Preview: The Late Shows

By Lee Fisher on May 16, 2012 in Art & Design, Society, Stage

If you’re stuck for something to do this weekend and fancy something a little more edifying than necking Buckfast outside Nandos and fighting with the emo kids, you might want to head along to the Late Shows, the sixth ‘culture crawl’ staged in the city, and the biggest yet. Since its inception in 2007, the event has grown constantly, to the point where this year 55 venues are taking part, throwing open their doors late into the night on Friday and Saturday (19th-20^th).

Part of the nationwide Museums At Night weekend, The Late Shows is the biggest (and local regional pride demands we suggest, the best) event of the lot.

Friday night is all about Ouseburn, with 11 locations open until 11pm. As well as exhibitions and art workshops (at 36 Lime St, Mushroom Works, Holy Biscuit and Northern Print, amongst others), there will be music and visuals from upcoming and established artists at The Biscuit Factory and a vintage tea party at the anything but vintage Toffee Factory, with music from the wonderful Lady Koo & Her Kooky Kitchen.

At Seven Stories, we’re told childrens’ book characters will come alive, while street theatre outfit The Time Bandits will be lurking around Ouseburn Valley for a Jack The Ripper themed show. There’s everything two-wheeled at the new Newcastle Cycle Hub and an art / architecture collaboration at Ouse Street Arts Club, a new shipping container-based site at the bottom of the valley.

On Saturday, as well as the Ouseburn venues staying open again the rest of the Newcastle / Gateshead area gets involved, and while some of these events have entry fees, if you grab a Late Show glow stick there are plenty of reductions and offers. Among the dozens of events – many the usual mix of exhibitions, tours and workshops – a few things stand out: there’s circus skills to learn at the Discovery Museum, while tours of the ‘electro-acoustic machinery’ artwork-cum-tidemill are available to those who book.

There will be open studios, installations and performances at the Baltic’s new Baltic39 space in High Bridge St and all sorts of curious happenings at the main Baltic, including a choral version of A-Ha’s Take On Me. The Sanctuary has street art, B-Boy street dance demonstrations and live hip hop, while The Sage has everything from a ukulele jam to a tribute to legendary Los Angeles songwriter hotbed The Troubadour, featuring local talents like Natasha Hawes and Matt Stalker. DJ collective Soft Rocks are at the Star & Shadow to 5am, and World Headquarters are offering cheap entry as well. There’s a bar screening of Raiders Of The Lost Ark at the Tyneside Cinema and African house and electro from DJ Vamanos at Shipley Art Gallery. There’s also… well, why not download the brochure?

The Late Shows gets underway this Friday.

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