WE’RE LISTENING! - FREE NORTH EAST MUSIC MAGAZINE | www.nevolume.co.uk | January 2016 | Issue #7

THE TOP 10 NORTH EAST BANDS TO WATCH IN 2016! Follow NE Volume/

The firelight opera in Newcastle! lone wolf promotions 4th birthday!

Artist Spotlight: Four Colour Ghosts!

MAXIMO PARK 10TH ANNIVERSARY! JAMES GRAY ROBSON NEW EP!

lost in the woods announcement!

gofundme project: raindrops to rainbows!

STEREOPHONICS ROCK THE METRO!

independent venue week!

alien ant farm head to newcastle!

HEAD OF STEAM OPENS IN NORTON!

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Morning/afternoon/evening loyal readers and thanks for picking up edition #7 – our first of 2016! I hope you had a great Christmas and New Year and are looking forward to the rest of the gigging year. January tends to be a slow month in terms of releases, gigs, and just the music scene in general but don’t worry, we’ve managed to cram in a number of news pieces, features, interviews, gig reviews and album/EP/single reviews to keep you up-to-date with what’s happening in the local music scene. In this month’s edition, we chat to Alien Ant Farm about their new album and their upcoming Newcastle date, we provide you with our honest opinion of Maximo Park’s 10th Anniversary gig at Hartlepool Borough Hall, we keep you up to date with what’s happening in the region this month including The Firelight Opera at the 02 Academy Newcastle, Daniel Knox at the Waiting Room, Eaglescliffe, an Audience with Singer/Songwriters at the Forum Music Centre, Darlington, there’s a festival announcement as the first two acts for Lost in the Woods at Hardwick Hall are confirmed, and so much more. Just to remind you, if you’ll be running a gig or bringing any new material out in February/March then please email us at [email protected] and we’ll do all we possibly can to include a review/news piece in our February edition which will be released on the 2nd of February. Again, thank you for reading NE Volume Magazine! Lee Allcock Editor NE Volume Magazine

Contents

co.uk | December 2015

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ber 2015 | .uk | Novem

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3 Advertise With Us/Contact Details 4 The Firelight Opera In Newcastle 4 Hayley Mckay Announced At Forum Music Centre 5 Down In The Woods 2016 Festival Announcement 5 Daniel Knox Coming To The Waiting Room 6 Big Red & The Grinners Landing At The 02 Academy 6 Lindi Ortega Announced At The Cluny 8 The Beamish Hall Winter Festival 9 Beach Slang Gig Preview At Think Tank? 9 Lone Wolf Promotions 4Th Birthday Event 10 NE Volume’s Monlthy Artist Spotlight 13 Newcastle’s ‘Digits’ Farewell Gig 14 Gofundme Project: Raindrops To Rainbows 17 The Head Of Steam Opens In Norton 18 Independent Venue Week 19 Coffee Beans & Vinyl, - Long Play Café 20 Katie Cain Presents - NE Volume’s Top 10 North East Artists/Bands To Watch In 2016! 22 ‘The Ceiling Was Dripping!’ Alien Ant Farm In Newcastle 23 The Temperance Movement’s New Sound 24 Field Music Heads To Stockton 25 ‘Our Sound Is The Biggest Change!’ Mayday Parade 25 Paying Tribute To Video Games - Benedict Hawkin 26 Fat White Family At The Georgin Theatre 26 The Darkness 02 Academy Gig Review 28 Stewards ‘Lose Control’ Of Ash Moshpits 28 Stereophonics’ Crowd Star In New MusicVideo 31 Lower Than Atlantis’ All Star Casted Empire Gig 31 Seasoned Veterans ‘The Dead Daises’ At The Point 32 Maximo Park Celebrate 10 Years Of ‘A Certain Trigger’ 33 No Longer A ‘Slave’. Slaves Satisfy The 02 Academy 33 Figmennt Perform With Complete Professionalism 34 Boycott The Radio - ‘Wolf’ Ep Review 34 Dean James - ‘Black Dog’ Single Review 34 Denature - ‘Loss’ Ep Review 35 James Gray Robson & The Lovely Burn - ‘For What Its Worth’ Ep Review 35 Crying Lions - ‘Rocket Science’ Ep Review 35 Zeitgeist 77 - ‘We Are Zeitgeist’ Album Review 38 NEVolume January 2016 Gig Listings

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Our website is designed to deliver the latest music news while our high-quality magazine, with a readership of 12,000+, is a fantastic tool for local gig promoters and businesses to market themselves to local audiences. NE Volume is a North East magazine delivered FREE to a range of communities in the North East covering Middlesbrough, Stockton, Hartlepool, Darlington, Redcar, Newcastle, Sunderland, and many more. Our next issue will be out on the 2nd February 2016 so get in touch now to get involved! Our rates start from £35.00! If you would like a full NE Volume advertising pack sent out, please contact [email protected] or call us on 07594 486754. Our trained journalists can write your copy while our professional designers can help to put your adverts together. So whatever your requirements are we are here to help!

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NEWS Gig Preview: The Firelight Opera

Festival Announcement:

+ Jen Stevens & The Hiccups + Stratosphere + One Man Revival at 02 Academy, Newcastle The Firelight Opera have announced their headlining spot at Newcastle’s 02 Academy on Saturday 16th January.The band are a vocal harmony-driven alternative rock band from the North East of England.Together they combine electric/ acoustic guitar with delicate melodies and powerful lyrics to create something beautiful. Since they came together in 2012, they have been extremely successful and have toured alongside Mark Morriss of The Bluetones, Chris Helme of The Seahorses and John Power of Cast/The La’s.They’ve also made their way over to the festival scene and have performed at Split Festival in Sunderland along with The Cribs, Maximo Park, Ocean Colour Scene and many more big name artists after being personally invited by The Futureheads. Support for the evening comes in the form of Jen Stevens & The Hiccups, Stratosphere and One Man Revival. Jen Stevens & The Hiccups are a local indie/ folk/ blues band from South Shields who create an eclectic mix of music. Stratosphere are an energetic power trio with a blues influence from up North. One Man Revival are a rock and roll band that launch onto their audience a highly-energetic performance. Currently in the process of recording their debut album, they are definitely not to be missed; so get down early.Tickets for the event, priced at £6.00 in advance, can be bought from ticketweb.co.uk and from all band members.

Written by Hannah Dodsworth

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Down to the Woods 2016

The first two acts have just been announced by tinyCOW for Down to the Woods 2016, the successor to Ramside Estates Hardwick Live, which is due to take place in the grounds of Hardwick Hall Hotel, County Durham on Saturday 13th August. First up are Scottish legends, and one of the world’s most notorious rock bands, Primal Scream. Primal Scream will land in the North East with an enormously strong heritage of 30 years at the top of their game.They will be joined on the Grand Arcadia Stage by songsmiths Echo & the Bunnymen, who have had a string of top 20 hits since the 1980s including the classic anthem ‘Nothing Lasts Forever’. Jonathan Woodliffe of Ramside Estates, said: “We’re really excited about the programme of artists we are bringing to Down To The Woods. To land Primal Scream is a major coup for us, especially as it will be their only gig within a 100 mile radius and to have Echo & the Bunnymen as well really is a double whammy.This is the first of many exciting announcements we’ll be making about Down To The Woods in the coming months and we’re confident it is going to be one of THE North East’s biggest music events of 2016.”

Written by Hannah Dodsworth

Tickets for Down To The Woods, priced at £55 for adults, £15 for young people and £8 for children, are available now at www.downtothewoodsfestival.co.uk. A limited number of camping pitches are also on sale priced at the single price of just £30 per tent.

Gig Preview: Hayley McKay

Gig Preview: Daniel Knox

+ James Robson + Dave Saunders at Forum Music Centre, Darlington

+ Dressed Like Wolves at The Waiting Room, Eaglescliffe

Head to the Forum Music Centre in Darlington on Saturday 16th January for a night of live music as three Darlington acts are set to take centre stage. Penned as ‘An Audience with Singer/Songwriters’, heading to the venue will be James Robson, Hayley McKay and Dave Saunders for a night of original acoustic music. Hayley McKay is a talented singer/ songwriter who has been singing from a young age. From performing in Nashville to Glastonbury, this ambitious lady is one not to be missed. She’s recorded at Astar Studios with Mercury prize nominated producer Andy Ross, and the album features eight original compositions that draw upon Hayley’s traditional roots; while embracing a soulful pop sensibility to achieve her new British country sound. James Robson, who is soulful and folky and performs a very tasteful and original style of music, has been involved in music since he was just 15 years old and has played the likes of the main stage at Stockton Riverside Festival. Opening the night with an acoustic set is Dave Saunders. Dave is not only involved in performing as the frontman of Darlington band Goy Boy McIlroy, but has a huge input into the local music scene as he hosts a weekly radio show called The Grind for Teesside radio Ignition.Tickets for the 16+ event, priced at £6.00, are available from the Forum Music Centre or from Seetickets.com.

Join Daniel Knox + Dressed Like Wolves for their upcoming gig at the intimate venue of The Waiting Room, Eaglescliffe on Sunday 24th January. American singer-songwriter Daniel Knox has built a reputation for creating darkly distorting traditional American songs and is described as powerfully heart breaking at the same time as playfully sinister. His selftitled album invites listeners to explore a world of time travel, abandonment, and a childhood spent growing up in a slowly fading middle America. Hand-picked by David Lynch himself to perform with him while he was reading out verses of his own poetry, this talent is surely one not to be missed.With such a prestigious collaboration, this lead to Knox playing shows in London with the line-up including the likes of Rufus Wainwright, Damon Albarn and The Handsome Family while also picking up along the way the fandom of Jarvis Cocker; who invited Knox to work alongside him on backing vocals for his solo album ‘Further Complication’. Support comes in the form of Teesside band Dressed Like Wolves who will be performing a stripped back set for the occasion.With hauntingly beautiful half whispered vocals and obscure album titles, such as new album ‘ In The End We All Just Walk Off Into The Sea In The Eyes Of The Ones We Left Behind’, prepare for a spellbinding start to the evening.Tickets priced at £8.00 for all ages can be purchased from Seetickets.com.

Written by Hannah Dodsworth

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NEWS Gig Preview: Big Red & The Grinners + Gilded Thieves + Chloe Chadwick at 02 Academy, Newcastle Big Red & The Grinners are set to play Newcastle’s 02 Academy alongside Gilded Thieves and Chloe Chadwick on Saturday 23rd January. Big Red & The Grinners came together after being tired of what the local music scene had to offer. Discovering that other like-minded musicians felt the same way, the collaborated together to create a different, risk-taking sound which would be unpredictable. Consisting of vocals, banjo, guitar, accordion, double bass and stand up snare and washboard, together their music features a range of influences; from Hayseed Dixie to serious American roots folk music.This band cannot be described in words and the best way to know more about them is to go down and see them yourselves. Gilded Thieves are a country/ folk band from Newcastle with a tale to tell.Their songs include stories of outlaws, sinners and sirens; with enchanting beautiful melodies and delicately played strings.This spellbinding act should not be missed. Chloe Chadwick is a raw talent with stunning vocals stirring up soul into her authentic country/ folk performance.With thought-provoking lyrics, she conveys a realness about everyday life with powerful harmonic sounds - be sure to head down early to check her out.Tickets for the event, priced at £8.00 in advance, can be bought from o2academynewcastle.co.uk.

Written by Hannah Dodsworth

Gig Preview: Lindi Ortega at the Cluny, Newcastle

Just in time to herald the new year, Canadian country songstress Lindi Ortega, who will be surely sporting her signature red lips and red boots, will be gracing the stage at Newcastle’s Cluny for one of her first shows of 2016. The soloist will be travelling across the UK, Ireland and Europe as part of her 2016 tour, performing songs from her most recently released album ‘Faded Glory’ - which was released in August 2015 - as well as some of her bestknown hits.With her roots settled in country music, Ortega cites her influences as some of the genres greatest legends, including Dolly Parton, Johnny Cash and Leonard Cohen. These influences, merged with her own unique ideas, have allowed the artist to create a whole host of award-winning material, earning accolades from the Canadian Country Music Association in 2014 and 2015 where she won ‘Root Artist or Group of the Year’. Starting off on January 14th, Ortega plans to travel to Ireland before hitting the South of England on January 18th. From there she will perform across the country, hitting Newcastle on Wednesday 27th January, before heading to Europe in February.Tickets for Ortega’s Newcastle date, priced at £12.50 in advance, can be bought at thecluny.com. For more information about Ortega’s full European tour, or to purchase tickets for any of her upcoming gigs, please head over to lindiortega.ca. Photography by Julie Moe

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Written by Emma Bolland

FM

The Doors Alive

The Selecter

Sat 30 Jan | 8pm Starting price: F: £18.50

Sat 13 Feb | 8pm Starting price: F: £11

Thu 10 Mar | 8pm Starting price: F: £17.50

Reg Vardy Band

Martin Turner (ex Wishbone Ash)

The Puppini Sisters

Fri 5 Feb | 8pm Starting price: F: £10

Fri 19 Feb | 8pm Starting price: F: £14

Sat 12 Mar | 8pm Starting price: F: £25

Funk Soul Social

Ryley Walker with Danny Thompson

King King and Laurence Jones

Sat 6 Feb | 8pm Starting price: F: £8 adv. £10 door

Tue 23 Feb | 8pm Starting price: F: £14.50

Sat 19 Mar | 8pm Starting price: F: £20

NEWS Festival Preview: The Beamish Hall Winter Festival

Gig Preview: Beach Slang

The Beamish Hall Winter Festival is back once again for its fourth annual real ale and music festival. Friday 22nd January and Saturday 23rd January sees the wonderful Beamish Hall beautifully transform into one of the largest ale and music festivals in the region.With over 90 real ales and over nine fantastic local bands to perform throughout the weekend, there is surely something for everybody. Kicking off the music side of the festival on the Friday and also playing on the Saturday is the amazingly talented singer-songwriter Steve Daggett; who was once a member of the popular 80’s band Lindisfarne. George Shovelin & The Radars are also set to play on the Saturday and they will be bringing you some of the finest blues music in the North East. Closing the event will be rock & rollers The Bandits who are familiar faces in the region’s clubs and pubs scene. As the event will include everything from rock and roll bands to blues bands, it will be a spectacular event and one not to be missed.The entry to one of the region’s annual greats is £5.00 per person, per day.Tickets can be purchased from The Stables or from the Hotel reception. Alternatively, they can be bought online via ticketweb.co.uk.The event has proved extremely popular over the years, and is highly-approved of in the region, so it’s important to book tickets in advance as the event will be a sell-out.

Philadelphians Beach Slang will be playing Think Tank? in Newcastle on Saturday 23rd January in what is surely one of the most anticipated shows of 2016.The band have created a storm of interest on the back of their ‘The Things We Do To Find People Who Feel Like Us’ debut record which has ranked high in many 2015 end of year best albums lists. Taking a heavy influence from the likes of Minneapolitan bands The Replacements and Husker Du, the band sing about the left of the dial, those who don’t fit in, the disenfranchised youth, the ones left behind. Forming in 2013, the band released two well-received EPs in ‘Who Would Ever Want Anything So Broken?’ and ‘Cheap Thrills On A Dead End Street in 2014’.The hype that has accompanied them every step of the way has been unprecedented for a punk rock band in 2015, but their debut more than lived up to that hype. They perform old school indie punk rock but the themes of alienation and despair are no less relevant today than they were decades ago. James Alex is a young fortysomething with that grit still in his teeth. Like The Hold Steady’s Craig Finn, he has that air of somebody who’s been around and seen it all and lived to tell the tales, tales which will be told in Newcastle in January for those with a ticket.

at Think Tank?, Newcastle

Written by Oli Howes

Purchase tickets for the event, priced at £8.80 including booking fee, from ents24.com.

Written by Paul Broadhead

Lone Wolf Promotions 4th Birthday Event! The rather excellent Shields will be providing the highlight at Sunderland Promoters, Lone Wolf Promotions, 4th birthday bash at Sunderland’s Independent on Saturday 30th January. The Newcastle five-piece will be showcasing tracks from their forthcoming debut album ‘Face to Face’, slated for a release in February. Providing able support will be Sunderland indie rock outfit Cohesion, and popular Newcastle band Dalaro. Featuring as part of Independent Venue Week, it’s an event that Lone Wolf founder, the lovely Alex Burgess, is thrilled to be putting on: ‘’I’ve worked with both Dalaro and Cohesion before, so it’s great to have them on the line up. Shields are one of my favourite bands, so to have them headline the event is just brilliant. It’s also nice to have the gig at Independent in Sunderland; it’s where I started out with Lone Wolf back in 2012, so to go back and have a celebration there is going to be great’’. It will be the 21st Lone Wolf event since its inception, an impressive achievement given Alex’s tender age of just 22. If three of the region’s most exciting bands aren’t enough to tempt you into attending, Alex has also promised cake; so I’ll be stamping this one as ‘unmissable’! Tickets for the event at Independent, Sunderland are priced at just £5.00 in advance, or £7.00 on the door. It’s important to buy your tickets early as the gig is heading for a sell-out.

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FOUR COLOUR GHOSTS

ARTIST SPOTLIGHT!

Appropriately entitled ‘Anticipation’, a very accurate name for a reciprocal feeling for their fans, local wonders Four Colour Ghosts are due to release their debut EP. The Hartlepool blended with a dash of Redcar musicians have been lurking on the scene for some time, however the members have been ultimately chopped and changed throughout their creation. The four-piece are now comfortably settled within their set-up, gelling together so well that each and every musician has the opportunity to prove their budding and undeniable talent. The evident talent of Four Colour Ghosts gels together like a perfectly pin pointed recipe, each member a crucial ingredient that uplifts their art. The band, consisting of AJ on lead vocals/guitar, Rob Miller on the drums, Lewis Jeffreys on lead guitar and Paul Brown on bass and vocals, describe themselves as alternative rock, however, the passion infused into their music unmistakably makes them outstanding against many others. They’re not quite the band that are drenched head to toe in absurd looking tattoos, the group of lads with scuffed trainers and Topman hoodies that break out in an awkward sweat when they shuffle pensively behind the stature of the microphone, nor the type to smash their Fender to an absolute wreckage on stage before taking a mighty death leap out into the sea of people in front of them. They delightfully slot into the middle of these, a singular toe in each of the waters, and that is what makes Four Colour Ghosts ever so truly charming. Outspoken about the debate of online piracy, the band are strong believers in paying the price for their art. The debacle of the illegal downloader is infamous for

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adding to the struggle of being a small time band, putting their rise at potential risk due to lack of funds, and can often also be received as a lack of respect for those who work tirelessly to create something that can be appreciated by not only themselves, but the masses. Four Colour Ghosts, whose EP will be available on the likes of iTunes and Amazon, are big on encouraging the purchase of the real thing, as there is nothing better than the real appreciation of a musician’s work. Four Colour Ghosts draw their inspiration from the likes of Stereophonics, Red Hot Chili Peppers and Slash; a quirky mix that they have certainly put their own Teesside spin on. The first release from their upcoming 5-track EP, called ‘Ride Like The Stars’, has a rather anthemic tone to it; the type of melody you’d imagine in the background of the opening of an eighties teen movie but with infectious guitar riffs and passionate, powerful vocals. Mixed by legendary industry producer, John Cornfield, who has worked with the likes of big time acts Oasis, Stone Roses and Supergrass, it’s destined to be an exciting commercial release. To celebrate the release of ‘Anticipation’, the band will be hitting up The Georgian Theatre in Stockton for an EP launch on Saturday 30th January and will be supported by three more local acts in The Voluntears, The Endeavours and Timmy Bennett. Tickets for this are guaranteed to fly out, so be sure not to miss out on getting an ear full of the region’s upcoming alt-rockers, (and snag a hard copy of the EP!). Written by Becca Fergus

if you have a gig coming up in February, or will be releasing some new material in february/March, we want to know! contact [email protected]

FEATURES

Newcastle’s Digits Farewell Gig Newcastle-based alternative rock band Digits will be bidding farewell to two of their members this January 15th with a show at Newcastle’s O2 Academy. In light of the situation, we caught up with singer Chris Bradley who’s been busy trying to find new band members as well as “trying to dad,” for a chat about the reasons behind the departures and what they’ve meant to the band. Emerging from the ashes of Cut Glass Accent, Digits were on course to take the world by storm in 2015 after rave reviews for EPs ‘Acquiesce To Violence’ and ‘Footprints And Embers’, but first drummer Matt Hickman and then bassist Stuart Latham handed in their notice. “We are gutted; it’s a damn shame to lose someone of Matt’s calibre and for me to lose my best mate,” reflects Bradley. The departure of Stu in particular has hit Chris hard. “Me and him have played in a band together for nearly fourteen years now; whether it was Cut Glass Accent or Digits. It’ll be strange not to have him at my side as I’ve known him since high school. He wants to get married, he wants to travel the world before he settles down and have kids,” says Chris; mindful of Stu’s desire to broaden his horizons having become a dad himself in March. Ironically, the band’s success may have been a contributing factor to the departures, having been offered the chance to record with a known producer who had worked with the likes of Kids In Glass Houses and Motorhead, as a change to their usual DIY style of recording. “I don’t think me and Craig (Strawbridge / Guitar) really pressured anybody about it,“ reasons Chris. “We just expressed we wanted to do that… nobody fell out over it, nobody said anything but I think if there was already something hanging in their heads, that probably would have contributed in some way.” The band has already recruited

a new bass player in Nick Oliver and his versatility has surprised Chris, considering Digits uncompromising hard and heavy sound. “When he approached us I wasn’t entirely sure he’d be able to do Stu’s parts because his old band Flying were a pop-rock band.We have a lot of changing time signatures and polyrhythms but he’s surprised us quite a bit, stepping up to the plate and knocking it straight outta the park!” The search for a drummer, however, hasn’t been so easy. “The trouble we’ve had drummer-wise is Matt came and added an extra dimension and he’s left us with a higher expectation of somebody who’s heavier hitting, harder hitting,” mourns Chris. “On top of that, you need somebody who has his own gear, who has the flexibility to tour and record, who’s energetic live.You’d be surprised how many drummers audition and they don’t actually own a drum kit. You’ve got to be fully prepared and it’s surprising how many people you come across and they’re not.”Whilst the search for a new drummer continues, Chris admits that Digits have come close to calling it a day. Even now there’s a part of me that thinks about it,” admits Chris. For now though, with eyes on recording a new EP which is already half written, the band are happy to be playing what is a rescheduled farewell show with local supports Black Nevada, Enversa and Black Velvet. “We’d like it so that Stu and Matt get a bit of a thank you; for Matt the last year and with Stu, the last fourteen years with me and five years with Craig.” Purchase tickets for the event, priced at £7.05 in advance, from ticketweb.co.uk Written by Paul Broadhead

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FEATURES

SATURDAY 2ND JAN

V PAU L W E LLE R

TRIBUTE SHOW BY OHASIS & ACOUSTIC WELLER

SATURDAY 9TH JANUARY

THE PRINCES OF MONTE CARLO SATURDAY 16TH JANUARY

THE BAGGY MONDAYS SATURDAY 23RD JANUARY

LAST ANTHEM SATURDAY 30TH JANUARY

A real loss to the music community It’s rare in this magazine that we report anything but goodness that comes from the music scene of the North East. However, the community of Stockton has been left in a state of shock after the all-too-soon passing of business owner Heather Terry, leaving husband Oliver and baby Dylan. Heather and Oliver are the co-owners and co-founders of Musiclounge and together they turned an empty space on the corner of Yarm Lane into an attractive, relaxing and music-centred space for musicians to come and play their trade. Heather and Oliver also fully support their fellow fledgling and small businesses.Whilst savouring a trademark smoothie or hot beverage, many independent music magazines – including NE Volume – could be found to peruse at the counter of the Cafe.Tributes have come pouring into Musiclounge, a fitting testament to the great work the couple have done. Many have spoken of the heartfelt sadness, others of fond memories. But most of all family, friends and colleagues have spoken of a beautiful character now tragically missing from their lives.Oliver Terry was kind enough to speak to me for this article and I couldn’t think of a better way than to share verbatim some of his thoughts: “Heather was a kind, caring, thoughtful person that always put other people first. She was a ray of light to everyone that came into contact with her and life will never be the same without her. She loved music - especially the Rolling Stones - and she always wanted to make others happy.” Oliver has kept the business up and running. His strength has come to shine as he looks to the future and to preserving the memory of Heather for years to come: “Raindrops to Rainbows is a charity for post-natal depression which is one of the illnesses Heather suffered.We want to create awareness to how serious this

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is. I’ve lost a soul mate and feel devastated by it all but want to keep the Musiclounge going for Dylan and in Heather’s memory.” The Musiclounge has already held a charity event, ‘Xmas Xtravaganza’, splitting the proceeds between Butterwick Hospice and Raindrops to Rainbows, with over £1500 generated as a result. Indeed, Heather would be proud of this feat.With charity at the heart of the immediate future, I urge our community to support Oliver and Dylan however we can.Whether that be through donation, through attending events at Musiclounge, or offering messages of support and condolence.When I first met the couple two years ago, Musiclounge was brand new and struggling to keep its head above water.Through persistence, ambition and dedication Heather and Oliver have made their business work and will leave a permanent legacy on Stockton town. Although a small gesture, NE Volume and myself have been compelled to write on this tragedy. Please check out the following ‘gofundme’ links to Raindrops to Rainbows and donate a sum in tribute to the memory of Heather Terry. Over £1000 has already been donated, and with a target of £5000 every penny counts! www.gofundme.com/raindrops2rainbows www.facebook.com/musicloungestockton www.facebook.com/Raindrops2Rainbows Written by Adam Taylor

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GRAPHIC DESIGN WILL SAVE THE WORLD. RIGHT AFTER ROCK & ROLL DOES.

FEATURES

the head of steam opens in norton! If you’re looking for the perfect pint and acoustic music then head down to Norton High Street as Head of Steam Norton, owned by Camerons Brewery Ltd, has just opened its doors to the public. A staggering £200,000 has been well spent on the venue, previously known as Perry’s, and stocks an eclectic range of high end premium beer, ales, sprits and lager from across the globe. Launching at the end of last month, the Head Of Steam on 8 Harland Place has had a great response in its busy first month; with all the new staff pulling together to make the Christmas season the busiest but greatest experience for customers. Speaking to manager Rob Watson, he said: “Camerons were looking for somewhere in the North East and Norton was the ideal place - especially where it’s situated with the other bars. Ever since Wetherspoon’s came in and raised the standards of the pubs others have evolved.We want our standards to be just a bit higher, customer related, with an easy going service environment”. With the launch of the Head Of Steam, it hopes to not only be a good quality boozer, but offer live music to customers with acoustic nights taking place every Sunday -ideally called Sunday Sessions – which will be brought to you by Tees Music Alliance (the team who run the Georgian Theatre and Green Room in Stockton). Wanting to fit in with the locals, the sessions have been timed to fit nicely around the town. Rob noted: “Norton has a Sunday circuit, so it will take place at 5 o’clock after people have eaten and when they’re ready to start to come out for

the evening. It’s going to be mainly acoustic solo artists and duos with maybe a bit of jazz going every now and then.” Previous Sunday Session acts included Tom Powell and Jake Hope, with a line up ready for the new year. Future acts include: Jake Taylor - 3rd January, Charlie Thomas - 10th January, Carl Eaton - 17th January, Steve McCormick 24th January, Ellis Rayner - 31st January, with more to be announced for 2016. If that’s not enough for you music lovers, the pub will be taking part in a nation’s network of pubs who are looking to break the Guinness World Records for the largest multivenue; it’s all for a good cause as they’ll be looking to raise money for hundreds of charities across the UK. Keep it in your diaries, as it takes place on Sunday 7th February at 7:30pm. Furthermore, working alongside independent business The Olde Young Tea House in Middlesbrough,The Head Of Steam is the first place to stock Sleeping Brew Tea - a pale ale infused with Sleeping Beauty green tea.This is the first of its kind to be introduced to the pub, with the air still in the brewing process, and is exclusive to Norton customers. If it doesn’t sound appealing enough, over January selected bottles and ales are 50% off so head down to see what it’s like for yourself. Just to add, under 18’s are welcome but should be accompanied by a parent when attending Sunday Sessions. Written by Hannah Dodsworth

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FEATURES

saving the lifeblood of new artists The importance of independent venues goes without saying as they’re the lifeblood of many young artists and bands.Without them, who knows where the best of British music would have come from? Independent venues give communities the opportunity, for a small price, to explore music, to discover new music, at that. Don’t just take my word for it, everyone from BBC to The Lottery are in full support of Independent Venue week with Huw Stephens of BBC Radio 1 speaking of the week in January:“Those small, independent venues in your local city centre are the ones that keep the music scene going. These venues are where the bands meet, form and play.They are where the similar bands from other towns come to play and create scenes.These venues are the backbone of the music scene, and without them we have nothing to be proud of.” The sheer nightmare of hearing independent venues are closing and further more are at risk of further closures is terrifying for the future of British music, not only for promoters, bands, artists, fans, communities, culture but also jobs, the men and women behind the bar, the sound technician and the lighting engineer.Therefore with a big appreciation, Independent Venue Week is back for its third year running and we all can get involved in the North East. Independent Venue Week is a celebration of independent venues in the UK but it also aims to help develop the security of the venues.Ambassador Frank Turner underlines the importance of the week in January:“It’s vital we all celebrate their existence during Independent Venue Week and do what we can to support them so they are still around for years to come.” North East gig-goers in particular can celebrate at three important venues which are The Independent in Sunderland,The Georgian Theatre in Stocktonon-Tees and The Cluny in Newcastle.To get involved, go to an

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Independent venue between Monday 25th January – Sunday 31st January 2016 where you can catch great gigs including Toronto-born Nashville dwelling singer-songwriter Lindi Ortega at the Cluny on the 27th of January for £12.50.Tickets can be found on seetickets.com. Mercury prize nominated local band Field Music will be playing Stockton’s Georgian Theatre as part of the event. Field Music are far from strangers to the local scene and will be playing after support band Kingsley Chapman and The Murder.After flirting with success and failure with The Chapman Family, before deciding to call it at day in 2013, this is your chance to see Kingsley Chapman back on stage and closer to home than ever.Tickets for this exclusive event can be found at teesmusicalliance.org.uk for £9.00 or can be bought on the door for £11.00.To keep these venues existing - to help the lifeblood of the music we love in the UK to keep flowing - we must support them by going to gigs and enjoying them for there may not be many left by the time children grow up or grandchildren arrive - and wouldn’t that be the biggest disappointment to not leave beautiful venues and new bands? Details of all participating venues can be found at the main website at independentvenueweek.com. Dates and ticket links will go live on the site as shows are confirmed and more gigs, artists and partners will be announced over the coming days and weeks. You can also keep up-to-date with Independent Venue Week via their social media channels including Facebook,Twitter and Instagram. Written by Tyler Marriott

COFFEE BEANS & VINYL - LONG PLAY CAFÉ If you’re looking for a hidden music gem tucked away along the quayside in Newcastle, look no further than Long Play Café. As you step inside you’ll hear classics playing from the vinyl player in the corner - such as the Stone Roses for example - and who doesn’t want to pair listening to good music with quality coffee and an ambient atmosphere? With coffee and vinyl, what’s not to love? This is the perfect place to come and browse through collectable records for you to buy (with prices starting from £1.50) or to simply listen to as you enjoy a coffee.With the recent boom in vinyl sales, there are high hopes that the café will be successful. The new café has also recently been endorsed by the likes of Idlewild and Bernaccia, with local band Boy Jumps Ship also taking part in Blank Slate Sessions within the establishment. The café itself all started up when two baristas, Jon Marley and Chris Jackson, who were also both keen vinyl collectors decided to collaborate these two passions to create something new in the city.With both of them involved in the local music scene, and even hoping to start a new scene on the Quayside, let’s hope things go from strength to strength. All coffee on sale is sourced locally, as the café is keen to support independent businesses across the region, and this ensures the quality of the product is the best it can possibly be. From coffee cup to bean, all is taken into account as the café works alongside artisan roasters.Together they create ‘Lola’s Dark Roast’ used as the base in all their coffees. If you’re not a coffee lover, don’t be put off! With a large range

of loose leave teas, there is bound to be something to appeal to your pallet. Café founders Jon and Chris are also big believers in breakfast, and think just because it’s later on in the day this shouldn’t hinder breakfast.This means that breakfast is always on the menu here.The menu also includes deli food and twists on traditional takes.This simple menu is small but done well, and there’s also a choice of cakes available to go with your coffee. Stay tuned for 2016 as this year the café is set to announce a number of live music events. Written by Hannah Dodsworth

Opening Times and Further Information: Open seven days a week, from 8am-8pm. Situated on 48-52 Sandhill, Quayside, Newcastle, directly opposite the Riverside music venue.

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MAIN FEATURE

KATIE CAIN PRESENTS

NE VOLUME’S TOP 10 NORTH EAST ARTISTS/ BANDS TO WATCH IN

-- 2016! --

1. Cape Cub

6. Figmennt

Cabe Cub’s soft, heartfelt sound has been referred to as “nostalgic and beautiful” by many and is something genuine that is sought after in music.The raw talent of this act made it impossible not to include them on our ones to watch list and we urge you to check them out at a live show ASAP.

2015 has proved to be an incredibly successful year for the shoegaze four-piece and 2016 is set to be even more successful for the band. After only getting together in December 2014, the band have elbowed their way into the music scene and even made an appearance at Evolution Emerging and Twisterella Festival in 2015. After only a year of making music together and achieving so much, what’s next for the band? Well, with a highly-anticipated EP to be released following their single ‘She’, Figmennt are set to explode and reprint themselves on the North East music scene with fresh new material and begin to create their long-lasting legacy in 2016.

2. Joe Ramsey Joe (with the help of his new band) have continued to progress in our regional music scene this past year.With a released single at the tail end of last year and a range of gigs including Twisterella and numerous appearances at local venues including KU bar in Stockton and TSOne in Middlesbrough, it seems our North East audiences can’t get enough of his material.This guy has bags of talent and the determination to gig at any opportunity to broaden his audience and experience is unwavering.

3. Hyde & Beast It seems as though nobody can actually get enough of Hyde & Beast in our region. From headlining main stage for the O2 Academy 10th anniversary, headlining Twisterella Festival and even attracting the attention of James Bay, it seems that there’s been no stopping Hyde & Beast in 2015 and they’re showing no signs of slowing down in 2016 either.

4. Shoot The Poet The band caught our attention supporting Darlia in May and since then they’re growing and developing continuously. With a show for Ear To The Ground’s gig at TSone in the New Year, they’ll begin with a bang and will surely keep creating and proving themselves throughout the year.

5. Across All Oceans Over the past few years Across All Oceans have progressed, changed and altered their sound, style and even members. In 2015 they played Make a Scene Festival for the third time and each time have progressed to larger stages and impressed larger audiences.The pop punk group from Teesside have recently released their brand new EP which is full of back to back energetic tracks and they’ll be showcasing much of this in 2016 with shows across the region and beyond.

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7. Plaza 2015 has been a busy one for the Hartlepool band; playing gig after gig after gig across the North East has proved to be incredibly valuable to the band’s success and they even landed a show with popular indie band JAWS.The band are increasing in popularity with every single day and are beginning to collect a large local following! For these reasons, I can only expect Plaza to continue to grow and progress in 2016.

8. Nocturnal Dictionary Nocturnal Dictionary are considered a breath of fresh air for our North East music scene.Their originality and invigorating live shows has helped them to become successful and contribute something quite brilliant. And I think that throughout 2016 they will show how they can progress and will therefore increase their popularity rapidly.

9. Tripper Gore Established in late 2015, the band are progressing and developing their style as we speak.They’re packed with potential and ready to hit 2016 with numerous shows and releases.The new year will allow them to really find themselves as a band and after seeing them play their first show at House of Blah Blah last month, I can assure you they have bags of talent and experience among them.

10. Para Alta Para Alta, previously known as PALACE, are responsible for the eery/psych indie music that we all love so dearly.With some excellent released material on soundcloud, the band are keen to deliver some catchy tunes that we all crave so badly. I hope to see more releases from the band in 2016 and to see them gigging across the region and showing the music scene what they’re made of.

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INTERVIEWS

“the ceiling was literally dripping with condensation from the heat of the crowd” - Alien Ant Farm head to Newcastle Lisa Bartos talks to Alien Ant Farm lead guitarist,Terry Corso, about their new album ‘Always and Forever’, Pledge Music and the changing music industry before they make their longanticipated return to Newcastle this month. You released your new album ‘Always and Forever’ in 2015. Can you tell us about the writing and recording process for the album and what inspired you in the song writing? Well on top of a tonne of our own demos, we wrote with a lot of top-liners for the first time. I think since I’d been out of the band for a few years I was excited to write AAF style songs again so I wrote a lot.The co-writes just helped us explore different styles and sounds that were outside our box. ‘Always and Forever’ seems to have a more of a hard rock sound compared to your last albums…was that a conscious choice or did it happen organically? Everything on that record happened in the most organic of ways. I mean, even sitting in front of a computer with a beat going is somewhat organic and inspiring. Next thing you know you have a hook melody then some good words; it grows therefore it is organic. If by hard rock you mean less prog than yeah I’d say we kept it a little more streamlined.

brothers Papa Roach and I remember the crowd to be relentless.We played there at the same university in a hall and the ceiling was literally dripping with condensation from the heat of the crowd. I’ll never forget watching Jacoby fall on the stage from heat exhaustion and get back up and keep going.

British Blues maestros,The Temperance Movement, are heading to the Newcastle O2 Academy on Thursday 21st January in support of their second album ‘White Bear’.Al Hall caught up with guitarist Paul Sayer to discuss new sounds, new members and what it’s like to support the Rolling Stones.

Have you found a permanent replacement? Yes.We went to Sweden for a couple of weeks recently, and we took someone with us on that tour.The plan was that if it works out well on that tour, that’s what will happen, and it did. His name is Matt (White).

What was it like going on tour with P.O.D and Hoobastank and reviving the nu-metal scene? Well, I always thought the nu-metal tag was weird for us.We thought our music was a little bit more love-driven so we always referred to our sound as nu-romantic metal.We got classified as nu-metal none-the-less and if you say the scene is reviving then I’m excited for that.Touring with all those guys is completely natural.We’re all from Southern California, up the freeway from each other.We played together all over the south land before any of us were signed. It’s a solid package with good talented bands with great hooks.

Only two years have passed since your first album came out… what has changed in that time? The big difference is that when we made that record we hadn’t really played any shows; the first thing we did was write. We made that album right at the beginning and since that we have been touring almost nonstop; so the first album was a collection of pieces and now we are really a band.

You have supported some huge bands such as The Rolling Stones…how were those experiences? It’s almost like a little holiday because it’s so far from what we do on a daily basis. For example, we toured America for three months, opening for a band over there and, when we were with them, it’s very much like “in a year or two’s time, we want to be selling out these theatres”. It’s obtainable, it’s doable.When you open for The Rolling Stones, it’s like going to Disneyland, you’re not thinking “yeah, we could do this”, you’re just thinking “this is ridiculous”.

What is the best and worst thing about touring? It’s great because it’s what you’ve always wanted to do and I really love putting smiles on faces every night but it sucks being away from loved ones.

‘Always and Forever’ was funded by the fans on Pledge Music… how did you find the process and were you surprised by the level of support for a new album? It was inspiring and a great way to interact with fans and our fans really made it happen. However, you definitely want to keep your fulfilment to a timely manner when taking on this sort of thing; you can really piss fans off.

You’ve been in Alien Ant Farm for a number of years…how has the music industry changed over the years? The whole industry has had to adapt to an online world.The consumer’s attention span only goes as far as the next link these days which makes it harder to get to the surface and get discovered. It’s great, however, for DIY independent touring acts and new bands; so the technology unfortunately goes both ways.

You’re playing Newcastle Northumbria University this month… what do you make of North East crowds? The last time we were there we were on tour with our

Tickets for Alien Ant Farm’s show at Northumbria University on Sunday 10th January , priced from £19.25, are available from eventim.co.uk.

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“This time we knew we wanted to make an album that sounded Different” – The Temperance Movement Visit The Geordies

What was different about making ‘White Bear’? We had a better idea of what we wanted to do.When we made the first record we didn’t even go into the studio saying “we are going to make an album” it was only after we came out that we realised we had an albums worth of material.This time we knew we wanted to make an album that sounded different. Between the five of us we have a really wide range of influences, so on this one we wanted to explore a bit more of the stuff we are into; sonically it’s wider and there is more to listen to. Since making your first album, fellow guitarist Luke Potashnik has left the band…did that come as a shock? I guess I was shocked but not surprised. I knew Luke was struggling with the amount of time we were spending away from home, but you just never know.You know that someone maybe isn’t enjoying being away, but whether or not that is going to lead to them leaving the band, I didn’t know.

A number of more ‘traditional’ rock bands like yourselves, Vintage Trouble and Blackberry Smoke are flourishing at the moment; it is a good time to be playing the music you play… I think the fact that there are those bands around, and they are selling tickets, shows that there is an appetite for live rock ‘n’ roll bands. It is very real and honestly played music, and I think that is what people like about it. But there isn’t really an awful lot of support from the mainstream media, it’s almost niche; which could be a good or a bad thing. But there’s no point worrying, our plan is to just keep doing it. Tickets for The Temperance Movement’s O2 gig are available from http://thetemperancemovement.com/live/ and White Bear is released on January 15th 2016.

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INTERVIEWS

“I really want to move our audience on from just head bobbing to light on-the-spot Grooving”– Field Music Head to Stockton Sunderland born Field Music are heading to Stockton’s Georgian Theatre for Independent Venue Week - a week where the whole country celebrates the importance of independent venues and what they mean to the music scene. Nathan Douthwaite caught up with the band to talk more about the gig ahead. Have you played Stockton before? Yeah, a few times.We did one of our first shows for Plumb (and debuted our gong) at the Georgian Theatre and years ago I’m pretty sure we played the ARC but my memories are a bit hazy on that one. Are you excited for the gig? Not yet, no.There are far too many things to worry about between now and then. I do like the Georgian Theatre and that last show was a good one, but it feels like we’re starting again as a live band to a certain extent - new songs, new band member, three years of extra-curricular activity - so right now, I feel more nervous about being ready. Will you be playing any new music? Yeah, we’ll play quite a few songs from the new album. It’s not out till February so people will have to be a bit patient with us.We’re lucky though - I don’t think people come to see us expecting an easy time. You signed to Memphis Industries…how did that come about? We first met them when we were helping out playing in Pete Gofton’s post-Kenickie solo project, J Xaverre as they put out his album.When we were making the first album, they were on our very short list of people at labels who we liked so we sent it to them and said, quite bluntly, that if they weren’t into it, just let us know so we can get on with putting it ourselves.That

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was over 11 years ago and we’ve put out something like 11 or 12 albums with them now. Do you think it’s hard to break out of the local music scene? I have no idea about today! The music industry was a very different beast 11 years ago - iTunes and YouTube were in their infancy, the Futureheads were on Top of the Pops - for musicians starting out, I think of it in two ways. Firstly, make the best, most unique music you can and if it’s really good someone will probably want to put it out and someone will probably want to listen to it. Secondly, most labels don’t have loads of cash to throw around anymore so it’s a huge advantage if you’re cheap.We’re relatively easy to deal with because we record ourselves at our own little space, we drive ourselves in our own van and we don’t like to sit around waiting for other people to do things for us. Anything you want to say to the fans ahead of the gig? Put your dancing shoes on. I really want to move our audience on from just head bobbing to light on-the-spot grooving. Will you be sticking around the venue afterwards? Having a few drinks with fans? We’ll be sticking around to pack up and load the van.And I’ll be driving so no booze for me. By the time that’s all done, I’d imagine the audience will have gone home so we’ll trek back up the A19 and get to bed. Canny rock and roll, ey? Catch Field Music at the Georgian Theatre on Friday 29th January.Advanced tickets are priced at £9,.00 with tickets on the door priced at £11. 00. Purchase your tickets now at teesmusicalliance.org.uk and remember to quote NE Volume when booking.

“OUR SOUND IS PROBABLY THE BIGGEST CHANGE”- MAYDAY PARADE American pop punk band, Mayday Parade, are set to play Newcastle’s 02 Academy on Sunday 31st January, so Katie Cain spoke to drummer Jake Bundrick to find out more. What sort of response have you received so far on the new album ‘Black Lines’? It seems like people are digging it and those who were confused by the slight change in sound have begun to really like it as well. Thankfully, we all expected people to like the change so we’re really happy. What made you choose The Maine, Have Mercy and Beautiful Bodies as your support acts? We really enjoy every band we chose. This time around too we feel it’s a great mix of genres that will keep people excited throughout the course of the event. What should your Newcastle fans expect from the upcoming show? We’ll be giving it our all, physically and emotionally, once we step onstage. So for all of our fans heading to the show, expect to feel moved at some point. It’s been a long time since you last visited the UK…what has changed for you as a band since you were last here? Our sound is probably the biggest change. But we’re all the same dudes doing what we want to do with our music. We’re stoked about our new record and how it turned out and where we’re headed; it’s a good thing for us and our fans. What’s next for the band? Lots of touring across the UK and Europe in particular and also pushing the ‘Black Lines’ album. We can’t wait for you to hear the new songs live - I think that’ll be the point when you say to yourself...”oh...I get it now.” Purchase tickets for Mayday Parade’s gig at the 02 Academy, Newcastle priced at £18.40 from seetickets.com.

“I wanted to pay tribute to video games that influenced me in my childhood” - Benedict Hawkin Benedict Hawkin, of Newcastle indie icons Profumo, is about to make his debut as a solo artist. Katie Hall caught up with him for a quick Q&A about going solo, gaming and mythological gods. ‘Ice Caves’ is your first solo EP…how do you think the process of writing and recording this was different to being a part of your band, Profumo? I’ve been writing and recording solo material since high school so generally the process wasn’t new to me; I’ve just never given my solo work a proper release before! I think the main thing that makes ‘Ice Caves’ different was the input of a producer. Previous recordings were all bedroom four track demos I had made. What is the EP about? And how do you feel that your sound has changed by going solo? I didn’t go into writing with a particular goal or idea for a concept, but there are certainly some themes tying together three songs on the EP.The lyrics treat the planet and natural features as gods that we are at the mercy of. I was really into mythology and fantasy at the time, so it probably came from that. In Profumo, the songs on ‘Brutalism’ (bar one song) were formed in rehearsals. By contrast, the solo songs were formed in the studio without a thought given to live performance so I ended up leaning towards a more varied instrumental palette. How does the title ‘Ice Caves’ relate to the EP? The ice cave/ice cavern is a stock fantasy video game setting. I wanted to pay tribute to videogames that influenced me in my childhood and capture the spirit of videogame soundtracks in my EP. I’m by no means the first person to do this: Grimes, Sweet Valley, Frank Ocean and locally Waskerley Way have all drawn on videogame aesthetics and I’m big fans of all of these artists! Pick up the EP now on Benedict’s Bandcamp page.

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GIG REVIEWS

Fat White Family

+ Meatraffle at The Georgian Theatre, Stockton on Tees – 04/12/2015 Off stage, Fat White Family are known as surreal guys often found shouting about controversial topics at any and every opportunity, and on stage they’re not much different. Described as crazy by some and as innovative and brilliant by others, everyone seems to have an opinion on the six-piece band from London.Their angsty approach and attitude, that some even say reminds them of the 70s in Britain, attracts a specific and rowdy crowd. Nevertheless, their gigs are anything but hostile. Inside, Fat White Family shook the walls of Stockton’s very own Georgian Theatre with their reverberating sound.They brought something a little different I would say to Stockton particularly. And it was even special that Fat White Family chose our small Northern town to play in after only playing select dates across the country; perhaps proof that our North East music scene is as legendary as we hoped! With support from Meatraffle, a psych band with a very poignant trumpet included in their set, the entire night seemed to be alive and so full of character.The gig was all in all, a genuine experience. And thank god for the movement and energy as a crowd response.Too many times have bands not lit up the audience within the Georgian Theatre, however, this band did and exploited it to the max.The crowd were alive, the band was alive and this is proof that the North East music scene is alive and kicking.

dj and pa hire karaoke nights Written by Katie Cain | Photography by Andy Lochrie

The Darkness

at 02 Academy, Newcastle – 04/12/2015

Written and photographed by Al Hall

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Tonight, the UK’s most eccentric rock band,The Darkness, took to the stage at the Newcastle O2.The band opened with the explosive ‘Barbarian’, the lead single from 2015’s ‘Last Of Our Kind’ before launching into the more well-established ‘Growing On Me’ and ‘Black Shuck’.The gig continued in this vein, mixing newer numbers with old favourites, and the set also included a new, unrecorded song in ‘Rack Of Glam’ which was met with a great reception. Justin Hawkins, whose recent haircut has him looking more and more like a modern day David Bowie, stalked the stage tirelessly throughout the night. And behind him, his younger brother Dan and bassist Frankie Poullain plugged away in dependable fashion. Newcomer, Rufus Taylor, fitted into the line-up so seamlessly that even the most conservative Darkness fan would be hard-pressed to begrudge him his place behind the kit. Amongst the music, the crowd also witnessed numerous handstands, scissor kicks and a banjo playing Mexican wrestler named ‘El Softo’ who accompanied the band on several songs.The encore featured what might be a first in the history of rock gigging, back-toback original Christmas songs. 2003’s ‘Christmas Time (Don’t Let The Bells End)’ was preceded by the band’s new effort ‘I Am Santa’.Whilst some may cry “overkill”, this choice sums up the bands’ disregard for any sort of convention on how to make and play music. It is this that makes The Darkness as refreshing now as they were when they arrived on the scene, fifteen years ago.

events organiser sound technician live bands and band management rock/metal & alternative contact kal at 07799 651210 www.rockpitpromotions.co.uk www.wegottickets.com.rockpitpromotion

REVIEWS GIGGIG REVIEWS

Indie, Funk, Alt, House, Soul & Rock’n’Roll

ASH

SOMA Saturdays at Independent. Everyone ain’t invited.

+ Asylums at The Riverside, Newcastle - 05/12/2015 Southend-on-Sea band,Asylums, which consisted of two guys on guitars, and one on bass and one on drums, ripped through their set like their lives depended on it.‘Wet Dream Magazine’ summed up their sound which put me in mind of Faith No More; i.e. post grunge pop rock with ample tremolition! After a short interlude, there was a puff of dry ice and a bass rumble before Ash made their way on stage.Appropriately, the band thrashed straight into ‘Lose Control’ and the manic crowd complied immediately.After the fourth song (‘Goldfinger’), a steward tried to get the mosh pit to calm down, but there was fat chance of that.There was a change of pace five songs in with main man,Tim, finger picking a tasteful ditty in ‘Free’ off their new album ‘Kabla Mmo’. Fan favourite ‘Kung Fu’ sees the mosher’s back in full flow but, following a pint flying out of the crowd and landing on the front of the stage and wetting one of the band’s monitors, the safety steward was not happy. He came to the front of the stage and asked them to stop going so crazy.Tim and the band stopped playing (‘Kung Fu’) and said that he wanted people to dance about and have a good time. After a quick band chat, an unplanned ‘Teenage Kicks’ restored smiles all around.The set then concluded with ‘Shining Light’, where all in attendance had their moment to sing without the band and duly obliged. Encore tunes concluded with ‘Burn Baby Burn’ – the band’s signature track and a fantastic end to the night.

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Written by Nev Larkin | Photogaphy by Dan Graham

Stereophonics

at Metro Radio Arena, Newcastle – 06/12/2015

Written by Stephanie Thompson

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Universally-acclaimed Welsh rockers, Stereophonics, have been together for almost 20 years.They have an incredible back catalogue - which I hoped would be showcased over the course of the evening - and thankfully I wasn’t disappointed. Accompanying me tonight was my friend, Phil, who has seen Stereophonics 23 times. Having never seen them myself, this was a landmark gig for me and I had some catching up to do. The rockers began with a storming opener in ‘C’est la Vie’, and continued in fine form with their signature raw vocals and hard-hitting memorable melodies.They dipped into their back catalogue early on, particularly from the album ‘Graffiti on the Train’, and included a few early classics such as ‘Thousand Trees’ and ‘Handbags and Gladrags’; which went down an absolute storm with the packed crowd.As discussed with the man himself (that’d be Phil), they sound even better live than they do recorded.They were pitch-perfect throughout, had the crowd in the palm of their hands, and provoked mass sing-alongs on more than one occasion. Kelly and co were promoting their new album ‘Keep the Village Alive’ and, thankfully, it was absolutely worth the wait as the new material is lyrically beautiful and also contemporary. Special moments tonight included when the Newcastle crowd were given a chance to star in the new video, when balloons filled with confetti burst and confetti also began falling from the ceiling, and track ‘Indian Summer’, which was played with a full string section, was a particular highlight for me.

the indie kids the mods the rocker’n’rollers the hipsters the house heads the soul warriors the skins the techno vikings the all night ravers the blue pint swillers the key dab bombers the retchers the none shufflers the all night sessioners the after party army the INDE-People SOMA

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+ Brawlers + Moose Blood + As It Is at The Empire, Middlesbrough – 07/12/2015

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2 Orange CR120 Heads 2 Marshall MX412A Cabs Orange Crush 100BXT Bass Combo Alto 800W TS112A PA Tama Imperialstar Drum Kit Fully equipped recording studio with isolation vocal / tracking booth Block booking deals can be arranged Student discount weekdays 10am to 4pm

25B Southwick Ind. Estate SR5 3TX 0191 548 0634 [email protected] www.bakerland.co.uk

Tonight marked the first date of Lower Than Atlantis’ biggest UK tour to date. Deservingly, Middlesbrough’s very own Empire was the first on a national 8 date tour. After speaking to Mike last month, he told us that the line up was created with the intention to appeal to the masses. From the crowds’ reaction from each of the support acts, it was obvious that they had achieved just that! Brawlers - an emerging Yorkshire band - began the night with passion-fuelled shouty rock. Their enthusiasm and confidence was evidently impressive in preparation for the following bands. After the Yorkshire four-piece was the up and coming emo band, Moose Blood; their popularity was obvious due to the number of people in the crowd enthusiastically singing and dancing.The band were obviously elated, which was heartwarming, and they executed a perfect, seamless set with ease. Just before Lower Than Atlantis’ heavily-awaited set was As It Is.The pop punk group are no strangers to the stage but were showcasing their material to Middlesbrough for the first time. It was impressive and touching to see such a supportive response for the band who performed incredibly well.The headliners then exploded onto the stage with their recent single, ‘Get Over It’.This was the first play of the new track in the UK and received an electric response from the crowd.The atmosphere was so alive tonight; and Lower Than Atlantis should be noted for

their incredible enthusiasm and genuine talent.They executed each and every song professionally, confidently and with extreme levels of passion. Written by Katie Cain

The Dead Daisies

+ Colour of Noise at The Point, Sunderland – 07/12/2015

Written by Jake Carr Smith | Photographed by Adam Kennedy

After showcasing some great bands over the last year including Rival sons, Big Country and Warwick/Johnson, the new Sunderland venue tonight plays host to The Dead Daisies, with support from Colour of Noise.The five-piece, Colour of Noise, take to the stage and win the crowd over in triumphant fashion. Swaggering their way through a thirtyminute set of groovy rock n roll, this band are the real deal. Their sound falls somewhere between Led Zeppelin and Nazareth; complete with their very own Myles Kennedy on vocals (the resemblance in voice and appearance is uncanny). The Dead Daisies enter the stage to a mashup of Zeppelin and Sabbath classics including ‘Whole Lotta Love’ and ‘War Pigs’; before launching into their own breed of rock n roll. Made up of various veterans of the rock circuit including John Corabi (Motley Crue, Ratt) and Richard Fortus (Guns n Roses,Thin Lizzy), the band have experience and it shows. Their set includes a collection of their finest work as well as a few crowd-pleasing covers. Particular standouts are the infectious ‘Looking for the One’ and ‘Something I Said’; as well as their own version of Aerosmith’s ‘Sick as a Dog’. Drummer Brian Tichy deserves a special mention as tonight he played like a man possessed; including a drum solo played with his bare hands - there’s a nod to the late, great John Bonham here. All in all it was a great night from six of rock’s most seasoned veterans.

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GIG REVIEWS

Slaves

at 02 Academy, Newcastle – 15/12/2015

Written by Adam Gallagher Photography by Dan Graham

Maxïmo Park The North East’s own Maximo Park played their first ever gig in Hartlepool tonight to celebrate 10 years since the release of their Mercury nominated debut album ‘A Certain Trigger’ – and what a party it was. But it wasn’t just Maximo Park doing the North East music scene proud as Ian Black, a former member of Field Music who now plays under the moniker SLUG, played tracks from across the musical spectrum and presented them in some of the most bizarre yet incredible ways possible.With his band wearing sailor suits (maybe in recognition of the town’s Maritime heritage), Ian looked striking in all of his finery (bow tie included). It’s track ‘Greasy Mind’ of the set that truly stands out with its jaunty guitar sound and sensational hooks – something Ian is renowned for producing. As anticipation levels rose, out stepped Billinghamborn frontman, Paul Smith, and the rest of the renowned band to a raucous applause from the appreciate crowd. Launching straight into ‘Girls Who Play Guitars’, Paul’s energetic display on stage – which including hurling the mic stand, clambering onto monitors and jumping off them – sent the crowd into an absolutely frenzy. Pausing for a brief moment after ‘The Kids are Sick Again’ - in which Paul used a megaphone to broadcast his vocals right across the large hall - he notes that although never playing in the town he is a “big fan of Hartlepool” after spending some time in the Seaside

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No longer a ‘slave’ (pun intended) to his injury, Isaac was back doing what he does best. Heading in to the venue, it was clear that we were in for a good night with the atmosphere even livelier than what you would have expected from the average Slaves gig.This was in part due to the move to the 02 Academy, with the original gig having meant to take place at the much smaller local uni venue. Opening with ‘White Knuckle Ride’, followed by ‘Sockets’, ‘Despair and Traffic’ and ‘Live like an Animal’, Slaves took injury, delay and change of venue all in their stride; with the result being an ultimately brilliant performance and the reinstatement of their ‘biggest breakthrough act of 2015’ status. After performing new song ‘Take Control’, the band’s popular hits ‘The Hunter’ and ‘Cheer Up London’ were played; much to the crowds excitement. However, they weren’t the only songs in which popularity was evident with ‘Where’s Your Car Debbie’ also attracting attention; perhaps given the performance of such in the BBC 1 Live Lounge a day prior. It was especially great to see Laurie and Isaac caring so much about the safety of the spectators and at one point, along with the crowd, applauding the security staff on their fantastic work.Without a doubt, people were leaving feeling exceedingly satisfied after witnessing an outstanding gig. Written by Kieran Hornsby and Jasmin Guy.

Figmennt

+ Dead Moon Lizard Kings + Roidwolf at Musiclounge, Stockton - 18/12/2015

+ SLUG at Hartlepool Borough Hall – 12/12/2015 town at art college.The first part of the night showcased songs from most of the bands’ albums including ‘The National Health’, ‘A19’, ‘Our Velocity’, ‘Give, Get,Take’ and ‘Books From Boxes’ with minimal lighting used throughout. However, in part two – much to the delight of the crowd – the entire debut album was played from start to finish with strobe lighting a major feature of the set. Opener ‘Signal And Sign’, which was played with a new red lighting theme and laser show behind the band, to final track ‘Kiss You Better’ showcased just what an incredible album Maximo produced; and the fact that the album was actually their debut is an incredible feat to say the least.There were no filler tracks, each song was sung back word for word by the adrenalinefuelled crowd, and fan favourites such as ‘Apply Some Pressure’, ‘Acrobat’ and ‘Limassol’ didn’t feel outdated and stood just as strong today as they did 10 years ago. Although it’s been a decade since their first release, Maximo Park still know how to put on a live show; Paul is as charismatic as ever and his love for what he does is plain to see. Written by Lee Allcock

Written and Photographed by Katie Cain

Openers, Roidwolf, introduced a sense of individuality which was presented by the lack of vocals from the band allowing them to put their own unique spin on the alternative genre. Their set did include guest vocals from the lead singer of the second act, Dead Moon Lizard Kings, which moulded the genre into something that resembled angst punk. Although there was very limited audience interaction, the band had a very stylish and simplistic manner which allowed this to work for them. Dead Moon Lizard Kings created a completely different vibe to the bands either side.Their shouty, angry expression completely changed the atmosphere and demolished all previous expectations.They included a great deal of audience interaction which resulted in increased energy and passion. Headliners, Figmennt, performed with such professionalism and ease.Their sound - a softer shoegaze feel - contrasts directly to the previous act but is completely absorbed by the audience who were waiting with anticipation to see them play.Their now familiar set, which featured their upcoming EP release, has not become tired at all and is actually as fresh as when they first presented it.Their movement on stage fuels the energy of the performance and the crowd and ensures that everyone, including both the band and audience, are thoroughly engaged and involved.

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ALBUM/EP/SINGLE REVIEWS

Boycott The Radio - ‘Wolf’ EP Review

Dean James - ‘Black Dog’ Single Review

Denature - ‘Loss’ EP Review

‘Wolf’, the debut EP released by Middlesbrough’s Boycott The Radio, is somewhere between The Vaccines and The Strokes in terms of sound; and is a track full of honesty and raw emotion. The first track on the EP, ‘The Runner’ has been on repeat everywhere I can play it and the melodic howls have been sung back at me with just as much enthusiasm and passion as Michael McCluskey from a number of friends. Dark and haunting, but still perfect for a party playlist, you could have this on repeat as much as I did. ‘Wolf’ - the EP’s title track- is filled with just as much energy and life as its opener; it has a finely crafted chorus that’s perfect for being sung at the top of your lungs. The latter half of the EP is made up of a pair of love songs. ‘Corona’ is the possibly brutally heartbroken ode to a girl and/or a hangover. Sang softly over the finger-picked guitars, it has a sudden impact as the trademark vocals suddenly lead the whole band in to a great crescendo. ‘Can’t Think Of Anything’ is a beautifully updated 50’s throwback, with the sunshinesoaked tune backed by twined chords and picking again - it’s the greatest kind of pick-me-up for the winter blues. Definitely a bunch to watch this year, Boycott The Radio have provided a snapshot in to teenage passions and partying but its appeal isn’t just limited to the youth.

‘Black Dog’ is the latest track by native South Shield’s lad Dean James. After recently being signed to Forgotten City Records, the Sand-Dancer is due to release a five track EP in the near future. The track opens with delicately layered guitar - with a melodic, highpitched riff driving the track - and is supported by a blanket of charming chords. The sound is then elevated by hearty drums before James comes in with his bluesy vocals. The song then transitions from what initially sounded like a stereotypical pop song into something slightly confused. It combines distorted guitar riffs, beefy bass and gritty vocals with the easy-listening of the introductory hook which makes it sound as though you’re playing two tracks over each other. Both aspects somehow seem to work well together at times though, and assist in giving James a comprehensive sound. However, it does feel like the song is still in the drafting process.You’re left waiting for that ‘wow’ moment; either through the sincerity of the charming intro or the ballsiness of the blues influence. I’d really like to see James belt it out and indulge in some gorgeous bluesy tunes, opposed to placing two contrasting styles together in a somewhat confusing manner.

The Christmas period really is a time of giving for the entertainment industry. Even right down to the local sector, we’ve been gifted with several high-quality releases this holiday and Denature’s latest EP ‘Loss’ is one such case. Denature are a Newcastle-based EDM act that adopts the classical band structure of multiple musicians accompanied by a vocalist, playing live electronic music from a bottom-up approach, rather than a pre-recorded mix from an iMac. Cool, right? I’d argue that ‘Loss’ can best be described as “Nero meets Pendulum”. We are treated to four tracks of exceptionally high- quality EDM; befitting of a major label production. I’d honestly be quite surprised if Denature have not once been approached by the likes of Monstercat or UKF, the quality here is more than up to scratch with the releases often heard from either of the aforementioned. It may be difficult to call the approach of playing EDM in a live setting, using in-house instruments and vocals, an innovative one in this case when the end product has such a mass market appeal. After all, if the end product is the same then the methods to achieve such cannot be considered novel.That being said, however, fans of the scene (casual or devout) will no doubt love this fourtrack EP - it’s everything electronic music should be and managed to keep me entertained through multiple playthroughs.

Pick up the EP on the band’s Soundcloud page.

The single will be officially released with a launch event with details to be announced over the coming weeks.

James Gray Robson & The Lovely Burn - ‘For All It’s Worth’ EP Review

Pick up the EP at denaturemusic.com.

Darlington-based singer-songwriter, James Gray Robson, has just released his EP ‘For All It’s Worth’ and it’s a gemstone of acoustic beauty. Opening with ‘You Can Ask’, the track is a soft ballad with a sweet electric acoustic guitar.The vocals are also powerful but not over-baring and they sit well within the mix of the song. ‘6 Years’ has a powerful vocal intro before it breaks into the acoustic style similar to the opening song. The “oo’s” opening the track will almost send chills down your spine. ‘I’m Never Gonna Get Off’ is a more solemn song with Robson singing about loneliness and isolation.The song shows a level of musical maturity and has a deep emotional feeling. ‘A. Californica’ is similar to the rest of the tracks. It’s a tightened song with every musical element fine-tuned and sits with the other songs to keeps a continuity element to the EP. The EP is brought to an end by the track ‘Thoughtless’ - a Newton Faulkner-esque track that has deep vocals complimented by a sweet picking guitar.The song builds and builds until it breaks into a harmonica solo which is not a common thing in modern day music.The full EP is an emotion-fuelled rollercoaster and is a must listen for fans of Newton Faulkner or Ben Howard’s early music.The full EP has a sense of direction and you can predict what Robson’s album will eventually shape up like. It’s a clever stepping stone in his musical career.

Written by Mark Fearns

Find the EP on itunes now.

Written by Sal Wilcox

Written by Katie Hall Written by Nathan Douthwaite

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Crying Lions - ‘Rocket Science’ EP Review

Zeitgeist 77 - ‘We are Zeitgeist’ Album Review

‘Rocket Science’ is the debut EP from youthful Newcastle band Crying Lions. An impressive debut it is too with the band delivering four tracks of mature and accessible indie rock. Recorded at Blank Studios, things kick off with ‘Parasitica’. Urgent Strokesesque guitars and frontman Ollie Quinn’s ‘Alex Turner’ aping vocals combine to produce an enjoyable short burst of guitar pop. Better still is ‘Hurricane’. Regimental drums and screeching guitars reminiscent of Kasabian provide the backdrop for an impossibly catchy chorus. “We’ll live forever and ever” chants Quinn; with the assuredness that only youth can bring. Clocking in at just 3 minutes 41 seconds, this is also the longest track on the EP.This is a band with something to say, and they are in a rush to say it. ‘Cliffhanger’ has a more retro feel but is also another three minute punchy rock number with a sing-along chorus. Best of all is the anthemic finale ‘FOMA’. Like much here, it drips with a Libertines influence but is remarkably fully formed for a band who only got together last year.The band are taking gigs throughout the North East whenever the opportunity arises, and are quickly cultivating a loyal following. Combine this with a powerful and catchy debut EP, and this is a band with a potentially very bright future. And you don’t need to be an expert in Rocket Science to recognise that.

You may recall that last month I commented, refreshingly, on how rock and roll is certainly not dead. Well this month I’m glad to share that punk rock as we’ve known and loved is also well and truly alive! Delivering is Stockton-on-Tees band Zeitgeist 77, with their eponymouslytitled ‘We Are Zeitgeist 77’ 12-track LP.Where punk rock started as a platform to antagonise an era ripe with sociopolitical upset, it seems almost as relevant now following local industry closures and economic decline. Acting as a voice of the North East, the album’s opening track ‘Good Morning Teesside’ exemplifies both regional strife and our solidarity in the face of ongoing hardship.This is punk; this is the choir that resonated with the youths of the 70s and has remained valid ever since.There’s a very clear history throughout ‘We Are Zeitgeist 77’.You can really feel flavours of ska, rock and roll, blues and the likes - most notably heard in ‘The Tony Archer Blues’ which almost feels as much of a homage as it is an immortalisation of the genre. The album is a through-and-through journey from the roots of punk up to the modern day; but undeniably is full of culture.The themes explored are relevant and impactful and hit harder to home than I ever would have expected. In terms of melody there’s not much new here, but who wants to read sheet music while thrashing around a Zeitgeist 77 gig, anyway?

Listen to the EP now on Soundcloud. Find the album at amazingtunes.com. Written by Colin McCann Written by Mark Fearns

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Breakfast served until 11.30am | Lunch served 11.30am to 2.30pm | Saturday until 4.00pm

Bar and Kitchen

14 Coniscliffe Road Darlington • Tel: 01325 365585 Follow us on Social Media! - Facebook,Twitter, Instagram - hashbarkitchen

NE VOLUME GIG LISTINGS 1st January • Sean Hainy. Chaplins, Sunderland. Free.

2nd January • Danny Smith. Chaplins, Sunderland. Free. • Ohasis + Paul Weller Acoustic (By the New Age Jam). KU Bar, Stockton. £5.00 Adv. • Fizzyfish. Doc Browns, Middlesbrough. Free. • American Girl. The Lion Sports Bar & Grill, Billingham. Free. 3rd January • Scratch The Surface. St Peter’s Club, Byker. £2.00 OTD. • Jake Taylor. Head of Steam, Norton. • The Smokin’ Spitfires. The Cluny, Newcastle. £6.50 OTD. • Kung Fu Blues.Tyne Bar, Newcastle. Free. 4th January • Open Mic Session hosted by Paul Dannatt & Friends. Quakerhouse, Darlington. Free. 5th January • Insangel Introducing Presents: Rayne + The Thrall + Love Bubble + Legacy Of Kain. The Three Tuns, Sherrif’s Hill, Gateshead. Free. • Phil the Pipe’s Musical Intro’s Quiz. Quakerhouse, Darlington.£1pp Entry. 6th January • Sundance. Quakerhouse, Darlington. Free. 7th January • The Bare Bones Project Goodtime Music Night.Tyne Bar, Newcastle. Free. 8th January • Scratch The Surface.The Ox Inn, Stanley. Free.

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• Darlington R’n’B Club Presents: The Alligators Featuring Robert Kane. Forum Music Centre, Darlington. £12.00 OTD. • Paul Rosa Band. Cleveland Bay, Eaglescliffe. Free. • A Festival, A Parade + Slow Decades. The Cluny, Newcastle. Free. 9th January • Sam Gibson. Chaplins, Sunderland. Free. • The Stereosonics. Forum Music Centre, Darlington. £10.00 OTD. • KU Under the Covers Presents: The Princes of Monte Carlo. KU Bar, Stockton. Free. • Dan Savage + Dec & Wayne + Tom Hawick. Independent, Sunderland. Free. 10th January • Charlie Thomas. Head of Steam, Norton. • Alien Ant Farm + Inme. Northumbria University, Newcastle. £19.25 Adv. • Jazz North East Present: Roller Trio + Leash. Bridge Hotel, Newcastle. £8.00 Adv. • Darlington Jazz Club Presents: Act to be Confirmed. Quakerhouse, Darlington. Price to be Confirmed. 12th January • Gufra + Support.The Three Tuns, Sherrif’s Hill, Gateshead. Free. 13th January • Insangel Presents: Rayne + Love The Sinner. Arizona, Sunderland. £4.00 OTD. • Eric and the Vikings. Quakerhouse, Darlington. Free. 14th January • The Acoustic Factory Featuring SkyRush, Craig Roddam, Sean Hainey, Meghann Clancy, Hannah Brown and Connor Thomas. 02 Academy, Newcastle. £7.05 Adv.

• Battle Of The Bands. Bubbles, Ashington. Free.

15th January • Toxic + NoThrills. Forum Music Centre, Darlington. £5.00 Adv/£6.00 OTD. • Mike McGrother (Wildcats of Kilkenny) + Support.The Vane Arms,Thorpe Thewles. Free (Pass the Hat). • Digits (Matt & Stu’s Farewell Show) + Black Nevada + Enversa + Black Velvet. 02 Academy 2, Newcastle. £7.05 Adv. • Al Grigg. Cleveland Bay, Eaglescliffe. Free. • Benedict Hawkin. Cumberland Arms, Newcastle. • Tortured Soul. Hoochie Coochie, Newcastle. £15.00 OTD. 16th January • James Robson + Hayley McKay + Dave Saunders. Forum Music Centre, Darlington. £6.00 OTD. • The Firelight Opera + Jen Steven’s & The Hiccups + Stratosphere + One Man Revival. 02 Academy 2, Newcastle. • Alan Jones. Chaplins, Sunderland. Free. • KU Under the Covers Presents: Baggy Mondays. KU Bar, Stockton. Free. • The Alligators + The Picaroons. Hartlepool Supporters Club. £8.00 Adv/£10.00 OTD. • Jumpin’ Hot Club Presents: Tim Dalling & His Bonnie Squad + Rhona Dalling.The Cluny 2, Newcastle. £10.00 OTD. • The Alex Fawcett Band. Quakerhouse, Darlington. Free. 17th January • Ruby & The Mystery Cats.The Voyager, South Shields. Free. • Carl Eaton. Head of Steam, Norton. • Mojo Hand.Tyne Bar, Newcastle. Free. 18th January

• Despite My Deepest Fear + Exist Immortal. Think Tank?, Newcastle. £6.60 Adv. • Open Mic Session Hosted by Dave Cadman & Friends. Quakerhouse, Darlington. Free. 20th January • Mojo Roller. Quakerhouse, Darlington. Free. 21st January • The Temperance Movement + The Sheepdogs. 02 Academy, Newcastle.£15.75 Adv. • Savannah Betts + The Gentleman Busker + Be Quiet Shout Loud + Driven Serious.The Cluny 2, Newcastle. £5.00 OTD. • Blues Lounge Session Hosted by Alex Fawcett & Guests. Quakerhouse, Darlington. Free. 22nd January • Far Pacific. 02 Academy 2, Newcastle. £7.05 Adv. • Steelyard Blue. Cleveland Bay, Eaglescliffe. Free. • Billy Walton Band.The Cluny, Newcastle. £10.00 Adv/£12.00 OTD. 23rd January • Dave & Kim. Chaplins, Sunderland. Free. • The Skapones. Forum Music Centre, Darlington. £6.00 OTD. • Beach Slang.Think Tank?, Newcastle. £8.80 Adv. • Big Red & The Grinners + Gilded Thieves + Chloe Chadwick. 02 Academy 2, Newcastle. £9.05 Adv. • Redcar Ska Festival Introducing Featuring Plasmajam + Almighty Uprisers +Dj Ian Lugsey Wilson. Redcar Citizens Priory Club. £3.00 OTD. • KU Under the Covers Presents: Last Anthem. KU Bar, Stockton. Free. • Twist Helix + Fractions + Human X + Kate Edwards. Mining Institute, Newcastle. • Minotaurs + The Shooting Of… + Hype Foundation + Union Choir + Joy Club + AutismAble Singers. The Custom Space, South Shields. 24th January

• Minus the Bear. 02 Academy 2, Newcastle. £15.75 Adv. • The Lone Bellow. Sage Gateshead. £14.00 Adv. • Steve McCormick. Head of Steam, Norton. • Darlington Jazz Club Presents: Act TBC. Quakerhouse, Darlington. Price TBC. 25th January • Daughter + PIXX. 02 Academy, Newcastle. £19.68 Adv. 26th January • Cancer Bats + Lord Dying + Palm Reader + Incite. 02 Academy 2, Newcastle. £12.37 Adv. • BUSKIT - Open Mic Night with Back Line and House Band. Quakerhouse, Darlington. Free. 27th January • Alterverse + Pacific View + Northern Horizon + Shortside Avenue. 02 Academy 2, Newcastle. £7.05 Adv. • Lindi Ortega.The Cluny, Newcastle. £12.50 OTD. • The Sugar B’s. Quakerhouse, Darlington. Free. 28th January • Battle Of The Bands. Bubbles, Ashington. Free. • Total Stone Roses. Forum Music Centre, Darlington. £10.00 OTD. • They Might Be Giants. Riverside, Newcastle. £20.00 Adv. • Guardian + Sanity Check + North Seasons + Choked Out. 02 Academy 2, Newcastle. £7.05 Adv. • An Evening With Bruce Findlay (Simple Minds). Georgian Theatre, Stockton. Free. • Folk Session with Members of Steam Radio. Quakerhouse, Darlington. Free. 29th January • Field Music + Kingsley Chapman & The Murder. Georgian Theatre, Stockton. £9.00 Adv/£11.00 OTD. • Emma Wilson Band. Cleveland Bay, Eaglescliffe. Free. • Last Joker + Saints of Arcadia + Once More Round + Worth. 02 Academy 2, Newcastle. £7.05 Adv. • Old Red Eyes. Sedgefield Parish

Hall. £5.00 Adv/£6.00 OTD. 30th January • Avalon. Chaplins, Sunderland. Free. • FM. ARC, Stockton. £18.50 Adv. • Daft as Punk. KU Bar, Stockton. £8.50 Adv. • SoundWaves Music Competition – The Final. 02 Academy, Newcastle. £7.55 Adv. • Transmission – The Sound of Joy Division.The Studio, Hartlepool. £7.00 Adv/£10.00 OTD. • Fizzyfish.The Lion Sports Bar & Grill, Billingham. Free. • Four Colour Ghosts + The Voluntears + The Endeavours + Tinny Bennett. Georgian Theatre, Stockton. £7.50 Adv/£10.00 OTD. • Lewis Hamilton Band + Hot Tin Roof. Saltburn Cricket Club. £10.00. • Lone Wolf Presents: Shields + Dalaro + Cohesion. Independent, Sunderland. £5.00 Adv/£7.00 OTD. 31st January • Mayday Parade + The Maine + Have Mercy + Beautiful Bodies. 02 Academy, Newcastle. £18.00 Adv. • Ellis Rayner. Head of Steam, Norton. • Blue Diamond. Tyne Bar, Newcastle. Free. • HD Concerts Presents: Kitty, Daisy & Lewis.The Cluny, Newcastle. £12.00 OTD. • Revolver. Quakerhouse, Darlington. Free

Add your February 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.

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