LAST TRAIN HOME VENUE MAP
I The Forum (Main Stage)
U Hilarity Bites
Comedy Stage (Forum Room 1)
F Noisy Daughters Stage (Hullabaloo Theatre)
Y NARC. Magazine Stage (Hippodrome Education Suite)
B The Hippodrome (Main Stage) , Hippo Stage (The Hippo Lounge)
WELCOME TO LAST TRAIN HOME ZINE !
Last Train Home Zine is back for 2024, giving you all the info you need to enjoy your day at Last Train Home Music & Comedy Festival (7th September, roll up, roll up), and then some.
Grassroots music is the seed from which 72,000-selling superstadium gigs grow, and it’s under threat. So we’ve dedicated a chunk of this year’s zine to celebrating the year-round music scene in Darlington and beyond. Check out our guide to supporting your local scene; finding fan-favourite venues within easy reach of Darlo; why and where you should go to open mic nights (whether as a performer or a punter); where you can get gig info year round; and more.
To help you make the most of LTH itself, we’ve got a map at the front, a clashfinder on the back, and stuffed inside: interviews and insight into the bands and stages behind LTH; original art from local artists; and advice on making the most of your day at LTH, while keeping yourself healthy!
All this and more, for you to read before, during and maybe after the festival – on the last train home...
Last Train Home Festival is supported by:
INTERVIEW WITH
It’s been a ‘choo’ to write an intro for Avalanche Party without using synonyms for ‘feral’ or ‘intense’ as most publications seem to do, but the below has captured their undomesticated and fervent vibe rather well. Go see them! by Jen Wilson
What can people expect from an Avalanche Party show? Blood, sweat and fish. You have to let it all out there and dance like nobody’s watching, to an audience that watches like nobody’s dancing.
You’ve performed all over. What’s special about gigging in Darlo? Glen used to work at the Dolphin Centre (as Dougy Dolphin) and kept his keys, so we can go there and relax after hours.
We’ve done this after many memorable gigs at Inside Out, Hole In The Wall and, of course, the Sawmill. Super!
You’ve been around for a while now. How has the music scene / industry changed over time? Loads of bands have split up, which is great because we get more gigs. Survival of the fittest.
What has been your proudest band moment so far? Listening to the finished mixes of our upcoming album DER TRAUM UBER ALLES for the first time. It is fabulous.
What would you do if you weren’t in a band? Ethical Sheep Shearing (Jared), Brain Surgery (Kane), Rocket Science (Joe), Unethical Dog Breeding (Glen), work at Greggs (Jordan).
Which local bands are you into currently? Mouses, Ivan The Tolerable, Taylor Swift, Strong Lion Boys, Pellethead, The Whipt, Dali’s Jukebox, Shrug, Taylor Swift, Onlooker, Straight Girl, Taylor Swift, Benefits.
Who would you like to share your Last Train Home with? It would be a very pleasant time to share a last train home with Ringo Starr, whereupon he can narrate the full journey, tank-engine style, and we can have a nice cup of tea and a fish supper. No fan mail!
Avalanche Party headline The Forum Stage at 8.30pm.
SHAKK’S PIKKS
No one’s got their finger on the pulse of the North East music scene better than BBC Music Introducing DJ Shakk. So we asked him to pikk (geddit?) three stand-out local acts to play Last Train Home, and tell us why he chose them...
“RIVKALA’s unique blend of neo-soul, jazz, and socially poignant storytelling fills a much-needed gap in the North East music scene. Her live performances are nothing short of phenomenal, as she seamlessly fuses bass-driven grooves with her rich, soulful vocals. Rivkala has already made significant waves, from headlining iconic venues like Hoochie Coochie and The Cluny, to performing at major festivals. Her recent appearance on our BBC Proms stage and upcoming set at BBC Introducing x Generator underscore her rising trajectory. Rivkala is undeniably one to watch, and I believe she will bring something truly special to the festival.” Hippodrome Stage at 6pm
“NOYOU’s energetic blend of pop rock and vintage synthetic sounds creates an electrifying live experience that stands out at any show. After witnessing their live performances, including a memorable studio session, it was clear to me that this band knows how to captivate an audience with their dynamic stage presence and top-tier musicianship. With a fresh EP on the horizon and a packed schedule of shows across the UK, noyou are set to make a significant impact in 2024. Their ability to blend nostalgia with forward-thinking sounds makes them a perfect fit for this festival.” Forum Stage at 3.15pm
“CALVOAS represent the vibrant energy and potential of the North East’s indie rock scene. Despite being a relatively new band, their performances at key local venues and the success of their debut single Take Me have already started to generate significant buzz. Calvoas have a distinctive sound that resonates with audiences, and I believe they have the drive and talent to take their music to the next level. With a couple of strong singles under their belt and more on the way, this is a band that’s poised for big things, and I’m excited to see how they grow with the right support and exposure.” Noisy Daughters Stage, 4.30pm
LASTTRAINHOME MERCH!
INTERVIEW WITH
MAISIE JOHNSON
lead singer of
What can people expect from Queen Cult? Energy! We love a laugh whilst loving what we do. We just want to have a good time with people and make good music.
Who are your biggest influences, and how do you balance that influence and your own originality when writing songs? This varies amongst us! We all have very eclectic tastes in music, but the happy medium between us all is rock. Sonically you may put us with Paramore, No Doubt, Royal Blood etc.
What has been your proudest band moment so far? The fact we’re still going and committed! Not everyone can stomach the industry, but to us it means the world to be involved.
Your profile has blown up in the past year ~ what’s been your most memorable gig to date? Blown up!? Hahah, I mean, if you say so! We’ve definitely achieved some growth which has been really nice to see. Every gig is so different, there’s too many to say!
Queen Cult play The Forum Stage at 7.15pm
What would you do if you weren’t in a band? Not an option.
Have you ever had a memorable experience involving a train? Saw Gail Platt come off in Stockport once.
Who would you want to share your Last Train Home with? A dog to cuddle.
Comedian Steve Gribbin on the unique joy of being on the Last Train Home...
Any non-driving comedian who, like me, travels the length and breath of Britain using the trains will tell you that the three most difficult words to say in the English Language are not “I Love You”, but “Last Train Home”. There is no bigger thrill than racing, soaked in sweat, from a comedy gig, seeing the train pull into the station, and hearing that silky hiss of the train door, then sinking gratefully into the arms of an aisle seat, borne upon the wings of the rail network back unto the bosom of your family, whether they want you back or not.
“Comedy and The Railways stand together (as long as you stand behind that yellow line)”
Sometimes the sense of elation at catching The Last Train Home can be even better than the gig itself.
So I am as chuffed as Thomas the Tank Engine to be playing Last Train Home in Darlington, home of the world’s first passenger railway in 1825. Comedy and The Railways stand together (as long as you stand behind that yellow line). Apparently George Stephenson, when he wasn’t inventing The Rocket, was a top stand-up with great crowd work: “Anyone in from Stockton? Are you here to let off steam?”
It’s great to be appearing at Last Train Home, and if you’d like to catch me, I’m on Saturday afternoon about 3:30! l
WE WILL KEEP SHOUTING Why Noisy Daughters is a Thing
shows and run stages at not just our own Last Train Home Festival, but at the mighty Stockton Calling too!
NOISY DAUGHTERS
Noisy Daughters is Tracks Darlington CIC’s project championing women and gender minorities in music, writes Tracks Director, Sarah Wilson. It was born out of our ongoing frustration at the lack of progression in the music industry in representing women and other gender minorities.
On Friday 17 May, 2019, we teamed up with Darlington independent record label Butterfly Effect to launch the Noisy Daughters vinyl. It was the first time a compila tion of its kind had been released. It features exclusively artists that fit our Noisy Daughters mission and who come from the North East – artists such as Martha Hill, Komparrison, Kay Greyson, Blom and more, many of whom have gone on to have some really exciting musical journeys. Since then, we have organised gigs, panel discussions, workshops covering such topics as vocal first aid, live sound, planning recording sessions, and more. We’ve also had a pop-up choir, radio
Sadly, the statistics around women and gender minorities in music make for grim reading, and it can sometimes feel like we’re shouting into a void. The Women’s Music Diversity report showed that women are eight times more likely to experience gender discrimination than men, and 51% of women have experienced gender discrimination while working as a musician – something experienced by only 6% of male musicians.*
Until there is equal representation in the music industry, initiatives like Noisy Daughters, Crew Gal, Yorkshire Sound Women, The F-List and the brilliant PRS Keychange scheme are really important in providing opportunities for performance, exposure, networking, and giving female and gender minorities a voice and a platform. l
HAVE! YOU. ZINE THESE?
LTH Zine is an annual bit of fun for Last Train Home Music & Comedy Festival, but the rest of the year, for info on local events, we rely heavily on the stalwart indie publications that show up month after month with all the cultural news, interviews, reviews and previews - for free. Here are our four favourites. Pick them up at cafes, record shops, venues...
DIRGE! is wide-ranging in content, pulls no punches, and is a lot of fun. The music reviews by editor Roz Cuthbert are legendary for being unflinchingly, sometimes laceratingly, honest, with a wicked turn of phrase – tough for the ego, but great to read. darlodirge.co.uk
Point Blank
Teesside is an occasional publication – a labour of love of which new issues appear when editor
Steve Blank can manage them. He’s well plugged into the scene, though, and garners articles from and interviews with musicians across Teesside, doing much of the writing himself. pointblankteesside.weebly.com
Obviously we love NARC. It’s a packed mag, bolstered by an ezine and podcasts, with an army of knowledgeable writers contributing. Heavy on music, it also covers a wide range of other arts. We bow down to editor Claire Dupree’s taste – that’s why she curates a stage for us! narcmagazine.com
The glossiest of the lot, NE Volume is the only zine that is also directly connected to a venue: Stockton’s NE Volume, which is pretty much the go-to place for new bands to cut their teeth in Teesside. There’s a busy website attached as well, all run by journalist and promoter Lee Allcock. nevolume.co.uk l
‘Sleeping Keyboards’ by Robyn Errington-Coates
LAWN-CARE FOR GRASSROOTS MUSIC
Festivals are awesome, but they can’t exist without a healthy music scene that nurtures new artists. Here’s musician and journalist David Saunders on how to keep your town’s grassroots music well-watered.
Last Train Home is decent, isn’t it? All those awesome acoustic expressions of emotion and stimulating sound explosions from all those bands you didn’t realise were plying their trade in your area – playing all those venues that are right there on your doorstep. Your attitude to your local music scene is starting to change and you want to take positive steps to nurture your music scene. Here are a couple of pointers to help you do just that…
Attend/engage
The internet is a lovely place. Just look at the comments section on Facebook or your local newspaper website. However, it can often create an illusion that it’s reality and that your actions there are having a real effect. Unless you are the Hawk Tuah girl, then that likely isn’t the case, and as much as local artists, venues and promoters appreciate your love-heart emojis and millionaire-making Spotify listens, the biggest impact you can have
on your scene is unjacking yourself from the matrix and putting your real-world avatar, aka your actual physical self, out there:
Attend gigs; get inspired by the performance; meet and greet the band. Tell the promoter what a lovely night you’ve had, have a laugh with the venue staff and, once the night is over, carry on by starting a cool-as-f*** fanzine. Do a podcast discussing all the latest hot goss. Put on your own event to showcase exciting talent – or just go for it even more and start your own nine-piece, leather- and featherwearing doom metal band (or another project that fits the genre of your choosing).
Tell your friends
There’s nothing more heartbreaking than a band being credited as a music scene’s best-kept secret. Tittle tattle, in the case of a local music scene, can help win the battle.
If you enjoy an artist’s performance or their latest single on Spotify, then
let the world know. Share their music and latest news via your social media, add them to your ‘hot tips’ Spotify playlist, blab about them during your water cooler chat at work or make sure your latest TikTok dance is done to their brand new single. The same goes for shows. If there’s a promoter who’s putting on banging nights, then shoot your mouth off to every culture vulture that hovers in your friendship circle and make that the destination of choice for your Friday socials.
Be nice
Sounds obvious, but it doesn’t seem that way to some. Catch a band that doesn’t float your boat at a gig? Then stick around for their
Smile and say hello to others at gigs, make friends, thank engineers, promoters and venue staff. Don’t forget your manners, and soon the positivity will flow through the scene and fill the hearts of all those who are part of it with joy... A heart full of joy is an enticing prospect, so soon others will come (as in attend).
Put your money where your mouth is
Sadly, fresh air and good intentions are not taken as payment by most businesses and financial institutions. So if you want the local artists you love to develop (recording, touring, etc), or your local venue to still be there next year, then (even though I know it
Tittle tattle, in the case of a local music scene, can help win the battle
set and give them some words of encouragement afterwards. You never know; they might take that support and use it to fuel their future development.
Don’t like a gig or festival line up? Then keep it to yourself (as opposed to bad-mouthing it on social media). And if it irks you that much, then turn your negativity into something constructive and put your own event on.
is getting harder to do in these cost-of-living times) put your hands into your pockets to show your love.
Buy merch and physical copies of their music, book tickets for all the shows local promoters have gorgeously curated for you; have a drink or two at the venue you’re at; and contribute your bit to an ecosystem that hasn’t had the easiest of times of late. l
AN EASY DRIVE FROM DARLINGTON
THE WAITING ROOM, EAGLESCLIFFE
This is the old waiting room for the nearby train station. The music happens in the backroom behind the award-winning vegetarian and vegan restaurant. It’s a cosy, beautiful intimate space, and half the staff seem to be musicians! Owner Luke Harding programmes a range of alt-folk, alt-country, world music and much more. A lovely chilled vibe. Bonus points: The wonderful award-winning food. There’s also a community pub right next door on one side, and a vegetarian takeaway and bakery the other.
MIDDLESBROUGH TOWN HALL
I’ve seen gigs in six different spaces in this beautiful old building on Central Square. A very comfortable place to watch/listen to all types of gigs with the gorgeous Old Courtrooms my personal favourite. Various promoters use the council-run space. Classical music, opera, indie music, industrial sounds, dance, BBC Music Introducing sessions have all been on the roster recently; comedy, too. Bonus points: The access for people with disabilities is particularly good compared to most venues, and
Middlesbrough Council run the venue very well.
GREEN ROOM, STOCKTON
The smaller sibling to the Georgian Theatre, both part of the excellent volunteer-run Tees Music Alliance. A range of musicians perform here: indie/punk/alt-folk and a whole range of exclusive gigs. In the ‘Nashville of the North’ that is Stockton Town Centre’s various music venues, it’s my personal fave: a really good intimate space where you can get up close and personal to the stage.
Bonus points: The excellent Wasps Pub is right next door & the even better Golden Smog is just the other side of the High Street.
PAROCHIAL HALL, GREAT AYTON
This is a large Church Hall next to the village’s Christ Church. It is used on an occasional basis for gigs, mainly those put on by Elaine Palmer and Andy Kelly, who together put gigs under their ‘Off The Beaten Track’ banner. Their excellent gigs often sell out. It’s mainly indie music/ alt-folk on offer. The venue sits in the village with Roseberry Topping providing a gorgeous backdrop. Not
We love our LTH venues - but what’s outside Darlo?
Dedicated gig-goers travel all over the North East and beyond to discover new bands. Tim Dredge is one such music fan, so we asked about his six favourite venues within easy travelling distance of Darlington...
many places that are more scenic for an indoor gig.
Bonus points: Take a walk along the beautiful River Leven through the village centre where Captain James Cook grew up before you make your way to the gig. There’s a couple of decent village pubs to try, too: The Royal Oak, and The Buck.
STEAM MACHINE, NEWTON AYCLIFFE
A gig space in a craft brewery run by music fan Nick Smith. The venue is tucked away on a small industrial estate. It’s a gem. Holds a range of gigs, including folk, blues, acoustic sessions, jam sessions. Promoter and musician Naz Khan also does a great job at putting on some free gigs showcasing local talent.
Bonus points: The excellent beer. The musicians perform on the brewery floor a few feet away from you. The scran is very good too. A wonderfully informal space.
CLAYPATH DELI, DURHAM CITY
A family business run by Rory & Angela Handy, this is a deli and bakery that also hosts gigs. It’s one of several very small venues in Durham City, and my personal fave. The homemade pizza is superb, as is the coffee. A range of promoters use the Deli for gigs, which tend to be on early in the evenings and are often acoustic.
Bonus points: Very easy to combine a gig trip to the Deli with a walk through the beautiful city to have a look at the stunning Cathedral and/or to try one the excellent hostelries nearby. l
OPEN MIC NIGHT HYPE
Caitlin Morrow is one of Darlo music scene’s most well-known faces. Ahead of her performance at Last Train Home, she shares how open mic evenings have shaped her musical career.
I’m grateful to have had the opportunity to build a musical reputation for myself and be a part of cultivating Darlington’s live entertainment scene. Raised in a family of talented musicians, I owe much to my parents and their constant nurturing of my desire to perform. When I was 13, my lovely mum took me to an open mic hosted by renowned Darlington entertainers, Tony Tinkler and Geoff Laycock. Instantly hooked on the buzz created by the eclectic array of performers, I couldn’t resist joining in.
From then on, I began attending as many open mics as I possibly could, and it became a personal career goal to host an open mic myself. In October 2021, I was unexpectedly offered the opportunity to take the reins for the first time at Bondgate Tavern. My goodness, it was a baptism by fire. That fire, however, ignited another within me: to become a host of the events I’d previously adored as a patron, and to discover new talent, and establish a warm and enticing environment for all local creative vagabonds. I wanted to become the same calibre of host as those who made me feel so welcome in my greener days as a musician. I’ve found profound enjoyment in this undertaking. The wonderful feeling of seeing new faces return and witnessing their confidence grow so quickly is unmatched.
So many big artists started out performing at open mics – their teeth cut and followings forged at grassroots venues. Open mics are the ideal opportunity to build confidence as a performer, or simply to soak up local talent. And the bottom line is that venues need footfall and support for live music.
Open mics need people - and people need music, community, support and safe spaces to be creative. The Darlington music scene has been built by a vibrant and diverse family. We celebrate every performance and we pick each other up, powered by a love for music and for each other. I provide the means and encouragement to take the stage. The rest is up to you. l
*This is only a small sample. Follow Caitlin on social media for more, or look up
Six open mic nights to try*
Venue: Darlington Indoor Market, DL1 5PN
Hosted by: Caitlin Morrow
Date: Every second Sunday, 12pm
All genres of music, comedy, poetry, dance, etc. All ages. Plug in and play. Backing tracks welcome. Bring your own instrument and backing tracks.
Caitlin says: Fantastic for families and children (and adults too!), with exciting food stalls and local markets.
Venue: The Beeswing Inn, DL7 0BD
Hosted by: Orse Clarke & Caitlin
Morrow
Date: Every other first Monday (7pm) and every other last Sunday (5pm)
Acoustic music and poetry. All ages. Show up and play. Backing tracks welcome on Sundays. Bring your own instrument and backing tracks. Percussion instruments provided.
Caitlin says: The ideal cosy environment to share covers and original music, in a lovely songwriters’ circle.
Venue: Hole in the Wall, DL1 5PT
Hosted by: Victoria Bainbridge & Crash Jones
Date: Every last Wednesday, 7pm
Music of all genres. 18+. Plug in and play. Backing tracks welcome. Guitars and basses supplied on prior request.
Caitlin says: Treat yourself to a free drink along with your chance to perform, and enjoy a different special headliner each month.
Venue: The Quakerhouse, DL3 7QF
Hosted by: Alex Fawcett
Date: Every third Thursday, 9pm
Rhythm and Blues. 18+. Plug in and play. Electric set up. Bring your own instrument.
Caitlin says: Share the stage with like-minded, talented musicians in Darlington’s heart of Blues music and cask ales.
Venue: The Forum Music Centre, DL1 1SG
Hosted by: Petra Hladíková & Ed Turnbull (The Lost Chihuahuas)
Date: Every first Wednesday, 7pm
Music of all genres, comedy, poetry. Under 18’s must be accompanied by an adult. Plug in and play. Electric and acoustic. Backing tracks welcome. Sound technician. Bring your own instrument and backing tracks.
Caitlin says: Perform your heart out on the big stage to a respectful and encouraging audience of fellow musicians and friends.
Venue: Pealie’s Barn, DL7 0JA
Hosted by: The Pealie’s Barn Team
Date: Every last Thursday, 7pm
Closet Creatives jam session. All ages. Show up and play. Acoustic only. May bring your own but instruments are provided.
Caitlin says: A very relaxed evening for musicians and creatives to chat, network, and jam together to your heart’s content. l
fears for ears
Love live music? Of course you do. But too much of a good thing can be bad for you. In the case of music, it’s bad for your ears. A 2023 survey of 2,000 adults, conducted on behalf of Specsavers, found that 46% of summer festival goers thought their hearing had been damaged by the music festival noise. Unfortunately, those 46% are probably right – and the other 54% just haven’t noticed it yet.
“If you come out of a venue and your ears are ringing, that’s a sign that your hearing has been temporarily damaged. And your ears will only recover from that a certain number of times before the temporary damage starts to become permanent,” says Simon Howe, Clinical Scientist in Audiology at the family-run independent hearing healthcare organisation, North East Hearing and Balance. I’ve gone to him to find out how gig-goers can protect themselves from hearing damage.
by Fran Harvey
discomfort in your ears, that’s your brain sending a pain signal to tell you to retreat from that environment.”
But what if you’re at a great show and you don’t want to retreat? There are three things you can do, Simon tells me.
First off: take a few minutes break. “Noise exposure is a cumulative problem, so maybe after the support band, or during a short gap between songs, just take yourself away from the music for a few minutes.”
Tip number two is to wear some appropriate ear protection, “at the very least some disposable foam earplugs, but ideally something with filters in if you want a good quality, high fidelity sound. You can get filtered earplugs really quite cheaply – they won’t be custom-fitted, but they’ll do a good job in most cases.”
For a start – how do you even know when your hearing needs protecting? “If it’s loud enough that you have to raise your voice to be heard, then that environment is loud enough to cause damage,” says Simon, “though it may take several hours of exposure. And if you feel any
The last tip is to think about where you’re standing relative to the speakers –as in, don’t get too close to them. Simon says: “Something that I like to do is to stand around about where the sound engineer is standing, if you can, because they’re engineering the sound from their perspective in the room, and room acoustics can have a huge impact on how loud things sound.”
Follow that advice, and you’ll be listening to great music for years to come. l
YES, YOU SHOULD COLOUR THIS IN
By Merlyn Griffiths
The ultimate day-long festival survival guide
as told by a gig photographer
Festival gig photographers are hardcore: bouncing non-stop from venue to venue, braving the crush at the front of the stage to get the best photos. But how do they prep for long days in action? We caught up with the NE music scene’s not-so-secret weapon, photographer Victoria Wai, to find out.
It’s always exciting to see the festival posters, and generally one to three artists stand out on the first wave. Then it gets to the second and third wave, and I panic until I see the clashfinder. Then I get the coloured Sharpies out and circle all the acts I want to see. If there’s clashes and there’s an artist I’ve not seen who’s quick to get to, I will probably choose them over one I’ve seen more of. If there are gaps in my plan then I go on other people’s recommendations. I get FOMO, so most sets I see I will capture three to four songs before moving on. The lowest I’ve seen in one festival is 11 acts, and the most I’ve seen is 30. Having that clashfinder as tight as I can is how I mentally prepare myself.
I also plan a break time into the day, but that break rarely happens. At most it’s a quick snack on the go. That’s normally a meal deal with extra water and a banana. I’ve only attended a handful of festivals where a food voucher
is provided for photographers. I make sure I drink plenty of water and maybe a pint or two to quench thirst.
To protect my hearing I used to use the foam earplugs you get at venues, but they always popped out. As much as I have a love-hate relationship with social media, it seems for the brand Loop it worked. Their ads kept popping up, so I took a chance on them and I strongly recommend them. I just love how they fit IN the ear, and there’s a variety of great colours – I have silver and berry blue. [See p16 for more on protecting your hearing at gigs.]
I have a 30-litre Shimoda Explore that carries EVERYTHING I could need, as you never know what might happen. Sometimes I might carry extra bulky things, so an extra tote bag comes in handy. Hopefully, there’s a secure press room or a venue that will let put my bag down for a few sets so I don’t have to lug everything
all day as that’s a strain on the back. The good thing with the new Shimoda is that they have straps for women to suit the curves, and I am so very thankful for them. For smaller gigs, I use a Wandrd Prvke 11-litre.
I wish I was more fit, as stairs, hills and distance are not my friend, but the adrenaline carries me through the day. I’ve had a pair of heelies for a few years, which are a great idea for city/ town multi-venue festivals, but I’ve never been brave enough to use them yet. I also have knee pads, which I’ve yet to use too!
Different festivals have different vibes. One of my favourites to shoot was Boundaries Festival – there was a LOT to see, and I loved that I only knew one artist last year so everything was new to me. And the festival food provided to the artists and crew was amazing. Everybody was well looked after. I love how included I feel at Twisterella and Last Train Home, too. A Stones Throw was brilliantly ran, but exhausting.
Deer Shed is one of the bigger festivals I’ve ever photographed, in terms of scale and number of stages, so I had difficulty sticking to its strict ‘three songs per act’ photography policy! Racing from one end of the field to the other meant I sometimes missed my pit times. Also, I went during a downpour and had a holey tent, so I was exhausted from trying to keep dry and I got even less sleep than usual. (I try my best to sleep as much as I can to recover after a festi val day, but I am not a good sleeper.)
Maybe at the end of a festival, I’ll have a few drinks if I can – but you’ve got to get those edits out ASAP. l
ABOUT THE CONTRIBUTORS
DAN WALLS (cover) is a local mixed media artist specialising in large scale murals. His passions include DIY music and art. To see more of his work look up (Illumination Wall Art) or see his legal graffiti wall in Bishop Auckland (Bish Vegas Legal Graff).
JEN WILSON (p2) has a dead-end job in the civil service and lives in Darlo. She is apparently a funny writer but awkward in person. She likes dad trainers and rewatching Succession.
SHAKK (p3) is a rapper and also the BBC Music Introducing DJ for the North East.
FRAN HARVEY (p5, 8 & p16, and LTH Zine editor) is a director at Tracks, and is a wordy production editor who likes making writing and art look good on the page. She’s also a musician and writer, and hopes you enjoyed this year’s zine.
STEVE GRIBBIN (p6) is a diminutive guitar-wielding satirist from Liverpool whose scabrous comedy songs and off the wall observations have made him one of the firm favourites of the comedy circuit.
SARAH WILSON (p7) is a director at Tracks whose youth was spent trying to attain rockstar status in various bands. She now works as a community musician, freelance events bod and champion for NE artists, through Tracks and by going to as many gigs as parenthood will allow.
ROBYN ERRINGTON-COATES (p9) is an artist based in lovely Darlington. She works with pen and ink and relief printing, and has a special fascination
with tiny houses and trees! She is also a musician. Insta: @erricoinks
DAVID SAUNDERS (p10) is web editor of NARC. Magazine and music development manager at Tees Music Alliance, as well as being the frontman of various musical outfits over the years, currently Wax Heart Sodality.
TIM DREDGE (p12) is a regular gig goer in the Tees Valley, Co Durham, North Yorkshire and Tyne & Wear. He enjoys music across a number of diverse genres and at different venues.
CAITLIN MORROW (p14) is an open mic host, long-time friendly face of the local music scene and a singer/songwriter of cathartic indie folk-pop - one second tugging on your heartstrings, the next making you giggle with her tongue in cheek lyrical style.
SIMON HOWE (p16) is an audiologist and a musician. Simon is passionate about helping people continue to listen to the music they love. He can be contacted at North East Hearing & Balance, Darlington Business Centre, 181 Coniscliffe Road, Darlington DL3 8DE. (01325) 605 045, contact@nehab.co.uk
MERLYN GRIFFITHS (p17) is an artist and printmaker from the North East. She works primarily in linocut and watercolour inks, to create prints, paintings, giftware and greetings cards of the furry and feathered, available at thelittlestfalcon.co.uk
VICTORIA WAI (p18) is a photographer and occasional videographer working mainly in the Music sector covering live events, documentary and portraiture. linktr.ee/VictoriaWai
LAST TRAIN HOME FESTIVAL 2024 STAGE TIMES
DJ: MR WATSON (TILL LATE)