The Globe Showcase - 2026 Mercury Prize Fringe

The Globe Showcase runs at The Globe on Tuesday 20 October, with the Sophie Gordon Band headlining. They're joined by RYE, The Combovers, and Jade Mia Broadhead, and the night closes with a DJ set from Visra. It's a multi-act bill that puts the Sophie Gordon Band at the front, with the other three acts building up to them and Visra keeping things going after.

The showcase is part of the 2026 Mercury Prize Fringe, a week-long programme of more than 30 events across Newcastle and Gateshead that runs from 15 to 22 October. It takes in live music, screenings, workshops, talks and exclusive experiences, and The Globe's night is one of the live music slots. The Fringe itself is built around the Mercury Prize, which has moved beyond London for the second year running and is hosted at the city's Utilita Arena, following local hero Sam Fender taking it in 2025.

Each year the shortlist is curated by an independent judging team of music industry professionals. The 2026 panel is led by chair Jeff Smith and includes AFRODEUTSCHE, Jamie Cullum, MistaJam and Sian Eleri, with Radio 1 DJ Maia Beth returning to host artist interviews and red-carpet coverage. The showcase at The Globe spotlights the kind of emerging artists the venue exists to support, and the wider Fringe spreads across venues including The Plant Room, Tyneside Cinema, The Cumberland Arms, Pilgrim, Head of Steam, The Lubber Fiend, Newcastle University and Fenwick Newcastle. If you're around that week, you can pick and choose from the different nights across the city rather than sticking to one venue. The Globe Showcase falls on Tuesday 20 October, and the line-up is Sophie Gordon Band, RYE, The Combovers, Jade Mia Broadhead and DJ Visra.