WEEKLY ROUND-UP (08.05.23)

Image: What Is Love?

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 May issue of NARC. magazine – out now in print and online.

ART & LIT The Dovecot Street Show

The Dovecote Street Show will bring together a wide array of contemporary art in a new exhibition space at the Dovecote Centre in Amble. Organised by painter Luke McTaggart and photographer Jim Donnelly, in partnership with the Northumberland Theatre Company and backed by Amble Town Council, the exhibition aims to showcase the breadth of talent both in the area and the wider North-East. Overall, it’ll feature a total of 50 participants, representing painting, printmaking, photography and sculpture.

The exhibition runs May 8th-May 28th (10am-4pm). There will be a special day of talks and screenings on Saturday 27th May.

MUSIC Freekind.
Austrian duo Freekind. have a philosophy we can more than get behind: be free, be kind. Croatian pianist and vocalist Sara Ester Gredelj and Slovenian drummer Nina Korošak-Serčič’s music carries messages of hope and love, all wrapped up in soulful R&B and jazz which draws influence from the likes of PJ Morton, Common and YEBBA.
Tuesday 9^th May @ Bobiks, Newcastle

STAGE What Is Love
A preview performance written and directed by North East actor, writer, director and theatre-maker Umar Butt, What Is Love? takes us on a journey through storytelling, music and dance, in a show about connection, drawing on the thoughts and experiences of the audience as well as the performers.
Thursday 11^th May @ ARC, Stockton

MUSIC Iona Lane
Leeds-based Iona Lane studied music under the guidance of folk luminaries like Nancy Kerr, Jim Moray and Stuart McCallum, so no wonder her transcendent sound is rich in storytelling and mythology. Accompanied by intricate guitar and the hypnotic tones of a shruti box (similar to a harmonium), her sound is contemplative and captivating.
Thursday 11^th May @ Cobalt, Newcastle & Saturday 13^th @ Claypath Deli, Durham

ART & LIT Newcastle Poetry Festival
Exploring the theme of community, the festival brings together writers, readers and publishers from across the world while showcasing talent from the North. Highlights include a celebration of contemporary voices in 100 Queer Poems with Mary Chan and a performance of poems by Carol Ann Duffy and Imtiaz Dharker accompanied by musician John Sampson. The festival also includes the Northern Poetry Symposium 2023
Thursday 11^th -Monday 13^th May @ Northern Stage, Newcastle

MUSIC Dead Kennedys
The legendary controversial, satirical, but first and foremost punk-defining rock band are known for their politically charged lyrics, blistering guitar riffs and energetic live performances which carved out the American punk rock scene since their formation in the late 1970s. The band’s rebellious spirit still renders the critical, virile sounds of their youth, despite the passing years.
Friday 12^th May @ The Boiler Shop, Newcastle

STAGE Clean at 17
Award-winning actress Katie O’Brien presents her autobiographical one-woman show which tells a humorous, self-reflective, taboo-defying story of O’Brien’s road to addiction recovery which began at the ripe age of 17. Taking audiences through the ups and downs of her 23-year sobriety and process of recovery, from 12-step programmes to self-exploration, the show is comedic, sincere, and has interactive elements, so be prepared to immerse yourself in O’Brien’s journey.
Friday 12^th May @ Northern Stage, Newcastle

ART & LIT Solid Matter
Drawing together work by three artists, Effie Burns, Katy Cole and Jill Tate, Solid Matter considers how we relate to being in the world; work includes tangible miniature sculptures, intricate seed packets and monochromatic paintings and prints.
Friday 12^th May-Saturday 24^th June @ Gallagher & Turner

MUSIC Shambolics
No strangers to rollicking indie bands, the good folk at KU promise a show to remember as they bring indie pop four-piece Shambolics to their stage. Signed to Alan McGee’s Creation23 label, the band’s Britpop style mixed with 80s grooves and catchy killer hooks makes them an enjoyable prospect.
Saturday 13^th May @ KU, Stockton

Image: Novelty Island by Jack Hope

MUSIC Novelty Island
Novelty Island is the creation of Liverpool-based singer and songwriter Tom McConnell, who earned rave reviews for the stunning debut album How Are You Coping With This Century. the debut album was a suitably fantastic blend of surreal pop, melody, harmony vocals and wry humour. The follow-up is altogether more adventurous, and takes the form of a conceptual TV channel. GoGo is an excellent slice of indie rock, whereas Sea Miner is dripping with synth pop joy.
Saturday 13^th May @ The Cumberland Arms, Newcastle

MUSIC Songs From Northern Britain
Featuring Edinburgh’s Swim School, who always enjoy a rave reception for their noise and dream pop concoctions; Glaswegian punk outfit Humour, whose visceral sound has already made a strong impression; Teesside’s own Sarah Johnsone brings her hook-filled melodies and impressive vocals to the gig; plus there’s alt. rockers The Joy Hotel, the escapist pop of Rudi Zygadlo, the powerful folk rock of Hector Gannet, soulful Americana artist Ren Lawton, melancholic songwriter Michael Timmons and legendary Tyneside gothic rock legends Ghost//Signals. 
Saturday 13^th May @ The Georgian Theatre & The Green Room, Stockton

MUSIC Generator First Notes
Artists on Generator’s Youth Music funded First Notes programme will introduce new compositions. Highlights of a packed running order include Maius Mollis, whose new track Feel It Hard has a fragile sincerity in the lyrics over a just-contained backbeat and electric guitar; talented songwriter Cosial offers confessional bedroom pop with grunge inflections; Tia Leoni provides some smooth RnB; up-and-coming singer-songwriter Rivkala fuses soul and disco; ukulele-driven pop musician Borrelle; alongside brand new artists Jenali, Claire and Purle.
Sunday 14^th May @ The Cumberland Arms, Newcastle

COMEDY John Kearns
John Kearns’ short bursts of comedy are overflowing with personality, parodying various genres of comedy, cinema and TV. This show will demonstrate Beckett-King’s knack for twisting astute observations into the whimsical and aloof, but also his passion for multimedia. The Interdimensional ABK explores a series of timelines, fighting to make ours the best. Focused on happiness and overcoming misery, the comic leaps into the obscure and the random with ease, plucking out hilarious anecdotes, aided by his equally stylised illustrations. 
Sunday 14^th May @ The Stand, Newcastle

Image: John Kearns by Rah Petherbridge Photography