Spark Entertainment
In the last decade-and-a-half, there has been an explosion in the popularity of vinyl records. But who are the people fuelling the vinyl revival? Callum Rowe investigates.
North East venue Bobiks has announced its closure after over four years. The closure comes after the Punch Bowl Hotel (which houses the venue) in Jesmond has recently changed operators from Frank & Bird to local Mexican restaurant Birria Bella. Bobiks themselves have given the reason for the closure as the music venue “doesn’t fit […]
By Erin Jardine Divine Image are a six-piece hardcore metal band from Sunderland, who describe themselves as “defying genre boundaries” and creating a “harsh, groovy wall of sound.” And it’s true that although they do a lot of heavy guitar riffing, they also have an atmospheric tone, reminiscent of Realm Of Torment and Xnomad. Divine […]
By Joseph Lynch Film rating: 8/10 Three years after the enigmatic spectacle that was Dennis Villeneuve’s Dune, we are blessed with a sequel – and one that delivers. Sequels are often regarded as very hit-or-miss in our culture. Sometimes we get ‘The Empire Strikes Back’, other times we get ‘Jaws: The Revenge’. But Dune Two […]
By Arley Armfield This month two masterful Madchester-era heavyweights resurfaced: Liam Gallagher, the powerful voice of Oasis, and Liam’s hero, John Squire of The Stone Roses. This unlikely duo formed after Squire’s search for a singer in the summer of 2023 ended up when Squire supported Gallagher at the sold-out Knebworth gigs, playing a mesmerising […]
Cinema chain Omniplex is looking for a general manager in Sunderland after the council signed a lease with a new cinema operator. Despite Sunderland’s film industry advancements, including plans for a major film and TV studio, the city remains without a multiplex cinema. There has been no official news on the new owner of the […]
Kim McGuinness, who is representing Labour in the upcoming North East mayoral election, has outlined her three main priorities if she was to be elected. She told Spark that she would focus on “Job creation, from the foundational economy with measures to support the high street to green engineering jobs backed by a Mayoral Development […]
A rise in the top 40 artists releasing more music on vinyl is helping independent shops to flourish in a time when high street footfall is at the lowest it has ever been. According to the ERA (Entertainment Retail Association), 36.7% of total physical music sales last year were in independent shops. This rise is […]
