Einstürzende Neubauten have announced a Greatest Hits set in the Boiler Shop, a new venue in Newcastle on 5th May 2017. What will be the group’s first gig to the north eastern capital takes place in a rather apt setting: throughout their four decades of operation Neubauten have made music from industrial equipment (drills, turbines, compressors etc), and the Boiler Shop is located in the old workshops where George Stephenson built the first steam locomotives in the world. The Locomotion was built here in 1825 for the Rainhill Trials, followed by the Rocket in 1829. The building was subsequently used to construct other railway locomotives, along with stationary engines for collieries, marine engines, bridges and even a steam driven chain ferry. You can buy tickets for the gig via Dice and <a href="http://www.wegottickets.com/event/390956 target="OUt">wegottickets. We asked Richard Clouston and Daveid Phillips of the Boiler Shop about the thinking behind the gig:
I believe this is Einstürzende Neubauten’s first visit to Newcastle. How did you pull it off?
Daveid Phillips: When Richard Clouston first talked to me about his vision for the Boiler Shop we both agreed Neubauten topped our wish list for the venue.
Richard Clouston: Neubauten are one of the greatest live bands in the world and very dear to our hearts. As Coil said in neon: ‘Persistence is all’, Daveid and I were determined to put them on, the band and their agent understood and supported our vision.
It will indeed be their first ever show in the North East, it’s a strong pairing: Newcastle is a fascinating, fiercely independent, creative, industrious, romantic city, brimming with robust humour and character.
It’s a real statement of intend for us. Whilst I love London, it’s really important that exceptional cultural events happen elsewhere. Look what The Quietus are achieving with the COUM Transmissions exhibition and programme in Hull, these things can be transform and inspire with great potency. Newcastle is a great destination for people to visit for a few days, it’s less than three hours away from Kings Cross, you get off the train and straight into it, you can do everything on foot.
They’ll be playing in the room where the first steam locomotives were built, which seems very appropriate. Was that in your mind when approaching them?
DP: We certainly let them have all the info on the significant industrial history of the building…
RDC: Absolutely, Boiler Shop is Grade II Listed as part of Stephenson Works, the world’s first commercial locomotive factory. Einstürzende Neubauten performing in the crucible of the Industrial Revolution is a very exciting proposition.
Is part of the Boiler Shop philosophy going to be booking acts that ‘suit’ the space, as it were?
RDC: Yes, any of our in-house ‘Boiler Shop Presents’ promotions are curated to suit both the venue and the city. We worked very closely with our architects Xsite to ensure the space retains its beautiful patina and unique features but was greatly enhanced with state of the art tech to enable us to put on a broad spectrum of events and to be very clear, we have a bloody good sound system.
What are your plans for Boiler Shop for the rest of the year?
RDC: To continue with ambitious, high quality programming with our joint venture and in house events. For example, The Fall are playing in the 23rd February and we’re doing our own festival in November with some exceptional live acts and DJs that we’re really looking forward to announcing soon. Come here and we’ll blow your mind.
What’s your favourite EN gig experience (until this one)?
RDC: I attended their New Year’s Eve 2015 – 2016 show in Berlin. Simply it was an absolutely stunning, very moving performance, the audience and the group created a very special atmosphere.
DP: Mine was promoting them at the Grand Theatre back in 1993, when they actually ‘played’ gravel pouring out of a cement mixer, ‘Headcleaner’ was a particular highlight.
