Bebop Spoken There

Emma Rawicz: "In a couple of years I've gone from being a normal university student to suddenly being on international stages." DownBeat January 2026.

The Things They Say!

This is a good opportunity to say thanks to BSH for their support of the jazz scene in the North East (and beyond) - it's no exaggeration to say that if it wasn't for them many, many fine musicians, bands and projects across a huge cross section of jazz wouldn't be getting reviewed at all, because we're in the "desolate"(!) North. (M & SSBB on F/book 23/12/24)

Postage

18219 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 17 years ago. 73 of them this year alone and, so far this month (Jan. 24), 73

From This Moment On ...

JANUARY 2026

Thu 29: The Noel Dennis Band @ Prohibition Bar, Albert Road, Middlesbrough TS1 2RU. 7:00pm (doors). £10.84. Quartet plus special guest Zoë Gilby. Over 35s only. Rescheduled from December 4th.
Thu 29: Oh No Noh + Dan Coulthurst Quintet @ Cobalt Studios, Newcastle. 7:00pm (doors). £16.45., £13.28., £12.22., £9.04. Coulthurst (trumpet); Joel Steadman (bass clarinet, flute); Nico Widdowson (piano); Fergus Quill (double bass); Theo Goss (drums).

Fri 30: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 30: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 30: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 30: Castillo Nuevo Trio @ Hotel Gotham, Newcastle. 5:30pm. Free.
Fri 30: Pete Roth Trio @ Gosforth Civic Theatre, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). Feat. Bill Bruford.
Fri 30: Jive Aces @ Alnwick Playhouse. 7:30pm.
Fri 30: Dan Coulthurst Quintet @ Central Bar, Gateshead. 7:30pm (7:00pm doors). £10.00 + £1.00. bf (www.wegottickets.com). Coulthurst (trumpet); Joel Steadman (bass clarinet, flute); Nico Widdowson (piano); Fergus Quill (double bass); Theo Goss (drums).

Sat 31: Darling Dollies @ St George’s Church, Jesmond, Newcastle. 3:00pm. £10.00. Vocal trio.
Sat 31: Brass Fiesta @ Revoluçion de Cuba, Newcastle. 10:30pm. Free.

FEBRUARY 2026

Sun 01: Smokin’ Spitfires @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 12:45pm. £10.00.
Sun 01: Ian Bosworth Quintet @ Chapel, Middlesbrough. 1:00pm. Free. Quintet + guest Bill Watson (trumpet, flugelhorn).
Sun 01: Sax Choir @ The Globe, Newcastle. 2:00pm. Free.
Sun 01: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 01: Annie & the Caldwells @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). £25.00. adv. Gospel/soul.
Sun 01: Jive Aces @ Alnwick Playhouse. 7:30pm.
Sun 01: Olly Styles Experience + Jenny Baker @ the Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

Mon 02: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 02: Saltburn Big Band @ Saltburn House Hotel. 7:00-9:00pm. Free.

Tue 03: Customs House Big Band @ The Masonic Hall, Ferryhill. 7:30pm. Free.
Tue 03: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Joe Steels, Paul Grainger, Abbie Finn.

Wed 04: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 04: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 04: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 05: Jazz Appreciation North East @ Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle NE1 7BJ. 2:00pm. £5.00. Subject: TBC.
Thu 05: Jeremy McMurray’s Pocket Jazz Orchestra @ Arc, Stockton. 8:00pm. Special guest Emma Wilson.
Thu 05: Tees Hot Club @ Dorman’s Club, Middlesbrough. 8:30pm.

Reviewers wanted

Whilst BSH attempts to cover as many gigs, festivals and albums as possible, to make the site even more comprehensive we need more 'boots on the ground' to cover the albums seeking review - a large percentage of which never get heard - report on gigs or just to air your views on anything jazz related. Interested? then please get in touch. Contact details are on the blog. Look forward to hearing from you. Lance

Sunday, January 02, 2011

Worst Gig Ever by Graeme Hare.

I lifted this from Facebook as I think it is a situation many musicians have been faced with albeit not always as bad as this.
Lance.
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"I always knew it was gonna be bad...New Year's Day gig. 4.00 start at a pub in Burnopfield!When I arrived, a massive fight was taking place between staff and punters. On two seperate occasions the performance had to be stopped as groups of mortal drunk blokes came crashing into the band! (I would have called it off at this point). Another massive fight then breaks out and the police arrive! Yet another fight this time between punters and police!
Finally, as I'm packing my gear up to get the hell out of there, a woman slips over next to me on the road and splits her head open!"
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Happy New Year!

3 comments :

Roly said...

Hmmmm. My worst ever was when I was booked with a low volume jazz trio to a job where when you walked into the room you observed it was party time, kazoos blowing, screaming, high jinks, etc. What they really wanted and expected was a very loud disco and there we were with bass, gtr and drums. Into the first tune and you could see the jaws drop. Horrible - we survived the evening on an ad-lib selection of R&B tunes (Walkin the dog) and barely remembered pop songs (Buddy Holly etc). That's why if I ever do get an enquiry I probably sound very negative and keep repeating 'Are you sure its jazz you want". Net result - fewer jobs but I'd rather stay at home than suffer that again.
Roly

Lance said...

I recall an evening at St Dominic's in Byker when this attractive young girl sashayed up to the stage - I thought my luck was in!
Wrong!
"Aa ye's ganna be on aal neet?"
When I confirmed that we were indeed the sole entertainment she turned, despairingly, to her friend and said, "Tha ganna be on aal neet."
Her friend's face was a a picture of horror - "We'll gan ower to the Tanners Arms and listen to the Jukebox!"
As I said, we've all (aal) been there!

stu weetman said...

I think my worst ever was when I got booked for a New Year at a local hotel (I'm a Geordie ex-pat down south now). The Hotel decided to charge a £25 cover (with no food or anything else thrown in). We played the whole night to absolutely nobody! at least we got paid "up front"!

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