Spark Entertainment
Roker Records, located on Fulwell Rd in Sunderland, has been open for little over a month and has already become a hotspot for vinyl collectors in the North East. I spoke to shop owner Iain Wakefield about opening his own shop, and turning his longstanding love for vinyl records into business. Roker Records is open […]
Oxford University Press has named ‘rage bait’ as its 2025 Word of the Year – but what does Sunderland think? Hannah Rooney went to find out. This year’s Oxford Word of the Year – ‘rage bait’ – describes a tactic where internet users purposefully inspire anger in others, to drive their profile on social […]
Snowed In Sunlun is back, and this time it’s bigger than ever. Snowed In is a festive-themed charity gig, run by Sunderland University’s Northern Academy of Music Education (NAME) students. This year, they are expanding the initiative and putting on two shows, one at Pop Recs, Sunderland, on December 10th and the other at Vixen […]
Going Back Brockens is an exhibition, currently displayed at Sunderland Museum and Winter Gardens, that revisits colliery sites, 40 years after the Miner’s Strike. Why is it important that these stories are told years after they happened? Narbi Price, the artist of the paintings within the exhibit, said: “We gain a richer understanding of what’s come before, what is happening now – […]
The festive period is well and truly upon us, and with that comes pantomime! This year sees Sleeping Beauty make an appearance at Sunderland Empire, with a cast that includes everyone from TV stars to the usual crowd favourites! When a beautiful Princess is cursed by the evil Carabosse on the eve of her 18th […]
REVIEW Say Nothing is not a comprehensive history of the Troubles – nor does it pretend to be. The series focuses on the stories of a select group of people during the conflict; kidnapped Belfast mother Jean McConville, IRA members Brendan Hughes and Dolours and Marian Price, and former Sinn Féin leader Gerry Adams. As the show dutifully notes at the end of each episode, Adams has always […]
November 27 was a day of firsts for me. Since moving to the city of Sunderland over the summer, I have already heard much about the blossoming live music scene, with The Fire Station always being on the tip of most tongues. Despite this, I had never found the chance to visit the venue. So […]
Black Friday is upon us and Cyber Monday is just around the corner. Particularly with Christmas fast approaching, this is an opportunity everyone enjoys to save money ahead of the Christmas season, so here are the top 10 businesses that are saving you money this Christmas. Amazon Amazon sells almost everything you can think […]
Kinky Boots, the Olivier and Tony Award-winning stage musical, is strutting its way into Sunderland Empire. With a score from pop icon Cyndi Lauper, the musical is an adaptation of the 2005 film of the same name, which is itself based on a true story. The Golden Globe-nominated film starred Chiwetel Ejiofor as Lola, with […]
Sunderland pianists are set to attempt to break the Guinness World Record for the longest piano relay. The Sunderland Music, Arts and Culture Trust has partnered with Sunderland Music City, inviting musicians from all over the city to take part. The event will take place at The Fire Station in the city centre. […]
