Pilgrim’s New Journey Starts Now
Soul, R&B, disco, funk, and more return to soundtrack one of the North East’s favourite independent music venues this weekend following a full refit and rebrand.
Newcastle’s Pilgrim — formerly Hoochie Coochie — is promising a glimpse of the future and plenty of nostalgic nods to the past as a tried and tested formula is tweaked for 2025.
And that means must-see live music, party-starting DJs, and venue exclusives across a packed opening weekend programme starting this Friday [January 17].
“A lot of longstanding ‘Pilgrims’ — the regulars within our trusted community — have implored us to retain the vibe that always made the venue so special in the first place,” explains co-owner Michael Lavery.
“They talk about nights out on our dancefloor as some of the best times they ever had in Newcastle so there’s a responsibility that comes with trying to maintain that experience and meet those expectations.”
“But the Pilgrim team is ready to accept the challenge and take things to the next level.
“What does that mean for 2025? Well, Pilgrims can expect household names with Grammy, MOBO, Brit and Mercury award winners performing throughout the year.
“We’re not only talking about soul artists here — there’ll also be plenty of stars from the worlds of jazz, reggae, soulful rock, gospel, hip-hop and House music too.
“Within the genres of soul and disco we’ll be reintroducing legacy artists with decades of live experience under their belts including some of the world’s finest DJs.
“And we’ll always be a home for the best in North East-based acts including Smoove & Turrell, Soulutions, the Voices of Virtue Gospel Choir, Jason Isaacs and groovetrain [CORRECT - lower case ‘g’]. Our Sunday services will resume too — including more live music special events.
“But what I'm just as excited about is bringing new music and new faces to the venue and diversifying the programming. So we’re starting as we mean to go on with Scottish funk rockers High Fade on Sunday!”
High Fade kicks off 2025 with a string of sold out shows across the UK and US and the band returns to Tyneside on Sunday following a critically acclaimed set at The Glasshouse last September — as part of a major charity concert organised by Michael.
Lead singer Harry Valentino said: “For bands like High Fade, a platform like Pilgrim is invaluable.
“People from outside the North East of England love Newcastle to bits and bands love to play in Newcastle. So for Michael and his team to give a venue like Hoochie Coochie a new lease of life is amazing.
“When you look at how many venues have been lost over the last year it’s time we celebrated the places that still give emerging bands a chance to shine.
“It’s easy to forget about these places and the amount of work that goes into actually running a venue — especially a good one.
“It’s very easy to run a bad music venue but to try and run a good one is incredibly difficult. Michael does that and that’s why we’ll be pointing all of our friends in the direction of Pilgrim!
“Michael met us at our first gig in Newcastle and liked what he saw. He wanted to work with us and got us on the bill of his groovetrain charity show at The Glasshouse.
“The music industry can be corrupt but it can also be the most beautiful thing on the planet when you meet people randomly who share your passion and become good friends.”
Friday’s guestlist-only ‘Baptism’ event at Pilgrim features the blues-based soul of Liverpool’s Casino and a solo set from singer songwriter Jonny Boyle, supported by resident DJ Chris Resant.
Saturday sees the focus turn to DJs and dancing with the rebirth of the venue’s famous — and the region’s longest-running — afternoon soul-disco session ‘Almost Heaven’ (3pm-9pm) followed by superstar international DJ ‘The Reflex’ (9pm-1am).
And High Fade wraps up what promises to be an action-packed opening weekend at the newly refurbished Pilgrim with a sold-out show.
“It’s felt a little bit like an episode of DIY SOS since Christmas and I don’t mind admitting there have been a few sleepless nights,” added Michael, as he reflected on a busy period putting the finishing touches to the refurbishments.
“But everything has come together and I’m extremely proud of what we’ve been able to achieve.”
“We’ve inherited a venue with a fantastic legacy and we’re very conscious of the fact that we need to get the mix right between the new and the old.
“I can’t wait for people to see what we’ve been able to do with Pilgrim thanks to some fantastic collaborations with the North East’s creative community and some brilliant tradespeople. It’s time to get back to the music!”
To join the waiting list for the Friday or Saturday opening events email [email protected]
