Preview: 150th SSVLB at South Shields Customs House

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Top band celebrates with the 

Life Brigade at the Customs House

150^th Anniversary of South Shields Volunteer Life Brigade.

South Shields Customs House

Saturday 23^rd July 2016

One of the North East’s foremost traditional music bands will be performing at The Customs House on Saturday 23^rd July in a special evening to celebrate the 150^th anniversary of South Shields Volunteer Life Brigade.

Acclaimed singer/songwriter Jez Lowe and The Bad Pennies have been playing their songs and music of Northern England for a decade and a half around the folk festivals, clubs and concert stages of the world.  They will be joined by Tyneside legend Johnny Handle.

“Acoustic simplicity coupled with electric vitality” was how Jez Lowe and The Bad Pennies were described in their early days, and with half a dozen albums to their credit, along with solo albums by Jez and by other members of the group, their following has continued to increase.

In 2006 alone they have played in America, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Holland, Belgium and of course all over the UK and Ireland. Strong vocals, backed by outstanding instrumental back-up on guitar, cittern, fiddle, fretless bass, keyboards and Northumbrian Pipes, have made them one of Britain’s top attractions on the folk/acoustic/Celtic circuit.

Jez is a Sony Award Winning singer/songwriter from County Durham and he Jez shows no sign of slowing down, with tours of America, Holland, Australia and Canada lined up over the next twelve months, alongside an enviable list of UK dates.

He’s also featured on a brand new album of songs dealing with forced child migration, instigated by the Victoria and Albert Museum in London, entitled On Our Own, alongside Boo Hewerdine, John McCusker, Chris While and Julie Matthews, John Doyle and Andy Cutting.

Tom Fennelly, Honorary Secretary of the Brigade says: ”After the formal events earlier in the year commemorating the founding of the Brigade in 1866 these promises to be night of excellent music and song with County Durham-born Jez Lowe and his band in a venue close to mouth of the Tyne which was the scene of so many of the shipwrecks and rescues carried out by the Volunteer Life Brigade. It is a great chance to enjoy some of the best local live traditional music by a well-known band with a great repertoire and a great reputation.”

A major exhibition celebrating the 150^th anniversary of South Shields Volunteer Life Brigade is now open at South Shields Museum and will run until September 17^th. The exhibition traces the history and development of this unique lifesaving organisation which was the first in the world to save life from shipwreck using the breeches buoy.

This weekend also sees next Open Days weekend at the Watch House on Saturday & Sunday July 23rd^th/24^th. Visitors are welcome between 10.00am and 4.00pm each day.

A commemorative documentary film has been commissioned tracing the history and development of the Volunteer Life Brigade featuring contributions from Members past and present.  There will be an official launch of the new film in coming weeks.

A new commemorative brochure will also be produced towards the end of the year of celebrations.

Further information is available on the Brigade web site www.ssvlb.org.uk  or visitsouthtyneside.co.uk Follow them on Facebook at www.facebook.com/SSVLB  

Tickets:

Tickets price £15 are available from The Customs House booking office 0191 454 1234. Bookings can also be made online at: www.customshouse.co.uk. The performance starts at 8.00pm.