INCOMING

Something for the weekend
Well done to plucky little Manchester City for securing the Premier League title. It just goes to show that if you splurge a billion pounds on taking other team’s best players, and then pay them a quarter of a million pounds a week in wages, FAIRYTALES CAN INDEED COME TRUE! Who said that romance in football was dead? Anyway. Here are five flapper-friendly things to do this weekend.

The Late Shows
What happens when over 50 of the most popular cultural attractions open late over a weekend in Newcastle and Gateshead? Absolutely fucking pandemonium (Note: not really). Expect exhibitions, events and activities including DJ sets, hands-on-art, behind the scenes tours, open studios and performances. Do. Not. Miss.
Friday May 18 & Saturday May 19, various venues across Newcastle and Gateshead.

100% Overproof
The all-kinds-of-marvellous pop-up club night is back with DJs Paul C, Seamus Appleton and Robbie Mc playing a riotous blend of dub, reggae, ska, soul and retro hip-hop. Cool.
Friday May 19, The Cumberland Arms , Byker, 8pm, £3.

Mick Wilson
Mick Wilson? He’s the voice of 10cc – what else do you need to know? That he’s playing an acoustic set consisting of his own material (including 10cc songs) and stuff that he wished he written? You got it.
Saturday May 19, The Cluny , Ouseburn, Newcastle, 8pm, £12.

Endless Race
Once again, Endless Race are doing the closing party for the wonderful Late Shows (see above) and are very excited to welcome: Soft Rocks, a 4-man DJ collective from Brighton (of which they’ll be hosting two: Andy Sims and Chris Galloway), just back from their incredibly well received tour of Japan. Music policy? Everything good.
Saturday May 19, Star & Shadow , Newcastle, 10pm, £7/£6.

Pandamonium Comedy
A new comedy night? Why not! Resident host Rory McAlpine presents a mix of professional acts and those on the up.
Sunday May 20, Stepney’s , 3 Bridge View, Stepney Lane, Newcastle, 7.30pm, £3.

Northern Pride fundraising gig
Ask Ruby (pictured) were one of the real wows at last year’s Pride and they’re playing a special gig this month (along with Friggin Little Bits) in order to raise funds for a women’s tent at Northern Pride 2012. Expect raucous live music, special raffle and more lovely vibes than you could possibly know what to do with.

Ask Ruby + Friggin Little Bits , Sunday May 27, Secrets Bar, 78 Scotswood Road, Newcastle, 8pm, £3.

Film review: Dark Shadows
Tim Burton’s latest picture stars Johnny Depp and Helena Bonham Carter (like, stop the press) and David Willoughby has just been to see it. But is it Depp-charged or merely plunging new Depps…

Click HERE for the full review

Interview: Jason Statham
Big screen action hero Jason Statham is currently starring in Safe. David Willoughby caught up with him last week for a natter about face-punching fun.
Click HERE for the full interview

Fancy really spending a night at a museum…
This sounds great! Sunderland Museum & Winter Gardens are hosting an overnight stay (from 7pm until the morning after) for families as part of the national Museums At Night event. Discovery Zoo will be there with their rainforest menagerie, so participants can come face to face with Madagascan hissing cockroaches, tarantulas, snakes, rare blue tongued skinks – and handle them if you dare… Visitors will also be able to bring their sleeping bags and bed down amongst the weird and the wonderful, and tramp through the Winter Gardens in the pitch-black with their torches and experience the spooky 19th Century museum when the lights are out…

The Night of Rainforests, Sunderland Museum & Winter Gardens, Friday May 18, 7pm. Places are limited so book now on 0191 553 2323 or email sunderlandlearning@twmuseums.org.uk

Tender Napalm is all kinds of extraordinary
Oh man! We can’t wait to check this out. It’s Philip Ridley’s extraordinary new play, Tender Napalm, which has been a real wow in London, scooping Time Out and Evening Standard awards hither and thither. Re-setting the auditorium into traverse, the audience face each other on either side of this intimate, explosive and poetic exploration of love in the face of catastrophe. Expect a heart-stopping, viciously funny, wildly intoxicating and sensationally staged, delight.

Tender Napalm, May 16 & 17, Northern Stage , Newcastle, 8pm, £14.50/£12.

There’s a Simon Amstell vibe in the air
We’re kind of loving Simon Amstell’s second series of “Grandma’s House”, but it’s his live stand-up shows which really have us hailing his genius to the four winds. His new show, Numb, is, as is his wont, intensely vulnerable and painfully honest, but, critically, is also completely and utterly hilarious. WHAT A FUCKING WINNING COMBO!

Simon Amstell , Tuesday May 15, The Mill Volvo Tyne Theatre , Newcastle, 7.30pm, from £21.

Newton Faulkner is dreadful
Naturally, by “dreadful” we mean “has got some dreads” and he’ll be no doubt be shaking those dreads when he brings his acoustic guitar to Newcastle in May. He’s something of a virtuoso too, and has the tunes to back up his stunning playing style, marking him down as one of the most intriguing artists operating today. Hooray.

Newton Faulkner , Tuesday May 8, The Mill Volvo Tyne Theatre , Newcastle, 7.30pm, £16.

Film review: Blackthorn
Butch Cassidy didn’t get killed in a shoot-out. Instead he renamed himself Blackthorn and went off to live in Bolivia. That’s the premise of this new film that David Willoughby has just been to check out. Good? Bad? Ugly? Click below for answers.
Click HERE for the full review

Film review: Battleship
Can a film based on a board game and starring Liam Neeson and Rihanna actually be any good? David Willoughby lets you know…
Click HERE for the full review

Interview: Aksel Hennie
Based on Jo Nesbø’s best-selling thriller ‘Headhunters’ is our Film Of The Month and stars Aksel Hennie as a corporate headhunter who has a sideline in art theft. Ahead of its UK launch David Willoughby asks Aksel…
Click HERE for the full interview

Hey! The line-up for Evolution Emerging is AMAZING
Evolution Emerging takes place on the Friday before the main Evolution Festival and features 25 of the very best local bands playing at six venues on one night across the Ouseburn valley (i.e. The Cluny, The Tyne, Cumberland Arms etc). Lined up to play are Beth Jeans Houghton & The Hooves of Destiny (pictured), We Are Knuckle Dragger, Lulu James, Fantasy Rainbow, Young Liar, Bird Island and loads more. And the best thing? It’s all entirely free! Hooray.

Evolution Emerging, Friday June 1. Full details HERE