Matthew Brown

I am an NCTJ Awards for Excellence 2015 winning multimedia journalist. Teesside University Entertainment Reporter of the Year 2015 and currently working as a Graphic and Web Designer at Web.Com.
NARC. Magazine •

INTERVIEW: The Jar Family

Hartlepool’s favourite folk quintet The Jar Family have unleashed a newly developed sound as they gear up for the release of their new album Family First this month. The band’s third record has been in gestation for over a year, and live performances of their new tracks have been going down brilliantly with their ever-growing audience. Recent single In The Clouds’ infectious chorus and twangy guitar makes it the perfect summertime sing-along; while the more pensive 1914 tells the tale of war-ti
NARC. Magazine •

INTERVIEW: Alex Horne

Matthew Brown talks to the comedian about working with Frank Skinner and Greg Davies, his plans for Edinburgh and his band The Horne Section Alex Horne bills himself as the country’s premier comedian, writer, band leader, gambler, bird watcher and potential neologist, and he might also be one of the hardest-working stand ups in the country at the minute. Ahead of his slot at Barnard Castle Comedy Festival on Saturday 18th July and Stockton’s Arc on Thursday 23rd July, I spoke to Alex about his
WhatCulture.com •

10 Famous Actors With Music Careers That Spectacularly Failed

Remember when Scarlett Johansson tried to become a music star? Or when Bruce Willis decided to take a break from saving lives in order to produce several Motown themed albums? What about when Macaulay Culkin and his pizza inspired band were booed off stage? You’d be forgiven if these uninspiring moves from the big screen to the recording booth had passed you by, but these famous actors aren’t as blessed to erase their spectacular career switch fails from their Wikipedia entry. Playing the lead
WhatCulture.com •

10 Huge Rock & Metal Bands Glastonbury Couldn't Handle

They thought Metallica were too heavy and out of place for the festival, but as many hard rock and metal fan knows, there’s a wealth of stadium-sized bands doing the rounds that would rock the boat even more. Mastodon anyone? This year’s line-up is headlined by The Who, Kanye West and – until they had to pull out because of Dave Grohl’s broken leg – Foo Fighters, were set to play the Somerset gig. However, much to the disappointment of headbangers around the world, the festival organisers decid
The North Crowd •

History of Middlesbrough being brought back to life

MIDDLESBROUGH will be bringing its glorious history back to life next month with key figures and venues paying tribute to the town that industrialised the world. Throughout the month of May, Middlesbrough Local History Month will be showcasing unusual and unique tours, workshops, exhibitions, shows and more. Local History Month and Discover Middlesbrough Coordinator, Tracy Hyman, says the event becomes more diverse and varied each year. “It’s great to be able to work on putting a really diver
The North Crowd •

Ecstatic Alnwick actress plays nude-role in Game of Thrones

A NORTH East actress has made a giant leap from starring in an education film shown in Scotland to playing a nude-role in the global phenomenon Game of Thrones. Alnwick model Rebecca Scott appeared in the latest episode of the Sky Atlantic programme on Monday night having been picked out of thousands of applicants. Despite playing a non-speaking role in the period drama, now in its fifth season, the 23-year-old has received plenty of praise for her appearance. “Everyone has been really suppor
The North Crowd •

First Teesside band to play Download Festival set for UK tour

NOT many bands can use their first ever tour as a road test for a set at one of the world’s biggest music festival. Rocking five-piece Sirens in the Delta will be taking to the infamous Donington Park when they play Download Festival on the weekend of June 12-14, the first Teesside band to do so. Before that though they head off on a six date Revolutions to Follow tour and guitarist Rich Firbank is relishing the chance to get into gear ahead of the show at the ‘spiritual home of rock’. “It’s
The North Crowd •

Indie heroes Young Rebel Set begin work on third album

AFTER a brief tour, Young Rebel Set are heading back to the studio to work on their third studio album. The Teesside indie five-piece have been in a rehearsal room for the last few months preparing for the follow up to 2013’s Crocodile. With new tracks featuring at each of the four gigs in a short tour last month, guitarist Mark Evans says it’s time to get some new material out there. “We’re always working on new songs,” says Mark, “It’s no secret that the Crocodile album campaign has now com
The North Crowd •

EXTRA-ordinary North East artist captures hearts of social media

EQUIPPED with tablet and stylus, a North-East designer is taking social media by storm with his dazzling doodles earning acclaim from around the world. Ordinary by name, extraordinary by nature, Stuart Mitchell, aka @OrdinarySmog, has crafted his art around Adobe Ideas, a digital sketchbook that has allowed the 29-year-old to build up a fascinating portfolio. Having studied Graphic Design at Teesside University, Stuart is now balancing working as a full-time designer and sign maker with provid
The North Crowd •

Dark Justice: Exploring the world of paedophile hunters

FOLLOWING the jailing of John Rudd, 57, Stockton last month for attempting to meet a child following sexual grooming, his catchers Dark Justice have gone viral for their paedophile hunting campaign. Having featured on The Lad Bible, Newsnight and Daily Mail, the Newcastle-based team of ‘online journalists/broadcasters’ have sprung onto the ever-growing scene of undercover investigators in adults hoping to meet up with children under the age of 16 for sexual purposes.
The North Crowd •

Little Comets frontman concerned about 'worrying undercurrent' in politics

INDIE rock trio Little Comets have found themselves back amongst the restless trade of the music industry thanks to the success of their latest album Hope is Just a State of Mind. The Newcastle lads, who finished their tour with Catfish and the Bottlemen earlier this month, announced last week that they’ll be playing Reading and Leeds Festival in August. Before that though, the band will be looking to tackle an event just as important when they swap the studio for a ballot box on May 7. Front
The North Crowd •

Behind the divide: bum note for northern music

THE North may be friendlier, funnier, and more approachable and have better tasting food; Yorkshire puddings, chips and gravy, meat pies and mushy peas that are always topped off with the best cups of tea across the land. Not to mention the beautiful landscapes painted with acres of countryside. We must not forget the industrial revolution, better football teams and of course, cheaper pints. Now you may be wondering where all those amazing music artists the North has produced over the years ar
The North Crowd •

Master the Science of Cocktails

WITH the increase of the phenomenon that is pre-drinking, the 21st century has seen the creation of a number of alcoholic concoctions. Although the brainwave of combining cheap vodka with a bottle of Cherry Lambrini may sound mind-blowing at the time, they tend to be mind-aching in the morning. When the buzz of blending flavours has worn off and the party in your mouth has abruptly ended, many quickly turn to their preferred search engines to find a quick fix to the dreaded hangover.
The North Crowd •

Kingsley Chapman: music, morphine and the Murder

SINCE disbanding from The Chapman Family in 2013 and overcoming a lengthy time out on the side-lines, Kingsley Chapman now finds himself at the forefront of a new challenge. Now the frontman and what he calls ‘the nicest, most talented, and most out of work musicians’ he knew in the area have formed a new era: Kingsley Chapman and The Murder. Despite having a backlog of career highlights that could challenge any artist to hail from the North East, the Stockton-on-Tees songster admits the past
The North Crowd •

Student Union involved in row over planned screening of controversial Toryboy the Movie

TEESSIDE University Student Union is at the centre of a row after it cancelled a planned screening by the controversial “Toryboy” filmmaker amid claims that it breached rules on political neutrality in the run up to the general election. John Walsh, who’s 2010 Toryboy the Movie, documented his unsuccessful battle as a Conservative candidate up against the predominantly Labour heartland that is Middlesbrough, caused controversy due to the Londoner’s confrontation with the late MP Sir Stuart Bell
Tside •

Tributes paid following death of Tside sub-editor

TEESSIDE University staff and students have paid tribute to a talented journalist and guest lecturer who has died aged 61. Tony Locke helped to set up the Tside newspaper  and continued to share his wealth of industry experience with Multimedia Journalism students. Stockton-born Tony served North-East newspapers for 30 years in an esteemed career that included the Evening Despatch in Darlington, the Hartlepool Mail and The Gazette in Middlesbrough. Having been such a key figure behind Tside m
Tside •

Get your head around The Mindsweep

FRESH from releasing their fourth studio album and on the road to meet and greet fans, Enter Shikari are embarking on another mindsweeping journey. Eight years have passed since their debut record Take to the Skies took the charts by storm and the St Albans band say they’re stronger than ever. Ahead of their new UK tour, which sees the four-piece stop off at Middlesbrough Town Hall on Sunday, February 22, guitarist Rory Clewlow spoke about their latest work, The Mindsweep, and the thought-prov
Tside •

Stockton to celebrate Independent Venue Week

TEESSIDE will be represented by The Georgian Theatre in Stockton for the second edition of Independent Venue Week. The event celebrates small music venues around the UK and will host well-known artists including You Me At Six, Frankie and the Heartstrings and this year’s Ambassador Frank Turner. Questions have been asked around the future of smaller venues and with the rise of multimillion sponsored arenas Britain faces losing one of its most treasured possessions. Chris Cobain, The Georgian
Tside •

Middlesbrough labelled a ‘hotbed of great comedy’

MIDDLESBROUGH comedian Patrick Monahan has labelled his hometown as a nest of great comedy ahead of his Town Hall show this June. Patrick, who shot to fame after winning ITV’s Show Me The Funny in 2011, says he can’t wait to be back where it all began. Middlesbrough Town Hall will be host to the likes of Jimmy Carr, Alan Carr and Katherine Ryan as well as a homecoming show for the Teesside funny-man. He said: “Middlesbrough has always been a hotbed of great comedy, mainly from the natural Tee
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