Dawn Storey

Durham

Music Writer at NARC.

Proud Teessider, writer for @narc_magazine, greyhound mum and anxious introvert. Here we go, 2-3-4.

Featured in: Favicon

narcmagazine.com Favicon

talkhouse.com

Articles

INTERVIEW: Hamish Hawk

Feb 4, 2025 | narcmagazine.com | Dawn Storey

Image by Dawn StoreyIf you’re yet to witness the spectacle of a Hamish Hawk gig, February’s tour is the time to rectify that. Their critically acclaimed third album, A Firmer Hand, reached number 22 in September and the Edinburgh five-piece never disappoint. Their electric energy and Hawk’s inimitable dancing are intoxicating, and it was a pleasure to sit down for a chat with him while he and his band were in the North East to support Travis.
INTERVIEW: Dilettante

Jan 24, 2025 | narcmagazine.com | Dawn Storey

As an anxious soul who needs time to recharge after social interactions, I feel something of an affinity with Dilettante’s Francesca Pidgeon. A fellow introvert, she has spoken openly about her mental health, struggling to connect with people and seeing the world differently due to her neurodivergence.
LIVE REVIEW: King Creosote, Emily Barker @ The Fire Station, Sunderland (18.11.24)

Nov 18, 2024 | narcmagazine.com | Dawn Storey

Image: King Creosote by Dawn StoreyKing Creosote has one of those rare voices which could sing any jumble of words and still remain completely captivating, even when it’s just him and his guitar. With a seven-piece band around him, however, his work is even more spellbinding.
LIVE REVIEW: Abe Partridge, David Ford @ Old Cinema Launderette, Durham (25.10.24)

Oct 31, 2024 | narcmagazine.com | Dawn Storey

Image by Louise WilkinIt’s the second time these two gents have played a Launderette show together, and another sell-out. David Ford is captivating in his ability to switch easily between angelic wail and gravel-throated growl, and Go to Hell and Real Damn Slow best demonstrate this skill tonight, while When We Were Young is especially poignant.
LIVE REVIEW: Ian Prowse & Amsterdam, The Gleeman @ The Studio, Hartlepool (12.10.24)

Oct 13, 2024 | narcmagazine.com | Dawn Storey

Image: Ian Prowse by Richard StoreyLiverpool legend Ian Prowse has covered a lot of miles this year. Alongside his own tours, he’s put in extra shifts supporting Damien Dempsey and Elvis Costello, and now ends 2024 with a handful of Mersey Hymns shows bolstered by a full band. Support act The Gleeman apologises for the number of “death-oriented songs” in his set.
INTERVIEW: Club Paradise

Oct 9, 2024 | narcmagazine.com | Dawn Storey

October will be a busy month for Club Paradise. Originally formed at school back in 2011 to do a show of cover versions, they began to write their own songs soon afterwards, and now the North Shields four-piece are preparing to release their new EP, followed by a hometown headline show at Three Tanners Bank on Saturday 19th October. “In terms of life span, we’ve been in a band together collectively almost longer than we haven’t,” says lead guitarist Jackson.
LIVE REVIEW: Bear Park, Pretty Velvet, Lauren Amour, Alation @ The Grove, Newcastle (04.10.24)

Oct 7, 2024 | narcmagazine.com | Dawn Storey

Image: Bear Park by Dawn StoreyFriday night at Howay Fest brings four North East acts to The Grove, headlined by the mighty Bear Park. Openers Alation wear their influences on their sleeves, intertwining their own tunes with some classic Britpop cover versions and a Gallagher’s worth of swagger. Singing that she “chose glitter as her armour”, Jarrow’s Lauren Amour literally sparkles through a set of brilliantly catchy pop songs delivered in her powerful, soulful voice.
LIVE REVIEW: Hope & Social @ Village Hall, Hutton Rudby (15.09.24)

Sep 16, 2024 | narcmagazine.com | Dawn Storey

Image by Dawn StoreyThe Ride is the name of Hope & Social’s latest album – which couldn’t be more fitting for the rollercoaster of emotions that their Hutton Rudby gig brings to the fore. It was 2021 when the boys (and girl) in blue last visited the North East, their touring cruelly halted when frontman Simon was treated for a rare form of Leukemia.
ALBUM REVIEW: Hamish Hawk - A Firmer Hand

Aug 13, 2024 | narcmagazine.com | Dawn Storey

So RecordingsReleased: 16.08.24As opening sentences go, “He said, ‘Death-wise, I wanna be cremated’” is quite a jump from the “” uncertainty of previous album Angel Numbers.
INTERVIEW: Joe Hammill

Jun 19, 2024 | narcmagazine.com | Dawn Storey

Cattle & Cane’s Joe Hammill has decided the time is right to release some solo material. He says that the songs he’s written recently felt like ones he needed to sing by himself, but that leaving his siblings behind to go it alone has its pros and cons. “In some ways it’s harder being solo because it’s all on you to make a good show. But there’s more freedom in being able to change things up mid song, which I do tend to do.