This fifth album from New York’s Frankie Rose is her first in six years, and it’s clear to see that she has used that time to really develop her sound and influences. Exploring the genre of electronic pop, ‘Love as Projection’ is all harmonic vocals and d…

Shades of Dreyer, Bergman, even 'The Wicker Man', in this austere but beautifully-rendered and thematically-rich drama from Icelandic writer-director Hlynur Pálmason. It’s the late 19th Century and young Danish Lutheran priest Lucas (Hove) is despatched t…

Sister Shack is back with another popular Bend & Shake queer party in April. Pack only your best dance moves. You’ll be spoilt for choice at the next Bend & Shake extravaganza with eight fantastic DJs doing their stuff including the likes of Azula Bandit …

Hailing from Ukraine, DakhaBrakha are musical envelope-pushers par excellence, and they’re playing Sunderland for the first time in April. Understandably, there’s been a lot of focus on Ukrainian culture over the last 12 months – of what is under threat –…

North Shields DJ Schak has been making a real name for himself over the past 12 months, and he’s in Middlesbrough this Good Friday. Schak’s debut single ‘Moving All Around (Jumpin)’ has found favour at dancefloors right across the UK and beyond – and with…

The Farrell Centre – a new centre for architecture and cities, based in Newcastle – is opening to the public in April. Hooray! The Farrell Centre combines a public gallery, research hub, and community space, and will be free to enter. And their inaugural …

The Big North Tattoo show is coming to the Utilita Arena in Newcastle at the back end of April. Tat’s entertainment, says Faith Richardson. Ahhh remember tattoo conventions? They’re a bloody glorious way of seeing artists at work, learning more about what…

‘Lame duck’ can be applied to anyone who is weak or falls behind in ability and achievement. A lame duck administration could, for instance, apply to a government who are not made up of the brightest and best. Who let a health service collapse. Who underf…

Chris Killip was one of the UK’s foremost documentary photographers, and a wide-ranging retrospective of his work at BALTIC shines a particular light on his northern pictures. From old fellas dipping their heads against fierce winter winds, to kids playin…

If you’re a fan of vinyl, then Christmas Day is on Saturday 22 April this year (others may know it as Record Store Day). There is a tonne of good stuff being released on that particular day and the region’s many brilliant record shops are gearing up to br…

Eden Arts are bringing ‘Rider Spoke’ to Keswick, Darlington and Redcar this April for an event that’s like nothing you’ve ever experienced before… ‘Rider Spoke’ was developed by Brighton-based Blast Theory in collaboration with Mixed Reality Lab, and it h…