25.02.2026 - Mint Field/Avishag Cohen Rodrigues/Spider Noises - The Cumberland Arms, Byker

Wasn't sure how this night would be seeing how when I got into Byker I witnessed drunk radgies kicking the shit out of each other along Shields Road!

Fortunately, the rest of the night was good and no violence anywhere else.

When I got to the Cumberland Arms, I had just missed the Morris Dancers playing in the bar, apparently there was a rapping Morris Dancer, which I wish I had seen.
Small crowd for tonight, again a school night and think there has been quite a lot on around Newcastle at the moment.

First up were locals, Spider Noises. I had gave them a quick listen during the day and thought it was a bit shit to be honest, lo fi indie pop/folk stuff. However live they weren't bad, maybe it was just the way the songs had been recorded? Plus think the recorded stuff I heard was solo stuff where live they were a full band? Again, live I enjoyed them more, they had a mid-90's college rock sound going or at least to me they did, I'm still trying to think of the band they reminded me of

Second up was Avishag Cohen Rodrigues from New York, first time hearing any of her stuff but it was pretty good stuff, a mix of ambient, sound collage and shoegaze. For some reason I wasn't expecting what I saw and heard. Ended up picking up her tour lathe cut 7" and will need to try track down her LP. Looks like she has done another couple of bands so will be checking them out at some point.

Mint Field from Mexico City, Mexico were fucking amazing live, been wanting to see them since I discovered them on Youtube when I went down a rabbit hole of just watching random music videos. Really good mix of shoegaze and psychedelic rock, really enjoyed their set, just wish there had been more people to see them play.

Picked up two of their LP's they had on sale so that's me sorted for Sunday when I get round to spinning them!

Avishag

Mint Field

24.02.2026 - Ultimate Disaster/Diall/Burial Plot - The Lubberfiend, Newcastle

 

Was a busy night in Newcastle due to the second leg of Champions League football with the Toon playing Qarabag FK.
This may have affected the turnout at the show, but there were still plenty of people here, plus always think it's hard to pull a crowd on a school night for any gig really.

Great sets by both locals, Burial Plot and Diall, felt like both were slightly heavier than usual.

Ultimate Disaster are a three piece d-beat band from Richmond, Virginia, absolute belting set, fast and straight to the point.
Their set may have been about 20 minutes but top notch, with stuff like that it's probably better it's a short set and not one that drags for ages!

Do wish there was a cash point close to the Lubberfiend, as would have picked up a LP from them, could have done PayPal but rather have gave them cash direct and plus I'm getting old and technology has changed that I can't figure how to use the daft PayPal app!!!

21.02.2026 - Vibracathedral Orchestra/Limp Mode - The Lubberfiend, Newcastle

 

Nice night of drone at the Lubberfiend.

Starting the night off were Limp Mode, local duo of Joe Murray (Posset) and Craig Stewart (Rovellasca).

Lo-Fi drone, that wasn't amplified through a PA/Soundboard, battery powered drone!

Really good set, they had set up Bluetooth speakers and were performing in a new redesigned part of the Lubberfiend near the bar, a small cubby hole which I think added to the whole set. Due to the Bluetooth speakers, sometimes you would hear the sound from behind you while watching them, a bit of 360° sound!

Was a short but decent set!

First time seeing Vibracathedral Orchestra play and it was a treat!

Think they played near on 90+ minutes if not a bit longer? Not sure if this was a one off gig as I don't think they play much nowadays.

Great drone in a dream like way, would have been more better if I had sat down instead of standing as I could have just drifted off to sleep!

Also good to tick off a band I've wanted to see for a while and ended up spending the day after digging out my CD's I have if them!

Also didn't realise that one of the Vibracathedral Orchestra members, John is John Wriothesley who designed the cover for The Fall's first album, Live at the Witch Trails.

He also played in Total and Skullflower with Matt Bower. John also goes under the alias Herb Diamanté, a psychedelic lounge karaoke singer! So need to dig that CD of Herb's out I have somewhere!

Enjoy the pic below of Vibracathedral Orchestra during their set!

04 .02.2026 - Combust/Speedway/Imposter/Burial Plot/Dead Stare/Turn Your Back - The Lubberfiend, Newcastle

6 bands on a school night and another sold out show put on by Conviction Records!

Debut gig of locals Turn Your Back and it was a great first show, if it hadn't been mentioned that it was their first show you may think they had been playing for a lot longer. Good youth crew/straight edge hardcore and the crowd popped off for it. Just released their demo on Conviction which has sold out, another good band for the North East scene.

Dead Stare were up second, really short set, maybe three or four songs? But none the less good shit, heavy hardcore.
Last of the locals on, were Burial Plot who just recently put out their second tape on Brainrotter records, again the crowd when mental during their set. More heavy hardcore.

Not sure why, but had assumed Imposter from Brighton had a female singer, thinking now I've mixed them with a totally different band altogether!
Decent fast/heavy hardcore, probably will track the LP down at some point as it was pretty good.

Speedway are from Stockholm, Sweden and have members that have been in/are in Existence and Neighborhood who I've seen before plus a ton of other bands.
Really good hardcore, fast and not too heavy, got that Euro hardcore sound going! Regret not picking the LP up before I left!

Wasn't too sure about New York's Combust before seeing them, but live they are canny, got a sort of Agnostic Front/Cro Mags hardcore feel to them and they proper raged  while playing and the crowd loved it. Mean not a band I'd listen to at home but live they are worth seeing.

30.01.2026 - Contentment/Pleb/A Trophy Wife - The Lubberfiend, Newcastle

First gig of 2026! Always find it a slow start to the year, or maybe I just can't be arsed to get out much in January?
Anyway, this was Contentment's final gig as the singer is moving away from Newcastle.

They had planned to play 10 gigs then disband and that is what they have done.
Really good set to end being  band on, utter chaos from the crowd running round like lunatics and beer being split all over!

Didn't get round to picking up their tape which I'm sure I will regret later!

Local band A Trophy Wife opened up the night, good mix of Mid Western emo with the jangly guitars and screamo, look forward to seeing them again and hopefully they have a demo or some release soon.

Pleb are a two piece from Leeds, reminded me a bit of Iron Lung but a bit heavier and slower. The guitarist's guitar was interesting as it had three leads, so assume (never bothered to look) that it was plugged through effects and into three separate amps? Also had a contact mike connected to one of the pick ups to make extra noise! Good stuff and enjoyed their set a lot.