Preview: Shop & Rock With Hyde & Beast

By Glen Keogh on February 15, 2012 in Music, Style

Fashion and music have always gone hand in hand. The mods and rockers of the sixties followed their guitar-wielding heroes in leathers or suits, the seventies glam-rockers brought in perms and sequin and the nineties Britpop boom saw the return of the parka, for better or worse.

Maybe that’s why Sporty Spice’s solo career has never taken off. People are never going to forget the trackies Mel.

So what better way to showcase the harmony between these two staples of British culture than a night which combines vintage clothing and live music – all in the name of charity. Shop and Rock takes places on Sunday February 19 at Reds Bar in Northumbria University.

It all kicks off at 11am for a vintage shopping fair, which will feature a variety of different stalls selling the best in vintage and retro chic your shillings can buy.

There’ll be a catwalk at 2.30pm as well as a raffle with some fantastic goodies up for grabs before the evening plays host to three great North East bands in the form of Sergeant Peppers-twinged Hyde & Beast, Serge Gainsbourg-influenced Symphonic Pictures and fuzzy bluesmen The Green Hour.

With all proceeds going to the British Red Cross, you would be doing your bit for the world just turning up and paying your entrance fee. It’s only seven quid for the day and night, or £6 if you’re a student. Just think of the karma.

In anticipation of the event, the team behind Shop & Rock held a ‘dress and press’ taster on Thursday (Feb 9th). Models turned up, tried on clothes (that’s the dress part) so we, the press, could come down and take some lovely photos to show you what’s going to be on sale next Sunday.

And it wasn’t all vintage either. So if you prefer your fashion contemporary or just don’t like that ‘grandma’s house’ smell, you’re in luck. Showman Clothing will have a stall at Shop & Rock selling a variety of modern t-shirts.

Whitehaven based founder Darren Walker, said: “Fred Perry and Gucci and loads of men’s brands are named after the person that invented them. My approach was to create a brand that could represent men as a whole. “I’ve always wanted to launch the brand over here because Newcastle is such a fantastic, vibrant city.

“This event ticked all the boxes and it’s also for the British Red Cross which is great. It’s the perfect place to get my designs on show.”

Also on show at the event will be clothes picked from the British Red Cross shop on Nun Street in Newcastle which were modelled at the dress and press day. The flagship store started a vintage section around two years ago which has become a big success. Assistant Manager Amy Spedding added: “We saw all the clothes that were coming in and realised their potential.

“It’s a really good way to raise money for the British Red Cross and it’s a good way to raise awareness because people know we do a lot of work abroad but they don’t think of us working here so much. It’s also a great way to show younger people that charity work can be ‘cool’!” Best of all, all proceeds go to the British Red Cross.

For more information, find Shop & Rock on Facebook. Image courtesy of Harry Marshall Photography.

Catwalk For Christmas

Newcastle Fashion Week Opens Tomorrow – Full Run Down and Choice Picks

Feature: Bassic Clothing

56,000 readers all through word of mouth - carry on please