What,When,WEAR

#3January 2013

Your monthly Sunderland listings guide

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Editorial: Kittle PR. Printing: Printing Services, North East Ltd. Design: Paul Burgess Graphic Design - www.pbgd.co.ukDistribution: Fly Distribution Tel. 0191 228 9730. Photography: Keith Fusco - www.keithfusco.co.ukIf you wish to submit a listing, or would like to enquire about advertising, please email: info@kittlepr.com

CONTENTS

CONTENTS

3#3 JANUARY 2013

Contents4 News

Big laughs abound with the birth of Sunderland’s own

comedy festival, beloved music venue to relocate, and

Sunderland-inspired art comes home to roost.

6 FeaturesThe National Glass Centre is to be reshaped and polished

up this year; we find out what visitors can expect from its

big revamp.

9 Spotlight OnWe find out about one of Sunniside’s most picturesque

businesses, and how there's much more to the story

behind the counter.

10 MusicThe best sounds from the cream of the regional crop,

big-name visitors and club nights to suit all tastes. Find

out where and when to catch them here.

11 Arts & CultureFrom portraiture and paintings to glass

work and photography, take in the visual

arts with details of exhibitions

throughout January.

12 StageGreat British literature, fairy tales and a

draw-dropping rock and roll freak show

hit the boards this month.

13 ComedyFancy a giggle? Check out our comedy

listings for a right good laugh.

14 FamilyKeep everyone entertained with

workshops, shows and days out for all

the family.

Editorial: Kittle PR. Printing: Printing Services, North East Ltd. Design: Paul Burgess - www.pbgd.co.ukPhotography: Keith Fusco - www.keithfusco.co.uk. Distribution: Fly Distribution Tel. 0191 228 9730.

If you wish to submit a listing, or would like to enquire about advertising, please email: info@kittlepr.com

PAUL BURGESSGRAPHIC DESIGN

Welcome to What, When, WEAR...Hello, and welcome to What, When, WEAR, your new listings guide for arts and culture in the Wearside

area. We're fortunate enough to live in a city steeped in history, and a diverse and expansive culture.

We're surrounded by fantastic social, educational, culinary and artistic ventures and venues, and What,

When, WEAR will aim to keep you well-informed about what your area has to offer each month.

Identity: logo design / branding. Promo: posters / flyers / sleeve design / newsletters / brochures / large format. Illustration / WebTel: 07957 606 201 / Email: design@pbgd.co.uk / Web: www.pbgd.co.uk / Facebook: PaulBurgessGraphicDesign / Twitter: @P_B_G_D

HAPPY NEW YEAR from PAUL BURGESS GRAPHIC DESIGN

© Daniel Robson

NEWS

NEWS

NEWS

5#3 JANUARY 2013

NEWS

4

REBIRTH FOR SUNDERLAND’SPREMIER MUSIC VENUEIt’s long been the home of livemusic in Sunderland, attractingthe likes of Kaiser Chiefs,Kasabian, and Mystery Jets to itsstage, and now Holmeside venueIndependent is to get a new home. Since being dubbed by the Homes and Communities Agency as ‘no longer fit for modern use’ last

year, the future had seemed uncertain for the popular spot, with a demolition order to be executed

later this month. However, the bar’s owners have now acquired the lease for a neighbouring building.

Formerly home to department store Van Mildert, Independent’s new location will see it relocate just

over the road. Independent will close its doors on January 12th, with work taking place to renovate the

space, formerly three separate shops, scheduled for completion in early March. The new space will

see an increase in capacity for Independent, with room for 600 gig-goers downstairs, and 200 in the

smaller upstairs venue.

SUNDERLAND COMEDY FESTIVAL Stand Up And Mackem Laugh

comedy promoters have announced

they are to stage Sunderland’s first

comedy festival. Sunderland Comedy

Combover Festival, a play on the

famous Edinburgh Fringe Festival, will

run from June 30th to 7th July, across

various venues around the city centre.

The promoters are well-placed to

stage the festival, having been

booking comedy nights in Sunderland

for over a year, so far attracting the

likes of Patrick Monahan, Paul

Tonkinson and Chris Ramsey.

GRAYSON PERRY’SSUNDERLAND-INSPIREDTAPESTRIES COME HOMEWorks by Turner Prize winning artist Grayson Perry are returning to the placethat inspired them; Sunderland.Created as part of his Channel 4 series In The Best Possible Taste, two of the six tapestries were

created to reflect modern life in the city. The works, Agony in the Car Park and Adoration of the Cage

Fighters, were first seen in the series, which sought to examine British taste by visiting some often

neglected corners of the country.

The collection,dubbed The Vanity of Small Differences, will go on show at Sunderland Museum and

Winter Gardens from June. According to Perry, famed for his brutally sociological commentary and

penchant for cross-dressing, the collection was inspired by William Hogarth, and his 18th century series A

Rake's Progress. The pieces depict people and incidents Perry came across while filming the

programmes in Sunderland, Tunbridge Wells and the Cotswolds. Sunderland will be the first stop on the

exhibition’s country-wide tour, before it continues to Manchester, Birmingham, Liverpool and Leeds. John

Kelly, portfolio holder for public health, wellness and culture at Sunderland City Council, said: "We are

absolutely delighted that Sunderland Museum and Winter Gardens is to be the first venue on the national

tour of the tapestries. The opportunity to see great art in familiar surroundings, together with the fact that

something of this city's people and character has been captured by Grayson Perry is really very special."

HAPPY NEW YEAR FROM WHAT, WHEN, WEARWelcome to What, When, Wear’s first issue of 2013. We hope you all had a wonderful

Christmas, and had a chance to check out some of the incredible events our city hosted over the

festive season. We’d like to thank you for your support so far, and we hope we’ll continue to keep

you in the loop on all 2013 will be bringing to Sunderland.

In December's issue we printed a picture on behalf of The Place Cafe as part of our Spotlight On feature on

page 8. It has since been brought to our attention that this image is in fact the Peri Peri Veggie Burger from The

Olive Cafe, on 18 Olive Street SR1 3PE. We would like to apologise for the misrepresentation of this product.

FEATURE

7#3 JANUARY 2013

FEATURE/INTERVIEW

Work to revitalise the already stunning building began

earlier this year, with renovations on the gift shop and

their working glass studio completed in September. The

modifications focused on creating new accommodation

for the University of Sunderland’s Art & Design

Foundation programme, now located on the lower

ground floor of the building. The teaching and studio

hot-shops were also brought together and reoriented,

greatly improving visitors’ experience of the live

production of glass, as well as the centre’s teaching

facilities. The shop, which lies adjacent to the hot glass

studio, was also remodelled, to create a better shopping

environment and improve merchandising.

The second phase seeks to similarly refresh the

centre’s main space, and will see significant investment

in the upper ground floor galleries. The entire upper

floor, which overlooks the shop and cafe, and houses

much of the work and exhibition space, will be

completely revamped. The redesign will see the centre

welcome a brand new heritage gallery, upgraded

education and resource rooms, and improved teaching

and learning facilities. It will also mean a significantly

increased capacity for hosting and showing works,

doubling the exhibition and events capacity of the

Centre. The building’s famous fixture work,

Kaleidoscope, will also be replaced. A new display has

been placed in the hands of the design company who

recently worked on the Scottish Portrait Gallery’s

reopening, and will illustrate the 1,300-year story of

glass-making in Sunderland.

All being well, the project will reach completion in

summer of this year. The makeover will be celebrated

with a high profile launch event, the opening of three

exhibitions of national significance, and the launch of a

new community engagement programme. The centre

hope this redevelopment will strengthen the National

Glass Centre’s reputation as a Centre for national

excellence, building on its ties with the unique artistic

heritage of Sunderland. As well as cementing its

reputation as a place of national significance, it also

strives to provide the City with a premier visitor

attraction, and matchless cultural venue.

FEATURE

6

NATIONALGLASS CENTREto be Polishedfor 2013

“This is a fantastic opportunityfor the National Glass Centre tobecome a true asset to the city ofSunderland, a jewel on thebanks of the Wear”.

Sunderland’s National Glass Centre is to undergo an ambitiousredevelopment program, beginning this month. As part of theirnew vision, emerging from their partnership with neighbouringinstitution, the University of Sunderland, the centre will be closedfor re-modelling until the summer.

However, the temporary closure of their home will not mean the

National Glass Centre will be taking a holiday; during the

redevelopment period its staff will be engaging in extensive

outreach programmes with local schools and the community, and

will continue to hold a selection of Adult Courses, Studio

Experiences and Family Activities on the Ground Floor Level.

James Bustard, Director of the National Glass Centre, said; ‘This is

a fantastic opportunity for the National Glass Centre to become a

true asset to the city of Sunderland, a jewel on the banks of the

Wear. The building’s transformation will enable us to deliver our

vision of a Centre of excellence, supporting the production,

exhibition and enjoyment of contemporary glass. We are committed

to making the Centre one which is valued by the local community in

Sunderland and one whose reputation stretches across the North

East region as well as nationally and internationally.’

The NGC opened in 1998, built on the former shipyards on the

north bank of the Wear, and close to the site of St. Peter's Church,

part of the original Monkwearmouth-Jarrow Priory, which was

erected in 674. It is a location of great historical significance to the

glass-making industry, as it was here that Benedict Biscop first

brought the art of glass-making into Britain, along with the French

glaziers tasked to craft windows for the priory. Over the following

centuries, Sunderland glass became known throughout the

country.

The centre saw a huge increase in visitor numbers in 2006, when

admission fees were scrapped. It has also played host to many

prestigious events including the 2007 North East Tourism Awards

and T4’s Transmission event.

SPOTLIGHT ON:

9#3 JANUARY 20138

Today, The Bunker’s recording and rehearsal

facilities act as a base of operations for hundreds

of bands across the North East. Their staff are

responsible for delivering key services to budding

musicians, technicians and businesses including

Training, Artist Development, Youth Provision, PA

Hire, Promotions, Event Management, Stage

Management as well as hosting to two in-house

record labels.

Over the years The Bunker has gained a fantastic

reputation as a professional service provider for

live events built upon its work with a number of

high profile organisations, including assisting in the

delivery of BBC Radio 1’s Big Weekend,

Sunderland City Council events, and North East

appearances from music industry giants including

Kasasbian and Snow Patrol. By the same token,

burgeoning artists from across the UK have been

allowed opportunities to perform in the North East

at events organised by The Bunker.

Futureheads frontman Barry Hyde insists The

Bunker played a key role in his own and the bands'

development: "The Bunker is a superb place to

have in Sunderland, it is a breeding ground for

talent and without it I doubt I would have ever

become a professional musician. I have been going

there for 15 years and it's better than ever. It's

soulful, ethical and affordable and the city would be

screwed without it".

It's not only the creative community within

Wearside who turn to The Bunker for their services

and support. The Bunker has a proud tradition of

working alongside a number of partners to aide in

the development of local communities. This is

manifested in their work with socially-oriented

organisations, throughout which they regularly

coordinate, facilitate and deliver funded projects

and initiatives. The Bunker have strong, successful

working relationships with community based

organisations such as YOS (Youth Offending

Service), NECA (North East Council on Addictions)

DISC (Developing Initiatives Supporting

Community) and OCN (Open College Network)

and in their most recent history their specially-

trained staff have delivered outcomes for initiatives

including ‘Sober Sounds of Sunderland’, ‘Bottle It’,

and the ‘NEET2EET Beat Project’.

Most recently The Bunker launched their new

initiative to aide in the development of the local

economy with it's 100 Jobs Campaign. The

initiative is aimed at gaining employment for 100

people within 6 months and accredited

employment courses having taking place at the

Stadium of Light which cover a range of

employability skills including customer services,

warehousing, cleaning and security.

As with most of our creative sector facilities and

organisations, The Bunker have long valued

partnerships within the community. It has a

longstanding working relationship with local

newspaper The Sunderland Echo and radio station

Sun FM, and in addition to their work with these

established media outlets they also strongly

support local music magazine Manifesto, and

Sunderland’s community radio station Spark FM,

contributing to a platform where local people are

able to inform the community of news and events

as well as providing an accessible medium with

localised programming.

Developing close partnerships with agencies closer

to home has also allowed The Bunker to provide a

range of free events for the people of Wearside.

Specifically targeting the education and development

of local youths who, from the humble beginnings of

this valued development organisation , have

remained at the heart of what Kenny Sanger and his

valued team provide the people of Sunderland.

To contact Kenny Sanger with any enquiresplease email kenny@bunkeruk.com

Based at 29 Stockton Road, The Bunker has acted as a platform for thousands ofmusicians and artists since opening over 30 years ago. Recognised for catapulting actsincluding home favourites The Futureheads and Frankie & The Heartstrings and Mercurynominated Field Music to national and international stages, The Bunker is a unique andvital force within Sunderland's creative economy.

The Bunker

LISTINGS

11#3 JANUARY 2013

LISTINGS

10

3rd JANUARYPassion Rocks: Sunnycon

Cosplay Party

Passion, Sunderland

Passion Rocks has teamed up with

Sunnycon for this anime-themed

cosplay bash. There’ll be anime-

themed cocktails, cash prizes for

the best outfits, as well as the

chance to win tickets to the main

Sunnycon event. Also on hand will

be face-painters, and a film crew,

who’ll be putting together

Sunnycon’s own documentary.

5th JANUARYThe Mighty Doonans

Arts Centre Washington

A wonderful night of song, dance,

music and the best of crack.

9th JANUARYA Night of Song and Dance

Sunderland Empire

Music and movement come

together for one big night at the

Empire.

11th JANUARYTFI Friday: Real Gone,

The John Doe Experiment,

The Plastic Gangsters

Plugged Inn, Sunderland

BunnYpunK promotions brings you

the perfect friday night; free live

music.

12th JANUARYJed Grimes and Bob Thomas

Arts Centre Washington,

7.30pm

Two seasoned veterans who bring

an exciting and eclectic approach

to folk music.

12th JANUARYELO Experience Tour

Sunderland Empire, 7.30pm

40 years on, and the music of Jeff

Lynne and the Electric Light

Orchestra lives on through The

ELO Experience. Featuring

unforgettable chartbusters 'Mr Blue

Sky', 'Don't Bring Me Down',

'Sweet Talking Woman', 'living

thing', 'Xanadu and many more

brought to you by this outstanding

show. The ELO Experience are

rapidly becoming one of the top

tributes in Europe. With their

accurate portrayal of this iconic

band, this show must not be

missed.

19th JANUARYThe Tom McConville Band

Arts Centre Washington,

7.30pm

Fiddler extraordinaire,

accompanied by a stellar group of

musicians.

20th JANUARYThe Kill

Golden Fleece, 7.30pm.

Free

Recently described as one of the

top bands on the North East rock

circuit, The Kill are a high energy

four-piece band covering tracks

from the likes of Motley Crue, Skid

Row, Pearl Jam, Van Halen, Linkin

Park, The Foo Fighters and more.

Music

SHAKE IT UP 2012 12th JANUARY. INDEPENDENT, SUNDERLAND

Uncovering the best new urban & dance acts in the North East,this first of its kind event in Sunderland aims to find the Shake ItUp act of 2012. Shake It Up 2012 aims to find the best emergingtalent Wearside’s urban scene has to offer, from producers and DJs,to MCs and vocalists. Potential applicants can post their materialvia SoundCloud, a selection of whom, picked by a panel of localexperts from the dance and urban music scene, will feature on acompilation CD, and perform together at the main live event onOctober 13th. One finalist from each of the featured genres will beawarded the fantastic opportunity to release a single viaBunkeruk records, along with a publishing and full PR package.

Editor’s pick

Arts & Culture

MORAL HOLIDAY1st JANUARY - 13th JANUARY 2013 NORTHERN GALLERY FOR CONTEMPORARY ART, SUNDERLAND, FREE

Moral Holiday presents the work of two generations of artists who have created works largely in lens-based media from still photographs to film or video. All stage what might be called 'thoughtexperiments' that query the existing moral order, and dramatise ethical quandaries by inverting socialnorms or expectations. The exhibition brings together seminal works by radical artists who came toprominence in the late 1960s and early 1970s, alongside works by younger artists from Amsterdam,Belfast, Lisbon, Glasgow and London. The show includes the UK premieres of works by five of theartists. Many of the artists explore our oldest fears and fantasies in their newest forms, examining ourattitudes to sex and death; to our need for and equal horror of others; and the universal need to escapeourselves, achieved through travelling, or else travelling inside our own minds by using consciousness-altering stimulants.

Editor’s pick

1st JANUARY -5th JANUARYYoung Achievers: Youth ArtsExhibition 2012Washington Art CentreYoung people aged 11 to 20 are

invited to submit their artwork. Past

exhibitions have received a

massive response including

paintings, drawings, sculptures,

photography and film.

14th JANUARY -1st MARCHSimple PleasuresArts Centre WashingtonWhat do we truly value in our

lives? Join Arts Centre Washington

as they celebrate the pleasure art,

craft and design brings to everyday

life, its beauty and diversity and

what that means to its

practitioners, and how that in turn

affects the world in which it is

placed.

31st JANUARY -3rd MAYSimon MartinNorthern Gallery forContemporary Art, SunderlandMon & Wed 9.30am-7.30pm; Tues,

Thu & Fri 9.30am-5pm; Sat

9.30am-4pm

The first major UK exhibition for

this internationally renowned artist,

featuring new works.

LISTINGS

13#3 JANUARY 2013

LISTINGS

12

UDDERLY FUNNY:PATRICK MONAHAN, BISCUITZ,GEORGE ZACH, BRIANHARRISON 3rd JANUARY. THE DUN COW, SUNDERLAND, FREEKnown for his warm, friendly, lively storytelling style, in 2011Patrick Monahan came top in ITV’s stand-up comedy contestShow Me The Funny, appearing a year later as part of theBBC's Let's Dance For Sport Relief. Monahan's humourtravels well. He not only engages the audience with charmingbanter about local affairs and universal issues, but draws onhis own experiences of growing up in Teesside, of Irish andIranian parentage. A comedian with truly global appeal, or asthe Daily Telegraph put it; "a one man ethnic melting pot, astar in the making".

Editor’s pick

Comedy

1st – 7th JANUARYAladdin (18+)Infinity, SunderlandPut on your best fez, and be

transported to the far east for

Aladdin, Infinity’s cheeky grown-

up take on the traditional

Christmas panto. Packed full of

comedy, music, audience

participation and innuendo, it

features magical illusions and a

flying carpet. £24.95pp inc. 3-

course Christmas meal (Fri & Sat)

£14.95pp inc. buffet (Thurs).

1st - 6th JANUARYPeter PanSunderland Empire,SunderlandAdapted from the book by J.M.

Barrie, hook your tickets now for

the thrilling and fun-packed

Christmas pantomime Peter Pan.

With spectacular costumes and

sets, stunning effects, hilarious

jokes, song and dance and lots of

audience participation, Peter Pan

is fantastic seasonal fun for

everyone aged 3 to 103.

1st - 26th JANUARYRapunzelArts Centre WashingtonWho can protect Rapunzel from

the witches? Her parents? Those

awful princes? Or, what about

that nice young fellow Prince

Valiant? Come along to Arts

Centre Washington to find out, as

Washington Theatre Group

presents its popular annual

pantomime.

Stage

CIRCUS OFHORRORS:THE CURSEOF THE DEVILDOLL21st JANUARYSUNDERLANDEMPIRE, 7.30pm

The Circus of Horrorsbegan 17 years ago at the1995 GlastonburyFestival and has gone onto tour the World,achieving cult status anddragging Circusscreaming and shoutinginto the 21st Century andbeyond. Previouslyperformed In Argentina,Japan, Holland, Uruguay, Chile, Ireland, Germany, Finland, Hong Kong, Belgium and, of course, theUK. The new show, which stormed into the finals of Britain's Got Talent, is packed with new shocks thatwill take you like a bat outta Hell, on a whirlwind journey through 1927 Berlin, this was the roaringtwenties, a decedent decade, the birth of the Cabaret and the home to The Devil Doll. But this time itsbigger, better and badder than ever before, and after the demise of 'The Ventriloquist' in the previousshow, this sequel sees the Damned Doll take on a life of its own and wage war on his nemesis Dr Haze.The new phantasmagoria contains amazing acts from all over the world, with people hanging from theirhair, Girl In The Bottle, Demon Dwarfs, Contortionists, Sword Swallowers, plus great aerial acts andVoodoo Warriors. It is all presented to a rock'n'roll soundscape with original music and performed witha forked tongue firmly in each cheek.

Editor’s pick22nd - 26th JANUARYThe Day After The Fair By FrankHarveyThe Royalty Theatre, SunderlandIn this adaptation of a Thomas Hardy

short story, Anna, a servant, meets an

attractive stranger from London at the

country town fair. He is Charles, a

budding barrister. Illiterate Anna

persuades her mistress to carry on a

correspondence with him on her

behalf. In writing her servant's love

letters, and reading out his replies, the

mistress falls in love with Charles and

he with her, which can only lead to

tragedy.

23rd JANUARYMoscow State CircusSunderland Empire, Sunderland The Moscow State Circus will present

its latest and most spectacular show

with this sensational extravaganza

Babushkin Sekret. Inspired by the

Russian legend of 'the 12 chairs', this

new show will combine contemporary

and classical circus in a way never

before seen. A mammoth cast of

Russia's greatest and most talented

circus artists will take you on an

incredible journey. The newly devised

show includes the beautiful queen of

Russian Circus Yana Alievia on a

revolving aerial Chandelier, the

Whirlwind Rubsovsm troupe who

acrobatically catapult themselves at

breakneck speed, the juggling

Sherbakovs on the reverse pyramid of

St Petersburg, and the Doktrov, flying

& spiralling in the apex of the

auditorium with grace, beauty and

elegance. If all this isn't enough to

keep you sat on the edge of your seat

then the hilarious clowns, Valik &

Valerik will have you falling off them

with laughter.

31st JANUARYMen of the TyneArts Centre Washington, 7.30pmMen of the Tyne is a heartwarming

show that captures the stories of men

who worked in the Tyne shipyards from

the 1950s to the 1980s. The shipyards

were a symbol of the north east's

industrial heritage respected

throughout the world. The show

includes new Tyneside songs, stories

and a film on the men who worked on

the river.

Patrick Monahan

15#3 JANUARY 2013

LISTINGS

14

Teddy BearStory1st JANUARY -24th FEBRUARYSUNDERLANDMUSEUM &WINTER

GARDENS

Watch outGoldilocks! Eightyeight teddy bearsfrom fairy tales, folkand fiction make upthis fascinatingexhibition, on loanfrom the V&AMuseum ofChildhood, atSunderland Museum& Winter Gardens.Teddy Bear Storycelebrates what isarguably the mostpopular anduniversally loved toyin the world, andexplores the history ofthe teddy bear fromthe first designs basedon real animals tomodern characterand designer bears.The exhibition includes a full size Three Bear’s House and interactive play areas for families, along witha programme of teddy related activities. Bears have featured in folk and fairy tales for centuries and theexhibition shows bears from the unrivalled collections of the V&A Museum of Childhood includingthose from books, film and television.

Editor’s pick

Family

12th JANUARYEdwardian SunderlandSunderland Museum and Winter Gardens, 2pmBrought to the museum by the Friends of Sunderland

Museums. A talk by Phil Curtis, giving visitors a look at

Sunderland during the reign of Edward II, between the

years 1901 - 1910.

30th JANUARYCuriousArts Centre Washington, 10am, 11.30am and 2pmA story without words, Curious is a spirited play for the

very young. A perfect giggle-making introductory

experience to theatre that explores everyday objects in

an interactive environment. Suitable for ages 0-3.

16