Season one of Music People wrapped up in April and the 12 episodes were entirely filmed in Newcastle at either Sawtooth Studios or in front of a live audience at the Civic Theatre.

The show involved four to five musical acts, from different genres, performing live original music to be viewed via livestream on channels such as the Newcastle Herald's Facebook page. Season one included performances from Kim Churchill, William Crighton, Amber Lawrence, Vacations and Darren Percival.

Executive director Matt Field's media production company Field Frequency was recently awarded $64,400 through the City of Newcastle's Special Business Rates Program to produce three more episodes of Music People.

Field is awaiting news on additional funding applications from government organisations Create NSW, Live Music Australia and the RISE Fund.

Under the proposal Music People would begin in Newcastle in February before hosting monthly episodes in regional areas like Brunswick Heads, Byron Bay, Tamworth, Orange or Dubbo, Wagga Wagga, Narooma and Wollongong.

A second episode would be hosted in Newcastle in September 2022 to coincide with the New Annual Festival and the season finale would return to the city.

"We're just waiting to see what funding drops and what funding doesn't, and based on the funding we get it will determine the shape of the season," Field said.

"We've left no stone unturned. We've pursued everything."

The funding would be used to finance the cost of operating the 15 to 20-person crew production in various locations around NSW and to pay the musicians' performance fees.

Given the challenges live music has faced during to the pandemic, Field said the purpose of Music People was changing, especially if his plan to become a touring show was realised.

"My vision for this show was to get a music TV show and a live audience would come and watch for additional vibe and effect for the live broadcast," he said.

"What seems to be happening naturally is it's morphing into a unique live music show and the broadcast element is becoming secondary."

ALEX Knight, aka Brightness, has been fairly quiet since the release of his self-titled second album two years ago.

However, the Newcastle indie artist made a typically under-stated return this week with new single, Stillness, released on Bandcamp.

The '70s acoustic folk track is led by Knight's falsetto before he's joined by Natalya Bing's violin and Robbie Lee, who performs flute, chalumeau and contrabass recorder.

Brightness' self-titled album was nominated for the prestigious Australian Music Prize in 2019.

NEWCASTLE alt-rock band Eat Your Heart Out will celebrate their return to live gigs with a hometown show in the Cambridge Hotel's warehouse on January 14.

The gig kicks off their national Walk Over My Grave Tour, which also visits Canberra, Adelaide, Sunshine Coast, Brisbane, Gold Coast, Wollongong, Sydney, Melbourne, Perth, Launceston and Hobart.

The five-piece last played in December last year.

WILLIAM Crighton is also breaking out of lockdown with a series of shows with fellow Hunter Valley singer-songwriter Melody Pool.

The Jesus Blues and Priest star will perform at the Warners Bay Theatre on November 18, before moving onto Marrickville's The Great Club and Danger Island Bowling Club in December.

NEWCASTLE punks Boycott will headline the return of full bands to the Lass O'Gowrie Hotel on Saturday.

Boycott, who introduced themselves as a band to watch last year with the release of the EP Papillon, recently farewelled drummer Laura Matheson.

Cody Brougham's Underlay will kick-off the night at 7.15pm. Last month he released Underlay's debut EP Tomorrow.

YOU can never discount the enduring appeal of Jimmy Barnes.

The Australia pub rock icon has promptly sold out three shows at Lizotte's for December 20 to 22 at $220 with a three-course meal or $150 for the show only.

It's a fantastic result for the Lambton theatre, which reopened last Saturday following the latest COVID lockdown.

IF you head down to the Theatre Royal Sydney's re-opening in early December you'll likely notice some Novocastrian handiwork.

The Lambton-based business Owen Signs designed the Theatre Royal's signage, which sits above the refurbished glass entrance at Martin Place.

The 146-year-old theatre closed in 2016 for renovations and will reopen on December 2 to present Alanis Morissette's award-winning musical Jagged Little Pill.