54 Varieties

Local promoters par excellence f54 continue to hit the region up with some of the best gigs around, and their autumn/winter programme is looking tastier than a pumpkin spice latte.

The good people at f54 love live music and that’s very evident by looking at the bands and artists they’ve brought us just in the last month including sterling sets from the likes of art rockers Art Brut, retro-pop stylists The Lemon Twigs, and Japanese noiseniks Melt Banana.

Moving into October, f54 are sticking their fingers into all manner of musical pies and pulling out even more plums. I’m talking Real Estate at Newcastle University (5 October). These indie US rockers are real darlings of Pitchfork etc and are renowned for their live shows. Support on the night from Far Caspian. I also love Loose Articles who are coming to Zerox in Newcastle to light touchpapers (13 October). If you’ve not yet checked them out, then know they’re a real bunch of rabble-rousers who knock out the kind of punky tunes that’ll have you yelping with joy.

Taking things down a notch is Scott Matthews who will be bringing his remarkable songwriting nous to Gosforth Civic Theatre (17 October). This chap is in the classic mould – I’m talking Bob Dylan, Joni Mitchell, Nick Drake, Jeff Buckley etc – and has been championed by the likes of Jo Whiley and Mark Radcliffe. Back at Zerox don’t miss the incredible Danny Mellin (20 October). This rising indie star is already winning himself a large following for his rock and roll tales about life in his 20s.

Naturally f54 are keen to big-up local talent too and they’ve got Wild Spelks at Cumberland Arms (20 October) with a glorious melange of post-punk, pop-rock and alt-rock, plus support from Mt. Misery. Super US indie-rockers Wild Pink have a new album out in October and no doubt they’ll be hitting us up with songs from it when they visit Cluny 2 (24 October).

STOP PRESS: We’ve just heard that f54 are bringing Nile Rodgers and CHIC to the O2 City Hall on 26 November. Oh, man! This isn’t going to be a gig. This is going to be a disco glitterball of a party! Miss this and miss out.

For the full f54 listings visit: f54.seetickets.com