A Great Day In Newcastle

Win Brick Lane Jazz Festival Tickets

We’re celebrating the release of A Great Day In Newcastle, the forthcoming album from rising Newcastle jazz quintet Knats, who will be playing at Brick Lane Jazz Festival on Saturday, 25th April.

To Enter: Pre-order A Great Day In Newcastle on any format at Rough Trade to be in with a chance to win two Saturday daytime tickets to Brick Lane Jazz Festival, giving you the chance to see Knats perform at 93 Feet East, or enter by signing up to our newsletter HERE. Competition closes at midnight on the 23rd April 2026. Winners will be notified by email.

A Great Day in Newcastle is a musical documentation of the North East working-class experience.

Through a storytelling approach, with the addition of new member and poet Cooper Robson, the record explores darker themes such as substance abuse, crime and toxic masculinity within a distinct Geordie jazz noir soundscape. Despite this, it retains a light, playful tone that fully embodies classic Northern optimism.

With Cooper’s poetry combined with Stan’s evolving composition, King’s orchestration and groove-led arrangements, and Ferg’s melodic sensibility, the record showcases a clear progression in the band’s sound while still returning to their rock roots. The project is supported by producer and friend Geordie Greep.

Alongside longstanding members Sandro Shar (keys) and George Johnson (tenor sax), the band reaches new levels of intensity across this 45-minute work.