PREVIEW: Cult Festival

By Tom Nicholson on July 2, 2012 in Music, NARC.

The emergence of Cult Festival in Byker feels like a natural extension of Hoults Yard’s growing reputation as an important art and media hub in the city.

Indeed, the galleries, artists’ studios and rehearsal spaces which make up the complex practically beg for a musical extravaganza, and Cult’s line-up is suitably impressive.

Saturday 7^th July will feature performances from (among others) B>E>A>K, King Charles (the bouffanted, deeply eccentric, classically-trained troubadour, not HRH the Prince of Wales prematurely anticipating his ma’s death) and Jesmond-soon-to-be-LA’s own Beth Jeans Houghton before Salford titans The Fall bring the day to a close with choice cuts from their reliably brutal, repetitive and flat-out brilliant post-punk oeuvre. The many acts on Sunday 8^th include folkie Jake ‘That Song From The Greene King IPA Advert’ Bugg, sunnily-dispositioned indie-poppers Collectors Club and headliners The Sunshine Underground.

It’s not all about music though, as a pop-up cinema, world food stalls and live art are promised. So too is an adult fun fair, though this will entail rides and attractions for adults to go on without fear of hurting children rather than anything more racy. Cult Festival has been given the go-ahead after being supported by council funding, as the festival forms a part of the countrywide Olympic celebrations. Finally one thing I think we can all agree on – Mark E. Smith is possibly one of the best and most sensible uses of taxpayers’ money in recent times.

Cult Festival takes place on Saturday 7^th and Sunday 8^th July in Hoults Yard, Newcastle.

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