North Riding @Newcastle Pilgrim 06.11.27
Those following the well-trodden path to the musical sanctuary that is Pilgrim might have missed out on the myriad bonfires burning across the North East on a chilly November evening.
But if fireworks are your thing then this was the only place to be.
A reassuringly explosive performance from North Riding reminded the Pilgrim massive that you don’t need to hail from Austin or Nashville to craft impossibly catchy Americana.
And as a kaleidoscope of colour filled the Tyneside sky, Darlington’s own pocket rocket set about having a blast in one of her favourite homes from home.
Hayley McKay’s played Pilgrim before but never with a full band backing her powerhouse pipes.
Faced with making herself heard above dual guitars, keys, a fiddle and more, she rose to the challenge. And then some.
McKay’s always been an expressive, emotive and engaging storyteller but motherhood seems to suit her well.
Nine months after the birth of her first child, she’s on fire — new songs (slated for a 2027 album) and fan favourites paced a fabulous night as much about North Riding’s exciting future as the band’s Bob Harris-approved past.
McKay and partner David Neil Crabtree might sit at the core of an evolving line-up but a slew of familiar faces made the packed stage a hive of warm creativity.
Christina Andropolis enhances the vibe of any room with her often furious fiddling and the North Riding sound is better for it.
Meanwhile, Charlie Smith, Jack Watson, Pete McDonald and Will Froggatt added serious depth to the intuitive talent pool that helped bring Hurry Back, Hopetown and Breathe to life.
Teasing the unreleased I Believe In You added weight to the theory that North Riding stand on the cusp of their biggest and best year yet.
We’re there for it.
When McKay and Crabtree honed their special partnership across three months and 40-plus US shows back in 2024, a spark was lit.
Safe to say, North Riding’s burning ambition hasn’t waned since. Watch this space…