Pink Martini - Live at Hall 1, The Sage, Gateshead

As the cha-cha started up, and China Forbes cast the first phrase of Amado Mio across the audience, everyone was reeled in. The syncopation and melodies of this experienced, internationally-formed mini-orchestra sparkled in the air of the auditorium.

Between songs, Thomas Lauderdale curated with playful syntax, serving up each next instalment with lateral explanations of their widely-sourced influences. Prior to the interval, Pink Martini indulged in some extended instrumentalism, with the djembe solo slightly pushing patience. 

True to a traditional format, after the break was utilised for the hits, including Let’s Never Stop Falling In Love and Je Ne Veux Pas Travailler. The addition of Hunter Noack joining the tour and performing a solo piano piece by Ravel was a glistening cherry. 

Hall 1 of The Sage has often seen battles between its formal structure and more fluid programming. Though many watching are often internally keen to oblige a request to dance, a perception of the space oppresses the necessary conviction. Tonight though, Pink Martini’s balance of implicit musical studiousness and immediate performance playfulness framed such a response as a liberation, and initiated pockets of people to rise like sunflowers throughout. The energy eventually climaxed at the end of the night in the formation of a conga line flowing like water throughout the aisles. 

[2016.09.16] for NARC Magazine.

Mbongwana Star / Estère - Live at Hall 2, The Sage, Newcastle

Quickly appearing behind her dashboard of electronics, Estère confidently took the early birds in Hall 2 straight to the heart of her funk; a jam built with bold, brassy and frivolous sounds from her MPC. Splashed in colourful lights, her unabashed and expressive dance moves whipped her pop around the room, flipping speculators over into new-found appreciators. 

From hearing some of their From Kinshasa album prior to this performance, you would be forgiven for not expecting such a rock spirit to Mbongwana Star’s show, but constantly sourcing attention amongst the complex polyrhythms was Liam Farrell’s (Doctor L) guitar: possibly the warmest distortion tones I have heard emerge from an SG.

Dressed in varieties of black clothing, sporting leathers (and in one case, a cheeky green wig) the quintet occupied a certain appreciation for ‘rock-band’ sensibilities, but paralleled that inspiration with songs made fluid through Afro-folk harmonies and rhythms. Dance was the only disposition possible by the third song in, streaming from the five distinct personalities on the stage, out to the venue floor where a wave of happy, smiling movers and shakers could not be broken from the spell. C’est bon? Theo Nzonza checked between songs. C’est tres bien! said the brow-sweat and sore soles at the close.

[2016.06.11] for NARC Magazine.

Xiu Xiu Play The Music Of Twin Peaks - Live at The Sage, Gateshead

“Diane. It’s 7pm at The Sage. I’ve just arrived at their Double-R Diner, and there’s a man in blue denim and long grey hair eating cherry pie.”

The upstairs room between the two venues had been perfectly transformed into The Black Lodge too. Each guest, dressed-up as a favourite character, walked around The Red Room with childlike wonder on their faces.

With Angelo Badalamenti’s original soundtrack as fundamental to Lynch’s creation as the visual world, it takes bravery to recreate alternative versions of the music, not least because of the scrutiny they would receive from fanatical followers. Facing Hall 2, packed full of the North-East’s division of the church, Xiu Xiu came to share their adaptations.

As they started to play Laura’s Theme in front of a screen looping the sinister fan shot from the show, a young man beside me fainted. Audrey’s Theme was played with extra fuzz in the baselines, whilst Shayna Dunkelman’s xylophone brought out the famous riffs perfectly. Though used sparingly, Jamie Stewart’s voice will have divided opinion, but his passion for the material was doubtless. Their choice not to speak between the music allowed an eery atmosphere to be maintained across the set.  

The night concluded with dramatics as Dunkelman took up Laura Palmer’s diary, and read from it with a wild impression. Jamie Stewart then channelled Leland from behind the drum kit with Does Eat Oats. After the show, Some people returned to the Black Lodge, clinging on to a wonderful night.

[2015.10.05] for NARC Magazine.

Tom McRae - Live at The Sage, Gateshead

As the final red sunset of the Bank Holiday weekend burns through The Sage's glass exterior, smartly-dressed families and couples peruse the merchandise stand. With options such as Tea-Towels with lyrics on, and Baby T-shirts, there seems to be a harmony between the artist and audience as to what point in life they have reached together. 

Numbers are considerably reduced in Hall 2 as SWANN (a trio realising singer-songerwriter Chloe Swann) open proceedings. She performs haunted by the spirit of Nico and with her last note applause registers far beyond politeness. 

The room fills up, and McRae walks on to hearty applause. The tone is set with Lately's All I Know, balancing well-written songwriting with performance tricks from a seasoned sleeve. Along with the dry-wit of his miserablist introspection, he bonds 99% of the audience. Sadly one attendee may have enjoyed too much sun over the weekend and chose to bellow along with every word; the excellent acoustics of the room meaning often they were as loud as McRae. He was humble in trying to diffuse the sabotage, but sadly the etiquette took a duration for them to learn, in spite of the crowd and himself opposing it more and more pointedly. In closing, McRae acknowledged such challenges as part of a live experience, and the audience were admiring of the bravery he showed throughout the show.

[2013.05.06] for NARC Magazine.