"Bravo TV's depiction of Redcar in an episode of their 'Booze Britain' documentary series (Bravo/Granada 25th July) couldn't be further from the whole truth; a very poor indictment. Instead of roaming the streets watching drunks at taxi ranks and burger stands, the producers would have done a lot better by taking a look inside one of Redcar's many live venues.
Along with its neighbours, Marske and Saltburn, Redcar has a live music scene which is beginning to gain a vibrancy that the rest of the north-east will find it difficult to match. This is not only down to the talent on show - some of whom are willing to travel from far and wide to be part of the scene - but supportive venue managers willing to give acts a chance by paying fair fees and working hand in hand with a committed promotional set-up.
Redcarlive are the main promoters in the area and they don’t just talk a good gig. They produce some imaginative, eye-catching publicity material and have a sound rapport with local venue managers. Administered by the same team, www.Redcarlive.com provides an excellent focal point for bands, venue managers and live music fans alike.
Highlights over the summer have included Redcar four piece Up In Smoke who continue to go from strength to strength with their eclectic mix of rock and indie covers spanning from Bill Hailey and the Comets to the Fratellis as well as their own rock influenced material. They won the ‘best up and coming band’ category at Redcarlive’s band comp held in July at the Redcar Bowl and continue to excite audiences with their highly energetic stage presence and edgy guitar riffs.
Darlington’s Katie Coleman is establishing herself as a firm favourite in and around the area and is always more than willing to head across the Tees to be part of the vibrant live scene in the Redcar/Saltburn area. We’ve read rave reviews about Katie’s outstanding talent in previous issues. Still leaving audiences astounded by her exceptional vocal and fluent guitar style, her current run of bookings is beginning to look like South Durham’s loss and Teesside’s gain!
At the time of writing just some of the acts appearing in the Redcar/Marske/Saltburn area include: Paul Gill, Caterina Rea, Aim & Fire, Paul Tilley, Bazooka Joe, Last Anthem, Steve Clark Band, Tumbling Dice… in fact there’s around fifteen acts appearing in 6 venues – too many to list here - and that’s a typical week.
We all accept that TV documentaries about binge drinking portray reality for entertainment purposes. However, fans and audiences all over Cleveland’s seaside towns are sure to tell you that a decent live act goes down just as well as a pint of lager. Along with great musicians, dedicated promoters and supportive venue hosts these are the true makings of a live music scene to be proud of."
Garrie C
