Live Review: Quiet Houses - The Cluny 2, Newcastle 11/10/2026
There’s no venue quite like The Cluny, with its history and reputation as well as its programme of incredible bands trotting through its doors every day of the week. On Sunday it was Quiet Houses’ turn, with support from May Payne they won over the hearts of their fans, existing and new.
The Cluny 2 has a way of bringing crowds closer, and Quiet Houses made sure their audience was stuck to the front of the stage throughout the night. The four-piece have carved out a piece of the industry for themselves over the past however many years, writing soft and heartfelt indie anthems filled with poetic storylines. The band was supported by singer songwriter May Payne, who reminded us very much of north east-based artist Melanie Baker. Artist-that-doesn’t-fit-a-label May Payne performed a number of powerful short stories mostly driven by love and heartbreak, all rather relatable.
May Payne was the perfect person to warm up the crowd for the soft angelic sounds of Quiet Houses, fronted by duo Hannah Elliott and Jamie Stewart. They’ve always had a knack for weaving relatable narratives into beautifully shimmering soundscapes. While their recorded material captures a delicate balance of alternative folk melancholy and pop hooks, seeing the dynamic and hearing the songs live, brought another layer of depth to those wandering sounds. Elliott and Stewart have been together for a very long time, which is something you can hear, see, and feel when experiencing them perform their life’s work live.
From the first chords, a calm landed within the room, their audience had clearly been doing their homework, many singing along to every word, even the most recent releases. Elliott’s vocal delivery was breathtakingly precise and worked beautifully well with the band’s intricate soundscapes. The duo performed a few songs together, which highlighted their vocal harmonies even more, however it was nice to return to a slightly more upbeat band sound to eventually end the evening on. We collectively held our breath as Quiet Houses brought their compelling live performance, they showed off how their music does not need flashy production and how strong song writing can still carry all the weight.
Their setlist flowed like the water, moved between introspective moments and energetic, driving hooks that had us all swaying along. Every lyric felt like it came directly from the heart, delivered with genuine intention, and bridged the gap between the stage and the audience, as if we were all one, and part of the performance. Quite early on Hannah mentioned how smiley her crowd was and it seemed she genuinely didn’t realise we simply mirrored what we saw on stage. By the time the final chords had faded out, the Newcastle crowd slowly woke up from their Quiet Houses-induced trance, and the band had won over a few more plus ones that could have never prepared for the wonderful evening they’d walked into.
It wasn't just a concert; it was an invitation into a rich, colourful world that left everyone in attendance reluctant to step back out into the cold night air.
Words by Laura Rosierse
Photography by Celia Medina
