Want to get moving in 2025? TALA have got you covered. It’s an absolutely dreadful cliché, but “new year, new me” really does seem to apply to many of us. Whether you overdid it with mince pies and sherry over Christmas or just want to start 2025 feeli…

If you’re on the lookout for a new suit to kick off the new year, you might want to head to the newly-refurbished Moss store at the Metro Centre. After a temporary closure, Moss is back and it’s no longer just about getting suited and booted. Although …

Considering we’re still in the depths of winter, there’s still plenty of time to get the most out of your knitwear, and we’ve been eyeing up Bella Freud’s jumpers for some time now. Inspired by a whole host of undeniably cool sources, one of them most …

Yael van der Wouden’s first novel – which was shortlisted for the Booker this year – is one of the most striking debuts I’ve read in a while. It’s set in 1961. The Netherlands. Isabel lives alone, save the attentions of a housekeeper, in the family home. …

After the gloom and horror of 2024’s year in politics Snapper decided to take some time off and gave me, loyal lieutenant, gopher and wing-man, the chance of writing an all singing, all dancing review of the musical year, so, without further ado, let’s be…

‘CHROMAKOPIA’ is an eclectic deep-dive into Tyler, The Creator’s psyche, exploring everything from aging, to his relationship with his mother, to white supremacy, to sex via his signature, razor-sharp lyrics and commanding flow. The range of genres and so…

This second album from Irish avant-garde punk artist Meryl Streek is a beautiful yet harrowing examination of social inequality in Ireland. It’s filled with politically-charged rage, delivered via the searing passion of Streek’s vocals and his slam poetry…

Ruby Kelly trousered our Single Of The Month gong last month and with good reason: she’s one of finest singer/songwriters working in the region today. ‘St Elmo’ was the track that I made Single Of The Month in our November issue and to recap: it’s brillia…

Dark Turtle has its roots firmly in the region – and they do like a turtle… It might be a major cliché, but one thing we love about the north-east is that it has quite literally everything. Beautiful coastline? Got it. Rural countryside? Got it. City life…

One of the easiest ways for a brand to cut down on its wasted products is to only make what people are actually buying, which is why TWOTHIRDS operates mostly under a pre-order model. With TWOTHIRDS, you pick exactly what you want, then they make it for y…

Another amazing brand to hail from our little region is NOVO, who shun trends in favour of making clothes that are timeless enough to be a staple in your wardrobe for years to come. Founded in Durham, NOVO chooses to focus on minimalist silhouettes and ta…

‘We are Blyth Star’ showcases the creative talents of a group of adults with learning disabilities and mental health needs. You can see it at RePUBlic Gallery. Launched in 2021, RePUBlic Gallery is a contemporary gallery and community space located in the…

Zambian-Welsh writer-director Nyoni’s striking follow up to her supremely confident debut feature ‘I am Not a Witch’ is a brooding, darkly comic examination of contemporary Zambian society with surreal touches. We first encounter middle-class woman Shula …

Following the kinetic thrill of ‘Challengers’ Guadagnino shifts to something more languid with this adaptation of William Burroughs’ novella. It is Mexico in the 1940s and louche writer Lee (Craig), having evaded police during a drugs bust, spends his day…

A cursory look at our listings pages will tell you that the region’s theatres are caught in the midst of a crossdressing frenzy, the kind of which would no doubt be banned in Trump’s America. In short, it’s panto season and here are a few of our faves. …