Luminaries of live music from the North East, Paul Smith and Peter Brewis have combined their respective record collections to DJ a special set at the recently re-opened Gosforth Civic Theatre
Following a hugely successful re-opening weekend, Gosforth Civic Theatre is to welcome a duo of musical distinction to DJ its newly refurbished auditorium for one night only.
Maximo Park singer Paul Smith and his long-time collaborator Peter Brewis, from successful Sunderland rock band Field Music, have created an unforgettable Friday night made up of an eclectic mix of tracks to get everyone moving.
The September 15th event, Midnight Callers, will feature a melting pot of modern classic and contemporary tunes from the obvious to the obscure, likely to include work from a diversity of hit-makers, from Depeche Mode to Destiny’s Child and from Kate Bush to Kraftwerk.
Paul, who hails from Stockton-on-Tees and studied at Newcastle University before joining the alternative rock outfit that has released seven studio albums and played gigs all over the world, said: “It’s not just tunes from our youth; it’ll be anything you can dance to that we both like, from Eddie Cochran to Billie Eilish and Harry Styles.
“We feel indie discos can be very predictable and conservative, so one of the questions we’re asking is, why shouldn’t the suburbs have a fun art-pop dance party?! You can definitely expect the unexpected within our personal pop parameters.”
Designed to appeal to anyone that fancies hitting the dancefloor without paying a hefty club entry charge, including those late millennials needing to get home to relieve the babysitter, the evening, which has an all-inclusive discounted advance booking price of just £8.06 per person, is sure to enliven the leafy suburb of Gosforth, bringing new customers through the doors of the much-loved theatre that has made £2.4m worth of improvements to its facilities over the spring and summer months.
A social enterprise, all proceeds from events at Gosforth Civic Theatre are used to provide creative and practical training and work opportunities for young people with and without learning disabilities and autism.
Having first opened its doors in 2016 in a former council building close to Regent Centre, its recent refurbishment, made possible primarily by the Youth Investment Fund with support from Arts Council England, The Clothworkers Foundation, The Wolfson Foundation, The Foyle Foundation and The National Lottery Community Fund, has seen the space transformed into a modern, accessible and energy-efficient community venue, with a new heating system, solar panels on the roof and insulation throughout to reduce its environmental impact. The venue’s foyer has also been brightened with the addition of a huge skylight, and there’s a new auditorium theatre bar, and a new community studio for wellbeing and youth activities, workshops and meetings, as well as small parties and gatherings.
Singer-songwriter and drummer Peter, who in addition to his work with both Paul and Field Music is one half of You Tell Me with Sarah Hayes, added: “It’s always a pleasure to work with Paul and both of us are proud to support the vital cultural asset that is Gosforth Civic Theatre.
“We’re looking forward to putting on a night of bold tunes and big fun!”
Discounted advance tickets for Midnight Callers are available at gosforthcivictheatre.co.uk, which has an on-the-door price of £10. Doors open for the event at 8pm.