Coming up at Sage Gateshead next week (week beginning 30 April 2018)
Westlife star Shane Filan opens the week performing some of his best-loved hits.
YouTube favourites Walk Off The Earth present the quirky style that has gained them millions of followers worldwide.
Country legend Don McLean celebrates a career spanning almost 50 years, showcasing his 19th studio album, Botanical Gardens.
Strictly stars Aljaz and Janette bring a touch of Hollywood glamour to round off the week, with a celebration of Fred Astaire in the show Remembering Fred.
Tickets are still available for these shows and more, taking place week commencing 30 April.
Shane Filan
Monday 30 April, 7.30pm, Sage One
Shane Filan has announced the second leg of the hugely successful Love Always tour, taking in some of the UK’s best-loved venues, including Sage Gateshead on Monday 30 April 2018.
Shane has cemented his position as one of the UK’s most popular male solo artists, following phenomenal success with Westlife, one of the world’s most successful bands of the last few decades.
Westlife had 14 chart topping singles, including Flying Without Wings, A World of Our Own, and You Raise Me Up, and 44 million sales.
Book now: http://sagegateshead.com/event/shane-filan/
Shonen Knife plus KOLARS
Monday 30 April, 8pm, Sage Two
Shonen Knife’s front girl Naoko was inspired to form the band by artists including The Beatles, The Ramones, and The Buzzcocks in Osaka on December 30, 1981.
The origin of the band name is an old brand name of a pencil sharpener knife.
Their first album Burning Farm was released in Japan in 1983, and in America in 1985.
Their one and only unique sound got popular in North America, the U.K. and Europe. Their first major album, Let’s Knife, was released in 1992.
Shonen Knife keeps on releasing their rocking albums, and touring constantly worldwide.
Book now: http://sagegateshead.com/event/shonen-knife47458/
Walk Off The Earth plus Darenots
Tuesday 1 May, 7.30pm, Sage One
Platinum-selling and Juno Award-winning Canadian five-piece Walk Off The Earth have announced the European leg of their 2018 World Tour, which marks the band’s first shows in the U.K. since 2016.
The Juno Award-winning band most recently released their single, NOMAD, a buoyant and provocative love song that once again delivers on the wide-ranging style the band’s audiences have grown accustomed to. This follows the releases of the highly successful singles Fire In My Soul, which has since been certified Gold, and Taekwondo, which was also released as an EP and a short film.
Walk Off The Earth is an unconventional, multi-talented five-piece musical phenomenon that has taken the world by storm. Based in Burlington, Ontario, their brilliant five-people-playing-one-guitar interpretation of Gotye’s Somebody That I Used To Know exploded on YouTube, garnering well over 35 million views in less than 2 weeks.
Their YouTube channel has over 2.8 million subscribers, and their recent cover of Shape of You by Ed Sheeran has been viewed more than 11 million times. The band also has an immense social media following, with almost 3 million Facebook likes.
Darenots
Skillfully combining the best of hip hop, reggae, trap, and rock with earworm hooks, Toronto’s Darenots are the genre busting sound of the city. Since forming in 2015, vocalists James Mascola and Rev along with CJ Hinds and Swav Pior of illScarlett, are a veteran lineup that produce an unforgettable live experience which intuitively marries contagious electronic beats with driven guitars and body blasting rhythm.
Book now: http://sagegateshead.com/event/walk-off-the-earth-2018/
Classical Season 2017/18 | Small is Beautiful
Chiaroscuro Quartet
Tuesday 1 May, 8pm, Sage Two
- Alina Ibragimova violin
- Pablo Hernán Benedí violin
- Emilie Hörnlund viola
- Claire Thirion cello
- J S Bach Contrapunctus 1, 4, 9 from The Art of Fugue
- Fanny Mendelssohn String Quartet in E flat
- Felix Mendelssohn String Quartet in E flat
The highly acclaimed Chiaroscuro Quartet is internationally renowned for its fresh and innovative interpretations. Tonight, they take to Sage Two for a performance of Fanny Mendelssohn’s emotional quartet, alongside Bach’s great monothematic work The Art of Fugue.
Book now: http://sagegateshead.com/event/small-is-beautiful-chiaroscuro-quartet/
Don McLean plus Jarrod Dickenson
Wednesday 2 May, 7.30pm, Sage One
With over 40 gold and platinum records worldwide, Don McLean is one of America’s most beloved country artists.
Botanical Gardens, his 19th studio album and first in 8 years, is arguably one of Don’s most reflective to date.
Intimacy can be found at the heart of this record, with Don penning personal numbers looking back on a life well lived, as well as his observations on youth and love. Recording at Watershed Studios in Nashville also allowed a different kind of intimacy for Don and his band, as they were made to “play close and feel the music”, resulting in a raw, yet tight sound throughout.
Don proves his prowess at writing timeless sounding songs once again, as the album weaves country, Americana, folk, and boot stomping rock in this release.
In nearly 50 years on the scene, Don’s songs have become a staple in Americana music. His music has been performed by artists as diverse as Elvis Presley, Madonna, Fred Astaire, Chet Atkins, Weird Al Yankovick, George Michael, Josh Groban, Coolio and Ed Sheeran and his biggest hit, American Pie, was recognised with high honours by being inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2003.
Don famously only uses Martin guitars. He has more than 40 Martin guitars and in the year 2000, the Martin Guitar Company honoured Don McLean with his own limited edition signature guitar, the D40DM.
Book now: http://sagegateshead.com/event/don-mclean-2018/
Seun Kuti
Wednesday 2 May, 8pm, Sage Two
Seun Kuti, the youngest son of the Afrobeat legend Fela Anikulapo Kuti, is as incensed by injustice and inspired by greatness as his father ever was. Now, with his mighty new album, Last Revolutionary, the Lagos-based scion honours the revolutionaries who’ve gone before and rallies the torchbearers to come.
“Last Revolutionary is a true reflection of my political and social beliefs,” says the singer, bandleader and musician.
“More than ever I am convinced of the mission and purpose of our music,” continues Kuti. “Here I’m giving honour to my parents and to every revolutionary who has made a difference, many of them from before I was born.”
An intensive spate of touring has reinvigorated an act whose every show includes one or more Fela originals, as adrenalised as they ever were. Long-players whose funky horns, kicking beats, stirring chants and call-and-response hooks are lent contemporary resonance by new sonic influences and the charismatic presence of Seun. The boy who first appeared onstage with his father aged eight at the Harlem Apollo has this wowed festivals including Glastonbury and Roskild, sending critics into raptures.
Book now: http://sagegateshead.com/event/seun-kuti/
Our Finest Hour – Dunkirk and the Battle of Britain
Thursday 3 May, 7.30pm, Sage One
To coincide with the celebration of VE Day, we look back in words and music at the momentous turning point of World War Two, and Britain’s finest hour, from the miracle of Dunkirk to the decisive victory of the Battle of Britain.
From Vera Lynn and Gracie Fields to the Andrews Sisters and Glenn Miller, the songs and music of the 1940s are as well-loved today as ever. Featuring the songs that won the war – including We’ll Meet Again, The White Cliffs of Dover and A Nightingale Sang On Berkeley Square – as well as some of the classic music it inspired, including the Dam Busters March and the music from Ron Goodwin’s memorable scores to Battle of Britain and 633 Squadron.
With the famous speeches of Winston Churchill, and the best tunes of the time from the dance halls and wireless, join the BBC Big Band and stars of the West End in a unique celebration of Our Finest Hour, presented by much-loved TV star Peter Bowles.
BBC Big Band dir. Barry Forgie
Annie Gill vocalist
Peter Bowles presenter
Book now: http://sagegateshead.com/event/our-finest-hour/
Crossings: Newcastle Poetry Festival 2018
Thursday 3 May, 8pm, Sage Two
Jugar con Fuego with Fernando Valverde and Juan Pinilla
This is the long awaited UK premiere of the Latino Grammy-nominated performance of Jugar con Fuego, a collaborative album by poet Fernando Valverde and singer Juan Pinilla. Critically acclaimed Spanish writer Valverde directs the International Festival of Poetry in Grenada and Pinilla, a flamenco singer and writer, has won many awards including the Lampara Minera, the top prize for flamenco music. This inspiring performance features Valverde reciting his poetry in duet with Pinilla’s songs.
Tyehimba Jess and Binker & Moses
New York-based Tyehimba Jess and London-based duo Binker & Moses are joining forces for an exciting transatlantic collaboration of poetry and jazz. Jess will read from his Pulitzer Prize winning collection Olio (2016), which features poems about the history of African-American music. Saxophone-drum duo Binker & Moses’ debut album Dem Ones won the MOBO award for Best Jazz Act and was named as both Breakthrough Act & Jazz Act of The Year at the 2016 Jazz FM Awards.
Book now: http://sagegateshead.com/event/newcastle-poetry-festival/
Amanda Palmer plus Andrew O’Neill
Friday 4 May, 6.30pm, Sage One
Amanda Palmer is returning to the U.K. for an intimate limited engagement run of smaller cities. This is her first U.K. music tour since her last official album release, 2012’s critically acclaimed and Kickstarter-funded Theatre is Evil.
Palmer has taken her crowd-funding relationship with her audience one step further than Kickstarter and, since 2015, has been using the subscription membership site Patreon.com to fund her work, studio time, staff and ongoing cost of living. Around 11,000 people currently fund each of Palmer’s demos, videos and other projects.
An Evening With Amanda Palmer will see Palmer alone on stage, performing everything from solo and Dresden Dolls’?favorites?to unreleased?new material on both grand piano and ukulele. Palmer takes pride in abandoning setlists and taking audience request, and responding to current events. Audiences?filling these theatres can expect usual no-holds-barred mix of spontaneity, humour and confession.
Comedian Andrew O’Neill will be supporting Palmer at all shows.
Book now: http://sagegateshead.com/event/amanda-palmer-plus-andrew-oneill/
Folkworks: Kris Drever plus Hannah Read
Saturday 5 May, 8pm, Sage Two
Scottish songwriter Kris Drever (Lau) celebrated a decade of critical and commercial success by winning both BBC Radio 2 Folk Singer of The Year 2017 and Best Original Track 2017 for his song If Wishes Were Horses at BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards.
For his 2018 concerts Kris will be performing a ‘best of’ set featuring all the key songs from his first decade and some new material played live for the first time.
Book now: http://sagegateshead.com/event/kris-drever46408/
Classical Season 2017/18 | RNS Presents
Opera North: Salome
Saturday 5 May, 7.30pm, Sage One
Cast Includes:
- Giselle Allen Salome
- Katarina Karneus Herodias
- Robert Hayward Jokanaan
- Arnold Bezuyen Herodes
- Oliver Johnstone Narraboth
- Chorus and Orchestra of Opera North
Based on Oscar Wilde’s Salomé, this is the savage and bloody tale of King Herod’s step-daughter. When Herod’s prisoner Jokanaan (John the Baptist) rebuffs her advances, Salome vows she will kiss him – no matter the consequences.
Opera North returns to the concert hall, following acclaimed concert stagings of the Ring Cycle and Turandot, to present a concert performance of Salome, a piece which caused outrage when it was first performed. From the seductive Dance of the Seven Veils to the explosive vocal parts, the violent sensuality of the score illustrates every moment of the story with unflinching vividness. This is opera at its most extreme, concentrated into 100 intense and exhilarating minutes.
Book now: http://sagegateshead.com/event/rns-presents-opera-north-salome/
Remembering Fred
Sunday 6 May, 7.30pm, Sage One
Strictly stars Aljaz and Janette are back with new songs, new dances and a new look.
Get ready to step back in time and celebrate the legacy of one of Hollywood’s true screen legends and entertainers. Alijaz and Janette will perform steps and turns from the golden age of Hollywood’s most memorable dance routines.
Book now: http://sagegateshead.com/event/remembering-fred43975/