Music at the Castle – Porcelain

On Saturday 26th July 2025, Newcastle Castle transforms from a historic stronghold into a sanctuary for live music lovers, as Sofar Sounds and LLIVELY Music bring their highly anticipated event, ‘Music at the Castle’ to the heart of the city. Nestled within the ancient stone walls of one of Newcastle’s most iconic landmarks, this unique concert experience invites audiences to discover emerging talent in one of the most atmospheric settings imaginable.

Expect stripped-back sets, intimate crowd interaction, and that rare ‘first-time-I-saw-them’ feeling as talented performers bring their sound to a space where every note echoes with history. Whether you’re a long-time gig-goer or just love seeing live music in new and meaningful ways, Music at the Castle promises an unforgettable night.

We’ve had the pleasure of speaking to Porcelain, one of the bands in the lineup, ahead of their performance – diving into their creative processes, what this show means to them, and what audiences can expect when the castle doors open. Read on for an exclusive insight, as they prepare to make musical history within the walls of Newcastle Castle.

Your music blends atmospheric alt-rock with touches of progressive and art rock. How will you translate such a rich, layered sound into a stripped-back performance like this one at Newcastle Castle?

“We’re really excited to be playing a more relaxed, stripped back set at Newcastle Castle! It’s a rare occasion for us to bring our songs back to their roots, and work on new versions that really showcase the songwriting behind our sound. Although, you can still expect some signature guitar tones to come through – we’re not going fully unplugged!”

You’ve cited bands like Muse, Radiohead, and Coldplay as influences. How do those inspirations find their way into Porcelain’s songwriting and live performances – especially in more intimate settings?

“All of us grew up listening to these bands, all with our own individual favourite eras and sounds as their discographies are so expansive. We all bring a different flavour to the band, and love it when ideas come together naturally. Ultimately, dynamics and guitar tone are integral to our sound, and we love writing music that feels like it takes you somewhere, like the instrumental parts of our last two releases ‘Escape Routes’ and ‘The Opportunist’. Playing in more intimate settings just gives us a chance to bring our performances back to the songwriting, and remember what it was like putting these tunes together back in our living rooms.”

Newcastle Castle is such a dramatic and historic venue. As a local band, how does it feel to bring your music to life in a place with so much atmosphere and heritage?

“We’re genuinely so excited to be playing at the castle. Especially with two of us growing up here; I [Dan] remember going on school trips here and thinking it was such an incredible part of the city’s history. We’re pretty honoured to have been chosen for such a cool, unique event and definitely think it’ll be one to remember.”

Songs like “Hearsay” and “Escape Routes” have deeply introspective lyrics. Can you share a bit about the writing process behind them, and how personal storytelling drives your creative direction?

“Sometimes we don’t know what a song is about until the later stages. We may write something now, but only find out later what is really meant. That’s because in the moment, you can get caught up in so many things, and writing music is a way of navigating through all that. I [Curtis] tend to think back on those moments when songs first emerge in my head, and try to decipher what it’s all about. Usually you’re feeling things you’re not even aware of until it slips off your tongue or spills from a pen.”

Your live performances are known for their energy and emotional intensity. What do you enjoy most about stripping it all back and connecting with the audience in a more direct, acoustic way?

“We are always really excited about opportunities like this, where we get to strip our songs back down to the basics. It’s always a nice reminder of how far the songs we’ve written have come, playing them like we did when we first wrote them. It’s also always a nice chance to focus in on things like vocal harmonies and play around with different, lighter lead guitar effects and ideas, and hopefully showcase intricacies that perhaps get lost in our usual wall of sound in full band gigs!”

You’ve had support from BBC Radio 6, Radio X, and This Feeling. What’s been the most affirming moment so far in your journey as a band?

“Probably Escape Routes being played on BBC Radio 6. For where we were when the song came out, this was a pretty significant moment for all of us. This song received so much more support than we had been used to and felt like a real achievement, and started a string of really exciting firsts for us as a band.”

As an emerging act from Newcastle, what has the local scene meant to your development – and how do you see your sound representing the North East right now?

“We love the North East music scene. Since we started out there’s always been such a buzz around new artists and so many friendly faces that we’ve shared stages, lineups, radio playlists etc with along the way. We’re lucky to have worked with loads of amazing creatives and will always shout about the people that make the scene what it is. We really love the feedback we get at gigs, and use performance opportunities as a chance to gauge what works and what doesn’t when we play new songs and ideas.”

What can fans expect from your set at the castle? Is there a particular song that you feel will take on a new life in this unique setting?

“We’ve been working really hard on new music over the past few months, and are excited to play some new tunes stripped back for the first time. I’d say listen out for ‘Daybreak’ – a new song we’re currently producing that we are super excited about, and that gives Curtis a rare chance to crack out the keyboard.”

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For more information about the event, click here