The Twilight Sad - The Boiler Shop, Newcastle 03.05.2026

It’s been a couple of years since I saw The Twilight Sad and that was a shorter set supporting The Cure in an arena so tonight’s headliner in the cosier surroundings of The Boiler Shop promised to be something special.

The band are currently out in support of the latest album 'It’s A Long Goodbye' which is a raw emotional piece of work centering around the loss of a loved one to dementia and the grief that takes its toll both during and after the process.

The new album takes up the majority of the set and it’s easy to see why when the material is so powerful.

Kicking off with 'Dead Flowers', Cat Meyers ( Mogwai / Texas and many others ) and Simone Butler ( Primal Scream / JAMC) show just why they’ve been asked to be the live rhythm section nailing down that almost industrial groove whilst Andy MacFarlane creates a huge soundscape of fuzzed out guitar and James Graham at the centre of it all twisting and turning putting every ounce of his being into each word he delivers … and this is just the first song.

I’m stood dumbstruck in the photo pit not sure what’s just hit me and with no time to gather my thoughts the up tempo almost pop like (despite the songs premise) 'Designed To Lose' has me dancing (well my version) around my pit pals trying to get some snaps.

It’s well known that I’m not the biggest fan of trying to shoot back lit shows with loads of haze and strobes, HOWEVER tonight’s performance was a perfect example of where that kind of production works best. Silhouetted against the huge red and blue washes made James’ presence even more dramatic and amplified the intensity of the material. I just hope I managed to get some of that in the photos as he is one of the most charismatic frontman I’ve seen, you can’t take your eyes off him as he careers around the stage he just draws you in.

'VTr' is the first of the earlier songs to be aired in the set along with 'Last January' and 'The Arbour', James’ distinctive tones and Andy’s understated but wonderful melodies drawing the audience in with their warmth and depth.

There’s A Girl In The Corner hits hard with its sombre repetition

“… You're not coming back

You're not coming back from there

She's not coming back

She's not coming back from there”

whilst Cat provides a massive metronome of a beat - it’s no wonder Robert Smith wanted to cover this one as well as invite the band to support The Cure on many a tour.

As I said earlier the latest album does take on the heavy lifting in the set with 9 of its 10 tracks being aired but as this album is already sitting high on a lot of folks album of the year lists, the songs are met with enthusiasm and rapturous applause.

'Back To Fourteen' pretty much breaks me it’s such a stand out track not only on the album but here late in the set as the plaintive reprise builds and builds giving way to 'Cold Day In The Birdhouse' from the 'Fourteen Autumns & Fifteen Winters' album (a brilliant link in my opinion with the 14s) during which Simone, Cat and Andy create a sonic wall of epic Mogwai like proportions kicking the crowd in its collective chest!

The set ends aptly with the album closer 'TV People Still Throwing TVs At People' and sees James at his most emotional

“ It's okay you feel this way

I don't wanna feel this way

Is it okay you feel this way?

I don't wanna feel this way”

As he wrestles these words along with the mic stand back and forth across the stage the band leave the stage one by one and he’s left on his knees on his own, head in hands, this performance is so deeply personal it must take everything out of him nightly but at the same time it must be so cathartic releasing that emotion in this way.

There wasn’t much chat between songs but James did thank the crowd for coming out and sticking with the band even though it’s been seven years since they played here. Thanking local promoter Joel for believing in them from the early days was also a lovely touch.

“Thanks for wanting to spend your Sunday with us miserable bastards,” made me laugh I have to admit.

Sad songs making people happy - long may it reign.

The Twilight Sad

Photos & Review - G's Gig Shots