February Edition (Published 02/02/2016)

Transcription

WE’RE LISTENING! - FREE NORTH EAST MUSIC MAGAZINE | www.nevolume.co.uk | February 2016 | Issue #8
Follow NE Volume/
CAGE THE ELEPHANT
“we just try to keep things spontaneous and make sure that
we make each performance a true experience”
Sherlocks to play the arena
eliza and the bear at the georgian
lisbon at riverside, newcastle
artist spotlight - figmennt
bloc party & drenge
nme awards tour 2016
shields new album launch gig
mixtape middlesbrough turns seven
aces & sinners new ep review
alien ant farm at northumbria uni
richie ramone at the cluny
daughter at the 02 academy
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LET’S TURN UP THE
NORTH EAST VOLUME!
Welcome to NE VOLUME!
Thank you so much for picking up NE Volume magazine, the
magazine produced by local music fans, for local music fans.
Thankfully slow January has now passed and we’re moving
into the busier months for not only live music, but for
recordings too. We’ve been swamped with the amount of
recordings being released this month, but do keep sending
them over to us at [email protected] and we’ll do all
we can to include something either in the magazine or
online at www.nevolume.co.uk.
In this month’s edition, we chat to Cage the Elephant
about their new album and their upcoming Newcastle date, we provide you with our honest opinion of
Daughters gig at the 02 Academy, we keep you up to date
with what’s happening in the region this month including
The Sherlocks at the Arena, Middlesbrough, Lisbon at
Riverside, Newcastle, there’s a special feature on Mixtape,
Middlesbrough as the live music night turns seven, and so
much more.
Just to remind you, if you’ll be running a gig or bringing any
new material out in March/April then please email us at
[email protected] and we’ll do all we possibly can to
include a review/news piece in our March edition
which will be released on the 1st of March.
Again, thank you for reading NE Volume Magazine
Lee Allcock
Editor
NE Volume Magazine
Contents
4
Advertise With Us/Contact Details
5
Gig Preview: Cattle & Cane At Think Tank?
5
Gig Preview: Telegram At KU Bar
6
Album News: Werberniuk
6
Gig Preview: Charity Night In Aid Of Alzheimers And
Dementia At The Belle Vue Club
7
Gig Preview: The Sherlocks At The Arena
8
Gig Announcement: Trivium At Empire
9
Acoustic Night: Rod Clements At The Saltburn Blues Club
9
Gig Preview: Girl Sweat At The Cumberland Arms
10
New Single Release: Ani Sandwith
10
Gig Preview: Lisbon At The Riverside
11
Gig Preview: Martin Turner At The ARC
11
Festival Preview: Fleecetonbury
12
Artist Spotlight: Figmennt
15
Mixtape Turns Seven Years Old!
16
Ale & Arty Festival Is Coming To The Arc
19
Ear To The Ground - Monthly Gigs In Middlesbrough
20
The Spa Hotel Is Launching ‘Live’ By The Sea
21
North Group Films Is Looking For Volunteers
22
Bloc Party Get Ready For The NME Tour
23
Drenge Express Their Excitement Of The NME Tour
24
Cage The Elephant Come To Newcastle
26
Eliza And The Bear Are Coming To Teesside
27
Spring King Head To Newcastle
27
Fun Lovin’ Criminals And Their Politics
28
Shields Talk To NE Volume About Their Upcoming Gigs
29
Richie Ramone And The Past 25 Years
30
The WS Collective At The Twisted Lip
30
Alien Ant Farm At Northumbria University
32
Digits Farewell Gig At The 02 Academy
32
An Audience With.. Singer/Songwriters
37
The Temperance Movement At The 02 Academy
37 Daughter At The 02 Academy
38 Alistair James At Mixtape
38 Lindi Ortega At The Cluny
40 Aces & Sinners - ‘Self Titled’ EP Review
40 Eujenics - ‘Humanism’ EP Review
40 Heist - ‘Floor Light Flickers’ Single Review
41 People Making Noises - ‘Self Titled’ Album Review
41 Shamu - ‘Dive’ Single Review
41 The Band For Disease Control And Prevention
‘Caution Axiety Attack’ And ‘Heavy Stone’ Double
Sided Single Review
46 February Gig Listings
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Gig Preview: Cattle & Cane
at Think Tank?, Newcastle
Friday February 12th sees Teesside pop/folk/acoustic band,
Cattle & Cane, play the Think Tank?, Newcastle as part of their
2016 UK Tour.With a fresh new album, ‘Home’ under their
belts and a few sold out shows in the North East, this is sure
to be another step forward for these guys and is therefore
one of their most highly-anticipated gigs of 2016.The
Thornaby-based band are moving from strength to strength in
the North East scene and are continuing to branch out to the
nationwide scene; playing festivals in London and going up and
down the country on this new headline tour. In terms of their
Think Tank? gig, I’ve always thought that going to a band’s local
venue makes for a more enjoyable show, no matter what.
And with Cattle & Cane being no stranger to the North East,
they’re sure to put on an excellent show. Multiple reviews
from many different publications - including the Gazette,
and the Independent - have said that the band are definitely
a name to watch out for and that their music is of fantastic
standards and enjoyable by all.
So now you’ve heard what the critics make of them, find out
for yourself. And what better way is there to spend a Friday
night than watching one of the North East’s best up and
coming talents?
Purchase tickets for the event, priced at £7.70 in advance,
from seetickets.com.
Written by Oli Howes
Gig Preview: Telegram
+ Serinette + Crease at KU Bar, Stockton
LET’S GET
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editor: Lee Allcock | SUB-Editor: Emily Hook
Creative: Tom Brown
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Contact - [email protected]
Renowned Teesside promoters, Shine Like Stars, presents
a night of live music on Friday 19th February.They’ll be
showcasing Telegram, Serinette and Crease all under the same
roof at Stockton’s infamous venue, KU Bar; which is wellknown for hosting the hottest local and national talent.
Headliners of the night come in the form of London
four-piece,Telegram as they stop up North on their UK
tour to celebrate the release of their eagerly-awaited and
eponymously titled debut album. Coming together two years
ago,Telegram have made it their goal to be made known and
have gathered a loyal support of followers along the way.With
a number of singles already released, such as ‘Follow’, ‘Regatta’,
‘Inside Outside’ and most recently ‘Aeons’, expect a stunning
set of songs from one of the most exciting bands around right
now.Teesside band, Serinette have been getting their name
about across the region and UK-wide recently, having made
appearances on BBC Radio 1, Amazing Radio, BBC Radio 6,
and BBC Introducing. Offering a blaze of energy to their live
shows, the five-piece who are signed to Sound Hub Records
- the UK’s fastest growing Independent Record Label – always
put on an energetic live show. For openers, Crease,Think
Mick Jagger only based in Teesside.This groovy funk band, with
a hint of psychedelic rock, are upcoming and definitely ones
to look out for. Advance tickets, priced at £3, are available
from Sound It Out Records and The Storytellers in Stockton.
5
NEWS
Gig Preview: The Sherlocks
Album News: Werberniuk
Teesside band,Werberniuk, are back with their long-awaited
new album ‘One Of Us Did’. It’s the band’s second release
- the first one being ‘Avenge My Death’.The band combines
percussion with electronic and catchy vocals whilst their
lyrics speak of politics and society in a whole new fresh way.
The band have noted that their new album has “a slightly
different sound” and one that also “conveys a lot of different
thoughts and opinions on society”.They feel as though
they’ve matured as a band and explained that they’re finally
beginning to find a sound they like and are sure that they’ve
created something that their fans will love.The Teessiders,
who describe themselves under the genres argu-rock and
skiffletronica, already have a large number of followers across
the region.They’ve also played a number of gigs up and down
the country - such as Manchester and London - catching
attention with their fun attitude towards music and playing
live. ‘One Of Us Did’ will be released on Friday 5th February
via Smoggy Sounds Records.The band will then perform at
two album release shows on Saturday 6th February with the
first one taking place at Sound It Out Records in Stockton
at 4.00pm; before they head over to play The Sun Inn, also in
Stockton, at 8.00pm where they’ll be supported by Monkeys
In Love and The Leprosy Crooks.The new album will be
available to buy at both gigs, and is also purchasable from
Sound It Out Records.The digital copies will be available from
iTunes, Amazon,Werbeniuk’s official Bandcamp page and on
most digital platforms.
at The Arena, Middlesbrough
Sheffield band,The Sherlocks - which is made up of sets of
brothers in Kieran and Brandon Crook and Josh and Andy
Davidson - are set to play Middlesbrough’s The Arena on the
26th February.The indie four-piece have received radio plays
from the likes of Annie Mac, Huw Stephens, and Greg James
on Radio One over the past few months and it certainly looks
like they’re heading for big things.The band will no doubt be
playing their most well-known tracks over the course of the
evening, including 2014’s ‘Live for the Moment’ and 2015’s
‘Escapade’. Plus they’re sure to be debuting new music and
their most recent release ‘Heart of Gold.’ This isn’t the first
time The Sherlocks have played Teesside - notably they played
KU Bar in Stockton back in October - but with their growing
popularity it may be the last time we see the band in Teesside
for a long time; so now is your chance to see them before
they break through into the big leagues. Middlesbrough’s
The Arena, which is a piece of local history, is situated on
Newport Road and is set to host a number of live music
events throughout 2016.
Tickets for the gig are priced at £7.70 in advance and can be
bought from seetickets.com. Doors open at 7:00pm and the
gig starts at 8:00pm. Support is still to be announced.
Written by Nathan Douthwaite
Written by Oli Howes
Gig Preview: Charity Night In Aid of
Alzheimer’s and Dementia
So you’ve hopefully got rid of the January blues and are now
ready to leave the warmth of your home to venture out to a
local music venue, good.Well February is a busy month in the
region, and there’s a great event to head to in Hartlepool.
Saturday 27th February will see the arrival of a charity night
filled with bands, DJs and acoustic acts all in aid of Alzheimer’s
and Dementia. All proceeds from the event will go to Gretton
Court - a nursing home, based in Hartlepool, that specialises
in Alzheimer’s and Dementia care for the elderly - and it’s
nice to see something being done for somewhere so local
and somewhere that deserves it. Middlesbrough band,The
Lemontops, will be playing their groovy psychedelic tunes
along with Redcar indie/mod/brit pop band The Wainstones.
Numerous DJs including Mick Corr,Tracey Halcrow and Tony
Lawson and also acoustic acts such as Hartlepool’s own Dig
The Old Breed and Martin Ruffle Pearson will be sharing
the stage on a night that looks set to include a huge mix of
local talent. As well as music acts, there will also be raffles and
auctions with prizes sent from local independent companies.
The event on Facebook is filled with emotional statements
from people who have lost loved ones to either illness, and all
agree that the event is for a fantastic cause.
Written by Katt Mudd
6
The event starts at 4:00pm and is being held at the Staincliffe
Hotel in Hartlepool.Tickets, priced at £3, can be bought
online at ticketsource.co.uk.
Ryley Walker with
Danny Thompson
Tues 23 Feb 8pm
F: £14.50
The Selecter
Thur 10 Mar 8pm
F: £17.50
The Geordie Rat Pack
Thur 25 Feb 8pm
F: £15 (inc. entry to beer
festival)
The Puppini Sisters King King and
Sat 12 Mar 8pm
Laurence Jones
F: £25
Sat 19 Mar 8pm
F: £20
Special Brew
Sat 27 Feb 8pm
F: £12 (inc. entry to
beer festival)
NEWS
Gig Announcement: Trivium
Saltburn Blues Club
at The Middlesbrough Empire
at The Earthbeat Centre, Saltburn
The Empire in Middlesbrough has played host to numerous
high-profile bands and acts over the years, from You Me At Six
and Fat Boy Slim to Kelly Rowland and Enter Shikari. But now
playtime is over and the kids have gone to bed it’s time to roll
out some real heavy metal as Trivium are heading to town.
Trivium have been around for over 15 years now and have
released seven albums in total; with 2015 release, ‘Silence in
the Snow’ being well-received by fans. I had a quick chat with
Phil Saunders, of Teesside promoters Ten Feet Tall, and found
out that he’s been keeping the big secret of Trivium heading
to Teesside for 4 months. He noted: “The Empire is now in a
lovely position in that, after having quite a few big names like
Brand New, Alkaline Trio, Dragonforce, Miles Kane, etc etc...
the agents that look after these bands (usually London-based
agents) all know The Empire is a lovely building and that the
acts will be very well looked after - in terms of hospitality, but
also in terms of tech. In a lot of ways, we can’t take any of the
credit for the Trivium show as it was Trivium that just asked
to come and play!” So get yourself a ticket and help Empire
keep their current reputation of bringing great bands to the
small town of Middlesbrough; as we love music just as much
as every other town!
A very special acoustic night is coming up at Saltburn
Blues Club on Saturday February 20th as Rod Clements
- founder member of legendary North East folk rock
band, Lindisfarne, - is coming to Saltburn with fellow band
member, bassist, Ian Thomson.Guitarist, singer-songwriter
and multi-instrumentalist, Rod, wrote some of Lindisfarne’s
most enduring material and has an extensive back catalogue
of finely-crafted songs.With his talent and ability to balance
voice and instrument perfectly, it’s hard to picture him in
the back line of one of the most successful folk rock bands
ever but he’s right in the spotlight these days. His flair for
songwriting, playing and producing has meant that his music
career survived beyond Lindisfarne. He’s widely respected as
an excellent slide guitarist and the odd cover he performs,
such as Leadbelly’s ‘Bourgeois Blues’, demonstrates his
absolute right to sing the Blues. Audiences are loving his
solo performances and those with touring partner, Ian. He’s
met the demand for a take-home record of his rendition
of his own songs by producing a 26-track double album,
‘Rendezvous Café’. For the first time these songs have been
sung and recorded by the author in their original strippeddown format. It’s a handsome, consistently stylish offering with
no filler material needed and the queues to buy the album
post-gig are long. Luckily for us, Rod admits, “Playing live music
is where my heart is”.The venue for this gig is The Earthbeat
Centre, Old Saltburn School, Marske Road, Saltburn.Tickets,
Tickets, priced at £20.00 + booking fee, can be bought at
ticketmaster.co.uk.
priced at £10, can be bought from Yorkshire Ticket Shop,
Whistlestop Wines and 07960935263. Doors - 7:30pm.
Gig Preview: Girl Sweat
+ Transfigure + Dressed In Wires at Cumberland Arms
This month will see North East promoters, Endless
Window, present a great line up at The Cumberland Arms
in Newcastle, this time with the headliner Girl Sweat - a
one man band of garage, psychedelic, electronic human
funk town – who’s credentials boast Liverpool International
Festival of Psychedelia and Tor IstDat! Festivals. Of course
every headliner needs a gang of supporting acts, and the
ninth Endless Window event doesn’t disappoint with two
acts that seem equally as mad and as equally a spectacle not
to be missed as the headliner. Newcastle locals,Transfigure,
will be gracing the stage with their unique sci-fi sound.With
their original take on classic house and synth-pop, this duo
are well on their way to make a mark in the music industry.
With a European Tour already under their belt, these guys
aren’t to be missed. Last but not least are Dressed In Wires.
When Serbian Radio says this about you: “Dressed In Wires
made my girlfriends worry about me,” you know you’re doing
something right or wrong; whichever way you want to look
at it. Another one man band, this ones been quiet for a little
while (a few years actually), but he’s back with his electric
sample sounds; sounds that are scattered with dark humour
that has been, some may say, perfected over the last decade.
Doors are at 7:30pm and it’s £4.00 on the door. More
information about the event and its whereabouts can be
found on the events Facebook page.
9
NEWS
Seaham Singer-Songwriter,
Ani Sandwith, To Release New Single
Gig Preview: Martin Turner
Talented Seaham songstress, Ani Sandwith is due to release
her debut single ‘Sun Around The Moon’ so we did some
digging around to find out more about a single being kept
close under wraps.With a planned single launch in Newcastle
at the Alphabetti theatre on 13th February, there is a
growing swathe of anticipation in Newcastle.Ani is a piano
thumping singer-songwriter, with a great talent for song craft
and melody.The keys and her soft soulful vocal lines, with
an accompaniment of various instruments, drive her songs
forward. Her EP recorded last year displays great maturity
and musical intellect, and I’m expecting no different with her
new single. A range of influences can be heard on her official
Soundcloud page, from pop stars such as Robbie Williams
(song writer) in ‘Where have all the Angels Gone?’ to
Coldplay meets Country in ‘Involving me, Involving you’.
However, Ani very much has a unique presence in the current
music scene. Her sound is genuine and moving. Her lyrics are
heartfelt and honest. Her young age betrays her mature and
cultured songwriting skills, which are both clear to see and
hard to find in the context of today’s world.
Ani’s next step is to come out with a full band and transpose
her raw material into a creative space where her creativity
can come out to fruition. I sincerely hope that is what she
brings with her, as she releases her single on February 13th.
Having said all that, more of the same would be grand.
Ex Wishbone Ash frontman, Martin Turner, is set to play
Stockton's ARC on Friday 19th February.Wishbone Ash was
originally formed by Martin Turner and Steve Upton, who
have travelled around the world gaining a large base of loyal
fans, and that fan base is still growing over four decades later.
As the lead vocalist, Martin Turner was central to the focus
of the band and it's continuality of success.With passionate
strong vocals, solid song writing and a keen sense of rhythm
all teamed together, he is able to create an extraordinary
sound. As he continues to play his bands best loved work
from across their careers, he adds a mix of his own work
in there too.With the highly-anticipated release of his new
solo album ‘Written in the Stars’ in 2015, which critics have
described as the finest collection of new Wishbone songs in
over three decades, this is set to be a show not to be missed.
He’s played solo now since 1996, but Wishbone Ash has
always remained Martin's first love. Due to this, he brings
elements of the band into each set list performed. Due to play
alongside him are guitarists Danny Wilson, Misha Nikolic, and
drummer Tim Brown, who remain as faithful as ever to the
original Wishbone Ash blueprint.
at ARC, Stockton
Written by Adam Taylor | Photography by Dane Curran
Tickets are on sale for £14 from arconline.co.uk or from the
venue itself. For further information please contact the box
office on: [email protected].
Festival Preview: Fleecetonbury
Gig Preview: Lisbon at Riverside, Newcastle
at Northallerton Town Hall and The Fleece Inn
With twenty-two shows planned, top to bottom, from
Aberdeen to Brighton,Whitley Bay-based band, Lisbon are
building momentum.Their well-known single ‘Native’ now
has over 1.6 million plays; which isn’t bad considering they’ve
been gigging for just over three years. On their way down the
country, Lisbon played Bodega in Nottingham on the Thursday
21st January - a venue renowned nationwide for their eclectic
range of acts including Son of Dave the “modern funky oneman blues beat-box harmonica eruption”, to our very own
Cattle & Cane.The band also played Guildford’s Boileroom
the night before This Is The Kit hit the same stage.This is the
level Lisbon find themselves.They now share the stage with
artists with thrice their experience and the pressure can’t be
heard. On Friday 5th February, Lisbon headline Electric Circus
in Edinburgh, completing a three day trio of cities north of the
border. It’s then five English venues – down to Birmingham’s
Alfie Bird and then back up for the big one. After selling out
Riverside in Newcastle last year, Lisbon’s homecoming show
at the same venue is one to look forward to; especially given
the bands huge native following.The tickets are selling fast as
the lads from the bay look to end on a high in their home city.
Lisbon play Riverside Newcastle on Saturday 13th February –
bringing an end to their headline tour. Purchase tickets for the
event, priced at£6.60 in advance, from seetickets.com.
Written by Alex Eastlake
10
We’re extremely pleased to announce that Fleecetonbury,
the first ever music festival to be run by The Fleece Inn,
Northallerton will take place on Saturday 26th till Sunday
27th of March at both the Fleece and Northallerton Town
Hall.The headliners for both nights have recently been
revealed, with The Sherlocks set to perform the Saturday
night and The Spitfires on the Sunday.With over six venues
sold out on their February tour, first headliner, Sheffield band
The Sherlocks, are certainly heading for big things in 2016.
With a busy year ahead, this exciting band is all set to tackle
the UK tour alongside The Libertines and Ocean Colour
Scene; as well as headline their own gigs. Second headliners,
and touring their debut album ‘Response’ are The Spitfires - a
bold and brash band from Watford who were raised on The
Clash,The Specials and The Jam.They’ve played up and down
the country including at ARC, Stockton, and they’ve already
sold out their home town show. Other acts appearing over
the course of the weekend include:The Tapestry,The Middens,
Vendettas,The Kites,The Lost Boys, Constellos UK, Carvella,
Casual Agenda, Baggy Mondays, and many more. Newcastle
three-piece, Champagne Charlies Music, have also just been
added to the list.The catchy indie rock band have been
described as: “a Geordie Arctic Monkeys” due to their catchy
riffs and intelligent lyrics. Day tickets, priced at £17.50, and
weekend tickets, priced at £30, can be bought at
seetickets.com. Camping is also available.
11
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FIGMENNT
ARTIST SPOTLIGHT!
Figmennt - Teesside’s very own shoegaze, ambient-noise band
- reached local success in 2015 after their first release ‘She’.
Nathan Douthwaite caught up with them to discuss their
plans for 2016. Firstly, we discussed what it is that Figmennt
are working on right now; whether it be another single, or
something more:“We’re focusing on writing fresh tracks,
dabbling with new ideas and sounds, and polishing pre-existing
tracks that only exist in our live performance.We’re planning to
take everything we’ve got and bring it to life, in the form of an
EP.” This got us talking about the name of this new release.
“As of yet, we don’t have a name for what will be the EP. It’d
be nice to stumble upon a name during the song writing and
recording process and see what fits best after the experience.”
Guitarist Matthew then spoke of the direction this new release
is taking:“As a band with numerous influences, it’s hard to
stick to a specific path and we don’t want to feel boxed into a
specific direction.“The original direction we were heading from
‘She’ is Figmennt’s foundations essentially.We wouldn’t abandon
that completely but we are drawing features of different styles
and weaving them into our original direction to keep things
new and interesting, I suppose.” Figmennt have had plenty of
time to develop their own sound, especially after gigging on
and off for a whole year.The burning question was though, have
they tested any new material on stage? “As material has come
to be, we’ve introduced it to our set. Our set is something
we’ve always liked to keep quite familiar and we’re currently
saving the majority of our new ones until we’re certain on
them before printing them into our set.“We will be testing out
the new material we have been writing at TSone on February
25th.” Whilst testing new material, some must be put away
12
for a later date, which brought us to discussing the possibility
of an album, Matthew reassured me:“I guess an album, at the
moment, is something for later. However, we do have many
unfinished ideas that we could eventually go back to and
develop into full tracks and save for a later release, potentially
making up an album. I think first we’re going to focus on our
initial intention of an EP of roughly 6 tracks and see how people
react to these new releases first of all really.” Considering a
lot of Figmennt’s time is spent writing new material, we began
talking about the often difficult process of song writing.“Song
writing hasn’t really been a huge difficulty for us. It seems to be
something that comes quite naturally to both Joe and Kenan
lyrically. Musically, we work best writing as a band.” Moving onto
the year ahead, talk turned to what the bands overall aim is
for 2016:“The main plan for 2016 is to release as much music
as possible, and not just have it only in our live act. 2015 was a
great year for us in terms of performing, however this year we
want it to be great in both gigging and releasing new content.”
Figmennt wanted to add a thank you message to those who
have stuck with them from day one:“Thanks for being patient
and sticking around.We’ve been pretty inactive in terms of
releases; we will make up for it this year.Thank you for making
the past year so special for us, we really appreciate everyone
who has put us on at shows and everyone who has came to
see us, we love you.”
Head to TSOne in Middlesbrough on Thursday February 25th
to hear Figmennt’s new material live.You can also still download
Figmennt’s first single over on their Bandcamp page.
if you have a gig coming up in mARCH or will be
releasing some new material in MARCH/APRIL,
we want to know! contact [email protected]
FEATURES
ELO AGAIN - A Night of ELO
Saturday
10 October 7.30pm
A
CELEBRATION
OF£19.50/£17.50
GRAEME MILES
RUTS
DCUnthanks,
ft
The
Thursday
15 October 8pm £15 18+
The
Wilsons,
The Young’uns
OFF THE WALL:
Friday
12 February
THE MUSIC OF PINK FLOYD
7.30pm,
£14 in advance
Saturday 17 October 7.30pm £17 / £12
A VISION OF ELVIS
RAT
PACK
VEGAS
7.30pm £20 / £18
Friday 23
October
SPECTACULAR SHOW
PAUL HEATON
JACQUI ABBOTT
Thursday
25AND
February
Saturday 31 October 7.30pm £23.50 14+
7.30pm, £20
RICHARD GRAINGER AND FRIENDS
Friday 6 November 7.30pm £12
AN
EVENING
NEWTON
FAULKNER WITH
Monday 16 November 7.30pm £20 14+
LULU
Thursday 7 April
NANCY KERR AND THE SWEET VISITOR BAND
7.30pm,
Tuesday 17 £35
November 7.30pm £12
FRIDAY 5TH FEBRUARY
Keep Breathing
+ CELLAR DOOR + THE PURNELLS
SATURDAY 6TH FEBRUARY
KAZABIAN
THE ULTIMATE KASABIAN TIBUTE
FRIDAY 12TH FEBRUARY
+ MR TREACLE
+ SERINETTE + CREASE
FLASH
A TRIBUTE TO
THE FULL BAND SHOW
YOUTH CLUB
+ LOST STATE OF DANCE
+ THE BROKEN BROADCAST
STEREOTONICS
UK’S FINEST STEREOPHONICS TRIBUTE BAND
PRINCE REGENT ST.STOCKTON-ON-TEES
WWW.KUBAR.CO.UK SEETICKETS.COM
POPULAR MIDDLESBROUGH VENUe, MIXTAPE TURNS SEVEN!
Mixtape is celebrating its seventh anniversary as the longest
running indie club night in Middlesbrough. It’s been delighting
audiences every Tuesday at the Townhouse, Linthorpe Road
with exciting live bands such as the 1975 and the region’s own
Little Comets and Frankie & The Heartstrings.
Band booker and promoter Henry Carden has told us:“We’re
incredibly proud of the bands we’ve brought to Middlesbrough
over the past few years.The exciting thing for us is that even
though Mixtape is about to turn seven, the night is stronger
than ever and the caliber of bands we’ve had play for us over
the past few months has been better than ever!” There’s a
particularly strong line up this February to celebrate, beginning
with the seasoned experimental rock pop of Leeds favourites,
NGOD. Powerful, grungy yet funky and mellow they really
are a great melting pot of a band. Support comes from
Hartlepool’s lo-fi ambient alt-rockers, Plaza who take the best
indie pop influences of the 90s and give it some twenty first
century punch; with anthems about growing up and being in
love.The following week it’s Teesside’s own, Idle Violets who
combine their bluesy, solid grunge-rock sound with strutting
rhythms. Incredibly exciting live, they’re not to be missed and
have fantastic rapport with the audience. Something a little bit
different in the support slot are Ceiling Demons.The Richmond
duo have had a lot of airplay and received critical-acclaim for
their original take on hip hop, musing on life, love and death
on their ‘Even If’ release. It’s great that Mixtape is stepping
outside the box and including some urban music with a unique
northern flavour. On Tuesday 16th indie poppers NYTCLUB last seen in the region at Twisterella - bring some sharp visual
effects and strong tunes up from Liverpool. Supporting them is
Saltburn’s Josh Newell-Brown. He’s not your average dreamy
folkster, more like, according to his audiences:“the Arnold
Schwarzenegger of melody, the Sylvester Stallone of rhythm
and the Chuck Norris of vocals.” Rousing sing along anthems
and soulful tracks will delight you if you catch this one. Closing
the month, the club welcomes Viola Beach who sing all about
“hedonism, escapism and reckless abandon with a Warrington
twist”.A band who relish their drum beats (inspired by salsa),
they are sure to be ones to dance to.They’re supported by
Hartlepool’s Shoot the Poet, who really impressed at the We
are Family Festival in September.Their memorable harmonies
and catchy hooks are the hallmarks of a band who are destined
to be one of the biggest names in the North East very soon.
Mixtape is a great night, and is something that Middlesbrough
is deservedly proud of.The fact it’s seven years strong is a great
testament to people’s desire for live music in the region and is
a credit to all involved in running it. Here’s to the next seven
years.
Doors open every Tuesday at 8:30pm and the party runs until
2am. Entry is free before 10pm, £2 before midnight and £3
after. Strictly 18+.The first band goes on stage at 9:30pm, with
the headline act at 10:15pm. Resident DJ JT is on-hand before,
between and after the bands to crack out all of your favourite
indie party favourites. For more information, head over to:
www.mixtapeboro.co.uk or www.facebook.com/mixtapeboro.
Tuesday 2nd February: NGOD + Plaza
Tuesday 9th February: Idle Violets + Ceiling Demons
Tuesday 16th Febuary: NYTCLUB + Josh Newell-Brown
Tuesday 23rd February:Viola Beach + Shoot The Poet
Written by Stephanie Thompson
15
FEATURES
Ale & Arty Festival at ARC, Stockton
Thursday 25th to Saturday 27th February sees the welcome
return of ARC Stockton’s three day Ale & Arty festival, which
promises to be a real treat for music lovers, comedy fans and
ale aficionados alike. As you’ll see, acts have been carefully
chosen to bring the three together in a fantastic blend of fun.
Last year’s CAMRA-run event saw a massive selection of 86
ales available, so there’s a lot to live up to.
The Music
Mike McGrother, from Teesside veterans Wildcats of Kilkenny,
will be providing a rousing ‘special brew’ of American blues
and Irish folk music. He’s collaborated with a number of
members past and present from Young Rebel Set,The
Wonderstuff, Ivory Dan MacCormack and The Southmartins
over the last year or so, and they’ll be joining him to produce
a mix of classic tracks from the Springsteen, Dylan and many
more.Wildcats’ gigs are always full of crowd participation,
energy and jigging so this will be a great way to banish the
winter blues. Another great act is the Geordie Rat Pack.
They’re a marriage of swing music and standup comedy; which
let’s be honest you wouldn’t normally associate together.
Backed by the slick Paul James band, Glen Roughead, Jason
Cook, Neil Grainger and Steffen Peddie who are seasoned
comedians that routinely sell out shows, this promises to be
an incredible show and one not to be missed. If you like big
band music and big laughs too this is the show for you.
The Comedy
Catch 22, ran by Teesside Promoters Ten Feet Tall, have
managed to book the likes of Larry Dean, Andy Robinson,
Tom Lucy and MC Matt Reed this year. Andy Robinson is
16
a guitar-playing mainstay of the local circuit, has supported
big names such Jo Brand and Rich Hall, and has been part of
TV shows including Never Mind the Buzzcocks. A former
Scottish comedian of the year, and recent nominee of the
Fosters Comedy Award for Best Newcomer, Larry Dean is
a fresh face who has supported Eddie Izzard and impressed
at the Edinburgh Festival. Booked up both in the UK and
around the world in 2016, this is a rare chance to catch him
in the North East.Tom Lucy has won several awards over the
last two years and has played professionally at the Comedy
Store - a massive achievement for such a young comic. He’s
supported Jack Whitehall and Russell Howard and is one to
watch in the next few years. MC for the night is Sunderland
lad and superb storyteller Matt Reed, who performed his first
show at the Edinburgh Fringe last summer. All in all the festival
is shaping up to be a riot of fine flavours, talent and hopefully
will remain a permanent fixture in Teesside’s arts calendar.
Daytime festival
(Thu - Sat) 11.00am - 5.00pm - payable on the day to
CAMRA staff. Entry £2.00 (Free to card carrying CAMRA
members)
Evening festival
(Thu - Sat) 6.30pm - 11.00pm - bookable online and via ARC
Box Office
Written by Stephanie Thompson
GRAPHIC DESIGN
WILL SAVE THE WORLD.
RIGHT AFTER
ROCK & ROLL DOES.
FEATURES
Ear to The Ground Monthly Gigs in Middlesbrough
After months of planning,Teesside promoters Ear To The
Ground are finally gracing the live music scene on Sunday
7th February as they get set to host a monthly gig which
will be held at TSOne in Middlesbrough. Not only have they
organised a fantastic line up for February, but they already
have future plans organised for both March and April which
have been organised well in advance; but you’ll have to wait
for that news later on in the month.
Getting back to February, the first ever artist on their lineup
is local singer, Mozin Ali - a young solo singer who is fairly
new to the North East music scene. After a few performances
at renowned venues such as Sticky Fingers in Middlesbrough,
this young man is ready to start making a name for himself on
the local scene.The vocals that Mozin has are truly amazing.
And if you pair that up with his acoustic guitar, there is no
doubt in my mind that you’ll certainly be set back by how
raw his talent is. Mozin is certainly one you don’t want to be
missing out so get down early and enjoy what is no doubt
going to be a mind blowing set.
The second band on the promoters first ever bill are wellknown Stockton-based band, Cellar Door. Back in October
2015, the five-piece band released their EP, ‘Gold & Gore’ and
it received rave reviews within the North East music scene.
With the foundations of the EP being released and the turn
of the year recently happening, it certainly looks like Cellar
Door are looking to make that next step as a band in 2016;
getting their music out there and performing to new crowds.
It goes without saying that this band are extremely talented in
possibly every aspect.They have a unique vocalist in terms of
Liam Rowden, the cold toned vocals that he brings will send
chills down your spine. Mix that with the sounds that Joe,
Craig, Danny and Carl produce and it’s a creation that is epic
to watch and hear.
The headliners of the evening, all the way from sunny
Hartlepool, are Shoot The Poet – a band that made it into
our top 10 artists to watch in 2016.They bring their indie
rock sound to TSOne to round off what is sure to be a
perfect night. Over the years, Shoot the Poet have performed
at festivals such as Isle of Wight Festival, Stockton Weekender
and Evolution Festival.Throw in the fact that they’ve
supported bands such as The Subways and the Coronas and
you can straight away see why this band is highly thought-of
within the North East.The five-piece are ready to rip the
roof off TSOne with some new sounds in the works. Put that
together with the already successful tracks that have helped
develop them as a band, and you can see why we’re expecting
big things of them this year.
What more could you want - three amazing acts, free entry
and a great venue to watch them all in. Get your glad rags on
and head down to TSOne before 9:00pm, enjoy yourselves
and dance the night away at this free entry gig.
Written by Adam Gallagher
19
FEATURES
The Spa Hotel is launching “Live” by the Sea
February 2016 brings a new and exciting live music night to
Saltburn-by-the-Sea.The Spa Hotel is launching “Live” by the
Sea, a monthly miscellany of top musical talent to span all
genres. Expect to see both household names and behold the
rising stars of tomorrow.The Spa’s self-contained function
room holds up to 200 people standing or 160 seated - so
you are guaranteed an informal yet up close and personal
experience.The hotel itself has a long history as a music
venue.The building was originally the town’s Assembly Rooms,
opening as a concert hall in 1885. In the 70s and 80s it became
famous, first as the Philmore Country Club, and later as
Philmores - a nightclub with a capacity of 1400 over split levels.
To date, Philmores’ reunions are still held at the hotel and the
venue holds special memories for many. Chris Rea and Sting
both played at the venue during their early careers and Chris
Rea famously wrote his hit single ‘On the Beach’ about Saltburn
beach, over which the hotel boasts spectacular views.
“Live” by the Sea was born from a desire to build on this
legacy and introduce an ongoing commitment to diversity and
musical integrity.The “Live” calendar commences on Saturday
27th February with the hugely popular Kirk Brandon, a North
East favourite, who departing from his usual role in Spear of
Destiny/Theatre of Hate, will be performing an intimate and
‘aKoustiK’ set along with cohort Sam Sansbury on cello.
Launch night celebrations will include canapés, a complimentary
glass of Prosecco on arrival and maybe one or two surprises!
This year’s programme will run from February to November.
Future artists confirmed for 2016 include: Jeramiah Ferrari,
an upcoming reggae crossover band from Manchester;
20
Chris Helme, former frontman of John Squire’s post Stone
Roses band the Seahorses; John Bramwell, the distinctive and
spellbinding voice of I Am Kloot; ex-The Specials and Funboy
Three original rudeboy, Neville Staple; and 80’s synth-pop
sensation, China Crisis.
There are also designs for some very special and varied
happenings. Proposals include a classical evening led by a
‘guerrilla’ orchestra, and even a punk rock band with added
scientists... but organisers noted that they can’t say any more
than that for now.The events team at the Spa Hotel are equally
determined to promote homegrown talent and are currently
looking for a headliner who hails from the surrounding area.
They are also offering the opportunity for local artists to
showcase their talents as support acts throughout the year.
The long-term ambition is for the Spa to be known as a music
destination of choice.Their promise is to bring you an eclectic
mix of talent and top names, but most of all good times.
Tickets for Kirk Brandon aKoustiK are available from the Spa
Hotel reception priced at £12 on: 01287 622544 or online via
Eventbrite (booking fees apply) at: http://bit.ly/1O4Dq53 .
For further details of all “Live” by the Sea events go to
thespahotelsaltburn.co.uk or follow the venue on Facebook: /
thespahotelsaltburn/ or Twitter: /TheSpaSaltburn.
Local music artists who are interested in support slots should
send an email to [email protected].
North Group films is looking for volunteers
Technology is often branded as a murderer of music
and many resent the changes it’s made. But in this case,
technology has been working hand in hand with music to
provide us with a great opportunity to enjoy live music
sets from the comfort of our very own home. A team of
five people - including audio engineers, cinematographers,
editors and a graphic designer - have joined together to form
North Group Films. Currently, North Group Films have been
allowing bands from across the North to perform acoustic
live sets in their unique location of a converted barn area
in Great Ayton; which consists of fantastic acoustics and a
unique atmosphere.The live sessions are both recorded
and videoed and made into professional filmed live sets for
our viewing enjoyment. And the best part is, videos of these
live sessions are uploaded weekly giving us, the fans, the
opportunity to enjoy the show even from the comfort of our
own home. It all began with founder, James Kuwamura,who
decided to fill the absence of his friends (who had
disappeared to uni) with a brand new music and film project.
With an existing love for live music sessions, the idea of
creating and producing his own videoed live sessions formed
and so he began to meet with media students to put his idea
into practice. Over time, he has gradually formed a team
who are all equally passionate about providing you, the music
lovers, with weekly live video sessions of upcoming bands.
The team initially consisted of only James, Chris and Danny
(both working as NGF’s Cinematographers). As the project
expanded and increased in both popularity and ambition, the
team was forced to expand and more people were welcomed
to ensure their ambitious plans could be made a reality. As the
team expanded, as did their knowledge, experience, skills and
equipment.Their professionalism has rocketed, and continues
to grow with every experience they have with the musicians
and bands they work with.The best part is, North Group
Films have not only set the bar for atmospheric live music
sessions by including their unique location, but they’re about
to top it themselves. Rumour has it that North Group Films
are heading across the country this summer to document live
sessions in a number of locations such as parks, coffee shops,
streets, rooftops etc. It seems North Group Films will stop at
nothing to present live music in the most unlikely, unexpected
and artistically atmospheric of places and are not limiting
themselves just to the North East. It’s actually incredibly
refreshing and exciting to see where North Group Films
could take this project and subsequently spread the word
about themselves and the music scene being alive and kicking
up North. Currently, North Group Films have seen the
likes of Amelia Coburn, J.P Riggall and local upcoming bands
such as Nocturnal Dictionary and Figmennt. Incorporating
numerous styles and genres is important to the team and
they’ve also incorporated an idea of inviting solo members
of bands to do follow up solo performances as well as band
performances; ensuring they’re showcasing a broad spectrum
of talent.So, if you’ve ever wanted to work with other people
genuinely enthusiastic about media, music, production and film
and this sounds like something you’d be passionate in doing,
Vin, who works alongside James on producing the audio,
encourages you to become part of North Group Films by
contacting the team on Facebook at /Northgroupfilms about
how you’d like to get involved.
Written by Katie Cain | Photography by Chris Healey
21
INTERVIEWS
INTERVIEWS
WITH NEW ADDITIONS, BLOC PARTY ARE BACK FOR MORE!
“I’ve HEaRD PEOPLE SAY ‘BLOC PARTY’ MARK TWO, WHICH SOUNDS LIKE A FAIR ANALYSIS”
With their recent single ‘ The Good News’ now out and two
new members joining the band, Bloc Party are back and ready
to take on 2016 more than ever before as they get ready
for the NME Awards Tour.After a quick tour of Europe and
Japan, and in the preparation for heading to Australia, Hannah
Dodsworth had the privilege of chatting with legendary
guitarist Russell Lissack.
As there’s been a major change in the line-up with new
members being added to the band, would you consider this a
new Bloc Party?
Yeah. I’ve heard people say Bloc Party mark two, which sounds
like a fair analysis. On the one hand there’s two different
members, and on the other hand there’s Kele and I who have
been here from the beginning.We started the band when we
were teenagers - and we’re still playing the songs we’ve wrote
together - so the essence of Bloc Party is still there.
From touring ‘Silent Alarm’ ten years ago back at Northumbria
University, to the 02 Academy back in 2012, what is it that
keeps bringing you guys back to the North East?
The fans have always been good to us.Whenever we’ve played
shows in the area the fans have always been really receptive.
That’s all you need really, people want to see you and we enjoy
performing.
What have you been up to recently?
We just did a short tour - we went to Japan for a couple of
days and went to Europe for a few days.
How did it go?
We did more intimate shows and it was the first time playing
the new line up for a lot of people.We were a little nervous
about how it was going to be received, but thankfully it went
22
really well. It was a really good atmosphere and really fun
playing with the new guys. It was great that people saw how
good they are, I mean we know they’re great, so it was nice that
other people got to see that too.
Are you looking forward to the NME Awards Tour?
We’ve had a long interesting relationship with NME.The first
thing we did when we got signed was the NME awards so it’s
funny now that ten years later we’re doing it again and it’s a
new Bloc Party as well; it’s kind of like coming full circle.
What do you make of the the bands you’ll be touring with?
I’ve not seen any of them play live yet so it’ll be kind of fun to
see them perform. Hopefully they’ll all be nice people.
What can current fans expect from the tour?
It’ll be a bit of everything. Our new album is now out so
hopefully people will have had chance to listen to the new
record and we’ll be playing a mix from all our albums.We’re
rehearsing some old stuff we haven’t played for a while too, so
hopefully we’ll throw a few unexpected things in there too.
What’s the future for Bloc Party?
Well the new records out, and alongside our UK tour we’ll also
be heading to festivals around the world during the summer.
And then we’ll be working on new material when we get the
opportunity in sound check. It’s great to work with Justin and
Louise, hopefully there’ll be something else new out by the end
of the year.
Purchase tickets for the NME Awards tour at the 02 Academy
in Newcastle, featuring Bloc Party, Drenge, Rat Boy and Bugzy
Malone, by heading to seetickets.com.
Drenge on the NME Awards Tour
“With this tour I think our set will be as heavy as possible so people have a mental night”
Drenge are set to play the NME Awards Tour across the
UK, so Callum Thornhill spoke to guitarist and vocalist, Eoin
Loveless, to find out more.
How excited are you to play the NME Awards tour? The
Newcastle date in-particular?
I’m super excited - I’m containing it though because I’m now
24. If you went back in time to when I was 15 and told me
that I was playing the NME Awards Tour, I think I would have
ran around the room or even the house.The tour has always
been good for putting on a strong variety of bands. It has
quite a lot of history behind it, and there’s a nice varied line
up this year, so I’m looking forward to being a part of it.
Do you feel that the other three acts add to the variety
aspect of the tour?
It’s not really for bands that are all the same this year.They
have Bloc Party who are this dance, sort of electro band
rather than indie rock.We’re quite heavy and Rat Boy is like
this wild kid. Bugzy Malone will be a great opener. I think it
will introduce a lot of people to a lot of new stuff.
Do you have any fond memories from gigging in Newcastle?
We haven’t really been to Newcastle a lot, but our first
time was at the Cluny 2 playing as part of an all day festival
and it was one of the first times we got in a car to play
outside of Sheffield. It was a cool experience for us when we
were starting out.We have been there recently [with The
Maccabees and Wolf Alice] so we are repaying our debts to
the city.
What can fans expect from your NME awards set?
One of my personal favourites to play is ‘Let’s Pretend’ [from
Undertow].We don’t really play it that much, but I might try
and get it onto the set list for the NME Awards Tour.With
this tour I think our set will be as heavy as possible so people
have a mental night.
What do you think the rise of two-piece bands, e.g. Slaves,
Royal Blood etc. is down to?
At the minute there is a trend of two-piece bands.When
Rory and I started out it was purely practical – we were
playing in tiny pubs around Sheffield and a massive band
wouldn’t have fit. It was easier to set-up a two-piece band and
have two people on stage so we could play any pub or club.
In Sheffield at one point there were over 25 two-piece bands
and it was just normal.
I saw your sets at Leeds Festival over the past two years.
Going from the NME/Radio 1 stage to main stage is
impressive.Where does it go from here?
I’m not too sure to be honest. I think we just want to carry
on playing cool shows to cool people that enjoy our music.
I can’t picture a Leeds poster with Drenge at the top, and I
can confirm that we are not headlining the festival this year.
Maybe we will have a year out from Reading and Leeds and
go down as punters.
After two albums, what does 2016 hold for Drenge?
To be honest, I don’t know. 2016 is still a bit undecided as
the diary is pretty empty other than the NME Awards Tour.
Hopefully we do some more shows but nothing is concrete
at the minute. However, I feel like it’s going to be pretty busy.
23
MAIN FEATURE
“We wanted to
be better song
writers, and
on this record
there was that
ideology in that
approach”
CAGE THE ELEPHANT
24
With the release of a new album and
an upcoming tour date at Riverside,
Newcastle on Monday 15th February,
Hannah Dodsworth got the chance
to speak with Cage the Elephant
frontman, Matt Shultz.
It’s been a really busy time for you
guys with the release of your new
album ‘Tell Me I’m Pretty’… how has
that been received so far?
It’s going pretty good so far. It seems
to be getting good feedback from the
audience and the people who’ve been
listening for a while seem to like it;
and it’s reaching new ears too.
Dan Auerbach, the frontman of the
Black Keys, was the producer on your
new album. Did the fact you used a
producer who is also the frontman
of a band change the dynamics of the
production?
Oh for sure. With ’Melophobia’, what
we were really trying to hone in on
was a type of song writing or maybe a
quality in song writing that we hadn’t
reached before. In just the details, I
mean there’s that bold saying god is
in the details, and we were trying to
hone in on that in our song writing,
and really understand what it was
that we loved about it. We wanted to
be better song writers, and on this
record there was that ideology in that
approach, but in a different area. It was
something we hadn’t reached but in
sound. We were looking for a more
classic sound that didn’t necessarily
pin point to a specific time, but had
elements of all different time periods
that we loved and definitely still felt
natural to our contemporary ears; and
Dan was really great at doing that. He
definitely understands atmosphere
and channelling that vibe; he knows
how to strip things back. It’s very easy
to add another layer, but to hold back
is a different thing.
on being a part of what’s happening.
It seems like to me every time we’ve
been there the crowds are always
insane.
Compared to the previous albums,
this is your most marked evolution
in terms of sound so far. Was that a
natural process or a conscious choice?
It’s a bit of both. We were naturally
gravitating towards something that
we’ve wanted to achieve for a long
time and you know we recognised
that and wanted to go after that for
sure. It’s just we live in an interesting
time right now where either listeners
are really being challenged to think
about what is contemporary and
what’s archaic - you know because
all these streaming services have
emerged, suddenly taking the place of
word of mouth - so instead it’s going
to now stream me loads of bands
I’ve never heard of based on what
I’m listening to. All of a sudden Nina
Simone is current and that’s pretty
special you know. It’s a special time.
What was it that first inspired you
to start writing your own songs and
become who you are today?
I think really it was just like when
Brad and myself were teenagers and
our parents got divorced and kind
of just looking for an escape - as
stereotypical as that sounds it’s
true. We had moved in with our
grandparents into a small trailer park
and it was quite embarrassing and we
were just super ashamed of where
we lived which is kind of ridiculous
retrospectively but we would try to
entertain ourselves and stay sane.
What can fans expect from your
upcoming tour?
Just the spirit of spontaneity, we
just try to keep things spontaneous
and make sure that we make each
performance a true experience.
I mean I try to make everything
memorable for myself.
Is the reception that you receive from
your English audience any different
from that to your American audience?
I think that English crowds in general
are a bit more intense. Well depending
on city to city really, but there
tends to be less of a focus on being
perceived as cool and more of a focus
What’s the wildest thing you’ve ever
done at a gig?
We were playing in Chicago and there
was a stack of speakers and I climbed
in it and it was like three storeys high
- I was in-between the second and
the third balcony and was like how
am I going to get down. I didn’t want
to cowardly just climb back down so,
erm, I jumped, and that was probably
pretty ridiculous. Even more ridiculous
was that I was even more afraid of
how it would look if I climbed down
rather than jumping but yeah.
Purchase tickets for Cage the
Elephant’s Newcastle date, which is
sure to be a wild one, by heading over
to ticketmaster.co.uk.
25
INTERVIEWS
Manchester’s Spring King
Head to Newcastle
“We intend to show the people of Stockton who we are and what
we do” Eliza and The Bear are on their way to Teesside
London band, Eliza and the Bear, head to Stockton’s Georgian
Theatre on the 12th of February, so Katie Cain spoke to lead
guitarist Martin Dukelow to find out what to expect and to
learn more about what they hope 2016 brings for them.
Why did you decide to choose Stockton as one of the dates
on your tour?
We’ve never actually personally been to Stockton before so
it’s quite exciting to get dates on the tour of places we haven’t
played before. It’s one of the dates on this tour that I’m really
excited about.We intend to show the people of Stockton who
we are and what we do.
You played a Newcastle show last year.. what was the best part
about playing in the North?
We seem to have a lot of friends in the North East; a lot of the
team that look after the band seem to be based in the North
and it’s really good to see them and we get really well looked
after.Although London/Essex are our homes, it’s essentially a
second home for us so we’re lucky in that respect.
Your self-titled album is set to be released very soon...could
you give us any hints on what fans should expect?
It feels as though we’ve released about five or six songs so far
of a similar vibe; upbeat, uplifting, euphoric which is what we do
when releasing singles. But when you’re writing album tracks
you have your slower songs, heavier songs etc. which are some
of my personal favourites and they’re the ones I’m most excited
about people hearing; the ones that give a 3D edge to the band.
There’s some really different sounding tracks and it’s been a
long time coming but I’m genuinely so excited about them.
To you, is there anything that stands out particularly about the
North East music scene?
The people of the North seem to just have a massive
appreciation for music and you feel a rich musical culture that
pumps through the place. Plus the ticket sales in that area are
some of the best on the tour. It’s refreshing to see that people
of the North just love going to gigs so it’s great to get up there
and have a shared passion.
What do you hope 2016 will bring for you as a band?
For me personally, my favourite thing is playing live. So I guess
we’re just looking to play bigger venues and headline our
favourite venues.We just want to open ourselves up to as many
people as possible and if this album helps us do this, then we
can begin to play more shows and perhaps go further to other
countries.
Who have you chosen to support you on your upcoming tour?
An artist called Chloe, and a band called Slow Lights are
doing the first half of the tour and Into The Arc, a band who
supported our Christmas show, are doing the second half of
the tour.We handpick our own support and we base it on
music we enjoy and people we get along with. Our shows
begin the minute people walk through the door and we want
to make sure people enjoy the whole evening. People did the
same for us in the beginning and it’s good to do the same for
other bands.
Purchase tickets for the event, priced at £10.00 + booking fee,
from teesmusicalliance.org.uk. Please remember to mention
NE Volume when booking.
Spring King are about to embark on a UK tour, playing
Newcastle on Wednesday 10th February. So Callum Thornhill
spoke to frontman,Tarek Musa, to find out more about the
Manchester four-piece punk band.
Do you have any fond memories of Newcastle?
Walking by the river is real good - I remember being there
years ago in the summer.The last time I was there was with
Spector which was sweet. I’ve been on a wild night out in
Newcastle but I can’t remember much of it.
What are you looking forward to most about the Newcastle
leg of the tour?
Playing Think Tank?. I’ve Heard a lot of good stuff about that
venue and I know there’s a good crew coming down for
the show.When we were supporting Spector last year in
Newcastle, we had a great response for a support act and we
definitely made some new fans.
Having supported Slaves too, did any fans really dig your sets
there, e.g. knew your lyrics and knew you beforehand?
Definitely. Every night we play, we always get a couple of people
coming up to us after to say thanks.When we played with
Slaves, most nights there was a good amount of people who
knew our lyrics and were singing and moshing along to the
tunes.
After playing Reading and Leeds last year, can we expect to see
you at more festivals in the summer?
Fingers crossed.We’d love to play loads of festivals this summer
so hopefully we’ll make some of the line ups. Expect us at a
good few.
What’s the plan after the tour?
After the tour I’m gonna take a guess that we will be playing
more shows.We want to put an album out this year.
Purchase tickets for Spring King’s date at Think Tank?,
Newcastle priced at £7.70 in advance from seetickets.com.
FUN LOVIN’ CRIMINALS
...IT WAS REALLY POLITICAL MESSAGES
Fun Lovin’ Criminals head to Newcastle this month, so Alex
Eastlake spoke to ‘Fast’ to find out a bit more about the band
and what to expect.
So does it feel like 20 years since you started?
I feel a bit older, I can’t handle the hangovers as much but that’s
just because 20 years ago me and Huey were little babies
touring the world from basically just being incredibly lucky. It’s
just amazing that 20 years later I’m talking to people who have
any bit of interest about this first record.
Yeah, I think it’s important what music you’re exposed to from
a young age...
I love music in general but the only music I can really listen to
when I’m chilling at home or in my car tends to be reggae or
jazz. Our common ground was hip-hop. In the early nineties
we were loving the Beastie Boys but really bands like De La
Soul, bands which had a message - lyrics weren’t disposable - it
wasn’t about you know “grabbing my johnson, banging chicks,
drinking, making money” like it is nowadays so it was really
political messages, that’s what we got out of it.
Why do you think Fun Lovin’ Criminals have done so well in
Europe compared to the states?
I think a lot of it had to do with the openness - to mix
different genres of music together and not have any rules, you
know? In America it was hard for radio to play a song that to
them sounded like hip hop that had a guitar solo.
Do you think the song writing process has changed much in
the twenty years since ‘Come Find Yourself’?
I think because we’re older - we all have families and we all live
in different places – the past two albums we would email bits
to each other rather than sit together and write.
Purchase tickets for Fun Lovin’ Criminals gig at the 02
Academy, Newcastle on Friday 5th February, priced at £27.05,
from Seetickets.com.
Photography by Tom Barnes
26
27
INTERVIEWS
INTERVIEWS
“People from the north east have to try a little harder”
- SHIeLDS TO LAUNCH NEW ALBUM AT sAGE, gateshead
Newcastle band, Shields, are set to launch their new album,
‘How Can We Fix This?’ this month so Tyler Marriott spoke to
the band to find out more about how they’re preparing for the
event.
The Album Launch at The Sage, Gateshead looks to be a very
special event. Does the band have anything in particular up their
sleeves to make it that bit more special?
For us to be playing an album track that no-one has heard,
either recorded or live, is as exciting as playing the tracks we
know people love. Our main aim is to perform our music as
best we can.We have a great team around us now that want to
experiment with visuals, so it’s more a case of what those guys
have up their sleeves.
How, overall, would you describe ‘How Can We Fix This?’
The album is a result of years of working together and is totally
honest to who we are as a band at the point of recording them.
We picked these particular tracks from a pile of around 30 in
order to have an upbeat and colourful sound throughout.
Were there any difficulties endured during the recording of
your debut album?
The main difficulty we encountered was picking tracks with a
common thread.We had so many songs of such variety that it
was difficult to pick just ten for this release.This meant leaving
personal favourites off the album, but we’ll be using these very
soon and can already see quite a change in our sound.
How was it to record in Rak studios, as well as playing the
same piano used for the latest James Bond theme?
The experience was incredible.The sense of history was
overwhelming and seeing all of the gold and platinum records
on the wall gave a real sense of what an honour it was to work
28
there.The piano was quite shiny, but old.They really should have
came to us for the theme though, or Radiohead. (NE Volume
agrees strongly)
What is the bands biggest hope for the debut album?
Mass consumption by humans.We would love to be playing
tours for as long as our bodies can handle the complimentary
houmous riders.The cycle of touring and recording is the best
thing about being in a band, so we’d never complain about that.
Hopefully we get to play these songs a lot of times to a lot of
people.
How important have BBC6 Radio been to the band?
BBC in general have been incredibly supportive of us through
their introducing programme. It’s through Nick Robert and the
BBC 6 festival last year that we managed to get in touch with
Tom Robinson and do a live session with him recently.
Do you feel there are any particular limitations to North East
bands gaining mainstream attention in recent years?
For us, it’s always been about playing music that we love and
having the drive and passion to make it happen.These days
it’s maybe a bit of an excuse but perhaps in the past before
the internet it was a lot harder.These days it doesn’t matter
where you’re from thanks to YouTube and soundcloud. I guess
a lot of connections do happen in London but it just means
people from the North East have to try a little harder. It’s very
enjoyable getting in a van and going from city to city or country
to country, and if you’re from London or Newcastle, you have
to do that either way.
Purchase tickets for Shields’ Album Launch at Sage, Gateshead
on Friday 26th February, priced at £11.00, from musicglue.com.
“It’s been 25 years now so it’s been a long time. And since that,
there’s been a change in the music industry” - Richie Ramone
On Tuesday 9th February, the legendary Richie Ramone is due
to embark on a solo tour across the UK and is set to stop off
in Newcastle. Emma Bolland caught up with Richie to hear his
thoughts on his newest venture, as well as what audiences can
expect.
Just to start things off Richie, we were just wondering how you
were feeling about the tour overall?
I’m feeling great. I’ve been over there before with my band - it’s
now the third time - so we’re looking forward to it, we always
have a fun time there. Last time we were over in the UK we
played Camden Rock Festival back in May and it was really
exciting.
You’ll be travelling across the North and South when you come
over...is there anywhere you’re looking forward to returning to
or visiting?
I like all the places. I love coming over there because I really
enjoy the pub food, I really enjoy all the old stuff, you know?
America isn’t as old as that and I can see city walls built around
400-500 years ago – there’s a lot to see like that. I stay in
these really old hotels and go to 300 year old pubs - it’s really
interesting. I always have a blast there, and the fans are great.
With regards to the fans, have you ever noticed a difference
between crowds from the UK and back home in the US or
elsewhere?
Yeah, sometimes I think there is. In America and even the UK
there are little places where you have to work a little more to
get their respect, as opposed to somewhere like South America
and Brazil – that’s probably our number one place in the world
for Ramones fans. But at shows, I love watching the one guy
standing there with his arms folded who ends up dancing by
the end of the show - it’s my goal to get that to happen. If I can
get someone like that moving, then I’m doing my job.
So for this tour, what’s the setlist looking like? Do you have any
new songs you’re planning on trying out?
I’ll be performing songs from my last album that I did two years
ago and I’ll be playing some Ramones classics; I always mix it
up. In fact, we’ve started recording my new album here in Los
Angeles so I’m probably going to play two or three new ones.
The record probably won’t be ready until April because it takes
a while to get out there, but I’m probably going to play a few
to see how the audience reacts. Some people also don’t know
that I play drums and sing but I’ll also come out front with
the crowd and then one of my guitar players will jump on the
drums - it makes for a lot of fun.
Considering you’ll be performing some of Ramones classics,
I was wondering how the experience of being part of The
Ramones compares to what you’re doing now?
It’s been 25 years now so it’s been a long time.And since that,
there’s been a change in the music industry.There’s not as many
rock ‘n’ roll fans as there were, music has changed to a very
pop-y sound now but the die-hards still come out.They have
this raw energy about them that you don’t often get with fans
of new artists out there. But there’s still a difference with now
and The Ramones.They taught me a lot, and obviously they
were more popular so the crowds are smaller now. But I like
the intimate crowds because I can come right out there after
every show and hang with all the fans and I love to listen to
what’s on their minds and we take photos.We’ve been writing
the record since June 3rd so I’m eager to get out there.
Purchase tickets for Richie’s gig at The Cluny, Newcastle priced
at £11.00 in advance from seetickets.com.
29
GIG REVIEWS
The W.S Collective
at The Twisted Lip, Middlesbrough – 08/01/2016
On Friday the 8th of January, a special musical event occurred
at The Twisted Lip on Baker Street in Middlesbrough.
A gathering of up and coming songwriters came together to
play their unique brand of storytelling and a mass congregation
of devoted disciples flocked to show their support.The curator
of this event,Will Simpson, chose to proceed with a format of
having two performers on to play a song each. First up was Will
himself and Michael Poole as they sang their tales enriched by
the experiences they’ve endured in Middlesbrough.
Together they provided the perfect juxtaposition to each
other as Will’s voice and melodies were an enticing whisper
which cast a spell on the audience, while Michael Poole’s
performance was something else entirely: an intense snarl
powerful enough to captivate everyone in the room.After
Will and Michael’s triumphant exchange, Reece Hanrahan and
Andy Thompson took to the stage. Reece played his songs of
lyrical wit like a man who’d been convinced that this was his
final performance and he was going to make sure it would be
one to remember, while Andy showcased his unique style on
the guitar, accompanied by his soft melodic vocals. It felt like the
start of a dream had been weaved on that evening and the face
of each person who bore witness looked utterly changed; as if
something unexplainable had occurred. I look forward to seeing
what the future brings for these bright,shining stars.
Alien Ant Farm
at Northumbria University – 10/01/2016
The room went black with the sound of jazz music playing then
in a burst of light out on to the stage came Alien Ant Farm;
singing in all their glory.The crowd joined in with a roar of
excitement held for occasions when you know memories are
being made. Lead singer Dryden Mitchell had a good rapport
with the crowd throughout; encouraging audience participation
and discussing his home life and some of the personal meanings
behind certain songs. Lead guitarist Terry Corso had enough
energy for three people as he jumped across the stage, off
amps and lights for most of the bands set.AAF managed to take
me back to the summer of 2001 with all the care-free feelings
of a 17 year old and reminded me why I love music and all it
stands for.They’re a band who’s fans span generations - from
the vintage rockers to the hipsters with their checked shirts and everyone was there enjoying the entertainment and music
reliving memories from their youth to a band who know how
to put on a fantastic live show. Dryden Mitchell is one of the
nicest men in Nu-Metal; he advised AAF would be around
after their set to have drinks with fans and to take photos. He
also asked if anyone knew of a bar open later than the Student
Union as he was more than happy to carry on the party.
Highlights of the night included impromptu singalongs of fan
favourites including ‘Movies’ and ‘Smooth Criminal’.
Written by Lisa Bartos
30
REVIEWS
GIGGIG
REVIEWS
DIGITS
at O2 Academy 2, Newcastle – 15/01/2016
Some six months after making the decision to leave the
band, tonight’s gig is billed as Digits’ farewell to Stu (bass) and
Matt (drums) with Chris (vocals & guitar) and Craig (guitar)
determined to see it as a celebration rather than a wake.
For Chris, the departure of Stu is particularly hard to deal
with - having played in bands together for the last fourteen
years with Digits and in previous incarnation Cut Glass Accent.
However, Digits soon get down to business with ‘Acquiesce’
from the ‘Acquiesce to Violence’ EP. It’s heavy, melodic and for
a band that has effectively lost half of its core, surprisingly tight.
When they get serious, there’s no doubting that this is a
band still to be reckoned with;‘Dysphoria,’ ‘Braggart’ and
‘Parachutes’ coming at the 100+ strong audience like sucker
punches to the rib cage.A performance of future EP track
‘Promises’ precedes a cover of the Reuben classic,‘Freddy
Krueger’ before ‘Embers’ and ‘Violence’ finish off the sensible
part of the set.There’s a presentation of leaving gifts live on
stage, before Digits regain their composure for a blistering
performance of their stand-out track,‘Golden.’ There’s time for
one more surprise as the band treat us to a rare cover of Cut
Glass Accent’s ‘Cherryade,’ an altogether poppier tune from
Chris and Stu’s heyday. Singularly, some of the Digits may be
heading in separate directions, but collectively, they still pack
a mean punch.
Written by Paul Broadhead
An Audience With Singer/Songwriters
at Forum Music Centre, Darlington – 16/01/2016
Written by Stephanie Thompson | Photography by Rob Irish
32
Tonight I was lucky enough to catch talented Darlington
mainstays James Gray Robson & The Lovely Burn, Hayley
McKay, Dave Saunders and Simon Goy for a night of original
music to launch the Forum Music Alliance – a brand new,
dedicated series of events and spaces for local musicians and
artists to collaborate and create. Hayley McKay’s music is
bright, sweet and optimistically wistful. Backed by a delicate
mandolin, her songs were bursting with summer and love
on a dark, cold evening. During her set, I was reminded of
songstresses such as Regina Spektor and Eva Cassidy; which is
no easy feat. James Gray Robson & The Lovely Burn provided
us with delicious melodies, fantastic hearty beats, and soulful
lyrics about love lost and found again.This was songwriting at
its best, creating a story with gorgeous guitars with no fancy
gismos required. Dave Saunders and Simon Goy were joined
by Rob Irish on keyboard for a chance to hear some tracks
from their new project,The Black Sheep Frederick Dickens.
This is a body of work about the dissolute brother of the
famous author, who is buried in Darlington. Like the rest of
the set, it was atmospheric, roaring, full of despair yet ballsy
and glamorous.All three acts shared the stage throughout the
night, alternating sets with plenty of banter with the crowd;
especially from Dave Saunders.The evening ended with an
impromptu jam session, to the great delight of the audience.
Do not fear, Darlington, we have a music scene to be proud
of at last.
ADVERTISE
WITH US!
From as little as
£35.00!
find out more by emailing
[email protected]
34
GIG REVIEWS
The Temperance Movement
at 02 Academy, Newcastle – 21/01/2016
In a seventeen song set, the blues maestros proved why they
are one of the most refreshing bands to come out of Britain
in the 21st century.There is no doubt that the five years
between the bands’ eponymous debut and ‘White Bear’
have allowed them to hone their stage craft. Gone are the
self-indulgent instrumental sections that weakened the bands’
earlier shows, and now we see an outfit capable of captivating
audiences from start to finish. One welcome constant,
however, are the manic antics of frontman Phil Campbell. Like
the gremlin emblazoned on his t-shirt, Campbell dominated
the stage like a man possessed with dance moves that would
make Jagger himself blush. Musically, the set was split evenly
between material from ‘White Bear’ and fan-favourites from
their critically-acclaimed debut. Highlights included new songs
‘Oh Lorraine’ and ‘Modern Massacre’, as well as a re-arranged
version of the album’s title track.The atmosphere reached
fever-pitch with the back-to-back numbers ‘Only Friend’
and ‘Take It Back’, with the band demonstrating that balance
between control and chaos that most blues groups can
only dream of. Perhaps the most impressive thing about The
Temperance Movement is their commitment to originality. So
many modern bands seem to think that a good show involves
a note-for-note reproduction of their records, not The
Temperance Movement. However small, each song contained
sections of genuine improvisation, and it is this that sets The
Temperance Movement apart from the countless British
bands trying to make it.
Written by Al Hall
Daughter
+ Pixx at 02 Academy, Newcastle – 25/01/2016
Supporting tonight are relatively new band Pixx.The
frontwoman is 19 year old Hannah Rodgers whose
performance seems to bear the torch of the likes of Bjork
and Elizabeth Fraser. I was hypnotised by her celestial notes
accompanied by dreamlike hazy instrumentation. After a
short interlude, Elena Tonra, the reluctant frontwoman of the
Indie Folk band, Daughter takes to the stage and instantly
seems to have an ethereal ability of drawing you into her
private world of melancholy and desolation. Someone of a
lesser ability performing songs of woe - such as ‘Youth’ and
‘Still’ - might come across as giving the impression of a faux
suffering. However, Elena clearly means every word as she
weaves her riveting tales of bleeding emotions. Her lyrics
are painstakingly intimate and perfectly set against mountain
topping instrumentation which appears as a foreboding giant
to accompany her suggestive whisper of exasperation.
Elena’s hauntingly beautiful vocals are sung over dark dirges
of the dwelling ghosts of the past as she croons on ‘Human’:
“Underneath this skin there’s a human. Buried deep within
there’s a human. And despite everything I’m still human.”
And I don’t have any trouble believing the humanity before
me as I’m transfixed by the beautiful vulnerability on show
here. Only masters of the art such as Jeff Buckley,Thom Yorke
and Justin Vernon have been able to transcend to this higher
level. I believe Elena may have reached that plane of being
which is rarely within grasp for us mere mortals.
37
REVIEWS
GIGGIG
REVIEWS
Alistair James
+ Crease at Mixtape, Middlesbrough – 26/01/2016
Teesside band Crease, who are currently recording their
debut EP, opened the night with punchy Queens of the Stone
Age-esque heavy bass lines. Mix that with vocals not dissimilar
to Dave Grohl, add an element of psychedelia, and quote Dr
Seuss’ ‘Green Eggs and Ham’ and they have the ingredients
to be great.At times, however, Jonathan Staff’s vocals were
overpowered by the funky guitar; so they just need to
tighten up their sound a little. But from what I heard tonight,
they could be ones to look out for.After Alistair James had
warmed up his vocal chords outside the upstairs toilets (the
world of small venues really is glamorous), he then made
his way onto the stage. Opening with ‘All You Do is Let Me
Down’, he then moved straight into second song,‘Saturday
Shoppers’ without pausing for a breath. Brand new single,
‘Have You Ever Been Low’ (which is set to be released on the
29/01) was the highlight of his set with its catchy chorus and
meaningful lyrics such as:“Im all alone now, just moving on. It’s
just what happens when that chapter in life is gone.” Having
predominantly played as a soloist, it was quite a change tonight
for Alistair as he was joined onstage by a keyboardist, second
guitarist, bassist and drummer. I wasn’t sure whether it would
work for him, but he actually seemed in his element.With the
band backing him up, he let his charisma and incredible stage
presence shine through for the duration of the set.
Written by Lee Allcock
Lindi Ortega
+ Jordan Klassen at The Cluny, Newcastle – 27/01/2016
Written by Paul Broadhead | Photography by Ashleigh Common
38
Opener, Jordan Klassen, is a Canadian singer-songwriter in the
vein of Paul Simon who captivates an already healthy audience
who have piled into the Cluny tonight. He’s an accomplished
performer - charismatic and with talent in abundance - and his
soulful voice is equally at home on the mellow ukulele number
‘Go To Me’ and the more upbeat closer ‘Firing Squad’.
Having paid her dues with two previous shows in the Cluny
2, fellow Canadian Lindi Ortega is up next and is in no mood
to waste her chance at gracing the main room for the first
time. Having built a loyal following, she takes to the stage in her
familiar red boots and little black dress complete with veil.
Opener,‘Run-Down Neighborhood’ from last year’s
‘Faded Gloryville’ album sets the tone; Ortega specialising
in a country blues sound straight out of Nashville. It’s her
trademark sound, but some of the highlights are when she
slows things down a bit such as on the soulful ‘All My Friends’,
or when she gets all sultry on ‘High’ about, well, getting high.
Strapping on a guitar for the defiant ‘I Ain’t The Girl’ gets
the crowd dancing, whilst ‘Faded Gloryville’s’ title track is a
reflective ballad about living in a fictitious town where dreams
have gone to die; proceeded by a heartfelt monologue about
chasing those dreams.A cover of Nancy Sinatra’s ‘Bang Bang’ is
wonderful, and although a reworking of ‘Ring Of Fire’ doesn’t
quite work, by this time Lindi has already earned her main
room audience’s devotion.
ALBUM/EP/SINGLE REVIEWS
Aces & Sinners ‘Self-Titled’ EP Review
Eujenics - ‘Humanism’
EP Review
Heist – ‘Floor Light Flickers’
Single Review
People Making Noises ‘Self Titled’ Album Review
SHAMU – ‘Dive’
Single Review
After their 2015 album ‘Feel The
Fire’, Aces & Sinners have spent
time on the North East scene
becoming one of the leading original
punk rock acts. Their self-titled EP,
recently released, includes a string
of heavy guitar riffs and pop-punky
vocals. It features two new tracks
and a new recording of ‘A Rose by
Any Other Name’ which, a year
after the original, is a symbol of the
band’s progression. ‘Let Me Breathe’
is a powerful opener energised
by dominant guitar riffs. The
arrangement is that of a standard
punk record but features a distinct
vocal style from Ainslie - a mix up
of Rotten and DeLonge. A risk is
taken and the vocals feel drowned
out in the drums while the guitar
continues to dominate from start
to finish. ‘Whirling’ is a track of far
greater quality. The arrangement
allows the vocals to harmonise
with the individual elements which
can then be truly appreciated; the
instrumental and more technical
aspects of the music are there to
be valued. Punk is a genre which
begs for a dominant frontman and
Ainslie has provided this since
performing at the 02 last January
and spending the better part of the
year as the driving force behind
the band’s development. The EP is a
big stepping stone on their upward
journey through the North East
scene.
Sunderland-based alt-rock quartet,
Eujenics, are due to release their
latest EP ‘Humanism’ on February
13th during a launch party to be held
at Sunderland’s own Independent,
featuring very special guests;
PussyWillowFurryVenus, Grayce and
Waste of Space.The first track of the
EP, ‘Culled’ merges tones of heavy
guitars and fast-paced drums for a
heavy rock sound; arguably dipping
into the metal genre.This edge is
carried throughout the entirety of
‘Humanism’, making all the tracks
fit together as a whole extremely
well.Tracks such as ‘Kalashnikov’ and
‘Eviscerate’ have a more noticeable
bass-line, which is featured in the
introduction of both.Without a doubt,
the band have gone for a sound
which is, in many respects, both wellexecuted and visceral. Nic Wood’s
vocal style gels perfectly with the rock
genre. And the immense expertise
of Chris Hanna, David Scott and
Adam Hay allow each song to blend
together seamlessly. Lyrically, the band
have created tracks with verses filled
with emotion and brutal honesty. And
the songs featured on ‘Humanism’
are hard-hitting and would make for
a fantastic live atmosphere. Overall,
the sheer talent of Eujenics, mixed
with the quality of the production
provided by Tru Studios, is what
makes ‘Humanism’ such a great EP to
kick off 2016 with.
With plays on BBC Introducing, and
a plethora of good reviews from the
blogosphere, new Geordie poprockers, Heist, are a group full of
potential. Born in 2015, Heist have
quickly gained momentum and their
debut single ‘Floor Light Flickers’
carries all the hallmarks needed to
make a great band.There is a lot
going on in the music and creativity
is obviously therefore not an issue.
There is a lazy canter to the vocal
line, reminiscent of Julian Casablancas,
with cool lyrics to boot.With the
articulation of Alex Turner, it’s easy
to see the influence of the group. In
fact, the whole feel of the track has
the vibe of a mid-naughties indie-rock
band; which, if you are of a certain age,
is guaranteed to catch your favour.
There are also telltale signs of a band
in its infancy.You can hear a great deal
of individuality; with members trying
to establish themselves in the sound
and within the mix. In parts, however,
this creates a slight dissonance in the
rhythm change - as the syncopation
becomes momentarily mismatched
between the guitar and drums - but
this is a small detail in a large picture.
A fledgling band often finds it hard
to create its own identity. A quick
Google search will bring up hundreds
of bands with the same name, as
well as a current international Drum
& Base DJ - Heist. Perhaps a name
change will bring about an identity
they are clearly seeking.
People Making Noises have been on
the NE scene for some time now;
facing gig to gig with electric vision
and clear direction.The self-titled
debut album feels like the culmination
of years of work and their offering
to the unknown.What separates
PMN from other instrumental
focused artists is their capability
and understanding.Time signatures
feel swapped and switched as ‘We
Kill Boxes’ plays through 5 minutes
of indefinable, calculated wonder.
It is this mathematical distinction
which captures the imagination and
simultaneously removes any feeling
of predictability.There is something
raw and energetic about PMN which
cannot be labelled or dismissed as
the child of influences. ‘Tidespring’
is the album’s mess of heavy guitars
laden with an almost nomadic beat.
‘The Whale’ is the album’s seven and
a half minute pinnacle.The whalesong
guitar drone which opens and closes
the track is a nice touch on a truly
ambient piece; and is certainly full
of twists and turns.The first album
by People Making Noises is given an
appropriate send off in the form of
‘No Country Members’ which again
is a tacit demonstration of the bands
understanding and comfortability
in their own world. Static rhythm
and distinctive guitar lines show the
artistry in the music - as the noises
start to fade.
Newcastle band Shamu, who worked
extremely hard throughout 2015,
have finally released their debut single
‘Dive’, and it was definitely worth
the wait.The track opens with an
atmospheric, glistening, repeated
sequence before a ghostly vocal softly
emerges. Like with most electronic
pieces, the stand-out feature on
Shamu’s first release are the recurring
sequences that are ever-present
throughout the track. As the chorus
nears, the vocals intensify and the
track introduces a drum-kit which
helps the song change into a more
upbeat rock sound. “Dive!” is
exclaimed as we reach the chorus sinking the sound into more alt-rock
than the previously heard electronic
aspect of Shamu’s vibe.Two-piece
Jonathon Evans and Samuel Hodgson
have created a massive catchy anthem
and after a few listens the lyrics start
to become more prominent. Bob
Fischer from BBC Tees has already
featured ‘Dive’ on his show, and
I’m expecting to hear it more and
more over the coming weeks and
months. It’s an interesting debut from
the Newcastle duo and I’m looking
forward to hearing more from them
in 2016. ‘
Purchase the EP now on itunes
and Amazon.
For information on where to pick up
the EP, please head over to facebook.
com/Eujenics.
Purchase ‘Floor Light Flickers’ on
Soundcloud now.
Written by Emma Bolland
Written by Adam Taylor
Pick up the album now on itunes
and spotify.
Dive’ was produced by James
Haselhurst at The Grain in Newcastleupon-Tyne and is now available to
download at shamu.bandcamp.com
and on all major platforms. A music
video, created by Paddy Thomas, is
now available for the debut track and
can be found on youtube.
40
The Band For Disease
Control and Prevention ‘Caution Anxiety Attack’and
‘Heavy Stone’ Double Sided
Single Review
Fortunately for up-and-coming
Gateshead alternative punk group,
The Band for Disease Control and
Prevention, their latest two tracks
are far catchier than their name.
Both ‘Caution Anxiety Attack’ and
‘Heavy Stone’ are strong fighters
for the punk revival; as both channel
a more authentic punk sound than
the monosyllabic and current front
liners Slaves.The band combines fast,
distorted guitar riffs, and energetic
drums with low murmuring vocals.
The overall vibe is lively but not
aggressive due to the relaxed, almost
spoken vocals contrasting with the
vivacious riffs. However, the drums
cement a steady beat throughout,
enabling the songs to be upbeat
enough to dance to.This introductory
taster to the band is very promising.
There’s nothing to really criticise
about either of the tracks, apart from
that they both sound quite similar.
If anything, the similarity between
the tracks would just allow the band
to have their own, comprehensive
sound; so I’d suggest you go see them
at a live show and enjoy the lively
atmosphere.
The double sided single has just been
release via the label, Big Bad Riff, and
can be purchased on itunes, Google
Play, Amazon, and all leading platforms.
Written by Sal Wilcox
Written by Callum Thornhill
41
NE VOLUME GIG LISTINGS
1st February
• NGOD + Special Guests.Think
Tank?, Newcastle. £5.50 Adv.
2nd February
• The Defiled.Think Tank?, Newcastle.
£11.00 Adv.
• NGOD + Plaza. Mixtape,
Middlesbrough. Free Before 10:00pm.
• Bowling For Soup. 02 Academy,
Newcastle. £22.50 Adv.
• So What. Osbournes of Yarm. Free.
3rd February
• Battle Of The Bands Featuring Once
More Round + Velvoir + The Thrall.
Filthy’s, Newcastle. Free.
• Tin Pan Alley.The Quakerhouse,
Darlington. Free.
• The Sherlocks.Think Tank?,
• Open Mic Night.The Borough,
Sunderland. Free.
4th February
• Insangel Presents:The Middens +
Vito.The Three Tuns, Gateshead. Free.
• NME Awards Tour Featuring Bloc
Party + Drenge + Rat Boy + Bugzy
Malone. 02 Academy, Newcastle.
£28.80 Adv.
• BRUJA + Mouses + Mr Treacle.
TSOne, Middlesbrough. Free.
5th February
• Scratch The Surface. Greens,
Sunderland. Free.
• The See No Evils + Support.
Musiclounge, Stockton. £2.00 OTD.
• Gasto Promotions Presents: Big
River + Lee Maddison. Forum Music
Centre, Darlington. £8.00 OTD.
• Adam Morgan. Sticky Fingers,
Middlesbrough. Free.
• Fun Lovin’ Criminals. 02 Academy.
• Keep Breathing + Cellar Door +
The Purnells. KU Bar, Stockton £3.00
Adv.
• Buffalo Four.The Cleveland Hotel,
Redcar. Free.
• So What.The Smiths Arms,
Billingham. Free.
46
6th February
• Ten Foot Tom & The Leprosy
Crooks + Werbeniuk + Monkeys In
Love.The Sun Inn, Stockton.
• The Front Bottoms. Riverside,
• Martha Ffion.Think Tank?,
• Black Nevada + Likkor Men + Andi
Granger + Twister + A Dying Reign &
Late night DJ. Musiclounge, Stockton.
£2.00 OTD.
• Matt Hermon. Sticky Fingers,
• Kazabian (Tribute to Kasabian).
KU Bar, Stockton. £6.00 Adv.
• Samantha Durnan + Be Quiet,
Shout Loud! + Boycott the Radio
+ Danny Devon.Westgarth,
Middlesbrough. £3.00 OTD.
• G T Boos Band + J Whitehills
Groovematics. Hartlepool Supporters
Club. £8.00 Adv/£10.00 OTD.
• So What.The Red Lion. Chester Le
Street. Free.
7th February
• The Good Music Club Presents:
Dan Donnelly at The Masham,
Hartburn. Free.
• Al Hughes.The Quakerhouse,
Darlington. Free.
• The Smokin’ Spitfires.The Cluny,
• Withered Hand.The Cluny 2,
• Kingsley Chapman & The Murder +
Year of Birds + The Alice Charmers +
Old Muggings. MIMA, Middlesbrough.
Free.
• Joe Ramsey. Head of Steam, Norton.
Free.
• Ear to the Ground Present: Shoot
the Poet + Cellar Door + Mozin Ali.
9th February
• Richie Ramone.The Cluny,
• Sons of Icarus.Think Tank?,
• Idle Violets + Ceiling Demons.
Mixtape, Middlesbrough. Free Before
10:00pm.
10th February
• The Flying V’s.The Quakerhouse,
Darlington. Free.
• Spring King.Think Tank?, Newcastle.
£7.70 Adv.
Sunderland. Free.
11th February
• The Strange Folk.The Deck, Redcar.
Price TBC.
12th February
• Eliza and the Bear. Georgian Theatre,
Stockton. £10.00 Adv/£12.00 OTD.
• The Twisted Dolls + Joe Walker.
• A Celebration of Graeme Miles
featuring The Unthanks +The Wilsons
+ The Young’uns + The Keelers.
Middlesbrough Town Hall. £14.00
Adv/£16.00 OTD.
• Darlington R’n’B Club Presents: Ben
Poole Band + Stevie Nimmo. Forum
Music Centre, Darlington. £12.00 OTD.
• Guestlist Featuring Chloe Chadwick.
The Vane Arms,Thorpe Thewles.
• Rob Heron and the Teapad
Orchestra.The Cluny, Newcastle.
£10.00 Adv.
• Cattle & Cane.Think Tank?,
• NARCS + Mr Treacle + Lost in the
Crowd. KU Bar, Stockton. £3.00 Adv.
• Bite The Bullet.The Storytellers,
Stockton. Free.
• So What.The Frigate, Marske. Free.
• Guestlist Presents: Chloe Chadwick.
The Vane Arms,Thorpe Thewles. Free.
13th February
• Nil By Mouth Records Present:
Alien8 + The Amazing Spacefrogs.The
Sun Inn, Stockton. £3.00 OTD.
• The Ska Beats + The Soul Elite.
Georgian Theatre, Stockton. £9.00
Adv/£12.00 OTD.
• Aaron Killalea + The Strange
Folk & Jesus Camp + Late Night DJ.
• Forgotten City Records Presents:
Dean James + Chased By Bad
Guys Split Single Launch. Pop Recs,
Sunderland. Free.
• Faderhead.The Cluny, Newcastle.
£13.00 Adv.
• The Crookes.Think Tank?,
• The Doors Alive.ARC, Stockton.
£12.00 Adv.
• Ali’s Love Child + Love The Sinner
+ Death To Indie + Like A Wookie. 02
Academy 2, Newcastle. £7.05 Adv.
• Saturday Unplugged Featuring Dave
Lord.The Storytellers, Stockton. Free.
• So What. The Three Chimneys
Hotel, Blackhall Colliery. Free.
14th February
• Plugged Out Featuring Dave & Kim.
The Ship Isis, Sunderland. Free.
• Valentines Day Sessions. Head of
Steam, Norton. Free.
15th February
• The Hummingbirds.The Cluny 2,
16th February
• NYTCLUB + Josh Newell-Brown.
Mixtape. Middlesbrough. Free Before
10:00pm.
17th February
• Fizzy Fish. Quakerhouse, Darlington.
Free.
Sunderland. Free.
18th February
• The Acoustic Factory #5 Featuring
Simon Talyor & The Sundowners +
Lauren Amour + Adam Littlemore +
Tom Smith + Aaron Hastings + Misti
Heslop. 02 Academy, Newcastle. £7.05
Adv.
19th February
• Massa Confusa + Cellar Door +
Casual Threats. Musiclounge, Stockton.
£2.00 OTD.
• JB Butterfield. Sticky Fingers,
• Martin Turner (Ex Wishbone Ash).
ARC, Stockton. £14.00 Adv.
• Telegram + Serinette + Crease. KU
Bar, Stockton. £3.00 Adv.
• The Members + Support. Cowpen
Bewley Club, Billingham. £8.00
Adv/£10.00 OTD.
20th February
• Steel Blue at The Merlin, Billingham.
Free.
• Charabanc Dreams + Two Blue
Band.The Sun Inn, Stockton. £2.50
OTD.
• The Rozbruce Infusion + Charlie
Thomas + Jesus Camp + late Night DJ.
• Saltburn Blues Club Presents: Rod
Clements.The Earthbeat Centre,
Saltburn.£10.00 Adv.
• SIEGEuk. Railway Tavern, Darlington.
Free.
• The Devon Allman Band.The Cluny,
• Telegram.Think Tank?, Newcastle.
£7.70 Adv.
21st February
• Johnny Campbell. Quakerhouse,
Darlington. Free.
• Plugged Out Featuring Ron Brown.
• Shearwater.The Cluny, Newcastle.
£10.00 Adv.
• Andy Jones. Head of Steam, Norton.
Free.
23rd February
• Viola Beach + Shoot The Poet.
Mixtape, Middlesbrough. Free Before
10:00pm.
• Ryley Walker + Danny Thompson.
ARC, Stockton. £14.50 Adv.
24th February
• The Whole Hog. Quakerhouse,
Darlington. Free.
• Battle Of The Bands Featuring Sabre
Tooth Monkey Sharks + The Rez +
Alien 8. Filthy’s, Newcastle. Free.
Sunderland. Free.
• Dead White Doves + Old Prides
+Weld + Stephen Miller + Late night
DJ. Musiclounge, Stockton. £2.00 OTD.
• Saltburn Blues Club Presents:
Tim Aves & The Wolfpack + Richard
Townend. Saltburn Cricket Club.
£10.00 OTD.
• Joshua Mannion. Sticky Fingers,
• Stereotonics (tribute to
Stereophonics). KU Bar, Stockton.
£3.00 Adv.
• So What.The Deacons Pub,
Darlington. Free.
• Live By The Sea Presents: Kirk
Brandon.The Spa Hotel, Saltburn.
£10.00 Adv.
28th February
• Plugged Out Featuring Danny Smith.
• Into Tomorrow Presents:The
Samuel Rogers Band (aka The S.R.B) +
Head of Light Entertainment + Charlie
Campbell + DJ Set from Diz.TSONe,
• Josh Newell-Brown. Head of Steam,
Norton. Free.
29th February
• DMA’S.The Cluny, Newcastle. £7.50
Adv.
25th February
• Whirling Dervish Presents:
Figmennt + Flowermouth + GUFRA.
• Rat Pack Vegas Spectacular.
Middlesbrough Town Hall. £20.00 Adv.
26th February
• Fatherson.The Cluny 2, Newcastle.
£7.00 Adv.
• Jonesy. Sticky Fingers,
• Youth Club + Lost State of Dance
+ The Broken Broadcast. KU Bar,
Stockton. £3.00 Adv.
• Princes of Monte Carlo.The
Storytellers, Stockton. Free.
• House of X.The Studio, Hartlepool.
£8.80 Adv.
• The Sherlocks.Arena,
Middlesbrough. £7.70 Adv.
• Russ Tippins Solo x 3 Sets.
Hartlepool Supporters Club. £3.00
OTD.
Add your March
gigs for FREE by
emailing our team at
[email protected]
Want to make your
gig stand out more?
Contact our team at
[email protected]
for more details.
27th February
• Rock Pit Booking Agents Present:
Andrew King as Elvis. Billy Row Club,
nr Crook. £2.00 Adv/£4.00 OTD.
47

February Edition (Published 02/02/2016)

Transcription

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