Ep.001 – Airdate 1st May 2025
Episode one set the scene for what North Sea Sound Check is all about – but you can read more here too.
We’ll post a lot of links but can’t promise to include every single thing as a link: but this acts as a reference if you want to search something up.
Links and Disclaimer:
Please bear in mind that the show was filmed in late April 2025, with future events mentioned. By the time you see it, things may have changed or already happened – we recommend you always confirm with relevant venues, organisers or artists.
Guest Overview:
Our first (ever) guest, Alex Verda, talked us through Bridlington’s music scene, including the Sunday Sessions at Queens, and the newly launched Brid on the Map original music nights at The Stirling Castle each month. Plus squirrels!
Scarborough’s Em Louise shared her video for Play Pretend, talked us through the stories behind her music, including her release for Andy’s Man Club, Be Right Here, before a stunning performing live in the studio of Carrying the Fire.
Our Wordsmith in the Mix highlighted the cultural links between music and spoken word poetry, with Charlotte Oliver delighting us with talk of many upcoming events and a gorgeous rendition of her published poem, My Friend Prince.
To close episode 1, newly formed local supergroup Reverie chatted to us about how they came together, how their talents intermingle, and absolutely blew us away with their emotive performance of Lighthouse. [This has since been released as a standalone track]
Featured News:
Scarborough Punk Festival, held at Scarborough Spa at the end of March. This festival is going from strength to strength every year and featured 18 bands over two days, including Bar Stool Preachers, Cockney Rejects, The Skids and The Exploited; and we’re delighted that some of our own local hardcore punks Jenkem Revolt were on the line up too. You can check out an album of photos from regular punk fest photographer Phil Thorns over on the YCG – Yorkshire Coast Gigs – website.
There were some unofficial fringe events going on around the event, and we also featured some amazing photos from photographer Simon Heaton of a four-band line up at the Corporation Club from March, that featured Bear Away, Amass, Active Minds and The Restarts, check those photos out, it looked epic.
The same night, Scarborough’s Indigo Alley reopened, and two punk acts, Tempersflare and Filthy Filthy kicked things off there as well.
There were some sad goodbyes as a couple of real fan-favourite bands announced they were calling it a day and held their farewell gigs. The Feens put on a show at Scarborough Spa, with support from Whitby’s Sunbeam, and Scarborough bands The North and Bad Luck Brian. There are photos by Wandering Photography on YCG from that gig, and you can check out more photos and videos on the band pages. We are so sad to say goodbye, but wish all the band the best for the future.
And one of those bands, Bad Luck Brian, also held their final gig, they ended things where they started which felt full circle, at The Merchant, with a special ticketed event. We know we’ll see more more many of these musicians in the future but again, wishing them all the best!
Shindig threw a launch party at Bacchus with two other great bands from further afield, Under the Influence and Cold Start.
Lights Out EP launch at the Roscoe Rooms, a sensational line up of young solo acts and bands, to celebrate their 3-track EP release. There’s a review and photos on YCG.
Danube Blues, Jack Robertson’s debut EP, recorded at Beckview Studios: Jack’s launch event featured a special line up of local original artists at Scarborough’s Crescent Lounge, which included Bridlington’s Sam McKie with Lewis Ward, Nils Arnold with The Northern Riots bandmate Mally Jackson, and our own Beth Pilling. The EP is available in hard copy or streaming now, YCG also interviewed Jack ahead of the event.
Bridlington saw the first Burning Down the House event at Drum shack, with the anarchic skiffle band from Hull, Black Kes, supported by Brid’s own Sproose Moose and Hans Umlaut – this was by all accounts a crazy evening – check out the review and photos for that and make sure to follow Drum Shack on socials, they have a varied line up of regular events through the month.
One of our other favourite things this past month was the launch of Brid on the Map, which featured three brilliant original bands, Pickering’s Different State, Brid/Hull band Follow Deep, and guests from Nottingham, Paste.
We Shall Overcome event at Scarborough’s Crescent Lounge: organised by poet Graham Rhodes, featured a long line up of solo artists and bands interspersed with poetry. We Shall Overcome is a movement for good, championed by musician Joe Solo, and that’s been going for ten years, fundraising for food banks along the way. This event raised £664 in cash and an incredible amount of food and toiletry donations which formed the door charge. A shout out to all the acts who gave their time to perform as part of this amazing event: Abbie Ingham, Nell Williams, Charles Kirby, James Koppert, Danny Tyler, Stuart Ackroyd, Lucination and Graham Rhodes himself, to musicians Mally Jackson, Jack Robertson, Andy Raw, Freya Ruder and Philip Bull, and bands Reverie, Serial Killer Glasses, Jenkem Revolt, The Fuzz Junkies, The Northern Riots and Graham Watson, plus the Rainbow Centre’s own Jo Laking on the decks, check out the YCG photos and write up.
Scarborough Film Festival featured a number of events that blended live music with screenings. The Funky Tuesday Choir sang live on stage at the Stephen Joseph theatre ahead of the film screening of the classic Dancing Queen, shot in Scarborough with Rik Mayall and Helena Bonham Carter. There was a screening of music documentary Dead Mint, which featured anarchic punk band from Scarborough, Grandads Don’t Indicate, followed by a live gig with the Grandads, supported by Orchard and followed by Graham Watson – check out the interview with GDI member Denis Copeland and look out for a review and photos on YCG. The festival ended with an Open Decks event at Craft Bar, where Bristol’s DJ Babybel hosted and anyone could have a go on the decks.
Upcoming at time of airing:
With a short gap between us filming this and it going out for viewing, there are lots of great things happening in the ‘in between’, so coming up for the last weekend of April are Sci Fi Scarborough, who do like to geek beside the seaside! After sampling the sci-fi goodies down at Scarborough Spa, fans could head up to the Crescent Bar for a special set with DJ’s from Secret Sub Rosa – who always bring a full experience to any event they host – we heard there could be Daleks in attendance…
Scarborough Fair – the brochure had just been received from the printer – Charlotte Oliver gave us a little sneak preview!
The Rainbow Centre – their first fabulous charity ball coming up on June 7th will include a live band. “Huge” are a party band from York and they will be bringing the music – YCG interviewed them ahead of the event.
And Whitby Goth Weekend has events all over the town, including the official Revenant event at the Royal Hotel with eight bands plus live DJ’s over the weekend, and other events such as Goth and Rock DJs all weekend at Abbey Wharf, and Whitby Brewery hosting Goth at the Brewery.
Big Ideas by the Sea: May 16th to 30th at venues across Scarborough. 10th May, Scarborough Symphony Orchestra’s concert is called a festival prelude, find out more at Scarborough-orchestra.org
There are a number of music events as part of this varied culture festival: You can see a Harp and a Monkey and Fylingdales Folk choir at St Mary’s, 5 Star Brass in concert at St Martins on the Hill, and the founding duo of one of the UK’s finest R&B bands, Nine Below Zero, at St Mary’s when Dennis Greaves and Mark Feltham perform an acoustic set.
On Sunday 25th May there is the Big Day Out at Scarborough Castle, entry is free for residents with a YO11, YO12 or YO13 postcode, and the day will feature storytelling, music, mini-digs and a Roman legion! Later that evening at St Mary’s Church, the lovely duo The Blow Ins will join a Ukrainian choir for a gorgeous night of folk music.
Mod Crop the Musical will be taking place at Scarborough Spa as part of the festival offering, a sixties-set tale of three mod youths.
There will be an evening of songs and poetry with Eddie Lawlor, the ‘Bard of Saltaire’, and Scarborough Library’s regular Cultural Connections event will move to St Mary’s for a special session. The festival closes with a special community choir event – six choirs joining forces.
There are also many poetry events, including Verses Voices and Wordsmiths open mic hosted by Graham Rhodes, as well as the events Charlotte is involved with. There are loads of intriguing events taking place besides these music ones, and we urge you to visit BigIdeasBytheSea.com to see the full programme. Some events are free, some pay what you feel, and some fixed price.
One other music event taking place is a concert by the wonderful women of Raven; this is a special year for Raven and YCG have done a written interview with the band, as well as attending another one of their gigs at the Stephen Joseph Theatre, because this year, hard though it is to believe, the six-strong all-female band are celebrating twenty years together!
Filey will be hosting the annual Filey Folk Festival this month. Over one hundred musicians are due to attend for scheduled events and singaround/open jam sessions across the town. Visit FileyFolkFestival.com for more details on the free events happening as part of this independent festival.
There are also a number of ticketed concerts at Filey’s Evron Centre over the festival weekend, these are organised by Filey Americana.
At Beckview studios, it’s the latest Lounge Live at Beckview Studios event, Saturday 10th May, line up includes Midlands artists, Craig Gould and the Noble Thieves, New York singer-songwriter Kate McDonnell, and a 6 piece funk band from Leeds, Flat Moon.
Guest Links:
Alex Verda – Metalines Studio
https://metalinesstudios.wixsite.com/mysite
https://www.instagram.com/metalinespromotions/
https://www.facebook.com/MetalinesStudios/
https://www.facebook.com/TheSundaySessionsQueens
https://www.instagram.com/thesundaysessionsqueens/
Em Louise Music
https://www.facebook.com/iame222/
https://www.instagram.com/emlouisemusicc/
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCi0TYX_eiJ5VBOSifeOjnmw
https://open.spotify.com/artist/1EU2PYht4X2nvyFJE2KDJA
https://music.apple.com/gb/artist/em-louise/1741958101
https://linktr.ee/emlouisemusicc
https://www.tiktok.com/@emlouisemusicc
Charlotte Oliver
www.instagram.com/charlotteoliverpoet
www.chttps://bsky.app/profile/coliverpoet.bsky.social
Reverie
https://www.facebook.com/CallumMarshallMusic
Reverie mailing list sign up: https://mailchi.mp/4c2ede6c92e1/reverie?fbclid=IwY2xjawJ8OXZleHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETFDQ1VhQU81eGJ2eDRMWEJ3AR7JpkaC5WHUkia-bGcRTrK4zp_cz1oRXkPYM0JEtyfnZaSxj_Fc5KBwiq4FkQ_aem_4G0gO9Nd3of-rp7-4Tk3SA
https://www.instagram.com/wearereverie1/
Beckview Studios
https://www.beckviewstudios.co.uk
https://www.facebook.com/beckviewstudios
https://www.instagram.com/beckviewstudios
https://www.youtube.com/@beckviewstudios
https://www.tiktok.com/@beckviewstudios
https://www.linkedin.com/company/beckview-studios
Yorkshire Coast Gigs:
www.facebook.com/yorkshirecoastgigs
www.instragram.com/yorkshirecoastgigs
https://www.linkedin.com/company/yorkshire-coast-gigs-cic
The Crew for this episode were:
Chris Jones, Kristina Jones, Kath Dunn-Mines, David Ruston, Beth Pilling, Adam Jackson, James Agar; plus thanks to Charlie Hunter for dressing the set so beautifully.
