What's On

Electronic act Denature are set to release their new EP after the band’s success at the Ubeat Music Awards. The North Tyneside group were thrilled to win the best video award for their single Time back in December and hope their forthcoming new material is just as successful. Bass guitarist Justin Januszewski said: “It was a fantastic feeling to win as we have worked very hard to make something we feel we can be proud of. To get that kind of recognition from that kind of audience is a real vote of confidence that we’re going in the right direction. And much of that credit must also go to our manager and the director of the video, who was the real creative force behind it, Chris Lavelle.” Denature have teamed up again with award-winning videographer Chris to create another video for their new single Escape, which features on their new EP, Loss.

South Shields band Far Pacific are set to rock the O2 Academy 2 in Newcastle on January 22 with their first headline gig. The indie four-piece are taking to the stage at the popular music venue to launch their debut EP I Can See The Sea. The teenage quartet are already making waves on the North East music scene with their brand of catchy indie rock music and their single Where Do We Go From Here gained high praise last summer. Despite being a fledging teenage band, Far Pacific, have worked hard to develop their sound and build a name for themselves on the local scene. The lads have gigged relentlessly, playing at venues such as O2 Academy, Head of Steam and Pop Recs, as well as supporting Lilliput at Independent in Sunderland and Belgian indie band Balthazar at Think Tank? in Newcastle.

Newcastle-based electronic alt-pop group Twist Helix release their debut single next week. The four-piece will be taking over one of Newcastle’s historic landmarks - the Mining Institute - to mark the launch of their highly anticipated single Decade. The single is the follow-up to the band’s demo Flare, which was well received by both music lovers and industry professionals last summer, and is the first track to be released from the band’s forthcoming album Manifesto. Since they cut their demo, Twist Helix have been in demand and have juggled spending time recording Manifesto, due for release in March, as well as performing live dates across the North East supporting the likes of Nano Kino and playing at the Newcastle OXJAM Takeover.

One band hoping to stand out from the crowd on the local music scene is The Firelight Opera. The alternative rock five-piece, who hail from Sunderland, do not have a frontman and were apprehensive about how North East audiences would react to their unconventional line-up. However, since coming together in the summer of 2012 the band have been thrilled with the support they have received and now have a loyal following.

Talented singer-songwriter Soham De has already started to get noticed on the North East music scene despite only playing a handful of gigs. Originally from Kings Lynn in Norfolk, the 18-year-old acoustic musician has spent the last three years experimenting with different guitar styles taking influence from his favourite acts to hone his craft. However, he didn’t start performing live regularly until this summer after sitting his A-levels and is now trying to play live as often as possible whilst studying Biological Sciences at Durham University.

Acoustic folk singer-songwriter Craig Clark is currently working on his highly anticipated debut album, Sometimes Bewilder. Featuring songs composed in the arrivals lounge at Macau Airport, on a train somewhere in the Pacific Northwest, and from the cabin of a plane over the Atlantic, Sometimes Bewilder, is an album concerned with the condition of travelling, and indebted to memories of conversations with strangers encountered in far-flung places. Craig explains: “Songs come quickly in places like that - I opened a KC Turner show in San Francisco and played a song written that afternoon after a lazy day drinking the local beer. In Chicago it was an open mic with a borrowed guitar, and in Beijing it was a fundraiser show for an environmental awareness charity; the fee was paid in popcorn.”

Singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Kate Edwards is thrilled to be releasing her debut single, Every Key, next week. Inspired by artists such as Sufjan Stevens, Belle & Sebastian and Elbow, Kate has been cultivating her own brand of tasteful, confessional alt-pop since moving to Newcastle from her hometown in East Yorkshire. Combining bold piano lines with striking vocal delivery, Every Key tells of a frustrated youth full of mistakes and disappointments and how sometimes, no matter how hard you try, nothing seems to work. By contrast, b-side ‘Sticky Strawberry Blood’ is a tale of childish escapism and the nostalgic lure of an ice cream cone with monkey’s blood. Kate releases Every Key on December 4 and will be celebrating its release with a special launch gig at Ouseburn Farm in Newcastle two days later.

Indie-funk group Driving In Aspen are hoping to make a name for themselves on the local music scene. The fledging three-piece, who hail from North Shields, are currently working on their debut EP which they hope to release next year. However, it is definitely a work in progress as the band are recording it one song at a time due to juggling studying and music. The teenage trio – made up of lead vocalist and guitarist Peter Dyers, Matthew McDonald on percussion and bassist Andrew Thompson - all grew up with their own influences and musical interests, but it wasn’t until summer 2014 that they came together as a group.

Talented singer-songwriter Savannah Betts has already released two EPs, but is most excited about her forthcoming new material.Born in Hong Kong to a German mother and South African British Father, Savannah has always been creative, although she fell in love with both acting and music. She developed both her talents at school and began learning to play the guitar when she was nine, but didn’t perform live until six years later. Savannah said: “I was about 15 when I did my first live music performance at a school variety show and after that I joined a band with my friends. I then started to write my own music, but it wasn’t until I was 18 that I decided to buy my own equipment to make my own EP."

County Durham singer-songwriter Jodie Fitzgibbon is hoping her debut EP will help her stand out from the crowd. Growing up in musical family Jodie has been performing form a young age, and after being given a keyboard at the age of seven she became a skilled player and learnt to play music by ear. Three years later she enrolled in Reavley Theatre School, where she studied various styles of dance, theatre craft, drama and singing until she was 18. Jodie began writing music in her teens, as a way of chronicling life events – as she discovered that she can only truly express in music things that she has experienced personally.

Newcastle based electronic act Border Scout are hoping their new album will help them stand out from the crowd. Brothers Sam and Dan Burt have been making music together since they were young and have been involved in various music projects over the years.The duo began creating their album, Nature of Things, in self-imposed isolation and have worked hard to develop their cinematronica sound.

Singer-songwriter Conrad Ashton is hoping to make a name for himself on the local music scene after releasing his debut album One For The Road. The 19-year-old, who hails from Spennymoor in County Durham, has been writing and performing since a young age after being inspired by the musicians who played at Live 8. Conrad was aged nine at the time when he watched the benefit concert on television and what he saw and heard stuck with him for many months. After begging his parents for almost a year, he finally persuaded them to buy him an electric guitar.

Paige Temperley, who performs as a solo act as well as duo with her friend Jamie Mackay and as part of acoustic band Ourselves & Us, is passionate about teaching music to children and young people and hopes to create the next generation of local musicians. Despite having played the guitar since she was young, Paige only decided to pursue a career in music last year and is now focusing on both teaching and writing her own material.

Emerging band Calf are no strangers to the North East music scene as they have been pulled together from the remnants of other well-known local bands. Consisting of ex-members of The Golden Virgins, Peculiar Disco Moves and The Fantastic Car, the four-piece, who hail from Newcastle, are passionate supporters of local music. They have built up strong ties with other bands doing the rounds at the moment, including the likes of Canyons and The Welcome Party, who are also part of the Little Buildings collective.

Initially starting out as a guitarist, singer-songwriter Ryan Bird toyed with the idea of writing his own material until he took the plunge and started singing. The talented musician has spent the last three years honing his craft and now feels he has finally found his own style and sound of music, which he describes as “indie-folk with a hint of melancholy”. He released his debut EP, Lessons, in October 2013 and hasn’t looked back since securing support slots with some of the North East’s top acts and performing at festivals throughout the region.

One act determined to stand out from the crowd on the local music scene is electronic outfit Grey Tapes. The North East is not known for its electronic music, but Grey Tapes – a collective of Newcastle beat makers, composers and producers – are determined to put the region on the map. Grey Tapes released their first EP, Tape_001, back in June and have been busy promoting it over the summer with a series of gigs in and around Newcastle.

Singer-songwriter Immy Williams is working on new material after the success of her debut single. Immy has been singing and performing since a young age, and wrote her first song at the tender age of 11, and it impressed both her parents and music teacher. Since then the singer has continued to write her own material and has been performing around the North East for the past few years. Audiences have compared her to the likes of Hannah Reid (London Grammar), Lana Del Rey, Norah Jones and Tori Amos, which Immy has taken in her stride. She finds the comparisons extremely flattering but wants to be known for her own musical style and sound.

Alt-Folk singer-songwriter Keiandra is currently making waves with her music across the North East. The fledgling songstress only emerged on the local music scene at the end of last year, but is already in demand as a regular performer in Tyneside and in London. Keiandra is known for her clever use of lyrics in her self penned songs, which leave the listener filled with intrigue whilst her haunting and ethereal voice accompanied by acoustic guitar leave them wanting more.

Alternative duo Slurs burst onto the North East music scene in May and can’t wait to perform their second gig on August 1. The pair will be joining four other local bands at Think Tank? in Newcastle to celebrate the release of Elephant Memoirs’ new EP. Slurs will be kicking off the night, before Velvoir, Kashmir and Altradias take to the stage ahead of headliners Elephant Memoirs. This is the first time Slurs have played at Think Tank?, which they fondly remember as the Other Rooms and are really excited about their appearance. Even though the duo are a new band, they have been playing together for years and have known each other since school. Slurs are Mark Simpson (vocals & guitars) and Fintan Dawson (guitars & vocals) and were formed in the summer of 2013. However, the pair ended up spending the first year of the band’s life on hiatus.

One band hoping to stand out from the crowd on the local music scene is four-piece rock act OFFPEAK. The band, who hail from County Durham, are hoping their ‘fresh new bluesy rock’ music will help them make a name for themselves and are set to release their debut single. Feelings Stay The Same is the result of two years’ hard work as OFFPEAK have spent the past 24 months writing material and honing their sound by gigging across the North East.