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Our pick of some of the best events taking place across the region this week…
Image: Alogte Oho & His Sounds of Joy by M. Weissenfeldt
Every week we pull together some of the best events taking place across the region, from music and theatre, to comedy, art and film. Read more on these, and other events, in the latest issue of NARC. magazine in print and online.
MUSIC
Despite almost 20 years of non stop music making, releasing and touring, American hardcore punk band Terror are finally making their Newcastle debut, when they play Digital on Monday 16th June. Having set a gold standard for hardcore punk in the last 20 years, remaining at the forefront of the scene throughout the entirety of that duration, there’s no doubt that Terror are a must see for any self respecting fans of punk music. Terror are renowned for their consistent high energy, passion, and eruptive live performances, and are led by seasoned performer Scott Vogel (also of Buried Alive, Bad Blood, Slugfest, Despair and World Be Free), a stalwart of the hardcore scene. He is a textbook ‘tough guy’ frontman, and, with bucketfuls of banter, vigour and onstage antics, he will be sure to make Terror’s trip up North worth their time and yours. As their only Northern date in the UK this year, with support from special guests Jivebomb, it’s set to be an explosive headline set from one of the most influential and determined hardcore punk bands of the 21st century, and you definitely shouldn’t miss it.
Monday 16th June @ Digital
STAGE
Alison Stanley’s smash hit show, Hard, heads to Laurels Theatre in Whitley Bay between Tuesday 17th and Friday 27th June. Written, produced, and featuring Alison, it’s a wonderfully written tale exploring the realities of the sex industry through the eyes of Zee: a sex worker, chat girl, and general dogsbody. It’s also a story brilliantly aligned with Laurels’ aims of creating bold work, and telling stories from marginalised groups, especially from lower socio-economic voices, so it’s the perfect setting to see this story told. Alison has previously had a hit with her play Life of Reilly, inspired by real-life experiences of autism, and she has experience on screen, stage, and musical theatre. Hard is intended to be funny yet serious, and, when it sold out six days at Cluny 2 in Ouseburn, it was met with laughter, emotion, and all round rave reviews. It offers a moving insight into the sex industry, whilst remaining grounded in humour and elements of relatability; such as a father in need of care, and a phone which won’t stop ringing. Make sure you catch this fresh, perceptive hilarious play.
Tuesday 17th June @ Laurels
Image by: Elly Welford
STAGE
Coming to Newcastle on Wednesday 18th June is Sunny Side: a raw, deeply relevant, and powerful exploration of what it means to be a young man in Britain today. Touring nationally in partnership with Andy’s Man Club, this new production is informed by the real voices of over 750 young people from across the UK. Their hopes, fears, frustrations, and resilience are woven into every moving moment on stage. Blending contemporary dance, theatre, and spoken word, Sunny Side is both a celebration and a call to action for chance, striving to spread the message of connection, understanding, and hope. The result is a visually striking performance that centres around the character of K as he attempts to navigate feeling without a purpose. Set in a small Northern town, the performance refuses to shy away from the complex web of masculinity, mental health, and growing up in a world that doesn’t listen. Presented at Dance City in Newcastle, this show is not just a performance, but a powerful, necessary, and long overdue piece which will make you think. Through movement, poetry, and more, Sunny Side allows for the discussion around men’s mental health to be burst wide open.
Wednesday 18th June @ Dance City
MUSIC
French-German duo KOU return to The Lubber Fiend, Newcastle on Wednesday 18th June, with their shapeshifting blend of experimental composition, dada-pop, and jazz-not-jazz atmosphere. Apolline Schöser and Thomas Coquelet conjure strange beauty from lush guitar pluckings, smoky piano loops, and ghostly vocal textures, their live sets a heady swirl of detuned lullabies, ambient murmurs, and glitching nostalgia. It’s intimate and immersive; like an oddball group of friends you might meet by chance and end up weirding-out with for days, as the minds behind this deliciously odd music allow you to stay for a while in their strange subcultural world. Their debut LP hints at 70s Italian art pop, 90s freak-folk, and post-everything tape hiss but live, it becomes something else entirely. They’re joined by audiovisual duo Gaute Granli & Gabriela Gonzalez, layering warped electronics and performative visuals into something that pulses, stutters and glows in real time. Opening the night is Newcastle’s own Mothlight, a rising experimentalist sculpting tones from steel strings, magnetic fields, and hacked children’s toys, a mesmerising blend of DIY noise and industrial lullabies. Expect AV disorientation, off-kilter grooves, with a serious edge. This is one of those shows you stumble into and leave changed.
Wednesday 18th June @ Lubber Fiend
MUSIC
There are some incredible sibling bands kicking about, and Dubinski – four brothers – are very much included in those ranks. They release their new album What Is Your Definition Of Happiness, which they describe as being influenced by Paul Simon, LCD Soundsystem and our very own Maxïmo Park. Support comes from Bugman.
Friday 20th June @ The Engine Room, North Shields
MUSIC
Following a year-long residency at the stunning Seventeen Nineteen (formerly the Holy Trinity Church) in Sunderland’s East End, The Black Cat Jazz Club is moving to another grand and beautiful city venue – Sunderland Minster. The relaunch is hitting the ground running on Friday 20th June, bringing British-Jamaican vocalist Alexia Gardner to arguably the most beautiful and intimate venue in the city, backed by an accomplished band of North East players including Harry Keeble on tenor saxophone, Alan Law on piano, Jude Murphy on bass and Abbie Finn on drums. Alexia Gardner has lived and performed all over the world over the last 25 years; across Asia, in Switzerland, in New York City and beyond. Over the course of her career she has released five vocal jazz records, received two Grammy nominations and has even sung the South African national anthem to Nelson Mandela. She has now relocated once more, this time to Northumberland, and audiences can expect seasoned and precision reinterpretations of standards and classics. Her fifth and most recent album, entitled Feeling The Love, Songs Of My Mother, Songs Of My Father, was a record comprising songs that formed the backdrop of her childhood and is a tribute to her parents. You can guarantee that these songs will be performed with not only a maturity and authority, but with a lot of love and care.
Friday 20th June @ Sunderland Minster
MUSIC
Performing at Newcastle’s Cobalt Studios on Friday 20th June, headliners Raz Olsher & Afla Sackey are a duo whose music represents a harmonious union of African influences with electronic music, full of soul, vibrant energy and captivating rhythms. Originally from Tel Aviv, Raz (owner of Fossil Studios) is an award-winning, chart topping, multi-platinum producer. His repertoire includes a broad range of solo electronic music productions, alongside composing and production credits for a plethora of other artists including Basement Jaxx, Sam Lee and Lamar. Afla’s background as a session musician has included work with artists such as Ginger Baker, Sun Ra, Oren Marshall, Osibisa, Ibibio Sound Machine and Tony Allen, as well as collaborations with Sadler’s Wells and the Royal Festival Hall. 2022 debut LP The Cycle received a wealth of critical acclaim from the likes of Gilles Peterson and Lauren Laverne, and saw plays on Radio 1Xtra and Radio6Music. Support comes from Kema Kay, a local artist who initially honed his craft for rap, singing and songwriting in a local youth project where he spent most of his time as a teen. He’s gone on to perform at the biggest venues around Newcastle, and branched out into the screen and stage with a turn in the acclaimed Ken Loach film I, Daniel Blake. Fresh from a 108-date run of the stage adaptation of the film, Kema is back home working on a brand new album, and he’ll be showcasing some choice cuts from it at Cobalt.
Friday 20th June @ Cobalt Studios
MUSIC
Anthemic indie pop outfit Fickle Friends make their return to the North East as part of their intimate tour with Music Venue Trust supported by Jack Daniels. Sunderland’s Independent won’t know what hit it on Friday 20th June, when the high-energy stadium ready outfit enters the stage to bring their fast paced hits old and new to their eager fanbase who’ve been deprived of Fickle Friends for years. The band started releasing in 2014 and have made their return with the first few new releases since 2022 in this year’s singles Happier and Swoon! Formed in Brighton in 2013, Fickle Friends broke into the UK Top 10 with their debut album You Are Someone Else, and made a name for themselves with their sharp songwriting and rhythmic grooves. With their indie approach and ever evolving sound; from synth-driven, to a more organic and band-led instrumental indie style; they’ve gained a reputation that is hard to beat even after years of having been absent. With renewed energy and new material up their sleeves, Fickle Friends are back pushing forward and capturing the highs and lows of modern life with soaring vocals, thumping rhythms and colourful, vibrant soundscapes that will have Independent shaking at its core!
Friday 20th June @ Independent
Image: Sunderland Year of Music – Franz Ferdinand
MUSIC
Welcome to Sunderland Year of Music
Sunderland’s celebration of its musical connections continues this month with a showcase of music across the city, headed up by a couple of big-name local (ish) stars. The Sunderland Year of Music is a year-long celebration of their Music City status which will see over 500 events celebrating the city’s music scene, kicking off on Saturday 21st June with a host of performances topped off by a headline show at The Fire Station from Adele Sandé, aka Emile Sandé, who was born in the city. It’ll mark the first performance under her real name for the soulful songwriter, who is expected to perform new material alongside improvisations and revitalised classics from her impressive back catalogue. Also on the day, venues including Independent, Live Lounge, Pop Recs Ltd., The Peacock, The Dun Cow, Arts Centre Washington, Mexico 70 and more will open their doors for an impressive range of live music shows, many of which will be free or ‘pay what you feel’. Later in the week, Wednesday 25th June will see another returning musical icon perform at The Fire Station; Alex Kapranos from spiky indie heroes Franz Ferdinand spent several years in the city before moving to Scotland, and the band’s reputation for exciting live shows will ensure yet another memorable performance to celebrate the city’s musical heritage.
Friday 20th June @ Various Venues
EVENTS
Great Northern Contemporary Craft & Art Fair
Over 100 independent arts and crafts creatives will showcase their work at Newcastle’s Great Northern Contemporary Craft & Art Fair at Northumbria University from Friday 20th to Sunday 22nd June. The first event of its kind in the region will take place in the heart of the city and will display a range of art, sculpture, textiles, jewellery, furniture, ceramics and much more. Its Manchester-based organisers finally bring this wonderful concept to the North East to help independent crafters showcase and sell their products. For one weekend only, Northumbria University’s Sport Central will be transformed for a three-day celebration of luxury, high-end arts and crafts. Visitors to the fair will be able to browse, interact, and buy unique pieces directly from its makers while also having the opportunity to try their hand at crafting some creations of their own. Locally crafted furniture, demonstrations of endangered handloom weaving skills, and contemporary designs will all be on display or for sale at the event that should have something for everyone. The event promises to highlight the region’s best and most original arts and crafts creators, but also showcasing international crafts, which should ensure the Great Northern Contemporary Craft & Art Fair will widen horizons, while inspiring and bringing together craft lovers from throughout the North East.
Friday 20th June @ Northumbria University
STAGE
Biting Point is a bold outdoor production that pushes the boundaries of what theatre and performance art are. Biting Point tells the story of two people who spend their working days stuck in traffic – that is, until an accident on the Humber Bridge roundabout turns their lives upside down forever. The play is being performed outdoors at the Seafield House car park in Redcar on Saturday 21st-Sunday 22nd June, where audiences will wear headphones to enhance the theatrical experience and blur the line between watching a piece of theatre and being actively involved in it. The production, whilst focused on the central story, also examines the pressures of modern day life, the unspoken frustrations, hidden anger, and moments when we struggle to know what comes next. This is a piece of theatre which experiments in new ways – though only ever enhancing the experience, of course. The writer, Sid Sagar, manages to capture the essence of the play beautifully. “Audiences will be in the thick of the action. They will be witnesses, observers, participants and bystanders. They will be confronted with challenging questions and complicated characters. Their connection with the performers will be immediate.” So, for a brilliant piece of new theatre like no other, this is a must see!
Saturday 21st June @ Seafield House Car Park
MUSIC
A midsummers evening at the Cumberland Arms presents the opportunity to spend an evening in the company of a legend of the LGBTQI+ community, poet and songwriter Caleb Nichols, on Saturday 21st June. His work creates a bridge between the world of music, poetry and community driven creativity. Having had more than twenty years of active creative practice, Nichols is presently the poet laureate of San Luis Ospibo, California, where he owns a bookstore, SLO Book Bike, which has become a centre of radical ideas, and queer artistic expression. Musically, his melodic and melancholic song writing is reminiscent of Elliot Smith, Brendan Benson and Sufjan Stevens, with 2022’s Ramon, released on Kill Rock Stars, the most recent showcase of his considerable melodic and lyrical mastery. Beautifully selected support comes from Yeavering Bells, a band born from the ashes of Canyons, who make perfectly astute Americana and indie-pop which speaks to a sense of beauty and longing, speaking to the sensibilities of the likes of The Sundays and Veronica Falls. Completing the bill is local fuzz-pop legends Baker Island, fresh from releasing their new extended play Stone Age Riot. Baker Island make chaotic indie pop in cryptic, heartbroken mould of Los Campesinos and Pavement.
Saturday 21st June @ The Cumberland Arms
MUSIC
Alogte Oho & His Sounds of Joy
Pure sunshine vibes in music form, beloved Alogte Oho & His Sounds of Joy are the number one Frafra gospel artists to explode onto the Bolgatanga music scene in Northern Ghana, and we are incredibly lucky to have them in Newcastle on what will be an amazing, feel good evening.
Sunday 22nd Jun @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle
