THE FRONT ROW

Hey there, and welcome to the very first edition of The Front Row Magazine!

I’m Adam Graver, your personal guide to all things grassroots music and theatre. This is your ticket to the heart of the action, celebrating the venues, artists, and shows that make your local scene so electric.

Kicking off our January edition are our “Ones to Watch” for 2025. With so many artists making waves in 2024, we struggled to condense this down to just three artists, but we’ve done it. So read on to find out why we’re tipping Alex Spencer, Ellur & Freddie Halkon for success next year.

Our Artist of the Month, Slow Readers Club, are back with a brand new album in 2025 so we thought we’d go deep in conversation with the guys to find out about the making of the record, the lyrics that mean the most and more to give you the best insight into “Out of a Dream”.

For venue lovers, we’re shining a well-deserved spotlight on Newcastle’s Cluny. This place is more than a venue—it’s a community hub for live music lovers. Gritty, authentic, and packed with personality, it’s the kind of space that makes grassroots music thrive.

And comedy fans, you’re in for a treat! This month’s featured act is Ania Magliano. Her 2023 stand up show, I Can’t Believe You’ve Done This, was nominated for the Edinburgh Comedy Award for Best Show, and sold out its entire Fringe run before the festival began. We speak to Ania about everything from that Off Menu Podcast episode, to writing with Amelia Dimoldenberg.

So, here’s to the start of something new, vibrant, and unapologetically independent. This is The Front Row. Take your seat, get stuck in, and let’s celebrate the music and theatre that keeps us all coming back for more. See you on the front row.