Neave Farry has spent years seeking out emerging North East musicians, interviewing them, reviewing their gigs, helping them find an audience… while signposting music fans to what might be their next favourite act.
Now the 26-year-old County Durham music champion has been given the chance to choose who gets on stage, having been invited to programme Grainger Market Unplugged as part of this year’s Mercury Prize Fringe.
The event is part of a week-long programme of more than 30 events leading up to the Mercury Prize ceremony at Newcastle's Utilita Arena on October 22.
Taking place in Newcastle on Saturday, October 17, the day-long gig will feature six acts selected by Neave, whose music platform The Support Act has become a familiar presence on the region’s grassroots music scene.
It’s a new opportunity for someone who already spends much of her spare time at gigs, behind a microphone or interviewing musicians on stage.
“Promoter is a new word that’s being used to describe me, which is taking a bit of getting used to - but I’ll happily take it,” she laughs.
Neave’s more formalised involvement in the local music scene began when she launched The Support Act with fellow County Durham music fan Caitlin Foster five-or-so years ago.
Together they produced a radio show and podcast dedicated to unsigned and emerging artists, alongside gig reviews and interviews aimed at giving local musicians more attention.
When Caitlin stepped away earlier this year, Neave decided to continue The Support Act solo. The podcast has recently relaunched, with plans for weekly episodes drawing on her seemingly inexhaustible appetite for live music.
For someone who also works a “standard Monday-to-Friday day job”, it is a considerable commitment.
But Neave is rarely happier than when she’s watching a band, whether at The Grove in Newcastle, KU Stockton - or wherever the music takes her.
“I’ll be anywhere there’s good music, to be honest,” she says.
Her enthusiasm has also taken her beyond reviewing and interviewing into presenting live events, including Sunday Sessions at Three Tanners Bank in North Shields and Between Sets at Newcastle’s Newgate Social.
Grainger Market Unplugged, however, is her biggest programming opportunity so far.
The invitation came from Generator, the North East music development organisation behind the Mercury Prize Fringe.
“They reached out and asked if I would be interested in doing Grainger Market Unplugged, where I would have pretty much all control over who I could have.
“They kind of just let me lead the way, to be honest. That felt great to have that freedom and their trust.”
Neave was tasked with choosing half a dozen artists from a regional music scene she immerses herself in, while taking into account the unusual surroundings and acoustic format.
The biggest difficulty, she says, was narrowing down the possibilities.
“I suppose the hardest part was only being able to have six.”
It was also important that the programme reflected more than Newcastle alone, and that artists who might not previously have enjoyed the exposure of a Mercury Fringe event were given an opportunity.
“I wanted to pick people who maybe hadn’t had the same exposure as other artists that I know, or hadn’t played any of the Fringe events last year,” she explains.
The resulting line-up takes in folk, country, Americana and indie, with some performers offering audiences a very different version of their usual sound.
Opening proceedings are County Durham indie-folk duo FAWNS, whose harmonies are accompanied by acoustic guitar, banjo and harmonica.
There is a personal connection here: one of the duo, Abby, is Neave’s tattoo artist.
Neave has heard plenty about her musical ambitions during their appointments, and is pleased to be able to offer the band a platform.
Teesside-born, North Shields-based singer-songwriter Sam Bennett follows, bringing songs rooted in everyday experiences and drawing on folk, Americana and alternative country.
Next is Newcastle’s Hels Pattison, whose alt-Americana sound combines country influences with candid storytelling.
Neave has known Hels for years and says the singer had long wanted to perform in Grainger Market after seeing earlier Unplugged events.
Newcastle singer-songwriter Josh Webb is another personal favourite, having impressed Neave with his debut single Flowers and subsequent releases.
Then come two bands better known for playing with rather more amplification.
Polyvinyl, normally a six-piece, will strip back their sound for an acoustic performance, with Neave particularly looking forward to hearing singer Annabella's vocals in a different setting.
Closing the event are Bear Park, whose upbeat indie sound is not usually associated with acoustic performances.
Their inclusion has particular significance for Neave.
“Bear Park were my first ever interview. I interviewed them at Xerox years and years ago,” she recalls.
“So that’s quite a nice full circle moment for me and it’s unusual to hear them do an acoustic set.”
The event is supported by Creative Central NCL, with Grainger Market providing a setting that brings the music directly to people who might not ordinarily attend a gig.
Vix Leaney, Creative Central NCL project manager, said: “We’re delighted to support emerging artists through Grainger Unplugged and help showcase the incredible creative talent we have in the city. Grainger Market continues to be a vibrant home for all kinds of cultural activity, bringing music, performance and creativity into the heart of Newcastle.”
Newcastle City Council’s cabinet member for culture, communities and youth services, Councillor Rob Austin, sees it as an opportunity to connect the city’s cultural heritage with its next generation of musicians.
“Creating opportunities for new and local musicians to perform, connect with audiences and have their music heard is so important to the future of our music scene,” he said.
“By giving artists a platform and helping more people discover their talent, we are supporting the next generation of musicians and strengthening the grassroots music scene that makes Newcastle’s cultural offer so distinctive.”
For Generator, the event also illustrates how the Fringe can offer opportunities beyond the performers themselves.
Adam MacDonald, its North East project manager, said: “Grainger Market Unplugged is a great example of what the Mercury Prize Fringe is all about – creating opportunities for emerging talent and the people championing them.
“Giving a local music platform like The Support Act the opportunity to programme an event during such a prestigious week in such an iconic space in Newcastle is a fantastic platform to showcase their ideas and shine a light on the wealth of emerging talent across the region.”
Neave believes the North East music scene is in particularly good shape, with a growing variety of genres appearing on grassroots stages.
“There seems to be much more of a variety now as well,” she says. “It’s not just your typical indie boy bands or your singer songwriters.”
Jazz, country and heavier music are all finding audiences, she adds.
As for the Mercury Prize itself, Neave will be at the ceremony and would love to see one of the North East’s two shortlisted acts, South Shields singer JADE or Newcastle jazz outfit Knats, take home the award.
First, though, there is a busy and very tuneful Saturday (Oct 17) in Grainger Market to look forward to.
With performances every hour from 11am until 5pm, entry is free, and visitors can come and go as they please.
And Neave has even thought about the football fixtures when putting the schedule together.
“Everyone still has chance to go and watch the football afterwards because Newcastle are playing at home,” she says.
As a season ticket holder, she admits that was an essential consideration.
Grainger Market Unplugged takes place on Saturday, October 17, from 11am to 5pm. Admission is free, with performances on the hour throughout the day. Check out the rest of the Mercury Prize Fringe Programme here.
Sounds interesting, it’ll certainly get the Facebook crowd moaning.