Highlights:
- An evening with the bestselling, much-loved author and LGBT activist, Armistead Maupin
- Lucy Spraggan, the first X Factor artist to play Glastonbury, performs tracks from her new album, Today Was a Good Day
- TUSK Festival returns for its 9th edition this October, once again bringing its uniquely diverse programme of adventurous international music to the North East
An Evening with Armistead Maupin Interviewed by Viv Groskop
Monday 7 October, 7.30pm
In his first ever UK tour, Fane Productions and Kilimanjaro present an evening with the bestselling, much-loved author and LGBT activist, Armistead Maupin.
Maupin has been blazing a trail through US popular culture since the 1970s, when his iconic and ground-breaking series Tales of the City was first published as a column in the San Francisco Chronicle. The novel series has been taking the literary world by storm ever since and was recently adapted by Netflix into a critically acclaimed new series, starring Laura Linney, Olympia Dukakis and Ellen Page.
Don’t miss the chance to join America’s ultimate storyteller, as he recounts his favourite tales from the past four decades, offering his own engaging observations on society and the world we inhabit.
Book Now: https://sagegateshead.com/whats-on/armistead-maupin/
Chance McCoy plus Rob Heron
Monday 7 October, 7.45pm
Chance McCoy is a Grammy Award winning Indie Folk musician from West Virginia.
“It can be scary to step away from something that’s been so successful,” says Chance McCoy, “but it’s important to follow your passion. I really believe in the music that I’m making right now, so it feels like the right time for me as an artist to get off the main road and explore the path less trodden.”
A virtuoso fiddler, guitarist, and banjo player, McCoy is best known as a member of GRAMMY-winning Americana powerhouse Old Crow Medicine Show, but Wander Wide, his debut solo album, reveals a remarkable depth and versatility far beyond anything we’ve heard from him yet.
Captivating in its cross of the traditional and the progressive, the record shows little regard for the conventional boundaries of genre and decade, blending old-school bluegrass melodies with modern rock and roll arrangements and rich, atmospheric production.
McCoy based the album on a live residency show he put on weekly at The Basement in Nashville, and the studio recordings here tap into the same exuberant energy he brought to the stage every night, complete with dazzling performances that unexpectedly twist and turn, sometimes transitioning from one tune to the next within the same track.
Book Now: https://sagegateshead.com/whats-on/chance-mccoy-2019/
Jesca Hoop plus Chloe Foy
Monday 7 October, 8pm
Jesca Hoop is an American singer-songwriter and guitarist, a Californian who is now an adopted daughter of Manchester. Her career has spanned five albums of finely crafted song writing, sung from a unique intelligence and an unparalleled voice, culminating in 2017’s hugely acclaimed, Memories are Now.
Having spent much of the last 18 months on tour, Jesca released her latest record, Stonechild, this Summer.
A culmination of life and musical experience, uncompromising in its vision, Jesca teamed up with producer John Parish (PJ Harvey, This is the Kit, Aldous Harding) on this collection of songs. Beautiful, subtle and stark, this is Jesca Hoop refined and defined.
Plus support from Chloe Foy
Chloe Foy writes a brand of melodic, homegrown music, bursting with colourful lyrical and textural inflections evocative of much of the music she loves. Taking inspiration from classical music as much as wider transatlantic trends in folk and indie, Chloe’s songs comprise carefully constructed arrangements that delicately compliment her cryptic lyrics.
Book Now: https://sagegateshead.com/whats-on/jesca-hoop-2019/
All You Need is Love with the National Philharmonic Concert Orchestra
Tuesday 8 October, 7.30pm
Backed by the National Philharmonic Concert Orchestra, All You Need Is Love will fill you with nostalgia, joy and wonderment as we pass through the greatest and most iconic hits of the Fab Four, taking us back to the heyday of Beatlemania.
https://sagegateshead.com/whats-on/all-you-need-is-love-2019/
Lucy Spraggan plus special guests
Tuesday 8 October, 8pm
Lucy Spraggan is in a good place and wants to share it with you.
She is happy in love, life and music: three things that are reflected in the anthemic, upbeat, and infectious sound of her new album. The past few years have been the best of times for the singer-songwriter and Today Was a Good Day sings that message loud.
Today Was a Good Day marked a new chapter for Spraggan musically. She signed a new record and publishing deal with Cooking Vinyl in 2018. The new album showcases Spraggan’s voice in the structure of the songs.
Overall, she sounds at her most confident and accomplished, and ready to build on her 50 million views on YouTube and 25 million streams on Spotify. The most Googled musician of 2012, Spraggan was the first X Factor artist to play Glastonbury and performed there again this year on the Avalon Stage after filling the Acoustic Tent in 2017.
Book Now: https://sagegateshead.com/whats-on/lucy-spraggan/
Friday Night Is Music Night Live: The Songs of Stevie Wonder starring Beverley Knight
Accompanied by the Leo Green Orchestra
Wednesday 9 October, 8pm
BBC Radio 2’s Friday Night is Music Night Live presents: The Songs of Stevie Wonder starring Beverley Knight
Having performed a special concert recorded for BBC Radio 2’s Friday Night Is Music Night series at The London Palladium at the end of last year, Knight is taking the show across the UK with the Leo Green Orchestra to pay homage to one of the greatest songwriters of modern times.
Multi award-winning Knight, who this year celebrates 25 years in music, is widely regarded as one of the greatest soul singers of her generation and one of few vocalists with the ability to do justice to the genius of Stevie Wonder’s rich and varied catalogue. She will recreate the memorable London Palladium concert, which was broadcast on BBC Radio 2.
Book Now: https://sagegateshead.com/whats-on/fnimnthe-songs-of-stevie-19/
Jess and The Bandits
Wednesday 9 October, 8pm
Country music really is a powerful thing. It unites fans, and it brings bands together too. Jess and the Bandits are the living proof.
Frontwoman Jessica Clemmons, the singer-songwriter from Houston, Texas with the big voice and the warm personality, bonded with the four Brits who make up the Bandits over their mutual love of the music. They’ve turned that shared affection into some of the most accessible country-pop-rock of the last few years.
Jessica is the sort of engaging and effusive performer that wins a truckload of new admirers at every performance, not to mention on every recording, hence the response she’s had all over the place in her second home on this side of the Atlantic.
The last couple of years have been a whirlwind of successes, with playlist support from BBC Radio Two for a number of their singles, and a wealth of press and TV exposure. Their performance of Wichita Lineman on the late Terry Wogan’s Sunday morning show sent social media into a frenzy, with fans demanding the cover appear on their debut album. It did, and matched with twelve equally impressive originals, the album soared to number 3 in the UK Country Chart.
Book Now: https://sagegateshead.com/whats-on/jess-and-the-bandits/
Soul Legends
Thursday 10 October, 7.30pm
Bringing to life the hits of Barry White, George Benson, Michael Jackson, Aretha Franklin, James Brown, Tina Turner, Lionel Richie, Wilson Pickett, Chaka Khan, Earth Wind & Fire, and more.
With hits from the 60s, 70s through to today’s soul hits, there’ll be the hits guaranteed to make you want to sing and dance as you watch an all-star cast of talented singers and musicians. You’ll be on your feet re-living your favourite soul anthems: Respect, Ain’t Nobody, Knock On Wood, Midnight Hour, You’re My First My Last My Everything, Best Of My Love, River Deep Mountain High, Ain’t No Stopping Us Now, Beat It, I Feel Good, Three Times a Lady, Get Down On It, and more.
Book Now: https://sagegateshead.com/whats-on/soul-legends-2019/
TUSK Festival 2019
Friday 11 October – Sunday 13 October, Sage Gateshead
TUSK Festival returns for its 9th edition this October, once again bringing its uniquely diverse programme of adventurous international music to the North East of England.
Continuing its partnership with Sage Gateshead, TUSK again makes full use of the landmark building, its flexible public spaces and truly high-end production values to showcase a TUSK 2019 line-up that is as unwavering as ever. Once more, alongside a truly eclectic and international music menu and TUSK’s trademark slew of UK debuts, festival-goers can again enjoy the festival’s renowned film programme, exhibitions, talks, installations, interactions and more.
Friday:
Sunn Trio
Audrey Chen
Lasse+Mariam
The Rolling Calf
Mir8
Acrid Lactations
Saturday:
Eleh
Ceylon Mange
Moor Mother X LCO
Jandek
Ernie Fegg
Ka Baird
Luke Poot
Sunday:
The Necks
Grupi Lab
Magma
Sonic Bothy
Mondo Sadists
Farmer Glitch
TUSK Festival 2019: Moor Mother X LCO
Saturday 12 October, 9.30pm
Electronic music artist and poet Moor Mother and London Contemporary Orchestra (who have provided soundtracks for countless films by Paul Thomas Anderson and more) premier their new collaboration, first proposed by TUSK.
Book Now: https://sagegateshead.com/whats-on/tusk-festival-19-moor-mother/
TUSK Festival 2019: Magma
Sunday 13 October, 7.30pm
It seems for most writers the nearest they can get to a definitive categorization of the legendary French band Magma is to call their music prog rock.
Here at TUSK we’re more minded to accept that Magma just don’t fit any stylistic pigeonhole – they’re Magma!
How many times do you hear a band that sounds like the unlikely union of Philip Glass and Funkadelic? That sings in its own invented language? That has been going for 50 years? Then they’re off again and its Coltrane meets Mahavishnu, with added symphonic excess. You can often pick out influences in Magma’s music but the sum they have made of those disparate parts is unlike anyone else.
Led by drummer and founder Christian Vander, Magma this year celebrate 50 years of existence and this TUSK appearance is one of only two UK shows this year to mark that milestone. Notable fans include snooker legend Steve Davis and dronelord Stephen O’Malley.
Arch druid Julian Cope described them as “truly from another planet”. On record and on stage, the Magma nontet sounds and impacts like something twice the size. Expect a genuine musical spectacular from a band genuinely unlike any other.
Book Now: https://sagegateshead.com/whats-on/tusk-festival-2019-magma/
Classical Season 2019/20 | Classics 4 Kids
Classics 4 Kids: All About the Piano
Saturday 12 October, 2pm
- Lars Vogt conductor/piano
- Rachel Leach presenter
- Royal Northern Sinfonia
- Mendelssohn A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Op.61: Scherzo
- Mendelssohn A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Op.61: Dance of the Clowns
- Mendelssohn Piano Concerto No.1 in G minor, Op.25
Enjoy learning all about the piano and experience a world-class orchestra live in action in this fun and engaging concert for kids. Royal Northern Sinfonia’s Music Director, Lars Vogt, will be there to delight the audience with his keyboard wizardry and to conduct the orchestra too!
Join Sage Gateshead for free activities on the Concourse from 1.15pm before the concert, including crafts and instrument demonstrations. After the performance, the fun continues with more music until they’re all tired out – it’s a whole afternoon of fun!
Suitable for children aged 5+ and their families.
Book Now: https://sagegateshead.com/whats-on/classics-4-kids-all-about-the-piano/