groovetrain Bring Funk-Soul SuperSunday Back to Pilgrim
North East funk-soul supergroup groovetrain return to Pilgrim Newcastle for their annual SuperSunday on 22 November.
groovetrain at Pilgrim Newcastle returns on Sunday 22 November 2026 for the band’s annual funk-soul SuperSunday. The show runs from 4pm to 10pm, with Pilgrim presenting it as one of the group’s regular sellout dates rather than a one-off appearance.
groovetrain at Pilgrim Newcastle is built around a long-running local connection
The strongest part of this booking is the link between band and venue. groovetrain are fronted by Pilgrim co-owner Michael Lavery, so the annual show is effectively a home-room date for the group. Pilgrim also confirms that Si King is part of the line-up for this return, bringing another familiar North East figure into the live setup.
Pilgrim describes groovetrain as a much-loved funk-soul supergroup fronted by Pilgrim co-owner Michael Lavery and featuring Si King. That matters because the event is not being built around a touring package arriving from outside the region. It is a locally rooted band returning to a venue that already has a direct connection to the musicians involved.
The SuperSunday format gives the afternoon a different feel from a standard headline gig. Rather than doors at 7.30pm followed by a short support slot and a late finish, this one runs across six hours from 4pm. That leaves room for the event to work as a full Sunday session, with the live performance at the centre of a broader funk and soul atmosphere.
Musically, groovetrain sit in the area where classic funk, soul and groove-led live playing overlap. The Pilgrim room should suit that approach because the audience is close enough for the rhythm section and vocals to feel immediate rather than disappearing into a larger production. It also fits the venue’s wider programme, which regularly moves between soul, jazz, funk and regional live music.
The annual nature of the booking is another reason to flag it. Pilgrim calls the show a returning live sellout, so this is a date with its own audience and history rather than a first-time experiment. For anyone following North East live music, that makes it part of the venue’s identity as much as a single event in the calendar.
groovetrain at Pilgrim Newcastle takes place on Sunday 22 November 2026 from 4pm to 10pm. Tickets are £18, and the event is listed as 14+, with under-18s required to be accompanied by an adult.
Check Pilgrim and groovetrain’s channels before travelling in case timings or event details change.
