Fortnightly Music Reviews from the streets of Teesside and beyond
playing a series of songs that have been his first song over the years. From tricky tales of a cat's life to the wonderful Not One Bit Ashamed. Not Good Enough he sings, but he most certainly is.
Kenny tells us he will split the running order between playing one big song, with all Des Lawson full guns blazing electronica and then one little, more intimate folky number. That way if we hate one of the format's we just have to hang fire for one song. The variation only adds to the enjoyment. There are sampled bagpipes from Des as Kenny follows a lovely intro tale about the hunt for a lost Welsh windmill by conjuring up an image of a regiment of turbines marching off The Wirral to assail his eyes.
grow and grow into the multi talented Fence Collective of Fife. Over two decades has lapsed since King aka Kenny first tread the boards at Georgian Theatre and there are many more bodies on seats than then, indeed it is standing room only for this much anticipated return.
First up, someone from closer to home. JP Riggall has left the Weathership for one night only but it is as always stormy waters he transports us through. Mystical stories, communicated through lullabying vocals played out to spiralling guitar. The near nursery rhyme rises to a plaintiff cry as the Swimmer struggles to keep afloat. Jim keeps his head above water and sticks to his course, leaving a vivid aftershock of whirling melodies for the audience to grapple with.
King Creosote is joined on stage by keyboardist Des Lawson which is just as well because in addition to being a one man orchestra he will need to guide the singer songwriter through his set list because the King is without his glasses. He sets off on a firm footing by
The patter between songs is as charmingly rambling as the poetic, picture painting lyrics. The talk is often hilarious as well. The King is constantly battling with flip topped water bottles or tilting a defiant fist towards the tyranny of British Summer Time. But no he doesn't know fellow Fifer, crime writer Val McDermid. You get the impression he gets asked a lot. But he does have a book recommendation from son of Fife, Christopher Rush and Will, the will of William Shakespeare. And Shakespeare called April the marble month we are told, and we are regaled with Blue Marbled Elm Trees, King Creosote's funeral song by choice. “I had the best of times..”
“Put 21st April in your diaries but leave the year out for now,” we are instructed.
Between the hilarious tales we are allowed a glimpse of someone clearly deeply troubled by Covid and lockdown. He is playing to keep himself on an even keel he tells us with his friends and family on stage and at the merch stand. She is starting to unravel with Bats in the Attic but bouncing back with a banger encore Susie Mullin.
A wonderful evening then, when we were in parts charmed, touched or left in stitches by this genial genius. Long live the King Creosote and all that sail with him.
Words: Robert Nichols Pictures: Zac Johnstone
Rhoda Dakar
Reflex Records, Newcastle, 13 August 2025
For the uninitiated, Rhoda Dakar is undoubtedly one of the bona fide, legendary 2 tone artists. Although her first band The Bodysnatchers only released two singles on the ground breaking ska label, she sang on the Specials 2nd album ‘More Specials’ on the classic ‘Pearl’s Café’, she released the powerful, harrowing single about rape ‘The Boiler’ and then joined Jerry Dammers final incarnation of the Specials, The Specials AKA for their final underrated album ‘In The Studio’. Her vocals grace many of the album’s standout tracks ‘Racist Friend’ and the glorious ‘Free Nelson Mandela’. In the north east, we were very lucky to have the chance to see her in the lovely surrounds of Newcastle’s Reflex Records in one of only a handful of dates to promote her latest ‘Version Girl in Dub’ album.
On the hottest day of the year so far with electric fans and mineral water the essential gig requirements Rhoda didn’t disappoint with a set featuring many of the songs from the original 2023 ‘Version Girl’ album and the current ‘Version Girl in Dub’. The ‘Version Girl’ project began in lockdown with a brilliant reggae reworking of Morrissey’s ‘Everyday Is Like Sunday’ (which is quite ironic giving Morrissey’s self-professed loathing of reggae). She also was hugely engaging between songs
Elaine Palmer will be premiering her forthcoming single The Losing Hand during her gigs next month. In fact you might even end up in her next video.
The singer songwriter from Danby, North Yorkshire, has shifted her axis from folk to country and between countries, Britain and Arizona, USA. The prolific artist is on a real roll these days, her Half Moon Rising album released last year quite rightly received rapturous reviews. For The Losing Hand Elaine Palmer has returned once again to Half Moon Studios high in the San Diego hills to work with producer and musician Mike Butler. The results are amazing. Kickass country that will blow you away.
Whilst we wait for the physical release I thought I would keep the pot boiling by asking Elaine a few questions about her next release.
Off The Beat: Could you explain the process between recording in 2 countries for The Losing Hand?
Elaine Palmer: 'The Losing Hand’ actually started life in Northern Ireland at the isolated recording studio Amberville once built for Van Morrison to record. I had played a few shows with a Northern Irish
talking about her teenage obsession with David Bowie. How she used to wait outside his house hoping for a glimpse of her musical hero (and this prompted a sublime rendition of his seminal ‘Man Who Sold The World) and her memories of seeing Marrianne Faithfull perform live on a TV show dressed as a nun! (and we were blessed to hear her glorious reworking of the Jagger/Richards classic ‘As Tears Go By’).
She also explained how she doubted the veracity of her Dad’s friendship with Louis Armstrong when he lived in Paris until Louis was introduced to her Mam years later in London. Her ‘What A Wonderful World’ was a heart-warming lovers rock tribute to both her Dad and Louis and in any just world a top 10 hit in at least 40 countries. She finished her set with the Bodysnatchers hit ‘Do Rock Steady’ complete with backing vocals from the Reflex Records Blessed Choir. It felt very privileged to see Rhoda in such an intimate setting. Our independent record shops are so important and we must always treasure them for giving a platform to independent artists and their labels. It was lovely to speak to Rhoda afterwards too even though her memories of playing the Rock Garden were blighted by a racist attack and a police escort outside the venue.
Words: Chris Bartley
band called The Breeze fronted by singer songwriter Stevie Scullion who had recently taken over Amberville and was recording some really interesting artitsts. He had previously produced with Jason Lytle from Grandaddy on a Malojian record called 'Humm' which I loved. We chatted about me laying some new tracks down over there so I headed over to Amberville for 5 days where we tracked drums, bass and vocals for the new record. Operations then crossed the Atlantic to complete the recording at Half Moon Lodge in the San Diego hills where I'd previously worked with Mike Butler who laid down all the guitars, making it a perfect example of the mix of UK meets USA textures I am known for.
OTB: It has all the power of a live recording how on earth have you managed that with an ocean between you?
EP: Well we tracked everything live at Amberville, drums in one room, bass in another then my guitar and vocals live in the control room. It's the way I have recorded for years. I love getting that live edgy sound to the rhythm section, the backbone of each song.
Almost every record I've ever made I have done like that. You capture the interaction of the musicians, an authentic human element that can never be replicated. It's how we played it that day at that time.
OTB: It was a special time for you recording the last LP
this song, rebellious and slightly sarcastic at times. I am a huge fan of alt country female artists who have elements of punk in their work. Lucinda Williams, Patty Griffin and then more recently Corney Barnett and S G Goodman. There is always an attitude of we
Detonator, Hera, Delve, Phoebe Elissa
Westgarth Reunion Show: Dupla, Baby Said, Mt. Misery, Loren Heat
5 September £7 + bf 6pm NE Volume Music Bar, Stockton-on-Tees
5 September £12 + bf
£6 PWYC
£15 OTD 6.30pm Teesside University Student’s Union, Middlesbrough
Hue & Cry 5 September £28 8pm ARC, Stockton-on-Tees
Last Train Home Festival: Du Blonde, Market Place, TV Death, Dupla, Perfect Chicken and more
The Signatures –Northern Soul Live!
6 September £25 + bf
£30 OTD 1pm Multi-venue: The Forum, The Hullabaloo Theatre, Darlington Hippodrome, Darlington
6 September £15 + bf 3pm The Empire, Middlesbrough
The Denabys, Bella 6 September £8 + bf 6pm NE Volume Music Bar, Stockton-on-Tees
Industrial Coast: Helm 6 September £10
£5
£0.50 7pm Café Etch, Middlesbrough
Stuckfish, Forgotten Gods 6 September £14 + bf 7.30pm The Studio, Hartlepool
Last Train Home Sunday Sessions: Still Into You, Bubamara, Swan Nek, Charlotte Grayson, Midnight Library, Jack Ramsey
7 September FREE 1pm Darlington Market Square
The Drifters 7 September £35 + bf 7.30pm Princess Alexandra Auditorium, Yarm
Blackbeard’s Tea Party 7 September £17.41 8pm Hutton Rudby Village Hall
NE Thing Goes: Jim Soler, Aidan Fenders, Rose Bush, Liam Trewick
Carl Green & The Scene, Machine Music
11 September £7 + bf 6pm NE Volume Music Bar, Stockton-on-Tees
11 September £10 + bf
£15 OTD 7.30pm The Forum, Darlington
Listings subject to change, please check with the venue’s website for full information before booking.
Off The Beat with Robert Nichols and Tracy Hyman
The Voss, Fin Hudson, Ron Jon
Connie Talbot, Harriet Rose, Marina Josephina
The James O’Hara Band, Michael Littlefield/Scott Taylor Duo
Sarah McQuaid
SCHAK, Ryan Plews, Jordan
Amy Scott-Samuel, Dominoes
Sky Parker, Ash Amari, Joules Peacock
Alan Fletcher
The Regency, Midnight Library, Majuba
PUNKROCKET Fest: Pizzatramp, Her Heads On Fire, Back Teeth, All Out Attack
Crashed Out, Logoz, Kid Klumsy
Birkett and Fisk
The Voss, Aidan Feners, Scott Bisicker, Teejay Price
September £10 OTD
Tees
Green Room, Stockton-on-Tees
Industrial Coast: Regis 25 September £0.50 to £25 (bundle) 7pm The Auxiliary Project Space, Middlesbrough
Live and Local: House Proud, Cateyes, The Arcadias 25 September £4
Listings subject to change, please check with the venue’s website for full information before booking.
Memoria, Sulphide, The Foves
Industrial Coast: Slow White Fall
Driven Serious, AJ Potter
Visions Presents: George Bailey Band, Sarah Johnsone
Martin Turner (ex Wishbone Ash) Blowin’ Free Tour
The Gathering Sounds: Somebody’s Child, The Covasettes, Grandmas House, Better Joy, The Guest List, L’Objectif and many more
Orange Pip Market
#Break the Waves Showcase
26 September £7 + bf 6pm NE Volume Music Bar, Stockton-on-Tees
26 September £0.50 to £25 (bundle) 7pm The Auxiliary Project Space, Middlesbrough
26 September £10 + bf 7pm
Pealie’s Barn, Northallerton
26 September £7 + bf 7.30pm The Georgian Theatre, Stockton-on-Tees
26 September £20 + bf 7.30pm The Forum, Darlington
27 September £25 + bf 12pm Multi-venue: ARC, The Georgian Theatre, KU Stockton, ARC 2, The Social Room, The Link, The Green Room, Stockton-on-Tees
27 September FREE 12pm Baker Street and Bedford Street, Middlesbrough
27 September £5 OTD 7pm The Studio, Hartlepool
Industrial Coast: Demdike Stare 27 September £0.50 to £25 (bundle) 7pm The Auxiliary Project Space, Middlesbrough
Robb Johnson & The Acoustic Irregulars
Martin Stephenson and Some Daintees
27 September £12 + bf 7.30pm Toft House, Middlesbrough
28 September £19.50 + bf 7.30pm The Waiting Room, Eaglescliffe
Listings subject to change, please check with the venue’s website for full information before booking.
Last Train Home Festival 2025
6 September 2025
The Gathering Sounds 2025
27 September 2025
Hartlepool Folk Festival 3-5 October 2025 Twisterella 11 October 2025 Wishbone Ash 1 October £31
Listings subject to change, please check with the venue’s website for full information before booking.