Calendar

Donny McCaslin is best known as the saxophonist on David Bowie’s last album, Blackstar. The noted composer and bandleader has released a dozen albums over his genre-defying, Grammy-nominated career.

McCaslin began playing at age 12. By high school, he had appeared multiple times at the Monterey Jazz Festival.

After attending Berklee College of Music on a full scholarship, McCaslin became a sought-after player in New York City. David Bowie saw McCaslin perform as soloist for the Maria Schneider Orchestra and brought in McCaslin’s progressive jazz quartet that came to define Blackstar's visionary stylistic fusion. As David Hadju wrote in The Nation, “Donny McCaslin was David Bowie’s David Bowie.”

In turn, Bowie influenced McCaslin, who fused alt-rock and jazz on his first album with lyrics, 2018’s BLOW.

Donny comes to The Engine Room late afternoon to discuss his work and in particular his work with David Bowie.


VERY SPECIAL GUEST

Kevin met David Bowie in late 1984, and worked with him on various projects including putting together his band and performing at the legendary Live Aid show at Wembley in July 1985, adding to the first Tin Machine lineup and co-writing songs including the title song for Bowie's Outside 1 album.

David Bowie introduced Kevin to Iggy Pop as guitarist on the the 1986 album Blah Blah Blah and Kevin became Iggy's bandleader in 86/87. He put together Iggy's touring band again from 2014 until 2019.

He has 4 decades of unique and wholly incomparable experience working with some of the biggest names in music

Kevin has worked with Morrissey, Grace Jones, Sinéad O’Connor, Prefab Sprout, Thomas Dolby, Transvision Vamp Brian Eno, Paul McCartney, Sandie Shaw and many many more.

Kevin will be at The Engine Room in the afternoon to read from his biography Absolute Beginner, and he may give us a couple of examples of his superb guitar work too.
 

*PLEASE NOTE* This is the evening performance, which takes place at The Exchange1856 on Howard St, North Shields NE301SE.

Donny McCaslin is best known as the saxophonist on David Bowie’s last album, Blackstar. The noted composer and bandleader has released a dozen albums over his genre-defying, Grammy-nominated career.

McCaslin began playing at age 12, and as a teenager, performed in his vibraphonist father's band in Santa Cruz. By high school, he had appeared multiple times at the Monterey Jazz Festival.

After attending Berklee College of Music on a full scholarship, McCaslin became a sought-after player in New York City. David Bowie saw McCaslin perform as soloist for the Maria Schneider Orchestra and brought in McCaslin’s progressive jazz quartet that came to define Blackstar's visionary stylistic fusion. As David Hadju wrote in The Nation, “Donny McCaslin was David Bowie’s David Bowie.”

In turn, Bowie influenced McCaslin, who fused alt-rock and jazz on his first album with lyrics, 2018’s BLOW.

Donny will play a full live set with his band Jason Lindner, Tim Lefebvre, Zach Danziger.


VERY SPECIAL GUEST support Kevin Armstrong

Kevin met David Bowie in late 1984, and worked with him on various projects including putting together his band and performing at the legendary Live Aid show at Wembley in July 1985, adding to the first Tin Machine lineup and co-writing songs including the title song for Bowie's Outside 1 album.

David Bowie introduced Kevin to Iggy Pop as guitarist on the the 1986 album Blah Blah Blah and Kevin became Iggy's bandleader in 86/87. He put together Iggy's touring band again from 2014 until 2019.

He has 4 decades of unique and wholly incomparable experience working with some of the biggest names in music

Kevin has worked with Morrissey, Grace Jones, Sinéad O’Connor, Prefab Sprout, Thomas Dolby, Transvision Vamp Brian Eno, Paul McCartney, Sandie Shaw, Gil Evans, Alien Sex Fiend, Keziah Jones and many many more.

Kevin will perform a support set and give an insight into his work with David Bowie and others.

Chris Helme, frontman of John Squire's post-Stone Roses band The Seahorses and acclaimed solo artist, is set to bring a collection of brand new material to audiences for the first time in a decade, as he tours his much-anticipated album, World of my Own.
The 2024 tour comes off the back of an incredible run of sold-out gigs across 2022/ 23 and will see Chris hit the road once again, taking in venues across the UK.
Released March 2024, the new album World of my Own is a diary of a 10-year period in Chris’ life.
Weaving between moments of soul-searching darkness and bursts of appreciation, gratitude and lightness, the album speaks to the full spectrum of relationships that colour our lives and the distances that sit between ourselves and others.
World of my Own follows his critically acclaimed 2012 record The Rookery. “Echoing the fragility ofGram Parsons, while flirting with the rustic side of Neil Young” (Uncut), his“dreamy but driven indie folk” (Q Magazine), and blistering voice continue to stop audiences in their tracks.
The record has been a long time coming for both Chris and his legion of fans. Lost recordings and stolen guitars, even before Covid shut down the music industry in 2020, are just some of the obstacles that made appearances along the road to its release. But with its lyricism, stirring guitars and rich production, the record has been worth the wait.
As much as Chris relishes spending time in the studio, the songs come to life when played live, with an inimitable feeling of togetherness as the lyrics land and resonate with the audience.
You can expect Chris’ blend of honesty and anecdotes, following a 30-year career in the music industry, alongside his distinctive vocals and a raw, enthralling performance, that his solo shows have become known for.
Chris will play the new album –largely for the first time live – alongside numbers from The Seahorses’ seminal album which earned them an outpouring of adoration around the world. With ear worm tunes running through your head long after you first hear them, it seems Chris’ new songs look set to become just as beloved as the old ones.