What's On: Recent Episodes
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New indie band The Gods of Small Things are celebrating the release of their latest single, Analogue God. The Sunderland four-piece initially started life as a duo when Annabel and Josh came together at the beginning of the year, before deciding to expand so they could perform live. Bassist and backing vocalist Annabel Crowther explains: “Me and Jason launched as a duo in January this year, recording our first EP ourselves, but then decided to recruit a full band to gig, we were very lucky to find our drummer Will Shaw straight from the off and an old music comrade of Jason’s, Graham Mucker Mclauchlin, came in on lead guitar. We then recorded our current EP, Singing In The Dark – the first single off this, Analogue God, came out on November 20.”
Newcastle singer-songwriter Paige Temperley is looking forward to releasing her debut EP. The talented ‘folky-pop’ musician is releasing Let’s Start At The Very Beginning on November 11 and is excited about people finally being able to hear her music. She said: This is the first ever EP that I’ll have released, so I’m really excited about it. It’s a 4 track EP and I’d like to think it sort of takes you through a little journey of my life so far. Its full of stories which hopefully people will find relatable. I recorded it at Loft Studios in Newcastle City Centre, and some friends of mine, who also happen to be great musicians- Jamie Mackay, George Hutton, Matt Splevins and Niles Kreiger played on it; with that lot playing on it, the EP had to come out sounding good.”
Talented singer-songwriter Afnan Prince has already released material, but is most excited about his forthcoming EP, Wolves. Born in Pakistan, Afnan moved to the UK with his family when he was nine and by his mid teens had started playing the guitar and singing. The 28-year-old self-taught musician, who lives in North Shields, initially started playing in a band with his friends but gradually realised he preferred performing as a solo artist. Afnan, has always been creative, and as well as writing songs, he writes poetry as he feels the two go hand in hand, offering him the freedom to elaborate with words. His passion for the English language made him choose to study the subject at university, but things didn’t go according to plan.
A Newcastle-based musician is hoping to kickstart his new music project through his latest fundraising campaign. Paul ‘Pablo Melons’ Fairbairn is hoping to raise £3,000 through his latest Kickstarter campaign to fund the mastering of his new Four Play EP on vinyl. Paul, 30, is a huge Power Pop fan and has been writing, recording and producing for several years under the banner of Toxic Melons. When he’s not composing Power Pop songs he teaches songwriting and produces bespoke music tracks for a diverse range of clients. Influenced by acts including Power Pop magnates Jellyfish, as well as Electric Light Orchestra, Queen, Beck, The Zombies, The Move, The Divine Comedy, Elton John and David Bowie, the Toxic Melons sound is complex, wry, heartfelt and expertly-delivered Power Pop at its finest.
After a successful set at this year’s Evolution Emerging Behold A Pale Horse are now celebrating their release of their debut EP. The five-piece released the self-titled EP the day before they opened Evolution Emerging’s Little Buildings stage and feel it’s a true representation of the band’s live sound. When recording the EP the band were determined to create a record that reflected their raw and intense sound which they describe as a fusion of psych, kraut, neo-folk, dance and garage rock ‘n’ roll.
Folk inspired singer-songwriter, Oh Sister, is hoping to play more in her native North East after her recent Sofar Sounds gig. The 27-year-old musician, aka Sarah Berresford, loved performing a stripped back set alongside Sunderland band Lilliput at Newcastle’s Alphabetti Theatre in May for a secret Sofar show. But the talented singer-songwriter is no stranger to the Sofar Sounds community as Sarah has performed at Sofar London with Viola Beach, the Warrington band who were tragically killed in a car crash in Sweden, as well as touring with other acts to Sofar in Cambridge, Birmingham and Leeds.
Alternative hip-hop act Ceiling Demons are set to release a new EP ahead of their headline performance at this year’s Evolution Emerging. Belly of the Hopeless will be released on May 27 via Durham’s new DIY imprint Frux Tapes and sees the North Yorkshire duo take a different direction with their music. Exploring the uncharted waters of the human psyche, this experimental tape delves through sounds, substances and the fine line between torment and delight. Produced by Jonathan Swift of Outside Your House and recorded in County Durham, Belly of the Hopeless deals a blow of northern grit and rawness – an ongoing theme in Ceiling Demons’ work – intertwined with the trip-hop sensibilities of its Bristol-born producer.
Newcastle five-piece Baker Island released an EP cassette last month ahead of their headline slot at this year’s Evolution Emerging. The band, who describe their music as ‘ lo-fi noise pop’, are delighted to be topping the bill at The Cumberland Arms and are working hard on their set for the festival. The band have recently released a new EP cassette entitled Four Days In The Life Of The Auto-Icon, on American label Weiner Records. It features four new tracks full of quirky sounds and snatches of life in their native Newcastle and fans will be able to hear it alongside the band’s new material at Evolution Emerging.
Newcastle electro pop band Talk Like Tigers are releasing their brand new debut single, Animalistic on Valentine’s Day. The emerging trio, who hail from Newcastle, consists of twin sisters Charlotte and Stephanie Walker (vocals / synths) and Mark Thompson (drums / samples), and none of them are strangers to the music industry. Drummer Mark used to be in band Static Soul and Charlotte and Stephanie have toured the world as Duffy’s backing singers. Their travels have certainly influenced their writing and inspired the band to create something truly different as their unique sound is showered with the glittering harmonies that only siblings can produce.
Alt hip-hop act Jay Simian and The Midnight Society can’t wait to bring their unique sound to this year’s Evolution Emerging, The trio will be joining hip hop artists Ceiling Demons and Kay Greyson at The Tanners on May 28 to perform alongside gritty electro pop group Talk Like Tigers and barely rap group Outside Your House as part of this year’s music festival. Initially starting out as rap collective with other North East artists, Jay Simian and Baddz Beat decided to go it alone and form their own band to pursue their own distinctive hip hop music.
An online music project has led Gateshead based producer Half to unexpectedly record his first album, Here Lies Half. Originally from Berwick but now residing in Felling, Half, aka Jonny Gray, began experimenting with music as a hobby and never intended to become a producer. By collaborating with artists and co-writers around the world Half recorded his debut full length release in isolation swapping a series of ideas, emails and dropboxes then mixing the results to create the album.
Alternative indie rockers Social Room burst onto the local music scene last year and are hoping to build on their strong fan base. The Sunderland based six-piece have been performing together for the last 18 months after friends Matty Smith and Adam Potts decided to form a band once they returned to their native North East after university. Even though, Social Room, are a relatively new band they’re already making waves in the North East with their upbeat indie rock ‘n’ roll music and the band are enjoying their success so far.
Northumbrian ensemble Dansi can’t wait to release their long-awaited debut EP later this month. Drawing on a wealth of collective musical experience, Dansi’s members have enjoyed storming stages across the UK festival circuit in various forms.From Pikey Beatz to The Fiona Clayton Band the band’s core members have performed at various BBC stages and Live Radio sessions, countless headline festival slots and toured extensively.
North East based singer Samantha Lavery is celebrating the release of her new single, A Mile Apart. The track was written and produced alongside Christian Burrell at River Studios and is the first single to be released from Samantha’s forthcoming EP.
Teesside band Cattle & Cane are headlining this year’s Evolution Emerging and can’t wait to take centre stage. The pop-folk five-piece, from Thornaby, are going from strength to strength since releasing their debut album Home late last year. The album has been a real labour of love for the quintet - made up of siblings Joe, Helen, Fran and Vin Hammill plus friend Tom Chapman - as it has been five years in the making. However, it was well worth the wait.
The Shooting Of, aka Northumberland-based Paul Jeans, is one man intent on raising his music above the din. With a new album due to be released next month, the solo artist is hoping his brand of experimental pop noir will be well received. Analogue Heart, which is released on March 4 via League Against Rubbish Records, is an album of contrasts; from the dark, brooding apocalyptic tones of opener Bad Times Are On Horseback, the paranoid grandeur of Captain Of My Soul and recent single This Silence Is Killing Me to the quirky pop of The White Hart and the sinister storytelling of The Beast In Me, it showcases a broad musical landscape while remaining a cohesive body of work.
Newcastle-based singer-songwriter Ditte Elly is set to release her long-awaited contemporary folk-infused debut album. Ditte will launch Songs at a special gig at Trinity Church in Gosforth on March 12, with the album officially released at the beginning of April. The nine-track album will feature recordings, including Ditte’s two previously released singles, I Am Only (What You Make Me) and You Find It Easy, and is the follow-up to her 2012 EP, We’ll Meet Again. Music has always been an important part of Ditte’s life, as she grew up in Oxford listening to her parents’ musical influences and used to sing in a choir with her mum. But it wasn’t until she left school and took a year out that she began experimenting with music.
Cross-genre quartet Zu Zu Cats are hoping their unique sound will help them stand out on the local music scene. So much so they have taken inspiration from all corners of the musical spectrum to create a blend of ‘Anglocana’. The four-piece is made up of Paul Dent (vocals and acoustic guitar), guitarist Gavin Thompson, Paul Jewitt (bass) and drummer Ash ‘the cat’ Staff, who have all known each other for years.
County Durham rock band OFFPEAK will play a trio of UK shows to celebrate the release of their debut EP. Champagne Lifestyle, Lemonade Wages, is the follow-up to the four-piece’s debut single, Feelings Stay The Same, which gained local and national radio coverage last year. The band will release the EP, as well as the eponymous title track, on February 19, along with accompanying music video.
Talented singer-songwriter Warrilow is hoping to make a name for himself on the North East music scene with his unique style of acoustic music. The musician, who is originally from Retford, near Sheffield, is no stranger to performing as he has been playing in band since he was a teenager. His interest in music was piqued early mostly from listening to his parent’s musical influences while growing up and then to his stepdad, who played in a band, so it seems only natural that someone surrounded by music would be likely to catch the bug.
Electronic act Denature are set to release their new EP after the band’s success at the Ubeat Music Awards. The North Tyneside group were thrilled to win the best video award for their single Time back in December and hope their forthcoming new material is just as successful. Bass guitarist Justin Januszewski said: “It was a fantastic feeling to win as we have worked very hard to make something we feel we can be proud of. To get that kind of recognition from that kind of audience is a real vote of confidence that we’re going in the right direction. And much of that credit must also go to our manager and the director of the video, who was the real creative force behind it, Chris Lavelle.” Denature have teamed up again with award-winning videographer Chris to create another video for their new single Escape, which features on their new EP, Loss.
South Shields band Far Pacific are set to rock the O2 Academy 2 in Newcastle on January 22 with their first headline gig. The indie four-piece are taking to the stage at the popular music venue to launch their debut EP I Can See The Sea. The teenage quartet are already making waves on the North East music scene with their brand of catchy indie rock music and their single Where Do We Go From Here gained high praise last summer. Despite being a fledging teenage band, Far Pacific, have worked hard to develop their sound and build a name for themselves on the local scene. The lads have gigged relentlessly, playing at venues such as O2 Academy, Head of Steam and Pop Recs, as well as supporting Lilliput at Independent in Sunderland and Belgian indie band Balthazar at Think Tank? in Newcastle.
Newcastle-based electronic alt-pop group Twist Helix release their debut single next week. The four-piece will be taking over one of Newcastle’s historic landmarks - the Mining Institute - to mark the launch of their highly anticipated single Decade. The single is the follow-up to the band’s demo Flare, which was well received by both music lovers and industry professionals last summer, and is the first track to be released from the band’s forthcoming album Manifesto. Since they cut their demo, Twist Helix have been in demand and have juggled spending time recording Manifesto, due for release in March, as well as performing live dates across the North East supporting the likes of Nano Kino and playing at the Newcastle OXJAM Takeover.
One band hoping to stand out from the crowd on the local music scene is The Firelight Opera. The alternative rock five-piece, who hail from Sunderland, do not have a frontman and were apprehensive about how North East audiences would react to their unconventional line-up. However, since coming together in the summer of 2012 the band have been thrilled with the support they have received and now have a loyal following.
Talented singer-songwriter Soham De has already started to get noticed on the North East music scene despite only playing a handful of gigs. Originally from Kings Lynn in Norfolk, the 18-year-old acoustic musician has spent the last three years experimenting with different guitar styles taking influence from his favourite acts to hone his craft. However, he didn’t start performing live regularly until this summer after sitting his A-levels and is now trying to play live as often as possible whilst studying Biological Sciences at Durham University.
Acoustic folk singer-songwriter Craig Clark is currently working on his highly anticipated debut album, Sometimes Bewilder. Featuring songs composed in the arrivals lounge at Macau Airport, on a train somewhere in the Pacific Northwest, and from the cabin of a plane over the Atlantic, Sometimes Bewilder, is an album concerned with the condition of travelling, and indebted to memories of conversations with strangers encountered in far-flung places. Craig explains: “Songs come quickly in places like that - I opened a KC Turner show in San Francisco and played a song written that afternoon after a lazy day drinking the local beer. In Chicago it was an open mic with a borrowed guitar, and in Beijing it was a fundraiser show for an environmental awareness charity; the fee was paid in popcorn.”
Singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Kate Edwards is thrilled to be releasing her debut single, Every Key, next week. Inspired by artists such as Sufjan Stevens, Belle & Sebastian and Elbow, Kate has been cultivating her own brand of tasteful, confessional alt-pop since moving to Newcastle from her hometown in East Yorkshire. Combining bold piano lines with striking vocal delivery, Every Key tells of a frustrated youth full of mistakes and disappointments and how sometimes, no matter how hard you try, nothing seems to work. By contrast, b-side ‘Sticky Strawberry Blood’ is a tale of childish escapism and the nostalgic lure of an ice cream cone with monkey’s blood. Kate releases Every Key on December 4 and will be celebrating its release with a special launch gig at Ouseburn Farm in Newcastle two days later.
Indie-funk group Driving In Aspen are hoping to make a name for themselves on the local music scene. The fledging three-piece, who hail from North Shields, are currently working on their debut EP which they hope to release next year. However, it is definitely a work in progress as the band are recording it one song at a time due to juggling studying and music. The teenage trio – made up of lead vocalist and guitarist Peter Dyers, Matthew McDonald on percussion and bassist Andrew Thompson - all grew up with their own influences and musical interests, but it wasn’t until summer 2014 that they came together as a group.
Talented singer-songwriter Savannah Betts has already released two EPs, but is most excited about her forthcoming new material.Born in Hong Kong to a German mother and South African British Father, Savannah has always been creative, although she fell in love with both acting and music. She developed both her talents at school and began learning to play the guitar when she was nine, but didn’t perform live until six years later. Savannah said: “I was about 15 when I did my first live music performance at a school variety show and after that I joined a band with my friends. I then started to write my own music, but it wasn’t until I was 18 that I decided to buy my own equipment to make my own EP."
County Durham singer-songwriter Jodie Fitzgibbon is hoping her debut EP will help her stand out from the crowd. Growing up in musical family Jodie has been performing form a young age, and after being given a keyboard at the age of seven she became a skilled player and learnt to play music by ear. Three years later she enrolled in Reavley Theatre School, where she studied various styles of dance, theatre craft, drama and singing until she was 18. Jodie began writing music in her teens, as a way of chronicling life events – as she discovered that she can only truly express in music things that she has experienced personally.
Newcastle based electronic act Border Scout are hoping their new album will help them stand out from the crowd. Brothers Sam and Dan Burt have been making music together since they were young and have been involved in various music projects over the years.The duo began creating their album, Nature of Things, in self-imposed isolation and have worked hard to develop their cinematronica sound.
Singer-songwriter Conrad Ashton is hoping to make a name for himself on the local music scene after releasing his debut album One For The Road. The 19-year-old, who hails from Spennymoor in County Durham, has been writing and performing since a young age after being inspired by the musicians who played at Live 8. Conrad was aged nine at the time when he watched the benefit concert on television and what he saw and heard stuck with him for many months. After begging his parents for almost a year, he finally persuaded them to buy him an electric guitar.
Paige Temperley, who performs as a solo act as well as duo with her friend Jamie Mackay and as part of acoustic band Ourselves & Us, is passionate about teaching music to children and young people and hopes to create the next generation of local musicians. Despite having played the guitar since she was young, Paige only decided to pursue a career in music last year and is now focusing on both teaching and writing her own material.
Emerging band Calf are no strangers to the North East music scene as they have been pulled together from the remnants of other well-known local bands. Consisting of ex-members of The Golden Virgins, Peculiar Disco Moves and The Fantastic Car, the four-piece, who hail from Newcastle, are passionate supporters of local music. They have built up strong ties with other bands doing the rounds at the moment, including the likes of Canyons and The Welcome Party, who are also part of the Little Buildings collective.
Initially starting out as a guitarist, singer-songwriter Ryan Bird toyed with the idea of writing his own material until he took the plunge and started singing. The talented musician has spent the last three years honing his craft and now feels he has finally found his own style and sound of music, which he describes as “indie-folk with a hint of melancholy”. He released his debut EP, Lessons, in October 2013 and hasn’t looked back since securing support slots with some of the North East’s top acts and performing at festivals throughout the region.
One act determined to stand out from the crowd on the local music scene is electronic outfit Grey Tapes. The North East is not known for its electronic music, but Grey Tapes – a collective of Newcastle beat makers, composers and producers – are determined to put the region on the map. Grey Tapes released their first EP, Tape_001, back in June and have been busy promoting it over the summer with a series of gigs in and around Newcastle.
Singer-songwriter Immy Williams is working on new material after the success of her debut single. Immy has been singing and performing since a young age, and wrote her first song at the tender age of 11, and it impressed both her parents and music teacher. Since then the singer has continued to write her own material and has been performing around the North East for the past few years. Audiences have compared her to the likes of Hannah Reid (London Grammar), Lana Del Rey, Norah Jones and Tori Amos, which Immy has taken in her stride. She finds the comparisons extremely flattering but wants to be known for her own musical style and sound.
Alt-Folk singer-songwriter Keiandra is currently making waves with her music across the North East. The fledgling songstress only emerged on the local music scene at the end of last year, but is already in demand as a regular performer in Tyneside and in London. Keiandra is known for her clever use of lyrics in her self penned songs, which leave the listener filled with intrigue whilst her haunting and ethereal voice accompanied by acoustic guitar leave them wanting more.
Alternative duo Slurs burst onto the North East music scene in May and can’t wait to perform their second gig on August 1. The pair will be joining four other local bands at Think Tank? in Newcastle to celebrate the release of Elephant Memoirs’ new EP. Slurs will be kicking off the night, before Velvoir, Kashmir and Altradias take to the stage ahead of headliners Elephant Memoirs. This is the first time Slurs have played at Think Tank?, which they fondly remember as the Other Rooms and are really excited about their appearance. Even though the duo are a new band, they have been playing together for years and have known each other since school. Slurs are Mark Simpson (vocals & guitars) and Fintan Dawson (guitars & vocals) and were formed in the summer of 2013. However, the pair ended up spending the first year of the band’s life on hiatus.
One band hoping to stand out from the crowd on the local music scene is four-piece rock act OFFPEAK.
The band, who hail from County Durham, are hoping their ‘fresh new bluesy rock’ music will help them make a name for themselves and are set to release their debut single.
Feelings Stay The Same is the result of two years’ hard work as OFFPEAK have spent the past 24 months writing material and honing their sound by gigging across the North East.
Folk-pop band -kosoti- are embarking on a run of festival dates this summer ahead of their charity single release.
The Newcastle five-piece are playing the South Tyneside Festival, Northumberland Live and the Mouth of The Tyne Festival over the next month and can’t wait to take to the stage.
The band have had a successful start to their career releasing double A side digital single War and Pirouettes to critical acclaim, as well as their Cradle EP on CD and MP3 within six months of forming. Not content with this they performed their debut show at Sage Gateshead Hall Two to a sell out crowd and later in 2014 they performed to an equally packed O2 Academy2 show in Newcastle.
After a near death experience in 2013, lead singer/songwriter, Allan Hyslop, realised that he should treasure every moment of his life doing what he loved, writing and performing great songs and later that year -kosoti- was born.
Acoustic folk duo, YUMA, are hoping their unique blend of acoustic folk and blues music will help them stand out from the crowd.
The pair, who hail from Sunderland, formed when members Shannon Pearl Powell and John Timney started writing original material last April and realised they shared a lot of interests and musical ambitions.
Even though YUMA is a new project the duo have known each other for years after meeting on music degree course at university. Both John and Shannon have played in numerous indie/rock bands before deciding to embark on a new musical direction and they now feel like their hard work is beginning to pay off.
Pop songstress Meghann Clancy released her highly anticipated EP Lay It On The Line this week.
The follow up to her debut album, Take Flight, her new EP demonstrates her ability to write captivating songs, which combine catchy melodies, powerful vocals, and themes from life experiences.
Her music draws influences from a wide spectrum including rock, pop, country and folk, drawing favourable comparisons to the likes of such artists as Tori Amos, Andrea Corr and Joni Mitchell. Meghann describes herself as ‘a singer-songwriter, with strong pop sensibilities, and relatable emotional lyrics.’
Alternative band Cloud City Trap are hoping their new single, Walking Through, will help raise their profile on the local music scene.
The four-piece, who hail from Sunderland, initially started life as an acoustic duo with Clint Westwood providing the music and Tosh Watson on vocals, but as their sound developed the pair decided they needed to expand their line-up.
Bassist Clint said: “We were writing our own songs and doing some covers gigs in pubs to raise enough money to record our debut album. We eventually saved up enough money and recorded ten of our songs ready to release as an album. Most of the songs were recorded by Neil Basset from Hyde & Beast fame. Prior to finishing the album we got in touch with music producer John Rivers who engineered Ghost Town by The Specials as well as working with bands such as Ocean Colour Scene and the Housemartins. John agreed to produce some of the tracks for us and so the album Celebrity Culture was born.”
Newcastle band Shields are set to officially release their demo, Enemy, after their headline slot at this year’s Evolution Emerging.
The alternative-pop quintet have had a phenomenal year so far including a successful performance at the BBC 6 Music Festival in February, as well as finishing second in Glastonbury’s 2015 Emerging Talent Competition proving why they are are a band to watch.
The band beat over 6000 entrants and battled against eight other acts in the live final of Glastonbury Emerging Talent competition to be crowned runners up and are getting ready for their debut appearance at the legendary festival next month.
Shields also gained notoriety after playing an impressive set as part of the BBC 6 Music Festival in March this year. Nick Roberts and Tom Robinson of BBC Introducing have been big champions of the cause in 2015 and have regularly played Shields on their introducing shows both locally and nationally.
Singer-songwriter Joe Ramsey is thrilled to be playing this year’s Evolution Emerging.
The musician, who hails from Middlesbrough, is guaranteed to impress festival-goers at Ernest with his indie-folk music and describes his sound as “poppy alternative.”
The 21-year-old has only been active on the local music scene since mid 2014 but Joe has been playing music since he was young.
From the ashes of another band came the unexpected, but very welcome, creation of The Railway Club. The four-piece – had all been playing in different bands but knew each other from the local music scene. Gradually, they decided they wanted to perform together and The Railway Club was born in 2011.
Acoustic singer-songwriter Alex Dobson releases his third single, Taking You Under, today.
Originally from Peterlee, the musician is known for creating contemporary pop songs although he has recently slipped some blues comfortably into the mix to develop his music.
After his first two singles, Kites and Louder, gathered positive press and a huge number of plays on Youtube, Alex was signed to the artist management company Music Panther in 2014.
Indie-alt rockers The Great Curve released their debut EP last month ahead of their headline slot at this year’s Evolution Emerging,
EP 1 was was launched at a hugely successful gig in the Ouseburn Valley on April 11, before its official release two days later. It features the three tracks: Carried Away, Big Business and The Peril of It All.
Even though the five-piece are a new band, they have a long musical history in Newcastle as The Great Curve features members of Grandfather Birds, Deerhart and Last Waltz. Since forming the band have gone through several line-ups due to members moving away and other commitments, but now seem to have a cohesive line-up.
After a successful 2014, Newcastle-based band Kobadelta are back with a more mature and heavier sound.
The Newcastle five-piece are set to release their third EP, Open Visions, on May 1 with a special launch gig at Think Tank.
It is the highly anticipated follow-up to their second EP, Remain Distracted, which was released last September to great acclaim. Kobadelta threw all their efforts into this EP as it showed a different side to their music.
But with Open Visions’ forthcoming release, the band feel their music has developed further although their latest six-track EP still reflects their unique indie-psych-rock sound.
North -East based band Peculiar Disco Moves are set to release their new EP at the end of this month.
The three-track EP, Hot Off The Press, follows the band’s successful 2014 singles, Lost for Words and When Your Mother Goes Home.
With its release the five-piece leave no stone unturned in their quest for pop’s crown of idiosyncrasy, as their new EP is a foray into the world of lost identity, fallen heroes and where-are-they-now’s.
The overriding theme to Hot Off The Press is one of unknowing regret, and a failure to capitalise on being society’s flavour of the month. Lead track Breaking News is a portrayal of celebrity life, where red tops will sell their Grannies to get a picture of a Z-lister parking his car one minute, then drop him or her like an anchor in the sea the next.
Guitar/Electronic two-piece What We Call Progress are celebrating the release of their new single.
Pack of Cards, is the follow-up to the band’s EP Redacted, and was released via the duo’s bandcamp page on March 30.
What We Call Progress are John Pattison (vocals/guitar) and David Young (Ableton Push, laptop, iPad) who have been playing together on and off since they were teenagers, and gone through several bands before settling on their latest project.
Last July they released their EP Redacted, which was a commentary on the present threat of a dystopian future, and since then the duo have been working on new material.
The end result is their new single, Pack of Cards.
Tyneside band Parastatic celebrated the release of their second studio album with a special homecoming gig last week.
The trio played at The Cumberland Arms to mark the official launch of Recall Fade Return and the end of their mini UK tour.
Recall Fade Return is the highly anticipated follow up to the band’s debut album, Lost in Highway, which was released in 2012 and reflects a different direction for the band.
Indie pop band We Are Not The Same released their debut single, Lizzie, on Monday.
Since forming in 2013 the four-piece have caused a storm in the North East and have built up a loyal following of fans.
The quartet – made up of lead vocalist Joe King, Stephen Dunn (lead guitar), Liam Fairburn (drummer) and Rowan Horne (bass player) – have spent the last year working on new material for their forthcoming debut album, which is set for a summer release.
The band released indie-pop track Shut Up in the summer 2013, which was followed by debut EP Lavender last spring and were amazed by fans’ reactions to their indie pop anthems.
Newcastle Rock ‘n’ Roll band Ali’s Love Child are hoping to stand out from the crowd after reaching the finals of a national music competition.
The quintet, were one of five acts, to perform in the final of The Independent newspaper’s Battle of the Bands competition back in February.
Seventy contestants from universities across the country entered the national competition and Ali’s Love Child were thrilled to make the final.
But disappointingly, the five-piece band didn’t win and came third. However, they received great feedback from the judges, such as BBC Radio 6’s Mary Anne Hobbs, which has inspired them to continue writing and recording material.
Newcastle singer-songwriter Aaron James Cashell hopes his new single helps him stand out from other local musicians.
Aaron has been writing and recording music for the last twelve years but only released his first single back in 2012.
He sang the vocals on soulful house track Do What We Do, with Artful & Ridney – Artful aka Mark Hill, Former Artful Dodgers, producer and co-writer of Craig David’s Born To Do It album. This was released by Hed Kandi Records and even though it didn’t chart it got a lot of radio airplay, which helped open doors for Aaron. He was asked to perform on more high profile shows and met more people in the industry. He also headlined the So:Fest festival in Southampton with Artful and his full band.
Prior to this Aaron had toured Switzerland, Egypt, and Dubai, as well as performing a successful sold out 40-date tour in China.
Aaron has also shared a stage with major artists like Solange Knowles, Labrinth, Taio Cruz, Jagged Edge, Professor Green, Joe Budden, and Memphis Bleek.
Newcastle singer-songwriter Aaron James Cashell hopes his new single helps him stand out from other local musicians.
Aaron has been writing and recording music for the last twelve years but only released his first single back in 2012.
He sang the vocals on soulful house track Do What We Do, with Artful & Ridney – Artful aka Mark Hill, Former Artful Dodgers, producer and co-writer of Craig David’s Born To Do It album. This was released by Hed Kandi Records and even though it didn’t chart it got a lot of radio airplay, which helped open doors for Aaron. He was asked to perform on more high profile shows and met more people in the industry. He also headlined the So:Fest festival in Southampton with Artful and his full band.
Prior to this Aaron had toured Switzerland, Egypt, and Dubai, as well as performing a successful sold out 40-date tour in China.
Aaron has also shared a stage with major artists like Solange Knowles, Labrinth, Taio Cruz, Jagged Edge, Professor Green, Joe Budden, and Memphis Bleek.
One act determined to stand out from the crowd on the local music scene is acoustic musician Chris Binding.
The singer-songwriter, who hails from Sunderland, has been performing for several years in various line-ups but is now focusing on his solo career.
Chris releases his debut album, Karmatose, on March 13, which he recorded over the course of 2014 and he is looking forward to seeing what people think of it.
Gallery Circus are set to release their highly anticipated second single, Hollywood Drip, on Monday.
The Newcastle based band - who are made up of identical twins Graeme and Daniel Ross - evolved when the brothers moved to Chicago in 2010 on a musical mission.
Dan says: “After watching a few local shows and seeing the energy many of the bands were putting out on stage, we decided that was the route for us. So far, we’ve put out one single, Supercell, which has been a great catalyst for the progress we’ve made over the past year or so.”
The two-piece were inspired by their surroundings, particularly the city’s hipster haven Wicker Park, where they headed to write new music and develop their sound.
Indie rock band Elephant Memoirs are celebrating their new single release with a special launch gig next week.
The trio’s single, Mug, will be launched at The Dog and Parrot in Newcastle on Saturday February 28.
The band, who hail from Gateshead, formed in 2013, when its members John Aspinall, Barry Drew and Carl Aspinall reunited after years apart.
Soul singer-songwriter Beth Macari is working on a new EP after the success of her debut single.
Beth has been singing and performing since a young age, and started gigging with her first band at the age of fifteen. Despite writing her own material she did not have the confidence to release any of it until she turned seventeen.
Since then Beth has written two EPs, along with endless amounts of unreleased material; performed as part of a barber-pop girl group; and sang backing vocals for Loose Women star Jane McDonald.
The 21-year-old regularly collaborates with soul/Jazz band Nick Pride & the Pimptones and they have performed at Jazz bars and festivals across the UK. They are currently working on a full album together.
Newcastle-based singer-songwriter James Rooney released his debut EP this week.
Try This At Home, was recorded at home in the musician’s home studio and was launched online on Monday February 2 via Bandcamp. It features the three tracks: Midnight, Drifted Apart and Olivia.
Originally from Warrington, James moved to Newcastle five years to study Psychology at university and he fell in love with the city. He stayed to complete his Masters degree and now works full-time in the city centre whilst pursuing his musical ambitions.
Indie-rock band Hazels are set to release their second single next month.
In Control, is the follow up to their debut single, This Ain’t A Game and was produced by John Martindale and recorded at Newcastle’s Blank Studios.
After the success of This Ain’t A Game, the five-piece firmly established themselves as one of the North East’s most exciting new bands of 2014.
Newcastle musician Trev Gibb has secured a support slot with one of the UK’s top bands, Kaiser Chiefs.
He will be joining them on stage at Newcastle’s Metro Radio Arena on Thursday February 5 and it’s all down to local studio and record label, Mono Productions.
Trev has been working with Mick Ross, producer and co-founder of Mono Productions for the past year and it’s through his connections that the Kaiser Chiefs became aware of Trev’s music.
Electronic pop duo, Silent Houses, are hoping their latest single will help them stand out from the crowd.
The North East is not known for its electronic music, but Silent Houses – aka singer-songwriter Hayley McKay and producer and composer Chris Shaw – are determined to put the region on the map.
The pair released their latest single, One, at a special launch show at Avalon in Darlington at the end of October.
Cross-genre quintet Ink & Paper are hoping their unique sound will help them stand out on the local music scene.
So much so they have taken inspiration from all corners of the musical spectrum to create a blend of acoustic pop, rock and folk music.
The five-piece is made up of brothers Andrew Martin (vocals and guitar) and Phil Martin (drums), along with vocalist Sam Scotney, Lewis Payne who provides bass and backing vocals and guitarist Sam Raper.
The quintet are known for their unique sound as they fuse latin music with jazz and funk to create a mixture of ballads and upbeat songs. This is due to Simon’s influences as he has always had an interest in latin music and has experiemented with its different techniques, as well as playing jazz and funk. Simon has been writing new material and is very positive about the music as it’s a new direction for the band. The tracks are more upbeat with bigger hooks and Simon is hoping to be able to showcase them at festivals next year.
In the meantime the band hope to record a new EP that will be a development upon the music of Continental Girl once they have secured the finances to put it together with the view of releasing it towards the end of 2015.
Next for the five-piece is their single, Hot Love, launch night at The Bridge Hotel in Newcastle on Friday February 6 when they’ll be supported by Lesley Roley and Sol Vedhara.
To keep update with the band go to facebook.com/simontaylorandthesundowners
Alt/indie band Coquin Migale celebrated the release of their second EP with a special gig this week.
The Newcastle four-piece held a launch party for FEEL at The Head of Steam on Wednesday and were joined by Charlie Dancer, Spitfire Hostels and Back Into The Wild.
FEEL is the follow up to their debut EP The Yellow Room and was recorded at Blank Studios in Newcastle across the summer.
The four-track EP features Interlude, Paris and Socotra and lead track Gold, which the band released on their soundcloud in November.
Coquin Migale formed in summer 2013 when current members Alex Soper (vocals & guitar), Matthew Wooton (guitar) and Stevie Kane (bass), all Yorkshire lads, met whilst at University. Drummer Dan Rawlinson joined the band a few months ago, after their previous drummer left after playing with them for a year.
The lads immediately started writing material and produced their debut EP The Yellow Room within weeks. It was recorded in Hexham, Northumberland and released as a free download before the band had even played a live show together. The Yellow Room is a diverse record which demonstrate’s Coquin Migale’s ability to write complex guitar driven indie music with water tight lyrics.
Since its release the band have played all over Newcastle establishing themselves on the local music scene, as well as playing numerous slots at Indie Week, in Ireland.
More recently the quartet have supported Avenues at The Dog and Parrot and played with Spitfire Hostels, Stone Beach and Immy Williams at South Gosforth Social Club.
FEEL was released on December 11 and is available to download from iTunes.
For more information go to www.facebook.com/CoquinMigale or soundcloud.com/CoquinMigale.
Singer-songwriter RJ Thompson released his highly anticipated fifth EP last month.
The musician who hails from Newcastle has been writing and performing for over ten years, but has only just achieved one of his childhood dreams - to perform at the Royal Albert Hall.
RJ is currently on tour with the legendary Jools Holland and is delighted to be supporting him on five of his UK dates, including shows at Birmingham’s Symphony Hall, Manchester’s O2 Apollo, Cardiff’s Motorpoint Arena, and London’s Royal Albert Hall.
The tour also coincides with RJ’s new EP release and he is looking forward to playing his new material to a live audience.
House Upon The Hill features five tracks including No Man’s Land, Numbers, Born Alone, Cannery Row and title track House Upon The Hill, and was produced by Adam Sinclair and recorded in Blast Recording Studios and Loft Music Studios in Newcastle.
The EP has been a project in the making as it has taken RJ a good year or so to complete it. House Upon The Hill reflects RJ’s different musical styles as he fuses folk, jazz and contemporary pop to create a mixture of soulful and catchy hits.
Prior to its release, RJ released the quirky, fun Numbers in May and the more minimalist and starkly honest title track House Upon The Hill at the beginning of November, which were both well received.
The talented multi-instrumentalist has toured with the likes of Gabriella Cilmi, Sandi Thom, The Proclaimers, John Mayall, Midge Ure (UK & German tours), Ultravox, Deacon Blue, John Martyn, Joe Brooks, David Ford, and Cara Dillon, although RJ has no plans for touring in 2015 yet.
To keep up to date with RJ go to www.rjthompsonmusic.com or www.facebook.com/rjthompsonmusic
House Upon The Hill is available to download from iTunes, Google Play and Amazon MP3.
Lisbon are set to release their second single from their forthcoming debut EP next month.
The alt-pop four-piece hail from Whitley Bay and the costal town heavily influences their new single Natïve.
Produced by Joe Atkinson and Jordan Riley at Newcastle’s Blast Studios, Native explodes with the energy of youth, bursting with colour and vibrancy.
Lyrically, the song focuses on the desire to surpass expectation, venturing out of comfort zones in the search of success. The track has already been described as being ‘packed with pop hooks, glistening synthetic production and colossal ambition.’
Lisbon are known for their unforgettable guitar riffs, captivating choruses, and songs full of energy and had great success with their debut single BLUELOVE and second single Rio.
To promote Native, Lisbon will be playing at Deep, in Whitley Bay on Thursday December 18. This will be the band’s first headline show since October, when they played the Riverside, after having been on tour with Eliza and the Bear and Saint Motel. Doors open at 8pm, tickets cost £5 and Street Party in Soho will be supporting them.
If you can’t make that date, then they band will be playing at the O2 Academy, Newcastle on Saturday February 7. For more information go to www.facebook.com/lisbonmusic
Indie rock band Avenues release highly anticipated second single Light It Up tomorrow.
It’s the follow-up to debut single, My Days, My Afternoons, and the Newcastle band hope it’s just as successful.
Drummer Conor McBride explains: “For us, Light It Up is an expression of how feel we feel we have developed as a band in the period we have been together, it is a further development from the sound we were trying to create when we released My Days, My Afternoons / Futures. It is a song which we spent a lot more time perfecting it’s individual components before bringing them together for the finished single.
“It features brand new additional instruments including the use of a synth and even a mandolin. During the recording process we also experimented with the use of gang vocals featuring one of our closest friends to create the collective chorus vocal which made the final single.
“We opted for a deliberately minimalistic choice of lyrics, with the intention for the the song to be universally ambiguous to listeners, allowing people to draw their own conclusions and relate this song to their personal situation. As a song it’s key themes are of knowledge and the idea of discovery, met with the more emotive themes of lust and devotion.”
Avenues will be celebrating the launch of Light It Up with a special gig at The Dog and Parrot, Newcastle on Saturday November 29.
Doors open at 7.30pm and tickets cost £3.
The band will be issuing free copies of the single to everyone who attends.
Indie rock band Avenues release highly anticipated second single Light It Up tomorrow.
It’s the follow-up to debut single, My Days, My Afternoons, and the Newcastle band hope it’s just as successful.
Drummer Conor McBride explains: “For us, Light It Up is an expression of how feel we feel we have developed as a band in the period we have been together, it is a further development from the sound we were trying to create when we released My Days, My Afternoons / Futures. It is a song which we spent a lot more time perfecting it’s individual components before bringing them together for the finished single.
“It features brand new additional instruments including the use of a synth and even a mandolin. During the recording process we also experimented with the use of gang vocals featuring one of our closest friends to create the collective chorus vocal which made the final single.
“We opted for a deliberately minimalistic choice of lyrics, with the intention for the the song to be universally ambiguous to listeners, allowing people to draw their own conclusions and relate this song to their personal situation. As a song it’s key themes are of knowledge and the idea of discovery, met with the more emotive themes of lust and devotion.”
Avenues will be celebrating the launch of Light It Up with a special gig at The Dog and Parrot, Newcastle on Saturday November 29.
Doors open at 7.30pm and tickets cost £3.
The band will be issuing free copies of the single to everyone who attends.
Lost in the Crowd have just finished recording their second EP, Dark, and the first single from the three-track EP, Run, will be released on December 5.
You can listen to the band at soundcloud.com/lost-in-the-crowd or to find out more go to www.facebook.com/lostinthecrowdmusic/info or follow them @litcmusic.
She’s already well on her way to selling out the nearby Metro Radio Arena next year but it was the more intimate surroundings of Newcastle City Hall Paloma Faith dazzled in on Tuesday night.
She could captivate an audience with her distinctive voice alone but while some of her peers are content to just stand behind the mic and do a concert by numbers that is not the cloth that Paloma is cut from.
Ant & Dec tell Helen Rae what they think of Alan Shearer, Gus Poyet and Alan Pardew being in I'm A Celebrity
Bruce Foxton is at the O2 Academy Newcastle on Saturday (Nov 8) with From The Jam, as part of the Setting Sons tour. He recalls to What's On Editor Gordon Barr the making of the Setting Sons album, which featured Eton Rifles, with Paul Weller, and playing it live in its entirety for the first time.
North East rockers Tygers of Pan Tang will be performing in Newcastle at The Cluny on Thursday November 20. Tygers of Pan Tang have been part of the local music scene for over three decades and originally formed in 1978 when Robb advertised in Newcastle Polytechnic for a bass player and a drummer to form an original hard rock band. He recruited Brian Dick (drums), Rocky (real name Richard Laws, bass), and Jess Cox (vocals) and the band rapidly built a local following from relentless touring. In the meantime you can catch the Tygers of Pan Tang at The Cluny on Thursday November 20. Tickets cost £10 in advance or are £13 on the door. To find out more information go to www.tygersofpantang.com
After leaving The Smiths in 1987, Johnny Marr had been something of a wanderer, a roaming guitar-slinger for hire. Then, at the grand old age of 49, he decided he was ready to release his debut solo album, The Messenger.
The North East is not known for its electronic music, but Synoiz – aka Graeme Donaldson from Newcastle – is determined to put the region on the map. Synoiz released his second album, Frontiers, earlier this month and is excited about his latest project as it’s a new direction for the musician.
Hebburn star Pat Dunn talks about playing Dot in the hit sitcom and why there aren't as many regional sitcoms as there used to be on the BBC.
The Celebrity Big Brother winner discusses his year from hell, his love for Dappy and the debt he owes his fans for sticking with him.