What’s On In Newcastle? The Owls, Hunt & Gather Markets & The Moscow Circus

by kirsty on April 17, 2014

Thursday 17th April

Maitland Gaol Open Day

The gates of Maitland Gaol are being thrown open for the day, offering guests free site entry. There will be a book launch, free sausage sizzle, coffee cart and free jumping castle for the kids.

Time: 9:00AM - 4:00PM

The Dead Maggies @ The Hamilton Station

The Dead Maggies are a folkpunk/cowpunk/convictpunk band from Hobart.They perform tragic tales of Tasmanian folklore, set to upbeat, toe tapping, fast dancing tunes. In less than a year they’ve build a solid following in Tasmania. In this time they’ve supported; The Real Mckenzies, The Barons of Tang, The Crooked Fiddle Band and The Go Set to name just a few. They’ve had several songs played on Triple J, and scored feature album on both Edge Radio and ABC Local Radio Tasmania.

So now as the stonefruit softens and falls from the limbs to rot on the ground, its time for them to spread their wings and try for new cities.

This first trip out of Tasmania sees The Dead Maggies playing with bands that like them. Bands such as; The Crooked Fiddle Band, Handsome Young Strangers, Lime & Steel and The Australian Beefweek Show, at gigs around Sydney, Canberra, Newcastle and Port Macquarie throughout April.

Doors: 9:00PM

Tickets: Free event

Pre-Easter Bash @ The Cambridge

Kick off the Easter long weekend with this killer mixed bill at the Cambridge with Vices + RIVALRIES + Staunch + OPPRESSOR + Alignments + Mindshank

Doors: 7:00PM

Tickets: Oztix 

James Reyne @ Lizottes

James Reyne and his acoustic trio perform the hits and a selection of classics that fans and music lovers have wanted to hear for some time. After countless requests at shows and online, we are pleased to announce for the first time, exclusive performances live at Lizottes. Performing songs selected from James Reyne’s solo hits from over 15 albums of his own, with the possibility of hearing some classics from his involvement with Company Of Strangers and various other projects. The 2-hour show will close with The Australian Crawl songbook according to James Reyne.

Come along for the journey as “This will be the first and most comprehensive look from the past ‘Crawl to Now we’ve ever done.” - James Reyne

Tickets: Lizottes 

Friday 18th April

Audi IRC National Championships @ Newcastle Yacht Club

Newcastle Cruising Yacht Club (NCYC) is excited to have been successful in its bid to host the 2014 Audi IRC Australian Championships. The Audi IRC Australian Championships will be held from the 16th to the 20th of April 2014. All IRC rated yachts, small and large, that hold a Category 4 safety certificate are welcome to compete in the event.

The Moscow Circus @ Tighes Hill

With its rich tradition and enviable reputation The Great Moscow Circus remains the standard by which others are judged.

Saturday 19th April

Hunt & Gather Markets @ Pacific Park

Hunt and Gather Markets is a monthly fashion, art and design market held on the third Saturday of every month. This community event encourages visitors to drop by, grab a coffee or a bite to eat and sprawl out on the rugs provided enjoy Newcastle’s local talent.

Time: 9:00AM - 2:00PM

The Owls @ The Lass

Forming in 2008, frontman Josh Bailey, lead guitarist Lewis Gillespie, drummer Matthew McDonough, and bass player Joey Bourke, have established themselves as masters of a gritty, no-frills brand of rock & roll, priding themselves on dense guitars and great hooks.

The Owls are also a formidable live talent. Their raucous shows as no-nonsense as their recorded output, their skills have seen them share stages with The Living End, Gyroscope, Cloud Control,The Jezabels, Ball Park Music, and The Basics.

Montagu @ The Small Ballroom

With The Spindrift Saga + Suburban Sleepers + Sean Degan + Gareth Jay

Hailing from a culmination of sleepy towns across the Southern Coast of New South Wales, Chris McGrath, Micky McGrath & Danny Freeman have come together to form the Alternative Rock titan that is The Spindrift Saga.

With comparison drawn to 90’s Alternative Rock heavyweights such as Incubus & Red Hot Chilli Peppers, and armed with three Bachelor of music degrees, the lads from the Coast have taken from their influences and crafted a truly unique sound that can be described as nothing less than electrifying.

Since forming in 2011, The Spindrift Saga have developed a solid following by delivering hard-hitting live performances, as well as receiving radio play/rotation from stations throughout Australia.

Recently, The Spindrift Saga have teamed up with MusicOz Video of the Year winner Antoine Moawad to produce their latest film clip to single ‘Marvin’.

The Spindrift Saga will be releasing their latest single ‘Marvin’ on Monday 10th March, and will be available to download on Bandcamp

Doors: 8:00PM

Tickets: Kingdom Sounds

Mark Wilkinson @ Lizottes

Truly one of the most captivating acoustic artists to emerge from Australia in recent times, Mark Wilkinson announces his biggest national tour yet. Following an incredible 12 months that have seen Wilkinson climb to 1 on the iTunes Singer/Songwriter charts, sell out shows across the nation as well as in the UK, US, and New Zealand, and be named the Singer-Songwriter Discovery of the Year in North America, Mark is quickly on the rise and definitely one to watch. His lyrical depth, gift for melody, and impassioned delivery are arresting on first listen and linger long after the final note. These shows are sure to sell out so book early to avoid disappointment.

Tickets: Lizottes 

Sunday 20th April

The Almost @ The Small Ballroom

With Young Lions, Drawing North, You In Colour, Dear Infamous, Dress To Riot and Victory Risk

After 3 long years The Almost  will be returning to our shores this April. Led by former Underoath drummer and backing vocalist, Aaron Gillespie, The Almost have been making waves since their inception, releasing three critically acclaimed albums and playing to rabid crowds the world over.

Fear Inside Our Bones, The Almost’s third studio album, is their most diverse, raw and organic offering with the band recording the album entirely live. Creating a new concoction that is a mix of stadium anthems, aggression, hope and honesty with a touch of southern twang; Absolutepunk.net gave it an 8.5/10.

Joining them on the road will be Brisbane’s Young Lions. Featuring members from The Dream The Chase and Dream On Dreamer, YOUNG LIONS created massive waves in 2013 with the release of their debut album Burn, signing to Shock Records and supporting a number of international and homegrown heavyweights.

Canberra’s Drawing North round out the bill, preparing to release their recently completed debut album recorded in the USA with producer James Paul Wisner whom has worked with the likes of Paramore.

Doors: 5:00PM

Tickets: Kingdom Sounds 

Grant Walmsley Freebird @ The Wickham Park Hotel

Newcastle born and bred rocker, Grant Walmsley, best known as guitarist, songwriter and founding member of the Screaming Jets. His other musical endeavours include Agents of Peace and Freebird.

Special guest support Lennie Edgerton.

Time: 5:30PM

Monday 21st April

We have lots of weekly monday night options for you to choose from, take a look at our guide

Tuesday 22nd April

The Deep @ Civic Theatre

Set in a typical Winton world of beach and sea, The Deep is about a little girl named Alice who must overcome her fear of swimming in the ocean.

Based on the book by Tim Winton, Watching from the jetting, Alice shuns the encouragement from her family, too scared to swim where the ocean turn from green into blue. Until one day, a friendly dolphin appears and Alice forgets to be scared and just swims. The deep mixes beach culture comedy with exquisite pupperty in a highly entertaining live theatre experience.

There are also performances on the 23rd (10am & 12:30pm) and 24th (10am) of April.

Doors: 6:30PM

Tickets: Ticketek 

Wednesday 23rd April

Spent @ ‘The Store’

Inspired by the text found on discarded grocery receipts, Spent is a playful and incisive examination of contemporary consumer culture.

Combining documentary and physical theatre techniques, Spent drags the shared experience of grocery shopping from under the fluoros into an entirely different light.

It is an elevation of the mundane, an exploration of the relationship between choice and identity, and a possible answer to the question of what we as shoppers could find if we only looked a little bit closer.

Spent is devised and performed by Paper Cut, a collective of Newcastle’s emerging professional theatre-makers, and features an original soundtrack by Huw Jones (Fox Control), and animation by local animator and street artist Alex Ball.

Catch Spent at one of Newcastle’s most historic centres of consumer activity - the Newcastle and Suburban Co-operative Society building – “The Store” – in Hunter Street.

There are multiple performances from the 23rd April until the 3rd May, for further details visit sticky tickets. The Store is located at level 2/854 Hunter Street

Time: 8:00PM

Tickets: Sticky Tickets

KT Tunstall @ Lizottes

From the young busker who burst onto the UK’s ‘Later’ programme with Jools Holland way back in 2004 - pumping her ‘Wee Bastard’ loop machine into highly infectious rhythms and beats. KT Tunstall has grown in voice and maturity through 4 albums and a swag of best-selling singles to become an inspired alt-country singer-songwriter; now a world-class singer “ with a rich and intimate vocal range that has enchanted critics, music buyers and fans alike. The albums: “Eye To The Telescope”, “KT Tunstall’s Acoustic Extravaganza”, “Drastic Fantastic” and “Tiger Suit” spawned anthemic singles like: “Black Horse and The Cherry Tree”, “Other Side Of The World”, “Hold On”, “If Only”, “(Still A) Weirdo” and the Ivor Novello Award winning “Suddenly I See”.

KT TUNSTALL’s new album has stunned fans and critics alike with its completely new alt-country direction. ‘Invisible Empire//Crescent Moon’ may well be an album coloured by melancholy, but it is - in KT’s own words: “about singing” …and the critics wholeheartedly agree: “it’s a stunner. In fact, there’s little here that doesn’t make you wander where Tunstall has been hiding all this beauty until now.” - The Guardian (UK)

Tickets: Lizottes