Durham's best music plus theatre and comedy, August 27 to September 1 2019

These are the music concerts happening this week, plus plays, musicals and stand-up comedy across the city.

As the new Durham school term looms, take your mind off it all with some entertainment one evening or at the weekend. We've rounded up the best gigs for this week, August 27 to September 1 2019.

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#1: Hilarity Bites Comedy Club, Crook

The Hilarity Bites Comedy Club heads to Crook this week, at The Cornerhouse Bar and Kitchen. It features Rahul Kohli, who is 'dripping with erudite genius' according to Fest Magazine, comedy scene regular John Gibson, and hosted by Rob Coleman, about whom One 4 Review says 'presence aplenty and material to match'.  

The Crook Hilarity Bites Comedy Club is on Thursday August 29, doors 7.30pm.

Tickets cost £4 plus 40p booking fee. You can purchase tickets* from the official booking page.

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#2: Road Not Taken, Claypath Delicatessen

Durham's Claypath Delicatessen hosts folk band Road Not Taken, on Sunday September 1, doors 4pm.

Road Not Taken is made up of singer Anita Dobson, guitarist Ant Miles, fiddle-player Claire Hamlen, and multi-instrumentalist Joe Hamlen. The band has seen a rapid rise, soon finding themselves supporting the likes of Lady Maisery, Rachael McShane and The Cartographers and Jim Moray, as well as performances at Oxford Folk Weekend, The Great Almonry Folk Weekend and Priston Festival. In 2019 Road Not Taken is appearing at Bristol Folk Festival, Wimborne Minster Folk Festival, Beardy Folk Festival, Priston Festival and London Folk Festival.

Tickets cost £8 plus 80p booking fee. You can purchase tickets* from the official booking page.

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#3: Fleur East, Sedgefield Racecourse

Singer/songwriter, rapper, dancer, actor and fitness model Fleur East is appearing at Sedgefield Racecourse this week, on Thursday August 29, 3pm. The ticket includes entry to the horseracing, followed by live DJ Set from Fleur East after the racing. Under 18s go free, but must be accompanied by an adult.

General admission* is £16.80 from the official booking page.

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#4: Simon Hogan organ recital, Durham Cathedral

The latest in the Durham Cathedral organ recital programme, on Wednesday August 28 at 7.30pm it's the turn of Simon Hogan, assistant director of music at Southwell Minster. His debut solo recording was released in 2015.

Tickets cost £10, £8 concessions.

You can buy them on 0191 338 7178, by emailing visitor.desk@durhamcathedral.co.uk or from the booking page.

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#5: The Importance of Being Earnest, Gala Theatre Durham

Mistaken identity and romance collide with cucumber sandwiches and a handbag in Oscar Wilde's much loved comedy of manners, The Importance of Being Earnest. Following the success of their productions of The Twelve Pound Look and A Doll's House, HangFire Theatre return to the Durham Gala Theatre with their fast-paced and cut down adaptation of Wilde's masterpiece.

The Importance of Being Earnest is at the Gala Theatre Durham from August 29-31, at 7.30pm and also a matinee on Saturday at 2.30pm.

Tickets cost £12 from the official booking page.

Read next: What's on at Durham Cathedral throughout August

Feature image credit: TheArches from Scotland (CC BY 2.0)