WEEKLY ROUND-UP (19.06.23)

Image: Shipbuilders & Fisherfolk, artwork by Jonny Hannah

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

MUSIC
Kurt Vile & The Violators
Vile’s latest offering, a 15-track psych-country affair entitled Watch My Moves, has many of the hallmarks we’ve come to know and love about him. It also has a refreshing dose of maturity – the singer-songwriter has come a long way since his 2009 debut, growing into his lonesome raconteur image in the process. The album is a slow trip, by way of erudite monologues, hazy guitar and simple, toe-tapping melodies, into the foggy recesses of Vile’s subconscious, and seeks to tackle a lot of the big questions. Those attending this particular tour should expect reflection in all its forms, from tracks awash with simple joie de vivre (Goin’ On A Plane Today) to lo-fi melancholy and heartbreak (Wages of Sin).
Tuesday 20^th June @ Boiler Shop, Newcastle

Image: Kelis

MUSIC
Kelis
Throughout her career, Kelis is at her best when she is experimenting, and each of her records are a testament to her creative talent. The singer-songwriter has always explored genre, tinkering with new sounds in a way that leaves each record feeling energised and eclectic. Bouncing from harsh, industrial pop to slick neo-soul, albums like Kaleidoscope and Wanderland are full of fresh, funky innovation that has seeped across the genre as a blueprint, influencing the next wave of R&B stars. On support duties is suave and soulful Teesside star Dylan Cartlidge, whose summertime sense of sunshine and optimism will be an endearing addition to what is sure to be a wonderful night of talent.
Tuesday 20^th June @ Sage Gateshead

STAGE
Chop, Dissolve, Burn
Chop, Dissolve, Burn, which has been devised by author Lisette Auton and disabled activist Richard Boggie, relentlessly pokes fun at society’s attitudes towards disability, whilst exposing the terrifying truth about the impacts of inequality on disabled people’s lives. When disabled and non-disabled worlds collide, the consequences can be serious…or seriously funny.
Tuesday 20^th June-Saturday 8^th July @ Alphabetti, Newcastle

STAGE
Sucker Punch
The critically acclaimed National Theatre production of Sucker Punch by leading playwright Roy Williams lands at Sunderland’s Fire Station, which tells of two best friends, Leon and Troy, who spend their teenage years growing up in a boxing gym and explores the experience of being young and Black in the 1980s in an exciting and electrifying stage production.
Wednesday 21^st-Friday 23^rd June @ The Fire Station, Sunderland

Image: Royal Blood

MUSIC
Royal Blood
Vocalist Mike Kerr and drummer Mike Thatcher have taken a new approach to touring since the release of their 2021 album, Typhoons. Despite leaning into a sound more suited for the dancefloor, and earning rave reviews in the process, the band have spoken about the difficult juncture that the album came to represent. With rock ‘n’ roll having taken its toll on the band mentally, they’ve since embraced sobriety and have been producing the best performances of their career. Their transitions are seamless and their energy is unmatched by most on the UK scene at the moment, so the chance to see them play in such a revered venue is not one to be missed.
Wednesday 21^st June @ O2 City Hall, Newcastle

MUSIC
The Howl & The Hum
Mainstays on the independent club and festival circuit, York’s The Howl & The Hum, return to the Cluny 2 in Newcastle on Wednesday 21st June to preview some brand new tracks in an intimate setting. Support on the night also comes from Dingus Khan’s most excellent Ben Brown. 
Wednesday 21^st June @ Cluny 2, Newcastle

MUSIC
Calum Howard
Renowned composer, producer, sound designer and music facilitator Calum Howard has had quite the run so far, having collaborated with the likes of Minor Victories, Du Blonde and Ruth Lyon, as well as recently producing releases by Me Lost Me and Ceitidh Mac. His solo sets find him mining hidden gems from his back catalogue and also previewing unreleased music, which fuses elements of electronic music with cinematic and contemporary classical sounds, with improvisation and experimentation in equal measure. Support comes from Rhythm Section artist Contours, whose trail-blazing output merges delay-soaked balafon and homemade instruments with mechanical polyrhythms that glide on a sea of synth-soaked symphonies, which has earned him plaudits from the likes of Giles Peterson and Mr. Scruff.
Thursday 22^nd June @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle

COMEDY
Dead Men Talking Comedy Roast
Podcast Dead Men Talking have carved out a niche within the murky underworld of dark humour and their so far meteoric rise has taken them to the top of iTunes charts and on a nationwide, headline tour. Hosted by award winning comedians Freddy Quinne and Rob Mulholland; the duo were enjoying burgeoning solo comedy careers before their joint love of edgy humour brought them together in a podcast studio. Their usual live show treads a fine line between the podcast format in which they’ve made their name and more conventional stand up routines. Audiences should expect a comedy roast, with the three panellists vying to deliver the hardest, most brutal roasts to their fellow panellists and willing participants from the audience.
Thursday 22^nd June @ Middlesbrough Town Hall

STAGE
Vortex
Olivier Award winning choreographer Russell Maliphant’s new work, VORTEX, is influenced by the works and process of Jackson Pollock and Abstract Expressionism, employing Maliphant’s own blend of contemporary dance and martial arts, creating a work which paints his own interpretation with movement, light and shadow to create a visually rich journey. VORTEX sees the dancers become magically fluid, sinuous and expansive as their movement plays with gravity, light and shadow. Audiences can expect a visually stunning performance, with choreography complemented by the painterly use of props, scenery and light, adding a further dimension to the contorted movements on stage. VORTEX promises an immersive experience that draws the audience in.
Thursday 22^nd June @ Dance City, Newcastle

Image: VORTEX

STAGE
Bonewords
Bonewords is a project led by award-winning dramaturg and writer Louise Stern and visual artist Hetain Patel, who have worked with various creative practitioners and choreographers to create a new piece of work alongside volunteer dance participants. Bonewords began with a selection of notes Louise has used over the years, a collection of conversations that were essential for collaboration and connection. As a deaf artist, these notes have been one of the main ways in which Louise has been communicating with people; from drunken nights out, or in cafes, to artistic projects she has been working on. This personal history archive is one that all the artists explore together and used as the basis to develop dance, alongside the participants’ own experiences.
Friday 23^rd June @ Northern Stage, Newcastle

MUSIC
Willi Carlisle
The peg on which Americana star Willi Carlisle hangs his hat is forged in a cultural history. Carlisle’s untouchable magic of music, stories and poems brings a telling insight into the world and art of Americana going back generations, with the celebration of new modern contexts at its forefront.In his work, Carlisle uses the rich ballads and tunes of the Ozarks in Missouri where he lives, to express compelling arcs and diverse styles, drawing together topics such as queer heartbreak with sardonic trucker Ballards and existential talkin’ blues. He uses his emphatic talent, quick wit and passion to demonstrate a keen knack for appreciating the work of our forbearers whilst growing new ideas and telling stories relevant to our times.
Friday 23^rd June @ The Globe, Newcastle

ART & LIT
Jonny Hannah: Shipbuilders & Fisherfolk
Celebrate the hidden histories of Hartlepool as they are revealed in an exhibition of illustrated works by award winning and world renowned artist Jonny Hannah. This body of work showcases the depth of local memory, exploring strange stories from curious characters of the recent and distant past, as the mixed-media creative presents a vision of the town unlike any ever presented before. Come and celebrate the hidden histories of Hartlepool as they are revealed in an exhibition of illustrated works by award winning and world renowned artist Jonny Hannah. This body of work showcases the depth of local memory, exploring strange stories from curious characters of the recent and distant past, as the mixed-media creative presents a vision of the town unlike any ever presented before.
Saturday 24^th June-Saturday 4^th November @ Hartlepool Art Gallery