Shields

*** SPECIAL OFFER *** Buy a Season Ticket for the entire series - all four gigs for £15 - Click Here Empty Shop HQ is a community venue, but every now and then we use the space to programme our own events. Our gig arm, Seagull & Circle, present four carefully curated gigs which are equal part music to social. These gigs aim to further expose Durham as one of the most interesting places in the region when it comes to an eclectic output of contemporary culture, in this case, showcasing some of the best bands regionally, nationally and internationally. They also bring together the things people like about our venue; expect eclectic, social and intimate events with elements of jazz, punk, indie-pop and folk. The final gig in the series sees Newcastle's indie / alt-pop favourites, Shields. Another first for Durham, these guys have just been awarded Band of the Week by The Guardian to add to a long list of national impact, including a headline slot at Glastonbury 2015. Backed up by the awesome Yellow Creatures, this gig will close the series with a bang.     Shields (Newcastle) Shields embody the Playlist Generation, they have been shaped by the diverse artists whose music they might never have heard through more traditional means.  Shields’ musical output is a reflection of these diverse influences, and their debut album How Can We Fix This? has a genuinely broad appeal whilst at the same time refusing to conform to a simple description. The development of their unique sound has been largely due to their DIY approach to production. Using their own studio space to record a vast range tracks over a 12-month period, the band caught the eye of double Grammy award-winning producer Adrian Bushby (Muse, Foo Fighters) who helped them complete their debut album because of his passion for the songs. Shields are now looking to develop this independent spirit into a project aiming to build a community of like-minded artists. Moving away from the protectionism of old, where acts sought to restrict the dissemination of their music and labels tended toward the safety of discovering the next big thing in that year’s buzz genre, Shields are actively seeking to collaborate with other artists, DJs, and their own fans by including selected track stems with their releases to be remixed and released via social media. This experimental nature and openness to their audience is precisely what translates into their live performances, with the band frequently getting audience members to perform alongside them as the set builds to a crescendo. “Shields blew my socks off… [a] tight, beautiful, powerful sound with perfectly honed vocals… Songs which took you on journeys… Huge energy… Huge commitment.” (Tom Robinson, BBC 6Music) Recommend if you like: Metronomy, Everything Everything, Foals Social Website Facebook Twitter Soundcloud Youtube   Yellow Creatures (Newcastle) Known most notably for their intense and energetic live show, Yellow Creatures are a four piece garage/psych and alt-pop band from Newcastle-Upon-Tyne. Since emerging in 2013 they have released two EPs including ‘The Year Of Everything & Nothing’ which received airplay on BBC 6Music. The band were subsequently picked to play the Introducing Stage at the BBC 6Music Festival in February 2015.   Social Bandcamp Facebook Twitter ----------------------------- ALL AGES - Under 16s with a responsible adult, bring ID for the bar   Empty Shop Is a safe space - you are welcome as long as you are nice, respect the building and the people in it.