Country

To many she is American through and through, no doubt born through the image that she portrays in an award winning TV drama series.

However Clare Bowen is an Australian actress and singer who has appeared in many TV and film roles including ‘The Combination’,’Gangs Of Oz’ and ‘Home and Away’.

Over the last few years she has become more well known here and around the world as Scarlett O Connor in the TV series ‘Nashville’ which tells of the goings on and ups and downs of the lives of country artists in Music City USA ‘Nashville’.

The series is now in it’s final run and earlier in the year many of the Nashville actors and singers embarked on a six date tour featuring performances up and down the country, culminating in performance at the O2 Arena in London.

The shows featured many of the songs from the series featuring Clare along with Chris Carmack (Will Lexington),Charles Esten (Deacon Claybourne),Johnathan Jackson(Avery Barkley) and Sam Palladio (Gunnar Scott).

These stalwarts of the TV series have previously had sold out tours here in the UK in 2016 and 2017 and only two weeks ago Sam Palladio made his solo appearance at the recent SummerTyne Americana Festival held at the Sage Gateshead.

On September 4th Clare Bowen presents her first solo performance at The Sage Gateshead which no doubt will include many of the songs featured in the series and many that she grew up with listening to as she embarked on her singer songwriting acting, career.

She says ”Music was my connection to the rest of the world, because music is a universal language as I feel it holds no barriers. I was actually brought up on the vinyl collection owned by my parents and listened to music from Paul Simon, Elvis, Dolly Parton, Bruce Springsteen and Edith Piaf”.

If her repertoire features many of those mentioned with country thrown in her many appreciators are in for a night of musical eclectic pleasures.

Tickets are on sale from the Sage Gateshead box office by calling 0191 443 4661.

Folk

There's a new CD just out, that's surely a "must buy" for North East folk fans.

Entitled "The Hooky Mat Project", it's a collection of songs written by the great Ed Pickford and it's a veritable tapestry of his greatest composition from the last fifty years.

The songs are performed by many of the luminaries of the local scene, including Pegleg Ferret, Di Henderson, Tony Wilson, Pete Wood, the late Bert Draycott, and of course there's even a couple sung by Ed himself. Details of how to get a copy are on Ed's Facebook page, and its really an "every home should have one" purchase for folk fans everywhere.

Meanwhile, if it's live music you're after, you can do little better than popping along to Washington's Davy Lamp on Saturday to hear West Country balladeer Jim Causley, who'll be making a welcome return to the area.

Since leaving the Newcastle Folk Degree course, Jim has established himself as one of the best singers on the circuit, so give yourselves a treat and have a fine time.

Also on Saturday, Landermason are are at the Redefest Festival in Rochester, Northumberland, and don't forget that Saltburn Festival is coming up soon, so grab those tickets while you can.