BBC Proms in Gateshead: Nadine Shah and Royal Northern Sinfonia reshape the boundaries of the festival concert
BBC Proms in Gateshead on 24 July brings together artists in an encounter that can hardly be reduced to an ordinary concert with an orchestra. Nadine Shah, a songwriter with a powerful voice and uncompromising lyrics, performs with the Royal Northern Sinfonia ensemble, conducted by Ellie Slorach, in the Concourse space inside The Glasshouse International Centre for Music. The performance begins at 21:00 and is scheduled to end at 23:15.
The special guest is the band Knats, while the orchestral arrangements were prepared by Anna Phoebe and Charlotte Harding. The programme is conceived as a cross-section of Shah's discography, from early songs to material from more recent releases, but within a new sonic framework: her post-punk, jazz-tinged art rock and dark electronic textures expand through the orchestral colours of Royal Northern Sinfonia.
The concert is part of the three-day BBC Proms in the North East programme, rather than an isolated tour stop. Tickets for this event are in high demand. The event page currently states that only returned tickets are being released for sale, so it is worth checking availability regularly if you have not yet secured your place.
A festival connecting Gateshead, Sunderland and Middlesbrough in 2026
BBC Proms began in 1895, and the 2026 edition runs from 17 July to 12 September. The North East festival weekend is being held for the fifth year and, for the first time, connects Gateshead, Sunderland and Middlesbrough.
This is not a festival at a single outdoor location with a campsite and one wristband, but a network of concerts in urban cultural venues. The programme ranges from contemporary chamber and choral music to folk, jazz, indie rock and orchestral collaborations.
The published programme includes:
- The Unthanks and friends with Royal Northern Sinfonia at Middlesbrough Town Hall
- BBC Introducing Live at The Proms in Sage Two
- Morton Feldman's Crippled Symmetry in Sage Two
- Nadine Shah and Royal Northern Sinfonia on the Concourse stage
- Choirs on the Concourse with Jess Gillam at The Glasshouse
- Mozart and Mendelssohn at The Fire Station in Sunderland
Royal Northern Sinfonia is at the centre of the entire weekend. The orchestra does not serve as decoration alongside popular performers, but as an equal partner that changes the structure, dynamics and emotional range of familiar songs. It is precisely this kind of dialogue between genres that marks the main difference from festivals that simply place one performer after another on the same stage.
Nadine Shah: five albums, powerful themes and a first BBC Proms appearance
Nadine Shah comes from South Tyneside and returns to Gateshead with a catalogue spanning five studio albums: Love Your Dum and Mad, Fast Food, Holiday Destination, Kitchen Sink and Filthy Underneath. Holiday Destination was nominated for the Mercury Prize, and her work often connects personal experience with social themes - from grief, mental health and addiction to sexism, identity and the position of migrants.
For Shah, this is her BBC Proms debut. Her songs already have a strong sense of space: her voice pushes against rough rhythms, repetitive guitars, brass instruments and sudden shifts in intensity. The orchestra can therefore emphasise what is already present in the compositions.
The published repertoire features twelve pieces:
- Aching Bones
- Topless Mother
- Trad
- Fool
- Out the Way
- Holiday Destination
- All I Want
- Kite
- Prayer Mat
- Sad Lads Anonymous
- Stealing Cars
- Greatest Dancer
The order of the individual songs during the evening has not been published, so it is not possible to determine the opening, finale or any possible encores with certainty. It is known, however, that the programme includes songs from different stages of her career as well as new material. One interval is planned, and the performance will be recorded for later broadcast on BBC Radio 3.
What the orchestral arrangements bring
Anna Phoebe and Charlotte Harding are responsible for the orchestral arrangements. Phoebe works as a violinist, composer and screen-music writer, while Harding is a composer, orchestrator and saxophonist whose work connects contemporary classical and electronic music. Their role is crucial: the songs must remain recognisable while simultaneously acquiring a new internal architecture.
The published concert description emphasises changes in depth, colour and space - from a broad orchestral sound to completely stripped-back moments.
The confirmed performers on stage are:
- Nadine Shah - vocals
- Ellie Slorach - conductor
- Royal Northern Sinfonia - orchestra
- Ben Nicholls - bass
- Dan Crook - guitar and synthesisers
- Knats - special guest
Royal Northern Sinfonia and Ellie Slorach are not a backing ensemble
Royal Northern Sinfonia is the resident orchestra of The Glasshouse and brings together 37 musicians. The ensemble has more than six decades of work behind it, but its present-day profile is not based solely on the classical repertoire. The orchestra regularly collaborates with artists from different genres, ranging from chamber and choral music to projects with popular performers.
Ellie Slorach, Associate Conductor of Royal Northern Sinfonia, has a particular focus on large multimedia and cross-genre projects. She made her BBC Proms debut at The Glasshouse in 2024. In this programme, her task is not merely to maintain the precision of a large ensemble, but to coordinate the orchestra with Shah's band, the electronic elements and the guest appearance by Knats.
Knats describe their music as "Geordie jazz". The Newcastle trio of Stan Woodward, King David-Ike Elechi and Ferg Kilsby combines jazz with rock, punk and club energy. Their album A Great Day in Newcastle is musically linked to working-class experience and the identity of North East England. On an evening already built around the local connection between Shah and Royal Northern Sinfonia, their performance further reinforces the sense that the programme speaks from a specific place rather than merely visiting it.
The Concourse becomes the main festival stage
The concert is not being held in the traditional Sage One hall, but in the Concourse, the large central space of The Glasshouse. During the summer refurbishment of Sage One, the Concourse is taking on a more important role in the programme. Its high, curved roof, open volume and views through the glass envelope give it a character that differs significantly from a conventional concert box.
Shah's songs can sound very intimate and almost claustrophobic, while the orchestra opens them out into large, cinematic arcs. The Concourse allows that contrast to be experienced spatially as well, in the very centre of the building.
The Glasshouse stands on Gateshead Quays, on the southern bank of the River Tyne, close to the BALTIC Centre for Contemporary Art and Gateshead Millennium Bridge. The curved glass building by Foster + Partners is a recognisable part of the riverside landscape of Newcastle and Gateshead.
Places disappear quickly when returned tickets become available. Since the page currently marks the concert as sold out, it is not advisable to rely on making a last-minute purchase.
Practical information for arrival and entry
The building's address is St Mary's Square, Gateshead Quays, Gateshead, NE8 2JR. A separate postcode, NE8 2BA, is used for navigation to the car park. The car park is located behind the building, less than 200 metres from the entrance, and operates with automatic number-plate recognition and cashless payment. Free accessible parking spaces are available for Blue Badge holders.
Public transport is often the simpler option:
- Gateshead Metro is approximately a 10-minute walk away.
- Newcastle Central is approximately a 20-minute walk away.
- A concert ticket provides free travel to and from Gateshead Metro station, including the Shields Ferry, during the two hours before and two hours after the concert.
- There is a taxi drop-off point beside the west entrance.
- Bicycle racks are located beside the main entrances.
Traffic delays are possible because of the multi-year refurbishment of the Tyne Bridge, and the A167 Gateshead Highway flyover is currently closed to traffic. Drivers should check the latest city notices immediately before departure and allow additional time for their journey.
The Glasshouse is open that Friday from 17:30 until 1:30, but this is not the same as the opening time for entry to the concert area itself. No separate door-opening time has been published for the concert, so it is sensible to arrive early for ticket and bag checks. Visitors under the age of 14 must be accompanied by an adult.
Bags, cloakroom and entry rules
All bags are inspected on arrival. Small bags may be brought inside, but every backpack, regardless of size, and any bag larger than A4 must be left in the cloakroom. The cloakroom is free, is located near the west entrance and has limited capacity, so it is best to travel with the minimum number of belongings.
Items that are not permitted include personal alcoholic drinks, glass bottles, pyrotechnics, laser pointers, noise-making devices, chairs, drones and large signs. Food and drink from outside are also not permitted, except where there is a medical or dietary need. For medical and accessibility exceptions, contacting the venue box office in advance is recommended.
Food, drink and payment
During the BBC Proms weekend, bars, a café and catering points operate inside the building. The published selection includes classic and vegan bratwursts, a chilli dog, sandwiches, pastries and cakes. Only food and drink purchased at The Glasshouse may be brought into the concert area, with exceptions for health-related reasons.
All catering points are cashless and accept cards and mobile payments. Since the concert ends at 23:15 and the building remains open longer, the audience can stay after the performance without rushing towards the exit. This is also practical for those waiting for later transport.
How to plan a festival evening without unnecessary rushing
On the same Friday at 19:00, Morton Feldman's Crippled Symmetry is performed in Sage Two, while Shah's concert begins at 21:00 on the Concourse. These two programmes demonstrate the breadth of the festival within a single building: rarely performed contemporary chamber music precedes an orchestral encounter between post-punk, jazz and indie rock. Visitors with tickets for both events should follow the duration of the first programme and staff instructions rather than assume that there is a long break between the concerts.
No knowledge of the classical repertoire is required for a first encounter with BBC Proms. The points of entry are Shah's voice, lyrics and the band's rhythm, while the Royal Northern Sinfonia audience can hear how a chamber orchestra responds to post-punk, synthesisers and contemporary British jazz.
The available information for this concert does not mention a campsite, festival wristbands, a VIP area or a multi-day pass. The ticket is valid for the specific programme on 24 July. This simplifies planning: the most important things are to check ticket availability, the method of travel, the bag rules and return transport after 23:15.
It is worth securing tickets promptly when returns appear. This performance is interesting not only because of familiar songs in orchestral form, but because of the very precise combination of place, performers and festival concept: a songwriter from South Tyneside, an orchestra based in Gateshead, a young jazz band from Newcastle and a BBC Proms stage located in an open space beside the River Tyne.
Sources:
- The Glasshouse - date, time, performers, repertoire, duration, age rule and ticket status
- The Glasshouse Press - BBC Proms in the North East programme, festival concept and schedule across three cities
- The Glasshouse Your Visit - transport, parking, opening hours, bag rules, cloakroom and cashless payment
- The Glasshouse Royal Northern Sinfonia - ensemble, history and orchestra profile
- Nadine Shah - discography and current releases
- Ellie Slorach - biography and conducting profile
- Royal Albert Hall - history of BBC Proms and dates of the 2026 season
- VisitBritain and NewcastleGateshead - context for Gateshead Quays, Newcastle and riverside landmarks