Happy fifth birthday to the Sage Gateshead
Happy fifth birthday to the Sage Gateshead
Posted: 03 Dec 2009
Let's get this party started
Picture copyright Graeme Peacock
The internationally-acclaimed Sage Gateshead celebrates its fifth birthday with a bumper weekend celebration headlined by Northumbrian piper Kathryn Tickell and Tyneside superstar Sting.
The birthday weekend party (December 18-20) also features Dame Evelyn Glennie playing with the Northern Sinfonia, influential British jazz saxophonist Andy Sheppard, and the Zehetmair Quartet.
The Sage has championed all types of music since opening on 17 December 2004 – classical, contemporary, country, dance, electronic, folk, jazz, roots rock and pop.
International stars like soul singer James Brown, Beach Boy Brian Wilson, Grace Jones, bluesman Ry Cooder, James Blunt and ex-Smiths singer Morrissey have graced the stages in Halls One and Two.
But the venue is equally committed to promoting grass roots music and inspiring local youngsters with its learning and participation programme.
Folkworks, Northern Sinfonia, Gateshead Council and Northern Arts were the four founding partners.
Although Folkworks is now regarded as synonymous with the Sage, it was first established in 1988 by Ros Rigby and Northumberland master concertina player Alistair Anderson – who was a founder member of the famous High Level Ranters with Johnny Handle.
They were instrumental in the North East folk revival in the Seventies, a tradition that has continued through the decades with Kathryn Tickell championing the cause and new rising stars like The Unthanks – from the Tyne Valley – attracting critical acclaim.
And Alistair, who recently handed over the baton of Folkworks artistic director to protégée Kathryn, has praised her for putting the North East on the world music map.
He says: “We all knew pretty early on she was something special as a musician and as a personality.
“I did my bit I suppose to help her early music career. You try to help all the young musicians just like Johnny Handle helped me.
“But she understands perfectly where the music can go. It’s exciting to see the ones who have made a career out of it like the Unthank sisters Rachel and Becky, but there’s a tremendous number who just want to play for fun.
“That’s just as important and I’m sure Kathryn and The Unthanks would agree. It’s great to get into a little musical session with like-minded people whether you are professionals or not.”
Alistair was inspired as a boy by harmonica player and childhood friend Dave Richardson. He acquired a guitar and taught himself a few chords before moving on to mandolin then learned to play the Northumbrian pipes – now made famous by Kathryn – in the Seventies.
In 2001 Alistair and Kathryn were involved in launching England’s first ever folk and traditional music degree at Newcastle University. And the Sage’s Folkworks famous summer schools have inspired thousands of young musicians.
“I’m still involved with Folkworks and doing stuff on the degree course but I feel it’s right to hand over to the next generation to take this forward.
“There’s still lots of writing and performing projects I want to do myself and that gives me more time to devote to that as well.
“Kathryn’s breadth of experience across a range of other music forms is balanced with a profound understanding of where the music can sit in a community: the fact that her family played and sang and that history and tradition. She’s taught youngsters herself for years too.
“She loves that and understands the role that music can play in people’s lives. They may not be professionals but play just for fun. She understands how that all works and how that can sit at a grass roots level.
“So her balance and understanding and knowing what it’s like to play with Sting or a world class orchestra, that range of viewpoints is fantastic.
“With Kathryn in the driving seat now I’m pretty sure there will be some really exciting new stuff coming up.”
Some of the Folkworks highlights over the past five years at the Sage have included performances by Blazin’ Fiddles, Eliza Carthy, Barbara Dickson, Bob Fox, Vin Garbutt, Karine Polwart, Maddy Prior, Kate Rusby, Richard Thompson and our own Unthanks and Kathryn too.
Happy Birthday Sage!
Anthony Sargent, general director of The Sage Gateshead, is proud of the successes of the last five years. He says: “Above all the awards and international recognition The Sage Gateshead has won in these first five years, more rewarding still is the way it has so quickly been taken to the heart of our local community.”
Mark Robinson, executive director, Arts Council England, North East, says: “We are proud of our investment in this world-class music venue which has pioneered innovative approaches to learning and participation as well as providing a fitting home for Northern Sinfonia and bringing internationally renowned musicians to the region.”
BBC Radio Two’s Johnnie Walker said: “This was the loveliest audience of the whole tour.”
Richard Hawley said: “Happy Birthday. My fave venue in the world, love Richard.”
Ex Byrds legend Roger McGuinn said: “This is one of the finest music venues I have ever played. Everything was perfect. The audience was warm and friendly. I had a wonderful time once again.”
Tyneside star Neil Tennant of the Pet Shop Boys said: “One of the most thrilling and memorable events of our career was performing ‘Battleship Potemkin’ with Northern Sinfonia at Swan Hunter’s shipyard in Wallsend in 2006. Northern Sinfonia is a magnificent, world-class orchestra with a fresh approach to music of all kinds. It was a privilege to share a stage with them.”
Former Wet Wet Wet singer Marti Pellow said: “Since I first saw the building going up, I always wanted to play it. With this tour it was important to me that we hand-pick places – I didn’t want to do a big show or one in a kind of big shed.”
Alistair Gilfillan, headteacher of North Tyneside school said: “Thank you for a wonderful performance this morning at the school. You could see from the children's faces how much they enjoyed the singing and dancing and wanted the show to go on.”
Sage snippets
Since opening on 17 December 2004, The Sage has:
• Provided more than 200,000 music-making sessions
• Staged more than 2,000 performances
• Welcomed over 100,000 conference delegates
• Celebrated memorable wedding days for more than 100 happy couples
• Welcomed 3 MILLION visitors
For more information on the 5th birthday celebrations:
TV detective drama George Gently filmed in the North East
Gently does it in Geordieland By Michael Hamilton Pictures by Dave Foster TV detective drama Inspector George Gently was filmed for the first time where it is actually set – in the North East – for the new two-part show on BBC1 screened on Sunday September 26 and October 3. We led the call to film the series here at home, last year. In exclusive interviews both Geordie actress Jill Halfpenny who starred in last year’s series and Tyneside writer Peter...
Our Friends in the North writer Peter Flannery talks about BBC TV's George Gently
Our friend in the North Hit BBC detective series Inspector George Gently is set in Northumberland in the Sixties - and was actually born in the North East Exclusive interview by Michael Hamilton * Following this interview the good news is that the next series of George Gently is to be filmed in the North East Award-winning Geordie screenwriter Peter Flannery – who wrote the epic BBC drama Our Friends in the North in 199...
Newcastle writer Lee Hall, who penned Billy Elliot, on the phenomenal success of his
Portrait of a playwright Tyneside writer Lee Hall shot to fame with the 1999 hit movie Billy Elliot and adapted it for the stage in 2005, winning an award for best new musical. Now his latest award-winning play The Pitmen Painters is back touring in the North East. Exclusive interview by Michael Hamilton MH: Tell me how The Pitmen Painters came about. Lee: It came about by accident in a way. I saw a copy of William Feaver’s book in a books...
Stars shine again for Sammy By Michael Hamilton Auf Wiedersehen Pet star Tim Healy and his Loose Women wife Denise We...
THEATRE AND MUSICALS 17-18 ShangHi Cirque du Ciel – spectacular with over 30 performers from China Gala Durham 0191 332 40...
