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The Crack Magazine

Music

The Story of Skiffle

Hop Skiffle and Jump showcase how this simple, acoustic music formed the bedrock of what was to come – the pop explosion of the 60s.

Venue:
Arts Centre Washington, Biddick Lane, Fatfield, Washington, NE38 8AB
Date:
May 15th 2025
Time:
19:30
Price:
£10

Steve Ignorant Band

Performing Crass.

Venue:
The Grove, 1 St Michael's Rd, Byker, Newcastle, NE6 1QU
Date:
May 16th 2025
Time:
19:00
Price:
£19

Ravel’s Mother Goose

Principal Conductor Dinis Sousa is at the helm for this evening’s concert. He’s joined by fabulous French pianist Pierre-Laurent Aimard and of course his trusty crew, Royal Northern Sinfonia. They take you on a voyage of discovery through the works of one of France’s greatest composers, Maurice Ravel.

Venue:
The Glasshouse, Gateshead Quays, NE8 2YR
Date:
May 16th 2025
Time:
19:30
Price:
£19-£46

The Northern Soul Classics Orchestra

Whether you’re a die-hard Northern Soul enthusiast or a newcomer to the scene, the Northern Soul Classics Orchestra is here to make your heart sing, your feet tap along, and your soul soar.

Venue:
Middlesbrough Town Hall, Albert Road, Middlesbrough, TS1 2QJ
Date:
May 16th 2025
Time:
19:30
Price:
£29.50

Luke Combs Experience

Tribute to Luke Combs.

Venue:
Anarchy Brew Co., Benfield Business Park, Unit A1, Enfield Road, Newcastle, NE6 4NQ
Date:
May 16th 2025
Time:
18:00
Price:
£20

Massive Wagons

UK rock powerhouse, formed in 2009 through sheer small town boredom and an appetite for loud and live music.

Venue:
Newcastle University Students Union, Kings Road, Newcastle, NE2 4NL
Date:
May 16th 2025
Time:
19:00
Price:
£25.30adv

Lonnie Donegan – The Stories

Award winning songwriter and star of The Voice UK – Peter Donegan– and his older brother- Anthony Donegan – present a fantastic and unique evening of Lonnie’s songs plus stories about their legendary father, ‘The King of Skiffle’ – Lonnie Donegan.

Venue:
The Witham, 3 Horsemarket, Barnard Castle, County Durham, DL12 8YL
Date:
May 16th 2025
Time:
19:30
Price:
£20

Chic Out

9-piece tribute band playing the songbook of Nile Rodgers & Chic.

Venue:
Newgate Social, The Gate, Newgate Street, Newcastle, NE1 5TG
Date:
May 16th 2025
Time:
19:00
Price:
£15

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China Shop Bull

Festival stalwarts who blend hip-hop, rave, drum and bass, punk, ska, dub and jungle genres to create their own unique and original sound, supported by an energy-infused live show.

Venue:
The Studio, Tower Street, Hartlepool, TS24 7HQ
Date:
May 16th 2025
Time:
20:00
Price:
£6-£8adv

The Upbeat Beatles

Paying homage to the greatest band in history.

Venue:
The Exchange, 1 Howard Street, North Shields, Tyne & Wear, NE30 1SE
Date:
May 16th 2025
Time:
19:30
Price:
£28

Lauren Housley & The Northern Cowboys

Award-winning singer and songwriter with an innate talent of writing beautiful, engaging songs, born from the intuitive craft of earthy storytelling and delivered with an emotive knock out vocal performance at their core.

Venue:
The Cluny 2, 34 Lime Street, Ouseburn, Newcastle, NE1 2PQ
Date:
May 16th 2025
Time:
19:30
Price:
£15

Discography

The ultimate 11-piece high energy funk soul disco all-star band playing all the funkiest disco classics.

Venue:
PILGRIM, 54 Pilgrim Street, Newcastle, NE1 6SF
Date:
May 16th 2025
Time:
19:30
Price:
£21.20adv

Red Eye Pariah

Antrim Based Indie Alt-rock 4 piece.

Venue:
Independent, 27/28 Holmeside, Sunderland, SR1 3JE
Date:
May 16th 2025
Time:
19:00
Price:
£9

Still House Plants w/ Jordan Playfair

Still House Plants create music that restlessly shifts lanes. Moving in and out of focus, drawing on sampling and slowcore, SHP stutter into repetitions and let you in with them. Jordan Playfair is a guitarist, lyricist, and composer whose work blends elements of folk, metal, and blues.

Venue:
Star & Shadow Cinema, 210 Warwick Street, Newcastle, NE2 1BB
Date:
May 16th 2025
Time:
19:30
Price:
£12 notaflof

Riverside Ragas: Qawwal Najmuddin Saifuddin & Brothers

The leading exponents of more than 700 years of this mystical Sufi devotional singing tradition, Qawwal Najmuddin Saifuddin & Brothers will bring their mesmerising performance to Riverside Ragas.

Venue:
The Glasshouse, Gateshead Quays, NE8 2YR
Date:
May 16th 2025
Time:
20:00
Price:
£20

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Time Is Out Of Joint

An immersive musical experience produced by North East based musician and composer, John O’Hare with live music performed by a.b.a.d.e. An audio-visual exploration in time and British culture, focused on our nature to return to the past whilst dreaming of the future.

Venue:
Independent, 27/28 Holmeside, Sunderland, SR1 3JE
Date:
May 16th 2025
Time:
20:00
Price:
£6adv/£7otd

Ain’t It Fun

Paramore Tribute.

Venue:
The Cluny, 36 Lime Street, Ouseburn, Newcastle, NE1 2PQ
Date:
May 16th 2025
Time:
19:30
Price:
£10

The Petty Heartbreakers

Get ready to experience the electrifying essence of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers as The Petty Heartbreakers pay homage to the legendary rock icon.

Venue:
The Forum Music Centre, Borough Road, Darlington, DL1 1SG
Date:
May 16th 2025
Time:
19:30
Price:
£12

Noise Pollution + Volta + Initium

Venue:
The Globe, 11 Railway Street, Newcastle, NE4 7AD
Date:
May 16th 2025
Time:
19:00
Price:
£5adv/£7otd

Animal Tracks

An extra special evening of live music from the foremost Animals tribute band.

Venue:
The Tyneside Irish Centre, 43-49 Gallowgate, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 4SG
Date:
May 16th 2025
Time:
19:00
Price:
£5.50

Brodsky Quartet

Renowned for their performances of complete quartet cycles by composers such as Schubert, Beethoven, and Bartók, the Brodsky Quartet is particularly associated with Shostakovich’s works.

Venue:
Middlesbrough Town Hall, Albert Road, Middlesbrough, TS1 2QJ
Date:
May 16th 2025
Time:
18:30
Price:
£24

Sanctum Sanctorium: The Darkside of the 80s

Performing as a full live band – Expect to hear: The Cult // Bauhaus // Killing Joke // Sisters Of Mercy // The Mission // Siouxsie & The Banshees // The Cure & More…

Venue:
The Cluny, 36 Lime Street, Ouseburn, Newcastle, NE1 2PQ
Date:
May 17th 2025
Time:
19:30
Price:
£17

Porkpie

Scotland’s 9 piece Ska Behemoth , a music force of nature that have been tearing up stages the length and Breadth of the British isles.

Venue:
NX, Westgate Road, Newcastle, NE1 1SW
Date:
May 17th 2025
Time:
18:00
Price:
£23.50+bf

The Southmartins Acoustic

Expect hits from both the Beautiful South and the Housemartins with classic songs such as Happy Hour, Perfect 10, You Keep it all In, Rotterdam, Me and the Farmer, Song for Whoever and so many more classic pop hits.

Venue:
Arc, Dovecot Street, Stockton-on-Tees, TS18 1LL
Date:
May 17th 2025
Time:
20:00
Price:
£19.50 inc. booking fee

The Lost Words: Spell Songs

A rare live performance by folk ‘supergroup’ Spell Songs, the musical evolution of the iconic Lost Words and Lost Spells books by acclaimed author Robert Macfarlane and award-winning artist Jackie Morris, featuring the multifaceted talents and collaborative genius of Karine Polwart, Julie Fowlis, Seckou Keita, Kris Drever, Rachel Newton, Beth Porter and Jim Molyneux.

Venue:
The Glasshouse, Gateshead Quays, NE8 2YR
Date:
May 17th 2025
Time:
19:30
Price:
£33.20

CODA - A Tribute to Led Zeppelin

Europe’s most authentic and exciting Led Zeppelin tribute band.

Venue:
Middlesbrough Theatre, The Avenue, Linthorpe, Middlesbrough, TS5 6SA
Date:
May 17th 2025
Time:
19:30
Price:
£24

The Darker My Horizon

UK based hard rock band.

Venue:
Little Buildings, 3-5 Stepney Bank, Newcastle, NE1 2PW
Date:
May 17th 2025
Time:
19:00
Price:
£8

kanekoayano

A group led by Kaneko Ayano, a Japanese singer-songwriter renowned for her singular voice and commanding stage presence.

Venue:
The Cluny 2, 34 Lime Street, Ouseburn, Newcastle, NE1 2PQ
Date:
May 17th 2025
Time:
19:30
Price:
£17.50

Richard Dawson

A Northumbrian singer/songwriter with a flair for shambolic psych-folk and exploratory rock, Richard Dawson became a fixture in the underground folk scene with his distinctive blend of traditional English folk music, Sacred Harp-kissed North Country blues, jazzy psych-folk, and progressive rock.

Venue:
The Glasshouse, Gateshead Quays, NE8 2YR
Date:
May 17th 2025
Time:
20:00
Price:
£22.50/£25.90adv

Irish Annie’s

Come on down for a session at Irish Annie’s pub, a musical play by Asa Murphy celebrating the best of Irish culture, from the music through to the comedy. Featuring a live 5-piece band Shenanigans.

Venue:
The Forum Theatre, Queensway, Billingham, Stockton-on-Tees, TS23 2LJ
Date:
May 17th 2025
Times:
14:30, 19:30
Price:
From £27

The Opera Boys - A Night at The Musicals

A fabulous evening of power-house vocals, immaculate 4-part harmony, breath-taking musical medleys, and stunning solo performances… all delivered with the charm, style and sense of humour that the boys have become known for.

Venue:
The Customs House, Mill Dam, South Shields, NE33 1ES
Date:
May 17th 2025
Time:
19:30
Price:
From £24

Sam Offender

Sam Fender tribute.

Venue:
The Studio, Tower Street, Hartlepool, TS24 7HQ
Date:
May 17th 2025
Time:
20:30
Price:
£16.50adv

rePunK'd

A vibrant tribute to the explosive energy and innovative spirit of the punk and new wave scenes from the mid-'70s to the early '80s.

Venue:
The Fire Station, High Street West, Sunderland, SR1 3HA
Date:
May 17th 2025
Time:
19:30
Price:
From £28

Glen Matlock

The original bass guitarist of the punk rock band the Sex Pistols.

Venue:
The Georgian Theatre, Green Dragon Yard, Stockton on Tees, TS18 1AE
Date:
May 17th 2025
Time:
19:00
Price:
£22.50

Necro's Night 3

Featuring live performances from Ubre Blanca and Holy Braille and of course a DJ set by DJ Necro Noise.

Venue:
Zerox, 48-52 Sandhill, Newcastle, NE1 3JF
Date:
May 17th 2025
Time:
19:15
Price:
£5.50

Inglenook

Durham-based four piece folk group, comprised of banjo, guitar, bass and violin. Expect unique, original tunes alongside covers of their favourite folk songs - given an Inglenook twist.

Venue:
Old Cinema Launderette, 38 Marshall Terrace, Gilesgate Moor, Durham, DH1 2HX
Date:
May 17th 2025
Time:
19:45
Price:
£11adv

The Slugs

DIY Punk two-piece spread between Newcastle and London, launching their long-anticpated album "A Song For Every Feeling", released on US label Related Records. Support from Offscreen Dog.

Venue:
The Lubber Fiend, 81 Blandford Square, Newcastle, NE1 3PZ
Date:
May 17th 2025
Time:
19:30 - 22:30
Price:
£12

Sunderland Piano Society Recital: Bocheng Wang

Playing Chopin.

Venue:
Sunderland Museum & Winter Gardens, Mowbray Gardens, Burdon Road, Sunderland, SR1 1PP
Date:
May 17th 2025
Time:
14:00
Price:
£12 (free for under 21s & mature students)

Durham Choral Society - Duruflé Requiem and Fauré Requiem

The Durham Choral Society returns to Durham Cathedral for a performance of two monuments of French liturgical music.

Venue:
Durham Cathedral, Chapter Office, Palace Green, Durham, DH1 3EH
Date:
May 17th 2025
Time:
19:30
Price:
£9-£24

The Bluebells

Scottish indie pop legends The Bluebells play a special, all-ages acoustic show.

Venue:
The Cumberland Arms, James Place Street, Ouseburn, Newcastle, NE6 1LD
Date:
May 18th 2025
Time:
13:30
Price:
£27.50

Wickedly Hariana: Greatest Hits plus Wicked

The sensational Hannah Thomas, with her amazing band and dancers, will take you on a magical journey of all the greatest hits of contemporary icon Ariana Grande; plus, songs from the blockbuster movie and musical fantasy, ‘Wicked’.

Venue:
O2 City Hall, Northumberland Road, Newcastle, NE1 8SF
Date:
May 18th 2025
Time:
17:00
Price:
£29.75adv

Leddra Chapman

Known for her emotive storytelling and “pitch perfect pop” (The Independent), Chapman’s career has drawn critical acclaim and notable industry support.

Venue:
The Cluny, 36 Lime Street, Ouseburn, Newcastle, NE1 2PQ
Date:
May 18th 2025
Time:
19:00
Price:
£20

Sweet and Sour

The Ultimate Tribute To Sabrina Carpenter and Olivia Rodrigo.

Venue:
The Fire Station, High Street West, Sunderland, SR1 3HA
Date:
May 18th 2025
Time:
18:00
Price:
From £24

One Night In Dublin

The ultimate feel-good Irish music tribute show!

Venue:
Darlington Hippodrome, Parkgate, Darlington, DL1 1RR
Date:
May 18th 2025
Time:
19:30
Price:
£17-£27.50

Peggy Seeger - 90th Birthday Farewell Tour

The grande dame of American and British Folk music, embarks on her last ever concert tour alongside her sons, Neill and Calum MacColl, in celebration of her 90th Birthday in June 2025.

Venue:
Gosforth Civic Theatre, Regent Farm Road, Newcastle, NE3 3HD
Date:
May 18th 2025
Time:
19:30
Price:
£25

Collapsed Lung

The band that brought you the hits EAT MY GOAL (1996) and... EAT MY GOAL (1998) are back! The brit-hop iconoclasts and pranksters come to Sunderland for the first time with their freewheeling, genre-hopping, social-commenting, huge beat-having live band hip hop fusion.

Venue:
Pop Recs Ltd, 172-175 High St W, Sunniside, Sunderland, SR1 1UP
Date:
May 18th 2025
Time:
15:00
Price:
£10

Crawl of Time + Terror Cell Unit

One of double bill UK show.

Venue:
Disgraceland, 17 Baker Street, Middlesbrough, TS1 2LH
Date:
May 19th 2025
Time:
19:00
Price:
50p-£12.50

Black Aleph

On their debut album Apsides, Black Aleph offer what is best termed ‘deconstructed doom and post-metal’, creating bodily, earthy, heavy music that speaks to deeper layers of the human psyche, and which draws from middle-eastern modal music.

Venue:
The Cluny 2, 34 Lime Street, Ouseburn, Newcastle, NE1 2PQ
Date:
May 19th 2025
Time:
19:30
Price:
£15/£12.50

Pilgrim Cello – Meditation on the Seven Last Words of Jesus

Poet and Cellist Kenneth Wilson is undertaking a 2,000-mile bicycle pilgrimage around all 42 English Anglican cathedrals, performing a Meditation on the Seven Last Words of Jesus.

Venue:
Newcastle Cathedral, St. Nicholas Sq, Newcastle, NE1 1DF
Date:
May 19th 2025
Time:
14:10
Price:
Free

Harry Nye

Singer-songwriter originally from the UK and raised in Barcelona. For fans of Leonard Cohen and Nick Cave.

Venue:
The Cluny 2, 34 Lime Street, Ouseburn, Newcastle, NE1 2PQ
Date:
May 20th 2025
Time:
19:30
Price:
£10

Earth

American band formed in 1989 in Olympia Washington. They continue to push the envelope on ‘heavy’ instrumental rock based American music.

Venue:
The Cluny, 36 Lime Street, Ouseburn, Newcastle, NE1 2PQ
Date:
May 20th 2025
Time:
19:30
Price:
£22.50

Seafret

Sweeping folk duo.

Venue:
Think Tank?, Digital, Times Square, Centre For Life, Newcastle, NE1 4EP
Date:
May 20th 2025
Time:
19:00
Price:
£28

Biig Time

Take Johnny Took from the award-winning festival favourites DMA’s and his brother Matty from rising Aussie alt-rockers Planet and you have a fiery new proposition in the shape of Biig Time.

Venue:
KU, Prince Regent Street, Stockton, TS18 1DB
Date:
May 20th 2025
Time:
19:00
Price:
£17.50

Muro

Columbian punks. Support from Mother Nature and Diall.

Venue:
The Lubber Fiend, 81 Blandford Square, Newcastle, NE1 3PZ
Date:
May 20th 2025
Time:
19:00
Price:
£12