polevaulterband

COMEDY

FRI 9

SCREEN ONE COMEDY CLUB

Screen One have pulled out all the stops for their February night at the Tyneside. Heading the bill is Sindhu Vee, a TV and radio regular with a reputation for wit and warmth. Paul Foot is an eccentric genius who brings a little madness to every line-up. Strong support from Lauren Pattinson and Lee Peart. Matt Reed hosts.

Tyneside Cinema, Newcastle www.facebook.com/leeanddavidproductions

ART & LIT

SUN 11

DR@WN

Seeking to challenge the traditional narrative that art is reserved for the rich, Byker-based artist Russell Coleman introduces a new approach to ownership by embarking on an ambitious five year endeavour in which he’ll create one million drawings, each sold for a fraction of the cost of a cup of coffee. He’ll kick the project off by live-drawing the first 500 pieces, accompanied by music.

Star & Shadow Cinema, Newcastle www.russcoleman.com

FEBRUARY HIGHLIGHTS

MUSIC

MUSIC

WHAT’S ON

NARCMAGAZINE.COM VISIT THE WEBSITE FOR MORE EXCLUSIVE CONTENT

NARC. E-ZINE

STAGE

North East artist Philip Jonathan’s songs are carefully crafted from deep, personal meditations on the most raw and vulnerable moments of life.

Classically trained in piano and violin, the artist’s use of loop pedals result in a multi-instrumental approach.

Support comes from Alastair Gordon, whose rich baritone and creative musical approach has seen him garner high critical acclaim.

Claypath Deli, Durham www.linktr.ee/philipjonathanmusic

MUSIC

FRI 23

SARAH JANE SCOUTEN

THUR 15

CAN THIS PLACE BE A CITY?

Contemporary Indian dancer Akshay Sharma brings his solo show to Dance City, a work that utilises text, music and voice as well as original choreography to examine race, gender, migration and environment.

Sharma’s work employs the structures, scores, rhythms and tempos of traditional Indian classical music to tell his story in a thoroughly modern way.

Dance City, Newcastle www.dancecity.co.uk

Canada’s Scouten brings her blend of regularly award-nominated classic Americana sounds – folk, country, bluegrass, ballads and the rest – to the Globe, to promote her forthcoming fifth album Turned To Gold. Immersed in the music of Christine McVie, Linda Ronstadt, Emmylou Harris and Tom Petty, the album is considered her best yet. Support comes from Errant Moose.

The Globe, Newcastle www.sarahjanescouten.com

COMEDY

SAT 24

JESTERVAL

The newly-refurbished Gosforth Civic Theatre hosts a comedy night with a packed bill that’s bound to be big on laughs. The biggest name is probably Dave Johns – popular stand-up and star of I, Daniel Blake. Making up the strong line-up are John Mann, Mark Meier and Catherine Young. It’s bound to be a laugh-riot.

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

NARC. TV Catch up on all the episodes of NARC. TV, our YouTube programme featuring live music and interviews with North East artists

WATCH ONLINE

Serenade your loved one on Valentine’s Day with a dose of refined emo punk courtesy of the excellently named Michael Cera Palin. The Atlanta, Georgia trio are known for their coverage of heavy topics including self-harm and internal preservation, delivered with a melodic approach and knowing selfawareness.

Bobiks, Newcastle www.linktr.ee/michaelcerapalin

PHILIP JONATHAN

+ ALSO THIS MONTH… FFO: BLACKOUT THE ARCADE The Darlington-based alt. indie quartet expand on their new single, Overdrive

READ ONLINE

MICHAEL CERA PALIN

SAT 17

INTERVIEW: SAM DANSON We catch up with the writer and star of BI-TOPIA ahead of the production at Theatre Hullabaloo, Darlington

READ ONLINE

WED 14

Michael Cera Palin by Yourdogmydriveway

READ ONLINE

Check in on the eleventh edition of our multimedia E-ZINE, and discover exclusive videos, playlists, mini-documentaries, sound clips and much more

CONNECT WITH US KEEP UP WITH WHAT’S GOING ON VIA OUR SOCIALS 5

PREVIEWS

Bombay Bicycle Club

MUSIC

STAGE

BI-TOPIA @ THEATRE BOMBAY BICYCLE CLUB @ O2 CITY HALL HULLABALOO/LIVE THEATRE Words: Tommy Robertson Bombay Bicycle Club are set to visit Newcastle’s O2 City Hall on Thursday 15th February in support of their sixth album, My Big Day. A record which is daring sonically as well as rich in its features, with guest vocalists including Chaka Khan, Damon Albarn, Jay Som, Holly Humberstone and Nilüfer Yanya.

The guitar-fronted, innovative North London group have dabbled in various genres over their career spanning the last 19 years, including folk, indie, alternative pop and electronica, and they have created a critically acclaimed body of work which stands up alongside some of the indie genre’s greats.

The gig will be Bombay Bicycle Club’s first in Newcastle post-pandemic, which fell immediately after the group reformed post-hiatus; so no doubt audiences will be keen to witness the constant reinvention of the group. The band will be supported by British pop band Kawala, also North London natives, who produce upbeat and similarly inventive songs.

Bombay Bicycle Club and Kawala play O2 City Hall, Newcastle on Thursday 15th February. www.bombaybicycle.club

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Words: David Saunders Written and performed by Sam Danson and directed by Rikki Beadle-Blair, BI-TOPIA is a coming-of-age-show that explores the highs and lows of the bisexual experience, as well as looking at the under-represented links between poor mental health, sexuality and masculinity. The show stops off at Theatre Hullabaloo in Darlington on Tuesday 13th February, and returns to the North East at Newcastle’s Live Theatre on Friday 8th-Saturday 9th March.

The semi-autobiographical story, which has received an abundance of rave reviews whilst out on tour, follows Sam, who comes from a military family, and aspires to be the action star of Hollywood films and visualises his battles with mental health and identity as actual, real-life battles.

BI-TOPIA looks to start conversations and raise awareness of not only the important issues in our society but also to highlight how ridiculous this world is.

BI-TOPIA is performed at Theatre Hullabaloo in Darlington on Tuesday 13th February and Live Theatre, Newcastle on Friday 8th-Saturday 9th March. www.samdanson.com

COMEDY

FIONA ALLEN @ ARC/THE STAND

Words: Jake Anderson Being a working mum is difficult, or so I’ve heard. I’m a 23-year-old male, I actually cannot comment. However, comedian Fiona Allen expresses her difficulties relating to the subject in her debut show On The Run. The tour sold out quickly in 2023, so it was a no-brainer for Allen to bring the tour into the new year with another round of dates.

Included within tour dates is Stockton’s ARC on Saturday 24th February and Newcastle’s The Stand on Sunday 3rd March.

The star and co-writer of the Emmy and Bafta winning series Smack The Pony has been described as hilarious, straight-up chaos, as well as sincere and warm. It tackles the mundanities of life, from passive aggressive parents in the school yard, to the unspoken dress codes when you pop to the shops, as the actor reflects back on the whirlwind that has been the last of couple years, and her struggles balancing work and life.

The set is reflective in nature, as Allen ponders when was the last time she did something for herself? A question she admits is difficult, as her self-proclaimed spirit animal is a sloth. “It basically came down to a choice between cage fighting or stand up.” Thankfully for us she chose the latter.

Fiona Allen performs at ARC, Stockton on Saturday 24th February and The Stand, Newcastle on Sunday 3rd March. www.fionaallencomedy.com

PREVIEWS

Suede by Dean Chalkley

Smote, performing at A Dragon I Knew

MUSIC

COASTAL CRAWL ’24 @ NORTH SHIELDS FISH QUAY

Words: Lee Fisher The team behind the award-winning Coast Fest clearly decided they weren’t busy enough so they’ve cooked up a smaller but pretty exciting interim event, Coastal Crawl, making its debut this month.

Taking place across three well-regarded North Shields venues – The Engine Room, Salt Market Social and Three Tanners Bank, all on or around the famous fish quay – Coastal Crawl takes place on Saturday 17th February, starting at midday, and has announced a flurry of local talent in its first wave of announcements, with promises of even more to come. Maximo Park’s Paul Smith is joined by Tom A Smith, Lizzie Esau and Megan Wynn as well as a couple of dozen more, including Swine Tax, Peevie Wonders, Deja Vega and Bear Park. Tickets for the event are strictly limited to 450, so don’t dither.

Coastal Crawl ‘24 takes place at venues on North Shields’ Fish Quay on Saturday 17th February. www.facebook.com/coastfestivalne

COMEDY

GARTH MARENGHI’S INCARCERAT @ THE GLOBE STOCKTON

Words: Jennifer Wilson Matthew Holness is best known for playing the fictional horror author in Garth Marenghi’s Darkplace and he’s coming to display his comedic wares at Stockton;s Globe on Saturday 24th February. For fans of horror-comedy and especially those who enjoyed the first book, Terrortome, the sequel INCARCERAT promises to be a thrilling continuation of Nick Steen’s

adventures, in which is he is now imprisoned at an eerie technological research facility hidden deep among the Stalkford downs, where he must battle for his own mind.

This event will undoubtedly be an unforgettable experience and Holness, well known for his blend of horror and humour, will provide plenty of opportunity to hear Garth’s serious insights, his creative processes and what inspires him, culminating in a night likely to be both incredibly entertaining yet…terrifying?

Incidentally, the film Possum (written and directed by Holness) is one of my personal favourites and when I recommended it to several family members, one of them actually fell out with me when experiencing a traumatic nightmare after watching it. If that’s not a glowing review of Holness’ work, then I’m not sure what is.

Garth Marenghi presents a book tour for Incarcerat at The Globe, Stockton on Saturday 24th February. www.stocktonglobe.co.uk

and drum duo Amy Thatcher and Fran Knowles; spacey psych rockers Dactyl Terra; dream-like arrangements and warped folk from Orbury Common; and J Magill And The Incantations, who draw from deep wells of psychedelia, folk, rock ‘n’ roll and soul. Expect more surprises and guests to be added to what already looks to be a stacked line-up which celebrates the promoter’s keen eye for the weird and wonderful.

A Dragon I Knew takes place at Star & Shadow Cinema, Newcastle on Saturday 10th February. www.facebook.com/wanderingoakuk

MUSIC

Words: Lena Moss If you’re familiar with the North East comedy scene, you’ll likely have seen a Silly Billies show at least once (and if you prefer your comedy a little more conventional, it’s possible once was enough!) However, if it’s a sillier, more bizarre comedy show you’re after, you won’t want to miss Silly Billies Comedy Cabaret Show at Alphabetti Theatre on Friday 2nd February.

Oddball hosts Jack & Sam present a line-up of Northern comedy talent, including Silly Billies favourite Fernando, and star of BBC’s Ideal, Man Stroke Woman, Pramface and Game of Thrones, Ben Compton – who you will have certainly seen on your screens and now you can catch live!

For a truly original, alternative comedy experience, make sure you grab tickets to this delicious variety show. Expect pure lunacy, offbeat humour and the unexpected.

The Silly Billies Comedy Cabaret Show takes place at Alphabetti Theatre, Newcastle on Friday 2nd February. www.linktr.ee/sillybillies

A DRAGON I KNEW @ STAR & SHADOW CINEMA

Words: Claire Dupree Venerable promoters Wandering Oak regularly spoil lovers of weird and wonderful sonic adventures with their boundary-pushing line-ups. Celebrating their 10th anniversary in February, we’re expecting the boat to be well and truly pushed out throughout the year, and they start as they mean to go on with a bespoke curated show which spans both the Star & Shadow Cinema’s venue and cinema spaces on Saturday 10th February.

The curiously named A Dragon I Knew event will see acid folk rock experimentalist Smote head up the bill, which also includes the drum machine loops of self-described “post-pub couldn’t get into the club music” artist Eyes of Others; widescreen avant-garde pop from Sara Wolff; the playful experimentalism of accordion

COMEDY

THE SILLY BILLIES COMEDY CABARET SHOW @ ALPHABETTI THEATRE

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PREVIEWS

Dream Wife by Sophie Webster

MUSIC

on Saturday 3rd and Independent, Sunderland on Tuesday 6th February. www.facebook.com/tyneandqueercic

TYNE & QUEER: SOUND MUSIC X VISION @ ZEROX/ INDEPENDENT DREAM WIFE @ THE GROVE Words: Claire Dupree Having spent last year proving themselves to be at the forefront of the North East’s alt.

Queer scene, promoters Tyne & Queer step up their game with a genre-clashing event which spans two venues: Newcastle’s Zerox and Sunderland’s Independent, on Saturday 3rd and Tuesday 6th February.

Sound x Vision aims to be a powerful showcase of the North East’s cultural richness, celebrating artistic brilliance while also seeking to foster community and artistic engagement and collaboration. As with everything Tyne & Queer do, the event also promises to celebrate inclusivity and creativity, and artists performing across both venues have been chosen for their captivating live performances and inclusive attitudes.

Artists performing at Zerox on Saturday 3rd include lo-fi punk duo Mouses, riffy rockers Hivemind, The Hollows and Frogge.

At Independent on Tuesday 6th, expect performances from multi-instrumentalist Tummyache, whose alt. rock soundscapes are a vehicle for songwriter Soren Bryce, post-punky garage rockers TV Death and the punk-pop brilliance of bigfatbig.

Tyne & Queer’s Beck Carol says: “Sound x Vision is a platform that celebrates art and music, creating connections that resonate deeply within our community. This collaborative initiative is a testament to the power of diversity and creativity.”

Sound x Vision takes place at Zerox, Newcastle

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Words: Jennifer Wilson London-based indie pop trio Dream Wife comprise of Icelandic singer Rakel and British musicians Alice and Bella, who came together at art school in Brighton and are now bringing their trademark ‘poolside pop with a bite’ to The Grove on Saturday 17th February.

They’ve opened for the Rolling Stones, The Kills, played Lollapalooza and Primavera. Influenced

by David Lynch’s women; “powerful and seriously fucked up”, the band’s lyrics reflect this, enveloping issues such as feminism, gender roles and body image in cool riffs, pop beats and dreamy vocals.

Their last album, So When You Gonna… hit the Official UK Top 20 album charts and was the only indie album recorded and produced by an all female team at that time. Digital sales proceeds went to Black Minds Matter and Gendered Intelligence and new album Social Lubrication continues this celebration of community, produced by guitarist Alice Go who intended to capture the energy of live performances. The band are known to call all the ‘bad bitches’ to the front to create a female dominated mosh pit, which is a glorious concept.

“Music is one of the only forms of people experiencing an emotion together in a visceral, physical, real way,” says guitarist Alice. “... music isn’t the cure, but it’s the remedy.”

If you’re a fan of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs and The Slits, or you just fancy being a ‘bad bitch’ (regardless of gender) then you know what to do.

Dream Wife play The Grove, Newcastle on Saturday 17th February. www.dreamwife.co

MUSIC

GZA & THE PHUNKY NOMADS @ BOILER SHOP

Words: Lee Fisher The Cluny is really flying the flag for killer hip-hop shows in Newcastle and this Boiler Shop booking is one of their best yet: GZA (aka Genius) is a stone cold rap superstar, revered both for his magnificent solo work and his founding and membership of the inimitable Wu Tang Clan.

You can argue about whether GZA is the Clan’s greatest MC (there’s no argument – he is) and whether his astonishing Liquid Swords set from 1995 is the finest Wu Tang solo album (there’s no argument – it is), but either way, you’ll want to see him perform the whole LP backed by crack live band The Phunky Nomads on Wednesday 14th February.

Immaculate flow, dense and intricate rhymes, eternal bangers like Cold World, Shadowboxin’ and Living In The World Today AND a great band? That’s a night out.

GZA & The Phunky Nomads play the Boiler Shop, Newcastle on Wednesday 14th February. www.linktr.ee/gzagenius

PREVIEWS

Suede by Dean Chalkley

MUSIC

ALIEN CHICKS @ BOBIKS

Words: Tommy Robertson Brixton-based post-punk power trio Alien Chicks are bringing their UK tour to Bobiks on Friday 16th February. Last year the band enjoyed several successful tours, and performed alongside similarly experimental

groups such as Warmduscher and Opus Kink.

Latest single Candlestick Maker positions the trio firmly into the post-punk scene, fusing genres and fierce instrumental power to a scintillating effect. Further singles such as Cowboy and Woodlouse portray their unwillingness to dilute their craft, again cementing their status at the forefront of the punk renaissance. They self-describe as being a coherence of many genres, from jazz and rap to bossa nova and math rock, and it’s this willingness to diversify that’s clearly instrumental to their success. Their

lyrical content also touches on political social commentary, with brash instrumentation further showcasing their resilience.

With just over two years of being a band, the musical chemistry of drummer Martha, singer and guitarist Josef and singer and bassist Stefan show immense promise for projects to come, as well as an exciting and subverting performance.

Alien Chicks play Bobiks, Newcastle on Friday 16th February. www.alienchicks.bandcamp.com

30th March - 7th April 2024

newcastlepuppetryfestival.co.uk 9

PREVIEWS

Editors by Rahi Rezvani

MUSIC

ESPRIT D’AIR @ NORTHUMBRIA UNIVERSITY STUDENTS’ UNION

Words: Michael O’Neill Initially formed in 2010, Esprit D’Air will be recognisable for their iconic track Shizuku, which was most notably the first playable J-rock song in the history of the onceubiquitous rock band gaming franchise. The band, initially a five-piece spearheaded by guitarist/composer Kai, blazed a trail until 2013 when, amongst shifting personnel changes and some personal struggles, the band broke up before they could even release a debut album.

Kai resurrected the band in 2016, returning effectively as a solo project for the prolific and talented musician, with session musicians on board to flesh out his intricate Gothic metal compositions in the live arena. This led, in turn, to the long-awaited release of 2017’s debut Constellations, which was welcomed with open arms by fans and metal royalty alike, being awarded Best Metal Album at the subsequent Independent Music Awards. A staggering 13 singles would precede the 2022 release of sophomore effort Oceans, which has been equally welcomed with a raft of acclaim. Kai has achieved all this without the input of a major label, following a strong DIY ethos and self-producing and releasing his material. This creative freedom translates into some gloriously engrossing and bold metal, which will translate brilliantly to the stage at Red’s Bar.

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Esprit D’Air play Northumbria University Students’ Union, Newcastle on Wednesday 28th February. www.espritdair.com

for the latter.

Miles Jupp performs at Tyne Theatre & Opera House, Newcastle on Monday 5th February. www.milesjupp.co.uk

COMEDY

MUSIC

MILES JUPP @ TYNE THEATRE & OPERA HOUSE

Words: Dawn Storey Given his vast amount of work across film, TV, radio, theatre and books, Miles Jupp is a man who has never been short of topics to talk about in his stand-up routines. Most recently he’s appeared in Sex Education on Netflix, Why Didn’t They Ask Evans? on ITVX, The Full Monty on Disney+ and in Ridley Scott’s Napoleon as well as starring in one-man touring play The Life I Lead and releasing his debut novel, History.

As anyone who’s seen him on TV panel shows will know, he’s an eloquent and selfdeprecating character and on stage his monologues on life are always witty and compelling. On his latest tour, On I Bang, which arrives at Tyne Theatre & Opera House on Monday 5th February, however, he has the added story to tell of how, two years ago, he was forced to undergo major surgery to remove a tumour after suffering a brain seizure. Thankfully he promises that he now feels “pretty chipper”, and the fact that he’s about to embark on a sizeable tour of the UK would certainly seem to support the fact that he’s back to full health. Jupp’s first live show in seven years will therefore be a story of “surprise, fear, love, luck and qualified medical practitioners” – and thank goodness

EDITORS @ NX NEWCASTLE

Words: Paul Jeffrey Editors, one of the UK’s best bands of the last two decades, make a highly anticipated and long overdue return to Newcastle in support of their latest, and arguably career best album, EBM, on Monday 26th February.

Consistently reaching greatness, whether they’re in the studio or in front of an audience, the addition of latest band member Benjamin John Power, aka Ivor Novello winning producer and composer Blanck Mass, to their line-up has notched the sonics up to 11. EBM sees Editors revisit the experimental electronic textures of In The Light And On This Evening, painting dark, angular post-punk guitars with shadowy synths and drum machines; Heart Attack, Strawberry Lemonade and Strange Intimacy in particular are up there with their very best work. Live, the EBM tracks slot seamlessly alongside their enviable back catalogue, sounding like instant classics. The current setlist is a tremendous two-hour slam dunk through their entire career that simply refuses to let the audience up for air, but this is no nostalgic trip down memory lane; Editors sound cavernous, urgent, on fire. Miss them at your peril.

Editors play NX Newcastle on Monday 26th February. www.editors-official.com

PREVIEWS

Image by Suzi Corker

MUSIC

THEE ALCOHOLICS @ THE LUBBER FIEND

Words: Lee Fisher The Lubber Fiend continues to give us that good, good stuff with a night of glorious aggro noise on Friday 23rd February that promises to be all the fun. It’s the first Newcastle visit from South London’s Thee Alcoholics who

include long-time Hey Colossus drummer Rhys Llewellyn, who also records as Drumcunt and – confusingly – is on guitar here. The first couple of Alcoholics singles were fine little ragers on the Hey Colossus-affiliated/Britain’s best label Wrong Speed, followed by a live set on Human Worth, but now they’ve fetched up on Rocket Recordings alongside two Tyneside bands, Pigsx7 and Smote.

There’s an album threatened on said label in the near future and hopefully it’ll be more of the same gnarly, brink-of-collapse blend of huge riffs, crushing rhythms and electronic

scree. Subtle they ain’t. Support comes from local ‘scum rock’ outfit Louse (who by mentioning Drunks With Guns and Kilslug in their promo should appeal to anyone with exactly the right taste for hellishly noisy misanthropy) and New Wave No Wave New York-influenced outfit Boy Latex.

Thee Alcoholics, Louse and Boy Latex play The Lubber Fiend, Newcastle on Friday 23rd February. www.thee-alcoholics.bandcamp.com

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PREVIEWS

Róisín Murphy by Nik Pate

MUSIC

VIGILANCE STATE EP LAUNCH @ THE LUBBER FIEND

Words: Ali Welford Offering an unashamedly vintage soundtrack to our seemingly all-encompassing contemporary dystopia, darkwave duo Vigilance State invite lovers, the lovelorn and aromantics alike to an evening of Valentine’s-adjacent frivolity…

A fixture of local goth and electro nights over recent years, the pair’s trademark fusion of high octane beats and propulsive analogue synth has previously crystalised over a pair of intoxicating singles: noir disco nugget Gladness, and robo-rhythmed banger First Class. Now, with the release of debut EP Remains they’re set to push that aesthetic to and beyond its natural conclusion, transcending the confines of conventional romance with fresh waves of effervescent, sulphur-infused vitriol.

Staged at The Lubber Fiend on Saturday 17th February, a further assortment of electronic curiosities awaits at EP’s launch show.

Glasgow-based Canadian Soft Riot, for instance, provides angular, synthy post-punk with Italo-style flourishes; Stockton’s Stock Image offers slick, luxurious pop as if beamed from decades yon; while early birds will have their auditory tastebuds tingled by the molten beats of box-fresh Newcastle outfit Volcano Sisters.

For those who begrudge shelling-out on forced, overpriced meals, or dread the prospect of another Valentine’s weekend spent home alone,

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it’s fair to say Vigilance State’s bill presents a compelling alternative. I know where I’d rather be!

Vigilance State launch Remains at The Lubber Fiend, Newcastle on Saturday 17th February. www.vigilance-state.co.uk

MUSIC

ROÍSÍN MURPHY @ O2 CITY HALL

Words: Jennifer Wilson Not many artists push boundaries for three decades yet still manage to hit creative highs and career peaks. Roísín Murphy is an ever changing recording artist and thrilling performer (please revisit her Summer 2023 festival performances for evidence) and she is coming to O2 City Hall on Wednesday 14th February to showcase her newest album Hit Parade, produced in collaboration with electronic music genius DJ Koze.

Both worked remotely from different countries over several years, which could have been a nightmare, yet Roísín insists it brought out an intimacy to her work and both freedom and focus to Koze’s work, as he was without her “distracting presence”.

Look out for Can’t Replicate, which was highly successful in clubs earlier this year and was championed by many, including Jamie XX. The Moloko singer states she has never been happier in her personal life and describes the album as “a joyful record about love and sensuality” – so if you’re after something a little edgier for a Valentine’s Day in Newcastle – this is it.

Roísín Murphy plays O2 City Hall, Newcastle on

Wednesday 14th February. www.roisinmurphyofficial.com

MUSIC

HALF MAN HALF BISCUIT @ BOILER SHOP

Words: Ben Lowes-Smith The Wirral’s Half Man Half Biscuit make funny, acerbic music which speaks to the dark heart of Englishness. Often pigeonholed as a comedy band, more recent releases into the band’s middle age are lyrically dense meditations on mortality and ageing, though still peppered with the fun and wit they are renowned for.

In the wake of 2021’s The Voltorol Years, HMHB make a welcome return to the Boiler Shop on Friday 9th February. A band with a committed fanbase and a wealth of material, it’s a rare chance to catch one of the UK’s finest heritage indie rock groups, who tour fairly infrequently.

John Peel said he wanted the group to be buried with him when he died, and this is reflected in the wilfully rabid fanbase, who reference songs and themes in the way that they dress – so keep an eye out for Dukla Prague away kits and hi-vis. By virtue of Nigel Blackwell’s agoraphobia, tour dates are becoming a rarer thing for the group, so it’s advisable to catch them while you can at the peak of a wave in their creative furrow.

Half Man Half Biscuit play Boiler Shop, Newcastle on Friday 9th February. www.halfmanhalfbiscuit.uk

PREVIEWS

Image by Nic Bezzina

MUSIC

FERRIS & SYLVESTER @ INDEPENDENT

Words: Mera Royle Nostalgic rock finds itself an electrifying new lens in the hands of Ferris & Sylvester. This husband and wife duo have perfected the ability to walk the line between dreams and reality, blurring darkness and passion, wildness and freedom, in a sound which combines Issy

Ferris’s entrancing voice and Archie Sylvester’s beautiful harmonies, to huge acclaim, and their folk-induced sound has stormed the indie rock music scene since the release of their 2022 debut album Superhuman.

During their time together, their emotion and grit has featured in appearances with household names such as George Ezra and Jade Bird, and has earned them chart-topping prestige, winning the UK Album of The Year prize at the 2023 UK Americana Awards.

Coming to Sunderland’s Independent on Friday 16th February, the duo prepare an eclectic set in lieu of their upcoming album release,

Otherness, in March. This promises to be an album full of wonder, rush and resilience, drawing into their unrepeatable style, captured by a 1960s tape machine – an old school stylistic approach for a digital age. As composers of a genre-defying sound, Ferris & Sylvester firmly establish themselves as a not-to-be missed experience, stamped as one of the most exciting live performers on the circuit today.

Ferris & Sylvester play Independent, Sunderland on Friday 16th February. www.ferrisandsylvester.com

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PREVIEWS

Vidura BR

ART & LIT

ABOUT SUFFERING, THEY WERE NEVER WRONG @ HATTON GALLERY

Words: Caitlin Thomson Hatton Gallery is presenting a series of exhibitions on the expression of suffering through artwork, created by Newcastle University’s MA Curating Art students.

Twelve artists from twelve different countries will be paired with twelve historical artworks from the Hatton collection across three exhibitions in February, March and April/May. The project seeks to examine the history of emotions, and transhistorical and transnational depictions of suffering or pain in art. The Hatton’s diverse collection includes over 3,000 works from the fourteenth to the twentieth centuries, so the pickings are rich.

The Hatton has a close collaborative relationship with students from Newcastle University and commits to exhibiting their work on an annual basis. They also already possess a proven interest in projects that focus on responsive artwork and encouraging an appreciation of globalised art, as seen in their well-established Home and Belonging project.

About suffering, they were never wrong is on display at Hatton Gallery, Newcastle from Friday 9th-Wednesday 28th February, Friday 1st March-Wednesday 20th March, and Saturday 23rd March-Wednesday 15th May. www.hattongallery.org.uk

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FILM

KENDAL MOUNTAIN TOUR @ THE FIRE STATION

Words: Joseph Spence Anyone with a head for heights or a thirst for adventure will find much to enjoy at Sunderland’s Fire Station on Thursday 8th February as the venue hosts the Kendall Mountain Tour 2024. Attendees should prepare to embark on a captivating journey through some of the most enchanting places on our planet, recounted by award-winning films and enriched by guest speakers. Expect stories of resilience, limitless courage and distinctive narratives that promise to enthral and educate.

Films screened include La Gara, a journey into one of Italy’s toughest mountain races; SOUP, a short film about cold water swimming in Sheffield; I Am Because You Are follows six fearless women on the first mountaineering expedition in the Bugaboos; the gorgeous animated film Soundscape shares the sightless experience of Erik Weihenmayer as he ascends a massive alpine rock face in the Sierra Nevada; and climbing family the Houldings chronicle their experience climbing Norway’s national mountain in Freya. Climbing legend Leo Houlding will also make an in-person appearance, sharing some of his extraordinary feats and adventures which include ascents in all seven continents.

Serving as an entry point for experienced explorers and nature enthusiasts alike, the event fosters a sense of connection and will leave attendees with a strengthened awareness and gratitude for the wonders of our planet.

The Kendall Mountain Tour 2024 comes to The Fire Station, Sunderland on Thursday 8th February. www.kendalmountainevents.com

COMEDY

VIDURA BR @ THE STAND

Words: Michael O’Neill Hailing from Sri Lanka, via Malaysia and Berlin, the London-based comedian, writer and director Vidura BR has garnered plenty of acclaim and a sizeable following off the back of his self-directed comedy show Monsoon Season with a long-awaited follow-up, French Kiss Tunnel, which finds him evolving his signature dead-pan comedic wit challenging conventional wisdom with a unique tone that is often irreverent, at times poignant and always hysterical.

His accolades in competition as a comedian include being a finalist in the Leicester Square New Act of the Year, Berlin Best New Comedian and the 2Northdown New Act Competition, as well as being shortlisted for the BBC New Comedy Award. His talents also extend to the screen, with his script, titled The Ref, being selected for the London Screenwriting Festival Shorts Lab. French Kiss Tunnel is set to be a brilliant new chapter in his flourishing comedic career, with a raft of shows including sold outs in Hamburg and Berlin. The UK leg of his tour takes in some iconic venues, including Newcastle’s Stand, and is guaranteed to be a bold step forward for an equally bold talent.

Vidura BR plays The Stand, Newcastle on Saturday 17th February. www.vidurabr.com

PREVIEWS

Mock Tudors

MUSIC

PRANCEY DOG ALLDAYER @ THE CLUNY 2

Words: Ali Welford When you’ve been promoting gigs for as long and as regularly as Chris Trew (AKA Prancey Dog), it stands to reason that you must be doing something very right. Repeat business – programming regular dates and building local audiences – has proved key to Chris’ success over the years, and that’s reflected in this latest

all-dayer, which sees a host of familiar faces take over The Cluny 2 on unday 25th February.

And truly, who better to headline than Edinburgh’s Withered Hand; a songwriter synonymous with Prancey Dog shows who’s still pulling crowds in spite (or perhaps, as a result) of the frequency of his visits. He’s backed by Sheffield power-pop trio Mock Tudors (featuring members of Mr. Ben & The Bens), London-based Creation Records alumni turned solo supremo Pete Astor (The Loft, The Weather Prophets), plus mercurial and bewitching Liverpudlian multi-instrumentalist Laura J. Martin.

Of course, this wouldn’t be a Prancey Dog

event without a topping of esteemed local acts.

As such, we’ll also be treated to illuminating tales (and occasional songs) from Nev Clay, wonky wordsmith Faithful Johannes in collaboration with producer Neocia, as well as the cathartic sounds of stalwart singersongwriter Dressed Like Wolves. £20 doesn’t buy you much these days, and with further names still to be announced, you’ll struggle to put one of those purple notes to better use!

The Prancey Dog All-Dayer takes place at The Cluny 2, Newcastle on Sunday 25th February. www.facebook.com/pranceydog

A SONG FOR ELLA GREY

By David Almond Adapted for the stage by Zoe Cooper Directed by Esther Richardson

Teen romance meets Greek tragedy on Bamburgh beach.

How far would you go to save your friends?

Tickets from £12 1 - 15 FEB 2024

northernstage.co.uk

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PREVIEWS

Image by Mat Maitland

MUSIC

ALISON GOLDFRAPP @ THE GLASSHOUSE

Words: Tommy Robertson Alison Goldfrapp will be performing at The Glasshouse on Thursday 22nd February in support of her debut solo album, The Love Invention, which was released last May to high praise. Audiences can expect to dance along to

tracks from the new record, as well as songs produced and popular from Goldfrapp days, such as Rocket and Strict Machine.

Gaining critical acclaim and public notoriety in synth pop duo Goldfrapp alongside Will Gregory, the release of Alison’s debut album has further proved her innovative stance at the forefront of pop music as a soloist. The record brims with a shimmering sort of dance-ready synth pop, with instrumentation that calls back to decades past and compliments a timeless discography accordingly; the colourful project’s deep synths

and programmed drums begging to return home to the dancefloor. The record showcases her identity and personality as a performer, and how she has been embraced by pop fans without losing her experimental edge.

The show will be a release for pop fans, and will provide the escapism which Alison herself recognises in the music: “There’s tension there, as well as euphoric freedom.”

Alison Goldfrapp plays The Glasshouse, Gateshead on Thursday 22nd February. www.alisongoldfrapp.com

BRANDING VISUAL IDENTITY DIGITAL DESIGN PRINT DESIGN

UNIFIED BY DESIGN. el-roboto.co.uk 16

PREVIEWS

Pachyman

MUSIC

YOU ME AT SIX @ MIDDLESBROUGH TOWN HALL

Words: Jake Anderson Did you have plans for Valentine’s Day? You? Me? At Six? Sorry I think there’s been some miscommunication, I was trying to say that You Me At Six are playing Middlesbrough Town Hall on Wednesday 14th February.

One year after the release of the group’s last album, Truth Decay, the alternative rock outfit are finally bringing this newest batch of tunes to the stage. This particular release has been praised by fans as a breath of fresh air for the group, as the album derives influence from the new wave of pop-punk, while weaving in elements of industrial throughout. It feels like a throwback to the band’s older work, making it a perfect jumping on point for those wanting to get into the band or those looking to drop back in after two decades.

Deaf Havana provide the support; a band that will be familiar to You Me At Six fans, being a part of similar emo rock circles. The band’s 2022 album The Present Is A Foreign Land was the next piece in the ever-changing puzzle that is Deaf Havana; the group have once more reinvented their sound, fusing together alternative grooves with electro pop to create a swansong on an album that dissects their own legacy.

You Me At Six and Deaf Havana play Middlesbrough Town Hall on Wednesday 14th February. www.truthdecay.co

MUSIC

PACHYMAN @ POP RECS LTD.

Words: Michael O’Neill From a converted basement, lovingly christened 333 House, the Los Angeles-based artist Pachyman expertly channels his Puerto Rican roots and his passion for the gloriously warped Jamaican dub sound pioneered by iconic producers such as Lee ‘Scratch’ Perry and Joe Gibbs. Using authentic equipment, his incredible sense of musicality and his proficient multi-instrumental skills, Pachyman has cooked up four glorious LPs. Last year’s Switched On is indisputably his finest transmission yet, with the instant classic Trago Coqueto being a brilliant distillation of the Pachyman sound. By blending authentic Jamaican production techniques with a Puerto Rican sensibility, he conjures up a gloriously rich and wonderfully authentic sound that perfectly replicates the charm, character and cool of the timeless dub sound, whilst having more than enough personality and charm to push it beyond the realms of pastiche.

His approach to live shows is also equally as charming, blending live instrumentation with multi-track recordings of the songs which he remixes on the fly, further enhancing his authentic sound. Dub disciples will be in heaven at his Pop Recs show on Sunday 18th February, but his command of melody and songcraft make for a brilliantly accessible sound that will appeal to all who are lucky enough to see it.

Pachyman plays Pop Recs Ltd., Sunderland on Sunday 18th February. www.pachyman.com

COMEDY

NABIL ABDULRASHID @ THE STAND

Words: Caitlin Thomson Nabil Abdulrashid is stopping in at The Stand Comedy Club in Newcastle on his UK tour, The Purple Pill, on Thursday 29th February.

Nabil was the youngest Black comedian to perform stand-up on Live at the Apollo in 2010 at 25 years old, but he shot to mainstream fame after appearing on Britain’s Got Talent in 2020. Since then, he has appeared on Have I Got News for You, 8 Out of 10 Cats Does Countdown and The Big Narstie Show.

A charismatic comedian with uncompromising humour, he exudes comfort on the stage. His sets usually strike a balance between thoughtful and defiant, as he dissects UK politics, class, racism and Islamophobia with satirical urgency.

His perspective is often provocative, which he makes no apologies for, as he articulates his existence at the intersection of several differing cultures. A Black Muslim, born in Nigeria but raised in Croydon, Nabil’s a privately educated ex-con with an ADHD diagnosis; a thoughtful and joyful family man. He is powerful and engaging on the stage, fuelled with vying tender anger and joy, as he makes sharp cultural observations accompanied by varying amounts of modest self-deprecation.

Nabil Abdulrashid performs at The Stand Comedy Club, Newcastle on Thursday 29th February. www.nabilabdulrashid.com

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PREVIEWS

Slowdive by Ingrid Pop

MUSIC

THE MENZINGERS @ NORTHUMBRIA UNIVERSITY STUDENTS’ UNION

Words: Michael O’Neill Over the last few years, Northumbria University’s SU has firmly established itself as a prime destination for the cream of the indie/ punk crop, regularly hosting iconic bands and artists who have pushed the boundaries of glorious noise into bold new frontiers. They’ve got some exciting visitors treading the boards in 2024, and for a fine example of this, look no further than Philadelphia’s finest punk institution, The Menzingers, who play the venue on Thursday 8th February.

The group formed in 2006 and were catapulted to infamy by 2012’s highly acclaimed On The Impossible Past. Not content to stick to a tried-and-tested blueprint of punky glory, 2019 saw the band incorporating heartland rock and Americana in Hello Exile, and that deft experimentation continues with 2023’s Some Of It Was True, which ends the longest gap between Menzingers releases since their formation. To push themselves further out of their comfort zone, they opted to work with the Grammy-nominated sonic maestro Brad Cook (who’s produced the likes of Waxahatchee, Bon Iver and The War on Drugs) at the legendary Sonic Ranch studios. The result is another iconic transmission from a group unafraid to step outside their comfort zone and push the sound of punk into vivid new forms.

The Menzingers play Northumbria University

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Students’ Union, Newcastle on Thursday 8th February. www.themenzingers.com

ART & LIT

BRIAN BILSTON & HENRY NORMAL @ THE FIRE STATION

Words: Dawn Storey Two of the most acclaimed wordsmiths in the country are embarking on a UK tour together, which drops in to Sunderland’s Fire Station on Tuesday 20th February.

Labelled both ‘the Banksy of poetry’ and the unofficial Poet Laureate of Twitter, Brian Bilston is perhaps best known for his palindromic Refugees poem as well as his verses set in Venn diagrams, Excel spreadsheets or in the shape of a Christmas tree. Henry Normal, meanwhile, is responsible for the excellent My Heart Will Not Be Shushed poem about falling for a librarian. Likened to a poetic Alan Bennett, he moved into writing rhymes a few years ago following his time as a scriptwriter and editor for the likes of The Mrs Merton Show, Gavin and Stacey and numerous projects of Steve Coogan.

It makes sense for the pair to tour together, since both writers have gained audiences via social media, both use pseudonyms and both have released several poetry books – most recently Bilston’s festive collection And So This Is Christmas, and Normal’s 13th collection, A Moonless Night. They are, apparently, “prepared to commit to delivering the greatest poetry show in the history of the world”, so

you’d best go along and see whether they manage it.

Brian Bilston & Henry Normal perform at The Fire Station, Sunderland on Tuesday 20th February. www.sunderlandculture.org.uk

MUSIC

SLOWDIVE @ NX NEWCASTLE

Words: Lee Fisher Slowdive were considered by many to be the pick of the Thames Valley scene/shoegaze crop, with a reputation for immersive, forwardthinking sounds. They lasted for three albums before they faded and in the meantime their reputation grew, with middle album Souvlaki becoming recognised as a neglected classic.

Their reappearance in 2014 was greeted with delight and surprise and they’ve just released Everything is Alive, the second album of their unexpected second coming, an album borne of tragic circumstances but continuing the exploratory impulses that have guided their return, with electronics to the fore.

Their recent live shows have had excellent reviews – praised for the huge, almost overwhelming soundscapes – and that makes their return to Newcastle’s NX on Thursday 22nd February an especially tempting proposition. Support comes from dream pop band Whitelands, and it’s bound to be a cracking night.

Slowdive and Whitelands play NX Newcastle on Thursday 22nd February. www.slowdiveofficial.com

PREVIEWS

MURMURATION - © Henna Asikainen, Icarus and Other Fallen Angels, 2013–ongoing

ART & LIT

STAGE

Wednesday 21st-Sunday 25th February. www.theatreroyal.co.uk

Words: Matt Young From Saturday 27th January to Sunday 23rd June The Bowes Museum hosts Murmuration, a groundbreaking exhibition where people will be able to delve into the world of birds by exploring avian symbolism in art and trace its significance across cultures and time. A wide selection of work from artists across various generations, backgrounds and disciplines will discover the pivotal role that birds play as indicators to the health of the environment, reflecting the urgent climate crisis and, through the work, ponder the metaphor of birds as messengers of home and belonging.

The show includes works by Larry Achiampong and David Blandy, Henna Asikainen, Shiraz Bayjoo, Bentley Beetham, Bowes Museum founder Joséphine Bowes, Ryan Gander, Sally Madge, Bethan Maddocks, David Shrigley, C F Tunnicliffe and Hanna Tuulikki among many others.

Pieces from the museum’s own vast collection will be set alongside the contemporary works, with additional loans from other institutions including the British Council, Great North Museum: Hancock, Stephen Friedman Gallery, Copperfield Gallery and individuals. The exhibition will also feature previously unseen works from Bowes’ collection, alongside contemporary pieces that, together, explore our human impact in and on the natural world. The exhibition will also be accompanied by a public programme of radical ecology events aimed at adults.

Murmuration is at The Bowes Museum, Barnard Castle from Saturday 27th January to Sunday 23rd June. www.thebowesmuseum.org.uk

Words: Jennifer Wilson When I was six, the only powerful women I was aware of were my mum and Supergran. Things have definitely changed for the better, and thanks to the introduction of these wonderful books by Kate Pankhurst (yes, she is related), my six year old is aware of the impact of Frida Kahlo, Amelia Earheart, Rosa Parks and many other influential woman, past and present.

Fantastically Great Women Who Changed The World is now an incredible pop musical bringing to life the inspiring stories of historical women who made a significant impact, and it’s performed at Theatre Royal from Wednesday 21st-Sunday 25th February. Young heroine Jade explores the Gallery of Greatness and encounters iconic figures such as Marie Curie and Emmeline Pankhurst.

The production boasts a catchy soundtrack by Miranda Cooper and Jennifer Decilveo, known for their work with artists like Kylie, Girls Aloud, Miley Cyrus and Beth Ditto. Many talented performers feature including Elena Breschi, Jennifer Caldwell, Chloe Hart and Millie Kiss, with backgrounds in Wicked, Kinky Boots and more, bringing a wealth of experience to the stage.

As the show brings to life the stories of remarkable women often forgotten by history, it will inspire audiences of all ages with the message that anyone, regardless of background, can change the world.

Fantastically Great Women Who Changed The World is at Theatre Royal, Newcastle from

Words: Lee Fisher We’ll keep writing about The Unit Ama – and people like Endless Window will keep putting them on – until their name is written proudly on every cool kid schoolkid’s school bag and tattooed on every punk’s arm, and their albums top all the right end of year charts and guitarist Steve Malley can afford to get his beard tidied up a bit.

Their phenomenal, unique sound is a blend of Louisville-tinged (post) hardcore, jazz-imbued rhythms from killer rhythm section Jason Etherington and Christian Alderson and songs which betray Malley’s other incarnation as a folk artist. Last year they released Toward on Gringo – 18 years after their debut, with just a live album midway between the two – and it was magnificent; a beautiful summary of how they’d evolved in that time. They’re playing a bunch of dates this month, including a return to The Cumberland Arms on Saturday 24th February. Support comes from Dancer, a new Glasgow outfit with a fine pedigree and a promising pair of EPs, and local outfit Boy Latex – equal parts caustic wit and radgy noise. Not to be missed.

The Unit Ama, Dancer and Boy Latex play The Cumberland Arms, Newcastle on Saturday 24th February. www.theunitama.bandcamp.com

MURMURATION FANTASTICALLY GREAT @ THE BOWES MUSEUM WOMEN WHO CHANGED MUSIC THE WORLD THE UNIT AMA @ THE @ THEATRE ROYAL CUMBERLAND ARMS

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PREVIEWS

Vittorio Angelone

COMEDY

VITTORIO ANGELONE @ MIDDLESBROUGH TOWN HALL

Words: Adam Paxton Vittorio Angelone may appear, and indeed be, relatively young as a comic, but when he brings his Who Do You Think You Are? I Am! show to Middlesbrough Town Hall’s Crypt on Tuesday 27th February, he does so with extensive experience in his craft that belies his relative youth.

In an age where many comedians skate by doing sporadic shows here and there, focusing primarily on their social media platforms and podcast appearances to generate interest – and money – Angelone is prolific in his output in all of the mediums a modern comic must be fluent in to succeed. But behind it all is a hard-earned ease on stage, won through an impressive dedication to getting up there and performing night in night out, resulting in seamless crowd work and improvisation mixed in with carefully crafted written material.

His new show features a deceptively thoughtful look at his own identity, being of mixed Irish-Italian heritage, as well as the notion of identity more broadly, and can be relied on for sheer laughs as well as a peek into one of the scene’s brightest young talents refreshingly dedicated to honing their craft the old fashioned way – on stage, microphone in hand.

Vittorio Angelone performs at Middlesbrough Town Hall on Tuesday 27th February. www.vittorioangelone.com

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MUSIC

COMEDY

LADYHAWKE @ THE CLUNY

JANINE HAROUNI @ THE STAND

Words: Jennifer Wilson Ladyhawke (yes, this is an homage to the weird 80s film where Michelle Pfeiffer turns into a bird), released her first self-titled album in 2008, an 80s rock-pop-electro delight which I repeatedly put on in my friend’s cars as I didn’t drive back then (I could make a Back of The Van reference here but will control myself.)

Real name Phillipa Brown, or Pip, in her formative years she was playing in bands like Two Lane Blacktop and Teenager but she rose to prominence as Ladyhawke after releasing tracks online and signing to a major label. She moved from New Zealand to the UK where her effortlessly cool yet relatable solo album was met with widespread acclaim.

Her latest album, the aptly named Time Flies (2021) was released with a limited edition video game keychain, the game takes Ladyhawke on a journey to complete her album and the soundtrack was made up of digitised versions of the album tracks. I need one of these – why aren’t more artists doing this?

With four albums and a daughter under her belt, Pip is back to play The Cluny at a rescheduled show on Wednesday 7th February, and while her newer material reflects difficult times with mental health and motherhood, the full discography is also on offer. I will be there, covered in glitter and in my own car this time.

Ladyhawke plays The Cluny, Newcastle on Wednesday 7th February. www.ladyhawkemusic.com

Words: Tommy Robertson Set to take the stage at The Stand Comedy Club on Thursday 8th February, Janine Harouni brings her Man’oushe tour to Newcastle. The Long Island-native turned Londoner has wowed British audiences with her dry and nimble sense of often self-referential humour which points at the comedy in familial relationships; her Edinburgh Fringe set touched on being Liberal raised by Conservative parents, and how there’s casual comedy in every interaction, however challenging it may be.

The show itself looks to further emphasise the comedic relief within family. Touching on the comedian’s Arab roots, pregnancy and mail ordered DNA tests, and proffering a tale of humour and grief, Harouni invites audiences into her personal experiences and identity, her autobiographical style of comedy allowing the audience to relate to Harouni even if they have little in common with her.

Prior to this latest run of shows, Janine Harouni has performed at Edinburgh Fringe twice to great fanfare, and won a plethora of awards enhancing her captivating appeal as a new talent to watch on the comedy scene.

Janine Harouni performs at The Stand, Newcastle on Thursday 8th February. www.janineharouni.com

newton faulkner

FEATURE

2

feels like home tour

Thur 2 May ARC Stockton

tickets from £29

arconline.co.uk 01642 525199

Shows for all the family at GCT

The Greatest Robot ever!

Friday 23 February, 11am & 2pm Show and workshop for 3-8 year olds

The Boy and the Seahorse Friday 9 February, 5.30pm for 5+, show contains loud music

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PREVIEWS

Loupe by Tony Dočekal

ART & LIT

amongst.

Wildlife Photographer of the Year is exhibited at Sunderland Museum & Winter Garden from Monday 5th February-Saturday 1st June. www.sunderlandculture.org.uk

WILDLIFE PHOTOGRAPHER OF THE YEAR @ MUSIC SUNDERLAND MUSEUM LOUPE @ ZEROX & WINTER GARDENS Words: Mera Royle Amongst our planet’s greatest scientists and academics, it has often been noted that a connection with nature has the capacity to inspire increased empathy in humans towards our world and the harm that we do it, as well as the creatures we share it with. The power of events such as Wildlife Photographer of the Year have become famed in recent years for its ability to draw global attention towards the most beautiful and precious corners of our earth, and encourage this connection in audiences, from sprawling urban metropolises to the deep polar seas, isolated deserts and incredible rainforest scenes.

Coming to Sunderland Museum & Winter Gardens this month, this exhibition boasts extremely high-level talent from some of the world’s greatest visionaries and adventurers, who have captured the phenomenon of life and the complexities of our ecosystems, as well as the harm we are currently perpetrating on nature. Thought-provoking and immersive, audiences are presented with images of species close to extinction, the impact of oil spills, and the cruelty caused to animals for human commercial and entertainment purposes. A very important collection, created to inspire increased awareness with nature and what we can do to protect it, filled with the beauty and charm of the animals we live

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Words: Matt Young Describing Amsterdam four-piece Loupe as an indie rock or pop band hardly does them justice. Their sound has a wider expanse incorporating synth pop, dream pop and folk.

Insistent, stuttering rhythms also imbue their songs with a unique dynamic and resonant feeling.

The band consisting of Nina (lead vocals), Jasmine (guitar), Lana (bass) and Annemarie (drums) use their combined expressive chemistry like a hypnotic secret language.

Songs sound lush and conspiratorially rich with subtle moments of interplay. Their debut album Do You Ever Wonder What Comes Next?, released in June last year, is bursting with a sing-along set of songs that twist and turn, covering some of life’s bigger coming-of-age dilemmas. I Keep Changing, Vortex and Holding Me Too Tight all embrace the intimate and personal reach that engages with audiences.

Performing at Zerox on Monday 5th February, Loupe will present their angelic, exuberant vocals and virtuoso playing, and sprinkle shimmers of cool insouciance which bring to mind everything from Slowdive to salsa. Using emotive lyrics and building up tensions to often ecstatic sonic climaxes, their songs command everyone’s attention. The quartet spread their musical colours and images in a painterly, impressionistic way that we can all find

empathy in and fully embrace.

Loupe play Zerox, Newcastle on Monday 5th February. www.thisisloupe.bandcamp.com

MUSIC

NOVELTY ISLAND @ THE CLUNY 2

Words: Jake Anderson A pessimistic person might tell someone hitting the double digits to enjoy it while it lasts, because it doesn’t get better. But those types of people are wrong.

This year marks a significant anniversary for Newcastle’s own Wandering Oak, promoters of all sounds trippy and noisy. Wandering Oak have become infamously talented for bringing some of the most in-demand artists to the North East and blessing the ears of gig goers with their roster of psychedelia, electronica, alternative and hazy sounds.

And what’s a birthday without a party? Saturday 3rd February will see Newcastle’s Cluny 2 host a double headliner to celebrate the big one zero, as Novelty Island and Meadow Meadow plan to get their party hats out for the promoter’s big day.

Novelty Island is the psychedelic pop project of Liverpool-based songwriter Tom McConnell. The artist releases his forthcoming EP on 2nd February, titled Taped Over, which aims to capture McConnell’s childhood through its dream-like synthetic world. Recently turned into a four-piece band, Meadow Meadow are coming off the recent release of their debut album, You Are So Alive. The therapeutic release invites the listener in with gentle and textured melodies.

Novelty Island and Meadow Meadow play The Cluny 2, Newcastle on Saturday 3rd February. www.facebook.com/wanderingoakuk

INTERVIEWS MUSIC

L DEVINE

AMY MCGARAHAN TALKS TO THE ALT. POP STAR ABOUT FINDING RELEASE IN INDEPENDENCE AHEAD OF HER LONGAWAITING DEBUT ALBUM With a penchant for blending poignant narratives with a dose of wittiness, Whitley Bay born-and-raised pop star L Devine releases her debut album Digital Heartifacts this month.

Her journey from a music-loving youngster to a pop star to be reckoned with has been a testament to resilience and artistic exploration. The title of the album draws inspiration from Devine’s digital log of life stored on her laptop, as well as the overarching electro pop soundscape. Collaborating with producer Julien Flew, Devine disrupts raw, live sounds with computer production and glitchy noises, which Devine calls digital artifacts’. “The album meshes together the two worlds which inspired the album – the natural versus digital worlds.” She explains.

As she discusses the album’s themes, there’s an unmistakable candour to her words. “It focuses on feelings of being misunderstood, seeking connection and longing to be understood.” Despite the depth of these struggles, Devine finds comfort in light-hearted expression, admitting: “there are a lot of self-deprecating lyrics, but I always wrap them up in humour… I like to deflect heaviness with humour. I cringe myself out if I take myself too seriously in my lyrics, so I wrap it up in a joke somehow.”

At the age of 19, Devine relocated to London to pursue her musical aspirations, where she signed to a major label and released several successful EPs and singles (including Growing Pains, Peer Pressure, Peachy Keen and Boring People).

However, her return to Newcastle amidst the pandemic brought

I WAS REALLY INSPIRED BY THAT FEELING THAT LIVES IN BETWEEN HAVING A MENTAL BREAKDOWN AND TOTAL LIBERATION

clarity – she didn’t want to return to life in London and amicably parted ways with her label. Now an independent artist, Devine is basking in the benefits of creative autonomy: “I’ve got so much more out of it and feel so much more fulfilled as an artist. I don’t feel like an artist unless I’m all over everything – visuals, lyrics, music and live. Being able to drive every aspect of it is so important.” She has even tried her hand at co-producing four tracks on the album; garage-lite Eaten Alive, lo-fi Miscommunikaty, bouncy Worship and Devine’s personal favourite, Hater. Devine asserts, “these songs have a lot of me embedded in them.”

Devine describes recent alt. pop single If I Don’t Laugh I’ll Cry as “one of the most fun songs on the album”. The lyrics are sad, but in true L Devine style, they’re also humorous and freeing. “I was really inspired by that feeling that lives in between having a mental breakdown and total liberation. I think there’s a little sweet spot that you live in when everything is going wrong, but it feels so right and you just have no inhibitions any more.”

The powerhouse that is L Devine is not to be missed live, and she is “gasping to get back on tour”. With an upcoming headline tour, which includes a show at Wylam Brewery in April, she expresses that fans can anticipate “loads of fucking energy”. “I am so in love with this music and can’t wait to show you how much I love it.”

Summarising her debut album, Devine describes Digital Heartifacts as “the most defined version of me that I’ve ever put out there. This is L Devine, so if they don’t like this, then they don’t like L Devine.”

L Devine releases Digital Heartifacts on 2nd February. She performs at Wylam Brewery, Newcastle on Wednesday 17th April. www.ldevinemusic.com

23

COVER FEATURE

MUSIC

24

COVER FEATURE

ALTHOUGH THE SUBJECT MATTER IS MACABRE, I DIDN’T WANT THIS RECORD TO BE DOWNTRODDEN OR DEFEATIST

NADINE SHAH

CELEBRATED NORTH EAST SINGER SONGWRITER NADINE SHAH SPEAKS CANDIDLY TO LINSEY TEGGERT ABOUT RECOVERY, REHAB AND CREATING A TRIUMPHANT FIFTH ALBUM OUT OF TRAUMATIC CIRCUMSTANCES IMAGE BY AMELIA READ It’s impossible to talk about Nadine Shah’s new record, Filthy Underneath, without discussing the trauma that it was born from. It’s harrowing and complex, and as a journalist, you agonise over whether you’re striking the right tone, or being exploitative or sensationalising something deeply personal.

Then you speak to Nadine, and she’s so candid and darkly funny and unapologetically unashamed, that you realise it would be wrong not to talk about it, because Nadine has achieved an astounding feat in piecing her life back together and creating something so life-affirming in the process.

“I thought I did a pretty good job of hiding it, but it turns out I wasn’t at all,” recalls Nadine. “Friends around me said it was like watching a fast-speeding train and there was nothing they could do to stop it.” The timeline of the beginnings of the record is somewhat blurred. Unbeknownst to Nadine she was suffering from PTSD after the death of her mother in August 2020, a time when the usual processes for grieving were unavailable, and unable to tour her universally acclaimed 2020 album, Kitchen Sink, she found herself without purpose. “When I’m not working as a musician I feel so lost, like my identity has been robbed. Like many creatives I have a very busy mind that needs to be kept fuelled and that keeps me right.”

Desperate to get back into the studio to work on her next album, Nadine ploughed ahead as soon as restrictions allowed, though it was clear to all around her she wasn’t doing well. It culminated in an attempt to end her own life in Easter 2022, but thankfully an unplanned last-minute Tweet to say goodbye resulted in her being found in time. “I went to a rehab facility for two months, which is the best thing that I ever did, and while I was in there, I started writing lyrics, not with an album in mind, mostly cathartically. When I came out and went back to the studio, I took this collection to my producer Ben Hillier.

People already had an idea that I’d had some kind of breakdown, so I wasn’t afraid or ashamed to be writing about such personal subjects, plus being in the studio is a form of therapy for me, it keeps me well.”

In rehab, Nadine wasn’t a musician. She was a regular young woman, and she had to figure out how to exist outside of being a musician. “There were lots of harrowing times but also lots of fun times, I’ve never laughed so much. The objective was ‘you’re here to get help and we’re here to help you’. You live there, you eat, shit and sleep with everybody: we had to share rooms and I was always stuck with a snorer!”

Not only did rehab equip Nadine with the tools to keep her mental health in check, it also provided inspiration for some of Filthy Underneath’s most memorable songs, including electrifying lead single Topless Mother, which recalls her relationship with a counsellor with a rather unorthodox method. “She had this technique where, if she couldn’t get me to cry in a therapy session, she would cry, and I was like ‘haad on lady, this isn’t how it works!’ I’m not being scathing or mean, we

just didn’t get on, it was mutual! It’s a very immature song – I’m making fun of myself as much as I am of her.”

Then there’s Twenty Things, which Nadine describes as a “love letter” to all the people she was in the rehab facility with. “I’m very aware of the privilege I have in being able to get the help that I did, but I met people from all walks of life and there was something very beautiful about that. Addiction doesn’t discriminate, from pauper to king it can take hold of anybody. I realised I couldn’t not write about these people, I quickly fell in love with them all – everybody has a great story if you take the time to listen to them, and they had many.”

While the subject matter of Filthy Underneath may be difficult, there’s something about its sound that feels almost primal at times, with rhythm and movement leading the way. Topless Mother uses tribal beats to inject a glorious sense of wild abandon, with the same urgent, ritualistic drums present on the opening of the theatrical Greatest Dancer, while the sensual hypnotic sway of Food For Fuel draws from Nadine’s Pakistani heritage, her voice enchanting and otherworldly.

“I still want you all to dance,” laughs Nadine. “Although the subject matter is macabre, I didn’t want this record to be downtrodden or defeatist. I’m also a bit of a piss-taker and find it difficult to talk about emotions without a bit of humour injected, which is definitely a Geordie thing.”

Even in the album’s slower, more subdued moments, metronomic rhythms are placed front and centre, whether it’s the skeletal skittering of Twenty Things or the hypnotic slither of You Drive, I Shoot. “This is the fifth album Ben Hillier and I have worked on together and he’s an incredible drummer. We started the drums first on this album, so that’s why the rhythm section is so present.”

When asked about her relationship with the North East, Nadine proudly declares that she has moved back to Newcastle, having signed to new label EMI North. Having found her world dismantled and pieced back together again, there is one final piece left to reclaim, and that’s touring. “Touring is a very healthy space for me, the dangerous place for me is when I’m on my own and not working. I’ve told my management company and label that I’m going to gig this album loads, it’s really important to me. So, if I’m going to be dealing with this heavy subject matter, I don’t want the music to be dour. I played a few shows recently with Young Fathers and I was worried about becoming emotional on stage, but that didn’t happen as I was enjoying the music at the same time. I want to have a nice time and keep myself well.

Nadine Shah releases Filthy Underneath on 23rd February via EMI North. She performs at Newcastle’s Boiler Shop on Friday 26th April. www.nadineshah.co.uk

25

INTERVIEW

COMEDY

BILL BAILEY

Image by Gillian Robertson Glassbox Productions Ltd

LAURA DOYLE TALKS TO THE VETERAN COMEDIAN ABOUT TECHNOLOGY, MAKING CONNECTIONS AND THE UNPREDICTABLE POWER OF HUMAN CREATIVITY You only get 15 minutes with Bill Bailey, but that’s all you need… unless you nearly lose the first five minutes to an anecdote regarding visiting parents, a business meeting turned night out, and a curry order influenced by “wine thumbs”. He’s graced our stages and screens for decades – through the dot-com boom, the rise and fall (and rise again) of flip phones, and a fair few global crises – but still the veteran comic gets his kicks from his job.

“Comedy is a communal experience. Sharing is intrinsic to the human experience. We’re social animals, we like to be amongst others. All the social media sites have a button that says ‘Share’.

It seems ironic – the modern way that we interact with tech is a solitary activity. Going to the gig – that’s proper sharing. The feeling, the energy in a room… that’s what I love, and I think that’s what we crave.”

As we’ve all become more reliant on our technology than ever, Bailey got thinking about its impact on society – is this all for better or worse?

“Humans, we’re maddeningly contradictory and unpredictable.

We’re a bit clumsy and reckless, but that’s what makes us human. That can’t ever be replaced by any AI or algorithm – all they do is replicate. It can’t originate. That’s what I’m celebrating in this show. It’s about human creativity that goes back thousands of years. The things that I’m doing – singing songs, telling stories – are what we’ve been doing since we could speak.

I’VE TAUGHT MYSELF TURKISH, SO I’M GONNA SING SOME COLDPLAY SONGS ON AN ANCIENT TURKISH LUTE AND SING IT IN TURKISH FOR NO OTHER REASON THAN I CAN 26

People sitting around a campfire recounting stories that become fables that become rituals that eventually become religion.

Religion was a way of unifying people and in a way that’s what comedy is. It has the ritual element of it that I really like, that feels like an ancient human activity that I’ve just happened to be a modern exponent of.”

Bill Bailey doesn’t rely on an AI to make his ludicrous comedy/ music blends that really shouldn’t make sense but do, he goes to the source of all of humanity’s creativity: the people themselves.

“On tour in Australia, I worked with opera singers in every city that I went to. I’ve just made a documentary in Australia where I sang with a bunch of shantymen, the Albany Shantymen. I loved their harmony, almost call and response singing. So I’m writing a sea shanty to put into the show to celebrate quite traditional forms of singing. But you know, in a comic context.”

Bill Bailey’s inspirations are fundamentally embedded in the human experience, and created in that wonderful noggin of his.

And for Bailey, there really isn’t anything more wonderful than the human brain and its creations.

“You’re always surprised by people – they are unpredictable. I’ve learned over the years that you’re never quite able to pin someone down. You never quite know what people are about, and they often surprise you in a brilliant way. I’m optimistic about humanity generally… I’ve taught myself Turkish, so I’m gonna sing some Coldplay songs on an ancient Turkish lute and sing it in Turkish for no other reason than I can.”

With the right command prompts, an AI programme may well be able to spit out the Hokey-Cokey as performed by Kraftwerk, but it isn’t creating. We can continue to leave that to Bill Bailey.

Bill Bailey performs at Utilita Arena, Newcastle on Saturday 17th February. www.billbailey.co.uk

PLAZA

INTERVIEW

TOMMY ROBERTSON TALKS TO THE HARTLEPUDLIAN BAND ABOUT INDUSTRY DISAPPOINTMENTS AND THE POWER OF FRIENDSHIP AS THEY PREPARE TO RELEASE THEIR LONG-AWAITED DEBUT LP

MUSIC

Image by Chloe Dunscombe

This month Hartlepudlian indie band PLAZA are set to release their long-awaited debut LP, A Different State of Mind, an atmospheric bookend of their long-loved alt. indie sound produced from the latter half of the last decade to the present day.

“When I listen back to the songs now, the lyrics feel as though they’ve fallen into place.” Says the four-piece’s guitarist, Will.

This sentiment serves as a reminder that tracks such as Blood Orange and Totem were initially released in 2016, and that this album serves as a kind of “closing of the chapter” of the initial part of the band’s career as a passion project of sorts before they’re able to move forward.

A duo of EPs and a small collection of singles released before 2019 detail their musical direction, filled with post-indie catharsis and detailed instrumentation which carry directly into their latest release, something Will described as essential to the PLAZA sound. “There’s little intricate parts that feature quite heavily in the more mathy, jazzy stuff that we listen to. I like to think, without sounding pretentious, that we’re a bit of a musician’s band.”

Prior to the release of this new record, a hiatus had almost stunted the growth of their debut as the members took some time apart to prioritise growing up. “Between 2016 and 2019 we were super active, gigging lots, recording lots, touring lots, having a generally really good time. And then slightly usual industry stuff, travelling down to London to meet A&R people and label reps, and getting paid £50 to go and play a show with the promise that someone with a bit of crack was going to come down and see you. We got let down so many times that it became like ‘why are we torturing ourselves here?’

“It was at the detriment of our friendships at one point.” Will

WHEN I LISTEN BACK TO THE SONGS NOW, THE LYRICS FEEL AS THOUGH THEY’VE FALLEN INTO PLACE says candidly. “We’re all getting to that stage in our lives where there’s bills to pay and dogs to feed; music wasn’t subsidising that any more so we had to find industries that suited us.

Instead of the career prospect that we thought it was when it first started, it became more of a hobby, but a fun one that has loads of history behind it.”

The tone of friendship has long been a feature of the band’s chemistry, and all being natives of a small Hartlepool music scene, they have grown together and reformed to celebrate music in a more freeing sense. The album details how the band began musically, and how experience has shaped them, with strong instrumentation supporting emotionally-charged lyricism which holds genuine meaning for the band members.

With the album released on 9th February, and a live show at The Grove in Newcastle to mark the occasion, the industry missteps and musical advents have all come to a head, and there’s plenty to look forward to from the band. “What we’re gonna do is go away and write album number two. We’ve started making demos. Hopefully it doesn’t take five years to come out.”

PLAZA launch A Different State of Mind at The Grove, Newcastle on Friday 9th February. www.facebook.com/wernotplaza

27

INTERVIEW

MUSIC

MERYL STREEK

Image by Sinead Ferguson

ADAM KENNEDY TALKS TO THE POLITICALLY OUTSPOKEN AVANT-GARDE PUNK ARTIST AHEAD OF HIS FORTHCOMING NEWCASTLE SHOW Not to be confused with the Hollywood star of a similar name, Meryl Streek’s poetic lyricism, social commentary and electrifying post-punk sound have earned the Irish artist a reputation as one to watch on the grassroots music scene.

He explains the process of how he acquired his moniker. “I just looked at the music industry and said, ‘I need something catchy, something recognisable’.” He adds: “I Googled A-List celebrities, and she was the first one that came up. And that was it.”

Having performed in bands throughout his career, with his latest project Meryl Streek wanted to be in control of his own destiny. “I’ve been doing it for so long. And I just thought that I’m going to do a solo project. I’m going to buy a laptop, so I just won’t have to deal with any dickheads anymore. And that’s what I did,” he says candidly.

The artist’s brand of politically charged avant-garde punk flows throughout his debut album 796, which largely came together during lockdown. “I knew I needed a song about my dad. I knew I needed a song about alcohol, and I knew I needed a song about the church and most definitely landlords, because at the moment in Ireland, I think we’re up to 14,000 people homeless right now. And four or five thousand of those are kids sleeping in tents.” The latter subject is grappled with in the potent recent single Death To The Landlord.

If you saw the recent Public Image Ltd tour, perhaps you caught

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WHEN I GET INTO THE CROWD, I’M CENTIMETRES AWAY FROM PEOPLE’S FACES, AND I WANT THEM TO KNOW THAT I’M FEARLESS

Meryl Streek opening the proceedings. “It still hasn’t hit me that I did a tour with PIL because I kind of numbed myself out to ever get starstruck,” he says. “I think the only person I ever got starstruck around was Mark E Smith because I’m just obsessed with him.” Being around PIL frontman John Lydon was surreal at times, and he recalls a backstage encounter with the Sex Pistol. “He just started telling me about Sid Vicious, naming him just as Sid, and it was that moment where I went ‘Holy fuck, this is actually real’.”

Visually, the artist’s onstage aesthetic is very dark, illuminating his live performances with just a handheld torch. Performing alone, aided by a backing track, he frequently ventures into the crowd. “I like to challenge people. So, when I get into the crowd, I’m centimetres away from people’s faces, and I want them to know that I’m fearless,” he explains.

He compares his live shows to one of his pastimes. “I love the feeling of after watching a horror movie where you’re just like ‘what the fuck happened to me?’ And so, for 10 pounds, you’re getting something different. You’re getting screamed at by a really angry Irishman,” says Streek. “I always find that the people who come up to me afterwards, the ones that are most in shock and happy about it, are the ones that went in with no idea who I am.”

Meryl Streek will perform at Zerox, Newcastle on Sunday 18th February. www.merylstreek.com

INTERVIEW

OUR MAN IN THE FIELD DAVID SAUNDERS TALKS TO THE NORTH EAST NATIVE ABOUT HIS REFLECTIVE AND EVOCATIVE NEW ALBUM

MUSIC

Saltburn-born/London-based Americana artist Our Man In The Field (AKA Alex Ellis) recently dropped his third album Gold On The Horizon, a gorgeous collection of songs that reflect his many years spent as an actor developing an understanding of people. “I am interested in people who’ve got vocations and do things that I couldn’t do, and that the validation for those kinds of people isn’t a financial reward or celebrity.”

Playing music casually since he was 16, Ellis’ emergence as a serious musician came about through a random performance to an actor friend that eventually kickstarted his career. “I was playing one night and he was like, ‘that’s pretty good, you should record it’. So we did a basic recording and he sent it off to BBC Introducing, and Tom Robinson played it on his show that night.”

The instant recognition paired with a change in outlook that came from being hospitalised to treat a tumour a decade ago, instilled a drive and determination to carve out a career as a musician. “You’ve got to be honest with yourself. And was I taking the easy road or was I getting distracted because, you know, there was a comfortable version of the life I could have happening...It did make me sit up and go, ‘right, I need to push myself a bit harder’.”

The result was Our Man In The Field. Inspired by the journalistic writings of Steinbeck and Kerouac and acknowledging our biased media, the artist finds himself deep within the situations his music paints and in turn offers listeners a fuller picture. “I thought of Our Man In The Field as one of those kind of correspondents who could try and get to the place where the people involved are, and write about their experience.

So it’s not really supposed to be about me. It’s supposed to be this person bringing you something that you might not have

I AM INTERESTED IN PEOPLE WHO’VE GOT VOCATIONS AND DO THINGS THAT I COULDN’T DO thought about, even though you might know about the situation.”

Sonically, the album is warm, atmospheric and driven by Ellis’ intricate guitar style and soulful vocal (which contains flickers of David Gray, Damien Rice and Ryan Adams), adorned with evocative instrumental and vocal arrangements reminiscent of Leonard Cohen or Michael Kiwanuka, to create scope and space for the lyrics to flourish.

It was produced by Tucker Martine (The National, Modest Mouse), whose passion for the project, as Ellis explains, was there from the off. “I’d sent each of the producers their own Soundcloud link so I could see who was listening to what. And some of them came back and they hadn’t listened, as far as I could tell… Whereas Tucker had listened to it hundreds of times. Whenever I spoke to him on the phone, it was like his enthusiasm and his level of detail was light years ahead. So it was a really easy decision.”

The tour supporting the album sees Our Man In The Field return to his native North East, with gigs at The Cluny 2 and Saltburn Theatre. And for those worried that the lushness of the album won’t translate live, then have no fear. “We’ve got a proper four-part harmony going on. And we’ve managed to get the live arrangements… There’s a really full sound.”

Our Man In The Field plays The Cluny 2, Newcastle on Saturday 17th and Saltburn Theatre on Sunday 18th February. www.omitf.com

29

INTERVIEW

A SONG FOR ELLA GREY AHEAD OF HER ADAPTATION OF DAVID ALMOND’S AWARD-WINNING NOVEL, LENA MOSS TALKS TO PLAYWRIGHT ZOE COOPER ABOUT THE VITAL IMPORTANCE OF REPRESENTING NORTHERN STORIES ON STAGE

STAGE

Zoe Cooper’s stage adaptation of David Almond’s awardwinning novel A Song For Ella Grey opens at Northern Stage in Newcastle this month before embarking on a national tour.

Based on the Greek myth of Orpheus and Eurydice, David Almond’s novel brings the tragic love story into a contemporary and familiar North East setting. The show’s acclaimed playwright Zoe Cooper explains what originally drew her to Almond’s novel, and the motivations behind adapting it for the stage. “There is an amazing Queer love story at the centre, which is wonderful to see so unapologetically in a book. There is also something about the scale of emotional expression in Greek drama, huge and epic, that perfectly suited the feelings that you have when you’re 17 or 18. The way the story uniquely inhabits the rugged beauty of the North East landscape feels equally monumental.”

The show is produced by Pilot Theatre, who recently adapted Malorie Blackman’s Noughts & Crosses for the stage. “What’s exciting about Pilot Theatre is that they really understand a young audience,” Zoe enthuses. Whilst the original novel is primarily intended for a young adult audience, the show is likely to appeal to all ages. “The characters are 17 or 18, right on the cusp of that moment when you go off to properly experience life and everything changes. There’s something about that moment of inflection that is really important to people of all ages – those living it and those who want to look back on that time in their own lives.”

Across previous projects, Zoe’s playwriting has acquired

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IT FEELS RENEWING AS A WRITER TO HAVE PERMISSION TO ENTER THOSE WORLDS

considerable praise. She explains what has been especially enjoyable about working on A Song For Ella Grey. “I don’t normally do adaptations, I normally write my own work, so it’s exciting to enter the landscape of somebody else’s brilliant piece of writing. There are things in the novel that I would never have written that are exciting to grapple with. It feels renewing as a writer to have permission to enter those worlds – which I imagine is what David experienced when he found Orpheus and Eurydice.”

A Song For Ella Grey is a real collaboration of high-quality Northern talent. From the original North East-based novel, to the creative team and cast behind the upcoming production.

“We did a long open-call audition process which has allowed us to put together a really fantastic North East-heavy cast – not a load of people from London, putting on accents. It has been so brilliant to be reminded of the level of talent in the North East.”

The show’s premiere at Northern Stage is a fantastic opportunity to catch this universal story, with a North East setting, on home ground. Recognising the importance of seeing Northern stories on Northern stages, Zoe says: “I’m based in Heaton and teach at Newcastle University and I think that to tell stories about places that range beyond London is really important. It’s equally crucial that those stories are told by people that live in or are from the North East. I want to see the worlds I inhabit on stage and I think that’s even more true for young people. It’s so important to see our own worlds depicted.”

A Song For Ella Grey is at Northern Stage, Newcastle from Thursday 1st-Thursday 15th February. www.northernstage.co.uk

INTERVIEW

MUSIC

SPECKY CULT

DAMIAN ROBINSON TALKS TO THE NORTH EAST TRIO ABOUT BALANCING HUMOUR WITH SERIOUS MESSAGES WITHIN THEIR NEW ALBUM If there’s one thing British bands do particularly well, it’s using humour to make a point. From the slap-dash cartoon-esque Supergrass, through to the laconic style of Pulp, a key ingredient in the potency of British pop music has often been its ability to make fun of itself.

Picking up on that theme, the new album by local heroes Specky Cult (a trio made up of Rob Glover, Carol Stephen and Rob Bradford) seeks to prove that laughter, rather than anger, is often the best method of making a point.

“More than anything, this album is about us all trying to have fun,” comments Rob Glover, “it’s always important in music to have something to say, but you don’t always need what you say to be the most important thing.”

Sprinkled with lovely 90s Britpop references, particularly the good-time pop of The Boo Radleys and the witty lyrical references of Pulp, A Different Kind of Difficult is a creation of upbeat pop songs built around strong melodies purposefully disguising serious messages.

Standout tracks Big Shop and Awesome exemplify a unique songwriting approach that sparkles with shiny guitars and hidden humour. “Big Shop was exactly the style of song we wanted to make,” continues Glover. “We’re getting on a bit now and we’ve been laughing about how we’ve gone from mad nights out on the weekend to doing big shops on a Friday night. It’s a bit daft and fun and light, but it’s also a comment on where we are in life and how other people are also at that phase of their life.”

Yet for all of their bright and shiny pop colours, Glover admits that there’s a serious side to the album; the glorious Anthems And Tantrums, with its Boo Radley’s style of sunny pop, and wistful lines about music (“all I want is another great song on the

WE WANT THE MUSIC TO SHOW THAT YOU DON’T HAVE TO BE ANGRY TO MAKE A SERIOUS POINT radio”) being a perfect illustration that the band’s original acoustic, punky undertones remain not too far from the surface.

“The most important thing for us now is to have fun and to enjoy making music. If we can do that then we’re happy,” says Glover. “But whereas once we were quite staunch in our approach to music and very fierce in what we sang about, now we want the music to show that you don’t have to be angry to make a serious point – and in fact, the more you see people having fun and smiling and enjoying themselves, the more you’re likely to pay attention and be interested.”

An album launch party will kick off the next phase of Specky Cult’s life, and the album will be ready to drop on 1st March (“there really is nothing like a date in the diary to focus your attention and to start making final decisions on presentation and edits!”) And for the band, it’s all about having fun and trying to be present in the moment – “we used to try to be serious about being serious. Now we’re more serious about trying to make others have a good time. Sometimes that’s more than enough.”

Specky Cult release A Different Kind of Difficult on 1st March. They play The Globe, Newcastle on Saturday 24th February as part of Raise Up Festival, with an album launch party at the same venue on Friday 1st March. www.instagram.com/speckycult_music

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INTERVIEW

NEEB

NEEB HAS CHANGED STYLES DEPENDING ON WHICH PEOPLE HAVE WORKED WITH US

AMANDA GALLAGHER TALKS TO NEEB DRUMMER MARK LLOYD ABOUT A GLUT OF NEW RELEASES IN THE COMING MONTHS

MUSIC

After being twentysomething friends and playing in various other bands first, NEEB was formed in 1999 by current core members Mark Lloyd (drums), Mark Hand (synths) and Tony Waite (bass), and over the years they’ve shared the stage with the likes of James, The Magic Numbers and Alabama 3, and have performances at the likes of Glastonbury and Solfest under their belts.

Since forming, NEEB’s music has evolved from electronica, drum & bass and breakbeat, house, techno and jazzy breaks, as Mark explains: “There are many different facets to the team that are involved, and NEEB has changed styles depending on which people have worked with us.”

The band create their left-of-centre, eclectic sound in the high-spec purpose-built Mobeus Studio in Hartlepool, which is the brainchild of Mark Lloyd, and created two years ago to provide a space not only for the band but to collaborate with other artists. “Mark Hand and Tony are also both accomplished music producers, meaning all the band’s recordings are engineered in-house…the purpose of the studio is to organically create.”

After more than two decades, NEEB have experienced the odd hiatus but have always remained friends. “There might have been a few months gone by and we start to really miss playing, so we get together and get a fresh love for it again. We’re like an old comfy pair of slippers now, so when we get together and jam then we listen back to the live recording it can often sound like we’ve rehearsed it and it’s a finished song. It’s because we are so used to each other, we can intuitively feel when a change is

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coming…it’s weird but it’s lovely!”

2024 heralds an exciting new phase for these seasoned musicians, with NEEB’s latest collaboration with Jasmine Weatherill on vocals bringing a fresh sound and element to the band. “Jasmine, who is only 16 and has such a gorgeous voice, is a pleasure to work with, as she is so keen…it feels like that has given the band a new lease of life.” Used to rolling with the changes, Mark Lloyd is keen to help upcoming artists: “We’re old men of the game now but if we can help a young person like Jasmine build up confidence and find their way – even if she only stayed with us a year and went off and did something else – as long as we’ve done something and enjoyed the time we’ve worked together, then that’s what it’s all about.”

Having been signed to Ed Leighton’s Shy Bairn Records, there are a hat trick of single releases planned for early 2024. The releases deliver NEEB’s faultless fusion of funk, electronica, jazz, space rock and even some folk flavours, that has you tapping your toes and still manages to transfer your thinking to a whole other place. The first release, the uplifting Brighter Day, transports your mind to an old smoky jazz club, with beautiful harmonies from Jasmine and Mark Hand. March brings the dreamy-sounding second release Take To The Sky (featuring the accomplished Martin Ditcham on percussion), whilst April heralds the third release Time is Elastic.

NEEB release Brighter Day on 2nd February. www.facebook.com/neebmusic

INTERVIEW

ART & LIT

MARK PINDER

AHEAD OF WHAT PROMISES TO BE AN INSIGHTFUL ‘IN CONVERSATION’ EVENT AT THE LIT & PHIL, DAVID SAUNDERS TALKS TO DOCUMENTARY PHOTOGRAPHER MARK PINDER ABOUT HIS OBSERVATIONS OF NORTH EAST POLITICAL AND SOCIAL LIFE From having the industrial lifeblood and public services drained by the Tories, to investment and attempts at modernisation during the Blair years, not many regions have had as many dramatic changes put upon them in recent years as the North East has.

Documenting the many effects of these political decisions is Cumbrian photographer Mark Pinder, whose exhibition and book Macromancy retrospectively draws on over 35 years of his photographic archives, covering British social and political life since 1986, and telling the story of the overwhelming transformation in Britain since 1979 when Margaret Thatcher came to power.

Mark explains more about the inspiration behind this project: “The book and show is actually quite autobiographical in that whilst it is concerned with the external, it is also as much about what I choose to photograph and how I chose to interpret and sequence that work as a response to my understanding of what I’d witnessed.”

Macromancy was completed in collaboration with the Northern Gallery for Contemporary Art in Sunderland and German art publisher Kerber, an opportunity that arose after Mark shared his work online.

“I had spent many years afraid of examining or curating my archive in fear that I’d lost sight of what I originally set out to do.

Several years ago, I started going through that material and posting it on social media. Quite quickly, this work started to gain traction which boosted my confidence to seriously start curating the archive. In 2019 I received a message from Alistair Robinson who was the director at NGCA asking to meet, which

IT’S THE COGNITIVE DISSONANCES BETWEEN WHAT THE POLITICIANS TELL US, AND WHAT WE SEE WITH OUR OWN EYES THAT INFORMS MY PRACTICE AS A PHOTOGRAPHER

led to an offer of a show and a publication with Kerber. I jumped at the opportunity as the brief was left pretty much up to me and allowed me the opportunity to realise the project which became Macromancy.”

As someone whose career is based around noticing what’s going on, I ask Mark what changes he’s noticed in the region over the years. “The most obvious change has been the shift from a heavy industry-based mass employment economy to one based on service. The North East has become far more confident in asserting itself in many ways, but get outside the urban areas and very little has changed (or even gotten worse).”

With a new year in full swing, I asked for Mark’s predictions for where society is heading in the next 40 years, and, if you’re a ‘glass half full’ individual, then you might want to stop reading now.

“I think the polarisation of wealth and power will continue and accelerate globally as many industries are wiped out and the fourth Industrial Revolution, of AI and machine learning, gathers pace. British politicians will cling to the neo-liberal paradigm (despite all the evidence to its failure) and democracy will become even more managed as the Overton Window narrows and moves further to the right, and any notions to collectivity are eroded as the British state becomes more authoritarian and only really exists to collect taxes on behalf of the corporations who have exempted themselves from democratic oversight or control as the poor and disadvantaged (especially) are only seen as a problem to be managed rather than allowed agency as their economic choices become narrower. I obviously hope I’m wrong, but it’s the cognitive dissonances between what the politicians tell us, and what we see with our own eyes that informs my practice as a photographer.”

Mark Pinder is in conversation with Dr Alistair Robinson at The Lit & Phil, Newcastle on Thursday 22nd February. www.markpinder.net

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LISTINGS

THE BEST OF THE REST… EVEN MORE ALTERNATIVE MUSIC, THEATRE, COMEDY, ART AND FILM TAKING PLACE THROUGHOUT THE NORTH EAST THIS MONTH THURSDAY 1ST FEBRUARY AMY MATTHEWS

In I Feel Like I’m Made of Spiders, the comedian spins a sparkling web of comedy magic between the two states she finds herself caught between – stability and restlessness // The Stand, Newcastle

BROTHERTIGER

Brooklyn-based electronic artist // The Cluny 2, Newcastle

JUNIOR BROTHER

Idiosyncratic, challenging and richly lyrical singer-songwriter, supported by Ceitidh Mac // Bobiks, Newcastle

MOUSES

SATURDAY 3RD FEBRUARY FEATURED //

Bright Lights: Young Wildlife Photographer Exhibition A perfect partner event to the current Wildlife Photographer of the Year exhibition, see photographs of local wildlife taken by young people living across Wearside. Runs until Saturday 30th March // Sunderland Museum & Winter Gardens

HANNAH ROBINSON

Emotive dreamgaze artist, supported by Kites and Citrus // The Globe, Newcastle

The lo-fi punk duo headline a show which also features Maeve & The Trains and Irked // The Forum Music Centre, Darlington

HECTOR GANNET

SIMON TAYLOR

HILARITY BITES COMEDY CLUB

Latin, funk and rock-influenced songwriter // Alphabetti Theatre, Newcastle

FRIDAY 2ND FEBRUARY

Atmospheric storytelling folk // The Green Room, Stockton Featuring Rob Deering, Phil Pagett, Julies O’Brian and Danny Deegan // The Forum Music Centre, Darlington

PROVENANCE

Fuzzy guitars and thunderous bass with boy/girl vocals // Bobiks, Newcastle

Four-piece indie pop from Middlesbrough, with support from End Credits, Mascara’s Lies and Guilty Pleasure // The Georgian Theatre, Stockton

DUBINSKI

RUTH LYON

CONGRATULATIONS

Alt. indie band, supported by Uncanny Valley and Paloma Colombo // The Engine Room, North Shields

HAYLEY ELLIS

A comedy show full of silly stories, observations and audience interactions // Middlesbrough Town Hall

MARIA & JAMES

The acoustic duo celebrate the release of their new album, Chapters. Support from Alex Lyons // The Forum Music Centre, Darlington

Accomplished and emotive singersongwriter // Star & Shadow Cinema, Newcastle

SUNDAY 4TH FEBRUARY BROOK PRIDEMORE

Antifolk artist // The Waiting Room, Eaglescliffe

CHLOE PETTS

Indie rock artist // NX Newcastle

Fresh from a smash hit Edinburgh Fringe run, Chloe’s new stand-up show includes routines on Greta Thunberg, the footie and calling you all a bunch of virgins // The Stand, Newcastle

NOYOU

THE COMEDY STORE

MILES KANE

Popular Sunderland rockers, supported by Patrick Gosling // The Ship Isis, Sunderland

PETE WYLIE & THE MIGHTY WAH!

The best of Pete Wylie & The Mighty WAH!, encompassing the artist’s storied career // The Cluny, Newcastle

Expect a top line-up of hilarity // Gala Theatre, Durham

Alt. blue guitarist and songwriter // The Cluny 2, Newcastle

EXAMPLE Crossover dance music icon // NX Newcastle

FRIDAY 9TH FEBRUARY DANCE EDITS Enjoy new work presented by regional and national dance artists, including Lucía Piquero, Glitch Dance Theatre, Lila Naruse and Ashling McCann // Dance City, Newcastle

SATURDAY 10TH FEBRUARY ASHLEY CAMPBELL & THOR JENSEN A unique fusion of country, Americana, rock and gypsy jazz // The Cluny 2, Newcastle

BIG MOUTH COMEDY CLUB Featuring Paul Tonkinson, Brennan Reece and Khalid Winter // Middlesbrough Town Hall

COMEDY FEST Award winning sketch comedy troupes The Durham Revue, Cambridge Footlights and The Leeds Tealights perform together for one night only // Gala Theatre, Durham

DEAD WET THINGS Chaotic rock four-piece, supported by Seizure // Independent, Sunderland

FRANK CARTER & THE RATTLESNAKES Raucous punk rock band, supported by The Mysterines and HotWax // Northumbria University Students’ Union

MICKY CALLISTO Bedroom synth pop artist, supported by CHAT // Bobiks, Newcastle

ANTH YOUNG

Building towards their eagerly anticipated EP this year, ethereal shoegazers Palma Louca top a bill which includes alt. Bristol quintet Wakey Wakey Rise & Shine and Porcelain // Head of Steam, Newcastle

VIGGO VENN

CEILING DEMONS

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DAVE ACARI

FEATURED //

Post-punk indie rock band, supported by Red Remedy and Pretty Velvet // The Globe, Newcastle Expect hi-vis jackets, balloons and joyous idiocy from this BGT winner // Tyne Theatre & Opera House, Newcastle

Indie pop rock songwriter, supported by ivies and Sam Shields // The Globe, Newcastle

THURSDAY 8TH FEBRUARY Observational comedy storytelling as Anth discusses the aches and pains of getting older whilst still feeling child like, and more stories of parenthood and just how bad he is at it // The Forum Music Centre, Darlington

POLYVINYL

CORA MANCHESTER

Art rap spoken word, with support from Boom Boom Racoon // The Green Room, Stockton

Palma Louca

THE SEE NO EVILS Neo-psychedelic garage rock band // The Green Room, Stockton

LISTINGS SUNDAY 11TH FEBRUARY EMF

Electronic dance band // The Cluny, Newcastle

JABBERWOCKY

Terry Gilliam’s surreal dark comedy // Star & Shadow Cinema, Newcastle

TUESDAY 13TH FEBRUARY JAMES WALKER

Poetic and hard-hitting lyricist, support from Scottish-American singer-songwriter Daisy Chute // Alphabetti Theatre, Newcastle

JEFF INNOCENT

HOT POTATO COMEDY CLUB

The comedian brings his unique and hilarious cultural insights on tour // The Stand, Newcastle

Featuring some of the best up and coming

JUNODREAM Junodream play dream rock, writing about alienation in the 21st century // The Cluny 2, Newcastle

THURSDAY 15TH FEBRUARY FEATURED //

You know you want to

An artistic research and performancebased project by Rolina Blok, Alex Schady, Elizabeth Wright, in collaboration with students from Central Saint Martins, University of the Arts London. Runs until Saturday 17th // Vane Gallery, Gateshead

FRIDAY 16TH FEBRUARY HILARITY BITES COMEDY CLUB

Featuring Mick Neven, Fran Garrity, Kelly Edgar and Nicky Wilkinson // Bishop Auckland Town Hall

SHOE CAKE COMEDY CLUB

Featuring improvised hip-hop comedian MC Hammersmith // The Georgian Theatre, Stockton

SATURDAY 17TH FEBRUARY JEZ LOWE

Acoustic musician // The Witham, Barnard Castle

LONELY THE BRAVE

Alt. rock band // The Cluny, Newcastle

SUNDAY 18TH FEBRUARY ANIA MAGLIANO

The comedian’s hilarious new show is about the traumatising experience of the worst haircut of her life // The Stand, Newcastle

COURTING

Exciting indie rock band // The Cluny 2, Newcastle

SI BECKWITH

The Geordie comic’s Bricks show is funny, heartfelt, silly and packed with stories about family // The Stand, Newcastle

TUESDAY 20TH FEBRUARY DISCO PIGS

Enda Walsh’s award-winning play about two warped teenagers and their appetites for drunkenness, recklessness, adventure and destruction. Runs until Saturday 9th March // Alphabetti Theatre, Newcastle

Gilligan and more // Hartlepool Town Hall Theatre

FEATURED //

Raise Up Fest

WEDNESDAY 21ST FEBRUARY

A day of music and fundraising on

BEANS ON TOAST

behalf of the Goldenhar UK charity,

Captivating troubadour // The Cluny, Newcastle

featuring Snow Leopards, Specky Cult,

MARTIN STEPHENSON

Revered Newcastle-based songwriter // The Green Room, Stockton

comics including MC Hammersmith, Nina

THURSDAY 22ND FEBRUARY CONSTANT SMILES Indie folk collective, supported by Clementine Valentine // The Cluny 2, Newcastle

FROM THE GLASSHOUSE… FINN FORSTER Delivering anthemic melodies and rich vocals // The Glasshouse, Gateshead

MATT GREEN Satirical political comedian // The Stand, Newcastle

PROFESSOR BRIAN COX – HORIZONS: A 21ST CENTURY SPACE ODYSSEY Using state of the art screen technology, venues across the world from New Zealand to the Arctic Circle have been filled with images of far-away galaxies, alien worlds, supermassive black holes and the latest theories of the origin of the Universe // The Globe, Stockton

Dinky Bossetti, Jenny Lascelles, Fever Kings, The Gentleman Busker and more // The Globe, Newcastle

VANT Rock band // Bobiks, Newcastle

SUNDAY 25TH FEBRUARY CELYA AB Expect tales of romance, a hologram and a near-death experience in Thorpe Park // The Stand, Newcastle

MOTHER MOTHER Popular alt. pop band // O2 City Hall, Newcastle

SAVAGE MANSION Effervescent Glaswegian indie rock, with support from Martha Ffion // Bobiks,

SHOUT

Newcastle

A funny, moving play about anxiety, celebrating difference, and finding your voice. Runs until Saturday 24th February // The People’s Theatre, Newcastle

WEDNESDAY 28TH FEBRUARY

FRIDAY 23RD FEBRUARY CARL HUTCHINSON Popular North East comedian // The Witham, Barnard Castle

CATCH 22 COMEDY CLUB

AARON CATLOW & KIT HAWES Dynamic folk duo // Middlesbrough Town Hall

AYO AKINGBADE FILM SCREENING AND DISCUSSION

Featuring MC Hammersmith, Jake Baker, Nina Gilligan and more // ARC, Stockton

Artist Ayo Akingbade hosts a conversation

SHELF LIVES

film The Match Factory Girl // Baltic,

and screening of Aki Kauismaki’s influential

Dissonant guitar band // Bobiks, Newcastle

Gateshead

THE MONOCLE

KIERAN HODGSON

This highly virtuosic contemporary dance performance featuring the voluptuous jazz chanteuse Imogen Banks presents the untold story of Le Monocle, a secretly notorious lesbian cabaret in 1930s Paris // Northern Stage, Newcastle

Witty and wise comedian // Bishop Auckland Town Hall

THURSDAY 29TH FEBRUARY

SATURDAY 24TH FEBRUARY

STORIES WE TELL

FRISK

dealing with a legacy of secrets, lies and the

Leeds-based hardcore, support from Vole, Spit and Mother Nature // The Lubber Fiend, Newcastle

Sarah Polley’s singular portrait of a family elusive nature of truth itself // Arts Centre Washington

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REVIEWS

Rubber Oh by Victoria Wai

RUBBER OH, WORM SALIVA, SL WALKINSHAW @ ALPHABETTI THEATRE, NEWCASTLE (21.12.23) Words: Luke Waller Given Rubber Oh’s aim of translating the sensation of rubber into musical form, you mightn’t expect them to pull yet another unexpected twist from their collective sleeve. But being the brainchild of Pigsx7’s guitarist Sam Grant, I should really have been prepared for just that.

Since their critically acclaimed debut album, Strange Craft, the five-piece trims down to a synthesiser-oriented one-piece on the Alphabetti Theatre’s D’Addario Stage, delivering a performance focused on more of a sensory experience rather than any individual songs.

The first support, SL Walkinshaw, used tape loops to create a soundscape slowly evolving in and between natural and synthetic sounds. Aided by a lava lamp, Alphabetti’s cosy atmosphere, and whiskey-infused hot chocolate, Walkinshaw’s set developed into that of Worm Saliva, Me Lost Me’s alter ego. Flags threaded with copper wire created an experimental tactile instrument, which was overlaid upon an amalgam of loops, some from ‘The Tube’, a vocal contraption resembling the offspring of a microscope and a breathalyser.

Rubber Oh’s headline performance saw Grant remixing the sounds and spirits of the metal-infused psych pop project into a single piece, accompanied by a captivating projected visualisation, sending the audience tumbling through multicoloured clouds and entrancing them with a semi-amorphous blob. Whilst the lava lamp dominated the performance from its perhaps deliberate centre-stage placement, Rubber Oh are certainly to be looked out for when in search of something a touch off-piste.

MEMORIALS, DISTANT LISTENING, CRIMEWAVE @ THE CUMBERLAND ARMS, NEWCASTLE (17.12.23) Words: Ben Lowes-Smith Memorial’s sublime double album Music For Tramps and Women Against The Bomb was an unexpected highlight of the year for this writer, though given the pedigree of musicians who comprise the band – Verity Susman of Electrelane and Matt Simms from Wire/It Hugs Back

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– it’s hardly surprising.

Wandering Oak curate another beautiful, astute line-up which speaks to itself wonderfully: Crimewave’s multimedia, dread-inducing performance is mesmerising and compelling, with shards of beauty peppering the more industrial aspects of his work. Distant Listening is Warm Digits’ Andrew Hodgson, his frenetic, teutonic style of drumming should be familiar to those who know his work, but here it is married magnificently to analogue synth loops for a more complete, transporative experience. Memorials straddle a lot of styles on their records, the scale of which is visible this evening, with Susman and Simms swapping instruments and demonstrating their dexterity. Really though, tonight, it’s the more plaintive moments which cut through; Dark Green a particular emotional highlight. One would hope that the richness of Memorials’ seam would see them produce many joyful and erratic records for years to come.

RED RUM CLUB @ KU, STOCKTON (14.12.23) Words: Adelle Sutheran It would seem I am a bit late to the Red Rum Club party considering they’re four albums in – with their latest, Western Approaches, due out in late February. This was a packed and sweaty sold out show, with a buoyant, jubilant and lively atmosphere.

Red Rum Club’s concoction of indie music is replete with titillating trumpet splendour, and sounded utterly euphoric at times with a sprinkling of Latin flavours to their sound. Fran Doran’s vocals were clear and crisp, singing topically about relational observations in his lyrics. The band played a good selection from past records including Matador, Waiting On Your Call, Eleanor, Eighteen and the newer single releases Godless, Black Cat and Undertaker, which delighted the crowd who sang back word for word. It was an intimate venue where gig goers had maximum access to the band during the show, allowing for a responsive interaction between both the band and the crowd. The band wrapped up the show promising another visit to KU soon, and you can consider this reviewer a new fan who absolutely encourages anyone to go and see them live. HOO-Har!

LIVE

Lanterns On The Lake by Tracy Hyman

LANTERNS ON THE LAKE, ERNIE @ THE GLASSHOUSE, GATESHEAD (15.12.23) Words: Tracy Hyman Lanterns On The Lake haven’t played The Glasshouse since lockdown, when they played to an empty room as part of a livestreamed event.

Tonight, they finally play the large Hall One auditorium to an appreciative audience and with a suitably impressive backdrop. To mark the occasion they have not one but two drummers; Radiohead’s Philip Selway (who played on recent album Versions Of Us) joins Matt Hardy on the drums.

Support band Ernie are a three-piece from Newcastle, the project of Joe Ernest Allan consists of guitar, keyboard and a luscious warm cello sound. Upbeat, yet melancholy, their songs touch on the sadness and troubles of life. They are heartfelt and soothing, with an infectious rhythm coming to the fore in latest single Awfully Strange.

Lanterns On The Lake start with latest album opener The Likes Of Us. Hazel Wilde’s vocal is rich, sumptuous and full of other-worldly reverb.

Songs range from the upbeat Real Life to more ambient offerings like Rich Girls. The two drummers play on either side of Hazel as she stands centre-stage, hypnotic to watch. At times they are synchronous in rhythm, at others their beats rhythmically complement each other. Last Transmission builds with violin and guitar effects, creating an atmospheric wall of sound enveloping the ears. A sonically perfect night.

HOMEBOY SANDMAN, AMY TRUE, HOLLY FLO LIGHTLY @ THE CLUNY, NEWCASTLE (11.12.23) Words: Lee Fisher The Cluny’s move to becoming an absolute temple to hip-hop really paid off this year with some truly incredible names gracing the stage, none more so than Homeboy Sandman. But first we got local MC Holly Flo Lightly, who had a nice blend of sweetness and tuffness, and despite a few fluffed lines, had real flow when she got into it. Amy True was fierce, funny and political, a militant hip-hop lifer with rhymes and charisma, although her set was confusingly short. Props to Don Hoolio on the decks for both.

Homeboy Sandman was everything I’d hoped for and more. You couldn’t wish for a more avuncular MC, a sleepy, sensitive, gentle kinda guy who radiated good nature and thoughtfulness. That said, a lot of his tunes came much rougher than his albums and mixtapes would lead you to expect, with his soundboy Luke Warm providing some fierce beats and chest-pounding bass when necessary. Homeboy Sandman is the kind of MC who stops his own first tune to show off his new vegan Reeboks (cue a load of Geordie B-Boys rushing forward, grabbing their latest sneakers from their feet to wave at him, which might be my favourite thing to happen at a gig this year). Throughout, he was chatty and tangential and man, what flow. From wisdom to nonsense rhymes, digressions to pronouncements, it was like a rambling chat with a stoned mate, in the best way. We got bangers like Radiator, Then We Broke Up and Dirty Looks, tracks from his Aesop Rock collabs and the rest. This show was golden.

ECHO JULIET, LATE GIRL @ COBALT STUDIOS, NEWCASTLE (14.12.23) Words: Liv Aldridge The angular sound of experimental electronica is not necessarily suited to a seated meal-time gig. First on the line-up this ‘Fresh Thursday’ (Cobalt’s weekly dinner gigs) was Late Girl, a Newcastle-based visual artist and electronic musician. The set was immersive and entrancing at times, but the background visuals felt slightly pretentious and vaguely allegorical, and became a distraction to the experience of the sound. I would have preferred listening to Laura’s husky vocals and the incorporation of found sound without the projections on the wall. I also favoured the improvisational moments in the set over mechanical sound loops. The final track, featuring a deadpan repetition of the lyric “thank you, bye-bye”, felt more patronizing than punk.

While the Late Girl set was sombre, Echo Juliet (alias of Emily Jones) plummeted us into the agility of her upbeat xylophonic percussion.

Jones positions her sound in between the classical and electronic, a playful and physical energy that is a challenge to access when seated.

Despite the elements of the gig not quite coming together, the electronic experiments that these musicians are undertaking are interesting and worth following.

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LIVE

Skinny Lister by Tracy Hyman

THE FRONT BOTTOMS @ NEWCASTLE UNIVERSITY STUDENTS’ UNION (10.12.23) Words: Jason Jones Like many, I’ve grown old with The Front Bottoms. They were there when I left home almost a decade ago; they were there when I moved back to the North East a few years later, the skin sagging a little looser from my bones; and they are here tonight in Newcastle, themselves a touch greyer around the temples, but nonetheless utterly magnificent.

From the moment the New Jersey natives take to the stage, frontman Brian Sella – presumably the outcome of what might happen if Conor Oberst and Tom Delonge fell into that gene-splicing machine from The Fly – transmutes into the candid orchestrator of a polite riot. Between well-trodden darlings like West Virginia and The Beers and more pristine cuts like Punching Bag and leaf pile, it is a set that zips by in an ambrosial blur of inflatable boxing gloves and fancy dress Batman cowls. This is cosy bedlam, and there are still few bands who can deliver such articulate disquietude with such a canny knack for delirium-inducing, lung-shredding hooks.

At one point, Sella coyly observes that there are “a lot of smiles in here” this evening. To that end, he is absolutely correct. By the time the last chord of old faithful Twin Size Mattress rings out to curtail a vociferous encore, however, those same smirks have been usurped by grins of a thoroughly giddy and cartoonish hue. May The Front Bottoms, those angst-ridden wonders, endure indefinitely.

THE DARKNESS @ O2 CITY HALL, NEWCASTLE (07.12.23) Words: Ben Lowes-Smith Remarkably, its been 20 years since the release of The Darkness’ debut album Permission To Land, which has coincided with an upswing in popularity and goodwill towards the group largely, it could be assumed, by virtue of Justin Hawkins’ incredibly affable YouTube channel. Quite why this writer has taken comfort in this – a combination of heady nostalgia and a general feel-good vibe – isn’t so bizarre given wider societal circumstances, and it’s seemingly a sentiment shared by the relatively packed out O2 City Hall.

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Lest we forget, Permission To Land is chock full of tunes, half winking at the camera and half painfully sincere, and the opening triptych of Black Shuck, Get Your Hands Off My Woman and Growing On Me with headstands, pyrotechnics and all, get the serotonin flowing. Ultimately though, for the group to draw exclusively from 2003 proves a bit threadbare, with their cover of Street Spirit and a couple of thematically questionable B-sides in to pad things out, leaving for a very uneven feeling set. Ultimately, people are there for the hits and the Christmas single, which are greeted rapturously, but it is easy to be left with the niggling feeling that the best way to honour these songs and period of the band’s existence would be with a greater sense of brevity and of quality control. Still, when they hit the spot, grins are spread across the faces in the room, and in these trying times, that’s more than enough.

SKINNY LISTER, LIFE AQUATIC BAND @ KU, STOCKTON (02.12.23) Words: Robert Nichols What a superb Saturday night we had when Skinny Lister came to town. The surge of energy through KU as the band struck up their punky indie folk was absolutely infectious. Bouncing along on stage with accordion, guitars and rebel rousing vocals, Skinny Lister conducted the crowd in a punky party that raised the spirits and threatened to raise the roof.

Tour support were Sheffield five-piece Life Aquatic Band, who were not quite so overstated, but the way they switched across genres from indie, through funk to reggae makes them extremely watchable and danceable.

Life Aquatic Band would be back for a big rousing finale, alongside early opener Dan Donnelly, as the party moved up yet more gears and a jug of special stuff was passed around the audience. Skinny Lister’s livewire vocalist Lorna descended into the mosh pit after the jug, waltzing around with crowd members as community singing took hold to Geordie Lad. It was a two-way think though, as the band have built up a devoted fan base. Recent album Shanty Town has established Skinny Lister as a band at the top of their game. They will be back in Stockton again soon, they promised; and we will hold them to that.

LIVE

Cattle & Cane by Tracy Hyman

CATTLE & CANE, JODIE NICHOLSON @ THE GEORGIAN THEATRE, STOCKTON (09.12.23) Words: Robert Nichols Christmas came early to Stockton as Teesside favourites Cattle & Cane brought festive tidings of joy to the Georgian Theatre with three packed out nights. There was even festive comfort in the form of an all seated show at the start of the run, but for the Saturday finale everyone was up on their feet joining in the rousing choruses with real gusto.

It was a total contrast with the pin-drop silence accorded the supporting set from solo performer Jodie Nicholson. Switching seamlessly between keyboard, acoustic and for the first time, electric guitar, Jodie showcased wonderful new material as well as her very own crowd favourites. Moody, mellow, melodic, bewitching. What a talent.

The Hammill siblings were showcasing material from brand new album, Golden. The title track, gig opener Come My Way and big finish Dancing, already sound like future fan favourites. There were plenty of classic moments from the back catalogue too, the ever popular ode to the Cleveland Hills, anthemic Infant Hercules, and of course indie folk stormer Sold My Soul (their very first composition, Joe and Helen confided). Playing as a four-piece including guitars and keyboards but without drums helped this performance to have an intimate, unplugged feel and really contributed to making it a special occasion from the band that increasingly countrify their indie folk pop.

JAMES YORKSTON & NINA PERSSON, VIKING MOSES @ THE CUMBERLAND ARMS, NEWCASTLE (02.12.23) Words: Lee Fisher Sometimes you feel like you’re missing something: the artist clearly has something going for them but it’s not getting through. So it is with me and Viking Moses. I know his solid reputation, the crowd were lapping it up, but I wasn’t feeling it. It was intense – almost gruelling – right out of the gate, the songs fractured and oblique, the lyrics dark as fuck. It felt unremitting, without even some irony or wit to break up the gloom. He emitted a weary sigh in one of the songs and that summed up my reaction.

The unlikely combination of long-serving Scottish folk artist Yorkston

and Swedish indie pop star Persson was an unknown quantity (it’s rare to watch a gig with literally no idea what to expect) but an absolute delight. Performing without their Second Hand Orchestra, the duo had the crowd entranced for the entire set, and they had a brilliant, easy rapport – laughing through fuck ups, radiating camaraderie. There was a lightness and wistfulness that made me think of Tunng, and somehow like something from a musical, something Sondheim-esque. At times it felt like walking in on a couple of old friends gathered round a piano having fun (which I guess it was). There were songs about Christmas, another about Travelodge breakfasts, and there was the hugely powerful A Hollow Skeleton Lifts A Heavy Wing, which hasn’t left my stereo since. This was very special.

BILLY BRAGG @ THE GLASSHOUSE, GATESHEAD (01.12.23) Words: Lee Fisher I must have seen Bragg twenty times or more in the eighties and I was besotted with his love songs. But then he lost his way and I drifted off, and here I am decades later watching a sweet, career-spanning movie that served as a support for his fortieth anniversary victory lap. Despite a strong start there was something about the audience and the general air of congratulation that was getting to me. I felt I’d made a mistake coming. I was wrong, of course.

After an updated version of Sexuality and an impassioned, measured speech about supporting the trans community, and about male violence, he delivered a version of Levi Stubb’s Tears that fucking broke me, and that was it. The rest of the set was a powerful, moving combination of nostalgia and political inspiration that reminded why he was so important. There are so many beautiful, uplifting songs in Bragg’s back catalogue, he’s such a natural showman, and there’s no more heartbreaking song than Tank Park Salute. And, it’s worth noting, his voice is a richer, deeper instrument than ever before. Playing the whole of his Life’s A Riot debut as his encore meant we got A New England as a finale, and he included Kirsty’s verse so we thought about her and Shane MacGowan had just died so we thought about him and no, YOU’RE CRYING. Thanks, Billy, and sorry I doubted you.

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TRACKS

BEN HARWOOD FAULT LINES EP

REVIEWS OF SINGLES AND EPS BY NORTH EAST ARTISTS. WANT YOUR MUSIC FEATURED? EMAIL NARCMEDIA@GMAIL.COM (PLEASE TRY TO GET IN TOUCH 8-6 WEEKS AHEAD OF THE MONTH OF RELEASE)

WINGZ OF THE MONKEY THE ACCUSER

Words: Mera Royle A new release from a musician who artfully projects the feelings of being lost and navigating coming of age in our modern world. Head-rocking rhythms and a soft deepness are the pillars of the EP, woven together with Harwood’s mellow, Springsteen-esque vocals.

Fault Lines shines through as an emblem of change and being out of control, as Harwood sings “A seismic shift from what we’re used to knowing and a different land from the one we used to roam.” flowing through electrical crunch, gentle guitar strums and harmonies which mesh with heart-wrenching introspection. Harwood is a 17-year-old with astonishing maturity and command of his musical voice, who writes with a flair for articulating the tribulations of the world for generation Z. Released: 16.02.24 www.instagram.com/benharwood.musicne

Words: Matt Young Following on from their rather dubiously titled Ape Allegations debut EP of last year, the Teesside rockers return with more frank, uncompromising funk and psych rhythms on this raucous new song, The Accuser. Detailing the fallout of a breakup and all the drama involved as it plays out for all parties, it takes a suitably hard-riffing, gritty and dark-sounding dive into the abyss before coming up for air and looking around.

There’s an obvious howling centre to the heartache involved but thankfully the lyrics and pained vocals try to find a resolution rather than wallowing too much. The band will be hosting a single launch party on Friday 9th February at Stockton’s Green Room to support the release.

Released: 09.02.24 www.instagram.com/wingz_of_the_monkey

DECREPIT YOUTHS THIS IS WAR

PEONY MAN IL UOMO

Words: Michael O’Neill An almost Depeche Mode-esque synthesised riff is immediately washed away in a glorious wave of palm-muted noise in this scorching transmission from the refreshingly unique Newcastle-based alt. rock quintet Decrepit Youths.

Taking the anthemic glory of the finest pop-leaning alt. music they blend in elements of left-field electronic music with juddering synths and vocoded vocals sitting comfortably alongside washes of distorted guitar, pounding drums and full-throated, powerful vocals. The song grapples with the seemingly-endless conflict in a toxic relationship, using the imagery of the battleground to effectively convey the emotional turmoil within. It’s a well written and immaculately produced cut, tastefully tackling a sensitive issue with grace, and demanding endless replays with its hook-laden power.

Released: 02.02.24 www.linktr.ee/decrepityouths

Words: Tom Astley Peony’s new track Man Il Uomo is a two-headed monster that thrashes along with unabashed passion and energy. With galloping toms, and a hypnotically repetitious fragment of guitar underpinning the sung-thougha-megaphone vocals in the verse, the track has a reminiscence of Talking Heads’ repetitive angularity, albeit with a little more vitriol than David Byrne usually musters.

The B sections shrieks a sea change, with rippling fuzz guitar with a rainbow of overtones that are beautifully chaotic and half-time drums.

The track ratchets up the energy throughout, mostly through the stunning vocals, which disintegrate, with the rest of the track, towards the end into glorious abandon in howls that call to mind Frank Black at his most bellicose.

Released: 02.02.24 www.peonyduo.bandcamp.com

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BOSOLA TRUTH MAN

JAMIE DICKINSON CHRYSALIS EP

Words: Tom Astley Bosola are starting the new year with a new line-up, and a vibrant piece of summery jangly pop that is bound to brighten up even the dreariest day. Crisp, biting guitar supports thoughtful and intricate lyrics, the depth of which belie the breezy melody.

There’s a distinct lineage of British music running through Bosola’s new track like a stick of Brighton rock. There’s the melodic swagger of Stone Roses, a little of the lilting lines of The La’s, some of the slightly wonky pop of Teenage Fanclub. But there’s also a more staccato, angular middle section to this track, which sticks out in really interesting ways, making the return to the perfectly realised singalong chorus even sweeter.

Released: 02.02.24 www.bosola.bandcamp.com

Words: Claire Dupree Fresh from completing an undergrad degree at the prestigious US Berklee College of Music and an appearance on ITV’s Starstruck, Darlingtonbased singer-songwriter Jamie Dickinson presents his next body of self-recorded work in the form of an accomplished, well-paced new EP, Chrysalis.

Standout track Thief In The Night showcases Jamie’s EDM chops, complete with melodic pop hooks, a strong vocal and catchy refrains.

Elsewhere, he’s teamed up with vocalists and songwriters to add depth and drama, including fellow Berklee alumni and songwriter Annabel Gutherz and chill-hop artist FAWNA on the sensual Fallin’; vocalist Amy Mills contributes vocals to the slick sounding All Over Again; while Run Wild, co-written with American guitarist Mark Klein, offers a change of pace with reflective lyricism paired with sprightly keys.

Released: 23.02.24 www.officialjamiedickinson.com

CATH & PHIL TYLER I COME AND STAND AT EVERY DOOR

NICK GLADDISH SINKING SHIP

Words: Matt Young Stalwarts of the left-field folk scene, Cath & Phil Tyler have recorded a version of the folk classic I Come And Stand At Every Door for release as a Bandcamp download with proceeds going to the charity War Child. This anti-war poem by Turkish writer Nâzım Hikmet, translated into English in the late ‘50s by Jeanette Turner, has been recorded many times in the decades since by diverse acts such as Pete Seeger, the Byrds, This Mortal Coil and even the Fall.

Here the duo’s fragile, compelling harmonies are paired with a fresh tune taken from a melody by American composer Neely Bruce. Prominent conflicts in Europe, Africa and the Middle East sadly ensure the relevance of the song’s lyrics calling for peace remain as essential as ever.

Released: 02.02.24 www.cathandphiltyler.bandcamp.com

Words: Maria Winter Nick Gladdish’s electrifying new single is a tidal wave of rock-infused passion that beckons listeners into a mesmerising musical journey.

With raw vocals that soar above a pulsating rhythm, the Newcastle-based artist navigates tumultuous seas of emotion by drawing inspiration from the struggles faced during lockdown. Painting a vivid sonic landscape, listeners can expect a seamless blend of rock and pop from his talented backing band.

This track from his promises an adrenalin-fuelled ride, and Gladdish’s prowess as a singer-songwriter shines, captivating audiences with his poignant storytelling and dynamic musicality.

Sinking Ship serves as an enticing harbinger of what’s to come, as the artist prepares to release his new album, Tea & Sympathy, in late Spring.

Released: 10.02.24 www.nickgladdish.bandcamp.com

CHRISTOPHER MARDULA MAYBE

JENNA LOUISE YOU’RE STILL THE ONE

Words: Niamh Poppleton Following a prolific string of singles in 2023, Chris Mardula returns enthusiastically with new track Maybe, a song with distinctly 90s vibes, filled with powerful, sincere messages of unruly determination and perseverance in overcoming hardship. The rhythm is bold – a proclamation in itself that society must become more tenacious. Heavy drums and a strong rock guitar work in combination from the first beats of the track. Quasi-psychedelic keyboard beats, reminiscent of Elastica, intersperse the song.

Perhaps the most interesting thing is how much this differs from other tracks in Mardula’s catalogue. Although the adventurous nature of musicians in general is prevalent throughout, the single showcases how independent artists must be resilient and capable of diversification to keep listeners engaged.

Released: 02.02.24 www.facebook.com/cmardula

Words: Amelia Thorpe Jenna Louise teases her upcoming summer EP with vibrant new single, You’re Still The One. The release sees the singer-songwriter’s fun, pop-like vocals and spritely instrumentals flirt with themes of yearning, heartache and true love.

Written by Jenna Louise and produced by Carl Pemberton, the heartfelt track encapsulates that all too familiar inability to let go and a sense of learned codependency. It is a shout into the void, a desperate ‘I love you, we belong together!’ A feeling I’m sure many listeners could relate to.

Being no stranger to the local music scene, the Darlington native has been honing her craft for over five years and currently has many exciting projects in the pipeline for the year to come.

Released: 02.02.24 www.facebook.com/jennalouisemusic

CREATURES AT PLAY BRILLIANCE

BRASS MONKEY SANDY

Words: Niamh Poppleton Witnessing somebody you care about deny how wonderful they are can be completely disheartening. Nevertheless, we ourselves often fall into spiderwebs of self-consciousness with little reasoning behind it. The latest track from Alex Adamson and Mike Walker counters the societal idea that bathing in insecurity is how to deal with it.

Though most songs with motivational messages are upbeat pop/dance anthems, Creatures At Play have created a beautiful mix of soul, R&B and electronica. The slow-paced drumbeat, alongside Adam’s deep, soulful vocals is equally cathartic and gripping, allowing the underlying message to seep into your mind. A distinctive track showcasing the incomparable nature of Creatures At Play, Brilliance implores listeners to see their greatness in times of despair and self-doubt.

Released: 01.02.24 www.creaturesatplay.co.uk

Words: Michael O’Neill A gloriously authentic slice of dusty, bluesy Americana, Sandy is a funky and catchy cut that finds a heartbroken protagonist reflecting on lost love, bottling up his grief over what could’ve been. The lyrics (delivered in a phenomenal vocal performance) brilliantly conjure up vivid emotions without being heavy-handed or overwrought, constructing an interesting spin on a classic songwriting topic over a solid bed of bluesy guitars and a solid backbeat which recall the sun-soaked desert blues of yesteryear without being too beholden to pastiche.

This is a glimpse into an upcoming album from the soloist, and it makes for a cracking and tantalising look at what’s to come from a clearly talented bluesman.

Released: 02.02.24 www.facebook.com/funkmonkeymetal

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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: STEVE SPITHRAY

DEMO OF THE MONTH

Image by Will Binks

Beloved Alice – Winter’s Tale

When Beloved Alice’s Winter’s Tale opens with a Pale Fountains jangle and funky driving bass, a punky Stevie Nicks vocal is the last thing you would imagine working. Not perfect by any means, but as much promise as you would expect from something of a supergroup of North East music veterans. Even throwing everything at the chorus – think a layer cake of heavy paisley underground harmonies and soulful vocals – still manages to leave room for some more country-ish guitars buried deep in the musical melee. Indeed, their live set includes covers of The Bangles, Siouxsie Sioux and Alice Cooper. If this all sounds really busy, it is, but Beloved Alice manage to trim enough away in Alex Blamire’s (Polestar) production to make it all work and come out of the other side smelling of Demo of the Month. www.belovedalice.bandcamp.com

Vennels – Cocaine Queen When I first saw Cocaine Queen by Vennels on the list I must admit I pencilled them in as Demo of the Month. My bad. Initially sounding like middling trad-rock for Sunday nights in your local, the dual vocals are disappointingly unoriginal but as the track starts to unravel you can imagine Pearl Jam if they had a bit more of Blind Melon’s bluesy psychedelic rootsy meanderings; heavy on guitar, seemingly loose on structure, but with a wilful abandon and practised way around the minor pentatonic scale that ultimately makes Cocaine Queen a thoroughly enjoyable rock romp about God’s own pick-me-up. Just not quite as good as Beloved Alice. Soz lads. www.facebook.com/vennels.band

Bronam – I.J.W.B.W.Y.F.T.R.O.M.L On Bronam’s track we’re in America in the early nineties, where middle-class white dudes rue their lot in life with an ode to lusty summers wasted dwelling on lost love and hangover days; jocks dress as rappers while

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daddy threatens them with military school, but they just get stoned lying on the roofs of their strangely expensive culturally suburban houses and, instead of doing something useful with the rest of their lives, daddy really does send them to military school. Totally bogus dude. For what it’s worth, the title stands for I Just Want To Be With You For The Rest Of My Life. www.instagram.com/gilli.bronam

Frazer Lambert – Renaissance

If well-travelled musical troubadour and Infant Hercules choir alumni Frazer Lambert could be bothered he would surely be getting some very kind words written in the Tracks pages of this glorious production rather than here. Not that it really matters I suppose. Renaissance is some highbrow wholesome folk shit for fans of half-finished subtly escapist songlets these folky types tend to tease us with. In all seriousness though, as the track builds gently into a lilting paean to being reborn after the end of a relationship, it’s a doozy of modern folk loveliness. While the chain analogy in

Renaissance may be a well-trodden metaphorical path, the gently sympathetic working of Frazer’s track is full of genuine musical warmth. www.frazerlambertmusic.bandcamp.com

Speed Freaks – Lady Lady Like Lookalike An honorary award to Speed Freaks for being the only entry this month at least trying to be original. One part Revolting Cocks, one part Parquet Courts and one part daft Mackems Roxy Girls (lol, Speed Freaks is actually the side project of Roxy Girls’ Isaac Hirshfield) Lady Lady Like Lookalike promises to be the first instalment of a multi-media project, but for now it should be enough to know that it is two-and-half-minutes of nonsensical grot rock and sub-industrial shredding that heads straight for the lo-fi feels before leaving you coming down in a gutter but rampant for more. www.speedfreakzzz.bandcamp.com

ALBUMS 5/5 IDKHOW GLOOM DIVISION (CONCORD RECORDS)

4/5 Image by Bella Peterson

LAURA JANE GRACE HOLE IN MY HEAD (BIG SCARY MONSTERS) Words: Ali Welford For a record whose tone is predominantly optimistic, Laura Jane Grace’s second solo outing signs off on a curiously sombre note. “I think it’s time that I give up the ghost,” she muses. “With the spirit gone, I’ll be what I fear the most / An empty vessel, machine at the most.” Emphatic in their brevity and apparent candour, these frets appear neither founded nor portents of a self-fulfilling prophecy. Instead, Give Up The Ghost adds a striking coda to what’s comfortably Grace’s most compelling collection since Against Me! classic Transgender Dysphoria Blues landed a whole decade back – and while the threads connecting them aren’t quite so pronounced, the feeling and conviction underpinning its 11 cuts show no sign of dimming.

This alone represents some feat for a songwriter who – as alluded to on Punk Rock In Basements – has been plying her trade for the better part of three decades, yet it’s that lived experience above all else which bears fruit across Hole In My Head’s characteristically brisk 25 minutes. An audio scrapbook of fiery anthems, anecdotal reminisces and moving reflections, it’s a record whose tales span from adolescence through to present day, shared at a moment when she’s scarcely sounded at such ease – with her craft, and in her own skin to boot.

Live regulars may already recognise Dysphoria Hoodie’s hunt for a shield amidst perennial conflicts between sex, religion and body image, yet future staple I’m Not A Cop also feels fondly familiar with its furious roar and distorted folk punk impulse. More salient still, Tacos And Toast is a lower key yet equally powerful standout which documents contentment in her new part-time home of St. Louis, Missouri.

Harvesting beauty and warmth from the seemingly mundane, it’s a showcase of Grace’s writing at its most poignant, epitomising the matured perspective and deft human touch Hole In My Head’s stripped-back vignettes so expertly project. Sure, there’s little prospect of it proving the most revolutionary or influential record in her canon, but “spiritless,” “empty” and “machine-like?” On the contrary, Laura Jane Grace has rarely sounded so far from scraping such depths.

Released: 16.02.24 www.linktr.ee/laurajanegrace

ALSO OUT THIS MONTH Lime Garden - One More Thing (So Young Records, 16.02) // The Telescopes - Growing Eyes Becoming String (Fuzz Club Records, 09.02) //Ducks Ltd. - Harm’s Way (Carpark Records, 09.02) // Nadine Shah Filthy Underneath (EMI North, 23.02) // Karen Vogt - Waterlog (Nite Hive, 16.02) // Shambolics - Dreams, Schemes & Young Teams (Scruff of the Neck Records, 16.02) // Friko - Where we’ve been, Where we go from here (ATO Records, 16.02) // Levitation Room - Strange Weather (ONErpm, 16.02) // Frontier Ruckus - On the Northline (Loose Music, 16.02) // Imperial Wax - Tranquilliser (Guesswork Records, 16.02) // Morgan Harper-Jones - Up To The Glass (Play It Again Sam, 23.02) // Helado Negro - PHASOR (4AD, 09.02) // Vera Solo - Peacemaker (City Slang, 02.02) // Middle Kids - Faith Crisis Pt 1 (Lucky Number, 16.02) //Chelsea Wolfe - She Reaches Out To She Reaches Out To She (Loma Vista, 09.02) // Zara Larsson - Venus (Sommer House/Black Butter Records, 09.02) // Katherine Priddy - The Pendulum Swing (Cooking Vinyl, 16.02)

Words: Laura Doyle iDKHOW’s debut Razzmatazz felt like the start of something unstoppable… And it was, for half of the then-duo. Gloom Division is the first release not to feature ex-drummer and literal beating heart of the band Ryan Seaman. But iDKHOW still has its brains, and now Dallon Weekes has the space to get more personal than ever before.

Inspired explicitly by lived experience and never shying away from the darker aspects of love and life – from the pessimistic digs at privilege and pop culture in sardonic pop track Gloomtown Brats to the reflections on growing up LDS in the ‘80s via the jazzy, rockier beats of Satanic Panic – Gloom Division spans history, memory and genre to create an audiary deep-dive into the mind of Dallon Weekes.

Released: 23.02.24 www.idknow.com

4/5 THE LAST DINNER PARTY PRELUDE TO ECSTASY (ISLAND RECORDS) Words: Matt Young The Last Dinner Party’s debut album has been a long time coming, since meeting in 2020 writing and recording together, due to the pandemic, has proved tricky. However, the nuggets of baroque pop they dropped steadily during 2023 have definitely whetted the appetite.

Now, as recent winners of BBC’s Sound of 2024, the release of Prelude To Ecstasy is poised to propel the group’s Cottagecore aesthetic via Jayne Eyre gothic melodrama to even greater heights.

Live favourites like Nothing Matters, Sinner and Feminine Urge sit alongside more reflective songs like Portrait and On Your Side. They exude effortless charisma, and while rightly drawing some musical comparisons to Warpaint, Siouxsie Sioux, Sparks or Kate Bush they have a very singular sound with an epic, ambitious theatrical scope all of their own.

Released: 02.02.24 www.thelastdinnerparty.co.uk

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ALBUMS

3.5 / 5

3.5 / 5

3.5 / 5

GRANDADDY BLU WAV (DANGERBIRD RECORDS)

LAETITIA SADIER ROOTING FOR LOVE (DUOPHONIC SUPER 45S)

SHOOTING DAGGERS LOVE AND RAGE (NEW HEAVY SOUNDS)

Words: Ben Lowes-Smith Grandaddy return with their first new album since 2017’s The Last Place, and since the untimely passing of bass player Kevin Garcia. The work carries the weight of this sadness, it’s a low-key and melancholy affair which takes the vocabulary of heartbroken bluegrass music and applies Grandaddy’s penchant for modernity in babbling, strident synthesisers.

Blu Wav is an amalgamation of ‘bluegrass’ and ‘new wave’, first single Watercooler is a perfect example of this amalgamation. Lyttle is juxtaposing some of the group’s most obtuse music to his most plain-speaking lyrics; You’re Going To Be Fine And I’m Going To Hell is one of his most direct songs. A slightly odd addition to a fairly flawless catalogue, but a valuable one, if a little tempered with tragedy.

Released: 16.02.24 www.grandaddymusic.com

Words: Matt Young Stereolab singer and co-founder Laetitia Sadier returns with her first full-length solo album since 2016’s Find Me Finding You. This time there’s a message of unity, earthbound resonance, body and spirit in harmony. Release your ego. The album itself employs novel cut-up lyrical and musical techniques, allowing Sadier’s ego freedom to explore surprising places.

Lead single Un Autre Attente is a fine example of maintaining an implacable presence while conducting from the inside. The calm within the storm, although of course there’s rarely so much as a raised voice in the typically laid-back vocal delivery and bouncy rhythms. Don’t Forget You’re Mine and The Inner Smile most explicitly express a desire for alignment with nature and ourselves so we’re equipped for whatever future uncertainty might bring.

Released: 23.02.24 www.laetitiasadier.net

Words: Robin Webb London-based Queercore feminist punks Shooting Daggers release some fiery rage-along ditties in a debut long-form outing which follows on from kick ass singles that have garnered much respect and support slots to the likes of Amyl & The Sniffers.

Whilst I wouldn’t say it’s an out and out hardcore noise event it has some rollicking moments indeed, Wipeout undeniably wipes you out with some solid fury starkly contrasted by the delicately disturbing A Guilty Conscience Needs An Accuser.

The album has a distinctly conscious punk soul to it, as the band states it’s about “unity, sorority, self-love, taking back power, queer love and skateboarding”. Butts are gonna be kicked, give it some heft with this worthy soundtrack.

Released: 16.02.24 www.shootingdaggers.bandcamp.com

3.5 / 5

4/5

5/5

BIPOLAR ARCHITECTURE METAPHYSICIZE (PELAGIC RECORDS)

PLANTOID TERRAPATH (BELLA UNION)

Words: Matt Young The slow post-rock build-up of the opening title track is no indication of the ferocity about to unleash as this nihilistic four-piece embarks on the punishing frenzy that is their sophomore album. Distilled over two years since their debut, Depressionland, the quartet has further unified their sonic style. Death of The Architect is an unrelenting epic wall of riffs and blast beats with the howl of principal songwriter and singer Sarp Keski ever-present. Kaygi and Alienated follow with an icily detached yet intense sound that uses the existentialist, introspective themes of Depressionland as fuel for a deeper, more haunting exploration of the human condition.

There’s an ambition and scale here, between the abrasive musical extremes, that gives their songs depth and heft on which to savour.

Released: 02.02.24 www.bipolararchitecture.bandcamp.com

Words: Robin Webb Plantoid’s debut album is an assured hybrid of prog, jazz and math rock; imagine an edgier, slightly heavier Steely Dan if you like, these guys sound like the real deal – smart, tender, raw and rough, even dissonant on occasion, and as the band say they sound exactly like this live, it being largely recorded in live sessions.

I found myself exquisitely lost after only a few tracks in the rambling intricacies weaved by these weird green puzzle makers in some future verdant world where the Plantoids rule as our overlords.

The album also has a suitably cool surreal sci-fi cover to remind us if we get out of line they are unnervingly watching us groove on.

Released: 02.02.24 www.plantoidworld.bandcamp.com

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CRAWLERS THE MESS WE SEEM TO MAKE (POLYDOR) Words: Stephen Oliver Liverpool-based Crawlers have created a significant debut, and it’s expected that they’ll make well-deserved inroads into a maledominated indie guitar market with this release.

With thoughtful lyrics about relationships they set a tone that will appeal to many. Though they can get explicit, there is a straightforwardness about the message in each song.

What makes this such an interesting listen is the variety of the music. Some songs blast along with rage and passion, others are quieter and more circumspect. Having this dynamic range, coupled with powerful statements that anyone can relate to, helps keep the listener interested. Crawlers could be destined for a wider appeal thanks to both the performance and quality of their songwriting.

Released: 16.02.24 www.crawlersband.com

ALBUMS

5/5

5/5

3/5

GEN & THE DEGENERATES ANTI-FUN PROPAGANDA (MARSHALL RECORDS)

IDLES TANGK (PARTISAN RECORDS)

MARY TIMONY UNTAME THE TIGER (MERGE)

Words: Jade Mia Broadhead The debut album from these UK punks is full of fresh vitality; a high-octane blast of big riffs and disco beats, right from the frenetic but melodious opener Kids Wanna Dance through to the epic finale Jude’s Song.

Lyrically it’s full of observations on the absurdity of life, frontperson Genevieve forever holding their tongue in cheek on tracks like All Figured Out and the post-punk That’s Enough Internet For Today.

Girls is an ode to, well, girls, whilst Big Hit Single is the snotty little sister of Art Brut’s Formed A Band.

The band take a rare breather on Plan B, a nod to taking mental health breaks, but otherwise this record will have them on the dancefloors all year.

Released: 23.02.24 www.genandthedegenerates.com

Words: James Hattersley Hey, this ain’t your daddy’s Idles. Releasing their fifth album TANGK (pronounced TANK with a hint of a G), the band find themselves at their most ambitious and emotionally focused.

Dancing cheek to cheek, an excellent blend of familiar hardcore post-punk and heartfelt atmospheric pop ballads hooks the listener as much as it guides you gently downstream. What shines through is the amount of love the band has for themselves and their fans – the earnestness in the performances enriches the softer songs; imagine being serenaded on Valentine’s Day but with no schmaltzy shit – just truths and honesty.

As razor sharp as ever but with a gooey caramel centre, TANGK continues the stellar run Idles have cultivated and pushes them forward.

Released: 16.02.24 www.idlesband.com

Words: Elodie A. Roy Untame The Tiger is Mary Timony’s first solo album since 2015. Her voice has become deeper, more melancholy with years. It is direct, minimal indie rock – only in slow motion, slightly diluted – a reflection seen in a mirror. Timony is trying out a new rhythm.

The tone of the album oscillates between sadness and timid joy. I’m not sure whether these nine new songs – most of which are love songs – mark a return or a farewell. The whole mood reminds me of Lou Barlow’s recent Reason To Live, or Stephen Malkmus’ solo recordings. It is a pleasing album yet part of me had wished for something more – something less transparently familiar, wilder.

Perhaps I had hoped to see the tiger itself, untamed.

Released: 26.02.24 www.marytimonymusic.com

4/5

4/5

3/5

J MASCIS WHAT DO WE DO NOW (SUB POP)

MY LIFE STORY LOVING YOU IS KILLING ME (EXILOPHONE RECORDS/REPUBLIC OF MUSIC)

BENJAMIN FRANCIS LEFTWICH SOME THINGS BREAK (DIRTY HIT)

Words: Lee Hammond J Mascis’ fifth album is his first to embrace a fuller sound, this time with added drums and electric lead, whilst the majority of guitar parts are still played on an acoustic guitar. This all creates a different feel from the usual, opening in a bright and upbeat manner with Can’t Believe We’re Here and the title track, What Do We Do Now. The record settles into something of a dourer state with the likes of I Can’t Find You and It’s True, though the hefty guitar solos punctuating these tracks are an ever-present element. A very different record from Mascis, but a welcome change up, particularly with the addition of the band, who really bring these songs to life.

Released: 02.02.24 www.jmascis.com

Words: Dawn Storey Since their Britpop, orchestra-heavy heyday, My Life Story’s Jake Shillingford has always been a terrific and unique songwriter. While his chamber pop tunes Strumpet and King of Kissingdom still linger in the mind 20+ years later, these days it’s a stripped-back, guitar-led band delivering the goods, and their fifth studio album is a cracker with choruses which stealthily lodge themselves in your brain (Tits And Attitude; Urban Mountaineer).

The “and-and-and”s on Running Out of Heartbeats, which demonstrate Shillingford stumbling over his words, make for a wonderfully catchy hook, and the dancier Bubblewrap’s sparkly instrumentation has echoes of previous LP World Citizen. Last seen up this way in Yarm in 2020, here’s hoping they play another North East show soon.

Released: 09.02.24 www.mylifestory.band

Words: Damian Robinson Though not Stock/Aitken/Waterman levels of uniformity, there’s a definite consistency with sound and production in the Dirty Hit gang. Landing in the space occupied by the more wistful 1975 or Pale Waves moments, the new one from BFL is, accordingly, not as original as previous outings, but still offers much of the pop-laden hooks and quality control expected from the label’s output.

Centred around piano-based pop (weirdly recalling Gary Barlow compositions from ‘95-‘98) Some Things Break sparkles when kept minimal, as on the title track, God’s Best and Moon Landing Hoax, or the Damien Rice influenced-folk pop of New York and Spokane, Washington. An album offering lovely, mature compositions from an artist intent on speaking their truth. Dirty Hit keep on trucking.

Released: 09.02.24 www.benjaminfrancisleftwich.com

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MIXTAPE WORDS: PAULA CLARK, BOLSHEE CIC

At Bolshee CIC we want to make sure that everyone has autonomy and everyone has a voice, and this is what Arctic Piranha – a learning disabled-led club night focussed on accessible club nights for all – is all about. Working with the team to deliver their vision for their night was so much fun and our first Arctic Piranha/Bolshee collab was really special. Since then we’ve put on countless nights, and we hope to keep things going right through 2024 and beyond. Our next event is at ARC in Stockton on Saturday 10th February. Here are a few tracks that our Arctic Piranha team love to hear. www.bolshee.com

DEEE-LITE GROOVE IS IN THE HEART This tune has always been a bit of a Bolshee anthem. The audience for the event is learning disabled party people; there are people with different neuro diversities, complex needs and different communication styles. The bar is open, and everyone gets to groove.

THE CRAMPS GOO GOO MUCK One of the coolest things about Arctic Piranha club nights is not only is it a safe space for learning disabled adults in terms of accessibility, but it is also a safe place to express yourself and explore your identity. One of the organisers, Chris, creates a bespoke performance for us at every event. This was the most memorable to date, with full Wednesday Adams costume, heels and dance routine!

KYLIE PADAM PADAM Arctic Piranha nights are full of LGBTQI+ vibes, Pride and love.

THE PRODIGY BREATHE Everyone who comes to AP is invited to have a short DJ slot so you never know what you are going to get. When DJ Deano dropped Breathe the entire room went raving. Unforgettable.

NAKATOMI CHILDREN OF THE NIGHT

Here are a few favourites from the Arctic Piranha planning group team:

Arctic Piranha nights are for anyone over 18s. However, there is definitely a huge cohort who were teenagers partying in the 90s. This is one of our most requested tracks. Serving sticky floors and pints of diesel!

Because my mum listens to it and you hear it for a few minutes at the beginning of St Elmo’s Fire in a bar scene. (Chris)

WHAM! LAST CHRISTMAS

It’s upbeat and it cheers everyone up when they’re feeling down. (Paul)

It was a pretty special moment this Christmas when DJ Demi signed the entire track and had the whole room joining in with the chorus. Mind blowingly beautiful and emotional.

GUNS N’ ROSES PARADISE CITY

VENGABOYS WE LIKE TO PARTY! Arctic Piranha punters like to party! End of.

ROY ORBISON PENNY ARCADE At the end of every night as all the party people gather their coats and the bright coloured lights cascade, Paul, a member of the organising team, serenades us home safely with Penny Arcade.

JOHN PARR ST. ELMO’S FIRE (MAN IN MOTION)

DAVID GUETTA AND BEBE REXHA I’M GOOD

The drum beats and the way they sing just catches me! (Marc)

SHANIA TWAIN UP There’s no reason, she’s just Shania Twain! (Sophie)

ENRIQUE IGLESIAS HERO It’s a loving song. (Rachel)

QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE NO ONE KNOWS I like playing this song loudly in my car.

(Emma)

WANT MORE? VISIT OUR WEBSITE FOR DAILY UPDATES, FEATURES, INTERVIEWS, VIDEOS AND MUCH MORE

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Thursday 22 February 2024 / Sage One

Alison Goldfrapp 48