Apr
21
Fri
Morpeth Northumbrian Gathering @ Morpeth
Apr 21 – Apr 23 all-day
Morpeth Northumbrian Gathering @ Morpeth

The Morpeth Northumbrian Gathering is celebrating its big 50th Anniversary this year and there is lots planned. On the Friday night there will be the Golden Gala Concert in the Methodist Church, in which I will be playing with Bottle Band Band, Tyneside Fiddle Alliance and leading the Morpeth Community Strings group in their debut performance. On the Saturday there will be the usual competitions, and I will be supporting family and friends in the fiddle classes, and might even be persuaded to enter the instrumental duos! The Tyneside Fiddle Alliance plan to defend their title in the Concert Band category and there will be many other great things going on. Do come along and support this wonderful celebration of Northumbrian traditional music, song and dance.

“An exciting three-day annual festival of street entertainment, indoor events, music, dance, craft, dialect, heritage and traditional fun – held the weekend after Easter in the medieval market town of Morpeth, 14 miles north of Newcastle upon Tyne.

The festival is a true gathering of people who come together to enjoy the traditional culture of Northumberland and the wider NE region. It features concerts, dance, crafts, battle re-enactments, dialect, stories, drama, workshops, sessions, singarounds, competitions, stalls, bellringing, orienteering, tours, walks, talks and street performances which include a young people’s pageant as part of the Saturday morning Border Cavalcade.”

Apr
29
Sat
Andy Craig & Stewart Hardy @ Coquetdale Music Trust
Apr 29 @ 7:30 pm
Andy Craig & Stewart Hardy @ Coquetdale Music Trust

“A Northumberland journey in Photographs, Songs and Music”

This show brings you not only a fascinating collaboration of music and photography but it also brings together two great local artists for the first time.

Andy Craig is a professional photographer and has been photographing the Northumberland Coast since he moved to the area in 2008. “Earning a living from photography is a fantastic way of life and it has allowed me to explore the art of photography and delve deeply into the creative process. My music and my photography go hand in hand for me so it seemed appropriate to combine the two together into this music & photography presentation.”  Andy feels that it is the same creative process that informs photography and music “it is about seeing, feeling or experiencing nature and then passing that on to an audience so that they can share the moment through my photographs. It is really exciting to work with Stewart on this project.  To have Stewart playing and interpreting my music takes it to a new level.”

Stewart Hardy “Having experienced Andy’s work from the other side of the lens for some years now, it’s terrific to finally have a chance to collaborate with him. In this project his photography allows us to see Northumberland through his eyes, whilst his music captures the essence of Northumberland landscapes, giving us an opportunity to share in his personal response to this beautiful part of the world.”

What the press say:

“Andy Craig is a local singer/songwriter and guitarist whose home-spun tales of life on the coast are reflected in beautiful songs like “All This Is Ours” and “Home” and in evocative instrumentals.

“A professional photographer by day, Andy transfers the skills of capturing exceptional images to his music.”  Blues in Britain

May
19
Fri
Both Sides the Tweed @ Rosslyn Chapel
May 19 @ 7:30 pm
Both Sides the Tweed @ Rosslyn Chapel

Mick West, Frank McLaughlin and Stewart Hardy  – Scots song and instrumentals from Scotland and Northumberland on fiddle, guitar and Scottish small pipes. Mick has one of Scotland’s most distinctive voices, and in this trio his rich, warm and expressive singing is complimented on guitar and fiddle by the highly creative playing of Frank McLaughlin and Stewart Hardy. The trio has a long standing musical kinship which shines through their arrangements, and makes for a joyous and inspiring performance.

Mar
15
Fri
Music for a Spring Evening @ Creighton Memorial Hall
Mar 15 @ 7:30 pm
Music for a Spring Evening @ Creighton Memorial Hall

‘Music for a Spring Evening’

A programme of music from light classics to folk and swing, with the fiddles of Alan Edwards, Stewart Hardy & Bryan Jackson

Creighton Hall, Embleton 7.30 p.m. Tickets £10 at door, raising money for Creighton Hall funds.

Jul
13
Sat
30 Years Collection – Book Launch Concert @ Ushaw College
Jul 13 @ 8:00 pm – 10:00 pm

30 Years Collection – Book Launch Concert
Saturday 13th July, 8 pm (doors 7.30 pm)
The Presentation Room, Conference Wing, Ushaw College, Durham DH7 9RH

The 30 Years Collection is a brand new book of original compositions, covering Stewart’s 30 Years as a professional musician. To celebrate, there will be a small, informal concert in Ushaw College, with spots from Stewart with Frank McLaughlin, and guest a appearance from Bottle Bank Band, among others. The new books will be on sale, and do bring your instruments for a small session afterwards. Tickets £5 on the door, but seats must be reserved in advance please.

The book will be available to purchase on the website from Monday 15th July. You’ll be able to pay online and choose to have the book posted to you, or select Event Collection to pick up your copy at no extra cost from Stewart at an event or workshop. Cash is also acceptable in person!
www.stewarthardy.co.uk/shop